《How to Survive a Summoning 101》 Prologue: Gods, Contracts, and Frogs CRUNCH! Something snapped as the jaws of the monster clamped down on my arm, crushing flesh and bone alike. More than the excruciating pain, the smell was what got to me. I couldn¡¯t decide whether to howl in pain or proceed to promptly faint from the stench of the rotting teeth. A scream tore through my lungs. Shit, shit, shit it hurts!. Even if I didn¡¯t die from the enthusiastic chomping, I¡¯d die of septicaemia from the looks of these teeth! Oi monster, didn¡¯t your mommy teach you to brush? Even while I was dying, for the second time mind you, my thoughts were clear. Needlessly so. I could even feel the blood trickling down my arm slowly losing its warmth. The harder I flailed, the more blood I lost. Damn. I thought I could see the pearly gates already. Oh, look, flying piglets beckoning me to the great beyond. A shrill voice shook up my interior monologue. Leave me alone!I complained in my head as letting out even a groan seemed to much trouble. What does a guy have to do to finish his last monologue?! A pretty redhead girl cackled in some unknown language while bobbing up and down a few inches from my face. Her body shivered as she looked my battered body up an down, a hungry glint in her eyes. The girl seemed positively ecstatic with each time her lower mouth crunched down on my arm. No, not that lower mouth. Her pretty, naked frame was attached to the head of the monster that munched down on my arm like college kids at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Even the fucking demons in this fucking world are fucking annoying. Too many fucks in that sentence? Wait till you hear my story and you¡¯ll agree with my vocab. The girl part of the monster drooped down to lick the blood off my temple, which somehow had got torn up in the thrashing. As her little, red tongue flickered on my skin, she moaned in pleasure at the taste of it. Fuck this shit! With the last remnants of my strength, I stretched my fingers into a V and drove them through her eyes with a wet squelch. Then I proceeded to make whatever was inside that head into a nice, bloody batter. ¡°You forgot to say please¡±, I growled. This''ll count as cool last words, right? The monster screamed and spat me out of its mouth while wailing in probably what was sailor-grade Demonese cusses. Greenish blood dripped down her busted eyes and soaked the lush grass underneath. Yeah Yeah. I love you too, sweetheart. My half chewed up arm throbbed, pain lancing up my entire body. I spat out a mouthful of blood. My mouth curled up in a wry smile at the coppery taste. Maybe...maybe this time I''ll die for good. Then, everything turned black. So, you ask exactly how I got to know this lovely lady? but before that, you want to know what the actual fuck is going on? Let¡¯s rewind a bit. Since the birth of time...no not that far, to just a few hours ago. There I had been, happy that I had finally got to pass the exam. I had planned to withdraw some cash to celebrate with my friends. I mean, I did deserve to party hard after all the studying, didn¡¯t I? I had gone to the bank and the eternally grumpy cashier was looking through my chequebook, when she simply¡­froze. Come on! Don''t make that face! I know I don¡¯t have savings! Dammit, I¡¯m just 20! ¡°If you know what is good for you, put your hands up and slowly get out of the counter, otherwise we will ....¡± threatened a gruff voice behind me, "pew pew". I glanced back- a man wearing a Tengu mask waved a gun at the cashier¡¯s counter. Oh. A robbery. I calmly took my chequebook from the receptionist and tried to walk away. ¡°What are you doing, asshole?¡± The robber guy shoved his gun at my face, demanding to know. I, in turn, shoved my chequebook towards him. ¡°Look at it. It¡¯s horrifying enough to give Stephen King some ideas. I don¡¯t have anything to do here, do I?" I grumbled as I had to show another person the yawning pit of Tartarus that was my account. "Also, did you just say pew pew?¡± Apparently, the guy took offence. Maybe he didn¡¯t like Stephen King. Maybe he wanted exclusive rights to say "pew pew". He shoved me towards the hall where his accomplices were rounding up people as hostages. I sighed, prepared to spend some quality time with my hands over my head and threats thrown around. I crouched and sat beside a terrified mother and her child. I hope this gets over soon, I have dinner to make after this. After some time had passed, I could hear police sirens closing in. Finally, they decide to be here!. The robbers froze for a second. The Tengu-mask barked at his men. The robbers'' movements became frantic. One of them hurried over to where I sat and grabbed the mother by her hair and dragged her towards the door. Using hostage to get away? The mother let out a pained scream, her hands clawing the floor. Her daughter ran after them. Oh shit! No! I tried to stop her but she scampered fast on her little feet. The child grabbed on the leg of the robber dragging her mother and bit down on his leg. ¡°Son of a ¡­¡± the robber yelped and hit the little child with the back of the gun. With a sudden jerk, he then pointed the muzzle at her. "Stop! Please stop!" The mother screamed as tears streaked across her face. "I''ll...I''ll do whatever you say. Let her go! Please", she pleaded. "She is just a kid!" Nope. Don''t be a hero, I told myself. The robber snorted. His fingers tightened on the trigger. People started screaming one by one. Shit! Time stretched. I hadn¡¯t even felt my muscles tense when I sprang up and clambered after the child. What am I even doing? I barely shoved her away with a savage thrust when I heard a loud bang. The wide hall seemed to reverberate along with the split second flare of pain I felt in my chest. You know how people talk about how they saw a hole in their chest when they got shot or felt a paragraph worth of emotions when they do something instantaneous? They lie. What happens with a gunshot is, Bang! Sploot! You are dead! There it is. The tale of the wonderful first-time hero Rigel and how he died. The name is Rigel by the way, written with the kanji of¡­oh dammit. Too many years in Japan have affected my mannerisms. At any rate, I didn¡¯t know why the robber tried to shoot a little girl. Maybe the robber was new and got fidgety; maybe he was an underpaid intern. Who knows? But losing composure is unbecoming as a professional. If there was a yelp for robbers, I''d give them the lowest rating. Also, Fuck those guys. I hope the police drill you full of holes, assholes.And then, I died for the first time today. ~~~~ Argh! A dull throb spread through my body, while my eyelids felt like lead. I...I am alive?! I woke up in an eerie room where darkness extended infinitely except for a throne some distance away. The throne, seemingly made of solid gold and silver, had a curious illumination. The light is not...spreading to the surroundings?. Slowly, as my eyes adjusted, I could make out shapes of bones and skulls on that throne. Some parts of it shone like steel. But even more astonishing was the figure sitting on the throne. At a glace, he was a remarkable person. Probably a decade older than me? The light faintly shone on his high cheekbones and aquiline nose before getting absorbed in his head of rough shoulder length black hair. His skin itself glowed with faint luminescence as he flipped through a book on one hand and rested his chin on the other. His robes shimmered black and green as if a snake had spit its venom on those clothes. Huh? What''s happening? My head reeled, trying to take stock of my situation.Who is that? Why...why is he wearing a robe? Why does he have a pair of swords attached to his hips? What is with his horrible Edgelord fashion? If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°What are you supposed to be, O Lord of the faintly glowing cheeks and a tasteless throne?¡± I knew I was going to pay for this, but I couldn¡¯t help quipping. Seriously though, what the fuck is going on? As the man turned his head to face me, the crown on his head glinted with the white of bone and--are...are those shadows coiling around it? what the... A chill ran down my spine. My hands shook a little. ¡°I am a god, and you are dead. And dead men don¡¯t talk. I don¡¯t hate impudence...but only from those I want to break.¡± replied the god of horrible fashion sense. ¡°You are the...God?" I stuttered. "Shouldn¡¯t you be like¡­all white and with angels instead of this depressing Evil Overlord setting?" Dead huh. Is this...some weird hallucination while I''m being rushed to the hospital or something? "And dude", I couldn''t stop myself speaking as if it was the only thing that kept a strange fear from welling deep within me. "I too wanted to have a soulful last moment where I describe everything around, about and with me, you know" I added. "That¡¯s how people die in fiction after all!" The self-proclaimed God rolled his eyes at my reply. ¡°I said a god. Also not of your world. And again, silence, mortal. Hear my words and depart, kin of the fallen¡±, he waved his hands, ¡°You will be sent to another world. You will fight the demons there to defeat the demon lord. I will give you 3 gifts as mandated by the Covenant¡­¡± I hoped this was a dream. What the actual hell did I get high on? ¡°Stop stop..wait. Why? Why was I chosen and why the heck would I fight battles for some other world?¡± I protested loudly. Did I already get to the party? This must be some goddamn fine weed to make me this blacked out. ¡°Shut up, mortal. Know your place. You will do as I say because you have no choice; you are dead in your previous world and have nowhere to go. You will do as I say because you are powerless to refuse. You will do this to provide us with entertainment. Do not think for a moment that you were chosen to be a hero, or that you are special. We the gods choose mortals to play with. It is how we entertain ourselves. You are our pawns and nothing more¡±. ¡°What? I won''t do it! I refuse!¡± The dream grew more and more lucid. This...couldn¡¯t be real, could it? ¡°You still seem to be misunderstand something¡±, came the reply in a voice of cold steel. The form of the god blurred as he appeared right in front of me. As fast as lightning, his staff whipped out at me. With a resounding crack, my lower jaw broke and dislocated. He added on in a voice like dripping acid, ¡°You have no choice. Either, struggle and entertain me or die deliberately on the other side. If you do so, I will bring you here and send you again. Then again. In the end, you will beg me to kill you, and your''s won''t be the first skull on my throne either. I lay there in agony, unable to even whimper as I realized somehow, he had made me unable to talk. As a warm liquid dripped on my hands, I understood he had ripped out my voice-box too with his sword. When...when did he even whip out his sword?! The world contracted around me as my vision tunnelled in sheer pain and horror. I frantically clawed at my throat trying to put back the things that were starting to spill out of it. Blood gushed out of me and disappeared into the dark floor beneath. ¡°So, then¡±, he seemed to grow cheerful at my frenzied struggle, ¡°as I was saying, three gifts as per the Covenant and no more. The Gift of Knowledge, The Gift of Might and The Gift of Miracles. Honestly, I would have sent you with nothing, but our games dictate some base decorum, so there you go¡±. I felt the relapse of my long-standing depression. The realization of being made into a pawn slowly sank in, and a dull ache set in my heart, Fuck this!! I hated the situation with all my might, I hated it with all I was. Yep, this is definitely real, with so much pain, no chance that this is some blunt. The thick coppery smell from my pooling blood wafted up, burning my nostrils. ¡°Good. That is right. Hate with all your might. Hate with your being. Because down there, only hate can save you, kin of the Fallen¡±, said the spiteful god, sounding amused as he continued. ¡°I need your consent to send you to another world, Rigel. Please say ¡®yes¡¯. If you think you will refuse, you know what will happen¡±. He swung his sword in a fluid motion. Droplets splattered my face. My own blood! His face pulled up in a grin, ¡°The Covenant only asks for consent, not how it is obtained.¡± He cleared his throat, "Do you wish to become Lord Zain''s vassal and see to it that my will be done in Sangraal?" What? No pop-up windows?I still had a faint hope that this was like the start of one of those Japanese novels and anime I had read so much of.A game world! or...or a fantasy world! That must be it! ¡°I guess your silence means ¡®yes¡¯¡±, His Nastiness gloated. You son of a¡­you ripped out my voice box! Oddly enough, the blazing pain from my ripped voice box had started to numb out into a slow, throbbing tempo. The god, Zain, made a sweeping motion with his hands and my wounds started to heal. The wounds closed by itself as I felt nerves and muscles stitch together of their own volition. ¡°Yes¡±. I said in a hoarse voice.Fuck you! ¡°Do I get weekly holidays and insurance?¡± I added as some measure of trivial resistance. The god glared at me with his eyebrows raised, ¡°You really are...impudent. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to pick you anyway¡±. He added with a dismissive gesture, ¡°Off you go; go forth and entertain". He turned away from me, his leather boots squeaking loudly in that silent room,¡°If you have any questions, I''d advise you to keep them to yourself. My vassals aren''t exactly...thought well of down there". "Hope you had a pleasant evening¡±, he said with a shit-eating grin. This god. I will kill him someday. I felt a searing pain flaring on by back, and then I lost consciousness. This again?! ~~~~ I woke up with the sun in my eyes. The bed of grass I lay on pricked my skin softly as I looked up at the pleasant¡­what the actual hell? There were broken masses across the sky from horizon to horizon in a broad slanted belt. Looking closely, they seem to be clumps of broken landmasses. Something like Saturn¡¯s Belt? More like belts of whatever-land-I-was-sent-to. There were two moons visible in the sky close by. I hope they crash and destroy this world. I was lying in a broad vale, full of trees that extended on all sides. They were quite normal, almost same as trees back on Earth. I guess expecting glowing trees and talking plants are too much even for fantasy settings, huh? As I was thinking to myself, a mesmerizing voice reached my ears. Someone sangin a foreign and exotic sounding language. I picked myself up slowly like a fragile glass sculpture.Huh? Doesn''t hurt?In spite of the extreme violence that god had visited upon my body, it didn''t hurt now. I guess that bastard really is a fucking god, I thought as I jogged towards the source of the song. The voice gradually strengthened and it was as if¡­the voice was pulling me towards it. ¡°Let¡¯s try to get some info out of the splendid songstress¡±, I said to myself aloud, as if to dispel the fears of a new world. Talking to myself again, huh? I suddenly burst into a clearing. Lush blue and red vegetation ringed a small pond, its water a vibrant shade of emerald. There you are, fantasy plants. Oddly, there were no birds or insects around. The area surrounding the pond was silent, except for the ephemeral voice. Tracing the source of the voice, my eyes fell upon a girl. While she sang, her hands cupped water and trickled it down her snow-white skin. I took a gulp, Now this is a fantasy. On so many levels. I felt like a voyeur upon a sacred scene, even so, I stood rooted to the spot. I admit, the myth of Actaeon being turned to a stag because he saw Diana bathing had indeed come to my mind. A sense of fascination and danger sent shivers down my spine. Or maybe it is her voice?. Suddenly the girl turned around and looked at me, in a flash covering herself up with leaves. Her blazing scarlet hair clung to her lithe form like a dress made of fire. I wondered what to do when the girl beckoned me with inviting gestures, water dripping down her curves. I walked up to her, thinking of what to say¡­ I felt so confused, walking as if in a happy haze. The girl smiled like an angel and rose up through the water. I mean literally above the water, the girl was attached to a 10-foot high frog-like monster. The monstrosity hopped on its two hind legs just like a frog. Water cascaded down its mottled grey-green skin with reddish spots spread on its back. Far from running away, I stood petrified on the spot. My legs gave way beneath me. The frog opened it¡¯s terrible maw. As two sets of razor-sharp fangs lining its mouth expanded, overpowering stench of rotting meat assailed my senses. The girl was attached to the frog¡¯s head, much like the glowing lure attached to an Anglerfish, made to lure prey. The girl screeched in a shrill voice, unlike her godly singing before. I guess I won¡¯t be taking you home tonight, eh? The monster leapt up with a speed unbecoming of its huge size and charged at me. My vision tunnelled, focusing on the huge set of teeth which loomed in front of me like a badly maintained guillotine. Its jaws chomped down on my arm while it rammed into me at the same time, throwing me against a large tree trunk, blocking my escape. The girl bobbed up and down strangely from her lower body that was attached to the frog head by a thick tentacle...no, like a mermaid, only in place of a tail, this bitch had a demon frog. The girl had smiled at me, her hands rubbed at her nipples as if the situation excited her. Well, it probably had. Her mouth had opened in a grin, a soft sigh escaping her lips as her lower mouth ripped at my hand. And then, the massive maw had clamped down with a fearful crunch. Chapter 1: Yanderes, Gifts, and Nurse Uniforms ¡°¡­Then the hero Rolsberg swung his pitch black iron greatsword. As the Great God Kohril lay dying with Rolsberg¡¯s iron sword penetrating his chest, the god asked of the hero: ¡°Why dost thou fight, mortal? Your life is nought but fleeting in front of us. So why struggle in vain?¡±. Rolsberg said, ¡°''tis precisely why we fight, god; for we are mortals.¡± The great god closed his eyes and uttered, ¡°Thou might be right, for we the gods have forgotten what it is to have a life" --Extract from the Lost Scrolls of the Salinzet Mountains, 141 A.C.
Tch. More monochrome spaces. These gods really need to let go of their monochrome fascination. Pure white extended in all directions endlessly. In that space of infinite white, stood a woman few feet away from me with her eyes locked into mine. Slender, tall and shapely. At least this god looks nice.I shivered as I thought of Zain and his eerie visage. The first thing that came to my mind when I saw the woman was a katana. Her angular, chiselled features were sharp as a well-honed blade, eager for blood and fire. Black hair like torrid water cascaded down her shoulders. Her face, as if hewn out of cold, unforgiving marble laid bare for the world to see the weapon that was this woman. Her shallow, amused smile did not touch her crimson eyes. If eyes were windows to the soul, this woman¡¯s soul must make s¡¯mores out of men¡¯s soul with its burning ferocity. Now, this¡­has to be a god or I didn¡¯t know one. Actually, I knew just one other. And of course, I had to stoke this fire. ¡°Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?¡± I asked aloud while groaning inwardly. Awesome, Rigel! Now you are delivering lame, outdated pickup lines to divine beings.¡¯ The beauty simply arched one of her immaculate eyebrows. Heaven must have some damned good salons. ¡°Men¡±, she sighed, her lips parting in the softest of sounds. The Goddess sauntered towards me. The absolute white space shifted and shimmered like a mirage in a desert until it shattered like glass and gave way to a new landscape. The ground was awash with blood, snaking along dry red soil. The earth eagerly soaked up the thick liquid, but the flow was relentless. What...What is this?! Bright red blood dripped down copper spires that had jutted out of the ground. The stench of iron and death coiled through the stagnant air in thick waves, their smell forced themselves down my nose. Hundreds of writhing hands erupted from the red earth and clawed at the goddess¡¯ bare feet as if desperate to drag her under and rip her apart in a savage fury. The goddess simply smashed her well maintained feet on them, crushing fingers here and there. The scene was surreal and terrifying, and I don¡¯t mean her pedicured feet. ¡°Nice land of death vibe you got goin¡¯ there.¡± I managed to croak. This is even nastier than Zains'' space. Who...who is this girl? ¡°Not my dream, Rigel¡±, She said, pausing. ¡°It¡¯s yours¡±. My stomach dropped a thousand feet.What...why?! The ends of my fingers went cold. This...this twisted, brutal land is my dreamscape?! An inadvertent chuckle bubbled up my throat. After all that has happened to me today...No wonder. ¡°So, what does Zain want with me? And who are you?¡± I inquired, noticing her black ballroom gown with green shimmering snake head patterns. Yep, definitely Zain related. A languid smile spread across her face. ¡°How did you know?¡± she asked, letting herself fall into a chair of twisted metal that had conjured up magically. ¡°The green and black attire and the...terrible chair¡±, I shrugged. ¡°In short, terrible aesthetic sense for a god.¡± ¡°I can see why he chose you, mortal¡±, sneered the goddess. ¡°I am Astria, retainer of Lord Zain and your appointed Farsythee. The green and black are the house colour of Lord Zain. All of us who serve him must wear his house colours¡±. ¡°So...even your lingeri¨C¡± I couldn¡¯t help myself, I had to retort. This...this must be something like those fantastical stories right? ¡°I will dock your pay for sexual harassment.¡± she hissed venomously. ¡°You don¡¯t pay me¡±, I interjected helpfully. Nothing serious will happen, right? No bad things happen in those novels! ¡°And you can quit anytime you like¡±, she said with a mocking smile. Way to rub it in, lady. ¡°At any rate, I am your Farsythee, which means I am your liaison between Lord Zain and the Covenant. On occasion, I might even help you understand the world.¡± the frustrating woman continued smugly. I want to punch her face! ¡°So you are my personal Navi (1). A tutorial.¡± I sighed. Yep, definitely like a game! ¡°Yes, Rigel...I am your Nav...Farsythee.¡± She seemed annoyed. Maybe she sucked at Zelda, "You talk too much. If you listen more and talk less, you might just survive this world. However, people like you die easily". She flipped her hands, "I don¡¯t expect much out of you¡±. She must be a hit at the parties. But...it means this is just a game like world. My previous misgivings and terror cooled. I can totally survive this world! She spoke on in her best fantasy story narrator impersonation, ¡°The Immortals of this world grew bored of millennia of creation and destruction. Civilizations of people came and went, the gods got tired of their games, replaying the same story over and over. Terrible ennui drove the Immortals to wars and wanton destruction among themselves and creation itself. A god¡¯s war is also the war of his people, so this resulted in widespread loss of lives. The Creation itself was in danger¡±. Someone should just get these gods internet. Trolling the fuck out of each other was infinitely better than having a planet-destroying war. ¡°Mortals, who were mere followers of the gods, rose up in revolt against them. Amidst oceans of blood and forests of bones, Gods and Demons fell in battle. Mortals, pitiful as they were, managed to turn the tides of war through immeasurable sacrifices. Needless to say, the gods were horrified. All the immortal beings convened and came to an agreement¡±. Astria paused, a condescending expression on her sharp features, ¡°Still with me?¡± ¡°When do I get my cheat like superpowers?¡± I quipped. Come on, enough with the fucking tutorial. Just give me the godlike skill already. That''s...that''s how this works right? ¡°The what?¡± she seemed utterly confused. ¡°Oh fuck it¡±, I replied nonchalantly. ¡°Please continue, oh-obligatory plot explanation device¡±. Guess I can''t just skip the intro like an actual game, dammit. ¡°I see you like flying at the sun with wax wings.¡± she bristled. "Icarus...that is a legend from your world, is it not?" ¡°Nice gown by the way.¡± I offered as a way of appeasement but she wasn¡¯t convinced. By now, suspicion had begun to take root in my mind. This...this isn''t like those Japanese novels and stuff. She persisted in her rejected-narrator-for-LOTR tone, ¡°Anyway, the assembly of the Immortal Covenant decided to stop all direct aggression among the immortal beings. Instead, they proposed playing games of war and aggression to settle their differences. These so-called games would make the whole world its stage, and it¡¯s inhabitants into the game pieces¡±. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. At least have an original setting, you stupid gods! Haven¡¯t these guys heard of copyright violation lawsuits? Ha! This is like those stories after all! ¡°So, Astria, in short, I have to build a harem of beautiful slaves that are conveniently in love with me, and learn magic that is conveniently gifted to me to defeat Zain¡¯s opponent, right?¡± I splayed my hands, a smirk on my face. I mean, this is almost the stock storyline in that kind of games and novels. How hard can this be? Come on, follow the template. I already know all you guys are more clich¨¦ than a generic harem comedy. Silence reigned supreme. The goddess kept looking at me with a frozen expression, her body as rigid as a mass of tempered steel. I could almost see darkness smouldering in her eyes. Wait...what is... With a motion fluid as a bird of prey, she drove her hand into my chest. At first, the pain didn¡¯t even register, and then it crashed like a tsunami, every strand of my nerves on fire and awash with pain. Fuck! This wasn''t supposed to..my breath came in wheezes. What just... ¡°Enough of your prattle. This is not a joke, Mortal. At least not for you. Any more words and you will truly die. True wisdom lies in acknowledging your place.¡± declared Astria, her voice laced with poison and contempt. She seemed to be searching for something in my chest cavity. Her slender fingers prowled through my body sending shock waves of pain and violent spasms. I threw up blood in my throat, the blood choked me slowly. I didn¡¯t have the strength to claw at her wrist, embedded in my chest. I could sense my body growing numb from the blood loss, the blood pooling at my feet. Wh...why is the world going black? Suddenly, Astria gripped my still beating heart. Even though she literally held my heart in her hands, I couldn¡¯t feel its movements. Had I lost that much blood already? ¡°Know this, Mortal, your life lies in our hands. The Covenant forbids us from interfering with the happenings in Sangraal or its inhabitants directly. However, this applies to only this world. Otherworlders like you are just mere tools brought in to influence Sangraal indirectly. Through promises, whispers and lies, you people are to be played.¡± Astria declared in a frigid tone. She...She is smiling!. A violent, vicious smile while she squeezed my heart of its blood. The hands writhing in the ground with their fingers clutching at the air and each other like some insect¡¯s antennae simply went wild. They tore up others that were in their vicinity, and their hate knew no bounds when they sensed Astria. It seemed like they would devour her, rip apart her flesh and rend her bloody limb to limb if they got hold of her. ¡°Your dreams are disgusting¡±, Astria shivered as she smashed more of the hands, ¡°You cannot escape. You are not permitted to suicide. Grow strong and kill the gods you hate so much. That is the only escape¡±. She withdrew her arm from my chest, her arm splattered with a vibrant red. I spat out blood on the ground and crimson soil absorbed it eagerly. Just kill me. Kill me already. How many times will they... Astria took a deep breath and lightly put her hands on my chest. My whole body burned up from extreme heat the flowed from her hands and engulfed me. Bestial screams tore through my throat as warmth akin to hot wax filled my chest. After what felt like aeons, the wounds in my chest knit, healing of their own accord. Astria spoke in an almost apologetic tone. "You remind me of someone. Someone I desire to kill and salt the earth with his blood". She sighed a little as if struggling to grapple with her emotions. "Besides, pain is the greatest motivator", she smirked. Nice. A homicidal yandere goddess. That¡¯s just what I need. "Unwitting or not, you have paid the price of blood", Astria spoke in a flat tone. "Therefore, I will show you one mercy", she stated. Mercy? From you, you psychopathic bitch?! In retrospect, I should have known that something wasn¡¯t quite right. I mean the whole situation was out of whack, but something was even more so. I had faced more life-threatening violence in the last few hours than in my whole life. But why am I so calm? It was as if I was accepting things easily. Too easily in fact. But then, I didn¡¯t know what was happening. I wish I did. ¡°The Covenant decreed that every otherworlder summoned by the Immortals must be given 3 gifts and no more.¡± Astria explained before exhaling, ¡°¡®Gift of Knowledge must be the first, Might the second. The third and final gift shall be the domain of the god contracted¡¯. These are the actual words I believe, that were spoken by the Covenant.¡± ¡°Through the Gift of Knowledge, you''ll grasp language or magic easier. Through the Gift of Might, you will have better physical and regeneration capabilities compared to the masses of the race you belong to. After all, gods can''t be amused by bumbling idiots who take decades upon decades to build any semblance of power". The goddess paused before adding, "since you are a Vassal of Lord Zain, your last gift is¡­¡± Astria flashed a smile full of pity, ¡°Sacrifice¡±. I had a sinking feeling about what the last ¡°gift¡± was. It''s...it''s nothing good, is it?. My nails dug into my palms hard as she finished, ¡°You pray for something and then pay a suitable price for it. The bigger the miracle you wish, the steeper the price. It has to be something dear to you.¡± Fuck. Just as I thought. ¡°You said ¡®since I am a vassal of Zain. Does this mean other summoned people do not have to go through sacrifices?¡± Why do I even ask, of course, I drew the short end of the stick. ¡°All power has a price, mortal. Never forget that. No matter what kind, if you desire power, be prepared to pay a price¡±, Astria said in a grave tone, ¡°Even if it¡¯s different, everyone pays the price; even the gods¡± I remembered the tale of Odin, the King of Norse Gods. Dude hung himself from a tree branch for 9 days, pierced by his own spear; to gain power. ¡°That will be all for now, Rigel¡±, said Astria. ¡°I want dental care¡±, I told her flatly. I was surprised at my own audacity. ¡°Denied¡±. ¡°Hazard Pay¡±. ¡°No¡±. ¡°Legendary Sword¡±. ¡°No can do¡±. ¡°Harem of pretty slaves¡±. ¡°Get it yourself.¡± ¡°Extraordinary hero cheat power¡±. I should stop before my jokes get me killed again. ¡°Pay the price¡±. I sighed. Of course. Things wouldn¡¯t be that easy. "However", Astria spoke with a steely tone. "About my mercy. Lord Zain would throw you directly to the wolves. But, as your Farsythee, I will send you somewhere quite first. That''s my sole mercy for you, mortal". I nodded. Well...anything I can get. ¡°It is about time you wake up, Rigel¡±. Astria turned around and motioned to leave. ¡°You turned out to be unexpectedly nice, Astria. You did open up a hole inside my chest, but nice¡±, I said honestly. Well, not as much an asshole as the other guy in any case. Astria paused while walking away, half turning towards me, ¡°Mortal, the only thing worse than malicious gods are nice ones. Trust no one, not even yourself¡±. ¡°Astria?¡± I will keep that in mind. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I will kill you¡±. And pay back every ounce of fucking pain. Astria''s face spread into a tired smile as if she had heard that again and again. ¡°I will look forward to it then. By the way, Rigel, do you like nurse uniforms?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I was dumbfounded. I mean, suuuure, I like ¡®em as much as the next guy but what as she... ¡°I hope you don¡¯t¡±, she stated as the dreamscape of horrible hands and bloody spires folded unto itself, disappearing from view as I woke up in full clarity. ~~~~ I opened my eyes. The ceiling was unfamiliar. Wooden lattice beams supporting a dark coloured wooden roof slanted upwards. Medieval setting, check. Sounds of someone speaking an unfamiliar language drifted to my ears. In all honesty, it sounded like someone punched a goat after gagging it. When I turned my head towards the source of the sound, my eyes popped out of my head and fell to the floor. Well, almost. A woman stood at the far corner of the room. She was saying something but all I could do was stare. It was a hippo on two legs. What the fuck? Nope, I¡¯m not hating on the ¡°generously curvy¡±; it was an honest to god bipedal hippo, and it was wearing a nurse uniform. Everything was spilling out and not in a good way. I closed my eyes and pretended to go to sleep. She still spoke to me in what sounded like someone-strangled-a-mountain-goat-ese. There is nothing there. I tried to convince myself. Just a whole lot of bad dreams. No gods, no goddesses. The same guttural sounds emanated right next to my ears. And certainly no anthropomorphic hippos. Nope. I guess I am here. I sighed. Wherever "here" is. Chapter 2: Knights, Grandmas, and Dreamcatchers ¡°¡­and then, the creator, Azulai cut open his palm. His dripping blood created the rivers and the seas. Not satisfied yet, He shed his hair upon the void, creating valleys and mountains. Pleased with his creation, Azulai flew over the lands and seas. Azulai¡¯s dripping seed fell upon the earth, and sprang forth his greatest creation yet, mankind¡­at least that is what the humans believe. Of course, we the Elves know it to be a pile of rhistal shit. We all know that Riliadvael sang the world into existence¡­¡± - The World According To The Elves, Caelwyn Silentleaf, 11287 A.C. A sword was pointed at my face. A guy of about 18 stared down the length of the blade with his hand on the grip in a one-handed stance. Needless to say, he looked like he wanted to gut me. Not being to able to understand what he was saying didn¡¯t exactly help my cause either. ¡°Err¡­¡± I raised my hands up. He should understand surrender, right? That seemed to incense him. He sprang back and tried an overhanded chop at my head. Wtf? No Miranda Rights? is everyone in this world so murderous? I tried to spring and crawl back on my ass at the same time. Failing both, I ended up sprawling on my back in an awkward manner. A sharp metallic sound rang out dangerously close to my face. Another blade had lightly parried the incoming sword accompanied with a sharp shout. I couldn¡¯t see the wielder of the second blade, but I could assume it was someone who did not want me dead. Yet. I couldn¡¯t turn my head as I was fully sprawled on the ground and frankly, too afraid to move. The person walked around me and asked me something. The owner of the second blade was a burly, well-built man in his middle ages. His weather-worn face with a few days worth of auburn beard spoke of good humour. He wore dark coloured leather jerkins and pants, along with metal gauntlets and a shoulder guard on a single shoulder. Both the gauntlets and the shoulder guard were too small to have any effect. In other words, he was showing off. Heh? How do I know the pieces of armour were ineffectual? The person spoke to me for a second time, his eyebrows scrunched. By his tone, I guessed he asked me if I was okay. Either that or he asked me if I like baked pig intestines. I mean, It could be any goddamn thing! I tried to thank him in six different languages but none of them worked; probably because they were from Earth. I thought I was given the gift of Knowledge, so where is my instant language comprehension? Those bastard gods! The man stretched his hand, and I pulled myself up holding it. I dusted my ass with whatever little dignity I could still muster and tried to walk off. The kid was still glaring at me with murderous hostility. The eyes of a killer¡­or your best friends eyes when you tell him in no uncertain terms that his waifu is shit. Oh yeah, I crack jokes at life-threatening situations. Sue me. The man took a stern tone towards the guy and probably scolded him. I just stood there trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. I had learnt my lesson with Zain and Astria.Don''t stand out. Don''t antagonise! The man continued lecturing the guy while the latter''s eyes darted towards me from time to time. Shit! aren¡¯t you making things worse by scolding him? I mentally yelled at my saviour. Wouldn''t the impulsive guy just take this as a disgraceful insult and try to chop me up in secret? Not like I was any better. I grit my teeth at the stupidly impulsive behavior that made two gods almost kill me, twice. The guy gave me a last hateful look and left as the older man finished up his piece. He then motioned me to follow him. I obliged. If the last couple of hours has shown me anything...was that this world doesn''t spare the ones who didn''t catch up. I just hope this wasn¡¯t a pickup attempt, I chuckled at myself. You know how the stories go about saving the damsel in distress.My mirth soon turned into a sigh as I realised what I was doing. Forced jokes, huh? I guess that''s the only way I know how to cope when nothing made sense anymore. I had always felt isolated from the rest of the world. It wasn¡¯t as if there had been some great tragedy or betrayal, even so I always felt disconcerted from the world in general. Before long I isolated myself from people and started to talk to myself. Often, when I went hiking or camping alone, I would talk to myself to fend off the growing sense of loneliness. I wonder why I would do that if I didn¡¯t even like people? I wonder why was I thinking about this after such a long while? But first, information. The old guy walked in front of me while I followed him behind, taking in the scenery. We walked across a wide, artificially leveled ground. There were a few guys sparring with each other using wooden or blunt metal swords.Knights? Can''t be. Wasn''t that too expensive back on earth? Does that rule even apply here? Enthusiastic shouts mixed with the din of weapon on weapon. Sloppy swordplay. Wasted movements. Wait what? How do I know that? By bewilderment didn''t last long as the people practicing on the ground looked at me with curious expressions while stopping their bouts. So I am the new animal in the zoo, eh? The middle-aged man who was guiding me gestured at them to continue. Walking across the field, we came up to a long, two storied wooden building with a slanted roof. The small room we entered was thrown into a kaleidoscope of tinted light as sunlight filtered through the various glass jars filled with curious and unknown things inside. Sitting on a chair in the room was¡­the bipedal hippo I had seen when I had woken up earlier. Having got tired of lying down, I had walked out of the room when I had been left alone for a long while. I had been eager to look around and take stock of the situation. I wasn''t going to do the same mistakes again. Instead of letting my mouth run, I needed to listen and see more. I hated to do what that damned Astria suggested, but she was right. The old guy talked with the Hippo for a bit. Is she mad at me because I left? Annoyed? My acute lack of knowledge in proper hippo expressions made me regretful. The hippo looked at me and smiled. Am I off the hook? Her lips curled up in a feral grin and those pillar like teeth flashed in what she probably thought was a charming smile. Holy...that was simply ghastly. Ever seen a Hippo smile? I wish you never have to. She then talked for a little while with the old guy and nodded. She made a weird gesture at me with her fingers. I didn¡¯t know what to do, so I gave her a thumbs up. The old guy motioned me to follow him again, and walked out of the room. I followed while turning back to look at the hippo for the last time. She was engrossed trying to make a thumbs up with her strangely anthropomorphic fingers and examining it closely. Outside the compound, a small dirt road led to a wide settlement that looked like a village. Oho, so it¡¯s this template huh? The starting village setting. So that''s what Astria meant by sending me somewhere away from a war zone! I was still trying to tackle this world like a JRPG. There were many one or two storied wooden houses on both sides of the road. Children played around, chasing each other . Some came near us, the older guy ruffled the hair of a child while the rest looked at me and tried to pull at my sleeves and pants. Come to think of it...I looked down to find myself still wearing the denims and Tee from earth. Well, no wonder they are staring. I clicked my tongue. Thank you, gods, for making me stick out in this world, even more than I already do. Then again, the ones I know would most likely select something black-green and robe-like. Praise The Sun that I was transported in these and not clothes that screamed nastiness. The village looked like one of those idyllic old Balkan villages. The women wore simple but colourful clothes, sort of long hemmed robes with wide sleeves. The men''s clothing mainly consisted of loose homespun shirts and pants in dull and dark colours. The people had a whole bunch of hair colours, blond, brown, black...you name it. The village looked prosperous and cheerful, if the smiles and good health were anything to go by. Everything was fine. But there was that. Yeah. The people were all looking at me, pointing fingers. Some young girls giggled. Well, that can¡¯t really be helped since I was new in town. The old man looked back at me with an apologetic expression as the giggles became even more conspicuous. We kept walking till we reached what was probably the outskirts of the village. The houses and people were few and far between here. I could see a few waddling ducks here and there, except that they were scaled and had long lizard-ish tails. Trees and bushes grew along the road. The trees were both of evergreen conifers and deciduous varieties. Some even had fruits. Flowers bloomed in bunches along the wayside, red and blue, they looked like lilies back on earth, and were borne on bushes and thickets.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. An average village, except for the lizard-ducks. And triple horned pygmy cows. Yes, that was a real thing. I was led up to a two-storied wooden house much like the ones in the village. The house looked old and a bit worn down. Warm sunlight fell on its porch. I could see colourful glass bottles hung on a row from the roof along the porch , accentuated here and there with dreamcatchers. Long-stalked flowers the colour of fire bloomed all over the house¡¯s modest garden. There were a pair of blue-tinged fir-like trees standing like sentries on the road leading up to the house. Why am I here? My arms shook as I asked myself a question again and again. What now? What will happen now? The old swordsman hailed for someone loudly. After a while, a quiet sound of wood striking wood rang out as a figure shuffled closer to the doors. The oval doors opened and an old lady came out. She stood at the door for a moment and looked at my face closely. Turning towards my guide, she pointed at me and asked something. He barked an answer while scratching his head. The old lady sighed and beckoned me closer. I walked up to her timidly.Don''t act out. Don''t run your mouth, I reminded myself. Can¡¯t keep making mistakes like with the gods and that kid earlier. The lady looked into my eyes as if searching for something. Her eyebrows scrunched up, doubt writ clear on her wizened face. But then at a moments notice the doubt on her face cleared like dark clouds. The old lady grasped my shoulder with her feeble and shaking fingers and kissed my forehead. Heh? The way they greet each other here? Or was it a sign of affection? The old wrinkly face was interspersed with smile lines and a crooked nose. A kind face, the kind of face that has known happiness and sorrows both and decided that the latter was irrelevant. She reminded of my grandma who passed way when I was little. My face and body which had beean tensed till now relaxed. Her height barely came up to my chest. I bent and kissed her forehead in return, despite of my earlier misgivings. I will call her Granny, because you can¡¯t help but trust and love a person with such a kind and genial smile. And...she while she wasn''t the first person who showed me kindness in this world...she was the first who haddn''t decided I was an anomaly. The granny was surprised and drew back. Did I make a mistake by returning her gesture? As soon as that thought crossed my mind, she broke out in a missing toothed grin and embraced me. Her grey hair shook with laughter. She even smelled like my granny when I was small. The old lady said something while she smiled. Even if I didn¡¯t understand what she was saying...I knew that tone. The tone grandmothers around the world use when comforting their grandkids. I...I didn''t know what to say. I really wish I understood the language. But...it felt safe. It felt home. Hearing a loud bark behind me, I turned around and saw the middle-aged man make the same gesture the Hippo-nurse had made; a sort of bringing all the fingers in a fist, with the palm outwards and then rapidly stretching them to their full lengths. Probably the equivalent of a bye here? I did it back at him. He smiled genially and started walking back the way we had come. The granny led me back into the house while calling someone. She seemed to be asking for someone to come down. Huh? how did I realise that? could it be that the language comprehension is getting better? Astria did say I would ¡®easily learn¡¯. So it does mean I won¡¯t have the capabilities at first. Gotta learn it, but it will be faster than learning from scratch? I sighed in my mind. Isn''t this like immersion method of learning language anyway? If I stayed with the locals for some time, I''ll pick up bits and pieces of language anyway, won''t I? There has got to be more than that to the Gift of Knowledge when it came to languages. My train of throught was interrupted...no brought to a complete, grinding halt as accompaniying the sounds of rushing feet came down the prettiest girl I had even laid my eyes on. And when she moved, it¡¯s was if river gushed forth. Flowery diction? Nope. She had some ornaments in her hair. I later came to know that it was something call Riversong Shells, magic shells found in rivers that imitated the tinkling of a flowing mountain river. Poets in this land must have had a hard time serenading their women what with all these magic items murdering all romantic metaphors and similes. The girl seemed to be called Arin, or that''s what my very patchy, very unreliable language comprehension told me. The thing that you noticed first when you saw her were her eyes. The eyes spoke of starlight reflected on the depths of the river. Mischief created ripples in those eyes. I didn¡¯t know it yet, but Arin meant ¡®Dreamcatcher¡¯ in their tongue. She had caught my attention alright. The black haired girl cocked her head as she saw me, her eyes wide in evident surprise. She kept staring at me and started talking in a rapid-fire burst of words. I just looked at her sheepishly, overwhelmed by the sheer torrent. Am I being scolded? questioned? lectured?Does she even breathe? I sent the grandma a look that I needed help.Or at least I hope she takes it that way. She said something to Arin while her eyes danced with a barely restrained laughter. Arin scrunched up her nose and looked disappointed. She shook her head in apparent disapproval. The laughter that the grandma was holding back burst forth, annoying Arin furthur. It was at this point that I decided that pretty girls could wait. First things first. I pointed my fingers towards my mouth in what I assume would be an universal language. You can¡¯t blame me, I got killed once and almost killed multiple times all without dinner. I was hungry. I was led to a low table. Not low like those Japanese tables but just lower than normal. I was given a couple of thin, circular bread like food with a side dish of ¡­ What is this? Potato? Atleast the parallel world had potatoes. I ate a bit of the circular bread. The wheat grains were coarse. And the potatoes didn¡¯t taste like potatoes. Dammit. Someone snapped their fingers. Looking up, I saw Arin reach her hand towards by bowl. She picked up a bit of the bread, used it to wrap some of the not-potato dish and ate it. Oh. So that¡¯s how you eat it. She then proceeded to pick up another piece, then another. Before she could take any more, I shielded the bowl and glared at her. She returned my glare, then widened her eyes before breaking into a breezy laughter. Her hair sang the song of flowing waters with her laughter. I unintentionally smiled while digging into my food. After the bullying of the new guy was done, she left. While eating, I looked around me. The interior looked like a normal log cabin like those in Canada or States except the absence of modern appliances. There was a bookshelf, but very few books. The house was fairly large, with bottles hung all over. What¡¯s with those fucking bottles? There were a lot of earthenware and cheap China on the wooden shelves. An open space adorned the centre of the room, not covered by the wood floor. I could see soil beneath. I sat and thought of what was needed to be done. I needed information first and foremost. For that language comprehension was needed. I could understand the broad nuances now, but it was nowhere even near rudimentary comprehension.What do I even need to do to learn it sooner? Those fucking gods could have made this easier. After I was done eating, I went to find granny. I saw her making stick latticework for supporting plants in the garden. I tried to help her. Might be that listening to someone talk would help me understand the language better.Probably?I sighed.Clueless. I''m completely clueless. The granny was surprised to see me try to help, but after I botched up a few times, she sternly took the tools from my hand and called Arin. She asked her something while pointing at me. Arin looked at me compassionately. Then she pulled me up from my crouching position and pulled me towards the gate. Wait what? They were kicking me out for this? Shiiiiit. I wiped away the sweat that trickled down my temple as I picked clovers with Arin on the vale beyond the village outskirts. I say clovers..but all of them were 4 leaved and the size of my palms. I gave a sigh of relief. They didn''t kick me out after all. Most likely the granny had asked Arin to take me along so I didn¡¯t meddle with her gardening. But...this doesn''t solve the problem, I pondered while Arin kept talking to me the whole while. Of course, I didn¡¯t understand a single word of it. I did try to gesture that I didn¡¯t understand, but she just laughed and kept talking.The weirdness of this chick aside...I need to find ways to understand the language faster. This can''t go on. I was startled out of my thoughts as Arin pointed at something near my feet. What now? There was a clump of very beautiful white magnolia like flowers near my feet. She wants those flowers? I plucked them and gave them to Arin. She looked at me incredulously. Then she hit my foot with all her might. What the fuck?! What did I do now?? I plopped down on the grass in sharp pain while holding my feet when I noticed something. A sixth finger on my feet. It was a leech like insect sucking up my blood. Arin had tried to warn me about it by pointing. When I didn¡¯t understand, she drove her feet down to squash it. She failed though. Couldn''t you have just been more gentle?! A chuckle bubbled up my throat. This girl...she keeps talking to me, helping me even when we can''t even communicate, can''t even relate. I pulled the leech apart from my feet. This sucker had sharp suckers. When I looked up, Arin was smiling at me holding the flowers. Flowers never hurt, I thought to myself. We rested under the shade of a huge tree. Arin¡¯s basket was full; our collection done for the day. I laid back against the tree trunk, looking up at the sky. The unfamiliar sky was the same azure as on earth. A broken belt of rocks stretched from one horizon to the other in a narrow slanted belt. Two moons were visible in the sky apart from a blazing sun. Arin was still looking at the flowers. I picked up one white flower and planted it on her hair, black as midnight. She looked up startled and touched the flower in her hair. Then her eyes widened. Arin¡¯s face broke into a shy smile and she told me something. I didn¡¯t need to know the language to know what it meant. I looked up at the sky again , it really was as azure as the one back home. Chapter 3: Conflicts, Magic, and Bottled Fireflies ¡°¡­Richvarrion, the prince of beasts came upon Erliasil upon the sacred forest. Erliasil was the human princess, unrivalled in beauty and grace. Besotted, the beast and the human lay with each other. The humans and the beasts, common in their mutual hate did not share their enthusiasm. They accused each other of sedition and went to war. For 10 days and 10 nights, war raged. Richvarrion and Erliasil stood grieving in the battlefield, surrounded by thousands of fallen kin. Out of sorrow, they took their own life to end the war. Touched at their sacrifice, the god Allurian descended. He held their bodies and declared thus, ¡°I shall divide the beasts and humans, since this day. Let each race seek their lands far away from each and never come in contact. Thus I decree, for the lands of beasts and humans to be separate, forevermore¡­¡± - Translated extract from the Epic ¡®Undgezush Traal¡¯avil, date unknown It had already been some days since I arrived in this strange world. My language skills were still shit, but if I could pick out names and few words and phrases now. No thanks to the gods. Honestly, I started to wonder whether there was anything more to the Gift of Knowledge except the occasional flash of insight about random things. Oh well. I''ll just take things slowly. I mean not like I even know the language yet. Fuck you, gods! I sprang out of bed at the crack of dawn, well before Arin could attempt to dump cold water on me. Yep,not gonna let her do that again! I had woken up the first couple days soaking wet while Arin''s shook with that breezy laughter of hers while an empty pail hung by her side. Ah ha! I growled at her as I saw her lug a pail even bigger than yesterday. She was planning to do it again! When she realised I was awake, she bounded away fast as a trang with an easy smile on her face. This girl! And now I am hungry! I remembered the roasted trang last night, it was like a hare but with little, winged ears that it used to flop and glide on air when not running on the ground. Very tasty. Like every day, I got ready to help either the grandma or Arin in their daily chores. Well, I tried to. Often I botched up things simply because things were too friggin weird. Goddammit, I cursed as another piece of cane broke in my hands. I need to control more...I took a deep breath.I thought I was just thinking it but...my physical abilities seemed to have increased for real. Not as if I was a different person, but I did have much more stamina and general strength. This has to be the Gift of Might, right? A sudden shout jolted me out of my thoughts. Ugh, I groaned as I heard the rap on the door that had become familiar by now. Him again, I thought as I saw the guy with the sword who had attacked me. He really does come around this house a lot. His face beamed as Arin answered the door. Well, I can see why. The sheepish grin lighting up his face screamed of the innocence of a first love. However... "Karro", Arin said in a flat voice. She either doesn''t seem notice or was totally uninterested in him. Karro''s smirk dimmed a little at the unenthusiastic reception. Oof, I sympathised with him. Tough luck. Karro shot me another of his death glares when he spotted me. There it is again, I sighed. When Karro had learnt that I was staying at the house, he had glared at me like he wanted me dead. Really, really dead. If my nightmares weren''t plagued by much worse things, I would probably have seen that kid would plunging that sword he kept lugging around in my chest. Today, after collecting Thalis blossoms with Arin, I went to the Knight Training ground. Well, less knight and more like a ragtag group of guards. I wanted to see the people spar. However, there was only Karro today at the grounds, hacking away at a training dummy. He saw me and gave me a nasty glare and said something. I didn¡¯t want to pick a fight so I turned around and tried to walk away from the grounds. This seemed to incense Karro and he spat on the ground. Then he pointed his sword at me and charged. Oh, come on! I picked up a short, thick wooden stick that was lying around for training purposes. The kid rushed me and slashed diagonally upwards left to right. I managed to barely avoid that attack by jumping. Fuck. What the fuck is this guy''s problem! He kept shouting something. I didn¡¯t pay heed to it, my find was focused on his blade. It was blunt. As soon as I had realized that, my fears went away. I took a stance and countered with my¡­wooden stick. Oh yes, I hadn¡¯t been sitting around lazily these last few days,you bitch. I religiously went to the knight training grounds and watched them spar. Each passing moment, I understood more and more. The motions they made grew more meaningful to me. I watched them hungrily, drinking in the atmosphere around me. The Gift of Knowledge had helped me to process the information and improved my learning curve, even if by just watching. The strokes, the slashes they made were beautiful. Not that they were perfect, but the act itself was beautiful. I felt that I wanted to spar with them, to fight and make them submit¡­That¡¯s a rather dangerous line of thought, I had thought to myself. I had come back to the house every day, shaking and with a quick breath. The kid was surprised when I lunged at him single-handed. He avoided my strike by stepping-sideways. Too bad, it was a feint. I curled the fingers of my free hand into a fist and punched his chin. Karro¡¯s eyes widened and he jerked his head quickly before my fist could connect. The fist ended up grazing his cheeks. Suddenly, I felt something off and I quickly jumped away. The pommel of the blade in the guy¡¯s hands stabbed empty air, where I had been just a moment ago. Blood was rushing to my ears, I could feel my face and chest grow hot. A grin split my face as I charged at the guy; my wooden pole outstretched at his torso. Before he could parry it, I stabbed it onto the ground before his feet, disrupting his balance. Karro stumbled at the unexpected move. I saw the split-second chance and jerked myself up, propped on the wooden staff with my right hand, swinging my whole body into an arc to kick him. His eyes widened but he couldn¡¯t stop the stumble and the half-lunge he had committed himself to. Just when my savage kick was about to connect to his side, the elbow I had used to prop myself up, folded. I had done a move that my body couldn¡¯t perform yet. The balance broke and I folded like a deck chair. My body slammed into the earth, and sharp pain lanced up my ribs. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Shit shit shit! I howled in pain. Karro didn¡¯t relent. His blade came swinging straight at me rested against my throat. He shook; his hands dug down on the handle dug savagely. Rage coiled behind his black pupils. Karro tightened his grip and uttered something in a low growl. Red fire trickled forth the sword guard and ran down the length of the blade. Enveloped in flames, the blade stood a few inches from my eyes and throat. The heat from the blade singed the skin of my throat near the blade tip. Fuck. I could feel more and more blood rushing to every nook and cranny of my body as my heart thumped hard enough to burst through my chest. I was na?ve to think watching was enough. I needed to train rigorously to even have a fighting chance. Suddenly, Karro flew to the side. That¡¯s how it looked, but what happened was that the old guy from before had punched Karro hard enough to make him crumple like a sack of potatoes. Karro¡¯s sword lost its fire but retained a faint orange tint. Fuck, Fuck! I just realized how dangerous it was. People die when they are killed, dammit! The middle-aged man barked at us very loudly, visibly distressed. Karro grew paler and paler and trembled with every sentence. Suddenly he stopped, noticing something. He came and sat beside me, probing my ribs with his fingers. The pain was so intense that I screamed out in dear agony. Lances of hot fire swept up my right side, making me wail like a gutted pig. The middle-aged man picked me up and made me put my balance on him while he helped me to the infirmary on the Knight Training Grounds. I recognized the room I had woken up in after the t¨ºte-¨¤-t¨ºte with Astria. I lay down on the bed, holding my right side and trying to suppress my scream. The adrenaline rush from the fight earlier had been keeping the pain away till now but as it wore off, the pain from the fall hit me all at once. Fuck! I broke my ribs, I think. When I noticed, the man had gone away somewhere while the Hippo nurse sat beside me. Karro stood at a corner, his face ashen. Running footsteps reached my ears; Arin burst into the room with a worried face. Her hair had come undone, the Riverdong shells nowhere to be seen. After her, grandma trudged in on her wooden walking stick, supported by the middle-aged guy. The first thing grandma did was to slam her wooden walking stick lightly on my forehead as if to admonish me. I tried to make an apologetic face. What happened next, surprised me even more. Grandma sat beside me on a chair and uncovered my shirt. She kept her hand on my seemingly broken ribs and started chanting in a sing-song voice. The tone and temper of the song reminded me of Ave Maria. The wound slowly started to heal. The speed was much slower than when Zain or Astria did it, but the wounds were getting healed. She...the grandma can do magic?! I could feel my ribs snapping back into its place and mending. A slight tingling and sensation of warmth exuded from my skin. There was sort of a pinkish light seeping in from the gaps between her palms touching my flank. After what seemed like ages, she got up and ruffled my hair. The internal wounds were mended, but the blue-black bruising and swelling remained. The Hippo nurse inched towards me with some cotton cloth and an ointment that stunk like a college dorm. Arin walked up to Karro and demanded something. Her curled up fists were drawn taut at her sides while her voice quavered with a strange anger. Karro spread his hands, trying to explain something. Arin¡¯s face grew crimson and she slapped him with enough force to make him take half a step backwards. She then walked out of the door. I tried to stop Arin and clear up the mess between her and Karro, but the Hippo nurse didn¡¯t let me up and shook her head telling me not to interfere. Shit. Karro will hate me even more now. That said...I wasn''t exactly unhappy. Karro did attack me out of nowhere. Serves him right! After my poultice was done, I was led to grandma¡¯s house by Arin and the middle-aged guy. Grandma stayed back at the infirmary to talk with the Nurse. The guy issued some instructions to Arin and left us after making me lay down on the bed that I used. After I was settled in, Arin said something in a stern tone. She had been quiet all the way from the infirmary. She looked at me angrily and then left me in a huff. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said when she was about to leave the room.I hope that''s what the word means. Then she turned around, looked at me with her eyebrows squinted. A puzzled look came upon her face. I guess not. A slow smile spread across her face having guessed my meaning. She nodded and left. I spent the whole day in bed, counting the beams. I winced when I tried to walk. I shouldn¡¯t have flown off the handle at that time. But somehow, those few moments of aggression felt like a rush. I had felt really refreshed and alive those few moments, possibly even excited I realized with mild surprise. When had I become such a fight junkie? More important than that, I had seen two pieces of powerful magic today. I had to learn the language and then the magic quickly. I didn¡¯t have time to dawdle. The next time I saw either of those two gods, I wanted to melt their faces off. Arin came into my room towards the evening. She sat down on a chair beside my bed and put down the tray she carried onto the bedside table. Gruel with thin bread. I didn¡¯t know what this gruel was made of, but it was good when I ate it yesterday. Somehow, didn¡¯t want to find out what animal the meat came from. Arin wore a simple white robe that came to her knees. The rough weave of the fabric complemented her unreasonably good looks, lending her an irresistible charm. I was quite sure that I was staring. She was aware of it too, as evident by the faint blush that crept up her fair skin. Stop staring, I reminded myself. Arin tried to feed me the gruel with a wooden spoon. I protested, saying that I could eat by myself. I mean, my ribs were hurt, not my hands. I didn¡¯t need to be fed by a girl when my hands were fully functional.Imagine Karro seeing this! Hed'' laugh! Arin just wouldn¡¯t listen. At one point I wondered if I was going to be more injured trying to stop her feed me than getting chopped up by Karro. She fed me the whole gruel and kept talking the whole while. She knew that I didn¡¯t understand, yet she chattered incessantly. And she didn¡¯t even look like that she minded my silence. She would gesticulate and talk without a care in the world. She cracked open a book she had brought with her. Then, her voice changed. With a voice like melting honey, she started reading. The voice was warm and soothing at the same time. Also, I knew that tone. Huh? Is she reading me a story? How old does she think I am? I wanted to stop her, but I decided against it. I could guess that she felt sorry about the whole Karro incident and wanted to make up for it. I wasn¡¯t going to refuse her efforts. I listened to her patiently, even if I didn¡¯t understand.I wasn''t going to stop a pretty girl who felt sorry for me, would I? By now, the sun had fully set. I hadn¡¯t understood the function of the bottles hung all over the house when I had first come here but later that night, I was stupefied. The bottles had something inside them. Each bottle lit up of its own accord at night, glowing with a swirl of flickering and fidgety source of light inside it. The lights were either yellow or green tinted, cold to touch and not very strong. But all those bottles together were sufficient to light up the house. Each sunset, the houses of this village would light up in these bottled lights, making it seem like thousands of fireflies were dancing. Arin¡¯s figure was illuminated by the warm light of the firefly bottles, as I liked to call them. Her figure looked like a queen of the fairies from some forgotten folktale in that shadowy light. As she read through the evening with the light of a thousand fireflies as her accompaniment, I wished I understood what she was saying. My breath had caught at the spectacle. I want to know what Arin is saying, I want to know what she is thinking. As a girl weaved tales in an unknown language through the night in her voice of melting honey, my eyelids closed of their own accord. Her feathery whispers conjured strange magic in a land of fireflies. The kind figure of a girl keeping her lone vigil made me wish I knew this world, and her a bit better. While my conscious faded to a sleep, I thought to myself, Maybe being fed like that isn¡¯t so bad once in a while. Little had I known that the stars had started to shift for us back even then. The destiny of the boy and the girl beside him had been set in stone already. Chapter 4: Languages, Betrayers, and Silent Evenings ¡°¡­the dwarven blacksmith had finally figured out how to make Bloodsteel. He would marry a new woman each year and on the night of their anniversary, he would plunge the Orichalcum sword he painstakingly made the past year, into her heart. You see, the Bloodsteel could only be made by tempering it in the heartblood of a dear one. That is why you should never make cursed weapons. Powerful they might be, but every power has a price¡­¡± - Tales From The Mines, Orgax Bloomfax, 1456 B.C I woke up with soft sunlight on my face. I had slept in late but luckily...no cold water today!. Maybe she wasn¡¯t so annoying after all? I dressed in a loose shirt and ill-fitting pants that I had been given by grandma. Whose stuff were this? Come to think of it...I hadn¡¯t seen Arin¡¯s parents. I came down from the loft. The room was tiny but very cosy. I loved the fact that it had a circular large window through which I could see the forests beyond the hills and the single moon at night. Yep, 1 moon at night, 2 in the day. I did think the ones during the day were planets but they were too close and yet not crashing, so have to be satellites. Then there was the beautiful Ring across the sky. At night, the edges of the Ring would glow with reflected sunlight, making a wide swath of soft light cutting through the sky at both horizons. I walked down the stairs extending from the upper floor to the first. Arin heard me and poked her head through the open doorway, and asked, ¡°are¡­alright¡±? I smiled at her, remembering the scene last night and replied, ¡°Yeah It doesn¡¯t hur¡­.¡± WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK? How did I understand what she said? She looked at my thunderstruck face. She came close and asked, ¡°..trouble?¡± I shook my head and patted her head with half a mind. ¡°Don¡¯t pat¡­not¡­ kid¡± protested Arin, drawing away. Oh yeah, I forgot. That head pat gesture was pretty much demeaning outside Japan. First, I needed to calm myself and figure things out. For that, I needed food. I gestured at her. ¡°Alright, wash ¡­hands¡­not sick¡±.Oi! you''re the one treating me like a kid! I went to wash outside and heard a fragmented song in grandma¡¯s voice. So I can understand other¡¯s voices too. While eating, I tried to deduce what was different today from yesterday. I realized with a start, I wished for this. Last night, when I wanted from the core of my heart to understand Arin, the gift had probably activated. So it works on...wishes? I have to wish hard enough? These gifts are real sketchy. Goddammit, gods, couldn''t you have given me a talking sword or something? The comprehension wasn¡¯t total yet, I was still understanding the language in fragments, much like learning a new language back on earth. Listening more and more would probably increase the comprehension. ¡°Arin! grandma!¡±, a guff hail came from the gates. I know that voice! Grandma came round the garden and opened the door for him. ¡°..Morning, Gustaf¡± So his name was Gustaf, I thought as I saw the middle-aged guy stride inside the house. I waved at him. He came in and asked grandma how I was. Grandma just pointed at me and said ¡°Ask...yourself¡± I lifted up my shirt and tapped myself on the ribs, ¡°No problem¡± I declared. They stood with their mouth open. I knew why. I spoke up in their language. I did consider hiding that I roughly understood them, but it would be counterproductive. I needed information. I needed books, knowledge and hiding my ability would hinder all of that. ¡°You¡­know language?¡± Asked Gustaf. ¡°No. Heard everyone¡­know little¡± I offered as best as I could. Even if I could speak better, I wouldn¡¯t. It would be suspicious to have learnt a language so fast. It''s quite suspicious even now. ¡°Ah. Fast learner¡± Gustaf beamed, ¡°So, lad...come from?¡± Probably asking where I am from? ¡°Don¡¯t know. Forgot every...all. Remember nothing¡±, I lied through my teeth, my face revealing nothing. Oh yeah, I picked the easy amnesia route. Now I just need to make them believe it. ¡°Name¡±. I pointed at myself, ¡°Rigel¡±. ¡°Rigel, I don¡¯t believe...lost...memories. But...everyone has things they...hide...secret. I won¡¯t probe unless you...a danger. Understood?¡± Gustaf saw through my lie at once and replied sternly. I could hear the veiled threat in his steel like voice. ¡°Okay. Alright. Fine", I repeated all the words of affirmation I knew in this language. "Won¡¯t harm anyone¡± I came clean. There was no point in fighting a lost battle. ¡°I am only giving you a chance as thanks for taking care of the Grilnder problem¡± Gustaf growled. ¡°Grilnder?¡± I asked, honestly confused. What was more confusing was that the language perception suddenly seemed to skyrocket. The Gift of Knowledge made no sense when it came to language! It''s like the gods are doing this deliberately! By now, even Arin had gathered in the room. She and Grandma heard my confession about my memories. She didn¡¯t seem alarmed though. They took me in knowing full well the risk, so it probably isn¡¯t surprising for them. ¡°Oh yes, I forgot that you don¡¯t actually know the language¡±, Gustaf replied. ¡°The monster you killed before passing out. Lured men away from the neighbouring villages and ate them. We made a group from our Guard corps to kill it and found you grievously injured beside the dead body of the Grilnder¡± he said in one breath. ¡°One...ask," I said my speaking skill still shaky, ¡°Why you believe know..not language but don''t believe I...forgot everything?¡± ¡°Because, kid, I verified it by trying to startle you many times when we were together.¡± He replied coolly. ¡°Not reacting when I asked you to take your pants off in a deserted place was what finally convinced me¡± he added. A quiet amusement danced in his eyes. This fucker! I stared at him agape. No one said a word. After a few moments, Arin broke down in hysterical laughter. She held her sides till she choked on her own laughter. Serves you right! I underestimated these people. Even if they were kind, they were not reckless. Gustaf continued, ¡°Besides, you were on watch the entire time, kid". He rested his hand on the hilt of the axe strapped to his side. "Our Village Head is kind, so she took you in to not trouble anyone. But we can¡¯t very well have her harmed, do we?¡± ¡°Oh okay¡± I managed to croak, ¡°So Karro...guard duty?¡± ¡°One of them", He cleared his throat. "He practically begged me to let him in when he heard you were living with Arin¡±. His bushy eyebrows wiggled as if sharing a quiet joke with each other. "Kinda cute, eh?" ¡°Uncle Gustaf!¡± Arin protested with an indignant face. She looked at me and sputtered ¡°I don¡¯t li¡­¡± I cut in, "Want...learn...pointy thing", Goddammit what do they call swords in this world? I swirled my hand around...and "Magic?¡± Arin puffed her cheeks as I hadn''t let her finish. You don''t like him, right? I know! Tell him that! Not me! ¡° I see. Yes, I almost forgot what I came here for", Gustaf nodded. "I heard that you were loitering around the practice sessions and then finally even got into a brawl with Karro. If are going to pick up a weapon..." he trailed off as his eyes locked on to mine, "might as well train. We need every hand we can get, and you too need back to give back to the village¡± I nodded, "magic ?¡± I asked.He didn''t say anything about it! ¡°Eh. Don''t know about that", Gustaf shrugged. "You need aptitude for it and not many have that. You will have to test yourself and see.¡± ¡°When?¡± I asked eagerly. After yesterday''s battle...My jaw clenched.I need magic. Now. ¡°Eager¡±, Gustaf approved. ¡°Is your injury even alright? The healing magic healed the cracked ribs but there should still be pain¡±. ¡°I..okay¡±, I beamed. My mind was screaming, Magic Swordsman! Magic Swordsman! Magic Swordsman! I will be a Magic Swordsman! ¡°That¡¯s a bit on the quick side¡± he looked troubled, ¡°but not anything abnormal, isn¡¯t it¡±? He asked the last part looking at grandma. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. Brats just heal fast¡± grandma replied smiling. ¡°Yeah, idiots heal fast,¡± Arin said scathingly. You''re the idiot! I made faces at Arin. ¡°Come on now, kid. Let''s beat you u¡­in shape¡± Gustaf said with a suspicious glint in his eyes, walking towards the exit. ¡°If...I die, Gustaf killed¡± I told those two half-jokingly. Well, jokes suck when you can''t speak properly. ¡°Don¡¯t kill him¡±, said, grandma. Wait, that''s an actual possibility?! ¡°Stay away from Karro. He doesn¡¯t like you¡±, Arin offered as a way of advice. ¡°Your fault!¡± I retorted while leaving the house. I could feel my knuckles turn white as my fingers balled into a fist. I will take things into my own hands. Fuck the gods. ~~~~ We went to the Knight Training grounds through the village plaza. The plaza bustled with people going about their lives. It had that energy and vividness you get to see in South-East Asian markets. Hawkers and peddlers displayed their wares while barkers tried to pull people into their shops. People in colourful dresses bargained the prices savagely through loud shouting matches. Lots of snacks and other finger foods were being sold in stalls. The market was crowded enough that we had to squeeze our way in, breaking into strange poses to pass people, as if we were dancing. Fruits and vegetable were piled up in the stalls, fish and meat were a bit less. The fishes looked strange. And yep, as I thought, there were meat from lizard-like animals and a really plump bird that looked like a cross between a cotton candy and a chicken. ¡°The bi-monthly market in Shrafingshire gets lot of people,¡± Gustaf said noticing my curiosity. ¡°This...village, Shrafingshire?¡± I asked. ¡°Yeah¡±. Gustaf nodded to many a person who greeted him. He didn''t offer any explanations to their questioning eyes as they looked me up and down. I...probably can''t ask about stuff like the three moons and all. It would be very troublesome to explain why I didn¡¯t know of these things being a resident of this planet. The difference in culture excuse can cover a lot of things, but not all."I came from a far-off land" excuse won''t work much. And...if I let slip I worked for a god...I shivered as I thought of the possibilities. Zain is probably not a liked god. He said so himself. And I wasn''t going to take chances. We finally reached the Training Grounds. Gustaf turned to me and declared, ¡°From now on this is your temple. Forge your body and mind. We welcome you to the village guard training grounds, uphold it¡¯s honour and spirit¡± he looked proud ¡°Also, don¡¯t die¡±. Fuck. What did I get myself into? He gave me a wooden sword and showed me how to swing in downwards. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°300 swings by afternoon¡±, he ordered. Well. Gotta do what you gotta do. ~~~~ I came back in the evening with sores and bruises all over my body that day. I did some weight training back at earth so I am not entirely new to training but¡­fuck this was grueling. My arms hung from my sides like lead weights. I had pain in muscles I didn¡¯t knew I had. My entire body felt like one throbbing mass of aching pain. But I was happy. For god... I mean gods know what reason, I didn¡¯t hate this. I slept like a log that night. Next day, I was barely able to move my body. But since I was let off training, I decided to accompany Arin in her herb-gathering.More like, I was forced to accompany as she dragged me. "Stop! Stop", I had begged. But that heartless maiden only laughed her cruel laugh and pulled at my sore body. "I''ll go! I''ll go!" I had finally relented. Arin''s face had split in a mischievous smile. Heartless! Heartless I tell you! ¡°¡­You know I was so surprised you could talk, I mean you picked it up so fast...¡± Arin kept talking the whole time we were out picking flowers and weed meant for medicine. Things had hardly changed now that I could properly communicate. She still chattered on all the time while I kept just listening.Kinda tiring, I thought as I heard her going off in a tangent,but sort of soothing.I a world as alien as this, someone who tries to immediately make you part of their life is something to cherish. I sighed. Now if only this person also didn''t try to dump cold water on me every morning! At noon, we sat on the hill under the shade of a tree eating lunch. Azure sky spread horizon to horizon while vast clouds traversed leisurely. The glade would be thrown into momentary shade as the clouds occasionally drifted under the ring that cleaved the sky. I leaned back against a tree trunk while sucking on the nectar of a flower while Arin gathered up the remnants of our meal. She gushed forth with stories and tales of little import. The soft wind through the vale rustled the sea of grass, but it did little to stop Arin''s torrent of words. If she''d be silent. Just for a while... My eyes lazed over to the edges of Arin''s yellow robe that spread on he grass. I looked up to find her long black hair let loose on her back dance as she spoke on. It was as if she was made of this very valley itself, her form much like the dainty flowers around us. A flower that talked all the time. Arin noticed me staring. Her eyebrows quirked up. "What?" she asked with a tremble in her voice. I shook my head. I just want to take a little siesta. Her lips spread in a slow smirk. Wait, wait, wait. She keeps talking on deliberately doesn''t she? She started again as if innocent,¡° then you know, I had this white pinnetten mouse that...¡± I sprang up as a sudden urge overcame me. "Mff..." Arin bit back her words as I put a finger on her lips. "Sssh", I tried to hush her. I pointed at the clouds, the valley, the mountains beyond. "Wind...singing. Birds playing". Of course, sounds weird with my vocabulary. "Listen...not talk". Arin''s eyes were wide. Her lips trembled softly against my fingers. "But I..." "Shhh", I insisted again, this time pressing my finger harder against her soft lips. She gasped as I looked into her eyes, and shrunk back a bit. Too much? Probably. I looked at the half-scared, half-questioning look in her eyes. Of course, probably crossed a line. I jerked my hand back. Shouldn''t have done that, I chided myself. "Just...want to sleep", I mumbled as I slid back to lean against a tree trunk while closing my eyes. The wind picked up again, bringing with the rustling song of the grass. Arin was silent for the first time. Shit. How mad is she? I cracked my eyes open just a bit to see her brush her lips to touch where my finger had brushed against her skin. Feeling my eyes on her she jolted her hand away while her skin blushed a faint crimson in the mottled light that filtered though the leaves. It...doesn''t look like she is mad though? I heard her mumble something as my eyelids grew heavy with sleep. Before long, I found myself in a blissful sleep, one of the few ones not terrorised by nightmares. ¡°¡­ Serlia once told me that there are blue coranths over the hills, I have never seen them myself but¡­¡± I could hear Arin talking when my slumber grew thin after a while. I cracked my eyes open just a tiny bit and saw that evening had come to the world. The Sky had got a painter¡¯s palette of violet, gold and orange. The single moon shone near the horizon as the last vestiges of light remained in the sky. Hmm? I found my head on Arin''s lap. Did I slid as I slept? Should I get up? As I thought that, I felt the touch of soft hands on my brow brush unruly locks away. Arin cradled my head while she talked incessantly. ¡°¡­ then Rivalzol went for a bear-hunt and came back 3 days¡­¡± I closed my eyes once again and went to sleep.It''s not that bad.It was a strange comfort; Arin''s torrent of words were like a warm blanket that enveloped me. It made me knew I was safe, I was wanted.I...I actually like this, I admitted to myself.Maybe she does too,I hoped.I really do.My body relaxed. I hadn''t even realised how tense I had been ever since I came to this world. This is good,I thought to myself.Maybe...I can just stay here? Not having to fight, not having to participate in a war I didn''t understand.I sighed a little.That...is thinking too far ahead. For now...I snuggled closer to Arin.I''ll just take it one day at a time. I didn¡¯t let Arin know I was awake. I turned my head around her lap, facing her this time while still keeping my eyes closed. But...she already does know, doesn''t she?A small smile spread across my face. I felt Arin''s hands brushing against my hair slow down just for a moment. Days turned into weeks as I set my life into Shrafingshire. Through diligent practise I became a master of the swords, defeating the sword saints. Not. As if the Gods would make it that easy! But I wasn''t too bad either. I could hold my own in a spar now. "Stop!" Gustaf barked. "Get up, Grein", he instructed the trainee in front of me. "Go to the nurse, and after that 25 laps around the ground". Grein, the muscular young guy grumbled. "It''s not fair!", he whined. "Rigel hasn''t even been here for a full turn of the season and he can already disarm me!" I can do more than disarm you. But that''ll be suspicious. "Then you know what you have to do", Gustaf said in a gruff voice. Grein sighed again before jogging towards the nurse''s room to get his wounds treated. "How many times..." Gustaf whirled around to face me. "Have I told you to hold back? You not only injured your sparring partner but left yourself exposed". "Sorry", I mumbled. Yep, he isn''t wrong. My fists clenched. Why did I get so excited every time in a battle? Why do I feel this strange rush? "Still, your speed of improvement", Gustaf scratched his scraggly beard. "Are you sure you didn''t learn swords before?" "Yes", I replied. Shit! is he suspicious? "Maybe I just am talented?" I added. His eyes narrowed. "Try not to get killed". He cracked his neck. "I don''t want to have to stand in front of Arin with your dead body. Or her grandmother". I nodded. I have already died once though. "I mean it", he blustered. "Don''t break that girl''s heart. Talaviel knows what she sees in you, but I haven''t seen her this happy since her parents..." he trailed off. "Don''t break her heart". Wait, it''s that obvious? I did think she rather liked me but... "I mean, it''s not hard to see", Gustaf snorted. "Kids". His face turned into a slight grimace as his eyes fell on Karro practising far away. "Too bad for him though" For now, he is so head over heels, he hasn''t noticed yet. Probably won''t be pretty when he does. "Back to training!" Gustaf barked. "Those monsters and thieves won''t kill themselves. So you all are the only defence our villages have! Put your back to it!" Oh yeah. Like I had thought, these guys weren''t anything fancy like Knights. In frontier villages like Shrafingshire, the Empire had its hands full with greater threats. So, for their own protection, clusters of villages raised their own guard corps to defend themselves. "We are in the Ishkal mountains!" Gustaf continued in a lecture I had been subject to quite a few times. It was now the brand new recruits'' turn to get blasted by his absolutely lovely voice that sounded like rockslide. "Our three sides are the Ishkal range. You think that protects you? NO!" The forests beyond are wildlands! Full of hungry beasts and even worse: bandits! I repeated in my mind what he''d say next. I mean, it''s the exact same lecture every time. He doesn''t even change it. The first couple times had been awed but with the improvement in my language...I realised he was just reading from some play. Yep. "...worse: bandits", and like every instance before, Gustaf didn''t change a word. "The Morrilet Dukedom..." his voice grew quieter, "they have other...things to worry about. They won''t do shit to help a remote village like ours". Oi! Don''t commit lese majeste! "I am not asking much", Gustaf let his eyes wander over the new recruits; awe writ plain on their shining faces. "There''s no sentient races like Beastmen, Elves Dwarves, Dragonkin here. There''s none of the rintrump shit variety of religions and other absurd things to worry about". Gustaf really shows his Knight heritage. No respect whatsoever for other religions and races and their customs. Man, if the Dukedom hadn''t treated his village his shit, I wonder if he''d even spoke one word sideways about Ebraven Empire. "So, all I ask of you as a citizen of Ebraven Empire is that you protect your homes, your families, and your fellow citizens". A round of applause broke out over the training grounds as the trainees clapped with awed looks upon their faces. I couldn''t see Gustaf''s face but I knew his face glowed too. He is too fond of his speech! "Now off to training! Dismissed!" He barked. However, the world outside this Hamlet is not so simple. This world; Sangraal, as they called it in Aruvahn language was spread over 9 continents. Nine continents forged in bloodshed and wars that break out at the drop of a hat. I sighed as I saw the new recruits excitedly trying out new weapons. The world isn''t good vs evil out there. But as far as Shrafingshire was concerned, it might as well have been. I concentrated on my own training as I swung my dummy sword downwards. But still, why didn''t I find any mentions of Zain or Astria? All my frenzied search amongst the scant few books in the village had yielded nothing except the usual myths and praises. But the one think that had jumped out at me was the War of the Gods.Astria didn''t quite lie. Many millennia ago there really was a war that almost drove this world to its destruction. I closed my eyes as I recalled the passage that I had read so many times in order to find a clue. Any clue. Some mortals banded together to fight their own gods. The gods retaliated in fire and fury. But they also called a Covenant and decided to stop using the mortals of Sangraal for their own battles. And that''s why, I swung down the blade harder. These fuckers bring otherworlders like us to fight their battles. But something didn''t quite add up. The gods looked awfully afraid for beings with ultimate powers to have called a covenant when the mortals revolted. I had once asked grandma why did the humans followed the gods if they had once fought against them. Grandma-Wasslia¡¯s eyes had widened and she had taken a sharp breath inwards. ¡°Millennia upon millennia change a lot of things, Rigel. People forget the past and find ways to blame their ancestors for the misfortunes¡±, her voice sounded bitter. ¡°People have reconciled with the gods, calling the generations that fought against the gods delusional. They are termed the Fallen Kin, the Betrayers and the like for their treason towards the gods. People hold the betrayal responsible for the appearance of the monsters and the black spires after the war.¡± Grandma added. ¡°The races would rather forget the betrayal; or the gravest sin as they call it. The fallen kin are blamed for the Ascension, the departure of the gods leaving Sangraal. Rigel, do not question the gods in public¡±, grandma Wasslia had said with a heavy, quavering voice, ¡°People are not kind to those who do¡±. She had some unpleasant experiences. Now that I had some time after my swordsmanship has stabilized somewhat, I decided to broach the topic of magic. When I asked Gustaf about it, he asked me to talk to Grandma Wassilia because, except Karro, no one in the guard training knew much about it. When I asked her, Grandma gave me a book about introductory magic and its theories. She warned me though, ¡°Not all people have an aptitude for magic. The only way to know is try casting and see if you can do it. Lots of people start early in their childhood but only become able to cast after many years¡±. She had added after a pause, ¡°Don¡¯t be sad if you don¡¯t succeed. Everyone has things they can and cannot do¡±. With trepidation, I had opened the book. Zain and Astria were nowhere to be seen. It had been a month without a god opening a hole in my body. And all things considered, I''d rather they fucked off forever. But, rarely do our wishes get answered, don''t they? Oh, if only had I realised sooner what was to follow. Chapter 5: First Battles, Auroras, and Moons Spawns ¡°¡­there were four moons in the sky. The four daughters of the sun god, Azrakh. Red coloured Eranth; the blue Olynth, and Silann the white: fairest of them all. Valaren the black, favoured by her father adorned the sky by his side at day along with Eranth. On midsummer each year, the sisters would come together and celebrate the birth of¡­¡± - Extract from the Igniz Ras¡¯pell, A human epic, ~6000 B.C. Shit! I winced as my umpteenth try failed. Smoke curled up from my fingers but no fireball erupted out of my fingertips.Not even a little spark? Heat? Anything?! Again, I steeled myself as I tried to cast magic again. I stared at the open pages of the book on magic lent by grandma. I did ask her how I could do magic, but she simply said that she had never learnt it formally. She tried and tried and finally did it. I took a deep breath. A matter of feeling, she had said. Aurora Particles, I recited the name of the mysterious, invisible particle the book said suffused Sangraal. It was everywhere. Theories were numerous about its origin, but no conclusive evidence was found for any of the theories. Whenever magic was used, Aurora particles would be utilized by the caster and transformed into magic. However, the aurora particles didn¡¯t disappear but merely transmuted to what they called Exhausted Aurora Particles which constructed the magic itself. Theorists proposed that the Exhausted Aurora or EA underwent a cyclical change to replenish the Aurora because otherwise they would be exhausted. Anyway, Humans used magic by absorbing the available Aurora in the environment and transmuting it into magic. What the book doesn¡¯t tell you is that it¡¯s bloody difficult to do. Apparently, every species on this planet had an inbuilt magic circuit in their heart. They could use that to issue commands to the Aurora particle, or AP entering their body to transmute into the type of magic they wanted to cast. I don¡¯t know if I even have a Magic circuit. I mean I come from a different world. Did the gods even bother to put one in me? That¡¯s what I had thought until I had tried to chant the magic. Nothing had happened at first few tries but my palm had grown hot. After hundreds of failed chants, here I was with some smoke puffing up my hands. I sighed. ¡°Fireball¡± I shouted, exasperated and desperate. "Flamethrower!" "Firespin!" Nothing happened. Of course not.Just shouting anime attack names won''t work. ¡°Rigel! Stop! What are you doing!¡± Arin yelled and ran towards me. She dropped all the herb she carried and she ran. He face was an ashen white. What? What happened? Err¡­fireball mag..¡± I was cut off mid-reply. ¡°That¡¯s not what I am asking!" she yelped. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she steadied herself. "Why are you casting without a conduit?¡± she demanded while inspecting my hand. Her fingers ran over the scars and scratches accumulated from the training. ¡°Conduit?¡± I asked.Err...should''ve read the whole book... ¡°You asterhunkel, why didn¡¯t you read properly?", Arin hit my chest. "The Aurora converts right after you let it go out of your body, so what do you think happens when you cast fire or other dangerous magic?" Oh shit. I would get burned. My mouth had hung open.Fuck! I could have lost my hand! Arin guessed that I understood the implications so she just arched her eyebrows at me. ¡°Seriously, are you really 4 years older than me?¡± She chided. ¡°Even kids know this¡±. ¡°How do I get a conduit?¡± I asked. ¡°For you¡­you have to buy it¡±, she said after thinking a while. ¡°Lets go to the river while I treat your hand¡±. "Be more careful next time!" she didn''t forget to chide. "I will! I will!" I replied. I followed Arin as she lead me to the river by hand. Now that I notice, my hands did sting a bit. The attempts had burnt off a thin slice of skin from my palm. Arin''s fingers tightened on mine a bit. I couldn''t see her face from behind. But I know, you...you''re blushing. Today being another of my rest days, I had come to collect herbs with Arin as usual. The small pouch on my belt jingled softly as we walked; the small amount of coins inside accumulated from the little compensation every week for becoming a village guard.Grandma was saying she ran out of eggs and Korvac-root. Probably can hit the market once before going home.My eyes fell on the frail hand pulling me forward.Maybe some sweets for her too? I mean, hosting a person wasn''t cheap. But Grandma Wasslia...she pretty much got mad at me for trying to pay her some as compensation. So I usually bought groceries and stuff without telling her first and just gave it. Grandma Wasslia did object when I brought stuff home, but she was happy too. She would kiss my head every time I did that, as if her own grandson had done something nice. I was really lucky to meet her when I came here, wasn''t I? Arin and I sat on a boulder beside the stream. The stream gushed from under the hill; its origin somewhere in the icy peaks of Ishkal mountains that guarded the village on three sides. For the villagers, this brook called Natril was an important source of fish and other resources. The Riversong shells trilling in Arin''s hairs also originated in this rill. Arin dipped my palm in the cool river water, washing away the soot and grime. Then she mashed up some herbs growing on the bank and applied on my hands. Her fingers lingered, as if reluctant to let go. ¡°Keep the herbs in the place with your hands. I am not to tear up my robe to make a poultice¡± Arin instructed me. ¡°Yeah, yeah, princess¡± I replied jokingly. She looked at me with suspicion in her eyes at the princess. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to compliment a lady properly, do you?¡± She retorted. ¡°If I see a lady, I will¡± I replied with a straight face. ¡°No lunch for you today¡±. she was incensed. We sat on the bank, watching the river flow by. The chortle of the river mingled with the trill of Riversong shells in Arin¡¯s hair. The girl and the river watched each other silently, as if an invisible conversation stretched between them. What...what is she thinking? I pondered as I saw her eyes lowered at the tiny eddies that formed all over the gushing river.Why does she always become uncharacteristically quiet whenever we were here?. She would stare at the river without getting tired. ¡°You know, Rigel", she suddenly spoke as if she felt my eyes on her. "I feel like I can be at peace here. Beside the river¡±. Her voice trembled as she whispered, ¡°after my parents¡­died, I had no one to talk to. The kids made fun of me; hated me while I kept crying all the time¡± Oh. I did guess from Grandma Wasslia''s words either... Arin¡¯s voice quavered with emotion, ¡° This is where I escaped to when I remembered my parents". She rubbed at her yes with the edges of her robe. "No could see me crying here. The River didn¡¯t demand from me to talk; it was happy to talk to me, flowing by me while I watched¡± I could only manage to listen in silence. This was the first time she had spoken about her parents. This...Arin you... ¡°I talked to myself all the time to stave off the loneliness", tears glistened on her red cheeks. "But this river gave me peace". Before I could do something, Arin wiped her tears and collected herself, ¡°Sorry for saying all these". Her mouth broke into a sunny smile. "Rigel. I am glad I met you. You remind me of the river, always listening to my ramblings¡± she said with moist cheeks and glistening eyes. My heart leapt to my chest. This...Arin...I... Her eyes scanned mine. I...just...I averted my eyes, not knowing whatto do. Actually... I stood up and walked away from her. I could feel her eyes following me. A few white flowers bloomed on in a stalk, a little away from us. I picked one and returned. It was the same flower that I had unintentionally given Arin on the first day. I crouched down beside her holding the white magnolia-like flower in my hand. She seemed to understand my intentions and tensed a bit. After just a moment, she seemed to relax and turned her head, a shy smile on her lips. I planted the flower on her black hair. Arin shivered as my fingers brushed her skin. As my breath caressed her, goosebumps broke out on her exposed nape. Here''s your answer. and plopped down beside her, leaning on the boulder. Her hand crept over the grass and brushed with mine. So, the girl with the river in her hair and the boy who dreamt of death sat side by side, looking at the river. No words needed to be said. Because their conversation was one of silence. A silence of three parts, the boy, the girl and the trickling river. I found out the problem about why I couldn''t cast. I wasn''t able to control and properly channel the Aurora particle inside my body yet. Well, not like it''s something one learns fast anyway. Human mages in Sangraal took years, if not decades to learn magic. But wouldn''t the Gift of Knowledge help me? Grandma scolded me when she heard about my reckless attempts. A cold tide ran down my spine as she told me what uncontrolled AP could do. "Rigel, it can sometimes invoke magic inside the body", Grandma Wasslia stared at me straight. "causing the spellcaster to die". Her hands stalled their knitting, "Oh", she sat up straighter. "The King..." she bit her words back. "I know of a mage whose AP had run rampant inside his body while he was invoking the spell for fire. His whole right hand had carbonized from the inside. He lived, but..." she trailed off. Fuck. "He lost his hand", I completed the words she had left unsaid Grandma Wasslia nodded. "Concentrate on AP channelling for now" she instructed. "And take Arin when you practice". I nodded. "Oh, and", grandma Wasslia spoke with her eyes far into the distance, as if peering into some long forgotten memory. "Faith. Belief", she asserted. "The key to performing any magic is that we must believe that the world itself will bend to fulfil our intent. Groupings like Elemental Magic or Soul Magic are but names we made up. In the end..." she took a deep breath. "Aurora will return to Aurora, and thus magic will be wrought", she recited. "I only need to believe?" I asked incredulously. Wasslia''s smile was framed by fine lines as she spoke. "There is more to that. Much more. Like how you need to accurately calculate and define the limits of the executed magic so it doesn''t fall apart", her eyes sparkled as she talked about magic. She...she really likes magic huh? Come to think of it...she is oddly knowledgeable. Could it be... Grandma Wasslia reined in her excitement. "But", her voice lost its earlier spark. "For now, for you, only believing is enough. The rest will come later". Her eyes searched something on my face. "I know what you think. I also did. Keeping faith is harder than you think". "How did you do it?" I blurted out. She sighed. "A story for another time". I continued studying magic while I improved my swordsmanship. I was finally green-lighted to go on subjugation and extermination quests with the village guard corps to suppress the monsters. It was a curious relationship the people had with the monsters; they were treated as a renewable resource at times. Some monsters were only subjugated for the materials they yielded and to keep their numbers down to a sustainable extent; some were to be completely eliminated. Monsters have become a component of the ecological as well as economical biosystem eh? Gustaf divided 15 members into 3 groups of 5 each. We were going to suppress a mob of monsters known as Kivalas, a group of four-legged dog-like monsters. They had a reddish brown shaggy coat of fur and razor-sharp claws. What made them really dangerous was their tendency to roam in packs and call out for reinforcement when faced with danger. More than a few villagers had fallen prey to their vicious fangs. But ultimately, they were extremely common and rather weak monsters. Oh shit, I winced as Gustaf grouped the members. "Karro", he barked right after he called out my name. What the fuck? Why??What was he even expecting by putting me and Karro in the same group? Was he expecting rivals-turn-friends anime shit? Karro glared at me. Tough luck, Gustaf. For today, we were given actual swords and weapons instead of the blunt training ones. Everyone was eager to earn some reputation for themselves. Being a guard meant fame, respect and the most important thing for young guys: female attention. And if you get kills to your name, there will be loads of that. Hell, the boys were more worried about how to handle all the "night visits" they''d get from the girls than the Kivalas they were going to fight. Are the monsters that weak, or these guys that stupid? I sighed. Well, this is our first mission. Probably the first. The three groups walked at a brisk pace, separated from each other by some distance in an inverted arrowhead formation. We walked towards the Nurengraz forest, located on both sides of the road that leads to the next town, Haven. The Kivala population had exploded after their breeding season so it was time for some culling. While the more experienced guards handled most of the work, we were here to get our first taste of what they faced. Even the excited chatter of the boys fell silent as we stalked through the forest. An eerie hush enveloped us; broken only by stray clinks of weapons and armour. Suddenly Gustaf put up his hands in a fist, signalling us to stop. The group halted at once, excitement and fear etched onto their faces. He conveyed by the hand signals that were drilled into us every day that he had detected some enemies. Metal clanged softly as everyone readied their weapons. I unsheathed my sword and unhitched the unadorned shield made of thick wood covered with leather. It was okay with fangs but bad at blocking metal weapons. This is it,a shiver ran down my spine.Calm, Rigel. Steady.My fists shook a little. Karro looked over, a sneer sculpted on his face. His lips moved as formed the Eruvahn word for "coward" silently. You little shi-- Howls reverberated through the trees. The underbrush rustled. Gustaf splayed his fingers. At least five Kivalas. Sweat trickled down my temple, as I tightened the grip on my sword. The silence in the forest was deafening. And then, all at once the Kivalas exploded into view, leaping up from the thick bushes. This is it.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Gustaf barked orders and the inverted arrowhead expanded its wings, allowing the Kivalas to run inside the middle of the V. Though they were pack animals, they did not have much intelligence to gauge the trap. The men surrounded the Kivalas and bore down on them with their weapons. Our group of five had taken the left flank. Two Kivalas bore down on us, snapping at the vanguards'' me and Shayn. We two used shields, so we took the brunt of the attack; the Kivalas slammed against our raised shields. These dogs are fucking strong!Their weight threatened to topple us. Our feet dug deeper into the wet, dark forest-soil. Faster, you idiots! I cursed at the ones in charge of attacking the Kivalas. The monsters snapped their jaws; their razor claws tried to break the shield. The monsters tried to jump over the shields by climbing it, their claws leaving deep furrows. Karro and Grant thrust at them with spears to disrupt the Kivalas. Karro¡¯s spear went through the right flank of one of the monsters. Warm blood splashed down on my face and hands. Fuck!I winced as the warm, almost scalding hot blood spattered my skin. The wounded Kivala howled; its ferocity increased to manic levels. Illya was trying to poke out the eye of the other Kivala by his sword. The monster easily dodged it and jumped up at him, using Shayn¡¯s shield as a springboard. My blood ran cold. Shayn screamed. ¡°Karro!¡± I shouted. He looked at me and understood my intention in a flash. ¡°Crazy fucker¡±, He mumbled, ¡°Go¡±. I slammed my shield up at the chin of the Kivala that was trying to climb over the shield to get to us. The Kivala made an odd sound as blood and spittle went flying out of its maw as the shield bash dislocated its jaw. Don''t die! I scrambled frantically to help Shayn, while Karro held off the jaw-broken Kivala. The Kivala fed on Illya¡¯s hand while he screamed. His eyes had gone white as he howled with all his might. The Kivala just continued to chomp on his arm, as sounds of bones being crunched emanated from it. Illya hadn¡¯t been able to block the Kivala when it had come too close to the effective range of the sword. The Kivala had simply slammed the sword aside and clamped its jaws on Illya. I slammed into the Kivala¡¯s flank with my shield. The monster went flying and crashed against a tree trunk. Take that! I whooped internally. I walked over Shayn, setting up a defensive posture in front of him. The Kivala jumped at me using the tree trunk for leverage. the Kivala slammed against my shield with all its weight. Too heavy!I grunted.Shit. I need to... "Die!" I growled as I pierced the Kivala flank. The blade sunk with a wet squelch The monster let out an enraged howl and jerked violently. The sword went flying away, drawing a blood arc in the air. Shit. My weapon! My hands went numb as the Kivala kept banging on the shield. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. The Kivala, enraged beyond measure, bit at the wooden shield. Its sharp fangs pierced the wood and¡­stopped midway. The Kivala had snagged its teeth on the wooden shield. I held the shield with all my might as the monster shook it violently, trying to dislodge it, while I took out the hunting knife Grandma-Wasslia had gifted me. Goddamit, where are the others! I slammed the knife into the Kivala¡¯s eye and held it there, screwing it in until it reached the brain. scalding hot blood spurted out of the wound and splashed my face again. As I breathed, the air carried with it the salty stench of copper. ¡°Fuck you¡± I shouted as the Kivala spasmed its last breaths. A strange pall had come over me as I felt intense bloodlust within myself. It didn¡¯t have anything to do with revenge or defence. I wanted my enemy dead as I bathed in its blood, simple as that. I wanted to dominate, to have their fates in my hand. My body trembled and I took a deep breath. Yes, I breathed in the aroma of blood and steel. Yes. Barely contained excitement surged through my veins. Now! I charged. While I rushed past, I noticed that Karro and the others had finished their Kivalas. I jumped into the fray at the other flank of the formation. Only one Kivala left, huh? The first-time guards took steps back as the lone Kivala growled. The assortments of blood-matted weapons on the ground around it was a testament to its monstrous tenacity Fucking idiots. I cursed at the incompetent bunch that had let the battle go on so long. But... I could feel an eerie laughter bubbling up my throat. Now you''re all mine, I revelled as I stared down the golden red eyes of the wounded Kivala. The monster''s mane stood on its ends. It yelped like a common dog as it stared into my eyes. Scared, huh? The Kivala bucked and tried to run away. No, you don''t! I jumped down in front of it and slammed my shield on its skull. I kept slamming and slamming till it had deformed, grey matter oozing out of its ears. Die. Die. Die! A warm hand on my shoulder brought me to my senses. "Rigel", Gustaf called out. "Stop. This battle is done". Huh? I stared at my gore-soaked hands. Yeah, I gulped. What was I even doing? I looked around to find myself surrounded by eyes coloured with varied emotions. Some stares glowed with a macabre admiration at the carnage I had wrought; other eyes shook afraid of my bloody visage. What...why did I... Gustaf punched me on the gut. ¡°What the¡± I managed to groan as I keeled over.What the fuck is he doing? ¡°Your own safety takes priority first¡­I believe I told you that¡± His face was like black thunderclouds as he reprimanded. His voice shook with rage, ¡°Also, you lost to bloodlust. You will die if you fail to discipline yourself in battle¡±. He snapped his fingers loudly at the gawking crows. "What are ye hoodlums doin!", his country twang peeped through his otherwise polished Eruvahn taught at proper Knight schools. "Git on with yer jobs, you Kivalas, Go!" ¡°Sorry¡± I managed to croak. Fuck. Really, what was I doing? It felt so good¡­killing them. Gustaf looked down at me. His eyes searched mine as it gradually softened. He kneeled beside me and ruffled my hair, ¡°Thank you for protecting Illya. Because of you, he will live¡±. We stayed there for a few hours more cleaning up the Kivala bodies and treating Illya¡¯s wounds. The more experienced guards dismantled the monster¡¯s corpses, stripping it of usable materials like claws, fangs and fur. However, what was really valuable was the Core. The core was a rough crystal found at the centre of the monster¡¯s heart. It was said that this was the magic circuit of the monsters. It grew throughout its life, absorbing and storing AP like a battery. Unless a monster died of unnatural causes, the Core slowly grew while crystallizing the heart and ultimately killed the monster when the heart totally converted to a Core. ¡°Thanks for having my back¡± I confessed to Karro honestly. Maybe He isn''t as pig-headed as I thought? ¡°Yeah, you too¡± He replied while he marvelled at the light-green core of a Kivala. "Thanks for...Illya", he mumbled. Too proud eh? I chuckled.But at least it reduced some of the animosity he had towards me. Wait,I halted as I thought something.Is this the suspension bridge effect where a mutual danger brings people close?! I don''t want one with a guy! "Oi", Gustaf''s shout broke my chain of thought. He chucked something at me. Oh, the core! I held the small, green crystal, tapered into fine points at both ends. Its rough, cylindrical body was strangely translucent as it refracted the sunlight into patterns of green. In the end...I looked at one of the eviscerated Kivala''s remains,all its life, its struggles, everything it was is this tiny crystal in my hand. All it had been was now just a reward given to me for saving Illya. Maybe,a sobering thought made me sigh.We are but Kivalas to the gods, they kill us for their sport. I saw something move from the corner of my eye. Gustaf motioned me to hold out my hand. He dropped a still bloody chunk of green crystal on my palm. ¡°Take it. It''s from the other one you killed¡±, he wiped his hand on his pants. ¡°But other also participated in it. I just finished it off¡± I said. The crystal, still to lose the warmth of the monster''s heart felt unreasonably heavy in my hands.Do...Do I have to keep killing in this world?A chill ran down my spine.Not like I hated killing. I...I realised what I was afraid of more,that I liked the act of killing. ¡°It¡¯s alright", Gustaf nodded. "Everyone wants you to have it as a reward for your good performance¡± He replied while smiling, ¡°If I were you I''d pocket it without much thought. After all, you need to grow too¡±. Apparently, there were many uses for the Cores. One can go to a Church or a Soulcaster to fuse the Cores to one¡¯s own being, making them powerful. However this process often resulted in failures and severe backlashes, so it wasn¡¯t popular. Most people went to an Enchanter Blacksmith to fuse the Cores to their equipment, making it stronger. There was always the option of selling them for money too. Lots of magical equipment and tools needed Cores to function. When I asked Gustaf if I could fuse them to my weapon, he said that the village couldn¡¯t do it. I needed to head over to the nearest town, Haven, for the process. I was told to wait after the Midsummer Festival when some people from the guard corps would go to repair and resupply the corps. Pretty much every guard in possession of cores would wait till a group of them could go together. Bandits weren''t exactly in short supply in these mountains. One more thing that I had noticed was when I killed a monster, I could feel some invisible wave flow into me. I don¡¯t know what it was, but I asked others and they said they didn¡¯t receive anything of the sort. This was probably a hallucination brought on by the excitement of the bloodlust.Probably. After that day, we went on Kivala subjugation quests regularly. In the course of that, Karro and I had become fast friends, spending a lot of time together. In midst of a hastily taken meal, or lighting a campfire, we had grown close. Facing death does that to people. He would often ask about my hometown. Of course, I lied. But mixed half-truths in them as well. We both sighed in memory of my hometown, for him it was a call of adventure; for me, homesickness. I knew he was jealous of how close how Arin and I was, he never let that come between our friendship. Each time he averted his glance as Arin came to see me off was...painful. On one hand, someone who had my back and fought together as brothers. On the other hand...Arin. I know I have to choose someday. I pretended not to notice how Karro threw looks of envy as Arin fixed my belt-buckles. Goddammit, Arin you don''t need to do it! I know you are trying to piss Karro off! Despite all that, Karro never held it against me. He even tried to teach me his magic technique of coating his blade with fire. But, my AP channelling was too unrefined for it to work. It had been almost a year since I had come to this world. I now knew some swordsmanship and very little magic. I had saved up a little from the quests, with 21 Cores to my name. I planned to kill the fucking gods of this world, but for that I needed power. I didn¡¯t know it then, but power came at a price. And by the gods, the prices were heavy. Ouch, ouch! I winced as I trudged towards home. Home huh? I thought of the cosy house I shared with Grandma and Arin. I wonder...who did Mariah rent my apartment to? At first, I used to think of my little apartment often. But now...home meant that crooked little path worn by feet that lead to Arin. I looked up at the alien sky with its two moons and the dark ring that bifurcated the evening sky. Not that alien anymore, huh? Somewhere, near the forest we had just been, Kivalas were howling. 23rd subjugation quests already, I clutched at the cores from today''s battle. It...never really gets easy, killing them. The Kivala pack howled again, their yelps a strange sobbing cry that bounded through the mountain forests. Maybe they too feel pain when we kill their families? As I turned the last bend on the mud road, I saw Arin and grandma waiting on the porch. Visible relief spread across their faces as I waved at them, too tired to speak. News travels fast in a small village, I guess. A couple of people had been gravely injured this time. I could see dried tears on Arin¡¯s cheeks as I walked up the porch stairs. She ran up to me and hugged me as she repeatedly said something incomprehensible in midst f her sobbing. "I''m here, Arin", I consoled her. "I''m alright". I sat with Arin on the steps of the patio. Like always, those bottled lights shone and spilt their soft bluish light across the garden. I chatted with Arin about all things that mattered and things that did not. We did this often. Grandma Wasslia had given up trying to tell us off for staying up late. ¡°I am dying to the eat the surmar tomorrow¡± Arin was saying with a glazed look in her eyes. ¡°Is that so¡±, I crouched near the flowers with the colour of fire, growing near the patio. Yeah, the festival''s tomorrow isn''t it? These flowers were called Vertes, or the stealer of emotions. They glowed like fire at night, taking in the AP and diffusing them in form of light. At any rate, they were breathtaking. Like little balls of fire, pulsating and living. The most astonishing part about the flowers was that it could change the colour of its glow depending on the emotions of the person nearby. For this, it was used in trials and torture to verify the truth. Even flowers in this world are dangerous. ¡°Don¡¯t even think of that¡±, Arin was stern. ¡°Do not be the kind of man who gives a girl flowers from her own garden¡±. Truly, even flowers in this world are dangerous. The Vertes glowed a bright orange.The colour of affection. I wonder, is it mine or Arin''s? Later that night, I felt someone enter my room. I opened my eyes carefully and saw Arin tip toeing beside my bed and promptly slamming her hands on my mouth so that I couldn¡¯t shout. What the¡­ She motioned me to shush by putting her finger on her lips. I sat up on my bed slowly, and in a dry voice whispered, ¡°Arin...if Grandma Wasslia finds out...¡± ¡°I am not here to...¡± she blushed. "You know!" ¡°Alright, Alright. So what do you want?¡± ¡°Come with me. I need to pick some Lorras flowers for tomorrow and you don¡¯t want a dainty maiden alone out at night, do you?¡± She explained. ¡°Sure. Where is the dainty maiden I need to guard?¡± I retorted. This girl! won''t even let me sleep at night! ¡°Keep that up, and no girls will dance with you at the festival¡±. Tomorrow was the Summermoon Festival, a night when all 3 moons were in the sky. The villagers would have a huge fire and dance around it. People would cook food in that fire and sing and dance. It was the biggest festival in these parts of the frontier, so everyone was looking forward to it. Arin picked the small white Lorras blossoms that grew only at night and withered at dawn. I could guess why she wanted those. They were used to make perfumes. Wait, is this because I told her I liked the smell?! Shit.Truth was, I didn''t. I just didn''t have the heart to say that as she asked me how her perfume making skills were. She collected the flowers, while I just looked up at the sky. The constellations were unfamiliar. Even the stars were different.Sometimes, just sometimes... I missed the familiar constellations back on earth."That''s Cygnus, That''s Lyra", my father would sometimes teach me the stars during happier times. "And that''s Orion, the hunter. The bright star in there? that bright one? That''s Rigel, where you got your name". I smiled at the distant memory.There''s no Orion here. But still...my eyes traced Arin''s svelte figure as she stepped delicately on the hill-side.It''s my sky now, isn''t it? ¡°Come with me", Arin beckoned. "I want to show you something¡±. I followed as she ran through the grassy hill awash with the light from two moons. Through the shadows and shifting darkness of the sky ring, Arin¡¯s white tunic flashed in and out of view like some spectre intent on not getting caught. We came upon the gurgling river at a sort of a guarded bank. Boulders separated that part of the bank from view. Tall trees ringed the little clearing while the white magnolia-like flowers bloomed in a magnificent carpet all along the bank. Aren''t these the same flowers I once put in Arin''s hair? Arin and I sat on the bank, while she kept looking at the flowing river in the moonlight. Shadow and light played hide and seek on the surface. We were silent. The river always made us silent. Arin suddenly spoke up and said, ¡°Rigel, do you know the story behind how rivers came to be?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± I said honestly. ¡°Once upon a time, there was an Elven maid, the fairest among all. Her name was Sylvanna. She fell in love with the son of a commoner, Rashel", Arin picked up a pebble as she spoke. "They loved each other like the earth loves the sky. But their love...was not to be. Sylvanna was the princess of the Elf kingdom. The king confined her in a tower, devoid of light. Rashel was exiled to the far-off seas, where he rowed the ship as a galley slave". She skipped the stone on the rushing river...at least, tried to. The stone sank with an audible plop. She puckered her face at her failed attempt. "A year went by, Sylvanna pined for her love, in the tower of darkness, alone. At last, she wasn¡¯t able to endure anymore and tried to plunge a dagger to her heart. She was stopped by the Elven goddess of love. She appeared before Sylvanna, drawn by her passion for her lover. The Elven goddess asked if she wanted to be with Rashel, leaving everything she was and would be. Sylvanna consented without a second thought. The goddess changed Sylvanna into water and made her flow from the tower. The Sylvanna that was now a river charged through the mountains, the forests and the plains, finally plunging into the seas where her beloved Rashel toiled. When the river had plunged into the seas, Rashel knew that his Sylvanna was no more. Out of grief, he plunged into the seas, ending his life. The sea and the river met, joining each other for eternity. That is how, the first river came to be¡± Arin spoke while looking at some faraway place. ¡°That is a sad story, Arin¡± I replied.Fairy tales in this world were sadder than they had any right to be. ¡°Yes. But not for Rashel and Sylvanna¡± Arin smiled, ¡°I too want to reach the seas, where my parents are¡±. Aren''t they dead? Once again, I didn¡¯t know how to comfort Arin. I just looked at the girl made of condensed moonlight. There was only one thing I could do, for now. I picked one of the white magnolia looking flowers and presented it to her. It was as if someone electrified Arin. She shook like a cold blizzard had blown over her. She asked me with watery eyes, ¡°Do you know what these flowers are called?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t¡± What the¡­what¡¯s happening? ¡°These are Sillanerna¡±, she said holding it in her hands, ¡°The spawn of Sillann¡±. Arin once again faced the river, however this time she had a smile on her lips. Her cheeks were dyed deep red, and her face downcast, her black locks hiding her face as if to avoid the gaze of the trespassing moon. God...this woman is beautiful. "If you go to join the seas, what will I do?" I had managed to croak. Arin''s face lit up with the colours of the moon. She nodded, her motion mirroring the exuberant dance of the Sillanernas as wind blew through them. Distant howls ripped through the mountain forests. That pack of Kivalas again? Their cries rolled around the mountainside and hung in the balmy summer air like a heavy question. Why. The bestial cries seemed to ask. Why. Why indeed. I looked at Arin as each cry made her shiver.Did that Kivala too have someone it wanted to protect desperately? Chapter 6: Dances, Rivers and Inquisitions Even more surprises this chapter! Guys please post reviews on the fiction page so that I know what you people think about the work. Honestly, this story needs reviews and ratings so that even more people can read it. Please help me! thanks in advance! -------------------------------------------------- Dances, Rivers and Inquisitions ¡°¡­The hero of the north fell in love with the shrine maiden of the south. The hero would try to woo the maiden with all his might. The maiden, being devoted to her god, would walk past, unheeding. After they died, the gods granted them immortality for their work by turning them to stars in the sky. The Hero in the North sky, the Shrine Maiden in the South. They remain forever apart. However, on New Years Night every year, the Hero and Maiden would be in the sky together. The Hero would show his love by throwing stars at the maiden. The maiden, always unheeding would dip down in the horizon after 3 bells¡­¡± - Elvish Astronomy, Hailias Swiftstream, 4592 B.C ________________________________________________________________________________________________ I clutched the Kivala fang necklace in my palm. The thing had just come from the jeweler. I did say jeweler, but all he did was drill a hole and put a leather cord through them. He didn¡¯t even charge me for it but winked at me like we were sharing a private joke. Today was the Midsummer Festival. According to the customs here, today people give gifts to the members of opposite sex they are close to. I was going to gift the fang necklace to Arin and a claw necklace to Grandma-Wasslia. It was almost evening, I had to go get ready for the festival. ¡°Drink! Drink! Drink!¡± the guard member corps shouted as I slammed down my 3rd tankard of Kuruth ale. Shortly after, Karro also put down his empty tankard. The people were boisterous, their shouts of joy permeating the air. Today, everyone wore their fanciest, most colourful clothes. Most people wore the traditional clothes of this region; for men it was mostly dark coloured knee length robes with bright embellishments. For women, it was sort of a very frilly skirt, with full sleeves and gloves. Light of the huge bonfire scattered sparks up in the air, the faces of the people suffused with the firelight. People roasted food in the fire while drinking to their heart¡¯s content. Village minstrels strummed their weird lute like instruments, while some banged on small drums. The celebration was one of life and happiness. I was on my way to finish my 4th tankard, when I looked towards the bonfire and¡­I forgot to drink. She was there, looking at the fire. Arin wore a deep red skirt that reached upto her ankles, while a slit on one side reached till her hips, emphasizing her curves. The red corset-like part of the dress defined her fine lines. My friends became surprised, seeing me hold up my tankard up near my lips, not drinking. ¡°Hey Rigel, what¡­¡± said someone. I plonked down the tanked on the counter, ¡°I¡¯ll be back (1)¡±, I mumbled in their general direction. I walked towards Arin, the bonfire playing on her fair skin, drawing patterns in fire and light. She sensed me, and turned towards me, a shy smile on her lips. Time seemed to stop. She had the Kivala necklace on, the lone fang gleaming on her chest. A single Sillanerna flower adorned her tied up hair, black as sin itself. Fuck, Rigel. You are a goner ¡°Evening, pretty lady. Are you new in town? Haven¡¯t seen you round here¡± I said with a grin. ¡°Yes, my good sir. Would you perhaps like to show me around?¡± She replied with an equal smoothness, offering to link my arms with her. ¡°With pleasure.¡± I obliged, her warm skin brushing up against my robe. ¡°Also, Rigel, you do not tell a woman that she is beautiful. You make her feel it¡±, Arin said clutching my arm. We danced that night. With fire, with passion. Time held no meaning as we were in each other¡¯s arms. We snaked around the fire in rapid steps, engaging, disengaging; pulling close, getting far apart. It would have been a problem if this was a fast paced dance from back earth. However, due to Gift of learning and the simplicity of the dance, I was able to follow through. Ever heard of the expression two left feet? I was more both-my-feet-cut-off-and-dangling-from-my-neck bad. Arin¡¯s face was flushed deep red from the proximity to the blazing bonfire and the dance. Heat came off in waves as we clapped again and again for the fast paced music of the lutes. I didn¡¯t know how long we had danced for. I pulled her close for the last time, my hand on her exposed hips, and the other hand on her back. I could feel her racing heartbeat through her skin. It was as if her skin would singe me. Our faces were close enough for our breaths to mingle. Arin shivered on my hands, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Then I broke up the embrace; feeling a grin split my lips. Arin looked positively mortified and disappointed at the same time. Only a few couples were dancing at this late hour. Most had passed out here and there, while most of the people went to see the traditional storytelling of the Sun god and her daughters; with dolls. I could see Karro at a distance, passed out on a pool of vomit. I had seen him a few times when we were dancing, but he seemed to try to avoid me. I even heard our friends try to stop him from drinking too much, but he drank anyway. Wonder what that was about? Well, I could guess. Sorry Karro, but Arin is mine. ¡°Rigel, I need to get some fresh air¡± said the lady of contention while draining down her tankard of spiced mead. ¡°Sure. Where do you want to go?¡± I asked since by now the whole village was sweltering due to the huge-ass bonfire. ¡°River; come with me¡± She demanded. I liked where this was leading. We settled down beside the river bank, the same secret spot Arin had showed me last night. Hundreds of Sellanerna bloomed today too, as if celebrating the night of 4 moons. Arin looked at the flowers and shivered, as if someone had caressed her, ¡°Rigel, do you remember the story about Rashel and Sylvanna?¡± ¡°Yeah¡± I said half heartedly. You can¡¯t blame me, Arin looked that much beautiful by moonlight. She was positively ravishing. It was as if she was conjured straight out of fantasies, the kind of fantasies that you learn to forget when you grow wise. ¡°Do you know what Rashel courted Sylvanna with?¡± She asked, a soft smile on her lips, ¡°A Sellarnerna flower everyday¡±. So that¡¯s why she acted strange every time I did that. I thought of all the times I had given her Sellnernas unknowingly. ¡°I thought you were an asshole when you first gave me that flower. I mean, what were you thinking; giving a girl you met the first day Sellanernas?¡± She was rambling in a low voice, as if convincing herself, ¡°Then I realized, you are just a fool¡±. ¡°I didn¡¯t know about Sellanernas until now¡­¡± I said honestly. ¡°That flower is used to court noble ladies¡±, She said, a bush creeping up her uncovered nape, ¡°and you did it to perfection¡± Arin stood up, her whole face red. She drew a sharp breath and fluidly took off her dress. There stood in front of me, a woman. Made of condensed moonlight, her beauty rivaled that of the moon itself; all four of it. I was not proud of it, but my mouth hung open at the sheer beauty of her. A low growl emanated from my throat, as I sat transfixed at the scene. Her modest lines were soaking up the moonlight, a faint glow gracing her snow white skin. She was naked, except for the necklace made of a single Kivala fang, nestled between her modest breasts. She walked towards me, then crouched down to my eye level. She crawled across the length of my outstretched feet, bringing her face close to me like a prowling animal cornering its prey. Did victims of Medusa felt like this? Her breath fell on my face like a warm gust. I drank her breath in, noticing the white Sellarna in her hair shaking. Her whole body shook as she crouched on fours across me, pinning my body underneath her. I put my hand across her white nape, kissing her deeply. Fuck, you are beautiful. Arin¡¯s hands clutched at the Sellarnas I had laid her upon as we made love. He back arched up in ecstasy with every motion as she shivered responding to the bestial growl from my throat. She kissed me again and again as we danced again, under the moonlight. Her skin mingling with mine, we panted into the night, till we weren¡¯t individuals, but one. Our cries brought the world to a standstill. The small animals in the bushes were startled at our savage gasps. I traced her lines again and again with my fingers, in a desire of mutual annihilation. We made love, with the stars and the moons as our witness, eternity in our grasps. Arin lay in my arms as we gasped to regain our lost breaths. Cool river air played on our skins. She had nestled her head on my chest, as we lay leaning on the boulders. She wasn¡¯t experienced, and this by no means was the best sex I ever had. But¡­this had been one of the happiest times of my life. We were fools, but we were happy in our stupidity. She looked up at me, tears glistening on her eyes. ¡°Arin¡­¡± Why was she crying? She understood my worry, ¡°No Rigel¡­I am just¡­too happy¡±, she smiled. ¡°Rigel¡­this was my first time¡­¡±, she seemed to want to say something. ¡°I know¡±, I could guess what she wanted to convey, ¡°I intend to marry you honorably¡±. I kissed her head. ¡°I did already get my engagement gift¡±, she said with a happy voice, ¡°The Kivala necklace¡±. I was confused. She realized that and continued, ¡°The mark of a man¡¯s might, a symbol of the battles he fought and the enemies he has defeated is the gift.¡± She ran her fingers though my hair, ¡°Normally I wouldn¡¯t give myself up for a mere Kivala fang¡­but you are special, my Rashel¡± She nestled her head once again in my chest. Fuck the gods. She felt me rise again, and looked up arching her eyebrows, ¡°Again?¡± she asked. ¡°But this time¡­¡±, I could feel a savage grin split my face as I drew her closer, untying her done up hair, ¡° I like you hair flowing¡±. In love we are free, but being free we doom ourselves, I remembered the line by a famous poet of this world. Last night, I too got a gift from Arin. No, not that kind of gift; I mean that too, but she gave a single glove. The glove was a conduit for performing magic. It didn¡¯t let the caster¡¯s arm come to harm, at the same time helped to channel the magic with proper focus. It was like a simple tanned full fingered leather glove, that came up to a quarter of my arm. She had bought the glove from the blacksmith as a gift for me on Midsummer Festival. I wore it on my left hand and went to the forest beyond the vale to practice some magic. Arin stayed at home to talk to Grandma Wasslia about our engagement. I walked into the forest and was thinking about stuff when I heard a loud noise and scuffling in a distance. It sounded like human voices. I ran towards the noise. What I saw after that, made me angry. A single white horse was bound to a tree, while it lazily chewed grass. Some paces from it was a young man of about 25, wearing expensive clothes. What pissed me off? There was a girl of about 9-10 years near the guy. The guy was holding her down, while the girl kept crying and pleading. The girl was naked and bleeding from various cuts and bruises on her body. Yep. Rape. I could feel blood rushing to my head, My teeth gnashed against each other, while I gave a hoarse shout. The guy suddenly sat up, hearing my shout, looks of wonder on his face. I ran up to him and kicked him in the ribs. The guy keeled over, groaning. I smashed my feet down on his hand. The guy howled like a pig and drew his sword. A real one, not the training ones that we weren¡¯t even allowed to carry. I gave the guy no leeway and kicked him again, in the face. The guy felt backwards, sprawling, holding his bleeding nose. ¡°vat are vu buing?¡± He asked in a rage, his face going crimson. ¡°Beating you up¡± I replied, barely holding onto my reason; walking towards him. ¡°Vu you go vuu ei am?¡±, He screamed, slashing wildly with his decorated blade. ¡°No, and I don¡¯t intend to¡±. I sidestepped his sloppy slash and smashed my right hand into his face. The sword went flying out of his hands, and I continued to pummel him. I left no part of his body untouched. As my fist was introducing itself to his guts and abdomen, I felt a tug at my wrist. The small girl had hung onto me, while tears streaked from her face. I propped up the guy¡¯s right hand on my knee, while driving down my elbow. A sickening crunch signaled that it was broken. The man screamed in agony and fainted. Then I stripped the man of his shirt and walked away. I wrapped the little girl with the shirt and started walking out of the forest. While passing the horse, I untied its rope and slapped the horse¡¯s rump with force. The horse became scared and ran away into the forest. I soothed and coaxed the little girl while I carried her towards the village. The girl didn¡¯t stop crying and kept asking for her mother. Assholes. I delivered the girl to Grandma Wasslia and went up to the Guard Corps building to report to Gustaf. With veins popping on his forehead, he made a few senior guards go out in search of the person while he dragged me back into training. However, the guards didn¡¯t find any trace of the guy except for torn clothes and a blood-trail that lead back to the road towards Haven. That had been the beginning of the end. How I wish I could change the things that had happened back then. 3 days after the incident, the guard corps were busy in training when a small boy came running to the compound, severely out of breath. He sat down on the dust and started to gulp for air like a beached whale. All of us surprised, we went to the boy and asked what was wrong. He barely managed to croak, ¡° Grandma Wasslia..gulp..soldiers¡­surrounded¡­gulp¡­beating them up¡­go fast¡±. I surprised myself when I started running like a released spring. I could feel my heart about to leap out of my throat. All I saw were blurs of colours as I raced toward Grandma and¡­Arin. I could hear people shouting as they saw me run like a demon, but I didn¡¯t stop. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. I was almost out of breath when I reached the familiar house guarded by the blue-tinged trees. About a couple of dozen of buff men wearing full leather armour milled about in the compounds. A man on full plate armor was barking orders to them while sitting on a sable coloured horse. My eyes searched for grandma Wasslia and Arin; spotting them talking agitated to couple of men. Arin was gesticulating wildly, trying to make some point while Grandma was trying to hold her back. Talking to them was a white haired man with a bushy white beard wearing a white-gold robe that covered almost all of his body. Beside him was a young man atop a Serrad, wearing expensive clothing , his arm nestled as if broken. It was the guy I had apprehended in the forest. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I thundered at the man. The guards took defensive positions, aiming their spears and swords at me. The man atop the horse gestured them to stop. The young man maneuvered his Serrad towards me. ¡°Bishop, this is the filth that dared lay his hands on me¡± said the man in a haughty tone. ¡°Who are you, gaudy?¡± I asked the man, irritated beyond reason. Fuck, I pissed off someone with authority. Let¡¯s hope this ends with just an apology. ¡°Who am I ? Who am I!¡± The man went crimson in the face, ¡°You dog dares!¡± ¡°No, seriously¡­ who are you?¡± I had to play the ignorant foreigner card to muddle through this. ¡°You are in the presence of Lord Icchvarrion sol Varasti, son of Baron Rakkharrion sol Varasti, Lord of Varasti Barony¡±, replied the plate armor. ¡°Now that you know, kneel you dog¡± spat out the Lord of assholes. I can do this. Numerous NHK guys have given me free TV when I went full Gaijin on them. If I can beat NHK, I can beat this ass. * ¡°You have been charged with obstructing an official of the Kingdom in line of duty. Furthermore, you have inflicted serious life threatening injuries on a member of the peerage¡±, this time the Bishop talked in a gravely voice, ¡°So your punishment is¡­death by quartering.¡± Oh shit. Before I could say anything, Arin spoke up, ¡°He doesn¡¯t know the laws of this region, Lord Icchvarion, he is a stranger to these parts¡±, her voice shook in nervousness. A soldier came forward and slapped Arin knocking her over, ¡°Shut up you mongrel bitch. You dare address the Lord directly!¡± The wind seemed to stop. Before I could blink, I had sprinted in front the soldier and rammed my sword into his head. The man crumpled like a wet blanket, with a huge dent on his helmet. ¡°Restrain the rabid dog! Protect the Lord!¡± Shouted the plate mail guy. The soldiers immediately surrounded grandma, Arin and me, their spears and swords pointed at us. ¡°Restrain yourself, Icchvarrion!¡± thundered a voice from the gates. Gustaf had come running along with a few village guards. ¡°Tch. Even the insolent ex-knight is here¡±. Icchvarrion made an unpleasant smile, ¡°You are finished, Sir Gustaf¡­I mean formerly Sir Gustaf¡±. He turned towards the plate male guy, ¡°Sir Asarth, if you will¡±. ¡°Guards! Prepare to intercept the rebels! Show no mercy. You are allowed to kill on self defence¡± Barked Asarth. ¡°You will now know what it means to anger me, commoner shits¡±, Lord Icchvarrion said arrogantly, a smile curling up his right lips. A loud sound of wood striking wood resounded through the compound. ¡°Bishop Andalus, I implore you to stop in the name of the great god Talaviel!¡± said grandma in the highest voice I had ever heard her use. She had stood straight up, no trace of the chronic shaking visible in her form. ¡°Do not sully the name of the great god, Wasslia¡±, The bishop said in the same gravely tone, ¡°I thought you were a fool when you exiled yourself from the Church, but to directly go against the will of the King¡­UNFORGIVEABLE!¡± ¡°Does the will of the king pertain to raping a 10 year old girl?¡± Grandma asked, still enclosed within the encirclement of the soldiers. ¡°You do know that the slaves are property of the owner. The punishment was light considering she ran away¡± said the Bishop. ¡°Enough talk, Bishop¡±, Icchvarion drawled, ¡°We finally got the chance to bring the rebels to heel. Let us quickly dispose of them¡± ¡°Certainly. Let us teach them what it means to go against god and kingdom¡±, said the bishop while gesturing. The soldiers strode forward, attacking the village guard. Due to the unexpected attack, two of the guards screamed when the spears perforated their chest. Two soldiers slashed their swords at me, no intention of taking me prisoner. Fuck, they came just to kill. Suddenly Arin stood in front of me, spreading her hands. ¡°Stop! I won¡¯t let you harm my Rigel!¡± ¡°Arin¡­¡± I tried to shove her behind me, to keep her safe. ¡°Ohoho. How amusing¡± The lord jumped down from the Serrad, walking towards me. Then he walked past Arin and stood in front of me, his face inches away from me. Then he said in a quiet voice, ¡°Do you know how much indignation I faced when I had to walk back to my mansion half naked and bloody? Do you? DO YOU!¡± A manic gleam came upon his eyes, ¡°I will take everything from you, till you feel the same suffering; the same horror.¡± ¡°You bastard¡­¡± My nails dug in so hard in my palms that I could feel blood trickle down my fingers. ¡°Take them¡±, the lord said, striding away. I tried to slash at him with my sword, but it was a blunt training one, so it only ended up bouncing off his chainmail undershirt. At the same time, the soldiers drove their weapons against us, one spear piercing my thigh and a soldier scored a deep cut on my flank. I dropped down on my knees with blood trickling down my torso. I tried to pull out the spear with both my hands but the soldier simply pushed it deeper in a screwing motion. My leg was on fire, screamed with all my might. I tried to stand up and use my sword as a basher, but the pommel of a blade smashed against the back of my head. I could see soldiers grab Arin by her hair and throwing her away like a rag doll. I was so powerless. Gustaf ossan was fighting against a whole group of soldiers, the other guards already cut down. I was so weak. A sword slashed against Gustaf¡¯s belly, spilling out his entrails. I could do nothing A soldier slammed his spear handle on Grandma¡¯s back. She fell down face first, losing consciousness. Something snapped inside me, I could feel things crumble inside my stomach. I will turn them helpless too. As soon as I thought that, I could feel my left arm grow cold and leaden. When I turned my head, I saw something strange. Black claw like marks gradually getting branded on my arm, wrist to elbow. It was as if shadows had crept up from under my skin, freezing it on the way. I screamed, as the freezing grew intolerable. No, not claws, it¡¯s like spiralling swirls. Shadows flowed down from the brand, enveloping my arm in it. The arm grew beastlike, sharp claws replaced my fingers. I didn¡¯t even knew whether I was screaming from the spears embedded in my body or the freezing in my arm. The soldiers had also noticed the change. They drew back, confusion clouding their faces. Before they could blink, I had pulled out the spears with my hand. No, it wasn¡¯t me. The arm moved on its own. The arm grabbed the head of the soldier in front of me, faster than he could react. Black talons dug deep into the skin. The soldier screamed. I screamed too, half out of terror; half out of a strange sense of satisfaction, even pleasure. I didn¡¯t feel any pain from my wounds; I could hear myself draw huge breaths like a pair of bellows. Sweat trickled down my spine and temple like rivulets. The arm hadn¡¯t let go of the soldier. It had raised the soldier up, in a superhuman feat of strength. By now, I had lost all control of my arm. With a sickening crunch, the head crumpled inwards like an empty box. Even if I couldn¡¯t control my hand, but I still had tactile feedback from it. White and grey pulpy substance crushed under my palms, consistency like rotten cheese. Blood and brain matter spew forth like a torrent, drenching my face and the soldiers behind him. Shattered splinters of bone jutted from his decimated head, as the arm dropped the still twitching body. A moment of silence ensued. Then the screaming started. ¡°It¡¯s a demon! A fucking demon! Run!¡± the soldiers ran like terrified ants, helter skelter. Arin looked at me strangely, as if she couldn¡¯t recognize the man standing in my place anymore. I felt something in my leg give out, as I held her gaze, accusing me. I knelt down on the ground that had soaked up blood. My breath fell in laborious gasps, as the shadows dissipated from my arm; turning it to normal. I had no more energy left to fight. ¡°To have actually harbored a demon! These lowlives!¡± the Bishop came towards me, his arms outstretched with the palms facing towards me. A golden half-dome encircled me, gradually tightening in area. ¡°Warriors of the Kingdom! Hold fast and hit the demon from outside the holy barrier. Do not kill it!¡± He barked, tension clouding his voice for the first time. Spears and swords assaulted me like rain. Spears opened up holes in my limbs and torso, the shafts burying into the ground, pinning me. My entire body was on fire, blood gushing forth in torrents, as I lay writhing. ¡°I..Is the demon captured now?¡±, Icchvarrion asked, ashen faced. He had backed away in a corner when I went on a rampage. ¡°Yes. It is but a lowly demonspawn. It can¡¯t hold against my barrier¡±, relied Bishop Andalus. ¡°Then¡±, Icchvarrion came in front of me and gave a nasty smile, ¡°Lowly demon, let me take everything¡±. He pointed at Arin and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the girl you are engaged to? I asked everything about you¡±. ¡°Don¡¯t do¡­anything to her¡± I growled, my nerves tensing. ¡°I won¡¯t. On the other hand, she will¡±, He seemed awfully pleased with something, ¡°Arin¡­was it? How does it feel being fucked by a demon, eh? He is the reason for all this, you know?¡± He strode towards her. Then he bent down and grabbed her by the hair, ¡° I will torch this entire village and kill everyone, even your precious grandma, for harboring a demon¡±. He said with hate dripping from his voice as a malicious smile marred his lips, ¡° Only you can save them. Order the soldiers to kill the demon, in your own voice and you can save everyone. Except your fianc¨¦e of course¡±, he laughed. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t¡±, Arin seemed to glance between me and grandma. ¡°Ugh. Show grandma some love¡±, ordered Icchvarrion. A soldier immediately drove a spear down on grandma Wasslia¡¯s leg. Arin screamed, her eyes went white. A soldier brought some burning wood, and approached towards grandma.¡± ¡°NOOOOOOO! Arin screamed, her voice broke midway turning hoarse. ¡°Kill him! Kill the demon! He tricked me into thinking he was a human! He is the reason we all are dying!¡± She screamed, sobs punctuating her voice. ¡° See Rigel, everyone thinks only of themselves¡±, Icchvarrion smiled in glee, ¡°But then again, you are a demon, you know all about it¡±. I just looked at Arin. Her eyes accused me of having betrayed her. She clutched her body close, as if disgusted that I had soiled her. Even you, Arin. I just planted my face on the blood soaked mud. I had resigned myself. I didn¡¯t want to fight anymore. ¡°But Lord Icchvarrion¡­I want the demon for research¡± spoke up Bishop Andalus. ¡°Shut up. He will die¡±, Icchvarrion commanded. From the corner of my eyes, I could see a soldier pick up a executioners sword and proceed towards me. Chop off my head huh? Classic. I am gonna join the Starks(2) Arin wailed as the sword approached me. I could see Black light pouring out her body¡­it enveloped me in a storm like swirl, throwing off the soldiers. When I realized what was happening, I was already 10 feet up in air, with a forest under me. Unfamiliar scenery rushed up to meet me as I was falling towards the ground, in an entirely new place. What the¡­
Like the story? Vote for it on TopWebFictions so more people could read it I find support. No registration required and the process is very simple. You can vote for more than one fiction too, voting for another one doesn¡¯t affect any other fiction you have voted for already: <>> Meta References (1) Yes, you know the reference. The Terminator. (2) A Song of Ice and Fire reference. For the TV fans, Game of Thrones. A joke on how most of the Stark men end up losing their heads. Specifically, the scene where Ned Stark¡¯s head was being chopped off by the Executioner Sword of House Stark, Ice. * This is a real life joke about Japan. All of you who have lived there must know the terror known as NHK subscription takers, am I right? For those who don¡¯t know, NHK is the premier government operated TV channel in Japan. TV sets in Japan operate by capturing the air waves. Now, you need to pay a subscription fee to access NHK. However they have no way of knowing whether you watch NHK or not. So they would send people door to door to collect the subscription fees. Those people practically coerce, insist, bang on doors and stuff, all in all very irritating. They won¡¯t even listen if you tell them you don¡¯t watch it as they have no way of knowing if you watch or not. So¡­some foreigners, don¡¯t look at me like that, like to pretend they don¡¯t know Japanese at all. They do all the in your face Gaijin attitude that irritate the Japanese people to ward off the NHK guy. And, this is the joke Rigel makes. He wants to act like a total gaijin so that the lord lets him go on account of being a foreigner. Chapter 7: Mercenaries, Witch Trials and Whistles Warning: Gore chapter(?) Guys please post reviews on the fiction page so that I know what you people think about the work. Honestly, this story needs reviews and ratings so that even more people can read it. Please help me! thanks in advance! -------------------------------------------------- Chapter 7: Mercenaries, Witch Trials and Whistles ¡°Once upon a time, Iruvana, daughter of the god Uruth wanted to experience life as a mortal. She incarnated herself as a human and married the King Galavandar, the High King of the Ifnetian Seas. In time, she bore a son. However, the divine blood shewed itself by granting the boy strange magick. Upon seeing that, the King ordered Queen Iruvana to die by stringing her on the walls of the Capital City, on suspicion of having lain with a demon. Goddess Iruvana had locked her divine memories, making her unable to refute. As she lay hung on the wall, the entrails of her eviscerated son around her neck, her father, the Lord God Uruth came upon her disguised as a crow. He asked, ¡°Grant me thy soul¡±. Iruvana, devoted to her King, said ¡°Nay. Be content with my liver and depart¡±. The crow ate her liver and departed. On second day, he came again as a fox. Iruvana said the same, offering her tongue. On the third day, Uruth came again as a snake. Unable to endure the pain, Iruvana gave up her soul, regaining her divine form. For 40 days and 40 nights, storm raged on the Empire, at the end of which nothing but dust remained of The Capital and its King¡± - Gods and Mortals, Sage Kagashan, date unknown. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I hit the tree canopies before I could realize what was happening. My fall was broken by the numerous tree branches hitting me from every direction. Finally, I broke through the branches and whammed straight to the ground. The spears that were penetrating me had come off during the fall and now clanged down from the branches, like rain. The sword fell blade first and sunk into the earth inches from my crotch. Bloody fucking hell. Unbelievable fatigue assailed my body. My muscles were screaming for release. Blood drenched my whole torso. Torn meat and skin showed through the gaping holes in my body. Red drenched bone peeked out here and there. My eyes closed by themselves. I couldn¡¯t keep my lids open even while trying. I was dying. A terrible sense of danger woke me up. It was as if alarm bells had started ringing in my head. I opened my eyes at once and saw¡­glowing small fireballs by the tens at a level of about 2 feet above the ground. As my eyes adjusted, I could discern the black masses behind the fires. Kivala packs had surrounded me, probably drawn in by the smell of blood. They won¡¯t let go of an injured, easy prey. Fuck. Sweat trickled down my temple. With a shiver I realized their fangs were glowing in moonlight. How do I fend them off in my injured sta¡­dafuq? My wounds had healed. Not that I was fully fit and fine but there were no wounds and the scars had healed up to, I discerned with a touch. I didn¡¯t know what was happening, but this was an opportunity. I picked up the executioner sword that had fallen with me. It was to be used two handed but made in the length of a one-hand, so a very bad one to be stuck with. I would have liked a shield but¡­ oh well, beggars can¡¯t be choosers. The sword came off the ground when I pulled it out by the hilt. Damned thing didn¡¯t have a tip¡­ so no stabbing. I took a stance. I put both my hands on the hilt, looking at the green lights reflected from the Kivala eyes. Ages seem to pass as we stared at each other. Tension, thick and palpable like fog seemed to drift up between me and the monsters. My muscles started to hurt from the tensing when suddenly the lead Kivala jumped up, as if a certain milestone had passed unknown. The monster had pounced on me, his paws aimed at my shoulders. I swung up the executioner sword and slashed at it¡¯s chest. The blade dipped in and out smoothly, trailing blood droplets and shreds of meat behind it. The Kivala had died before it hit the ground with a dull thud. As if on cue, the packs of Kivalas closed in at once, howls reverberating the air around me. I slashed at the front runners, aiming for quick dodge and slashes. The sword cut off the front legs of one but went too wide for a quick slash recovery. A Kivala slammed into my stomach, throwing me backwards. This bloody sword¡­I had forgotten this shit is top heavy to cut heads better. The balance is out of whack. By now, the monsters had surrounded me and came at me from both sides. I swung the sword in a wide arc, taking advantage of the momentum of the heavy blade. For the first time in my life, I understood the idiom flying heads. The sword was good at what it did, that is beheading. I slashed at the oncoming Kivalas in huge arcs, often hitting two at opposite ends, turning my body in a screwing motion as if trying to hit a homerun with baseball bat. In spite of that, I was only a lone man and there were tens of Kivalas. I was accumulating more and more wounds from their fangs and claws. There were deep claw scores that tattered my clothes. One of my slashes got caught in the spilled intestines of a monster, while another bit me from behind. I let go of the handle as it had got royally snagged, and punched the biting one in its eyes. Now, I knew that my strength had increased a lot. Those wave like masses that had hit me every time I had killed something? Those were probably some sort of power that passed from the dead to me. Somewhat like exp from monsters in a game, but in this world, it somehow just increased my power. But what did happen, sort of exceeded my expectations. The Kivala¡¯s face caved in as my hands went wrist deep into its brain, blood spraying into my open mouth. By now, the number of Kivalas had decreased quite a lot. Only a few remained. Their eyes were losing their green glow as day slowly broke. I went near the dead Kivala and tore open its entrails to recover my sword. The Kivalas backed away, seemingly scared. I swung my blade in a wide circle, to disperse the blood droplets on it. The blade had made a constant whistling sound throughout the battle as it cut the air. That was caused by the 3 holes near its square tip. Back in Earth, the Executioner Sword was made to whistle like this to strike terror into the hearts of the Executed whenever the sword is swung. The high-pitched whistle was called the song of the blade. The Kivalas now flinched every time they heard the whistle. Finally, they turned and ran, bounding away in short leaps, tails between their legs. I heaved a sigh of relief, as I propped the sword on my shoulders and took stock of the situation. I panted heavily, leaning on the sword. By now, the day had fully broken. Soft light had broken through the mountains, illuminating the forest beneath, while still some parts remained under the umbra of the peaks. The ring lay like a black belt across the sky. And I totally didn¡¯t know where I was. I had never come across this place during subjugation quests with the guard corps. Moreover, there were no traces of any of the jungle trails that criss-crossed the forests surrounding the road to Haven. But, it wasn¡¯t surprising, considering I had probably crossed Haven. I could recognize the familiar outline of the Ishkal mountains, from a bit different angle than I am used to. By the direction of the sun, Shrafingshire would be North from here. And the distance was probably a lot, considering the distance from Ishkal by eye. What the fuck did actually happen? From what I gathered, Arin had probably unleashed some teleport type spell that dropped me here. What I was really worried about is the black light that had flowed out of Arin when the spell happened. It was too close to the black shadows flowing from my arm, I thought unconsciously clutching my arm. I need to get to Arin. I need to keep them safe. My teeth gnashed together as I thought about what had happened. I took deep breath to relax myself after the heated fight with the Kivalas. I used the blunt tip of the blade to break a few oversized Kivala canines. Those things could grow up to 20 cms. I used the canine as an improvised dagger to retrieve the Cores and cut myself some meat. Then, gathering some fallen brambles, I stacked them up to make a bonfire. My magic invocation was still shit, but the fire spell could create at least a few sparks to start a fire. I could think more clearly after eating. I needed more power. The Black arm thing was very unreliable and I didn¡¯t even know what that was. I couldn¡¯t even get to work it again. Even after a lot of tries, I was still here with a very human arm. I needed to find a way to fuse the monster cores with myself. However, I didn¡¯t have access to a Church or Soulcaster to do it. Moreover, they didn¡¯t do it much in the first place due to the huge risks and chances of failure involved. And I didn¡¯t think I would be too welcome at the company of other after the whole demonspawn thing. What¡¯s up with that, I wonder. I cut off some pelt from the Kivalas and made an improvised satchel out of it where I kept the Cores. As I understood it, they had a chanting to fuse the Cores with your soul, So I had some experiments to do. But for now, only one thing was left to be done. I got up and walked towards Shrafingshire, where lay my hearts desire. I will reach you. I cleaved open the head of a poison Tirath. The monster was like a five foot long lizard, with a sharp spiny tail and red coloured tough skin. The thing had a one foot long neck that could rotate 360 degrees and then some. These suckers were fast, nasty and plain ugly. What made them dangerous however was they injected paralyzing venom with their fangs. However, the paralyzing venom did nothing to numb pain, so you had to suffer the horror of getting eaten alive while you felt everything in excruciating detail. Yep, so gravy. I swung the sword again and half of the face of a lizard went flying. These monsters had strong skin that routinely deflected blades after chopping. The only weak area was the head and the neck that had too many vertebrae to facilitate the 360 parlor trick. I collected the monster Cores and walked towards the river I had found. I kept looking at the cores. A bead of sweat flowed down my spine as I was reluctant to do what I had to. A heavy sigh escaped me as I got to crushing the Cores. Yeah. That¡¯s what I had found out after a bit of tinkering. I crushed the cores into powder, then I diluted them with water and gulped them straight down. Just like knocking back a few beers, right? Only that this particular one is fucking excruciating. The first time I had tried this, I had fallen off the rock I was sitting on, clawing at my throat. The Core fragments had shredded and tore the insides of my throat, tearing everything on their way down. I had fainted in a pool of vomited blood. However I had noticed the results almost as soon as I had woken up. If I eat enough Cores, I didn¡¯t need to rely on the black arm that Arin hated so much. I wonder what Arin thinks of me now. That look¡­she gave me when she saw my arm¡­I can¡¯t stand it. Can¡¯t stand it, can¡¯t sand it! She thought I betrayed her! She thought I killed everyone on purpose¡­. Do I even have the right to go save her? Does she even love me anymore? Do I even have the right to save myself? I gulped the potion again, my fingers curling up to brace for the incoming pain. Probably I didn¡¯t. It has already been the third day that I was separated from Arin. Three fucking days! How long do I have to bloody wander here! I had already killed hundreds of monsters in these forests and consumed their cores. The monsters now ran away whenever they heard the whistle of my blade. I had killed so many that even the sharpness of an executioner sword was gone; leaving me to use it as a bludgeoning weapon. The whistling didn¡¯t stop. It won¡¯t; until it has met the girl with river in her hair. I¡¯d endure the pain of a hundred Tirath stings if that would have brought me closer to Arin. I had been wandering through this god forsaken forest for days, without a way out. I need to go to her! Suddenly, I heard shouts of human voice, and growls of the Kivala accompanying it. I ran towards the voices, without paying heed to things around me. I burst into a clearing, with a dirt road through it. I had been so close to a road! A pack of Kivalas were attacking two covered carriages. The Carriages were pretty big, with canvas covering it¡¯s topside. The 2 pairs of Serrads that were reined to the carriages had went wild, scared of the Kivalas. Five lightly armoured men were defending themselves against the onslaught of the monsters. Two of the men were already severely wounded and bleeding. The men desperately tried to fend off the Kivalas with no avail. The monsters pounced on them repeatedly. Some even attacked the defenseless Serrads, jumping on their flanks and the long neck to bring them down. A well dressed man was shouting, ¡° Defend the goods, dammit! I don¡¯t want to die here!¡± It all took just a few seconds to register. The men were having a hard time, defending the carriages, their wounded, the Serrads and the whining man. I swung my blunt sword a few times in full circle and jumped into the fray. The Kivalas immediately changed their targets towards me, wary of the high-pitched whistle. Their rabid eyes wavered as I gave a bestial howl, not unlike a Kivala itself. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Then, my blade was swung, smashing the limbs of a Kivala, all four if it. I kept extending the same swing till it reached a Kivala that been scrambling to climb the roof of the carriage. That Kivala had the side of its head smashed in, brain leaking out of its other ear. The armoured people didn¡¯t miss the chance and plunged their weapons into the Kivalas. Some fell, while the others turned tail and ran. The men hailed for me, I put up a hand to acknowledge their shouts. ¡°Thank You so much, said one man, ¡°You saved us there, kid¡±. ¡°Its alright. Do you know the way to¡­¡± my head swam as I pitched forward, fatigue and relief finally claiming my body. ¡°Oi...what happened?¡± The man caught me. I could hear whispers as my whole body relaxed, coming in contact with other people. Merciful sleep washed over me. ¡°Finally awake, eh, executioner?¡± a warmly smiling middle aged man said when he saw me wake up. ¡°Where...what happened?¡± I asked, still groggy from sleep. I was in a moving carriage, with a few other men. The inside was dark with boxes piled up on the sides. The carriage shook and jerked with every movement. I could hear the sounds of whipping. ¡° Black Rhissot mercenary group¡¯s carriage, in service to Merchant Kattors from Sonozoa¡±, the man said, ¡°You?¡± ¡°Rigel¡±, I said in a pained voice, my muscles screaming from the intense shaking, ¡°an unfortunate adventurer¡± The man laughed loudly. His hearty voice spreading into the forest. ¡°A lie, boy. Adventurers do not carry those¡±, he pointed towards the executioner sword, now propped up against the side of my carriage, ¡°particularly not the ones in service to the King¡±. Why was everyone in this world so smart¡­where are the stupid muscleheads from the Light Novels¡­ ¡°Secret mission for Kingdom. Attacked by bandits. Left for dead in forest¡± I delivered, punctuating my words due to the shaking. ¡°That¡¯s alright. I didn¡¯t want to question our saviour anyways. We men in this line of work do not question¡±, He said with a somber voice, ¡°But boy, how long have you been in there? Your sword is all banged up¡±. ¡°Longer than I would have liked, uncle¡± I said. ¡°The name¡¯s Old Krag. Behind you is Dead Raf, the one that looks like he ate a frog is Drunk Bale, the one that is scowling is dead-eyed Drast, and the one lying there is Frothe¡±, the man introduced everyone. Everyone put up a hand as a sign of acknowledgement while leaning against the carriage. ¡°Well. You saved us boy, and fainted immediately afterwards. We dressed your wounds and stuff. Want something to eat?¡± Krag asked. Well¡­.I was hungry¡­ I replied, ¡°yes, something quick but first answer me something. Which way is Shrafingshire?¡± ¡°We would go to Vessar village so Sharafingshire is on the way. It would take like 4 days to reach¡±, he said while giving me some bread and dry meat. ¡°What! Why so long?¡± I asked, impatience colouring my voice. ¡°Because it is 500 cress far¡±, Krag was surprised, ¡°Didn¡¯t you know?¡± I sat listening to old man Krag¡¯s stories by the campfire while sharpening my blade with a whetstone. Oil dripped down the cold steel, obscuring the mark of the Kingdom, a winged dragon. It has been 3 days since I started traveling with the mercenary group. I traded the leftover Cores I had for new clothes and equipment. As a thanks for helping them, One-eyed Drast had fixed my banged up sword. I thought of stealing a Serrad and run, but I won¡¯t reach Shrafingshire without proper directions or food for the beast. Just be okay, Arin, just be okay. I looked up at the sky, the moon hung overhead. The ring glowed at the edges. The same sky, but Arin and I were worlds apart. She might not even want me back. Still, just be okay. I am coming. ¡°Oi Executioner! Come here, listen to this!¡±, called out Krag. They had started calling me executioner on account of my sword. It was irritating, but that¡¯s just how mercs call each other. ¡°Remember the Mounted Royal Army guards we had come across today? They told a funny tale. Come and listen. It came from Shrafingshire.¡± He hailed loudly. My hurt lurched. I went forwards with unsteady steps. ¡°They said a demon was caught in that village. A huge demon with black skin and fiery eyes! Fiery Eyes they said haha! It killed a hundred people, ate their heads right with his mouth!¡± He shouted , half-drunk, ¡°Moreover, there was also a witch with him! The witch fucked him and called him to kill everyone. At the end, the Lord¡¯s son caught him and subdued him with brilliant swordplay! Hah! As if people can win against a demon¡­specially that brat...hahha!¡± ¡°What happened then? Tell me old man!¡± I shouted, unable to keep composure. ¡°The witch sent the demon away with her power¡­after that they caught her and are interrogating her under the Church. They say the witch will be put on trial a month from now¡­but why are you so excited boy?¡± he asked, sobering up, ¡°Perhaps¡­your mission was regarding the demon?¡± I couldn¡¯t talk¡­in fact, I could barely hear the old merc. A storm raged inside my heart. I couldn¡¯t hear anything as blood rushed through my ears. Breath fell in ragged gasps as I shook the old man by his collar, ¡°Take me there right now! Fucking take me there!¡± ¡°Uruvath¡¯s spear¡­boy. Calm down! We can¡¯t, it¡¯s too far¡­¡± he said in a panic. ¡°Take me there no..¡±, I staggered as my words lost its coherence. ¡°Sorry, bro. Even if your family was killed by a demon, you can¡¯t go rushing there. Rest for now¡±, I could see Drast holding his poison blowpipe behind me. That¡¯s not it. Drast Then, everything turned black. I was back in Shrafingshire. People milled about in the hundreds at the outskirts of the village. It was a festive atmosphere as food was being sold, toys being peddled. People wore their most colourful clothes and walked boisterously towards the same direction. I saw several people I knew, as I called to them, they didn¡¯t respond. They didn¡¯t even seem to hear me. I ran towards Illya and tried to turn him around but my hands just passed through his body. I looked at myself; I was translucent and incorporeal. I tried to touch everyone and everything, but my hands just passed through everything. No once could see me, or hear me. I was alone in a throng of humanity. A loud cheer echoed and I looked towards the commotion. A large metal X had been erected and a person strapped to it. For some reason, my heart fell through my stomach when I saw the figure. I ran through people to reach it. It was¡­Arin. She was barely recognizable. Her limbs jutted out in strange angles, bones and joints out of alignment. White bones poked through her torn skin, red muscles hanging from her naked body. There were holes dripping with blood on her, with severe burn marks on her white skin. The bastards had branded her with holy symbols. Her beautiful hair had been torn and vandalized. Claw marks gouged across her body, with deep incisions on her breasts, It was as if someone has tried to chop off her body parts and dropped her into a grinder. Long, savage whiplashes had cut open her body, splitting the girl open side to side. Her limbs had been nailed to the metal X. A¡­.Arin! AAAAAAAAAAH! I wailed like a mutilated beast. My legs folded under me, as my hands clawed towards her. I couldn¡¯t breathe, I gulped for air like a beached whale as I sobbed and cried. I crawled towards her, unable to stand. My voice, which had been shouting all the while in an anguished cry had turned hoarse, choked up. Unceasing tears had entered my throat, making me unable to breathe. I looked around, for help. People circled her from a distance and jeered at her, laughed at her. They made fun of her tortured body, her nakedness. Men and women who had known her since birth; people who had laughed and cried with her till few days ago spat at her with manic glee. They picked up stones and threw at her vulnerable broken body. Rocks flew through the air, hitting the poor girl. Stones ravaged her already mangled body, cutting open new wounds on her. I ran towards the people, to stop them from throwing. I pleaded, I cried, I threatened but they didn¡¯t listen. My arms went through them, my futile attempts did nothing to stop the hail of stones. I clambered up the X, to shield her from the stones. The projectiles flew straight through my body, hitting her. I tried to talk to Arin, but she didn¡¯t respond. She was already half-dead. Each time stone hit her, she would groan and writhe, yet no one stopped. The place was drowning with voices pouring searing contempt at her. ¡°Die, you witch! You dare call upon a demon!¡± ¡°Die like the whore you are, opening your legs for a demon!¡± ¡°Witches will die! All hail Great God Talaviel!¡± ¡°just like her parents¡­¡± ¡°You liked a demon cock? Should have asked us if you were so horny you whore!¡± ¡°Praise be Talaviel! With your death we will be cleansed!¡± ¡°Die, demon¡¯s fucktoy!¡± ¡°Finally, you show your true colours, daughter of the betrayers!¡± I was aghast at how people who called her their daughter once were hurting her, injuring her with their hate. The people had started chanting the grace of gods while they mercilessly killed a defenseless girl. I roared with anguish, with pain but what came out was a whimper. No one listened. No one wanted to. The Bishop Andalus strode forward, upholding a huge piece of glass. He proclaimed with a regal voice, ¡°Now, let the great sun god, Azrakh cleanse this girl¡¯s filth. May she be born anew in fire and join with the father of all. Praise be to Azulai!¡± With a violent start, I realized what the glass was. It was a piece of convex glass. He held up the glass to the sunlight and focused it on the huge pile of wood and bramble piled under the X. In a few moments, the wood began to smoke and burn. In the same bonfire the girl had danced a few nights ago, she burned. When the flames licked her feet, Arin screamed. I screamed with her too¡­or maybe the people screamed in glee. The girl pleaded people to save her, the gods to release her from her agony. No one listened. When the flames had reached her torso, she had lost all energy to shout. Smell of burning flesh and hair singed my nose. There were armed guards, all around the pyre, condemning the girl, pissing on the flames, wagging their manhoods at her. No one saved her. My tears had stopped falling . The heat from the blazes evaporated my tears before they could form¡­or I had no more. Suddenly, Arin looked up, straight at me as if she could see me. Her lips moved, and though no sound came out, I could read what she said, ¡°I love you, Rigel¡±. I woke up, screaming. I was still inside the carriage but I knew that what I had seen was real, it had happened already. I couldn¡¯t understand what I was seeing around me, barely recognizing the mercenaries I had been traveling with look at me with panic. Tears stained my face, while my heart still thumped like a drum. ¡°Which way is Shrafingshire?¡±, I was surprised at how hysterical my voice sounded. ¡°S¡­straight forward along the road we are taking, a day and a half far¡± someone replied haltingly. I picked up the executioner sword and jumped from the front of the carriage straight onto the back of a Serrad pulling it. ¡°Wha¡­what are you doing?¡±, Krag spoke in panic. ¡°Something I regret not doing much sooner¡±, I replied in a hoarse voice as I cut the reins of the Serrad and kicking it mercilessly to run forward, towards the village of Sharafingshire.
Like the story? Vote for it on TopWebFictions so more people could read it I find support. No registration required and the process is very simple. You can vote for more than one fiction too, voting for another one doesn¡¯t affect any other fiction you have voted for already: <>> Chapter 8: Requiems, Sacrifices and Deaths Guys please post reviews on the fiction page so that I know what you people think about the work. Honestly, this story needs reviews and ratings so that even more people can read it. Please help me! thanks in advance! -------------------------------------------------- Chapter 8: Requiems, Sacrifices and Deaths ¡° There are no heroes, little one. With each swing of the sword, two people die, on each end. The only difference between a hero and villain is how the people worship them to be. Never pick up a sword, little one, unless you are prepared to be both the hero and the villain, the slayer and the slayed¡± - Old Kruruvath saying, Tales of the Wild, Silax Gorosh,1125 A.C -------------------------------------------------------- I had ridden for a full day without stopping. By the time I neared Shrafingshire, the Serrad had grown ragged. Serrads were like Velociraptors that were a little smaller than horses. They generally had deep green backs with bellies the colour of rotten hay. Even though they were meat eaters, they were very tame and obedient and were used to pull carriages due to their strength and speed. Night had already fallen when the Serrad finally broke it¡¯s leg. I was catapulted violently forward when it happened, smashing me into the ground. The Serrad was frothing at the mouth and its eyes were clouding with blood. The beast had done its work well, bringing me almost to the village. I wish I could do something for such a loyal steed but right now, I could do nothing. Rather than letting it suffer, I soothed it by cradling it and closing its eyes. Then I drew a dagger that I had got from the mercs across its neck. The beast died twitching as blood gurgled out of its slashed throat. May you be reincarnated as an overindulged otaku in our world, my friend. I shivered at the unpleasant sensation of the invisible wave hitting me every time I killed something. I skirted around the village in the soft moonlight. There was eerie silence through the village, permeating its very air. I walked through the oft visited roads to where I had seen the dream. There lay the X, with something barely recognizable nailed to it. Arin had turned into a black, charred mass. Apparently, they had decided to finish the trial quick and spread false information about its deadline to prevent demons from rescuing her. Even though I had prepared myself for this scene ever since I ran with the Serrad, I still couldn¡¯t bear it. I broke down in choked sobs and animal groans. However, things were needed to be done. There was no one near the body. A wooden sign planted near the site explained why. ¡°By the Order of the Church, no one is allowed to approach the site of the Witch Trial for 7 days and 7 nights. The body would be left to the natural elements for spiritual cleansing and the punishment for colluding with the demons for all the world to see. At the end of 7 nights, the public are free to cut parts of the Witch¡¯s body and take them as wards against evil. Praise be to Talaviel¡±, said the sign. I clambered up the X and cut Arin down. Crows had pecked out her eyes and tongue. Most of her body had charred black, carbonized. They hadn¡¯t given her peace even after she had died; driving a wooden stake through her chest. When I tried to carry her, her poor body broke down into pieces, ash and dust. I couldn¡¯t even hold her for one last time. The bastards had taken even that from me. I gathered her body parts and ashes onto the jacket I had bought from the mercenaries. Then balling it up, I made an impromptu pouch to carry her. I knew what I wanted to do. I carried her to the secret place we had made love in, beside the river. Today too, the moon was high up in the sky, its soft light playing games of shadows with the forest. Today too, the Sellanerna flowers bloomed in the hundreds, soaking up the moonlight. Today was exactly the same as that day, only the girl wasn¡¯t alive. I burnt the rest of her body in a small pyre I made from wood and oil I had gathered on my way here. When her whole body was turning into ashes, I gathered all the Sellanernas on the bank. After that¡­I scattered her ashes in the river she loved so much. ¡°Flow with the river, Arin. Flow till you reach the seas where your parents lie. Flow till you get your hearts desire¡±, I heard myself say in choking sobs. I floated the Sellanernas in the river after her. Hundreds of flowers followed the girl in her last journey, as if they were guiding her to the seas. The girl who had river in her hair and the seas in her dreams¡­finally merged with the river. I cannot follow you yet, my Sylvanna. I still have work to do. Wait for me at the seas, I will follow you soon enough. ¡°There you are, you bastard¡±, I heard a half-cry behind me. I turned around an saw Karro inching towards me with a naked sword. He looked¡­ghastly. Unkempt hair fell over his face in lanks, his beard overgrown and slovenly. The clothes were tattered and covered with filth. Only his eyes shone deep red in the moonlight. ¡°Karro¡­why didn¡¯t you stop them?¡± I asked, unable to keep my fury. ¡°Stop them from w hat? It is you who caused this! You are the reason she is dead!¡± He shouted. He came forward, swinging his sword at me, ¡°You filthy demon seduced her and made her your servant! She died because of You ! You! You!¡± I tried to reason, ¡°I did no¡­¡±, ¡°Shut up you mongrel. I knew she had chosen you when she had wore Sellanerna in the festival. But you just used her for your depravity, you demonspawn!¡±, Karro cut me off, not wanting to hear. I swung my sword to block his blade. We exchanged furious blows. Oddly enough, Karro had grown much stronger than I had last seen him. Maybe too strong. ¡° Every night I had dreams. Dreams that I knew to be true! Do you know what they did to Arin? They maimed her! Burned her!¡±, he couldn¡¯t speak without sobbing, ¡°They raped her day and night, till she forgot she was human! When the lord was done with her, the guards had their share and fucked her like a pig!¡± With every word he said, I could feel my head swim. My body grew hot due to anger, my fingers tightened their grips on the blade. ¡°All because of you! Why couldn¡¯t you keep your claws off her, fucking filth!¡±, Karro was totally manic now, frothing at the mouth, ¡°I saw her being tortured every night in my dreams, I waited outside the gates but was beaten by the guards¡­all I wanted was for her to be happy¡­but you ruined it all!! She was killed like an animal!¡± By now, my breath came in rugged gasps, as my knuckled tightened enough to their breaking point. I couldn¡¯t hear anymore, but I had to. Karro was slowly overpowering me now, his blade aflame at this point. ¡°I asked for power to kill you, to make you suffer like she did¡­and he gave it. HAHHAHA, now I will kill you, maim you, torture you fucker! You will die like the shit you are! HAHAH I have power to kill a demon now!¡±, Karro had an insane look on his face, his facial expression twisted beyond recognition. A manic light played in his red tinged eyes. He took a deep breath and spat out fire. Yep. Spat out fire, I repeat. He didn¡¯t pay heed that it burned his own mouth and his lips but he spat out fire to kill me. His fist went aflame, as it punched and cornered me. I had no chance of winning, now that he could use higher level magic. ¡°Die, bitch!¡±, He laughed like a deranged person, paying no heed to his burning hands. Smells of burning meat came from him, but he didn¡¯t seem to be in pain. It has come to this. I will kill the one responsible. ¡°Karro, I am sorry but I can¡¯t let you win¡±, I knew what I had to do, I had known this for a while now. Karro¡¯s eyes went wide when he heard me. He backed off and started chanting an unfamiliar spell. Too late I thought as I completed my invocation in my mind. The power that clads the powerless in their journey. The power that rises from corruption. The power that sullies the sullied, come forth as I offer you my sacrifice; Hand of the betrayer. Shadows swirled up my left arm and covered it in jet black armor like skin, the fingers sharpening into tough claws. The freezing sensation was worse than the last time, threatening me to lose consciousness out of pain. However, this time, the hand was in my control. I closed the gap between me and Karro, and before he could complete his chant, I thrust my black hand deep within his chest. Bones crunched as my hands pierced him. Karro spurted blood out of his mouth as his flames died down. He flailed weakly as he was staked by my arm. His lifeblood dripped and flowed down my arm, as if soaking it up. I held his heart in my hands as I squeezed it, the sharp claws perforating the drumming heart and finally bursting it. Red blood flew everywhere inside the hest cavity. It felt like squeezing a lemon. I had given my first sacrifice for power, the life of my best friend. I gently laid Karro¡¯s body down. After a while, spontaneous white flames erupted from his body and claimed it in few seconds, as if it was paper. However, my suspicions were confirmed. The same wave that hits me after I kill monster hit me after I killed Karro, much more stronger. I laid down, leaning against a boulder. I needed answers, and for that I needed sleep. Sure enough, I was where I wanted to be. Rather, who I wanted to be with. The landscape had turned even more violent. There were X poles everywhere, littering the red earth as far as the eyes could see. A cloudless, angry red sky spread through the horizon where four black moons hung. Countless hands rose up from the ground, clawing the earth around them, as if trying to rise out of a grave. Fire burned over streams of bright red blood. Yep, my dreamscape alright. So inviting. And a few feet from me stood who I wanted to see, Astria. This time, she had worn a torn black gown that billowed behind her. ¡°Nice clothes¡±, I offered, ¡°Now, answers¡±. She knew what I was talking about. Astria sighed and spoke, ¡°Nice to see you too, Rigel.¡± I scowled at her which just made her assume a somber expression, ¡°I assume you are asking about why they called you a demon and about the¡­girl?¡± ¡°Yes¡±, I replied. ¡°Origin of all magic is the same, the Magic of Ancients. It is the power of all immortal beings. Gods and Demons are not so different from each other; only which side of the fence you are looking from¡±. She took a deep breath, ¡°The current magic used by the Aesvegr, the younger races are degraded forms of the ancient magic, weak and crude. From that perspective, the magic of gods and demons are not that different. You didn¡¯t have any magic in your previous world, so never wondered how you could use it now? When you contracted with Zain, a magic circuit was inscribed on your body¡±. Astria came forward and took my left hand, tapping it with her fingers. The black pattern from before resurfaced, however this time, it wasn¡¯t freezing. ¡°This, Rigel, is the circuit that lets you manipulate Ancient Magic; the magic of gods and demons.¡± ¡°I can understand that you gave me some unusable tools, but why was Arin able to use it!¡±, I shouted, unable to control my anger. ¡°Life and death, creation and destruction, is the strongest of all magics. Even immortals are not exempt from it. You had sex with a woman, Rigel. The younger races have forgotten about the power of the most ancient of all magics. The act of sex is the birth of new life; the crux of life magic itself. It holds unbelievable power; the power used by every race since the dawn of time.¡± Astria continued after a pause, ¡°When you spilled your seed inside her, it invoked the life magic; the sharing of emotions and your very being with each other. It set up a conduit, allowing you two to exchange each other¡¯s powers. However, she was a human who didn¡¯t posses any magic, hence you got nothing, while she got access to the Ancient Magic inside of you. That is why, she was able to invoke the spell to teleport you and heal you, in accordance to her intense desire to save you.¡± Fucking gods and their machinations! What the actual fuck! ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean every time someone fucks someone, they will get magics?¡±, I asked, anger making my voice quaver. My knuckles were clenched beside me. ¡°No. The degraded magic of the younger races cannot do that; they have forgotten the importance of life magic. However, you possess the circuit of Elder Races, making you able to do that¡± She replied in a serious tone. ¡°So you mean the Arin died because I made love to her?¡±, I couldn¡¯t keep the despair clouding my voice, the sounds came in half-sobs. ¡°Yes Rigel. She died because of you. Her blood is on your hands. You doomed her by loving her and she suffered because she loved you. You are not alone, immortals have descended throughout the ages in the mortal realm and lain with mortals¡­to invoke the magic¡±, Astria delivered in a cruel tone, devoid of any mercy. This broke me. A blade materialized in my hands while I throttled Astria. Then I plunged the blade in her heart. Astria did not stop me. She caressed the blade with her fingers and with the other hand, touched my face, propping up my face towards her. ¡°This is just a dreamscape. If you really want to kill me, grow powerful and then do it. That is the only way to kill us, the gods you hate¡±, she said in a soft murmur, looking straight into my eyes as I sobbed like a child, tears dripping down my face. She turned to leave, the blade dropping out of her chest in its own accord. While she was walking away, she turned towards me and said, ¡°Know this, the girl really loved you. Magic from the Exchange cannot be used by a human unless she really gave her everything to you; heart, body and soul¡±. I crawled up in a fetal position and sobbed, my breaths choking and mangled. I lay under the red skies and in a land of a thousand crosses, where no one could hear my silent screams for all eternity. I woke up after sometime. The discussion with Astria weighed heavily in my mind. It was as if I condemned Arin to die myself. I had taken the world lightly, not learning its inner workings. I felt hollow enough to die, but I had work to do. Something that Karro said interested me. He kept talking about gaining powers and that someone had told him to kill me. His dreams of Arin were also probably the work of this entity, seeing how I too had got visions. Moreover his remains vanished without a trace. Yes, the gods were involved. I stood up and wore the jacket I had carried Arin¡¯s remains in. The thing still had some of her ashes stuck to the inside. I picked up my bloodied sword and swung it to disperse the blood droplets. Tonight, gods and men needed to die. The Church of Talaviel was situated not far from the village. When I reached there, I saw a few guards in front of it. The Bishop was in there. I walked up to the guards. ¡°Who goes there!¡±, a guard challenged me, pointing his pike. I didn¡¯t give the guard a reply. He didn¡¯t deserve one. I recognized that face for being one of the soldiers who had disgraced Arin in her pyre. I swung the blade with both hands aiming at his torso. He tried to guard using his pike, but the thing broke in half, the sword continued its slash and cut the man in half from the waist. The top half toppled forward while the bottom shot backward towards the second guard. Blood and intestines dangled forth the severed torso. The bottom half hit the approaching guard, disrupting his balance. I strode forward and slammed the blunt tip of the weapon down on his face, smashing it in. A violent sound of crunching metal reported his death. The last two guards were shocked at the spectacle. The stood dumfounded, shivering in fright. The moonlight was too weak to let me see their expression but I doubt it spoke of bravery. I swung my sword to make it whistle, and the guards ran away, screaming. I strode forward towards the church, slamming it open with a kick. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°What is this ungodly commotion!¡±, the bishop Andalus stood in front of the altar, his face indignant. His face changed colour as he saw me, bloody and smeared with brain matter. ¡°Gua...guards!¡± He shouted, scrambling backwards behind the altar of his god. ¡°They are dead, bishop¡±, I was surprised at how cold my voice sounded. ¡°Wha¡­ Talaviel wont stand for this affront, lowly demon!¡±, he screamed in fright, throwing a large fireball at me from behind the altar. I raised the large shield I had picked up from the equipment the guards threw away when they ran in fear. Heated flames washed over me, singing my hair and coat. ¡°Talaviel won¡¯t stand at all, priest¡±, I chimed in, ¡°When I am done with him¡±. After the fire had subsided, I ran forward and swung the sword overhanded at the altar, breaking it into two. The bishop rolled to the side, escaping my blow. Tch. But this way, it will be more interesting. Immediately, a golden barrier like the one he had used that day enclosed me, sealing me in. The barrier didn¡¯t budge when I hit it with the sword. A sharp metallic sound rang out when I hit it again and again. ¡°Ha..hah..hahah! A lowly scum like you can¡¯t break a barrier made by me!¡±, he had regained some of his composure. Shadows flowed from my arm and transformed it into the black clawed forelimb. Unlike earlier, I could freely control it now. I pushed at the barrier with the black left arm, dragging the claws across it. It stung like hell. This is nothing compared to how Arin must have felt when she burnt. With the sound of breaking glass, the barrier shattered. Andalus¡¯ face went ashen when he saw his precious barrier break. I jumped forward, driving the top end of the sword into his chest. The blade didn¡¯t go through as it was blunt, but it broke a few ribs, caving it inwards. He tried to crawl away, dragging his white robed fat body. I let him go. He dragged himself to the far corner of the Church, and started chanting. I could feel power concentrate from his words, so I used the Black hand to shield myself. But¡­nothing came. Andalus gave a cry of anguish, coughing up blood, ¡°Why hast thou forsaken me¡­Talaviel!¡± I approached him with a wry smile on my lips, ¡°The gods never were on anyone¡¯s side, priest¡±. I stepped on his legs as he was trying to get away and cut it off at the ankles. Bright red blood flowed like a river from his cut stumps as he wailed like a gutted pig. ¡°AAaaaaAaaa..why is this happening!¡±, he wailed, ¡°Spare me! Spare me!¡±, he cried in deep anguish. His eyes had gone white in fear, as he clutched at the ground. ¡°Did you spare Arin when she begged for mercy, priest?¡±, I asked him, stooping to his eye level as the thousands of candles burning in the hall reflected our shadows on the walls. Without waiting for his answer, I separated his arms from his body. The bishop sobbed and begged. He cried, pleaded for mercy. He threatened, just like how I had tried to when they were burning my Arin. ¡°The gods wont stand for this! They will kill you!¡±, he screamed between sobs and tears. ¡°Then let me send you off with your god¡±, I said as my lips curled up in feral glee. I picked up the hymn book that he used to preach to the people about his god. It was a leather bound monstrosity, gaudily decorated with gold and silver. I smashed the book on his face. His teeth caved in, bloody and broken from the blow. I kept hitting him with his god¡¯s words till his head became nothing more than a bloody pulp, deformed and crushed. I didn¡¯t stop even after he died, spewing grey matter all over my face. Then I dragged his body, devoid of its limbs under the picture of his god, Talaviel. I swiped a tri-headed candelabra that was as tall as me. With a monstrous throw from my black arm, I threw his body upwards while at the same time, grabbing the candelabra and stabbing him through the chest with it. He hung from the wall, a few feet above the ground, the candelabra piercing him like a massive trident. I staked him just like he had staked her. The bishop hung dead pinned on the picture of his god, as his blood dripped on the alter from where he preached about his words. His dripping blood reddened the pages of his god¡¯s teaching. I washed my face with the holy water kept at the entrance in a basin. Couldn¡¯t go to a noble¡¯s house with such a dirty face, could I? Lord Icchvarion had a lavish house. Golden light spilled from the windows into the garden outside. The house was pretty quiet, given his penchant for regular balls and parties. Maybe the guy was taking rest after systematically raping and killing a girl? The dozen odd guards standing outside the mansion had already lost their limbs or heads, sometimes both. My clothes now smelt of iron from the blood of people and ashes of Arin. I savagely pulled at the sword that had gotten entangled in the intestines of the last guard while he twitched feebly staked o my sword. I jerked the blade to dislodge the dead guy. The few more guards inside the mansion didn¡¯t prove to be much difficult. The only thing that I was having problem with was the invisible wave that jarred me whenever I killed a person. The sensation was greater than killing a monster. ¡°Good Evening, Lord Icchvarion. I hope you are in good health¡±, I said while I strode into his room with my best smile. Just because I was there to torture a person didn¡¯t mean I should forget my manners, does it? ¡°Th¡­the..demon is here!¡±, he screamed hysterically. Another round of frantic guard calling ensued. These guys stupid? How would I be here if I hadn¡¯t already met them? Surprisingly enough, two guards strode forward from corners of the room. I didn¡¯t even bother with the sword. I just punched the guy in the face with my black arm before holding his head in a death grip. He screamed as I kept crushing his head. His eyes grew clouded with blood discharge as I pummeled the other guy with my free hand. Icchvarrion just wept in a corner, unable to move. Finally unable to hold the pressure, the guard¡¯s head burst with spraying blood and brain matter. I dropped the body and approached Icchvarrion. ¡°Sp..spare me..I will give you gold! Lots and lots of treasures¡­just let me go!¡±, he wept. I was growing tired of the spare me charades. I didn¡¯t even bother replying. I used a mace picked up from the dead guard to smash his limbs. His fingers grew distorted as the joints broke with cracking sounds. The proud lord wailed as his limbs grew bloody and shattered. Bones jutted out from his broken hand, at impossible angles. These were the hands he tortured Arin with, weren¡¯t they? I could hear myself laugh with a manic glee. When his limbs had grown more twisted than a wire puzzle, I chopped them off with the sword. Each time my sword sung its song of whistles, the man flinched and begged me to kill him. He started bleeding out from the stumps, the puddle of blood grew under my feet. I left the guy and went to his fireplace where logs were burning. I picked up a poker that was glowing red hot. When I came back, I saw him trying to crawl towards the door. He left trails of blood as he tied to wriggle and writhe. He wasn¡¯t very successful as his limbs were absent. I dragged the guy back and cauterized his wounds with the hot poker to prevent him dying of bloodloss. He whimpered every time the red hot poker seared his stumps. I got tired after all the fighting and torturing. Revenge is hard work, y¡¯know? I sat down on a plush chair while looking at the limbless lord. I poured myself some of his fine wine. Damn. That really was very fine. ¡°¡­th..the kingdom will find you! My fa..father will burn you on a stake you filthy demon!¡±, he still had the energy to whimper curses at me. ¡°You will be killed like the girl! Like a dog! Ahahha!¡±, he seemed to have lost his marbles by this point. But what he just said¡­ I noticed the guard I had pummeled with my normal right arm still writhing on the floor. I called him, ¡°Oi old man! Do you want to live?¡±. He whimpered and flinched when he heard me. ¡°Old man!¡±, this time I said in a loud voice. ¡°Ye..yes please!¡±, the guard croaked while he pissed his pants. Pungent smell wafted through he room. ¡°Then come over here and cut off this guy¡¯s dick¡±, I ordered in a cool voice. ¡°Yo¡­young masters!..no no¡­¡±, he whined an objection. I swung my blade, and it whistled. The whistling gave him shivers. He crawled over to the prone body of Icchvarrion. ¡°No..no! anything but that! Please!¡±, Icchvarrion went mad, apparently understanding what was going on. ¡°Didn¡¯t Arin plead like this too, eh Icchavarrion?¡±, I was surprised at how ugly my voice sounded. ¡°Stop! I will gi¡­give you everything in my vault¡­please don¡¯t cu¡­cut it off!¡±, he screamed desperately. ¡°Oh? Where is the vault?¡±, I asked. Icchavarrion showed me a picture on the wall. Sure enough, there was a safe in the hole in the wall under the picture. Nice. ¡°Old man, please castrate him from the roots¡±, I ordered while I went to loot the vault in the next room. I could hear whimper and screams from behind me. He talks a lot, this is annoying me. ¡°Stuff it down his throat after you are done¡±, I told the guard, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear his voice anymore¡±. The guard looked at me as if I was deranged or some demon. Hah! gotta live up to my reputation, ain¡¯t it? The vault had a large amount of gold coins and high powered magic stones. Magic stones were crystals of highly condensed form of monster cores or pure magic supplied by a caster. I found another interesting thing in the vault. A scaled leather pouch that seemed to have no end. Like those bags with unlimited carrying capacities you see in RPG games. I swiped it and put everything in it. It didn¡¯t have much weight. When I was turning back, I saw something deep within the vault, hidden. A bastard sword with a deep blue guard and handle, inlaid with a few magic gems. The sword looked sharp enough to cut even air. I couldn¡¯t recognize the metal the blade was made of. For some reason, I could read the inscription on the blade, written in an unfamiliar language. It said the name of the blade, Thirst. Needless to say, I pocketed it. When I was returning, I saw something shine at one corner of the room. When I went to check it out, I saw it was the Kivala necklace that I had given Arin. It was smeared with blood. I didn¡¯t want to imagine what it was used for. I picked it up. The lord was still breathing after getting his manhood cut and stuffed down his own throat. This is one tough bastard. I decided to end the farce. I swung my executioner sword, taking his head. His head rolled away towards the corner like a spinning top, if a spinning top could have a contorted expression. ¡°Leave old man, this mansion won¡¯t be safe anymore¡±, I told the guard who I had promised to let live. I didn¡¯t mind of he couldn¡¯t move and died here though. He scampered and crawled towards the exit door. I opened Lord Icchvarrions liquor cabinet. Wines and other otherwordly liquors were displayed rows upon rows in expensive looking decanters. I took one and sipped. The rest I carried back. I unstoppered the decanters and doused Icchvarrion¡¯s body with the high grade alcohol. Then I lighted it on fire. I didn¡¯t forget to light the dude¡¯s silk curtains and clothes either. The guy had an obscene amount of silk curtains. Smells of burning meat and hair were wafting out when I came out of the mansion. The lord¡¯s mansion was on fire in a few moments. I walked out of the compound when I saw a tall man leaning against the outside walls. He had a white toga wrapped around him, with golden edges. I swung my blade and made it whistle, but then put it down. ¡°Prudent choice¡±, the figure said. ¡°Well, I am not stupid enough to try fight a god¡±, I said with a guarded expression. Yes, the guy gave off the same feeling of oppression and cold detachment as Zain and Astria. ¡°I am Talaviel, the god of righteousness and justice¡±, he declared with a lofty voice, ¡°and you just killed my priest¡±. ¡°Are you here for revenge?¡±, I asked. ¡°No, to thank you. That priest was corrupt and drunk on power. It is well that he who strayed far from the path has been killed¡±, Talaviel replied. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop him yourself?¡±, I asked. ¡°Do you think gods have much choice in who worships them? Besides, we can¡¯t directly interfere in affairs of the mortals in this world. My priests are chosen by the clergy, not me¡±, Talaviel said in a somewhat heavy tone. ¡°You interfered in the fight, didn¡¯t you?¡±, I asked to confirm my suspicions. ¡°Gods cannot interfere, unless his worshipper asks for a wish, tapping into the god¡¯s power. I couldn¡¯t stop him directly, so when he asked for a spell bestowed by me, I refused him¡±, a small smile flashed across his well featured face, ¡°Otherwise you would have been a smoking crater by now¡± ¡°Don¡¯t expect to get thanked, Talaviel¡±, I said. Shit, do I have to fight this guy now? He seemed to have been expecting my reply. ¡°However, mortalkin, no matter how corrupt the priest, he was mine. By killing him, you have made an enemy of the Holy Order of Talaviel and me. Expect no mercy, mortal.¡± A cold chill ran down my spine. My hands slick with blood, started to sweat. A loud crash sounded behind me and I turned to look. When I turned back, Talaviel was gone. I resumed walking down my path, in the light of the burning mansion. The moon was high in the sky, the ring glowed at its edges. Under it, a man walked with his blade. He swung the blade as he walked, as if it was a game. Whistles came from them, but no one knows if it was the man or his blade.
Like the story? Vote for it on TopWebFictions so more people could read it I find support. No registration required and the process is very simple. You can vote for more than one fiction too, voting for another one doesn¡¯t affect any other fiction you have voted for already: <>> Chapter 9 : Surviving a Magic Laundromat A new arc has started, so Chapter names will be styled differently. ACT II- Awakening Chapter 9 : Surviving a Magic Laundromat ¡°¡­emotions! emotions are the sharpest weapons a human can have. The aurora responds to wishes and emotions. Emotions are fluid, an therefore is magic, as it is cast by emotions. The glacial movement of the rules and symbols we bind magic by is powerful indeed. So is the forest fire that catches our heart,resulting in magic powerful enough to stop the glacier!...¡± - Diary of The Mad Mage, Surincel Orrtec, 1345 A.C One year later. Salrest, South of Ebraven Kingdom, 3000 Cress from the Mountain of Trees. The shaded glade resounded with the thumping sounds of some huge beast approaching. One, two, no¡­ four Errlats? Ugh these ones gross me out. I picked up my bloodied shield and walked towards the sounds. Brushing the large trees aside like twigs, three huge monsters about 10 feet long and 4 feet high broke into the clearing. They looked like earthworms with three clusters of red beady eyes. Earthworms with two large and strong hind legs like a frog and two shriveled and clawed forelimbs like a rat. Where might you be headed, lovely ladies? The lovely ladies in question made a sound halfway between a pig¡¯s snort and a really phlegmy cough; showing off their serrated teeth formed all around their ring like mouths. Yes, mouths. Plural. One in front and another at the back. Their segmented bodies convulsed with each step they took with the massive hindlegs, dripping gelatinous liquid on the forest floor. I took up my shield and charged, the bastard sword Thirst on my right hand. Thesame sword that I had looted from Icchvarrion. Turns out that the sword was generously imbued with magic stones, making it a really great piece ofequipment. The lead Errlat was surprised at my sudden charge and took a half-step backwards, giving me the chance I needed. I smashed the shield on its face, makingit howl in pain. The Tavitz steel of the bastard sword cut apart its soft neck, making a diagonal cut upwards. The Errlat shook as the blade sliced its breathing tubes, cutting apart it¡¯s air supply. The Errlat thrashed in agony as it asphyxiated, its limbs flailing. Twigs and branches from the trees rained down as the dying Errlat crashed into them in its desperation. I ran back to avoid falling debris and to get ready to counter the other two Errlats. One of the other Errlats hopped right in front of me, blowing away dust and fallen leaves. Stinging dust entered my eyes and throat, making me choke. Istarted coughing as the dust burned my nostrils. Fuck. I can¡¯t see the Errlat now! I put up my shield just I time as the monster spat out green acid from its mouth. The metal shield steamed as the strong acid corroded it.Bloody frogs! another of my shields wasted! I raised up my sword when a tremendous impact threw me forward. The other Errlat had slammed into me. They were attempting a pincer attack. I crashed into a tree, feet first. However, a year of training and killing had forged me into a beast. I used my feet like a spring to jump backwards into the head of the Errlat spitting acid, burying my sword deep into its heart. The soft tissue like covering of its head split like butter as the sword sunk like cutting sponge. I sent a surge of AP from the blade, which disrupted the simple magic circuit of the Errlat, causing its heart to explode. Blue-green watery liquid like blood surged up from the head wound like a whale¡¯s blowhole. These monsters had their heart near the mouth and the brain was situated somewhere deep within the body, spread out in thin strands. The dead Errlat toppled forward while I used its motion like stairs to jump into the looming jaws of the other one. The monster gurgled furiously, enraged at the death of its companions. I stabbed the sword above its mouth, the sword burying itself deep into its flesh. The monster reared up in pain, while I dangled from the sword hilt above its mouth. Thick saliva slapped me across the face and body as the monster kept howling. I can see why no one likes an Errlat. I could see the monster try to unhinge it¡¯s jaw, trying to bite me. Like a moray eel, the monster could unhinge its jaws to accommodate larger prey. Before it could tear me into bite-sized Rigel-Hors d¡¯oeuvres, I slipped my left hand backward and unsheathed the Wakizashi-styled dagger. The monster¡¯s red compound eyes shone with an eerie intelligence unsuited for its kind as I stabbed the dagger deep into its eyes, killing it. By now the jaws had clenched on me hard, but it relaxed as the monster died with green blood dripping down its red eyes. The teeth left score marks on my light metal armour. I unclasped myself from its jaws and got down. The sword had snagged itself deep into the bones forming the roof of the mouth, refusing to break free. Its annoying how many times the sword gets stuck in a real combat. Bones, intestines, ligaments¡­the whole body is just a snag waiting to happen. I want guns! Because I had lost my concentration trying to pull the sword out with both my hands, I didn¡¯t realize until it was too late. The fourth of the Errlats had arrived and with a humongous leap powered by its hindleg; jumped right behind me and had snapped its maw in one fluid move. I managed to barely avoid having my head torn off due to the practiced reflexes forged in a year of killing. I twisted violently and the monster clamped down on my left arm insteadof my neck. Due to the whole movement, I couldn¡¯t reach for my sword or the wakizashi; both still embedded into the corpse of the dead Errlat. I could hear sounds of bones being crunched come out of my shoulder as the monster bit down on the light pauldrons. The metal that had saved my life on a number of occasions became a death cage as the immense pressure wwas wrenching my arm loose from its socket. Alarming popping sounds accompanied with agonizing pain had me sweating bullets down my back. I beat the monster with my other hand, but the spongy meat just bounced off my hands. The monster reared up with me dangling up in its mouth. The tables have turned eh? Even its eyes were too far away for me to rip through. My world went white with pain as I reluctantly transformed my arm into the black clawed monstrosity that had taken so many lives. The Errlat¡¯s teeth stopped penetrating into my flesh as the arm changed into the tough scaled hide. The monster¡¯s eyes shone with red light as it tried to shake me like a rag doll to rip off the arm. I could feel my bones creak as I was shaken violently. However, I channeled Aurora into the black arm,creating a blast of hot flame inside the monster¡¯s mouth. Before the monster could unclasp its jaws, the flame had seared its throat, baking its insides and reaching its stomach in an instant. The Errlat cried out in pain, the red eyes wild with panic and glistening green blood. I didn¡¯t let go of the monster even after it unclasped its jaws. I held onto the serrated teeth with the claws on the black hand while sending down gouts of flame from it. The monster swelled up as its stomach acids started boiling, sending burning noxious fumes out of its mouth. With a resounding boom, the Errlat exploded from its stomach, sending bits of meat and gastric juice everywhere. The scalding hot acids splashed into my body and burned the uncovered areas. But, they swiftly healed as I had my arm activated. Thank heavens there weren¡¯t any people around. Otherwise I¡¯d have to kill them too for seeing my arm. I smiled wryly immediately after thinking that. A year ago I wouldn¡¯t have thought about killing so easily. I collected the monster cores and wiped my blades. The monsters had totaled my shield and pauldron.You guys cost me more than a girlfriend would and you are butt-ugly to boot. I discarded the misshapen left pauldron and continued on my way deep to the forest. I looked up at the imposing black spire that seemed to bear through the thick canopy of trees, reaching skywards. Its rough surface seemed to suck in light itself, giving rise to an oppressive atmosphere and a deep set chill. I couldn¡¯t see it now from the distance,but the spire had a cracked and rough exterior. The surface felt like stone that had seen ages pass by. Well, they did see ages if the stories are anything to go by. Legends say that after the Age of Ascension, when the gods had left Sangraal following the war with the mortals, the Black Spires rained down from the sky.Millions had died in the aftermath of the spires hitting Sangraal indiscriminately. The small scale nuclear winter had killed off crops in most parts of the land, causing famine. Then had come the diseases and epidemics. Members of all races had fallen in droves during the aftermath. After the dust had settled, the civilizations had retreated back to the stone ages, or as the proverb goes. Something else had come out of the dust too. Something scary, terrifying and deadly. The monsters. Sangraal didn¡¯t have any monsters before the black spires had rained down. When the dust had settled, the beasts had come with their fangs, claws and terror. Feeding on the Aurora, the monsters spread to all corners of Sangraal, their purpose unknown to this day. Some people say that the gods smote down the mortal races who had dared oppose them. They first punished them by raining down spires from the sky and then exacted their penance by unleashing the monsters. I do not know if this is true but if the gods I knew are anything to go by, it might be quite possible.However what everyone does know is that the Spires give rise to monsters. The area under the influence of the Spires turn into a dungeon, to borrow RPG-terms. However, it is not systematic like monsters segregated by levels and such. I strode through the forest towards the cave near the base of the spire. I slaughtered the small Vicrets that occasionally came through. While I was gutting a Vicret for the Core, I suddenly heard shouts in human voice. Adventurers frequented these Bha¡¯gresh or the Spirelands as they are called to gather the Cores and useable monster parts. So, I would often come across them while hunting. I was on a cordial relation with most of them since I had been prowling these parts for the past year. I ran towards the shouts to see if they needed help. However, what I saw there chilled my bones. Not. It was the usual party of self-believers who had gone and challenged something far beyond their power. Five half naked corpses were strewn around a raging Errlat. The men had done little beyond pissing off the monster by giving shallow wounds. The acid from the Errlat had half dissolved their bodies, the melting flesh smoking as it worked on its bones. Acrid smell of oxidizing bones wafted and coiled about the bodies, and the Errlat prowled among them to take its pick. The men¡¯s faces had frozen in expression of horror. Atleast the ones who still had faces. Most had their faces melted off from the acid. Well, can¡¯t sympathize with them. I thought that when I saw what another Errlat was carrying in its mouth. A young girl of about 18 was on the way to being eaten. The Errlat had hoisted her up so that she hung by her voluminous hair, dangling like a pendulum. The girl was intact save for her clothes. Her clothes didn¡¯t look like it had been dissolved by acid. Looks more like those were torn and cut by hands and swords. I cut the girl down with my sword. Locks of flaxen hair fell like snow, covering my clothes and sword. The monster dropped the girl with a thud and whirledround at me, baring its teeth. It spat out the remnant of the hair too. Looks like it hated it as much as I did. What the¡­the hair inside its mouth was at least a few feet long. Since there was a witness here I couldn¡¯t use the black arm, so I set my sword aflame and swept it across the neck of the Errlat. Its skin bubbled as the flaming blade cut through it. Gouts of greenish-blood spurted from the wounds, evaporating as soon as it came in contact. Sizzling smells announced its death. This puts me in mood for some barbeque tonight. I looked at the girl. She was covered in green mucus. Now that she had short hair, I could see her ears. Yeah. Elf. I could guess what happenedfrom her clothes. The other adventurers had partied up with her and came to this place, only to rape her. Girl screams and boom! a wild Errlat appears attracted by the noise. Hence the stream of dead half dressed men and an almost naked girl. Should I use the girl? She seems unhurt¡­probably would be good to use. Then again if I toss her into the room, she might escape. After all the room is grounded for human magic, not elvish. Besides, I don¡¯t need her faith. I nudged the girl with a sword tip as I didn¡¯t want to get covered in mucus. ¡°Oi Rapunzel, wakey wakey¡±, I poked her hips with the sword. She had the wheatish complexion peculiar with the Elves. She had waist length hair the colour of sunlight before I had to chop it off. Her features were delicate, like glass tottering on the edge of collapse. Red flush had crept up her skin as she slept. Her high nose and the delicate lines of her lips reminded me of Vampires for some reason. Not the shiny ones.(1) She did not come to even after all the prodding with an edged weapon. I will leave her to her fate if she doesn¡¯t wake up. As a last resort, Irubbed her long ears, and twisted them. The girl seemed uncomfortable as she twitched and moaned in her sleep, turning towards me. Her ample breasts brushed up against my arm, the skin supple and warm. Fuck! the mucus! The girl is getting the mucus on me! I sprang back from the girl. It might seem odd but I really didn¡¯t like getting Errlat mucus on me.It was a different story that Errlats didn¡¯t feel the same way. I decided to leave the girl and go on my way. The girl was too beautiful and that in itself was a sign of trouble. I got up and started to walk towards the cave. The men¡¯s corpses strewn around the Errlat were useless to me. I heard a shout behind me. I turned around and saw a group of adventurers I knew. ¡°Hey Aldran, Basque¡±, I raised my hands and asked. ¡°How¡¯s hunting?¡± The two middle aged men smiled in my direction before their smile froze when they saw the corpses strewn about. They came near and understood the situation quickly. ¡°Those kinds huh¡±, Basque, the copper haired man with a severe look sighed. Aldran, the tracker wearing green coloured leather gear looked at the girl lain on the leaves and asked curiously, ¡°She the reason?¡± ¡°Yeah, she is¡±, I said. ¡°The reason however is thinking with balls¡±. ¡°Wha¡­what is happening?¡±, a guy wearing full plate armour asked with clenched fists. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­this guy raped the girl over there?¡± he reared at me with his naked sword. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Basque held the guy back by extending his arm. I asked him, ¡°He new?¡± pointing at the guy in plate mail. ¡°Aye. He is my nephew. Came from the capital to rack up achievements as a squire¡±, Aldran said with a proud tone. ¡°Uncle! Why are you letting this scoundrel go!¡± the squire bristled. ¡°Let me teach this bastard the law!¡± he waved his sword in a complicated motion. That motion¡­that stance. That can¡¯t be¡­is he¡­trying to act cool? Basque slapped the back of his head lightly, ¡°Bethral, knock it off. Eridan is not¡­that sort of a man¡±. I do not like where the pause is in that sentence. ¡°So, care to tell us whats with the Elfgirl?¡± Basque asked as he crouched down and covered the girl with his shirt. ¡°She wont wake up¡±, I offered in a brusque tone, ¡°probably the guys gave her something¡±. ¡°I¡¯ll take her to the guild, Eridan. Come with me, Basque, Beth¡±, Aldran ordered. Looks like I can¡¯t hunt the master of the Spire today. The guild was like a consortium that had grown up around the Spires. Ever since the Black Spires had appeared, people were needed to suppress the monsters that arose from it on a regular basis. The army of countries could not keep up with the influx of monsters in addition to dealing with foreign threats.Hence, the Adventurer guild or simply called the Guild was created to deal with the monster threats on a systematic basis using civilians. Adventurer Guild branches were set up near the Spires, to support and supplement the civilians who would take part in subjugation of the monsters, aka¡®Adventurers¡¯. Slowly, over time, towns grew up centering Adventurer guilds, and in extension, the Spires. Something that brought the species near extinction turned into bustling hives of activity. The irony. We explained everything at the guild. The head of the guild sent the Elf to the guild infirmary. We had to write down our names and details. There weren¡¯t that many female adventurers in the first place, and furthermore much less in this town. It seemed like the girl was well known in the guild on account of her abilities and because men hounded her. However, for some reason or the other I had not come across her after she made her appearance 3 weeks ago. The men were just riff-raff who drifted in the last few days. I washed off the whole thing off my hands and left. I couldn¡¯t visit the room today. Not that I needed to, but¡­ ¡°Fresh Krauzners!¡± ¡° Comm¡¯ere, brave souls for the cheapest armor!¡± ¡°Schelleps! brand new Schelleps!¡± ¡°Sell your monster materials here! Come one come all!¡± Plethora of sounds and sights assaulted my senses as soon as I came out of the Guild doors. The roads were set in cobblestones, that swerved and divided into serpentine alleyways, extending networks of streets like spider-webs. Stone buildings rose on both sides of the streets, their overgrown roofs providing shades in all but the widest alleys. The main network of roads would often meet in plazas barely big enough for a run-down fountain. Street sellers and vendors lined the narrow streets, making it even narrower. Tastes and smells from unknown lands attempted to worm into your senses,throwing it into a bizarre confusion in their race to claim individual supremacy. The clank of hammer hitting metal, clinks of armour greeted the ears while walking down the streets. The town was for, by and of the adventurers. I went off the thoroughfare plagued with carts and carriages. I picked up an apple like yellow fruit, paying 3 ress. The narrow alleyway was overgrown with shadows of the red brick buildings on both sides. The air became damp with every step towards the heart of the alleyways, a dull chill permeating under the clothes. I saw a rusted grill gate of iron. I carefully unlatched it so as no to take the whole thing off its hinges. The gate was set between two narrow walls,having barely enough space for two people to squeeze through. The silent alley that had come alive with the sound of my footsteps, fell asleep again; silence reclaiming its dominion. I knew that the alley wasn¡¯t asdead as it looked. I could feel stares from its blinded windows, boring into my back. The silent watchers were alive, and watching, like always. I turned a sharp corner into a blind alley, a broken down shop spread before me. The shop didn¡¯t have a name or either a very agreeable setup. In truth itwas more an abandoned building than a shop. I entered the shop, a small bell jangled and announced my arrival. A small wispy haired man ambled in through the back door. He had a shiny pate you could use as a mirror. He wore an eclectic mix of clothes seemingly made of many patchwork pockets, none of them in the same colour. Small unfamiliar tools hung from his person, as he glared at me with unmitigated hostility.Well, as much as his 4 foot frame could muster. ¡°For you, Kraus¡±, I tossed him the cret, the apple like sour fruit I had picked up earlier. ¡°You gotta stop coming in broad daylight¡±, He muttered while biting into the fruit. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna the watchers having to dispose of you¡± ¡°I was careful enough, Kraus. Now hurry up and do the fusion. I have things to do¡±, I gave a terse reply. ¡°How much hav¡¯ya brought this time?¡± ¡°25 blues, 36 greens and 3 yellows¡±. ¡°That¡¯s half of what ya usually bring¡±. ¡°There was an incident¡±. ¡°Enough ta stop ya huntin¡¯ ?¡± Kraus arched his bushy eyebrows. ¡°Yes¡±, I took out 1 yellow and 15 blue cores. ¡°Now start the fusion¡±. ¡°Sometime I wish I had left you to the syndicate back then¡±, I grumbled as I got inside the metal machine. The thing was like a immersive tank, with transparent glass sphere as its main body. Pipes and chutes were attached to the monstrosity, rumbling noisily as the machine fumbled. Metal pipes snaked away into the darkness, giving the machine an eerie look. Kraus slapped the side of the ugly machine, ¡°Hey hey, don¡¯t badmouth her. She will take good care of ya¡±. The large porthole like door opened up as I got ready to go inside the tank. The machine started to rumble laboriously as it shook and rattled in the spacious basement under the shop. It bugged me every time, just how is there such a large basement under the buildings? I took off my armour and clothes. One cannot wear anything in the Aurora Tank. The machine was used in Churches to fuse monster cores with oneself.However, Kraus¡­was no member of the Church. This one was a stolen machine from somewhere. More like a magic laundromat. ¡°Hey Kraus, you sure you can¡¯t make this any safer?¡±, I asked for the hundredth time. ¡°Probably. But what¡¯s the fun in that? I jacked this baby up with my own hands to provide maximum fusion¡±, Kraus said in a proud tone, ¡°Those weak pussmachines over at churches can¡¯t even compare to this Sougenhacht¡±. I shivered as the cold basement air brushed over my naked skin. Bracing myself, I went inside the machine. With sounds like escaping air, Kraus closed the door. I felt like a goldfish in a bowl. A very tortured goldfish. The machine rumbled even louder as it gave out billows of smoke. Thick, clear liquid began to pour inside the sphere as the machine drew in concentrated water enriched with AP. Slowly, the world outside the glass began to grow blurry as the thick liquid refracted the light. I clenched my fingers and wentstiff when the water reached my nose. The drowning reflex kicked in; I refused to inhale any water, clutching at my throat, my eyes went wide and red with terror. The water reached the ceiling on the container. I thrashed wildly as I lacked oxygen. Finally, I had to breathe underwater. With huge gulps, the liquid entered my nose, lungs. With burning pain, the liquid seared deep into my body. And with that, I was able to breathe again. I floated inside the glass sphere, the high buoyancy supporting my body. Did flies trapped in Amber feel like this too? I drew in more of the liquid inside me, strengthening myself. The machine took in the monster cores, dissolved them into a concentrated special liquid and used it for liquid ventilation. The whole process felt like being in an EVA entry plug, but without your mother¡¯s soul inside. (2) Kraus grinned at me, letting me know that everything was okay. I closed my eyes as I looked on from my liquid prison. I coughed up buckets of the liquid when the process was over. I curled up at the bottom of the tank, in a severe coughing fit as the water slowly drained away. My lungs burned for want of air, as the last vestiges of the liquid left the system. I crawled out of the tank, clutching at the ground.Nothing prepares you for this agony everyday. I drew in large breaths as Kraus passed me my clothes. After washing off the liquid, I dressed myself. I passed on the agreed amount of cores to him, as payment for the fusion. ¡°At least give me a regular customer discount¡±, I urged. ¡°No can do, Eridan¡±, he refused, shaking his head. ¡°Its not exactly a legal business we do here¡±. When I came out of the shop, evening had already fallen. The moon was low on the horizon. The rings hadn¡¯t yet taken on their iridescent edges. I navigated through the narrow alleys in the dim orange light of the government Ker¡¯dals. I came up into a dazzling corner. Sounds of laughter and merrymaking rebounded through the small crossing as people in colourful clothes ambled past. Most of the people were stumbling in their drunken stupor, and hailing loudly at other drunks while passing by. Women in cheap and revealing clothing stood in groups, calling at them. Some barkers called people to go inside their shops, and point at the scantily clad women inside them. This was a small part of the city¡¯s flesh trade, Harrengaz, the alley of pleasures. I crossed the road and continued down the alleyway in front of a dimly lit dingy three storied house. A few attractive women stood at its doorway,chatting. A girl of about 25 stopped me when she saw me going in. ¡°Say Eri-larr, won¡¯t you play with me today?¡±, the girl asked twitching her fox ears. She had silver hair that flowed down to her back, tied up in a stylish knot. Her dress was a low cut robe, leaving few things to imagination. Her skirt was a gaudy yellow, reaching down to a few inches down her waist. ¡°Hey Suri, good evening¡±, I greeted her as I noticed her friends stealing glances at me. ¡°Y¡¯know I haven¡¯t been taken by anyone tonight yet. You will like how I smell tonight!¡±, She grabbed my hand and put in inside her robe, guiding it up her breasts, leaning into me. A seductive grin played across her face. I cupped her petite mound with my palm harshly. Holding onto her, I brought my mouth near her ear. She gasped at the unexpected force with which I was fondling her. ¡°I will have the usual, Suri¡±, I said curtly. Her body shook as I whispered in her ears. The lurid orange light of the Ker¡¯dal played on her caramel skin, as the gas inside it flickered. She disengaged from me and went through the open door, beckoning me in. I went inside. The room was a low-ceilinged seedy bar that was waiting for its shady customers. Cheap liquor lined the counter behind the cracked and stained bartop, the dim lights making it seem as if the bottles held flickering souls. Suri leaned down on the corner, picking up something from behind the glass bottles. She passed me a small container and a single shriveled fruit, that had gone brown, leaving no trace as to what its original colour was. ¡°Eridan, be careful¡±, Suri was reluctant to give me the things. ¡°guzzling them down will kill you. Don¡¯t do this¡±. I loosened her grip on the fruit, ¡°I know the risks¡±. I passed her the money and a Bellirut fruit. ¡°I still think all you need is a good fuck¡±, She propped herself up on the counter top, facing me, nibbling at the Bellirut. Then she leaned against the counter, opening her legs at my eye level. ¡°No sense in dying when you can just let it out¡­or in, if you prefer¡±. Like throughout the past year, I slapped her bottom and tugged at her silvery fox tail drooping between her legs while I rose to leave the room, ¡°Not tonight, Suri, not tonight¡±. I could hear Suri and her friends giggle as I walked up the narrow staircase onto the third floor. The rumors were disconcerting. I entered the small room I rented on third floor of the seedy bar and whorehouse. I had chosen this place because it was hard to find. More than that, it was outside the influence of the syndicate. I would have had an arrow through my neck if I didn¡¯t lay low and stayed here after antagonizing the Syndicate in saving Kraus. In the city of Adventurers, crime ran rampant. And the Syndicate ruled it all. Well, it did. My room was dark. I didn¡¯t light a corrte because I wanted to sleep. I put down the glass bottle and the fruit down on a small wooden table. I satin front the things, glaring at them. I hated going to sleep. I hated dreaming even more. I stared back at the sky through the small window from my room. The orange gas-lights of Salrest fought with the stars in the sky. I uncorked the bottle and winced as the fiery Khaginar brew burned down my throat. I had already eaten the fruit while coming up the stairs. I closed my eyes as I waited for the heavy numbness to set in. Mortals in a bid to defy eternity, played in their city of orange lights. Their revelry and cries drifted upwards into the sky. The stars stared on with their gazes of cold fire, eternity in their wake. The orange lights fought the stars.
Like the story? Vote for it on TopWebFictions so more people could read it I find support. No registration required and the process is very simple. You can vote for more than one fiction too, voting for another one doesn¡¯t affect any other fiction you have voted for already: <>> Meta References (1) Yep, Twilight reference. (2) Reference to the Injection Pods/Mecha from Evangelion. If you didn¡¯t know, they had the kid¡¯s mother¡¯s souls inside. Guys please post reviews and ratings on the fiction page so that I know what you people think about the work. Honestly, this story needs reviews and ratings so that even more people can read it. Please help me! thanks in advance Please check out my other non-fantasy work I just posted- http://royalroadl.com/fiction/5083 Do let me know how it is. Extra Chapter: Answers Extra Chapter: Answers Yo. I have been getting questions from readers about HTSAS. They wanted to know stuff and pointed out things that they thought stood out. I picked put a few very good questions and attempted to answer them.
Quote:¡ª Like how the HTSAS101 (That I only read to the point I¡¯m making in chapter 6) has a girl that kept to herself pure and has her falling in love so much in 2 months time. Though I agree that there might be romance in the unknowing actions of the MC, in such a setting, where sacrifice is a thing, and that it might occur without him wanting a specific thing occurring, I feel as though the MC is not thinking of it enough. ¡ª
Answer: I am the author of HTSAS101 and I read your comment. Thank you for the comment, I think this gives me the chance to explain a few things. It is set is a Medieval society on the onset of many changes. Feminism has just taken roots(you will see glimpse of it in next chap), Homosexuality is accepted but not widely talked about yet (again, there are few offhand comments in next chapter that will suggest this). I am telling this to convey how much layering has gone in making the world. Now, Arin. She is 16, lives in a rich but rural village. Women empowerment was non-existent in Medival ages of earth, but it is shown that in Sangraal, it has taken root. Back to Arin, she is young, the age when they fall in love easily and without care. Remember in mind that it is a medieval society, and free/casual sex is not a very prevalent thing. It exists, but not much. Also, Arin had never left the village, everything that was in the village is...familiar, mundane to her. Enter Rigel, a man from parts unknown, his habits, behaviour unknown and to Arin, strange and daring. Taking all this factors, is it very impossible to see why Arin had kept herself pure yet fell in love with MC in 2 months? A lot of lore and backstory is cut since it feels like infodump. The festival, Midsummer Festival, is also an event when young women and men propose to each other. Then they are allowed to have ''First Night'' on the Night of Four Moons and they marry. Arin who knew about it, accepted the Sellanerna flower as his confession and makes love to him on the Night Of Four Moons/Midsummer Festival. This is evident when Karro tells Rigel in Chapter8, "I knew she had chosen you", indicating the Sellanerna in her hair. Now, Arin imagines herself to be a progressive woman, at the same time she is also a simple village girl rooted in traditions. She uses the ''First Night'' to make love to her loved one. But...she considers herself progressive, so she hesitates to ask Rigel to marry her after the act. Remember her line something along that it was her first night where she trailed off. Now, Rigel. A lot of work has gone into layering Rigel''s psychology. In Chapter 1, it was mentioned that he had depression before. He was clinically depressed at one point, the reason for which will be told later. He had come out of it back in earth. Another thing mentioned is that he never felt in sync with the world. He always felt dissasociated. This is another mainstay of depressive behaviour. But, he was doing well back in Earth, so it wasn''t apparent. What happens when all these extremely stressful events happen to him post-death? He is sent in an alien world, where he knows not neither the language, nor customs, nor food. He knows less than John Snow. Therefore, the sense of dissasociation starts again. It is indicated by the rising amount of him talking to himself about himself in 3rd person. He does that to feel...not lonely. He cracks stupid jokes inside his mind, telling it to himself to fend of his lonliness. He is breaking apart. When Rigel interacts with Arin, notice that with chapter/plot progression, his thinking to himself in 3rd person slowly decreses until it dissapears. When stops cracking stupid jokes, his wit turns well...witty and flirting. These all indicate the deep change happening Inside Rigel. The girl brought him out of a deep pit, making him alive again. It is not apparent like in stage drama, but the little actions...like when he thinks maybe her talking isn''t that bad is indicative of his changing feeling and how much he thinks of her. You haven''t read Ch7-8 if I am not mistaken. You will realize how much Rigel loves Arin in those 2.
Quote:The MC seems to accept things easily. Why didn''t he struggle more while he was dying? It was your chance to show the more human side of MC
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Answer: Because, he died with a hole in his chest. He was shot at point blank with a machinegun/assault rifle. Triple Burst/Continuous mode and you are toast. Didn''t have time to engage in theatrics. About accepting things easily. Yes, he does that. But...it is an important plot point about why he does, it will be exposed later. If you think I am lying and making up stuff...there are numerous times in already published chapters where Rigel himself alludes that he found it odd that he accepted easily. Because that is a build-up/foreshadowing.
Quote:Why izz mC weak? dual sword or katana plzzzz. Why he use shield?
Answer: Because, my friend, the action and weapons in HTSAS are...real. More than that, it is logical and a result of extensive research. I do not write katanas and huge-ass swords because they are cool without thinking of their actual usage. A man armed with a frozen tuna can beat you if you are not skillful with a Katana. It takes 7-10 years under a good master to learn that btw. The parts MC is in right now is like Europe of Earth. The armour is plate mail style. Katana can''t do much against that. It is made for fish-plate amour and Eastern Leather armours. Nevermind all that, MC uses a shield because he isn''t stupid. Everyone sensible used shields in a war. The weapon descriptions are as accurate as possible with details. There might be some twists added for adapting it to Sangraal.
Quote:How will Rigel develop in second arc?
Answer: Without divulging much details, let me say this. Psychology is a big part of the characters I create. I have tried to explore the Freudian concepts in Second arc, without saying a single thing about psychology. Remember, Rigel is 20, he is healthy with normal sexual urges...well...there is a catch which I will explain later. But he has like a Chastity Belt in form of his Elder Circuit. Not like he can''t have relations...but the prices might be too steep. Also, he is still in love with Arin, fatally so. In second arc, we will see how Rigel copes with his Sexual Frustration, his love for a dead woman and how his increasing urges affect his relationships. No, I am not writing a sex-fantasy. I am writing the psychological aspects of it, how long can you love a person who isn''t there anymore...how far will you go for that person.
Quote:Why so few chaps? Other writers post in 2-3 days...even 2 chaps in 1 day
Answer: Err...well. Sangraal is crafted very meticulously. I have to balance the interactions, realism, fights choreography, weapons, psychology of each character, dialogues, the social constructs, the underlying socio-political situations...and sarcasm. So, it takes time writing so many stuff and without real infodump. Besides, I do the Editing and Proofreading too. I also have a life, ya''know? I am a bit lazy too.
Quote:the title doesn''t match the story. too dark story for that title
Answer: Yeeeeeeeeah. ''Gap-Moe'' is a Japanese concept. It can be explained as the attraction or appeal arising from the ''gap'' in expected and actual behavior. For example, a Violent character suddenly acts very soft in certain situation. GAP-MOE!!! So, the title is a gap-moe for the story. If you just believed the above ''gap-moe'' thing...don''t. To be honest, I wrote the first chapter drunk and high as a kite. It was supposed to be a gag-story that lampoons the cliches. But...when I got sober and saw what I did, I had a prologue+Ch1 published...with the name HTSAS101. But I really liked the story and decided to continue it as a dark fantasy. So, now I just tell people that it''s gap-moe. For now, that is all. folks! See you later with ''Notice me, Durrendal Senpai Q&A!'' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have taken a pledge to support my authors. Have you? Please read to know more- http://royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=51354 Extra Chapter: Arin Extra Chapter : HTSAS101 Artwork Act-I So¡­I know a lot of you love Arin. Some of you are sad for her. Someone even cried. Thought of cheering you guys up a bit. Straborvskyhas very kindly rendered the beautiful Arin. Rounds of applause for the very talented Straborvsky. Here is thelinkto this amazing illustration artist¡¯s profile where you can check out more of the artwork. Without furthur ado, here is the ravishing, beautiful¡­ARIN! The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ''Moonlight Sonata'' by Straborvsky for ''How to Survive a Summoning 101'' Don¡¯t hesitate to let us know how she looks. But remember, she is Rigel¡¯s waifu. Stay peeled for more artwork to come. Don''t forget to shoot likes to Straborvsky if you like this. You can leave msgs for him here too, I will make sure to tell Stra to check the thread out. P.S.- Can you tell us which Chapter is Arin''s Pic from?? I have taken a pledge to support my authors. Have you? Please read to know more-http://royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=51354 Chapter 10 : Surviving Feminazis Author Note: Before ya¡¯ll take out your pitchforks, hear me out. I support equality. I have always fought alongside and walked with whoever wanted equality. I have done programmes with people who wanted equality for women. But I really can¡¯t support when feminism turns to simple man-hating. As for Sangraal, feminism has just taken root there and is still pretty much confined to ideals of the upper echelons of the society in practice, but normal people are enthralled by the idea. Since it haa just started as an idea, many have taken it up vehemently in opposition to the Chauvinism that was prevalent in Sangraal. The socio-political structure will see more powerful and self-reliant women in future chapters. I will show you how real women are, powerful, progressive. Strong women characters are¡­just a chapter away. Chapter 10 : Surviving Feminazis ¡°¡­Riladvael sung the world into existence. Her voice of pure before pure existed harmonized the world to the tune of creation. Her aria rose the mountains, dug the seas. Then came her children, the Tarufavels, scions of the song. They created the creatures and each made a world for them to inhabit, hiding between them to guide them through their journey. However, from the songs also rose Za¡ª¡± - Broken inscription on the East Wall of the Rilivaesaekgar temple. ¡°Are you looking down on us, you chauvinistic pig?!¡± a red haired girl pressed her fine rapier on my throat. ¡°No, I was just- I got cut off mid-reply. ¡° ¡®Just¡¯! you demeaned us and call it ¡®just¡¯!¡± the girl motioned her companions to come closer, preferably with their weapons pointed at me. The young leader of the team of 4 girls had red hair and wore fine armour. She had an agreeable face and features that caught your eye. Her haughty tone was a dead ringer for the privileged upbringing she had. Many adventurers would kill for the rapier she had on. Hair the colour of blood framed her petite face, reaching down her nape. Her companions drew closer. All of them probably belonged from well to do families. They had murder in their eyes. The blond pixie-head had already conjured up a fireball to lob at me. Fuck. My day had started quite ordinary, I had woken up to the sound of drunken brawling from the whorehouse underneath. Loud crashes had announced that the Mama had thrown the brawlers through the door. I had got up from my bed. The sheets were moist from the cold sweat that had poured from my body the night before. My body was stiff from all the turbulent twisting and turning in my sleep. I looked at my room. Articles of clothing lay discarded all around the small bed and floor. I have clean this up sometime. I dressed myself in the crumpled clothes that lay about, yawning loudly. I got down the stairs, my armour and sword clanking softly. Mama Urun saw me and passed a greeting. ¡°Trouble again?¡±, I asked, eyeing the bleeding drunks who lay half buried in the filthy gutters outside the establishment. ¡°Ei, Eri-larr, these bastards won¡¯t listen when their time is over¡±, she drawled, flexing her muscles. Urun was the mistress of the whorehouse, looking after the girls and conducting the business. She had a plump but muscular body, and acted as the bouncer when trouble was afoot. ¡°Won¡¯t you get in trouble with the city guards?¡±, I asked offhandedly, sipping at my juice. A half dressed girl waved at me while she stepped on the drunk men¡¯s faces. ¡°Naaah, they don¡¯t disturb us. After all they have their needs too¡±, Urun looked on as the girl stomped on the men¡¯s crotches. I could hear sounds of giggling and beds creaking furiously as somewhere above us, people still had their fun. Two more girls alighted from the stairs, holding a passed out old man. ¡°Mama Urun!¡±, one of the girls called while she wiped her privates with a cloth, ¡°This geezer passed out after we whipped him. ¡°Which one is that?¡±, Urun scrunched up her nose trying to remember. ¡°The one that ordered me and Aulia together. He wanted us to beat and insult him while we drop burning wax on his cock¡±, the girl replied, waving at me. ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead, then¡±, I informed Urun while greeting the girl back. ¡°Bring me some Berriut today too, Eri-larr!¡± Suri¡¯s voice drifted down from somewhere as the creaking of bed stopped momentarily. ¡°Don¡¯t I always?¡±, I answered back. As usual, I went into the forest to kill some monsters, making my way to the cave at the base of the Spire. I have to kill the spire-master today! I saw some women hacking at an Errlat ineffectively. The Errlat had unloaded its slime on one of them, while the girls tried to insult the Errlat. Why were they calling the Errlat names? Calling it son of a krumper doesn¡¯t exactly work. Seeing them in trouble, I slashed the Errlat down, ¡°Need help?¡±, I had offered. The red haired girl who had been trying to poke the Errlat¡¯s butt whirled around, her eyes widening. Her face had turned a vibrant crimson, her breath ragged. She had looked at me and the dead Errlat alternately, finally deciding on whatever conclusion she had come to. ¡°Rintrump shit! You looking down on us because we women?¡±, She had shouted at me while waving her rapier wildly. ¡°Just caz we women, ya think we need help?¡±, the companion with a blond pixie hair had screamed at me, spittle flying from her small mouth. ¡°Its not that¡±, I had managed to answer while the red haired girl closed down on me. Feminazis! Alternate world feminazis! While I was pressed to the tree, the women bared their weapons and prepared to cut me down. ¡°I¡­Grisaria von Armatech will take you down for discriminating against women!¡±, the red hair delivered in an imperious voice while she pointed her rapier. I sighed. I dropped my sword and pressed my hand at my waist, taking out the wakizashi-dagger. ¡°Wrong! I vouch for equality! I treat men and women the same!¡±, I shouted while backing away, maintaining distance. ¡°What does that mean, you illiterate oaf!?¡±, a black haired woman with twin-swords asked. ¡°It means I will treat you same as any man attacking me¡±, I flashed my wakizashi, a grin painting my lips. I jumped the distance between me and the red haired girl, stabbing the dagger towards her. After I was done with the overzealous women, I had continued my way through the thickets, searching for prey. The sun was at the zenith, the heat beat down mercilessly. I was just about to enter the mildewed cave. ¡°Halt!¡± A gruff voice called from somewhere behind me. I turned around and saw a party of three people. A woman and man wearing full set of bloody plate mail and a wizard wielding a large staff. The man in the plate mail had called me. I walked towards them, slinging my sword on my shoulders. Before I could blink, the wizard threw something at me. I jerked back as the thing hit my body and vanished in a yellow burst of light. Extreme stinging pain racked my arm as it transformed into the clawed black forelimb. Fuck My heart had started racing as I guessed what it was. Sweat slicked my palms. ¡°Fucking demon, we got you!¡±, the woman screamed, brandishing her large sword. The man said nothing but whirled his large axe, making a brisk run towards me. The earth seemed to shake at the combined charge of the two, the heavy mail making the earth rumble. I seem to be in demand today. ¡°By the holy name of Talaviel, we purge you, Demonkin!¡±, the woman shouted, the metal helm distorting her voice to something draconic. ¡°Die you fil- the woman trailed off, watching entranced as her arm holding the sword tumbled to the ground. I had crossed the distance between us like a speeding bullet and slashed at her. A red fountain gushed from her stump as she stumbled down, screaming. With the same forward motion, I engaged the plated man, blocking his large axe. Our weapons clashed, sparks scattering from the exchange. The wizard started chanting . I need to finish this before he completes! I spat fire at the plated guy, the one trick I had learnt from Karro. The fire washed over his helm, making it hot instantly. The man clutched at his burning face as smells of searing meat wafted up from him. The steaming helm didn¡¯t help his cause either, the hot metal burning his face further. I kicked him hard in the gut which set him stumbling backwards on his ass. The plate mail crashed violently to the ground, the weight making it impossible for quick recovery. By then, the wizard had already finished his spell and a wave of fire rushed towards me. I held up my black arm and charged. The arm singed and smoked as the fire slowly burnt it, in spite of its abnormally high resilience. I could hear myself screaming in agony as the fire washed over it. The arm had charred black by the time I closed in on the wizard. The wizard¡¯s eyes went white with terror as I came face to face with him. As a last ditch attempt he swung his staff at my head. The staff broke when I caught it with my burning left arm and crushed it. I could see the wizard¡¯s robes grow wet as liquid streamed down under the clothes. I plunged my sword deep into his heart, making it explode with an AP charge through it. If I didn¡¯t disrupt the magic circuit, who knows what might happen. The man coughed up blood from his exploded heart, the blood dying the green grass into a dark red. He had died before he hit the ground with a thud. The stinging smell of urine clung about him. I jogged back towards the plated man. He had died when the fire had burnt out his eyes and face. Melted skin stuck to the helm as it popped and creaked with the temperature change. Just to be sure, I found the gap between his armour and slid my blade though his ribs. With some resistance, the blade went in. The woman was still screaming, holding her bloodied stump with her hands. Tears and snot trickled down her face as she lay wailing. I throttled her throat; she scratched and bit at me when she asphyxiated. However, I didn¡¯t kill her. I need her alive. Finally, her struggled died down after she passed out. Her flailing limbs had thrown the plants underneath in disarray. I stripped the male and female Knights of their heavy armour and weapons. I could not have them have it where they are going. I made a mental note to dispose of the armour as I dumped those in a shallow ditch and covered it with huge leaves. The armour would fetch some good rita later. Maybe even a royal rita. I had to laboriously drag their bodies to the other side of the Spire, near a marsh. No one visited this part since the marsh was nigh impassable. That¡¯s why it was the best position for the room to exist. The woman groaned when I dragged her over the jagged rocks. I whistled loudly as I waved the dismembered arm of the woman inside the marsh water. After a while, the water swelled up as two large black shadows crept up from underneath the water. The Crezets centred their eyes on the bloody hand, making loud clicking noises. The crezets looked like Crocodiles with large whiskers trailing off their noses. Their black bodies were spotted with green lichen. The tough scales glistened in the shadowy sunlight. The monsters came up the marsh bank and looked at me expectantly. I shoved the arm towards them while making soothing noises. They were like dogs, but far deadlier. No one wanted to come near them. However, they were Zain¡¯s sacred animals. Hence, I had some form of dominion over them as the chosen of their god. The monsters snapped and growled loudly as they fought about their meal. Their furious shaking sent bits of meat and fat swinging about. After they had finished, I loaded the bodies on one Crezet and carried the woman to another. I lashed the bodies to the monsters with the strong vines that grew beside the marsh. I sat on one the Crezets, holding it tightly. The Crezets were crazy strong and nimble swimmers. They sunk down the marsh, taking us with them. I held my breath as we went under. The Crezets went down to the bed of the marsh, muddy water swirling all around us. The dead bodies had their limbs flailing about due to the buoyancy in the water. The scant sunlight filtering thought the water made it seem like some strange flower was growing on the back of the Crezet. The Crezets went through a dark underwater tunnel, the water current swirled into the deep abyss with force, sending bits of flotsam flying. The monsters breached the surface in a deep dark cave, free of water. As the monsters clambered up the crystal strewn bank of the underwater lake, I gasped for air. Anymore than that and I would have run out of air. The water had turned bloody red at our wake, attracting shoals of fishes by the scent of blood. I unlashed the bodies and let the Crezets go. They jumped into the water to catch the fishes. I carried the bodies deep into the cave, towards a chamber blocked by a huge circular rock. The cave had little light that filtered down from the small shafts extending through the rocks all the way to the surface. Bunches of crystals reflected that light and glowed like jewels, sending rays of light clattering through the cave. The cave had a damp air owing to it being right next to a marsh. I came up to the rock covered room and pushed at the rock with my shoulders. Stench of rot drifted from between the rock, staining my nose. With a final heave, the stone shifted, revealing the room beyond. The room was small and irregular. Stench of rotting meat permeated its very air. Skeletons littered its surface, both human and monster. Sounds of groans and bestial growls could be heard from the deep dark corners of the room, where shadows shifted about in strange shapes. Dark forms moved slowly across the far end of the room. The sight made me shiver. I didn¡¯t want to be here. I tossed the bodies and the still living woman into the room, taking them a bit deeper. Bones and bits of unidentifiable organs clattered away when we hit them, making eerie noises. Something whimpered in the distance, shying away from the light that had come through when I had moved the rock. I laid the woman down, and looked towards my old friend. The Executioner sword stood buried deep into the torso of the knight¡¯s body who I had left here a month back. The man had died sometime later and now his half exposed skeleton laid crooked as if twisting in agony. The blade shone through the gaps of his exposed ribs, its edges dull with crusted blood and smeared with unidentifiable smudges. The handle had bits of intestine wound around it. I whistled in the room, the reverberation set the blade tingling. Things far away in the distance scampered away at the sound. I walked away from the room and its horrible stench of putrid flesh and excretion. The smell was thick enough to leave a nasty taste in my mouth with every gulp of air. I rolled the stone back, covering the mouth of the room. Then I scattered some bright green dust around the rock. It was the magic-numbing ore, Sulpurian. No one could use magic to break through the cave this way. I came back near the bank, the Crezets were still busy in their feeding frenzy. I whistled and one of them came splashing water. Red stained water dripped down its sharp jaws. I shivered a little at the sight. I got up on the monster as it started swimming again, back to the surface. As I slowly sunk into the water, I could hear the woman start screaming. When I finally made to the chamber of the Master of the Spire, two hours had passed. Every Spire had a strong monster governing it, like a dungeon boss. The one here was a flying goat that spat fire. The ears of the goat had elongated and formed into feathery wings. The goat looked at me with red eyes shining with hatred. I had killed this one hundreds of time during my stay in Salrest, of course it hated me with its guts. I stopped its charge with my sword, avoiding the ridiculously large horns. The battle was over in a few minutes in a well versed exchange. At this point in time, I had grown many, many times stronger than the Spire-Master, not monster stood a chance unless it was a large group. I hacked at its body to collect the precious core. After that, I turned to leave. Stolen novel; please report.¡°I knoewst what thou seekest¡±, a quiet voice emanated from a dark corner of the shadowy room. ¡°Who is it?¡±, I readied my sword, anticipating an attack. Huh. This has never happened before. ¡°The one thou slayed but moments ago¡±, a flying goat like the Spire-Master walked out of the dark space between the high walls of the cavern. The thing stood at a cliff jutting out from the high wall, looking down on me. I looked back where the body of the Spire-Master lay. It was still there, gutted and bleeding out. ¡°Look not for my body. It is but a vessel for my wretched soul¡±, the goat rambled on, shaking its long white beard. I just looked at him with widened eyes. The sword went slack in my hands. What the actual¡­ ¡°You can speak?¡±, I asked it, unsure as to what I should do. The goat was grazing on the scant grasses at the edge of the cliff. ¡°Nay. Normally nay. Even now thee can only hear me in thine mind. Killing is intimate business. For those few moments thee and thine prey is the most intimate in the whole world¡±, the goat flapped its ear-wings and floated a few feet above the cliff, ¡°So for all the times thee has thine blade in my heart, hundreds upon hundreds; now I can speak to thee¡±. Now even flying goats want a piece of me? ¡°So¡­what do you want?¡±, I asked it. ¡°Nothing. I just want to warn thee. You become a little more like thine enemy every time you swing your blade at him¡±, the goat flapped his ears faster. ¡°Beware of becoming what thee seeks¡±. ¡°You are just bitter at how many times I have killed you¡±, I shouted at the goat. It can¡¯t be that it knows¡­ I started feeling a chill down my spine at the harrowing prospect. ¡°I know what thee seeks, mortal. I am the Spire-Master, I know what lies in that room of yours¡±, The goat now descended on the ground and glared at me with a strange sympathizing look, ¡°What doth thee think we monsters are anyway?¡± ¡°Wait, what do you mean?¡±, I asked the goat, readying my sword. Meheheh Mehehehhe. The goat called out in that annoying voice of his. ¡°What are you¡ª Meheheh mehehe. The goat glared at me, readying its charge. No matter what I did after that, the goat wouldn¡¯t speak. It was as if the intelligent light that had filled its eyes during the conversation had died out. Like as if the conversation never happened; it was all in my head. Well the goat did say it was in my head. I killed it two more times out of pure spite. The Spires regenerated the Spire-Master every hour or so. The goat will be flying and mehehe-ing soon enough. Maybe I should have killed it a few more time to get it to speak. The room was in danger¡­ ¡°Y¡­ya went to see the¡­the abomination didn¡¯t ya?¡±, Kraus was standing at a corner, far away from me when I visited him today. ¡°There were knights¡±, I offered, passing him the Cores I had gathered today. ¡°Do¡­don¡¯t come near me while ya smell of that thing¡± ¡°Even though you were the one who told me of it¡± ¡°I never thought that ya would actually do it¡±, he shivered like cold winds were whipping his body , ¡°Therru forbid¡­¡± ¡°The fusion, Kraus¡±, I urged him. ¡°Not today. Not while ya smell of dried blood and terror¡± ¡°Use a mask¡± ¡°Closed for business today. Come tomorrow¡± ¡°Fuck you¡± Kraus refused to fuse me today because he said I would get his ahrecht machine all bloody and dirty. Frankly, I could relate to his revulsion, but it was a fact that it was the only way left to me. I felt like losing a little bit of myself when I tossed more people into the room. The screams haunted me in my waking hours, making me feel like drowning in a deep lake. However I needed them. I needed their souls, their hate and madness. I needed their faith. The faith of souls condemned to darkness and death. I needed to sacrifice myself for what I sought. It didn¡¯t mean that others agreed with me though. Not even a member of the Order like Kraus. I came up to the Guild doors while shuffling unmindfully. Though I kept calling it an ¡®Adventurer guild¡¯ out of habit, it was actually called a Suppression Guild. The town was busy as ever, the sun beating down its last rays on the tired people. I needed to get off the sweat. More than that, I needed to get off the blood. Every time I killed, the blood felt like it was stinging me. An itch under the skin I couldn¡¯t get rid of¡­ I kept scratching at my back. ¡°I am telling you! That barbarian is from here!¡±, a girl was shouting at the Guild master. She was absolutely furious, judging from the shaking and vehement gesturing. Also, she had red hair the colour of blood. Oh shit. Everyone whirled at me as I stood rooted to the ornate handle of the Guild front door. They seemed surprised for a while then started raising a furious din as they saw me. ¡°THAT! That is the beast that played with my honour! Arrest him! Kill him!¡± the red haired girl spotted me and went wild. Spittle flew out of her mouth as she shook in an epileptic rage. Her companions had had a change of outfits. Now they were wearing something even more disgustingly rich. Laden with gold and silver, the clothes seemed to sparkle and announce their opulence. However, the ladies wearing the fine clothes weren¡¯t¡­fine. They looked at me like I was some worm, readying their weapons. The adventur¡ªI mean suppressors formed a busy ring around the girls, raising an unholy clamour. They all seemed objecting to their accusations. ¡°I have been telling you, Torr-Eridan couldn¡¯t have had done that! He is not that sort of a man!¡± ¡°Yes! Yes! He would never do anything to you!¡± ¡°Just because you are rich¡­Eridan won¡¯t even!¡± I never knew that these people thought so highly of me. I wish I could repay them somehow¡­ ¡°What do you mean! he obviously-the girl with the red hair was cut off mid reply as a burly man with a bald head walked to her. ¡°Torr-Eridan isn¡¯t interested in pretty snatches. He likes men. Big, hulking muscular men¡±, the burly guy delivered while looking at me. What the¡­. ¡°Right Right! He likes fit young guys who can play a good fiddle!¡±, Sasha the young tracker spoke up, clutching at his chest. ¡°No! I know his taste! He likes only little girls! Disgustingly young without any experience that¡¯s what Eri preys on!¡±, the middle aged receptionist pointed her finger at the noble girls. ¡°Oi guys I just stopped them from attacking me by slashing¡ªI was shown an open palm. ¡°We know, Eridan. Every one knows you like doing Elvish-twins while twisting their ear¡±, The old Suppressor who once sold me a knife said. ¡°Wha¡­what¡­¡±, the group of the young feminazi nobles seem to be shaking in fright. Alvis, the leader of the Blue Fyre mercenary troop sauntered up, a mug of ale in his hand, ¡°WRONG! Eridan-lai is not that shallow. He only likes racking a good healthy green tree. The tight hollow in the twisted branches¡­.that dripping clear sap¡­that¡¯s what Eridan is into!¡± he slammed down his tankard, going red in the face, ¡°Ramming forcefully into the tree while ripping out leaves that¡¯s what its all about!¡±. Everyone just whirled around at Alvis. Silence reigned supreme¡­then some more. There was enough silence to make pancakes with it. ¡°As if you guys never fantasized about a Dryad!¡± Alvis shouted while he spilt the rest of his ale into his shirt. Then he stormed off, apparently upset about no one sharing his passion. Thank god there ain¡¯t any porn in this world¡­ Taking advantage of the silence, I stepped in and walked towards the Guild master. He was wearing a crisp white shirt and a leather half jacket of brown. His pants were black with black fastenings. ¡°They disturbed me in the forest. I stopped them non-aggressively¡±, I told him in a loud voice. ¡°Non-aggressive enough for them to say ¡®played with my honour¡¯?¡± the Guild master replied in a worried voice, glancing at the girls who had crossed their arms glaring at us. ¡°You do know who they are right?¡± ¡°I can guess, Rilid¡±, I tapped his shoulders, ¡°question is¡­which guild¡±. ¡°Daughters of the inner circle of the merchant guild¡±, He croaked in a dry tone. ¡°You¡¯re screwed¡±. The middle aged receptionist woman came between us and the noble girls. ¡°Please file a complaint while the guild judges the matter. You may not influence the witnesses or the parties involved¡±, she shoved a pile of papers at the girls. ¡°Y¡­You dare turn down Grisaia von Armatech! I will have your head! Grisaia von Armatech vows!¡±, she stormed off followed by her lackeys, ¡°This is not the end, you beast!¡±. ¡°Princess!¡± I called out a bit urgently. ¡°What is it you filth? Ready to beg for your life?¡±, she glared at me with a triumphant smile on her face. ¡°Be careful not to bite your tongue saying your name¡±, I offered while I ordered a cup of chilled Saruri wine. Turns out that the guild could do precious little except delay the proceedings for a while with bureaucratic red tape. The Merchant Guild was too powerful for the adventurer guild to fight. At least not worth enough for a single low level suppressor. They could have taken on the guild, but not for a Kivala-class suppressor. I wondered what I should do as I prowled the streets searching for Berrirut fruits and some dinner. I was eating some Surmar, a dish of saut¨¦ed meat inside baked Chuligan intestines. Suddenly I spotted Shinar, a suppressor I knew pretty well, amble towards me. ¡°Today was shit, eh?¡± he offered in a way of greeting. ¡°It was. Want some Saruri?¡± I asked while we took our meal together. ¡°Sure¡­say wanna hit Clench Feathers today? I hear they got some elves¡­¡± he trailed off, a goofish smile on his face. ¡°You go ahead, I have some work to do¡±, I replied him as I always did. There aren¡¯t any rubbers in this world and besides, I have an Elder Circuit. ¡°Its okay, Eridan. All of us have our¡­interests¡±, he offered apologetically. ¡°Dammit he really is into little girls!¡±, I heard him murmur under his breath. Suppressors live a life of constant danger. You would be hard pressed to find an suppressor not milling around either in a pub or a whorehouse. Looks like not being seen in one has given birth to some strange rumors. Shinar and I parted ways at Harrengaz, the alleyway of pleasures. I continued on my way to my rented room, Berrirut fruit in my hand. It had become sort of a ritual, this giving of Berrirut fruit and Suri¡¯s ineffectual advances. I wondered if I would have stayed sane in all those days of panicked existence, hunted by Talaviel¡¯s order if I hadn¡¯t met people like her. Suri, with her clumsy attempts had given me at least some semblance of normalcy. Arin¡­have you reached the end of river yet? Today Mama urun gave me my daily dose of the Shivang liquor and the Apopris fruit. Like Suri, she too looked at me sternly while giving me the fruit. Finally, she called over two Urinak girls. The urinak girls fluttered their long feathery ears and came over, looking down at the floor. ¡°Eri-larr, how about taking these two for tonight? They are quite skilled and¡­small enough to make you feel like caressing a child¡±, Urun said while she rubbed one the girl¡¯s head. The Urinak with black hair swished her tail. The other one looked at me while pulling at the hem of her white nightrobe. They were so innocently adorable. As if!! I had seen these two whip and sodomize two women while praising the demon king. They were masters at the ¡®disgraced knight play¡¯, as they called it. ¡°I am sorry, Mama Urun, I have to pass¡±, I refused politely while backing up the stairs. I had gone up into the second story when I heard Urun murmur, ¡°Such a charming lad with a disease. Suppressor life is sure hard¡­¡± As I said, the rumors are unsettling. I walked past Suri¡¯s room. I could hear her moaning and begging. I dropped the Berrirut fruit beside the vase in front of her room. She already had a customer today. I walked up to my room, unslinging the sword while stretching my overworked back. I need rest. I woke up with a start in my dark room. How long had I slept? The night was still not over, judging by the silence. I knew I had been screaming in my sleep, evident by my hoarse throat. I tried to think what had woken me up while I rolled in the sheets, wet with my perspiration. A touch of cold steel sent a chill down my throat. I opened my eyes and saw a woman standing beside my bed, with a knife to my throat. The moonlight silhouetted her slender figure against the window. ¡°Do not move, or the knife will kill¡±, the voice was like a rustling of leaves in a silent forest. ¡°Listen well, humankin¡±, the woman was colder than moonlight. ¡°You have wronged¡±.
P.S- If you think there was a rape in there somewhere...just wait till a few more chaps to know what happened. Guys, please leave ratings and reviews to help out the fiction. Let me know in the comments below about what you think of the chapter. Thanks for all the support you guys show me! Love you all!. Like the story? Vote for it on TopWebFictions so more people could read it I find support. No registration required and the process is very simple. You can vote for more than one fiction too, voting for another one doesn¡¯t affect any other fiction you have voted for already: <>> Want to check out my edgy collection of stories? ¨C http://royalroadl.com/fiction/5083 [/url] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have taken a pledge to support my authors. Have you? Please read to know more- [url=http://royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=51354]http://royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=51354 Chapter 11: Surviving Salrest Nights proofread by: Luciferia Chapter 11: Surviving Salrest Nights ¡°Silent night; Dead moon. Dark lights; Fire hearts. Eyes like swords; Touch of poison. Wine soothes; remembers all. Your tongue; Invites end. Plunge your soul; deep within me.¡± ¨C Urasin Dak¡¯hal, Troubled Nights, Poetry from Salrest.
The steel was cold, colder than ice. The dim moon framed the black figure of the woman standing over me. The dark hood she wore cast a deep shadow on her face. ¡°Listen well¡±. voice like falling leaves drifted down to my ears as I clenched my hands, trying to gather the sheets to throw at her. ¡°None of that.¡± she rasped as the blade scraped across my throat, sending a shiver down my spine. ¡°The male whores are on the opposite side of the street¡±. I spoke slowly, trying to gain some time, ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t think they allow knife-play¡±. Clouds swallowed the moon, plunging it into darkness. Green eyes the colour of leaves stared back at me from under the cowl, unwavering. Poking sharply with the blade, the intruder continued tracing patterns across my adam¡¯s apple. The cold metal caressed my skin, like playing with a dear lover. Arching her back, the tight black clothes she wore rippled with her fluid movements. The shadowy moonlight had thrown the room into bizarre darkness, hiding more than it showed. ¡°Finding you was difficult, Eridan¡±, the woman purred like a cat, the sound playing through the room her blade now hovering near my heart. ¡°And why were you searching? I am not that handsome¡±, I managed to ask while I channeled AP to my leather gloves. ¡°I can see the Voice swirl about you¡±, she pressed the knife harder at my throat, her hand grasping my wrist. The channeled AP changed its course and traveled up the woman¡¯s arm. More like she sucked it in. Moaning, the woman¡¯s back shivered with obvious pleasure. ¡°I wanted to see the person who disgraced me like some common whore¡±. What? More sexual harassment complaints? I need to cut down on my drinking. ¡°I don¡¯t remember you¡±. I said, ¡°I¡¯d remember if I did a woman with a knife fetish like you¡±. She drew back her cowl. Golden hair dropped from her hood, settling on her black leather clad shoulders. Face like a glass doll looked down at me, a cruel smile curling up her thin lips. A black band glistened across her slender throat. ¡°I see you are in high-spirits. Came to thank me?¡± I asked the elf-girl who I had rescued back in the forest. Her pointed ears shook as her face took on a crimson tinge. Colours played well in her bisque doll- like face, even in the dim light. ¡°Thank you? For what?¡± she snarled, raising the knife violently, ¡°You treated me like a two-bit whore, playing with my pride. You marked my body with disgrace!¡± I took the split second chance. Her passioned speech had left her fuming and more importantly, her knife away from me. I jumped towards her, my hand aiming for her throat. She had lightning fast reflexes. She tried to roll away but caught her legs against the bedside table. As she fell with a thud, I kicked her hand¡ªthe knife went skittering away in the dark. I mounted her while putting throttling her slender throat with my hand. She tried to shake me off but I was pinning her hip down with my own, the weight too much for her slender body to bear. Her slender throat went red with the pressure from my hand. Spots crept up her fair nape, adding a tinge of rouge to her bisque-doll face. Her smooth skin sent faint coolness up my fingers, gradually getting warm. ¡°I didn¡¯t rape you. I killed the monster that--was trying to eat you-- the other men did that to you¡±, I said while struggling to keep her pinned down. I immediately sprang to the side¡ª a sharp blade of wind gouged the wall behind me. ¡°No, you did something far more.Something far more criminal¡±, she got up from her position, rubbing her bruised neck, ¡°Something you must answer for¡±. She dipped her hands to her thighs and drew out two curved daggers; one on each hand. Tsk. Thirst was on the other side of the room. Drawing up like a stalking cat, her daggers flashed in moonlight. Magic swirled about her, faint greenish particles surrounding her in a vortex. She then sprang at me, the daggers moving in a blur, drawing silvery arcs in the air. Her leaping form rebounded with a sharp chink as I parried her daggers with my sword. I had rolled away to where it was and gripped it behind my back. The woman landed on her haunches with feline grace and stared back at me. Deep green eyes bore into mine, like a tiger stalking its prey. I pressed the sword to her breast, the point digging in her tight clothes. I spoke slowly, ¡°I¡¯ll blow out your heart. I can use this sword as a conduit¡±. The woman glared back at me, her gaze skittish as she examined my form,but she didn¡¯t find an opening. I sent a faint wave of AP down the blade into her body. She shivered as the AP crept under the shirt and found her naked skin, making it buzz with static. I was startled as I could feel something harden with the flowing electricity. ¡°So¡­I am sorry I saw you naked. It was unavoidable since you didn¡¯t have clothes on¡±, I looked at her and said slowly, She must be another noble to get skittish about this. ¡°Eh? Why would I mind if you saw me without clothes?¡± she looked at me, her eyes widening. ¡°Aren¡¯t you here to kill me because you thought I raped you?¡±. I questioned uneasily, What the hell is¡­ ¡°No. Why would I do that? One shouldn¡¯t kill just because of that¡±. ¡°Wait what?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I know. Humankin women are stupid. They think letting someone use their body is unacceptable¡­but we Elves know better. After all, if we live a long long time, we will commune with many¡±. As she spoke, her body completely relaxed, her posture loose and devoid of any tension. ¡°So why did you¡ª?¡± she stood up, making me cut myself off. She ran her fingers through her shoulder length hair. The soft moonlight caressed her well defined curves, the light glistening off her skin. ¡°You dare ask that?¡± she shouted, going red in the face, ¡°You cut off my hair like a common whore!¡± Dafuq? Hair? What? The girl was hysteric by now, ¡°You chopped it off! All of it! Who gave you permission! You ripped at it like I was your pleasure slave!¡± ¡°What I am asking is¡ª¡± ¡°You wont ask anything, you mongrel. You have to pay for binding me!¡± ¡°Yes how did that happen?¡± Just when the woman was about to gesticulate something, the glass in the window broke and the whoosh of something cutting through air immediately followed. A vibrating sound joined the shatter of falling glass. A short wooden stub embedded itself a few inches from where I was. A bolt had pierced the wooden floor, still vibrating from impact. The remaining glass shattered as another arrow shot through it, embedding itself in the wooden wall opposite the circular window. ¡°I forgot¡­there are assassins all around¡±, the woman immediately rolled under the bed, her green eyes peering at me from the dark. ¡°You brought assassins?¡± I sprang back to the opposite corner of the room, hoping the arrows wouldn¡¯t reach it. ¡°No, not me. There were assassins on the roof top when I came. I had to kill a few to make my way here¡±. Another arrow smashed the glass bottle of the Shivang liquor. The explosion had sent pungent liquid all over the room. ¡°Wh-why is there Khaginar wine here? don¡¯t tell me that¡­you drink this?¡± the woman sounded aghast, ¡°How¡­ How can you drink something like that?¡± ¡°Shut up, mom¡±. Two more arrows thudded into the floor and--exploded, sending thick fumes bellowing up from the shafts. This can¡¯t be good. I rolled quick to where the table was. Thick Shivang liquor dripped down the edges of the table. The strong aroma of it¡ªno I cant get sleepy now. I flipped the table upwards. One more arrow found its mark and bored into the wood. That was too close. Holding the table up by its legs, I hid behind it. The woman shuffled under the bed, chinks of daggers scraping against each other reached my ears. Smoke slowly filled the room. ¡°Eridan¡­is it true that you like doing elf twins with a ragged tree branch?¡± she asked. The. Rumors. Are. Unsettling. I charged at the window, the table held aloft, and crashed through the glass as more arrows thudded into it. Despite the thick wood, the metal arrowheads jutted out from its underside. I landed with a tremendous crash on the cobbled street, raining down glass shards and broken arrow shafts. I rolled to avoid hurting myself¡ªthere! the corner! The table burst into splinters with a loud bang as one of the arrowheads exploded, sending a sleeping Kitara yowling for cover. The explosion wasn¡¯t very big¡ª just big enough to blast apart organs if they embed in your flesh. A patch of darkness flashed against the moonlight as another shape jumped out the window; landing on its limbs like a cat. With movement faster than a cobra, silver light swept an arc through the night. The woman sent the arrows aimed at her clattering in the dark. Her daggers rang with shrill cries at the impact. This woman¡ªso fast! I retrieved Thirst from the corner I had thrown it in when I fell. I couldn¡¯t have rolled with the long blade. The woman ran towards the corner I was in, her hands pushing me away to make space. ¡°Find your own goddamned corner!¡± I snarled at her, ¡°Also, do you know these guys?¡± ¡°Nay. I¡¯d be ashamed if I knew people with such sub-par skills¡±, she answered, peering from under the shadow, trying to find the assailants. Sub-par? They almost killed me! ¡°Don¡¯t move, humankin.¡± she touched her lips briefly, shushing me, before taking out a red stone somewhere from her clothes, ¡°You will die if the arrows hit you. I need you alive¡±. She threw the stone far up in the sky and then reversed the grip on her daggers. The stone exploded in the sky, sending blinding light streaking everywhere. For a moment, it was as if daylight illuminated the narrow alleyway. Fuck! my eyes! I clutched at my eyes, red lightning sending spikes of pain into my head. I heard a light thud as she jumped up from my side. Thud! thud! thud! Dull sounds rang out from every direction. Faint groans filled the alleyways, something heavy fell a few feet from me. Sounds of arrows whistling through the cool night air brought shivers down my spine. Deep darkness spread before me; my vision hadn¡¯t yet adjusted after the flashbang. Something landed beside me with a soft thump. I swung my blade in alarm¡ªonly to be deflected violently. The sword clanged on the stone wall at my back. ¡°Simmer down, human¡±, the voice of falling leaves called out. My eyes finally adjusted to the dark alley. Arrows littered the narrow path, some had their shafts jutting out from doors and windows lining the street. A man lay spread-eagle a few feet from me, his neck bent at an impossible angle. ¡°Any more?¡± I asked the woman beside me. ¡°Nay, killed all the three¡± she responded, wiping her daggers with a piece of torn cloth¡ªprobably from one of the victims, a faint smile colouring her response,¡°Idiots were sitting like blind krumpers, shooting blindly¡±. I crawled towards the man and dragged him by his ankles to where we were sitting. His clothes were wet with the pool of blood that had quickly formed under him. I stripped his shoes and what little gear he had¡ªleather, best for running in speed. The man¡¯s eyes stared at the cold moon. I closed his bewildered eyes, shivering a little at the sight of neatly slit throat leaking blood. I took his shoes and leather gear. Running without a shoe isn¡¯t really feasible in these medieval streets rife with pebbles. Fuck. The shoes are a bit too big! But this had to do for now. Shouts and whispers arose from the houses around us. People were waking up. If we stayed here, the whorehouse might get caught in the crossfire. Can¡¯t let that happen. I got up. The woman¡¯s eyes were tracking me. Red clouds threw the world into darkness. Far away, on high ground, the Citadel of Salrest glowed orange with Ker¡¯dal lights. An arrow pierced the air like a whip, burying itself into the door behind me. I ran towards the low compound walls of the whorehouse in front of me, jumping up, propped myself on the wall with my hand. The men groaning inside the room were startled when I jumped on their balcony. Naked fat men stared at me, frozen in mid of their activity. ¡°Room Service.¡± I declared while grabbing the railing and climbing upwards onto the roof. Dark human shapes loomed in the distance, short blades shining in their hands. I started running towards them, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Arrows sliced the air, tracing my footsteps. The assassins near me slunk away, running. I jumped on a slanted roof, barely keeping my balance. Stumbling, I managed to recover and maintain my pace. Assassins ran on parallel rooftops, aiming their crossbows at me. Faster. I jumped from one roof to another. I looked down, spotting people in black clothes sprinting on the streets underneath me. One of them aimed a crossbow at me. Faster. A gust of wind slammed into my running feet¡ª the balcony! I crashed into a small balcony. Garden pots smashed under me, sending a small dog like creature barking. The small animal growled at me, trying to defend its home. A black bolt sprouted from the animal¡¯s head. I did a back-flip like a diver, landing on the streets underneath. The bolt exploded, sending bits of dog everywhere. Black blood rained from the skies. Two men jumped in front of me, drawing their daggers silently. Black hoods covered their faces. The daggers drew silvery arcs in the air as they stabbed it, aiming for my vitals. I parried the first one and kicked at the other¡¯s hands. The assassin bent at an impossible angle¡ªmy kick whooshed through empty air. I spat fire in their direction. The bright flames blinded them momentarily. My sword chopped into the haunches of one, curving upwards. The man fell like gutted fish. When I whirled around, the other one had already caught fire. He wailed loudly, trying to put out the flames eating at his body. The man rolled on the ground but the ravenous flames didn¡¯t relent. He exploded into bits of gore and meat as the fire found its way to his explosive arrowheads. I got thrown into the street behind me with the force of the explosion. Thirst went clattering away from my hands. I needed to use the black arm! Suddenly, groans sounded all above me. Reach, reach- I used a strong vine growing on the walls of a house to climb back into the next roof. Cold air whipped at me as I climbed, sending shivers down my spine. The woman from before stood surrounded by five assassins. They pointed their crossbows and daggers at her. The world plunged into darkness again and the woman smiled. Her daggers danced in the shadows, the metal fangs finding its way into a man¡¯s chest. She used the twin holds of her daggers as a fulcrum and jumped, her feet above her, hands holding onto the blade. Her feet spun in a furious dance overhead¡ªtwo assassins were thrown backwards as the kick connected. Thwack! A crossbow loosed its bolts at her. She dipped downwards, dropping to the other side of the body of the man she had stabbed. Arrows sunk onto the man¡¯s corpse with a soft thump. The two assassins who had fallen down rushed towards her, their daggers a blur. She pulled at her blades stabbed deep into the man¡¯s torso¡ªthe daggers didn¡¯t budge. They had snagged into the man¡¯s chainmail undershirt. The other assassins readied their crossbows. I charged at them, concentrating AP on my blade. The blade sizzled in the crisp night air, scattering sparks everywhere. The assassin sprang back to avoid my lunge and then tripped on the raised ledge, falling to the ground. His screams echoed as he tumbled backwards into the gap between streets. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Stop the flames, you fool. I can¡¯t see¡±, the woman¡¯s voice rang out to my side. I extinguished the red glow from the blade as a few more arrows cut the air beside me. The form of the woman on the other side flowed like a snake, striking at her opponents. Her swift kick connected with one¡¯s knee¡ªa sharp cracking sound split the air. The assassin lost balance and stumbled. The other one took the chance and stabbed at her. She whirled around, the blade missing her by a hair¡¯s breadth. Her petite fists shot out as the man¡¯s jaws crumpled with a wet sound. The assassin I was fighting closed in on me, his body moving in strange rhythm. He danced around me, holding the small crossbow in one hand and a curved dagger with the other. My muscles tightened, I gripped my sword harder. I kicked a piece of wood that lay by my feet¡ªthe assassin¡¯s eyes trained to track fast movement immediately followed the projectile. With a dull thump, the wood slammed against his weapons as he raised them defensively¡ªthat¡¯s when he realized his mistake. By then, my sword had already slashed against his torso. Tch! Not a fatal wound¡ªhis light chainmail undershirt deflected the blow. Kill. The crisp night air grew in clarity. The wind swirled and snaked around the rooftops, raising small dust devils. Take. I could smell the seeping blood, fear as tangible as thick soup. The terror smelled like spoilt cheese, sharp and sweet. Deny. The world grew slower. The man looked at me for an eternity, air hanging as if time itself had congealed like drying blood. A black face opened up before me. No, the black mask. I found myself face to face with the assassin, as if a few moments had slipped away. Just what¡­? The whites of his eyes stared back from the hollow of the mask. My blade had sunk into his torso, piercing through to the other side. Some of his spine had torn off and now slid loosely along my blade. Thick blood dripped from the wound, sliding down the blade, creating a small pool between us. Entrails slipped out of him, hanging loosely. Heh. Weak. I tried to rip off his mask. It was stuck to his face. Come off! It wouldn¡¯t. I tore it off his face. The mask seemed melded to his skin. The face came off in bits and strips of skin and meat. Burn tissues were covering the rest of the face. I let the body drop. Shaking my blade, the piece of mashed vertebrae went skittering away somewhere. I heard a strange gurgling sound at my right. The woman was standing, wiping her daggers. She was drenched in blood, the red staining her beautiful skin. So beautiful¡­like a goddess of death. A savage grin crept up my lips. Her, I want her. I want to rip off her clothes and take her right here. I want to fuck her between our fallen enemies, their blood colouring our skins. She looked at me, her blades stopped moving. A growl escaped my throat. She¡ªbetween my legs¡­begging. I want to take her, break her by force. Her eyes widened, as if in alarm. Heh, yes. I want to hear you scream¡­it won¡¯t be fun without it. She pulled up the crossbow she had taken from one of the fallen. She aimed and shot it at me in one continuous, fluid motion. So slow. I swerved my head to the side, the bolt flew past me¡ªit sliced the air like a whip. The fletching cut a line of fire across my cheek. The heady smell of blood welling from the wound, wafted up. Something scrambled behind me. I turned around to see the crossbow bolt lodged between the throat of a sixth assailant that had come up, unknown to me. The man fell on his face. The bolt had pierced through his neck, the small metallic tip shining in the moonlight, blood dripping down the shaft. He contorted and convulsed in a strange way. His spine bent in peculiar fashion as if he was begging to some strange god. His fingers clenched themselves, convulsing. Blood created a pool under him, his movement making strange smudges across the rooftop, like a piece of abstract art. ¡°Korari Mountain Scon poison.¡± the woman spoke while looking at the man. ¡°The nerves and muscles should be on fire, without any controls.¡± By now, the man had died. His form frozen into a final contortion, thick foam dripping from his mouth. I looked at her again. Filtered moonlight illuminated her shadowy form. ¡°None of that¡±, she raised her crossbow again. ¡°Touch me and you won¡¯t have a dick¡±. I took a deep breath. The night air was cool and crisp with smell of iron. Then there was shit. The men we killed had voided their bowels after death. Heh, The novels never mention the shit they put out after dying. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t kill anyone for that?¡± I asked, finally calming myself. What was I thinking back then? It was¡ªa haze. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t kill you¡±, she came towards me, stalking like a cat, ¡°Besides, to touch me¡­ anyone but you¡±. The stench of urine and shit drifted through the air. More dark shapes jumped on the rooftops in the distance. I sighed and started running again, this time towards the old decrepit bell tower near the Citadel. The night was still young. The scent of blood hung in air, begging for more. This is going to be a long night. ~~~~ The port warehouse filled with screams of dying men. The woman danced like a cat between figures of men. Streaks of red stained the floor. Droplets of blood hung in air like dust motes, sprinkled up by her slashes. Thud! Two more men fell, their necks sporting a gooey crimson smile. Her daggers glinted in the scant light through the grilled windows, flashing like a beast¡¯s claws. An assassin grunted as my sword chopped into his wrists. sending his hands flying, still clutching the bastard¡¯s daggers. I slipped my sword into his flanks, his chainmail parting with a yank. Dark liquid stained his torso as he crumpled. The AP charge had burst out a few of his internal organs. An hour or more had passed, yet we were still only halfway to the tower. ¡°Like I said, why are you following me?¡± I asked the woman who was extracting the dagger stuck in the eye of a victim. ¡°Because I want you¡±,she said while she tore out a bloody eyeball stuck to the dagger. ¡°Are you in love with me?¡± ¡°Utaru forbid¡­.!¡± she was disgusted enough to shiver. A long night indeed. Dawn was still a few hours away. We made our way slowly, creeping along the alleys. Bodies sprawled in strange shapes marked our passage. bolts split the air above us as we ran. The roof¡ªI clambered up the side of an old building to reach it. The narrow streets of Salrest would be suicide for evasion. Run¡ªwe raced across the rooftops, blood rushing in my ears. Sweat slicked my palms. I tightened my grip. An arrow whistled past me, tracing towards the woman. She ducked, the arrow missing her and hitting an assassin opposite her. The assassins had cornered us, surrounding us from all angles. They lifted their crossbows in unison¡ªThwack! The bolt streaked through the air, deadly poison at its tip. The quarrel missed, sailing away into the distance. Shit¡ªthe hay covered roof rose to meet us. The woman and I had jumped in sync, at a gap between the roofs. We fell on the roof, blowing up hay and other debris¡ªthen crashed through it. Crash!¡ªour bodies hit an earthen floor, flinging up Serrad droppings. There were people inside the Serrad stables. A well dressed woman was spread across the hay. Two sturdy looking men were thrusting into her from opposite ends as she moaned in pleasure. Dafuq? Isn¡¯t that Lady Solveria from the Citadel? The men and the noble lady stood stock still, forgetting to do what they were doing. Their expressions were frozen in horror when they noticed the two of us staring at them. ¡°The¡­the¡­¡± Lady Solveria fumbled, frantically trying to reach for her discarded corset. The men pulled up the pants gathered at their feet. ¡°Good Evening, my lady¡± I drawled while looking for the assassins above us, ¡°I trust you are in good health?¡± I knew her from the flashy charity work she did outside the Citadel walls. Neither of the men was her husband. Stable boy-sex on hay fetish existed here too? Lady Solveria didn¡¯t have a chance to answer as a hail of bolts rained down from above¡ªI jumped back from the hole that had opened up in the roof when we fell. Bolts tore through them, ripping apart everything as they went. They died even before the poison took hold, bolts sprouting from their bodies¡ªthey looked like porcupines. The bolts pinned them to the floor, dark stains pushing through the dirt, creating rivulets. One stable boy groaned, reaching out his hands towards us¡ªit tumbled to the ground as an assassin jumped through the hole and landed on him, slashing. Fuck! These¡ª assassins crowded the doorway, surrounding us again. The yellow glow of the Faelings inside the stable highlighted their forms, the weapons shining. Sweat trickled down my temples. The masked leader came forward, shadows stretching in impossible contortions across the walls¡ªis this the end? Even the black hand can¡¯t stave off the poison if so many of these hit¡­ I kicked the spade leaned against a wood beam near me, at the same time ducking behind it. Arrows hit the spade flying towards them¡ªthud! It broke into splinters. With a deep heave, I set fire to the hay near us. The usually inirritable Serrads went wild when the flames caught. Out of fear for their lives, they charged toward the only exit. I could see the elf-woman curl up as the sharp clawed hooves raced over her, shrill cries filling the small room. Bolts thudded into the Serrads, taking several down. The beasts at the back stumbled¡ªbam! Rolling forward like a ball hitting bowling pins. This enraged the fleeing Serrads further. The animals trampled the assassins into pancakes. Shouts and cries filled the room as the men lost their lives, many turning into unrecognizable bloody pulps¡ªleaving only bits of flesh and meat. Broken and burnt bodies littered the ground, their vile scent intermingling with the harsh aroma of smoke. Limbs jutted out at impossible angles as fire licked at the destruction, eager to consume. The leader stumbled on bolt shafts and bits of armour strewn on the ground. He aimed his crossbow at the woman, still curled up into a ball. I ran towards him with a pitchfork in my hand. Kill. The man¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the prongs approach him. He swerved¡­ Swifter. He let loose a cry and pointed the crossbow at me, his mouth hanging open. Slaughter. The pitchfork went through him, and pinned him to the wall behind. He struggled feebly trying to take it out. The woman rose and ran towards the exit. I looked back¡ªthe ceiling was collapsing in a sea of flames. I raced forward, springing through the spreading flames. The whole stable collapsed behind us as I broke through the burning walls. Serrads ran helter-skelter in the streets, stomping across unsuspecting bystanders. We ran amongst the Serrads, taking advantage of the confusion. People had woken up and gathered around the burning stable. We kept running, taking a dirt road winding away from the main street that ran in front of the stables. A little distance away, an old, decrepit bell tower arose. Something skittered away from the long grasses along the path. ¡°Ok, why are you following me?¡± I asked while gasping for breath¡ªthe broken tower¡­not far now! ¡°Because I want you¡±, came an unhurried reply beside me; she wasn¡¯t even out of breath. ¡°Are you in love with me?¡± I groaned while something cawed from the trees. ¡°Utaru forbid¡­why¡ª?¡± I didn¡¯t hear the rest. The conversation was going in circles. The exact one in fact. I rubbed my head, ¡°Let me rephrase¡­why do you want me?¡± She turned her head towards me, disgust apparent in her expression, ¡°Because you are..what the humans call it? Engaged, yes, engaged to me; I need to take you to Olyelnore Ur¡¯van¡±. ¡°When did that happen?!¡± I shouted like a madman, What the fu¡ª ¡°When you cut my hair like a savage¡±, she replied, waving her dagger at me. I sighed. This night just keeps getting longer and longer. ~~~~ The bell tower was quite high. The old staircase was breaking down in several places. The dim light didn¡¯t exactly help our cause either. Now that we were out of immediate danger, I could feel the adrenaline rush recede. My breath were getting shallower. The dark form of the woman bobbed up in front of me, getting further. Fuck, I am getting sleepy¡ªthe Shivang wine and the Apopris were returning their efforts in their function; inducing sleep like a dead man. My vision narrowed¡­my footsteps were growing irregular. Every step I took was a fight with closing eyelids. Heat rolled off our bodies as the release of tension made us sweat. A little more¡ªDon¡¯t fall asleep now! Light burst into view. Red was bleeding into the sky as we stumbled onto the belfry. The four sides had high windows cut into the wall. The first light of dawn left bruises in the sky, scores of crying bird like creatures soaring up, riding the thermal. I stepped around the shattered, weed-grown brass bell that lay there askew. Once, the bell rang in dawns in the city of men. Now it lay broken, watching over lost time. I held the wall and dropped down, stretching my legs. I can¡¯t¡ªanymore. We sat there. The woman was gasping too. She had blue-black bruising from when the Serrads had went on their rampage. We looked at each other and¡ªbroke out in a breezy laughter. The belfry rang with our relaxed laughs. Fire blossomed on my thigh. Looking down, I saw a thick crossbow bolt had sprouted from my leg. Red blood was spreading through my clothes. I looked up towards the door. A burnt¡ªthing barely having the semblance of man shuffled towards us. He had a pitchfork attached to his chest. The long wooden handle occasionally touched the ground, making scraping noises. He had a crossbow poised in his burnt arm. His whole face had melted off. Teeth black with soot peeked under burnt off lips. He gave a wheezy laugh¡ªas if something collapsed inside his chest. A flash of silver swept towards him¡ª the woman¡¯s dagger found its mark on the man¡¯s burnt throat. He collapsed without making a single sound; the body fell askew, raised up by the intact pitchfork. Oh fuck. Lances of pain shot up my leg. The world tunneled into a single throbbing point¡ªAaaaagh! I heard myself scream bestial cries, the belfry shaking with the echo. I could feel my limbs lose their feeling, my arms dropped to my sides like leaden weights. I slumped forward. My body started convulsing. This¡­is probably the en¡ª ¡°Tch. I need him alive¡±, I heard the woman say as I sank into darkness.
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A sneak peek for those who will be upset about the cliff-hanger. Spoiler: Spoiler [th_0v.gif] Sorry, Sorry. Xd Chapter 12: Surviving Overprotective Dwarf Dads Alright, some jabber before the chapter today. Announcement: there were some issues of bad grammar and awkward sentencing in earlier chapters, but I couldn''t address them as it is tough to edit your own stuff. So, Luciferia has very kindly agreed to help me out in that regard. So, the chapters Prologue to 10 will be slowly fixed. Right now, the Prologue, Chapters 11,12 and 01 are edited and proofread. Btw, check out Luciferia''s story Of Astral and Umbral, pretty neat and awesome in my opinion. Next, I would like to thank every person who has commented, reviewed and rated my work, I am not taking individual names because it will take too much space, but really...thanks for appreciating my work. As an authour, I am indebted to you guys. Aspecial shoutout to Mr. Sir, who started the same day as me and has provided constant encouragement from day one. His story, Sky Prince is pretty cool I think, Why don''t ya check it out? Chapter 12 : Surviving Overprotective Dwarf Dads ¡°¡­Some say that there are other worlds¡­universes to be precise, stacked on top of each other, superimposed. Sometimes, the boundaries grow thin and we can see a glimpse of it. Tall spires of glass and metal, shining in a world of single moon. Men and strange beasts carrying sticks of fire, iron birds flying in the sky. We have had such dreams, often. The theory of stacked worlds might not be so far-fetched after all. But¡­glass is two-way. Doesn¡¯t that mean that the people of that world too¡­can see us? They can see our magics, our people and our worlds. Is it too strange to think that in those worlds, there are stories of dragons flying in skies, Elves running through forests and of beast-men? I wonder¡­¡± ¡ª Scholar Arridan Sovieri, ¡®Why our Stories are Similar¡¯, 1456 A.C
A completely black world. No¡­ A huge flower bloomed in the pitch darkness. Petals the colour of blood spread from it, illuminated from inside. Eerily, even though total darkness bloomed, there was strange illumination that lighted up the flower and its snaking vines. And the person sitting on it. ¡°Hello, Astria¡±, I greeted her. For some reason, I couldn¡¯t move. Couldn¡¯t even tilt my head. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time¡±, Astria said, stroking the flower. The flower purred, its body trembling. What the...purring flowers? ¡°I see some strange things are happening in my dreamscape¡±, I asked, ¡°also, what¡¯s with the flower?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t your dreamscape. This is my domain¡±, Astria stared at me straight; her eyes sharpened. She shivered a little, ¡°your dreamscape these days¡­is troublesome to get in¡±. I know why. ¡°So then, what is it?¡± I asked. ¡°You know that the Curseblade works only on¡­a specific god¡±, Astria seemed to hesitate. Her red gown shifted¡ªlike some living being. ¡°Did you know that even we gods don¡¯t know how the Universe was created?¡± ¡°Did you have it custom made?¡± She arched an eyebrow at me in her signature fashion, ¡°The Creator made the universe. We didn¡¯t¡±. ¡°So even you guys have a boss, huh?¡± ¡°We are but the Jaelvagers, the fourth generation. Even the Second generation gods have not come across the Original Creator. When we came to be, the Universe already was¡±. ¡°Where are the other generations then? Also, why do gods have generations?¡± ¡°The others are¡­scattered. Some left, some were killed, some forgotten. Others reincarnated into Jaelvagers themselves. Did you think all gods came at the same time?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you people here from the beginning?¡± ¡°No. The gods came one by one. As for the Fourth¡­¡± she trailed off while she stood on the flower, eyes somewhere distant. ¡°We were made¡±. ¡°Made? What do you mean?¡± my back hurt from not moving. I just realized, that the vines held me up in air. ¡°Created. Fabricated. Conjured. Forced. Wished¡±, she whirled around, her eyes gained a strange fire. What in the¡­before I could ask her, she guessed my question, ¡°By mortals. Who else?¡± Her dress was now shifting violently, churning underneath, ¡°The only ones who can birth and kill gods are mortals themselves¡±. Anger dripped from her voice. She stared up at me, her eyes like obsidian, ¡°The important thing is, each species was given a weapon by the Creator. To slay gods¡±. ¡°Why did he give weapons that kill one of his?¡± ¡°When the other gods came, the Creator had already left the universe he created. We do not know¡±. ¡°So, you are telling me¡­¡± ¡°Vaegar is one such weapon. Remember this dream well¡±. Wait¡­what is she¡ª The dream dissolved. I could swear that I saw Astria tearing leaves off her beloved flower-plant before it vanished. ~~~~ My eyelids felt like lead and my whole body felt like jelly, unresponsive to commands. Then there was the horrible sound of someone dying. Very painfully. I managed to open my eyes. The elf prostrated before the broken bell, liquid flowing underneath her. She shivered a little¡­and threw up. So she isn¡¯t dying. I had never seen anyone throw up that much. She stared at me with blood shot eyes and a very ashen face. Then she retched again. The bell was stinking badly by now. She held her head in her hands while she heaved up, again and again. ¡°Tolf yuu nut thu drinhk tho muth¡±, my words came out horribly mangled¡ªI had no control over my tongue. A sharp metallic sound rang next to my ear. I turned painfully¡ªher dagger had lodged itself in the wall behind me. The dagger had even cut some of my hair. The woman is too quick! She shot a wild look at me, her hair all over her face, ¡°Who do you think blearrrgh¡ª she couldn¡¯t complete what she was saying before she curled up and vomited. The woman crawled towards me on all fours, ¡°You mangy cur¡ªthis time she managed to reach the window cut into the belfry and throw up down the side of the tower. How much does that woman have inside her? She seemed to have calmed down as she sat in front of me, legs crossed. She fanned herself with her hands. The dead assassin still lay at the doorway, put askew by the pitchfork protruding through his chest. ¡°This all happened because I need you alive¡±, she said while wiping her mouth, ¡°Somaru curse the day I met you¡±. ¡°Why are you doing a Jackson Pollock with your intestines?¡±, I asked. Damn, isn¡¯t it chilly up here? ¡°The what?¡± she was gradually regaining colour on her face. ¡°The bolt poisoned you. I had to suck it out to stop you dying¡±. My body¡ªso frigid. ¡°Oh thanks¡­wait what? You did what?¡± I glanced down where the bolt had hit me. A gaping wound stared back at me. The skin around the wound was blue black. I touched the skin¡ªthe texture was cracked like dry earth. I touched my leg. Oh Shit! I was naked. I had not a stitch of clothing on me from waist down. The wound was on my upper thigh so¡­yeah. ¡°You sucked off the poison?¡± I asked her again to be sure. ¡°Are you dimwitted? Yes, I sucked it off with my mouth¡±. ¡°Where are my pants? Quick!¡± I said urgently. Without pants! alone with an eerily beautiful girl who keeps talking about sucking me. ¡°Had to tear them off in haste¡±, She pointed towards a pile of torn clothes beside me. She almost killed me for cutting off her hair and if I get a hard-on¡­I glanced at the daggers beside her¡ªcold shivers ran down my spine. I groaned. I couldn¡¯t move yet, so I couldn¡¯t peel off any gear to cover myself up. The woman¡­won¡¯t give any of hers. It¡¯d be instant death if she reached out and tried to cover me up with my shirt. I mean, she had to come close to me to cover me up right? Shit. When it sucks, it blows. I sighed; ugh¡­I really need to work on my phrasings. ~~~~ ¡°I am a Sun Elf. My name is Faeve Siharis Oscentetalir Jorgaehen Olyenara Ur¡¯van¡±, she rolled off her name when I asked her about the hair-cut incident. ¡°I was born in¡ª ¡°Is this going to be a life story?¡±, I cut her off. My ass was freezing off due to the cold stone floor. Besides, my senses were still a bit dull from the Shivang and Apopris, so her words were like a haze. Actually, I almost died due to my slower reaction speed. She whirled her dagger in her hand, playing with it. ¡°Women of the Sun Elves do not cut their hair. It is a sign of their pride, their spirit and their honour¡±. I do not like where this is going. Better pay attention. ¡°They cut their hair only when they intend to take a mate. The mate cuts a part of the hair, a little part to show she is¡­what is it in humantongue?¡± she pondered, the knife freezing in her hands, ¡°Engaged, yes. That is the word¡±. ¡°It was a mistake. I did that to save your life out there¡±, I argued. Fuck this shit. She didn¡¯t seem to have heard me. ¡°No one cuts the hair of a Sun Elf without her permission. Do that, and you are¡­taking away her very pride¡±. She shivered and touched her nape length hair, ¡°Yet you cut it off like a savage. You know who gets their hair cut like this?¡± The dagger had stopped spinning in her hands, her eyes hardened, ¡°Whores. Powerful Elves would do that to women to show that they were their pleasure slaves. High class Whorehouses in the Human Capital often let customers cut off fake hair from their Elf workers as a play¡±. Sweat beaded on my temples. Suddenly, the dagger on her hands looked very sharp. I can¡¯t even move properly yet. ¡°Sorry about that¡­I really didn¡¯t know. I just tried to save you from dying¡±. I really should leave people to themselves. ¡°I know. I would have went on my way after cutting off your jurun, but¡­¡± she trailed off. I didn¡¯t want to know what a jurun was. ¡°I am also a Ur¡¯van-ere, daughter of the tree¡±, she declared. Green dust motes swirled about her, covering her body. Her eyes became greener, and for some reason¡ªalluring . I could feel sensation slowly creep back into my body. No not now! I need my lower half numb! I don¡¯t want a hard-on! She came near me with her dagger firmly in her hands. I immediately regretted the wish. ¡°Which means that when you cut my hair, you entered into a magical contract of the highest order. You have become one of the Aivern, the chosen of the tree¡±. Contracts again? Why can¡¯t I just have cute devils offering me contracts on street corners? (1) ¡°Err¡­Sin-Faeve¡±, I was extra polite because of the dagger, ¡°what the actual fuck is that?¡± Well¡­I tried. ¡°Olyelnore H¨¤rjaegar, the Tree of Life is the most sacred thing for the Elves. There are many stories about the creation but that isn¡¯t important. What is important is that, the tree is the centre of Elf life, and it¡¯s sentient¡±, she said while staring up at the sky. Sentient trees now? Sure¡­its fantasy after all. Faeve continued with her explanation, ¡°The tree extends its bloodline every few generations to some Elf women, the daughter of the tree. The chosen women have a duty¡±. ¡°Extends its bloodline? The tree fucks women?¡± She gave a small smile, ¡°No, more like blesses pregnant women. Anyway, the chosen younglings¡­are raised to be warriors. Warriors who will find the Aiverns¡±. By now, the sun had climbed into midday. Sweltering heat beat down on Salrest, below us. The two moons were out in the sky. The city clamoured in its unrest. And¡­I was sitting butt-naked on a broken tower. Such a wonderful day to be alive. Thinking of being alive, ¡°Hey. Thanks for saving me¡±, I earnestly thanked her. ¡°You even mouthed poison for me¡±. Faeve shook her hand, ¡°I did half. Thank the Khaginar wine you drink everyday. Your body was so poisoned with the brew that it slowed down and counteracted the deadly poison the assassins use¡±. She looked a bit impressed, ¡°Besides, I won¡¯t die. We assassins ingest poison from childhood to bring up our tolerance. Weak poison like this can¡¯t even make me wince¡±. ¡°But you were throwing up¡±, I blurted out. Shit. Me and my big mouth. Her face took on an ugly expression as her mouth curled up, ¡°That¡¯s the Khaginar wine, you scum. It might have saved your life. But, it has poisoned your body worse than a gulliner. You must have been drinking it for ages to have this much in your blood¡±. She then suddenly softened up a bit, seemingly having something cross her mind. ¡°Okay, okay. The story please¡±. ¡°The daughters of the tree find worthy individuals and fight them. Can you guess how the winner takes victory?¡± she asked, her voice taking on a harsh tone. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ ¡°The Aivern is proven worthy when they cut off the hair of one of the daughters. And by doing that, you have bound yourself to the tree and¡­me¡±, acid dripped from her words. I leaned back, my head looking up at the broken ceiling. ¡°Say, Faeve, how about you grow your hair out again? I won¡¯t tell this to anyone. No has to know what happened¡±, I said in my best don¡¯t-tell-anyone-we-had-drunk-sex impersonation. She looked startled, her hands clenched, ¡°Doesn¡¯t work that way, Eridan. When you cut the hair of an Uru¡¯van-ere, you severed the bond between the tree and me. The tree knows. It calls¡±. She hugged herself, shivering in spite of the sweltering heat. ¡°What happens if you don¡¯t answer its call? And what does it want anyway?¡± ¡°We, the daughters, die. When you cut off a branch from a tree, it withers. So do we¡±, she touched her hair again, like petting an animal, ¡°It wants the Aivern, the Champion of the Elves¡±. ¡°Is that so? What is that thing?¡± Just a little more¡ªthe numbness is almost gone. Can¡¯t let her kill me before that. ¡°They are warriors who protect the Elves and are under the protection of the Tree of Life. Many great elf generals were Aiverns¡±. ¡°Wait¡­you said elves. I am a human¡± ¡°Yes. That is highly unusual. But not unheard of¡±, she stood up and stretched herself, like a cat. ¡°So, I need to take you to the tree and become a proper Aivern¡±. Yeah right. As if I was gonna get mixed up with more murderous people. ¡°Thanks for the offer, but you see I already like the job I do¡±, I offered. ¡°It¡¯s a magical contract. Your magic power will dry out in a year if you don¡¯t go to the tree. It¡¯s a mechanism the tree uses to make sure that every Aivern is within their grasp¡±. ¡°Fuck you¡± ¡°I never understood how intercourse can be a filthy word for humans. Its something that is essential for the species¡± I have no answer for that, but I know something else. ¡°I had a nice time, killing people with you and stuff. But you see, we are like two ships passing at night. We met up, killed people but now its time to say farewell¡±. Best breakup speech. Ever. ¡°You can¡¯t. The contract is unbreakable until it meets its terms. Till then you are bound to me¡±. ¡°I¡¯ll be damned if I get involved. I am leaving¡±. I got up. It is weird without pants. ¡°Look here, humankin. I do not want to get involved in this either. The idea of being bound to someone is¡­deplorable, hideous¡±. She clenched her fists, her eyes hardened in silent anger. ¡°Least of all an¡­ Aivern. But I can¡¯t let you go¡±. ¡°Why don¡¯t you kill me then?¡±, I asked, readying my sword. I¡¯ll have to kill her now that it has come to this. ¡°Because I want to live¡±, she looked straight at me. No¡­through me, somewhere far. I met her green eyes. They were trembling, like ripples on a lone lake. I remembered someone else¡¯s eyes. She had wanted to live too. Faeve¡¯s jaws took on a hard line. Her high cheekbones moved with a gnash. ¡°I am sorry, Faeve. I really can¡¯t get involved¡±. The human gods were trouble enough. Don¡¯t need Elf tree gods on my ass. Besides, I need to take care of the room. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. I walked out to leave,stepping over the body of the dead assassin. The rank smell of blood and singed hair wafted out of the corpse. What did she even mean by wanting to live? Can¡¯t she just kill me and have the contract annulled? ¡°Being an Aivern will make you powerful. You can save the people you value. No one has to die like Arin¡±, Faeve said in a trembling voice behind me. The world went dark. Moments seemed to have slipped away as I suddenly had my sword pressed onto Faeve¡¯s slender throat. My heart thumped like a rabid dog. The low growl from my throat reverberated strangely in the belfry. Black raven like birds swirled around the entire belfry, throwing shadows inside it. The birds circled and cried. Their caws were shrill like the death throes of some strange animal. Faeve stared at the birds; startled. Her eyes widened while she took a few steps back from my blade. All of the black birds turned at her in unison. Their red eyes bore into her. I didn¡¯t know how, But I knew what the birds wanted. Tear her apart. ¡°What do you know of Arin?¡± I was shocked at how strange my voice was. Feed us her flesh. My sword dug deeper. Red beads welled up from the white throat . Strip her skin. ¡°You were crying out that name. You were¡­tortured in your sleep¡±. Oh. ¡°You begged for forgiveness again and again¡±. I don¡¯t want to hear it. ¡°Because you couldn¡¯t save her¡±. Yes. I failed. I gazed into Faeve¡¯s eyes. It reflected a madman, his visage terrible. He pointed a blade, distorted by her eyes, towards her. The words of the Spire-Master flashed through my mind. ¡®You become like the ones you kill¡¯ My blade dropped. The black birds cawed harshly, once, twice, three times and left, spreading their wings towards the city. Faeve was shaking, her voice distorted, ¡°The tree gives power. Even though you won¡¯t win the Vaeger, You will gain power as a Arivern¡±. ¡°What do I have¡ªwait...huh? Vaegar? I heard that name somew¡­Shit! ¡°Tell me about the Vaegar¡±, I closed in on her. ¡°The Tree of Life bestows upon the worthiest of Aivern the symbol of Fae power, the Vaeger¡±, she seemed startled at my sudden interest, ¡°However, you won¡¯t get it. You are not even a Sithern¡±. I know what the Vaeger was. It was the god-slayer weapon. With that one, I can finally¡­ ¡°Sin-Faeve, why don¡¯t you tell me more on the way? I will come with you¡±, I said slinging my sword. Now all I need are pants. ~~~~ The torn pants couldn¡¯t be used since according to Faeve, the cloth absorbed the poison and still had traces of it. The assassin had loaded a very lethal amount. The Church finally stooped low enough to use assassins, huh? So¡­I wrapped my nightshirt around my waist like some weird, really weird sarong and walked the streets. We stripped an assassins¡¯ corpse and took his clothes. Dead men clothes¡ªdidn¡¯t feel too good to wear. The city clamoured in an uproar. City guards wearing leather armour milled about everywhere, some shouting and running through the streets. Last night, the fights had torn the city up real good. People carried assassin corpses in carts. ¡°Find them! They must be near!¡± a Guard Captain shouted, his plated armour clinking with the exaggerated movements. ¡°Excuse me, Torr-Captain, but what happened?¡±, I asked trying to grasp the situation. ¡°Enemies! Spies! Syndicate! A group fought with the syndicate last night, taking out half their assassins; the city¡¯s end is near I tell you!¡ªwait, who are you? Don¡¯t waste my time, fool!¡± he shouted while sitting atop his Serrad, distracted. Then he noticed Faeve and whirled around; his eyes traveling up her hair, ¡°Don¡¯t play around with a whore right now. The City is in trouble, go home¡±. Faeve took a sharp breath beside me. I quickly grasped her hand and nodded at the guard captain. With haste, we entered a side alley. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me¡±, Faeve said quietly, flinging my hands apart. She shook like a leaf. ¡°Sorry. But we need to work together right now. The city is still in confusion, we gotta get to safety before they gather witnesses¡±, I told her while calculating the road to take to Kraus¡¯ shop. ¡°Faeve, why did you get caught by those men out there that day? You weren¡¯t¡­weak from what I saw¡±, I asked her while walking. ¡°I am an assassin who kills and hunts other assassins. I have trained whole my life for this. Which means¡­I can¡¯t handle monsters very well¡±, she said in a quiet voice. ¡°Oh¡­so you partied up because of that. How did you let them drug you?¡± ¡°I had gone with them before¡±, she said while her eyes hardened, ¡°I never imagined they would drug me by mixing it with the healing medicine¡±. She went quiet after that, not willing to speak. ~~~~ The watchers of the alleys pointed crossbows at us from behind their windows. I shook my head at Faeve to restrain her from taking any action. ¡°This feels very dangerous¡±, She muttered under her breath. ¡°You don¡¯t say?¡±, I noticed eyes boring into us. We walked to Kraus¡¯ shop with slow, deliberate steps. The watchers were terribly fidgety today. The place was still and silent as all days, but danger lurked in its corners. Palpable tension coiled through the streets and writhed around the corners in thick waves. Kraus noticed us and came out hurriedly. He ushered us in with wild waves of his hands. His face was very pale... paler than a dwarf¡¯s face could be. Dark circles ringed his eyes. He looked outside, peeking at the building from where the watchers carried on their vigil. He nodded at something unseen and closed the doors of his shop. Wait¡­ the thing had doors?! ¡°What have ya done?!¡± he exclaimed loudly, immediately checking himself and lowering his voice. He glanced around nervously. ¡°Looks like you know something, Kraus¡±, I asked. He fidgeted with his fingers. What was he scared about? ¡°Last night, the Armatech family put out an order of assassination in ya name. The Syndicate approved it, givin¡¯ it highest priority¡±, Kraus¡¯ face fell as he whispered the words. Fuck. Armatech? ¡°They say you raped their eldest daughter and her friends, Eridan¡±, he said while tinkering with the tools at his hip. His voice was one of quiet inquiry. ¡°I didn¡¯t. I only cut their clothes off to stop them chasing me¡±, I spread my hands. A cold dread spread through me. The shop is so warm today¡­ ¡°That¡¯s not what they are sayin¡¯ though. However, that hardly matters¡±, Kraus looked at me straight, his hands stopped their fidgeting. ¡°Run fast, run far. Now that a member of the inner merchant circle is involved¡­the syndicate will be huntin¡¯ you like a stray kivala¡±. My hands clenched on the handle of my sword. A noble again¡­ my facial muscles grew taut. ¡°Don¡¯t even think of fightin¡¯. Don¡¯t forget ya already have a bounty in the name of Talaviel¡¯s Order. Now the merchant guild is after ya. The guards and the council of the city are their pet kuris. Ya also took out half the Syndicate Assassins¡±, he shook his head guessing my intent. I played with my blade, tracing the patterns on its pommel. Shit. Where do I go? I still need the room. Kraus continued, ¡°Ya can¡¯t take on assassins who have been trainin¡¯ and consumin¡¯ all their lives. Ya have been consumin¡¯ cores for just a year, Eridan. Ya don¡¯t even know much magic¡±. He is right. My magic was unusually weak because I can¡¯t exactly go to a Church or High Level Mage to learn while on the run. ¡°Salizbergen Principality doesn¡¯t follow Talaviel. Their relations with Ebraven are very rocky. Go there¡±, Kraus said while rummaging in his stuff. ¡°Where is it?¡± I asked. ¡°The other side of Mountain of Trees¡±, Faeve who stood silent till now spoke up. Kraus turned his head and looked at her, ¡°Aye. The Sun-elf is right¡ª He whirled around violently and looked at her again, ¡°A Sun-elf? Ya already predicted this?¡± Huh? Kraus stared at my face and scrunched his bushy eyebrows, ¡°The only one who can take ya there from this side is a Sun-Elf. Their home is between the Mountain of Trees¡±. He made me rummage through his dusty stocks at a corner for a full half hour. Then he pushed some things towards me, ¡°Take these, I will take the payment from Urun¡±. Then he turned towards me conspiratorially, ¡°Ya tappin¡¯ that elf? Fine choice, Eridan. Just look at those¡ª¡± A dagger vibrated beside his ears, half buried in the wooden walls. ¡°No one is tapping anything, dwarf¡±, Faeve said in a frosty voice, her hand still frozen in a throwing position. Kraus had sweat shining from his bald pate. His hands trembled as he passed me something while he whispered, ¡°Violent one. But tell ya what? They are the most fun in the bed. My wife broke my head thrice before she married me. Bless ¡¯er soul¡±. His voice grew a tad cheerful. He passed me a small ornate blue crystal the size of my thumb inlaid in silver casing . The casing consisted of a silver snake with delicate etchings. I looked up at Kraus. ¡°My daughter studies at Cressinal in Salizbergen. Show this to her and she will shelter you. Probably. We don¡¯t talk much¡±. Kraus has a daughter?! ¡°The family name is Braconier, remember that. Also¡­¡±, he dragged forward a tall stool and got up on it laboriously. Then he looked me in the eye and¡­stuck a dagger at my throat, ¡°do not touch my daughter. She is a pure girl. Keep ya filthy hands off ¡¯er¡±. He had murder in his eyes. I blinked. I mean¡­have you seen a 4 foot angry dwarf eager to protect his daughter¡¯s chastity standing on a stool and glaring at you? Terrifying. And hilarious. ¡°Okay, okay¡±, I placated him. His scowling face softened a bit. He whispered to me again, ¡°Do you know who chopped that Elf¡¯s hair like that?¡± ¡°I did¡±, I answered back, ¡°by accident¡±. Kraus jerked up violently. He almost fell from the stool. He stared at me strangely. ¡°You are screwed, kamprucht!¡± he said in a resigned tone, shaking his head. ¡°It was good to know you¡±. Oh boy. I will never save anyone again. ¡°By the way, Kraus¡±, I pointed at something on a shelf, ¡°give me one of those bags that cut off all traces of AP¡±. ¡°Oh? Why do ya need it?¡± he asked while getting me a small pouch, ¡°and this small a size?¡± ¡°So that the Order can¡¯t trace me¡± , I said while dropping Kraus¡¯ ornate crystal in it. Kraus looked at me scowling. He then sighed quite loudly, ¡°You are too smart for your own good, kid¡­but don¡¯t hope to hide from the Rolsberg Order forever¡±. I grinned at him while I turned towards the door, ¡°See you later, Kraus¡±. Faeve and I walked through the narrow back alleys. The sun had hidden itself in banks of clouds. Oppressive heat rolled off in waves, the cobble stones underfoot stung the feet. Harrengaz hadn¡¯t yet open for business. Few brothels opened up during day. The street was eerily quiet. ¡°Halt! Who goes there?¡± a fitful guard patrolling the street asked. Poor fellow was prancing up and down Harrengaz, alone. ¡°Korel and his¡­companion, to the whorehouse on Trulianr corner¡±, I answered him. Eridan should be a dangerous name right now. ¡°Pass¡±. He resumed his fitful march across the street. ¡°Some people have it good. Such a pretty slave and fucks whores too¡±, I heard him mutter as he went. Faeve beside me didn¡¯t say anything. But her steps were not as light as I was used to hearing. Why is she so hung up about this¡­ The whorehouse was a mess, riddled with arrows at the third and second floor. Shady looking men prowled the streets, scowling at any passerby. One of them turned around and walked towards me, briskly. ¡°Don¡¯t bother, Hafel¡±, drawled Urun from the doorsteps, ¡°he is one of mine¡±. The man went scowling away, muttering something about men whores. I walked up to the door¡ª arrows jutted out from it. ¡°Happy to see you safe, Eri-larr¡±, Urun caught me and Faeve by the scruff and shoved us inside, ¡°it isn¡¯t safe outside¡±. ~~~~ We were at Urun¡¯s private parlour, dutifully getting scolded. Her tirade had continued for quite some time while she paced around in the small room, smoking dried husui leaves. ¡°You can still stay here¡­I think the order will be happy to accommodate you, Eri-larr¡±, said Urun while she puffed up huge clouds of bluish smoke. ¡°I can¡¯t, Mama Urun. Also, I don¡¯t want to put you and the girls in danger¡±, I said. Faeve stood at a corner, drinking the tea like charin. ¡°That¡­is probably true. Word is out that you killed Lady Solveria while she was deliberating about improved living condition of stable keepers¡±, Urun said while she fixed her red-green gown. I arched my eyebrows while I remembered about how we had found the said lady. ¡°Of course, we all know she liked a more¡­hands-on approach with her charges¡±, Urun said while smirking, ¡°but¡­she is dead and people think its you. Her husband plans to pin the blame on you to hide the shameful facts¡±. She pointed at the door, ¡°go get your stuff. I guess boys will grow up and leave the nest sometime¡±. I turned to leave, Faeve tried to follow me. ¡°Not you, Sun-Elf. You and I have something to talk about¡±, Urun held back Faeve by holding her shoulders. I quickly packed in my stuff in a worn out leather satchel. I gazed at the room I had stayed for a year; all banged up and littered with arrows. I hope Urun had insurance. Do they even cover assassins in insurance? I looked at the room one last before closing the doors. I might miss you. When I came down, I saw the girls had gathered, Suri at the forefront. She had a sad smile on her face as she looked at me. ¡°The customers thought it was a special service. Two died when the sexy assassins turned out to be real ones¡±, she offered as a way of conversation, ¡°Men are such fools¡±. I gave her a large bag, I had borrowed some money from Kraus to buy this. She took it with surprise on her face, and opened it. ¡°Wha¡­wha¡ªshe jumped into my arms while tears streaked down her face. ¡°I won¡¯t be seeing you for a while, Suri. So, for all those days¡±, I said while I held her shaking body. A berrirut fruit dropped from the bag I had given her. ¡°Half of the fruits will spoil, Eri¡­¡±, she cried while she wiped her melting makeup, ¡°really, men are such fools¡±. She tiptoed and kissed me full on the mouth. Her tongue sought mine, entwining. Her hands clutched at my sides, while salty tears entered our mouths. I let her have the kiss, because that was the least I could do for her. I pressed her close to my body, my hands on her waist. The people around us had gone silent. She broke apart from me after a bit, smiling, her face now mostly free of the strong makeup. ¡°Did I tell you that you look much prettier without makeup?¡±, I said, smiling. By now Urun and Faeve had come into the room. Faeve looked furious, a white bottle in her hands. Suri pulled at her blue skirt, ¡°I wanted to sleep with you for at least once, Eri¡±. She had a small smile at her lips. She turned around towards Faeve, ¡°Oi Elf. Take care of him for us¡±. Faeve, tried to say something but closed her mouth. ¡°What¡¯s in the bottle?¡± I asked her. Her face went violet, as she shook violently. Her fingers dug at the bottle. ¡°Potion¡±, Mama Urun replied, ¡°it won¡¯t do you two any favours to get pregnant on the run¡±. Shit. Faeve will kill me.
Waifu notes References (1) Reference to High School DxD.
Fine! be that way! don''t rate or review me! It-it''s not like I wa-wait for it daily or anything. Chapter 13: Surviving Curses Author Note: So, I heard you guys don¡¯t read the blurbs right under the Chapter Title? Well...you are missing out. They are important because they tell histories and fill small gaps in the story about how things work. Also, a lot of them have information that creeps up in the main story. Edited by- Luciferia So...I was tinkering around and thought maybe this could use some music. Turn it off if it distracts you though. Also, you might leave suggestions for good music I can add to chapters. Spoiler: Music
¡°¡­The Salresian assassins blacken their poisoned daggers, except the very edge so that it doesn¡¯t reflect light. However they can¡¯t cover the edge as it will make it blunt. Their main weapons, the Daharii Crossbows are made pitch black¡­Magic is not used so as not to leave a trace of Aurora¡­¡± -The Assassination Game, Surinar Ottho, 1578 A.C. Chapter 13 : Surviving Curses ¡°Your picture looks nicer than you¡±, Faeve said while balling up the piece of yellowish paper in her hands. ¡°I wish it was the same painter that did me last time¡±. I answered while I loaded up my gear in a basket. I stared at the green fishes poking their lifeless eyes at me. Staring contest with dead fishes. Yay¡­ Rigel 1 , Sanity 0. The gruff sailor scowled at me, his voice harsh. He then gestured at the fish barrel. Fine. I climbed in and sat inside it. The barrel was large enough to fit me. It still has half its space empty? Not for long though. Smelly, slimy fish landed on me, covering every inch of the barrel. If not for the small, concealed breathing holes at the bottom, I would have been dead in minutes. In a barrel with dead fishes. I stared up at the patchwork reddish sky from under the multitude of fish bodies. The gruff sailor closed the lid, nasty grin on his face. My last view consisted of tens of dead fishes staring at me and then¡­darkness. Happy journey, Rigel. ~~~ When Urun heard that we wanted to leave immediately, she had stared at us as if we were crazy. She had told us to wait and had gone out, barking after someone. After a while, she had come back with yellowish sheets of paper in her hands. She thrust those rumpled papers at me. I took them in my hands¡ªshit! Now, I had wanted posters in my name earlier. After I killed bishop Andalus, Talaviel¡¯s Order had asked for my head and issued wanted posters to that effect. When I had seen those posters arrive at Salrest¡­I wanted to reward whoever painted them. The painter obviously had no idea of how I looked, I mean what¡¯s with the curled horns? Anyway, due to that the Order¡¯s bounty hunters couldn¡¯t find me out easily. Some did though. They were smart. Too smart. And they ended up in the room. But this painting was¡­quite good. No wonder, since the Merchant guild was involved. The reward was also substantial. I can¡¯t pass the checkpoints on the road towards Mountain of Trees. I grimaced at the picture¡ªit would be hard to flee with these posted at every city, town and guilds. ¡°There is only one way, Eri-larr¡±, Urun said while offering me a usui-filled pipe. ¡°The seas to the west. From there you can go to Forril village at the edge of Ebraven¡¯s border, and then, the Mountain of Trees¡±. Faeve sat sharpening her daggers. She looked up at me, ¡°The sea-way is a bit longer, but at least no one will hunt us¡±. She picked up her tools and packed them in a bag, ¡°Get ready. We leave now¡±. ¡°Ei, Faeve-larr. You can¡¯t go out right now. The guards will be roaming the docks too. Wait till evening falls and the fishing Nampars come back¡±. ¡°Why?¡± I inquired, a sudden gust of wind carried in the gutter-stink. ¡°Because, Eri-larr, you will be going as cargo. No one checks a Nampar¡±, Urun gave an unsettling smile. I do not like the sound of this. ¡°Stay here, Faeve, I am going out. I have things to do¡±, I said while I put on a drab looking jacket. ¡°Nay. I will go with you¡±, Faeve said as she sheathed her daggers. I turned my face towards her while I called a girl over, ¡°You won¡¯t like where I am going¡±. ¡°I can¡¯t risk you running away, humankin¡±. ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt me then¡±, I walked towards the girl, ¡°Turin, make me a different person. Someone people won¡¯t look twice at¡±. ~~~ An hour or two later, I checked myself in the small mirror. Mirrors were pretty costly in this world, but¡­it was needed for these girls¡¯ trade, so there were a few in Urun¡¯s establishment. Matted brown hair fell over my face, coiled and untidy. Bits of dirt and grime stuck to my tanned skin, a huge black birthmark on one cheek. Faeve too had received a makeover. She no longer looked the bisque-doll¡ªsmile lines and dust covered her untidy visage. She had a sick pallor, her hair being ruddy black. Her elf-ears were covered with a torn up straw hat. We headed out towards the Spire. The guard at the city gate stopped us, ¡°Halt! Where are you going!¡± I tripped and stumbled on purpose, while I muttered incomprehensibly under my breath. Faeve was holding me tight by my arm. ¡°Torr-guard, ma hussband ¡®er drunk on Coolien. He cumma hom eerieday drunk. Me goin¡¯ ta forrest fa sum buchi leaves fer heem ta feed on¡±, Faeve spoke like a slum dweller from outside the city walls. ¡°Why are you inside the walls?¡± the guard bellowed coming down from his Serrad. ¡°Ma hussband be a stinkin¡¯ basstard. He gunn off to spend all ma ¡®earnins on Coolien and¡­.and whores!¡±, she sounded angry. ¡°Whores I teel you, torr! ¨C ¡°Okay, okay. Enough, woman. Don¡¯t go near the Spires. The monsters will eat you¡±, The guard looked at me hard. ¡°Ofcuss, torr. Na be cumin¡¯ with me, ye fool¡±, Faeve tugged at my arms. ¡°Shhutup woman, tek ye hands uff me¡±, I tried to add some dramatic effect. Hey, I did want to be an actor once! The guard came at me, shoved me by the chest, ¡°Don¡¯t speak like that to your wife, scoundrel. Lowest of the lowest¡±. He strode back, ¡°Go¡­get that man some buchi leaves and take him home¡±. Faeve pulled me along the dirt road leading to the forest. For some reason, she was digging in too hard. ¡°You¡­you¡­little scrumper. You almost got us caught!¡±, she started yelling as soon as we were near the Spire, long past the Guard post. Her nails left marks on my skin. ¡°Dun¡­b like ¡®tat, wife¡±. I said while I cut off the limbs of a vestar. We were near the marshes, under which lay the room. Faeve scowled at me, while she kept watch out for any onlookers. We had to carry our weapons in the pouch I had found at Icchvarrion¡¯s mansion. My fingers dug on the pouch, Arin¡­ I dipped the bleeding limbs of the Vestar into the marsh water, shaking it. ¡°Say, Faeve, anyone could cut your hair while sleeping, right? So anyone could become an Aivern¡±. She kept staring at the Spire while she talked, ¡°No. Everyone back at Olyelnore Ur¡¯van knows the rules, they would properly challenge a Ur¡¯van-ere to combat to cut her hair. Besides, this hair is our connection to the tree of life, it can¡¯t be cut by one ineligible to become an Aivern¡±. ¡°You said ¡®back at your home¡¯, so what are you doing here? Sounds like only Elves are chosen to become one¡±. She cast her eyes down, and stayed silent for a while, ¡°Yes, only elves are chosen to become an Aivern. The daughters are not to leave the Forest¡­but I was¡­¡± her voice trailed off. She cleared her throat before continuing, ¡°I was exiled¡±. She touched the scarf that covered her throat. I knew what she was touching. The pitch black choker underneath. I shouldn¡¯t pry, should I? By now I had seen the Crezets¡¯ shadows under the surface. Two Crezets rose up, water draining from their blackish scales. The training I had put these beasts through for the last year, combined with the sacrifice I had give to learn control the sacred beasts of Zain compelled them to listen to me. ¡°What are you planning?¡± Faeve asked, drawing her daggers. I smiled at the Crezets feeding on the torn limb, ¡°Why, an underwater adventure of course¡±. Faeve sat on the Crezet gingerly. Her eyes skittered fitfully, her fingers fidgety on its back. I shot a smile at her while I sat on another, teaching her to grasp the scales correctly. The Crezets sunk into the water slowly, taking us with them. Dirty water filled with debris swirled around us, the sunlight grew dim with each passing moment. The Crezets swam into the whirlpool at the cave entrance, their powerful tails cutting apart the water. The whirlpool sucked us in, the current powerful enough to sweep in the heavy Crezets. The beasts surfaced at the underground cavern. Faeve stood up, water dripping down her wet clothes. She had worn grayish clothes so it had grown transparent. Bits of kelp and moss stuck to our clothes. I whistled at Faeve, my eyes traveling down her well defined curves, free of the compressing assassin attire. Her clothes stuck closely to the body, accentuating her features. She glared at me with her daggers out. I walked towards the cave entrance with her closely behind me. Our shoes brushed against the rocky cavern floor, the sounds echoing like a ghost¡¯s cry. Staleness hung in the air. Some of the crystals shone bright with the filtered sunlight through the shafts reaching to the surface. ¡°Eridan, what is this place?¡±, Faeve asked in a quiet voice, ¡°It smells of death¡±. I didn¡¯t answer her. I reached the rock blocking the cavern door, and shoved with my shoulders. Faeve dropped on one knee and inspected the green Sulpurian ore sprinkled around the rock, and raised an eyebrow at me. Her wet hair stuck to her nape, glowing faintly in the diffused light of the cave. The rock moved with a grating sound, pebbles breaking underneath. The room stood in its dark haze, scant light playing game of shadows inside it. Rank air rushed out, carrying with it the odour of rotting meat and decay. A low whimper sounded from somewhere inside the cave, echoing strangely. Faeve started screaming. I looked at her, she had fallen back on her ass and stared at the room; aghast. Her eyes had gotten wide and she breathed raggedly. He hands were clutching at the small rocks underneath, clenching and opening¡ªover and over. ¡°Wha¡­.what is this? Why is¡ª she screamed again as her eyes adjusted and she saw what was inside the door. It was the woman knight I had brought here the other day. Her half eaten body lay near the door, meat and skin hung from her corpse. Dried blood covered the floor underneath her. She had in her hands the Executioner Sword I had left there, the tip sunk deeply into the carcass of a monster, also half eaten. I trod inside the chamber. Things skittered away in the dark at my footsteps. The knight had her arms stretched towards the door¡ªShe had wanted to flee. Chunks of flesh and organs were missing from her body. Maybe she had crawled towards the door¡ªbefore the beasts ate her or after... I shivered at the thought of monsters feeding on her while she lived; her screams unheard. Faeve whimpered and sobbed behind me, her voice choking up. Why is an assassin crying? I glanced back at her, she had retreated to the edge of the rocky beach, far away from the cave. She cried while hugging her knees, staring at the deep darkness. I tugged at the Executioner sword; the dying woman had clutched at it too tightly. Rigor Mortis had set her fingers into a steel grip, unyielding. I smashed her dead hands with my shoes to retrieve the blade. The motion sent the woman¡¯s corpse tumbling¡ªit flipped. The eyes and nose were¡ªgone! I walked back towards the entrance, looking back at the cave for the last time. Deep darkness played with light, birthing unholy shadows. Men and beasts had killed each other, and spent their blood on that floor, unable to flee. I sat beside Faeve, not saying anything. After a while she wiped her tears and grasped her daggers, one of them pointed at my throat. She clambered in front of me, looking into my eyes as she pinned my legs underneath her. ¡°What is that, Eridan. Why is such¡­WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!¡±, she screamed again, her skin drained of colour. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. I sighed. I didn¡¯t move the dagger from my throat. ¡°Belief. That is what sustains a god, Faeve. The wishes, the aspirations, the worships of mortals is what gives them power and life. As long as mortals believe, a god exists. As long as he is in memory of people, he exists. That is why, the gods need mortals¡±. Faeve looked at me with deep green eyes, her dagger wavering. She looked at the cave once and whirled back at me, ¡°So?¡± ¡°Those believers¡­what happens when they denounce their gods? Thrown into the deep darkness where neither fate nor light reaches, they call at him. They beg, they cry. But the god doesn¡¯t listen. They never did. In there, monsters feed on men, men feed on monsters; they kill, they take life to save themselves. Finally, when the hunger grows taut, you know what happens? The men eat each other¡±. Faeve sat agape, her eyes filling with water. Suddenly, smells of rotten meat wafted out the cave. She reached over my shoulder and hurled near the lake. Her breasts brushed my lips, the contact made her shiver. The Crezets wont like her vomiting in their lake. Probably. I continued, ¡°In their last moments¡­they lose anything that ever made them human. Their despair, their agony¡­they stare at the door, unable to get out. Their terror at the approaching death, either in form of hungry monsters or their fellow men stain the air. In their last moments, they curse and denounce their god, forgoing their own faith¡±. I was out of breath. I looked at the sword at then at Faeve. She had gone even paler. Her face made dirty with makeup now looked even more haggard. She was shaking and shivering. The Cave was eerily cold, sending a chill down my wet skin. Something howled in the dark, making Faeve tremble¡­ Or is it me scaring her? I pointed at the Executioner sword, ¡°This is what that keeps them alive in there. This blade is what they had swung in their last moments, slaying fellow men and beasts. Then, they cursed as the blade bit into their own flesh, swung by their companions¡±. ¡°This blade, Faeve, is the testament to their curses, their despair. Their agony stains this blade. And this¡­has become the weapon to slay a god, by the blood and curses of his own believers. Very few things can take down a god. A Curseblade made of his own believers is one of them¡±. Faeve looked at me strangely; she removed the dagger from my throat, and sheathed it. Then, she hugged herself with her shaking hands. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t they escape? Their priests could tap into the god¡¯s power¡±., she asked. ¡°I sliced off a few limbs so that they couldn¡¯t move the rock. Priests don¡¯t come headhunting. I killed any mages so that they can¡¯t use magic. And for the off chance some swordsmen could¡­.that¡¯s why I used the Magic-Negating ore dust, Sulpurian¡±. ¡°How many¡­how many have you¡ª ¡°The members of Talaviel¡¯s Order that came after me¡±. ¡°So, you are saying¡ª ¡°Yes, this is a sword made for Talaviel, made just for him¡±. ¡°Eridan¡­what have you done!¡± she said again, under her breath. ¡°I do not ask for forgiveness, Faeve¡±, I said in a low voice, ¡°I am not a hero¡±. I gripped my old friend, the Executioner sword, light glinted off it, ¡°Also, my name is Rigel¡±. Her hands dropped, and stared across the lake behind me. She took a deep breath, inhaling the stale air and stench of death. Her hands trembled as she moved herself from my legs which she had pinned underneath. She rolled to sit beside me, our skin slightly touching. ¡°Gods¡­I now know why you drink that dreadful Khaginar wine¡±. I didn¡¯t say anything, but stood up. Our bodies touched a bit more in this movement. She jolted to the side, as if my skin burned her. I turned towards her, she averted her eyes. She hates me, eh? Well, that¡¯s inevitable. I walked towards the cave and dragged the half eaten corpse of the knight towards the lake. Bits and pieces of her body dropped along the way¡ªjolting out when I dragged it over the rocks. I almost tripped over her trailing intestines, some still attached to her desiccated body. Finally, I thrust her body half into the water and whistled loudly. I could see from the edge of my vision¡ªFaeve stared at me aghast, her body shivering. She looked at the woman again, and then at me. The water churned furiously as tens of Crezets rose to the surface, their blackish scales gave the water patches of dull metallic sheen. Their red eyes stared at us like lamps, hunger in their wake. The Crezets began to climb onto the rocky shore, tearing into the body of the woman. Bits and pieces of fat and meat were flying around in their furious shaking. Soon, the woman¡¯s body disappeared as Crezets dragged her into the depths. More of the beasts tracked the stench of blood from the cave and raced across the shore to get to it. Hungry Crezets jumped into the cave, almost tripping each other at the entrance. Sounds of snapping and gnawing echoed in the cavern, made by many hungry jaws. With this, there will be almost no trace of the room anymore. A rustling sound¡ªFaeve was sitting with her head on her raised knees, shaking fitfully. Even assassins can¡¯t handle this, huh? What have I¡ªbecome? The Gift of Knowledge has already warped my mind to some extent but¡­how far will it twist me? I stopped two Crezets from joining in on the feeding frenzy. They looked at me, their eyes wide and skittering towards the cave. They wanted to join in¡ªEnough to attack me? ¡°You can have your share as soon as you carry us back¡±, I told them. I wasn¡¯t sure if they understood or not. After all, they were beasts. Their eyes shone with eerie intelligence as they scampered over and presented their backs. Their tails swished impatiently. I called Faeve over. She came and sat on one of the Crezets, none of the previous gingerliness present in her motions. I climbed on one too. The Crezets hurried on to the lake, almost jumping. Faeve held on tight. Her hands clenched the scaled ridge at the back. She had closed her eyes, as if not to let the cavern be in her view anymore. When we rose back to the surface, I put the Executioner sword into the bag. She looked at it once and stole away her eyes. The whole way back, we didn¡¯t exchange any words, she seemed resolute to not walk near me. When we reached the city gate, the guard had changed. A young man with shiny new armour manned the post; he scowled at us. ¡°Who are you! What are you doing?¡± Faeve tried to mumble something but she choked. Fuck. ¡°Ei Torr, me anf ma weif gun ta pick grass fer me was drunk¡±, I quickly said. ¡°Why is there bits of weed on you? Where is the grass?¡±, he strode over, his eyes shone. Shit. ¡°Dunn ya haf ane manners? Wat a wief an hussband does out in ta woods in our bussines. It be a gud day so I dragged me wief and haf some fun in the grass. Me tell ya, doing it in de wet grass¡ª ¡°Okay okay; enough! Pass!¡±, the guard looked flustered, probably due to his young age. I could see his skin going crimson as he walked away hurriedly. Stupid guard. We would be in trouble if he wasn¡¯t young. We trudged back to Urun¡¯s dripping wet. She arched her eyebrows but didn¡¯t ask too many questions. We quickly packed the rest of out things and waited for Urun¡¯s contact to come. ~~~ Evening had already fallen when I went to say my goodbyes to the girls. Suri had red eyes, tears shone on her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯ll come back soon¡±, I told her while I talked over things with Urun. ¡°Men always say that. They never keep their promises¡±, Suri choked, ¡°Be safe, Eri¡±. ¡°Where is Faeve?¡± I asked her. She was nowhere to be seen. ¡°She is taking a shower¡±, Suri hesitated to tell me something. ¡°Did¡­something happen? She was sobbing¡±. I didn¡¯t answer her. I didn¡¯t know how to. After a while, Faeve came back, wearing her leather gear. None of the previous turbulent emotions marked her demeanor. She had turned once again into the assassin she was. Urun thrust a bag at me. I opened it; it had quite a few Shivang bottles and Apopris fruits. I looked up at her. ¡°Take it as a gift, boy. You will need it¡±, she said while shaking her hands. The gift must have cost quite a lot. ¡°Go, follow Hurris to the dock, he will guide you¡±, she said while wiping her eyes. Even Urun cries, huh? ¡°Goodbye, Mama Urun. Goodbye, Suri¡±, I said as we passed the door. I didn¡¯t glance back at them. I couldn¡¯t afford to. When I was falling apart¡­these women were the ones who took me in, gave me a place to stay. They didn¡¯t let me alone in my grief. Each of them would annoy me, try to break apart my walls till I laughed with them. I don¡¯t know what they saw in a broken man, but¡­they were the ones who kept me together. I won¡¯t be able to leave if I think all this. Hurris waved his musclebound arms and walked at a brisk pace through the back alleys. The sun had set, but the skies still bled from its passing. Flocks of birds were returning to their nest in the trees. Which direction is¡­ my home? We came upon the docks. Rows of vessels stood, bobbing in the waves that lapped up the piers. In a distance, huge wooden ships stood with their sails down. Some were receding into the distance, their sails patches against the darkening skies. ¡°Why did you pick the name Eridan?¡±, Faeve asked quietly. ¡°Because it means End of the River where I come from¡±, I said while I clutched at the Kivala necklace on my neck. Bird cries resounded through the docks as they fought over fish. Men raised an unholy din while they prepared to set sails, or return from the seas. Ker¡¯dals were lighting up slowly. The tanned Hurris took us to a corner in the dock. A fairly large boat stood there, with its sails down. The barnacled wood vessel swayed lightly in the water, men scampered on it with ropes. ¡°This is it. Mama Urun asked her¡­friend to let you two stow away in The Kurrick¡¯s Tooth¡±. A gruff man looked over from the deck, peering at us. ¡°Ye all de cargo?¡±, he asked, setting a gangplank down its sides. ¡°Me Vinter Crit, Grunter of de Kurrick¡¯s tooth. Pleased ¡®ta meetcha¡±, he grinned ear to ear, a few teeth missing fromhis heavilt tanned face. ¡°Eridan, and this is my wife Faeve¡±, I answered him. ¡°Yar wifee is lovely, if ya dun mind. Come aboard. Nice trip ta ya¡±, he said while flashing a nasty smile at Faeve. Yep, this is why I said she is my wife, yet¡­ ¡°Mama Urun will be eager to hear of their safe passage, Vinter¡±, Hurris said gravely. ¡°Gif her ma regards, Hurris¡±, Grunter Vinter said, ¡°ya dunt hafta threaten me¡±. We walked up the gangplanks. The rough looking men stared at us for a moment then continued on with their work. A heavily tanned and tattooed hulk of a man came towards us, rolling two barrels. ¡°Dressir, Torr and Sin. Please¡±, he pointed at the barrels. What? Vinter had walked up the planks after us and stood beside me, ¡°Git in dere, lad. Can¡¯t haf de marin guard spot ye¡±. Faeve sighed and scrunched up her nose. ¡°What are you doing with the fish?¡± Vinter gave a really nasty smile this time. ¡°Pour it in de barrel to cover ye up, Tron¡­Fae..fave¡±, he fumbled saying her name. Oh shit. The men had brought fishes up from the net slung back at the ship, the green scales glistened in the setting sun. The stink of fish had coiled around the boat¡­no the whole dock. Birds had fought for the fishes on the net. ¡°Git off, ye son of a scallven, filthy crunks!¡±, a lanky man had howled at the birds, making them take flight. I had looked at the fish again and at the barrels. ¡°Faeve, why didn¡¯t you kill me and get out of the mess?¡±, I had whispered at her. ¡°I¡­I want to go home. Bringing a Arivern might lift my exile¡±, she had whispered back, touching her choker. I had left unspoken what I had thought myself. I can¡¯t kill you¡­because you are my key to power. Faeve had taken out the wanted poster that had my face from somewhere. ¡°Your picture looks nicer than you are¡±, Faeve said while balling up the piece of yellowish paper in her hands. With a hammer, the man nailed in the lid of the barrel. Darkness fell. I clutched at the Kivala necklace. I am going to the seas, Arin. Have you reached there yet?
Ba-baka! i-it¡¯s not like I get really happy when you post ratings and advanced reviews! N-no absolutely not! Not like I ch-check every hour to see comments and reviews. But i-if you really want...I- I will wait for the reviews! All Things Sangraal So, recently How To Survive a Summoning 101 crossed a few milestones, like 500 follows, 50 ratings, 2800 views. When I started out, I never imagined that I would get so much love and affection. You guys/girls/doges are the best! I have always been asking reviews/ratings as an author. So, that got me thinking, what can I do for you guys in return? Here is the answer. All the oddball things mentioned in HTSAS101 and what they actually mean. I hope you will find this guide useful. However, it is updated only till Chapter 13 Almost all of the terms here have been created specifically for the fiction, so it''s from no known language. So, in essence, there is a lot less Japanese you people thought there was.
Dressir, my good Torrs and Sins. Myself Trompine Salperian, a poet and scribe who hangs around the Suppressor Guild in Salrest, hoping to get some work. You see, I have been kidnapped¡­nay, persuaded by a scary man with a big sword and a beautiful Elven woman¡­Aaah, how I wish to be wrapped around those thighs¡­Sorry, Sorry, I digress. They wanted me to sift through their story and present to the readers a few things that will come in handy. Here I will talk about the monsters, food, plants, swearwords, and even the system of nobility and magic that has come up till chapter13 for a better and more comprehensive comprehension. Welcome one, welcome all, to: All things Sangraal: A guide to not be taken for an idiot when you are traveling, by Trompine Salperian
How to Cuss your way through Bar fights: A Guide to Pissing off Everyone
Comprehensive Table to Piss off Humans
CusswordMeaning
AsterhunkelA small animal that looks like a really fat sausage. Four-legs and a small, curled tail. Usage: ''You Ansterhunkel!''
RintrumpA four legged grazing animal that has three tails. It farts a lot and its shit is used as fuel after drying. Usage: ¡®Rintrump Shit!¡¯
Krumpera fat, dark-skinned creature that lives in marshes. Face looks like Mario banged a goat. Four-legged, with a forked tail. Rolls around in its own shit and mud. Extremely foul-smelling. Usage: ¡®Son of a Krumper!¡¯ ¡®Krumper!¡¯ well all sorts of additions with Krumper.
Son of a ScallvenScallven are like extremely ugly, deep sea squids. They have transparent bodies and no eyes. This swear word is used mostly by sailors.
CrunkAnother swearword used mostly by the sailors. Means something like ¡®useless motherfucking landlubber son of a cunty bitch¡¯.
Cussing Like a Dwarf
CusswordMeaning
SougenhachtBitch, in a appreciative sense. Usage: ¡®Can¡¯t compare to this sougenhacht¡¯.
AhrechtBeautiful/Spunky/gorgeous. Usage: ¡®Maaan! That was some ahrecht puresilver hammer!¡¯
Therru forbidA swearword in their god Therru¡¯s name.
KampruchtFucked/Screwed. Usage: ¡®You are kamprucht!¡¯
Making Elf-ladies swoon with your (un)savory language
CusswordMeaning
Utaru ForbidA swearword in their god Utaru¡¯s name.
Somaru curseA swearword in their god Somaru¡¯s name.
JurunDick. (Salperian''s Note: Don''t it sound heavenly when the propah elf-ladies speak dirty with their soft lips? I certainly do.
Eat Your Way Through Sangraal: A Glutton''s Guide to Best Food & Drinks
Food You Shouldn''t Miss
NameDescription
NitelRough wheat like yellowish crop.
ShimarSweet potato type crop.
NiterenCircular bread made with refined Nitel
KofaruGruel made with Nitel and Shimar. Usually fed sick and weak people.
KrauznerCandied berrirut fruit.
SchellepsWhite coloured clam with two shells on either side. Eaten by steaming or grilling and then with sauce
CretSour, apple like fruit with succulent juices.
Apopris A fruit. Highly potent and administered to terminally ill patients to let them sleep. Banned from open circulation due to its use as illegal drugs. Quite harmful to health if taken regularly. Used in its dried form.
BerrirutA sweet pear like fruit, yellowish in colour. Popular as mild aphrodisiac.
Surmar:A dish of saut¨¦ed Lizard-duck Grash meat inside baked Chuligan intestines, and barbequed, then cut into small pieces.
BuchiBluish tinted shrub that can be used as a cure for hangover or drunkenness. Extremely bitter.
Wash Down All That Grub With SOme Drinks, You Scallavan
NameDescription
KuruthPale golden coloured ale.
MeadAlcoholic drink made from fermenting honey, often laced with spices.
Khaginar/ShivangDeep red, almost black alcohol made by the Khaginar Tribe from the Ishkal Mountains. The brew method is called Zellitat, unknown to all others except Khaginars.The Shivang wine is an excellent drug, very harmful for long term consumption. Psychotropic Drug, often used to treat Depression and other maladies. Also used to make patients sleep.
Saruri WineA drink made from Sarur berries, a purple coloured berry growing in clusters. The drink is sweet-sour and very relaxing.
CharinA whitish rejuvenating drink made by boiling Char leaves. Valued for its medicinal properties. Popular as a leisure drink.
CoolienCheap rum like drink. Popular among poor people.
Recreational Consumables That Your Dad Hides In His Closet
HusuiDried leaves crushed and smoked via a pipe, or rolled in a leaf and smoked. Slightly hallucinogenic. Sort of like fantasy weed.
UsuiFiltered form of Husui, mixed with shavings of other drugs.
Salperian Notes: Don''t do Shivang & Apopris...at any cost. I am only writing this because my uh employer is unsually fond of those two products. Also, psst, you know Trahanil Inn in Salrest? Don''t eat there, it''s pretty bad. I...I am not saying this because Trahanil''s barmaid refused my advances or anything.
A Crash Course On Etiquette So You Don''t End Up Pissing Off...Well, Everybody
HonorificsGreetings
HumanHuman
HonorificMeaningGreetingMeaning
Torrfunctions like Mr. and used generally but can also mean Sir. Popular among nobles and people who want to sound sophisticated or the service industries.DressirGood Morning
SinSame as Torr, but for FemalesTal''HaelGood Night. Literal= May you remian protected tonight
-Larrsuffix used for both young males and females, more intimate than Torr/Sin. Sort of like -kun suffix.Halak''ilCasual ''How are you''
-Laisuffix for young males, used in semi-official situations.RofalkirGood Evening
Groups You Should Stay Away From
NamesDescriptions
Jaelvagers4th generation gods. They came after the first three generations had ascended to the Astral Plane. A lot of them are incarnations of 3rd generation gods themselves, or their children. A lot of them were mortals in their life.
SithernWhat the Sithe call themselves collectively as a group. Consists of Elves, Fairies, Pixies and other Fae like creatures. Distinguished by their peculiar mode of AP usage and adherence and dependence on the Tree of Life.
The SyndicateFormally known as ¡®Consortium of Merchants¡¯, they are the largest and most powerful group of merchants that control trade and business through Ebraven and surrounding Kingdoms and Empires. They have branches in every major cities. However, under all that lies corruption. Drug cartels, prostitution, trafficking, illegal slave trading, counterfeit goods, tax evasion, you name it and they have their fingers in those pies. The Syndicate is nigh untouchable because they pay off Govt. officials, the army and the Churches itself. Even several Kings are powerless against them as they lend huge amount of money to the crown. It is their modus operandi. Take Nobles and Kings in, lend them money and own them when they go under debt. They also provide the maximum donations to lot of the churches.
Syndicate Assassins:The Syndicate employs a lot of assassins for¡­smooth removal of their competitors and detractors. The Assassins are very highly trained experts, and best at what they do. Nothing but the best for the Syndicate.
Windrunners & Fangsongs:The two squads of assassins that fought Rigel and Faeve in Salrest. The Windrunners were wiped out and half of Fangsongs were decimated.
Talaviel''s OrderMembers of the Talaviel¡¯s Church in Ebraven. Includes people from every walk of life. Some are there for faith, others for power and still others for the opportunities it presents. Has its own Knight Order and Inquisitors to chase down heretics and punish them.
ChurchesEbraven has many religious sects based on its pantheon of gods. The minor gods might have small churches/followers that barely number hundreds or Major gods with tens of thousands of believers. The Ebraven Kingdom recognizes 4 Churches as its main gods. Talaviel''s Order, Fargalith''s order, Cromnorgar''vel ''s Order, and Bisakh''s Order. The Churches have their own internal rules in addition to the Kingdom''s Rules.
Rolsberg OrderYou got to wait for that one, doe. Big conspiracy. If you read blurbs, you¡¯d know what might happen. Okay, just a hint, Chapter 1 blurb and another connection is what the people were saying about Arin when she was on the cross. NOTE: This is a semi-religious group.
Suppresor GuildA consortium of people who are in the business of Suppression of Monsters. After the Black Spires rained down and monsters came about, it became necessary for people to regularly suppress it. In addition to the military of each place, civilians needed to suppress monsters since they were just too many. The Suppression Guild brings those willing civilians together. It has branches in all parts of Sangraal. Well, almost. There are regions where they have not been permitted. Has their own sets of rules in addition to the laws of the place each chapter of the Guild is situated in.
Salperian Note: Only way to survive these people is to run as fast as you can, as far as you can.
Eat Your Way Through Sangraal: A Glutton''s Guide to Best Food & Drinks
Food You Shouldn''t Miss
NameDescription
NitelRough wheat like yellowish crop.
ShimarSweet potato type crop.
NiterenCircular bread made with refined Nitel
KofaruGruel made with Nitel and Shimar. Usually fed sick and weak people.
KrauznerCandied berrirut fruit.
SchellepsWhite coloured clam with two shells on either side. Eaten by steaming or grilling and then with sauce
CretSour, apple like fruit with succulent juices.
Apopris A fruit. Highly potent and administered to terminally ill patients to let them sleep. Banned from open circulation due to its use as illegal drugs. Quite harmful to health if taken regularly. Used in its dried form.
BerrirutA sweet pear like fruit, yellowish in colour. Popular as mild aphrodisiac.
Surmar:A dish of saut¨¦ed Lizard-duck Grash meat inside baked Chuligan intestines, and barbequed, then cut into small pieces.
BuchiBluish tinted shrub that can be used as a cure for hangover or drunkenness. Extremely bitter.
Wash Down All That Grub With SOme Drinks, You Scallavan
NameDescription
KuruthPale golden coloured ale.
MeadAlcoholic drink made from fermenting honey, often laced with spices.
Khaginar/ShivangDeep red, almost black alcohol made by the Khaginar Tribe from the Ishkal Mountains. The brew method is called Zellitat, unknown to all others except Khaginars.The Shivang wine is an excellent drug, very harmful for long term consumption. Psychotropic Drug, often used to treat Depression and other maladies. Also used to make patients sleep.
Saruri WineA drink made from Sarur berries, a purple coloured berry growing in clusters. The drink is sweet-sour and very relaxing.
CharinA whitish rejuvenating drink made by boiling Char leaves. Valued for its medicinal properties. Popular as a leisure drink.
CoolienCheap rum like drink. Popular among poor people.
Recreational Consumables That Your Dad Hides In His Closet
HusuiDried leaves crushed and smoked via a pipe, or rolled in a leaf and smoked. Slightly hallucinogenic. Sort of like fantasy weed.
UsuiFiltered form of Husui, mixed with shavings of other drugs.
Salperian Notes: Don''t do Shivang & Apopris...at any cost. I am only writing this because my uh employer is unsually fond of those two products. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.Also, psst, you know Trahanil Inn in Salrest? Don''t eat there, it''s pretty bad. I...I am not saying this because Trahanil''s barmaid refused my advances or anything.
A Compendium Of Flora & Fauna Of Sangraal So That You Don''t End Up Retching Your Bowels Out
List Of Fauna That Won''t Eat You. Probably
NameDescription
ThalisSix leaved clovers, used in pain meds
KarahurFir-like tree with blue-tinged leaves
SillanernaWhite Magnolia like flowers growing in clumps on the ground. Used to express romantic love and very popular among couples.
Blue CoranthA rare species of Coranth said to cure sadness. Actually, it¡¯s more like a light, natural psychedelic drug. Flowers are bell shaped and hang in rows from slender vines.
VertesThey glow like fire at night, taking in the AP and diffusing them in form of light. Called ¡®Stealer of Emotions¡¯, they can change the colour of its glow depending on the emotions of the person nearby. For this, it was used in trials and during torture to verify the truth
LorrasLorras flowers are small white blossoms that grew only at night and withered at dawn. They were used to make perfumes.
Fauna Of Sangraal
Pets
NameDescription
Pinneten Mouse2-7 inch long mouse like creature with long, bi-furcated tales. It follows its master everywhere and is very loyal. Popular among women and kids as pets. Comes in white, black and Crimson colours.
KurisA small animal 2-3 feet in length, with a black and white striped tail. Kept as pets. Small snout and defends its home aggressively.
KitaraA small four-legged furred creature with a single, bushy tail. Can be black, white, red and blue coloured. Valued as a pet and has a very soft coat of fur that sheds in autumn.
Livestock
NameDescription
GrashDuck like animals with webbed feet and lizardish scaled tails. White, brown, grey, red, black or a mix of these colours.
ChuliganPygmy cows that have three short horns on their head. Docile and prized for their meat. Since they are small, their milk isn¡¯t very profitable. They use Soft-skinned Kofar Rhinos for that.
SerradSerrads are like Velociraptors that were a little smaller than horses. They generally had deep green backs with bellies the colour of rotten hay. Even though they were meat eaters, they are very tame and obedient and used to pull carriages due to their strength and speed.
RupilBird that looks like a cross between cotton-candy and chicken
Dangerous Insects That Pest Control Can''t Handle
Korari Mountain SconA two tailed red and black insect with scythe like pincers. Grows up to 2-feet in length. Has two fangs like a cobra. Its poison is a mix of Neurotoxin and Haemotoxin added with a special venom that makes AP go out of control inside the target¡¯s body. Venom used by assassins as last measure. Almost no counter except few obscure magics, Healing magic/Light magic from a healer or SoulCurer, Elven magic, Dryad Magic.
Handbook to Knowing Exactly Which Monster is Eating you
Name Description
GrilnderAbout 10-15 feet high, 12-19 feet long frog like monsters with green-black skin, spread with reddish or yellowish mottles. Defining feature is the huge lure aatached to its head, shaped as a very pretty male or female. The lure has a secondary brain too. The monster uses the lure to attract people to it then attack them by lying in ambush.
Kivala:Four-legged wild dog like monsters. Reddish-brown fur with Razor sharp fangs and claws. Can grow up to 6 feet in length. Coat matures to black when fully adult. Hunts in packs.
Poison TirathThe monster was like a five foot long lizard, with a sharp spiny tail and red coloured tough skin. The thing had a one foot long neck that could rotate 360 degrees and then some. These suckers were fast, nasty and plain ugly. What made them dangerous however was they injected paralyzing venom with their fangs.
Errlat10 feet long and 4 feet high monsters that look like earthworms with three clusters of red beady eyes. Earthworms with two large and strong hind legs like a frog and two shriveled and clawed forelimbs like a rat. Has two mouths, one on each end.
VicretFerret like monsters that can grow upto 5 feet. Agile and has sharp teeth. Male.
VestarFemale form of Vicret.
Special Section :Sacred Animal
NameDescription
Crezet(River/Lake)Sacred animal of God Zain. Crocodile like animals with strong jaws and powerful tails made for swimming. Tough, black scales adorn their body. The Lesser River and Lake Crezets can grow upto 9 feet. Powerful muscles and limbs topped with very sharp claws. Strictly carnivorous.
Salperian''s Note: This guide is entirely useless if you are already being eaten or arleady inside the stomach of some monster. Don''t be a krumper and read it before that.
Core Colour Grades
Explanation: Monsters take AP from environment and use it like any other living thing in Sangraal. However, unlike human or some other races, they do not use their body just as a conduit to channel AP. Their Magic Circuits have evolved to store AP in their hearts, like a battery. They can''t directly use the AP from environment to create magic. They first need to store it inside their heart. However, this AP deposits as extremely condensed ''flakes'' inside and around the circuit on their hearts. If they do not use the AP from time to time, the flakes will aggregate into a magic core and ulimately claim the whole heart, killing the monster. Some Monsterologists say this is one of the many reasons that monsters fight each other or humans when they can''t scatter the AP by themselves. However, the progress of acculmulation of flakes is usually much for than diffusion, so each monster, unless killed by unnatural cause, ultimately succumb to it and die. Each monster, depending on how long it has lived and its innate capacity to reservoir AP, has a different coloured Magic Cores in them. This is because as more AP accumulates, the Cores condense even more and change colour. The more a monster has lived, the more valuable its Core is.
Core Grading(Values in Ascending order, top to bottom)
ColourValue
WhiteNil. Won''t make any money, doe.
GrayStill very little value. Just decorations on jewelry and stuff
GreenSomewhat valuable. Stack a lot o'' them, and you are getting somewhere
BlueNow you are making money
YellowYou can afford good dinner everyday
OrangeBuy me drinks. Buy everyone drinks.
RedYour wealth makes me sick, you bourgeoise!
GoldenWomen are lining up to be your wife.
BlackYou can now afford a harem, a trophy Noble-wife, status symbol banquets, pay for your snotty-nosed kids'' extravagance and drink your way to an early grave. Also, fuck you!
A Guide To Not Get Lost Like a Stupid Tourist
Place NameDescription
ShrafingshireA small prosperous village located in the Morrilet Dukedom in Western part of Ebraven.
Ishkal Mountain RangeThe tallest and largest mountain range that encompasses Ebraven Kingdom¡¯s western side and crosses over into Jalahaeshin Empire.
Morrilet DukedomSmall dukedom in western part of Ebraven. The village of Shrafingshire is situated in Morrilet. Currently ruled by the Morrilet Dukes and under the Varasti Barony.
SalrestCity in Southern Ebraven. Made up mostly of Suppressors and people in the related business. Has a strong presence of Nobility and Merchants. Many rich people have made this city their home. On paper, the city is ruled by the Noble appointed by the King, but in reality, most of the decisions and administration is controlled by the City Council, made of richest and most powerful members of the Inner Merchant Circle, the most powerful group/guild of merchants in Ebraven and surrounding Kingdoms/Empires.
HarrengazPleasure Quarters of Salrest
Salizbergen PrincipalityA principality on the other side of Mountain of Trees. Famed for its excellent and transparent administration and regarded highly as a seat of learning
CressinalCapital of Salizbergen. An advanced city and also an academy town housing the four colleges of magic learning
Olyelnore Ur¡¯vanThe Capital city of the Sun-Elves
Mountain Of TreesThe dense and extremely dangerous forest on Ebraven¡¯s border. The City of Olyelnore Ur¡¯van is said to be situated in midst of the place. It is called mountain of the trees because, the Tree of Life is so huge, it looks like a green mountain.
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The-Things-That-You-Should-Know-But-I-didn''t-Find-A-Table-To-Put-It-In-Guide
Currency (Ebraven Kingdom)Things Your Shit are Made Of
RessCopper CoinMetalDescription
RitaSilver Coin (Value=100 Ress)Tavitz SteelHigh carbon steel reinforced by fusing magic cores. Excellent for channeling AP and is much tougher and flexible than normal Steel
Royal RitaBigger Silver Coin(Value=100Rita)OrichalcumDwarven made metal. Greenish hued, and extremely resilient. Has mystical properties. Production method is a huge secret
BloodsteelHeretical metal. Production is banned and punishable by torture and death. Production method is kept extremely secret, nigh impossible to found. However, legend has it that the meathod has been put in something called ''blurb'' in the Chapter Four of a bad storybook called ''How To Survive a Summoning 101''.
Terms/Lexicon
ElvenHuman
TermMeaningTermMeaning
Olyelnore H¨¤rjaegarthe Tree of LifeGrunterCaptain of a ship
Aivern(lit)- Chosen of the Tree
Urvan-ere(lit)- Daughter of the Tree
Basic Astronomy Since I Have Too Much Time
Name of the MoonDescription So You Can Compare Four Ladies of Your Harem to Four Seperate Moons
EranthRed coloured, seen in daytime
ValarenBlack coloured, seen in daytime
SillannWhite coloured, seen at night.
OlynthBlue coloured according to the legends, (The Missing Moon, The Sacrifice)
Olententh SahxotlThe Ring in the sky that spans the entire globe. Runs along the equator. Occasionaly, made of chunks of ice, earth and rocks. It is said that the Ring is actually the remains of the missing moon Olynth. However the mass is entirely too much to be just Olynth''s remains. It is still shrouded in mystery. What is known however that it is home to many Dragons and Dragonbornes. Where the Ring dips low wnough to within a few hundred kilometres, the Dragonkin and Dragonborne have created Sky Cities on the floating rocks.
So...I heard you guy liked stat tables and rate fics with stat windows a lot more? xd Rate/Review this fic, like seriously. I hope you guys liked the treat. Next treat will come with next milestone. Probably.
Don''t worry, the comment section still works as intended. The BB is just fucked up for some reason JUST POST YOUR REPLIES, I will get a mod to fix this, I guess ADMIN Edit: Table fixed. Chapter 14: Surviving Exploding Fish-Barrels Author Note: Hello guys. I am so sorry for being late. I know you guys have been waiting for the next chapter. Or not. I had to deal with a relative getting admitted at hospital and her eventual death yesterday. As an apology, Ch15 might be a bit early. That said, I am really worried about Ch15, the next chapter, since it is the first psychological chapter and deals with difficult issues... As always, if you like/dislike the fic, please rate/review it so it gets more readers. Edited by: Luciferia Chapter 14: Surviving Exploding Fish-Barrels ¡°¡­The First Mother Riliadvael, was pleased. She gazed upon her creation, proud. She realized the lack of creatures to cherish it. Thus she impregnated herself by her own seed, since men had not been brought forth yet. She birthed herself, tearing her own belly to come out as Nurielnonne, the Second Mother. Hence, she gave birth to her children three times, and raised the first people. The Eldest, born with fire blazing down, the Sun-Elves. Fair were they as was their hair golden, drinking the sun. Next came the Moon Elves, the moons etching their light upon their skin of night. On the Second day, she brought forth her last creation, the Twilight Elves, born between the unholy union of light and dark. Thus the Elves came to be and¡­¡± ¡ª Urnar¡¯el Azkahan Vash, Sacred text of the Elves, verse 1990:31 The ship departed from the dock in still waters. The sailors raised howls of joy. Did the ship start to sail? We couldn¡¯t come out of the barrels till we crossed the waters of the Salrest Duchy. Naval soldiers of the duchy guarded the coasts to protect trade and any illegal immigration. However, they lost the power to do so out of the designated duchy territorial waters. I was a criminal in the eyes of the law now, so the Duchy Naval Guard would be on the lookout. The Ship pitched and swayed violently now. Maybe it has crossed into the open sea? The refreshing salty sea air played through my nose¡­Not. Overwhelming stench of fish made me want to hurl. I was a bit seasick too probably. Yep, definitely seasick. I hurled a bit on my clothes. Now the barrel smelled of fish and vomit. The sailors would let us know when we crossed the territorial waters. The men were transporting the fish they caught to the Harrind Cape, west of here. Noises of feet pattering on the wooden deck rose up all around me. The Twin-sets of sails caught the wind and bellowed loud, once, twice¡ªthe ship lurched ever forward. The fish smelled bad. Really bad. But still, the rolling and pitching of the trawler-like ship became a comfortable rhythm, with the roar of the sea as its accompaniment. I feel sleepy. What¡¯s Faeve doing? The men howled at each other regularly, correcting the course constantly. I could hear Vinter bark orders at the men. The barrel was ¡­dark, cramp and narrow. But, it was comfortable. Yawwwn. When will we cross the territorial waters? I fell asleep while I imagined the fish looking at me with dead eyes. ~ ~ ~ ~ I suddenly woke up with a bad premonition. I am¡­lopsided? At first I thought the ship was going through a violent pitch, but the movement was too regular to be called that. I put my ears to the closest air-hole. ¡°¡­is he unconscious?¡± a gruff voice drifted in from somewhere. ¡°Yessir, sleepin¡¯ like a babe¡±. Vinter¡¯s voice answered him. Uh oh. This height¡ªpeople were carrying the barrel I was in, hoisted above their heads. I couldn¡¯t risk moving as it will alert them that I am awake. ¡°Some bloody murderer that is, sleeping like that. Ha!¡± the gruff voice spoke up in mirth, ¡°Thoo!¡± he spat. ¡°Used de Vilora oil on ¡®im. Men haffin der limbs cut off sleep with dat, and ¡®ee is jus¡¯ a fish in a barrel, Gahah¡ª¡± Vinter choked after a dull thwack. ¡°Did I give you permission to laugh, you son of a krumper?¡± the gruff voice tapped something on the deck. ¡°Bring the barrel over to The Furrow. He can¡¯t use magic¡±. What? I immediately tried to gather AP, it gathered in my hand and¡­vanished. Shit. Sulpurian. This was probably the AP gathered in fish bodies. The AP channel has been cut off. ¡°Torr- Grunter, de reward?¡± Vinter spoke excitedly. His voice was high and carried over the roar of the sea. There was another thwack. Vinter groaned as sounds of something heavy falling resounded through the deck. The gruff voice was angry, ¡°¡¯tis Torr High Grunter for you, mongrel¡±. Then as if finding something funny, he chuckled, ¡°Be glad we are not putting you and your crew in chains too¡±. Vinter groaned from somewhere below, his voice rose up from the ground, ¡°But daf is not vat we aghriid¡±. Heavy boot steps could be heard amidst the sound of wind and sea. The pair of feet slowly grew closer, ¡°Looks like you want to die¡±. said the voice. Probably at Vinter. Such clich¨¦. But I suppose this was bound to happen. All this while, I had tried gathering AP to no avail. I couldn¡¯t even take out weapons in the cramped space of the barrel. The Bastard sword won¡¯t fit. I will die before I can draw it out. I didn¡¯t even knew how many men were there. ¡°Take him away, soldiers! Keep your swords ready if he tries to break out¡±. The gruff voice continued, ¡°Was he alone?¡± ¡°Yessier, all alone with nuthin on ¡¯is back¡±. Vinter replied. Where is Faeve? And was he planning to loot the goods kept with him? I could think of only one reason why they wouldn¡¯t declare Faeve. The barrel started moving. I couldn¡¯t see outside, I needed to shift my position for that. But¡­more than that, I needed to break free. Can¡¯t risk being taken. I opened the small leather bag from Icchvarrions¡¯, and took out just the hilt of the Bastard sword. The handle pushed through the dead fish. I absorbed the AP stored in the Magic Stones embedded in the hilt. That was a noble¡¯s sword so the quality of the stones were high. AP swirled into my palm. I flexed the leather conduit glove I had got as a gift from Arin. Sulpurian acted as a barrier. It cut off AP movement so AP couldn¡¯t be absorbed beyond the place marked by it. However, it did nothing for the AP inside the barrier. But, Sulpurian still was deadly since it also numbed the Exhausted AP of created magic, meaning that it would block any magic going outside the barrier. But I didn¡¯t need the magic to cross outside. I would die if I bust out the barrel using my black arm. Potentially, scores of swords and weapons will attack me. I would have low chance of avoiding since they were all ready for me. Shit. I hate tight spots. I blocked the breathing holes with my feet and activated my black arm. I needed to take them out all together. Or at least startle them. A big ball of fire would do nothing, swords will still hit me. And the ship will burn. Ugh¡­thak... I sputtered as the wind spell I was doing increased the internal pressure. The pressure slowly started to crush me. I slowly choked as air held down my throat; my chest. Ugh¡­ugh¡­a little more¡ª The wood creaked. Some fish spleens ruptured, the bitter fluid draining down on my mouth. ¡°Hey? Didja hear sumthin¡¯?¡± someone below me said. ¡°What are you¡ª?¡± BOOM! The wooden barrel burst, unable to take the pressure. Fish exploded out everywhere. I was thrown back into the guardrail at the side of the ship, violently cracking my back. My neck jerked forward, something cracked in my chest. Shit. Fish were still raining down from above. There were about ten men dressed in white shirts, their blades unsheathed. Fish had hit them like cannonballs, embedding themselves into the swords. Some writhed on the deck, holding their eyes. Fish bodies had ground to a pulp in the explosion and hit them with their bitter juices. Bits of green scales littered the deck, dead fish stared back with unimpressed eyes. I took out Thirst fully, the blade clinked softly. The men had gotten rid of the initial shock, and stared back with looks of fury. Well¡­as much fury they could manage to pack in with fish sticking to their bodies. Fish guts and bladders stuck to their once majestic white uniforms, some fish heads jutting from their hair. A gruff voice sounded from far right. ¡°What the¡­bloody jarnik¡­Kill him!¡± his cutlass released a shrill cry as he jerked it from its scabard.. ¡°Son of a milking cunnus!¡± someone shouted. Sailors cuss even in parallel worlds, eh? Thirst clinked softly as the Duchy Sea Guard advanced, swinging his cutlass like a madman. I sidestepped him, my sword cutting a line across his leg¡ªbut missed. The sword cut empty air as he jumped in a strange motion. He kept moving on his legs like some dance. I jumped back to avoid the approaching blades of two more cutlasses, the blades missing me by mere centimeters. The man had lunged too far¡ªmy blade bit into his neck, slicing apart his throat. The man fell into the wood deck, spewing blood. The other guard took this opportunity to swing his cutlass upward, the point aimed at my face. A harsh metallic sound rang out as I parried it with the cross guard. I punched him in the face, the black arm smashed it in, throwing the man backwards. Shit. Still can¡¯t use other magic!!. My black arm could use fire magic a few times, but other types wearied it, decreasing its power. Fuck. The fishermen joined the fray. I could see a few of them armed with fishing harpoons and gutting knives. Navy Guards surrounded me with cutlasses raised. The High Grunter hung back, brandishing his larger cutlass. ¡°Take him out, lads. This one ain¡¯t worth me¡±. he drawled while he polished his blade. The men swung again, the blades whipping around my torso. Shit. I miss my shield. I charged, .slamming my body into the guts of two guards. They splayed across the deck with force of my tackle. Their blades hadn¡¯t left their hands¡ªthe sword guards kept it put. One man clawed at his throat while he thrashed on the deck. A wood splinter from the destroyed barrel jutted out from his throat, having gone clean through the other side. A flash of fire burned at by back, as a cutlass slashed across my hips. They had closed in. Veteran soldiers stared at me undaunted. Fuck. These guys¡­ I jumped back and pressed myself flat on the deck, their swords traced silver arcs in the air, where I was moments before. I picked up the still-crawling man who had fallen with me when I had slammed into him. I held him up with two hands over my body. His eyes went white¡­his face inches from mine. He thrashed wildly, arms beating on the deck. His rum-soaked breath hit me full on the face. Swords bit into his body as his compatriots stabbed at me. ¡°You krunter! How¡ª!¡± they lost their words when they realized they¡¯d stabbed their colleague by mistake. ¡°Gu¡­Gustarn!¡± the man cried out. Three swords had penetrated the man¡¯s body, going through him. Thick red blood dripped down to my body, soaking my clothes. The blades ripped his flesh, the points breaking through and poking me lightly in the ribs. The man was dying tortuously slow. His eyes filled with blood as his breath caught. Thick blood mixed with saliva dripped into my face. I stared at him as he died languidly, time slowing down to a crawl, two men staring at each other¡­as one died and one lived, yet. I woke up from my daze with a jolt, throwing the man¡¯s body into his companions. The body slammed into them, making them tumble like bowling pins. The cutlasses were embedded deep into Gustarn¡¯s dead body, wrenching it out of their hands. Disarmed, they missed a beat in reaching for their knives. That was enough. Thirst flashed like a diving bird, chopping at the wrist of one. The man tumbled down, clutching at his wrist¡ªthe stump bleeding red into the wood. The deck was ablaze with yellowish light from the Ker¡¯dals mounted on the masts and hung on the cabin. Amber light played on the men¡¯s skin, reflecting the sweat from battle and¡­death. The world became¡­more vivid. The smell of blood. The lurid light reflected from metal. The sea beating against the ship, throwing salt deep into the sky. And...men seeking lives. The other guards had taken out their knives with the practiced motions of veteran soldiers. Lives meant nothing to them. They knew their lives were on the line now. So was mine. No mercy. I roared, my voice boomed out into the deck¡­from that, towards the seas. The men stepped back a bit¡ªwhy? Something hot seared my left black hand. What was¡ªI looked down, a dark point had sprouted from it. I twisted around, a fisherman had stabbed a fishing spear straight through my black arm. ¡°Die¡­demon-spawn!¡± the heavy tanned face of a fisherman contorted into an ugly shape. The pain registered a moment later. Hot lances of pain shot through the pierced arm, as the world went white. I had not withstood this level of pain in a long time. How did the black arm get pierced? I fell back, the pain too much for me to bear. The faces of people merged together into a colourful blob¡ªthe arm throbbed. Deep red blood, almost blackish dripped down onto the deck. I howled as the fisherman screwed the spear further, the muscles getting twisted. I pulled my arm, the sailor couldn¡¯t keep the balance and stumbled forward, over me. The man trembled as my sword burst through his heart, the tip extending far beyond. I sent a burst of AP, the man jerked violently as his insides turned to pulp in the hydrostatic shock. The wave traveled up his body, turning his organs into mush. The man exploded, blood and bile streaming out of his throat. One of his eyes burst forward, flopping on to the deck with a wet sound. Suddenly, I flew forward ¡ªcrack!! I crashed against the smaller rigging mast. My bones creaked loudly. My stomach¡ªmy hands came away wet, this time my blood wet the deck. I crawled onto my knees and glanced up. The High Grunter had picked up a beam of heavy lumber and lugged me with it. I coughed, bile and blood splattered onto the deck¡ªI doubled up in agony. The hit earlier had cracked open the ribs which were already damaged from the barrel explosion. The sword went slack in my hands. Blood dripped down my temples and I tasted iron in my mouth. The only thing keeping me together was the black arm. Lost too much blood¡­how long can I hold out¡­ ¡°Had enough, son of a krumper? Little scal!¡± Vinter laughed from somewhere. The guards laughed too. Tch. Can¡¯t die here. I have gods to kill. I took out the wakizashi-dagger. AP swirled around me, thick like smog. The Ker¡¯dals flickered and dimmed for a moment. Yes¡­kill! Voices urged me. Blood, and iron. They screamed. Down! Down with us!! They clawed at me. Do what was done to us¡­take¡­TAKE EVERYTHING!! The voices won¡¯t relent now that I had grown weak. My body shivered as a chill crept up my spine and spread through my body. Each muscle throbbed, the blood trickling out of my body¡­increased. ¡°Careful¡­he is coming¡±. the High Grunter barked, readying his cutlass. ¡°We can¡¯t take him alive anymore¡±. I lunged with my weapons poised. The guards immediately took defensive stances. There were still six left, excluding the High Grunter. AP swirled around my black arm as the arm used its last vestiges of remaining power to heal me. I had used the arm¡¯s power a lot in last few days. The guards stared at me with eyes that didn¡¯t blink. Their raised swords glinted in the light of the Ker¡¯dals. Time seemed to stretch to an eternity as I raced towards them, our eyes tracking each other. One of the Guards stepped forward, facing my charge. I swung my sword at his torso, he dodged like dancing, his blade approaching my flank. Clang!! The metal cried out as the wakizashi on my other hand parried the blade. He floated in air for a moment when I swept his legs out from under him. He fell with a loud thud, sprawling on the deck. The bastard sword¡¯s pommel crumpled his temple when I bashed it in against his head. Wet brains and blood erupted from his skull¡ªthe sword hilt became slick. This broke the stand-off. They came at me all at once, howling. It was as if the seas were riled themselves, hitting against the ship, sending out sprays into the deck. My sword hit the first man square on the knee, taking his legs off. His blade cut empty air as the short cutlass couldn¡¯t match up to the length of my bastard sword. The man slid forward, devoid of his legs. My blade vibrated wildly in my hands at the excessive resistance of the leg bones. Air rushed into my ears with a deafening roar. I ran without losing momentum and reached the main mast, the guards at my heels. THUNK! I jerked up, startled¡ªa knife had embedded itself into the thick wooden mast. A stinging after-sensation on my cheek informed me that the thrown knife had claimed blood. I clambered up the rigging, the sword between my teeth. Shit. Too big to hold with my teeth. I held the wakizashi between my fingers while I climbed up the ropes. Shit, I¡¯ll make a sword harness if I live through this. ¡°Aaaagh!¡ªI cried out at more swords bit into my legs. They stabbed their weapons at me like spearing fish. WTF? Open season on Rigel? You fucking bastards! The pain was too much¡­.I could feel blood trickle down my pant legs, and wet the mast. Huh? things are growing blur¡­Argh! Can¡¯t lose consciousness! I held on to a thick rope with one hand and lowered the other down towards my legs. With force, I dug the wakizashi into the wood¡ªit bit in with a satisfying crunch. Keeping a foot on the impromptu foothold, I released the sword from my teeth, into my hand. My mouth came off tasting of steel and bloody guts. Another knife thudded into the wood beside me, missing my face by inches. The men were howling and clambering after me, the ropes shook with the weight. I heard the ropes shear as the bastard sword tore through them. The huge red sail stood still for a moment in the strong wind and then rushed downwards. The men climbing after me shouted as the sail draped down on them, taking them with it. I relaxed my grip on the rope, sliding down some. Then I opened my mouth and took a big breath. The men were crawling under the huge sail, tangled up in the cloth. Shapes rose and fell under the red drapes. My lungs full, I spat out fire through the four front teeth I had Kraus made for me and replaced with my own. The Falahal metal channeled the AP furiously through my body and shot it out as fire in a thick torrent, straight towards the red sail. The fire rushed over the thick cloth¡ªand caught. Men screamed as they caught on fire, the air grew rife with smells of burning leather armour. Take that, you fukkin bastard cunts! ¡°Gallaheri Preserve us! The deck is afire!¡± someone screamed. ¡°Douse de fir krunnels! Douse eet!¡± Vinter shouted like a madman while running towards the deck railing. Good. Now the assholes all will be busy for a while. But¡­do I have to jump into the sea? The deck burned, with the men on it. The fire had caught the sail like a dry twig, smoke curling up into the starry night sky. I pulled myself up by the hanging rope, now free of the sails it held up. I yanked at the wakizashi. I stared across the sea while I pulled at the dagger. The ship had dropped its anchors, moored at the middle of the sea. It ship must not have gone into deep seas if it could anchor. The wind blew in a steady stream all around and across the softly undulating Nampar. The soft Ker¡¯dals splashed lights into the sea, its waters reflecting the amber glow. The furled sails fluttered in the wind, making a soft boom every time the gust picked up. The starry skies spread over us like an upturned bowl, the ring glowed at its edges like a smudge. And¡ªyellow lights at a distance. Shit. More fucking ships? I looked down. The ship still burned, but the crew men had started dousing it with water. I searched, roving my eyes around¡ªthere! Two dinghies were bound to the ship, bumping into it softly with the waves. The guards had come in boats, that means¡­the lights behind us¡ªthe mothership! I looked down and saw the fire was almost doused. The Guards underneath the burning sail had perished, their half-burnt bodies jutted out from the burnt Vitakal cloth. Some groaned in agony, clawing on the deck in their last breaths. The fire and smoke had done them in. ¡°You son of a filthy demon-whore! How dare you!¡± the High Grunter was alive and fuming. Spittle flew from his mouth as he stared at his dying men, his cutlass shaking. The man charged at me, running through the flames that now burnt low. The deck had scorched black, but the tough Xecchian wood hadn¡¯t given way¡ªyet. Uh oh. I quickly yanked the wakizashi-dagger out, the effort sending jolts down my shoulders. Fucking shit. Why do weapons get stuck so often? You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. The man climbed up the ropes fast, practice evident in his movements. With a final effort, the dagger came loose, wood chips flying out. THARK! With a thick sound the cutlass bit at few centimeters below my feet. I planted my feet on the mast and pushed, launching myself in the air while I swung by the rope attached to the main mast. I rushed past the High Grunter¡ªhis cutlass thrust through the air, chopping into my ankles. Stinging pain climbed up my feet as the secondary mast loomed before me, drawing closer. Oh shit I am gonna splatter like a bug¡ª Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! I slammed into the wood mast and then used my feet as a spring to mitigate the immense momentum, sending me bouncing away. Electricity jolted up my legs. I temporarily lost sensation in my legs due to the force with which I had hit the mast. Bloody fuck! I flopped down the secondary sail like a bird with a broken wing, smashing onto the deck. My back creaked with the hit¡ª my organs turning to mush¡ªalmost. I rolled on my sides in pain. Thirst had clattered away from my blood slicked hands, somewhere onto the blood soaked deck. I threw up some blood. My clothes had become soaked with gore by now. The world went white. I roared as tearing sounds erupted from my right leg. Pain as hot as fire washed over me. Tears stung my eyes, blurring the world. My voice grew hoarse from the shouts. I keeled over, but my right leg didn¡¯t move. I looked up, and within blurry vision I saw the hulking man who had closed the lid on my barrel. A nasty grin was on his face as he dug the forked harpoon deeper into my thigh with. Blood trickled out in a slow stream as I beat my hands on the deck. ¡°Git you, ¡®lil maggot¡±. he flashed his missing teeth at me. The harpoon had passed clean through my thighs, embedding itself on the wood deck beneath. Sounds of footsteps echoed behind me. The High Grunter was closing in. Metal scraped on wood. I tightened my grip on the wakisazhi. Can¡¯t faint right now¡­fuck, fuck, fuck! Wood creaked as I struggled to free myself. The sea roared its song around us. With a sickening squelch, the fisherman had my wakizashi sprouting from his eye. It hit! The man gargled his own blood, spit dripping from his cracked lips. Thump! His heavy body fell forward onto the deck. Cold metal slid under my shoulder blades as the High Grunter embedded his cutlass in me. The sword missed my vitals by inches as I jerked back, hearing his footsteps. Fuck! fuck! fuck! dammit! The blade ripped through the side of my ribs, slicing through the leather armour¡ªand cutting flesh beneath. Flaps of meat and skin came loose and hung stuck to the leather . The agonizing pain seared through my veins. I gasped for air as blood rose up my throat . I can¡¯t fucking die here! I took the coiling pain and forced it into submission. Calm down! It doesn¡¯t hurt as much as the harpoon, I told myself. I grabbed the cutlass with my gloved right hand. The man¡¯s eyes widened. Sweat trickled down his face. I had noticed it. It was a sword embedded with magic stones. A low grade, but it was a magic sword indeed. He quickly sent AP through his blade. The AP wave ripped towards me and¡ªstopped as I charged my own AP towards it. Blood dripped down and stung my eyes, my leg ached but I hung on. A loud siren blared behind me¡­the mothership was near. Dangerously near! The sword vibrated as two streams of AP charge fought against each other, rippling, pulsating, and devouring. The blade rippled and bucked as the tension became too much, sparks scattered from it and it shattered. The magic stone exploded, pulverizing the blade from its hilt. The explosion detonated like a small bomb¡ªno, like a shape charge, funneled by the superior AP channel due to the twin conduit of my glove and the blade itself, channeling towards the man. The shock-wave sent both of us sprawling backwards, our bodies thrown apart like rag dolls. The man was shredded by the metal shards of the blade, the channeled explosion burning off his skin and hair. The heatwave had hit me too, making my leather clothes smoke and hiss. My face felt raw, singed by the heat. In spite of the directional explosion, few metal shards embedded themselves into my body, ripping off small chunks or leather armour and flesh. The explosion had sent the harpoon loose from the deck. It now hung embedded in my leg. With a Herculean heave, I ripped the harpoon away. FUCK! The wound throbbed with fire like pain as blood trailed down in slow torrents. A gaping wound stared back at me, the flesh an angry red. I would be fucking toast if it wasn¡¯t for the Gift of Might numbing me. Fuck! it still hurts like a fucking bitch! Shit. I can¡¯t fight anymore, where is Faeve? Is she dead? The explosion had ripped a hole in the deck, opening a small entrance to the hold. I crawled back to the spot, peering down. Something compelled me to check¡­as if something called me. Faeve was down there, unmoving. Her leather gear were scattered about. I slipped myself through the small hole, wood splinters embedded themselves into my skin. Thump! I fell down with a heavy crash, setting barrels askew. Faeve lay tied to a post, her clothes disarrayed around her. She had her eyes closed. Cloth was stuffed into her mouth. There were angry red marks across her hands where she was bound by rough rope. Fucking bastards! Were they raping her? I crawled back to where Faeve was, prodding her with my hand. She didn¡¯t answer. She still has her underclothes on...what the...fuck actually happened? The mothership¡¯s siren blare was now beside the ship, the shouts from its deck a muffled cry. I nudged Faeve again, shaking her shoulders. She isn¡¯t dead. I know it. I don¡¯t know why. I untied her and laid her down with shaking hands. Those bloody cunts! Then, I spotted the bucket of cold water. I upturned the entirety into her mouth. She coughed, choking up on the water¡­and woke up in the process. Waterboarding, the answer to all your questions. Thank you, NSA. She doubled over, coughing out the water from her throat. ¡°No time to choke, Sleeping Beauty. Enemies above, I can¡¯t fight¡±. I managed to croak before I keeled over in pain. Faeve looked at me, her eyes widening. She opened her mouth, as if to say something. Her small red lips parted¡ªand closed. She stood up from her lying position and came near me, her hands above my heart. She started singing. Green dust motes swirled around us as she wove tunes in a strange language, her eyes glowing deep green. AP channeled from her body into mine¡­immeasurable, unbelievably potent amounts. I gasped, the pain from my body wasn¡¯t even comparable to the searing pain that now flooded though my senses, my nerves. Every synapse was on fire, every pore of skin sensitive. My breath fell in huge gasps, sweat flooded the wood underneath me. Heat rolled inside my body, as if molten lava bubbled under my skin. My body thrashed like a fish on land. The Elven song continued, the whole ship now booming with the voice¡ªat the same time eerie quiet, like that made any sense. A heavy thump echoed behind us. Harsh laughter followed¡ªthe High Grunter hadn¡¯t died yet. He stood there, ghastly. His face had¡­melted off. The skeleton underneath was showing in places, the lips had burned away to show the naked jaws and teeth. Charred skin dropped from his face as he took a step forward. He had an ordinary cutlass in his hands. He wheezed a wet laugh, the cutlass swinging like a windmill. Another step. Fuck. Faeve stood up. The dust motes disappeared. The Elven song stopped. The ship jerked violently, throwing us all sideways. A siren blared. The mothership had rammed into us. A heavy sound signaled the dropping of gangplanks. Guards were boarding. ¡°Faeve, go¡±, I coughed out the words. ¡°Kill them¡±. She looked at me, still not speaking. ¡°I will be fine. You did fix me up¡±. I said. Yes, I can feel AP coursing through my body, thriving in every muscle, every vein. She went to the corner of the room where her weapons lay and jumped up, straight towards the whole. She caught the inside edge of the broken deck and pulled herself up. That girl is fit. ¡°Faeve!¡± I called her again, ¡°Di..did the fucking bastards rape you?¡± My voice was a hoarse cry. What...where is this anger coming from? Why? Her voice drifted down,¡°No. They didn¡¯t have time¡± The High Grunter took another step forward, the cutlass now whipping the air as if punishing it. ¡°I, Talaviel¡¯s Sword, will take your head¡±. he said with a heavy voice. ¡°His power courses through me, you can¡¯t defeat me like the others¡±. he jeered. Our eyes stared at each other. He knows I was the one killing his bloody comrades. He charged¡ªthe footsteps heavy on the wood. His sword drew arcs against the amber light of the dim Ker¡¯dal. My blade rose to meet his, the metal crying out. His blows were heavy, breaking my guard. Shit, the healing didn¡¯t work enough. I could feel the pain still making my body throb, my muscles afire. I kicked at him, he took it straight on his stomach and stumbled a few steps backwards. Not very effective, huh? He sprang forward like a tiger, his punch a blur as it hit me across my chin. I had no time to react. I was thrown backwards, sprawling against the beam Faeve was tied to. My head cracked against the wood, reaching new heights of pain. My neck jerked violently forward. Wounds reopened, blood gushing down my torso and legs. My muscles ripped open across the fault lines of earlier wounds, making me stumble. ¡°Aaaargh¡±, a hoarse shout ripped through my throat. I ca...can¡¯t lose. He stabbed his sword at me, the point dipping into my arm. I can¡¯t...die like this. I held the sword embedded into my upper arms. Then I let fire rip through the blade, making it red hot. He released his hands, scalded. My flesh smoked and cauterized, the meat steaming. Tear him apart! The voices started again. You can¡¯t protect! Kill! They clawed at my head. Their frenzy a volcanic howl. You who has lost, defeat others! Icy coldness spread though my body. Kill, Kill, Kill! Crush him! Pulverize his heart! Chop his limbs! My body shook, and my breath fell deeper. I...I can¡¯t hold on anymore! no! Kill him! like you killed us!, They roared again. The voices in my head cried their songs, their war-cries drowning the beating of my own heart. But, I could sense it¡ªthe gradual winding up of my heart, as blood rushed through my veins, making a roar against my ears. Blood seeped from my open wounds. My clothes were already soaked with blood and water. Mine and my enemies. Our blades clashed again and again, sparks scattering from the rapid exchange. Clang! Clang! The metal rang and vibrated in my hands. Cries echoed above deck as thuds of something heavy falling reverberated through the small hull. The cutlass in front of me cut air rapidly, the movement eliciting a shrill sound. Wounds were accumulating on my body, the bastard sword was at a disadvantage below deck due the cramped space. Thwak! My weapon hit a barrel, rupturing it. Pungent rum-like liquor flowed out, covering the floor. The cutlass bit at my shoulders, painting a red line across it. Dammit! I will die too if I set fire to the rum!! I jumped behind the barrel and crouched, the cutlass cut air above my head. ¡°Don¡¯t hidey hidey, demon krumper¡±. An ugly tone crept into the man¡¯s voice, ¡°You got to pay¡±. I rolled the rapidly emptying barrel towards him and ran far back towards the small stairs leading up to the deck. There was a loud crash behind me as the man split the barrel, and rushed at me. I ran up the stairs, blood dripping down my legs. Red haze muddled my vision, my mind¡ªKill! Kill! Ugh! I can¡¯t think straight! A dull ache crept up my head, making it throb with painn. This fucking bloodlust from the Gift of Might and those¡­souls...ugh! The ship shuddered as the Guard¡¯s mothership slammed into its side again. Shouts were coming from the deck and¡ªthe smell of spilt blood. Another flash of hot pain on my back announced that the man had caught up to me, his blade dug a deep score on my back¡ªhuh? The armour¡­. He had cut through the straps, my leather armour fell down with a dull sound, the metal fastenings clinked softly. I whirled around, swinging Thirst¡ªa dull sound echoed from it, as it had struck wood due its large length. That¡¯s why they use the short Cutlass on ships. A burst of light assaulted my eyes as I stumbled onto the deck, the man¡¯s heavy footsteps just behind me. The mothership had moored right beside us, its gangplank reached Kurrick¡¯s Tooth¡¯s deck. And beyond it¡­ a land of death. Bodies lay on the gangplank and their own ship as Feave whirled through them, her daggers moved like coiling snakes. Men fell like autumn leaves, red smiles adorning their throats. Thwak! Thwak! Her crossbow shuddered with each released quarrel, the bolts sinking into their marks without fail. If there ever was a goddess of death, then this woman was her high priestess. The two ships swayed in the wind, the song of death played across their decks. The sea roared, sending its salt spray high up between the ships, drenching the deck. Her almost-naked form danced in its midst, blood at her wake. I whirled around¡ªthe man stared at me, his eyes glowing. ¡°Victory to Great God Talaviel!¡±, he screamed like a fanatic and rushed me, murder in his eyes. The world stopped revolving. The sounds stilled. The sea itself stood witness as out blades clashed, the metal crying in dear agony. I drew back and sent a savage lunge towards him, and the blade went straight towards his head¡ªand missed. The deck awash with blood had made me slip, the bastard sword missed its mark and continued forward, in a suicidal arc. The man laughed, as his cutlass reached behind me and bit onto my shoulder blades. Thirst chopped into the main mast with forward momentum, embedding itself deep. Before I could move, a savage kick sent me sprawling on my face. I looked up--the man stood with his raised blade aimed at me. My sword was still vibrating, stuck to the main mast, away from me. ¡°All for the glory of Talaviel¡±! he screamed, the sea reached a crescendo in its roaring song of waves. My hand curled up on the rope beside me and pulled hard. The man had stepped on some coiled rigging rope reaching down from the mainmast. The taut rope wound around his leg, making him stumble forward. I sprang back up while taking another rope that lay by my side. I could feel the man¡¯s breathing on my nape as I crossed him in a flash, the rope that once held the sails coiled around his neck. I pulled at the rope, savagely. The pulley attached to the rope ate up its length, taking the man with it. He flailed as he clutched at his throat, trying to loosen the rope. The violent jerking had sent his cutlass clattering on the deck. The man struggled wildly, his eyes growing whiter with every passing moment. I kept looking at him while he hung a feet or two above the deck, his legs flailing to reach it. He started going blue in the face. Yes! Die! Veins in his face bulged, the whites of his eyes started to redden as blood clouded it. More! More! The voices in my head clamoured again. His nails scratched the wooden main mast wildly, taking off small splinters. Bleed! Bleed for me! My brains felt like it would split apart. His tongue lolled out, as he took his last breath. His struggle winded down. The movements became slower each passing second. A little more! Don¡¯t let him go! I roared as the voices overtook me, my mind settled into the rythm of slaughter. Thud! His body dropped on to the deck as I slackened the rope. With the makeshift noose still around his neck, he stood against the main mast, gruesome in his death. BOOM! Waves of heat rolled onto my back as an explosion rocked the ship behind me. The seawater churned. I turned towards it. The mothership was on fire. A huge gaping hole stared back at me from its back, the inside of the hull partly visible. Smell of gunpowder hung in air, coiling around the ships. With huge plops, some black balls rolled into the sea from its exposed hull¡ªCanon balls. The gunpowder room exploded? I turned to face the dead man. Rage, rage hotter than molten steel claimed me. My head¡ªthis splitting headache! I curled up my fists, strengthened by a year of hunting and consuming Cores. Crush it! Crush it! The voices had become one with my mind. Yes! Yes! Crush! I pummeled onto the body of the man, each punch cracking a bit of his defenseless body. Kill! Kill! His rib cage made a snapping noise and caved in. Blood seeped from where the ribs broke through the skin, jutting out like sharp spikes. Dominate! tear...tear apart! I kept punching him, his form growing slowly soft and squishy. His bones broke into my hand, making it even more bloody. His heart exploded with a squelch under my fists. Yes, yes! YES! Someone said something behind me. I didn¡¯t pay any heed. More! More! a savage laughter bubbled up my throat. More! MORE! Something pulled at my arm. I whirled around. ¡°He is already dead¡±. Faeve stood dripping blood all over the deck. She was soaked in blood, the little clothes she had on her gave off the stank of death. Her naked skin was blotched with gore. I turned back and continued punching the dead High Grunter. Faeve pulled back my arm forcefully now. In one fluid motion, I slammed my open palm into her, sending her flying backwards into the secondary mast. She hit the wooden mast flying, with a huge crack. ¡°Do not tell me what to do, Elf!¡± I was surprised how distorted my voice was to my own ears. Faeve picked herself up, clutching her stomach. She looked at me with eyes of deep green, visible clearly despite the lurid yellow glow of the burning ships. ¡°ERIDAN! COME TO YOUR SENSES!¡± she shouted, swirling green dust motes surrounded her body. ¡°He is dead!¡± she wailed as if praying to something. The sea stilled its raging. The world, vivid with its colour and plethora of sounds, went quiet. Blood rushed my veins like a howling tornado through my ears. Really what was I; I lost again, didn¡¯t I? What...what was I doing? The ship burned with a cheerful crackle, the sparks shooting up into the sky. Somewhere, shouting started. I walked towards Faeve with slow steps. The adrenaline rush from the excitement and¡­the gift had receded, leaving me with a sore body, shredded to ribbons. My footsteps echoed the sizzle of the burning ship. Faeve shivered, looking towards me. Her hands clenched on the hilt of her daggers. I crouched down in front of her, putting my eyes at the same level. I stared into her eyes, both still and turbulent at the same time. Her porcelain skin dripped crimson. ¡°I told you, my name is Rigel¡±. I said in a quiet voice, our faces mere inches apart. She shivered when my breath fell on her like a sigh. ¡°Remember it¡±. The world went black. The adrenalin rush having gone, the excessive blood loss and stress claimed my body. I tumbled forward, into the darkness.
How was the action this chapter? Please let me know!! This fiction, rate/review you must! The force compels you! Yesss! Like the story? Vote for it on TopWebFictions so more people could read it I find support. No registration required and the process is very simple. You can vote for more than one fiction too, voting for another one doesn¡¯t affect any other fiction you have voted for already: <>> Chapter 15: Surviving Inner Demons The first psychological chapter is here. For all the psychology enthusiasts out there, here is the list of all the psychological phenomenon and theories that come to play in this chapter. Spoiler: Theories used Honestly, I am worried about how you guys will treat this chapter. All I can do is sort of urge you not to judge Rigel or Faeve too harshly, for they are suffering. I couldn''t have completed this chapter without the extremely valuable inputs from Luciferia and her editing proskillz. Also, valuable inputs by ResonantIce and Monsoon117 helped a lot to.
Chapter 15: Surviving Inner Demons ¡°¡­Ruin, ruin waits us all when the souls will awaken. The tortured ones will rage through the lands, bringing rot to everything alive. Their anguish and pain will bring down the final judgment of the cruel gods. Take heed, fellow mortal for when the la¡ª¡± ¡ªUnfinished inscription, ¡®Hammer of Gods¡¯, Temple of The End. ¡°Release the Kraken¡±, I said in an imperious voice, in English, resisting a light chuckle. ¡°Aye Aye, Cap¡¯n¡±, a high voice answered me back in distorted English. The chains clinked as it dropped down slowly, taking a wood plank down into the sea. A splash informed us of the Kraken¡¯s release. ¡°First Mate!¡± I said, again in English, ¡°Find me some grub¡±. ¡°Arr Arr, Cap¡¯n¡±, the small girlish voice declared back, then little patter of feet sounded against the wooden deck as the pair of feet ran away somewhere. I looked on as the Kraken swam towards the deep sea, water bubbling in its wake. One wish from the bucket-list, fulfilled. ¡°What did you do with my Churrin?!¡± an angry voice asked of me behind my back. ¡°Arr arr, the Kraken be rel¡ªI mean I let it go¡±, I answered back, tilting my head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t big enough to feed you anyway, Sullin¡±. The Kraken in question bobbed up on the sea surface, its small cylindrical body glowed a dull white. Yeah. It was actually a small octopus type of animal with 6 tentacles on each end, all together not more than 3 feet end to end. But hey! I can make do with imagination, can¡¯t I? ¡°Corrin is going to be mad. He caught that thing on his fishing hook¡±, Sullin tightened the rigging on the secondary mast behind me, ¡°Why did you let it go anyway?¡± ¡°Because, my friend¡±, I imagined that I gave an appropriate pirate-y drawl, ¡°I always wanted to release a Kraken¡±. ~~~~ It had been three days since the Duchy Guard ship and the Fishermen had attacked us. I had been asleep for two of those days, passed out in the Captain¡¯s Cabin. Faeve had informed me when I woke up that I was dangerously close to death. Even her Elven magic and the connection between an Urvan-ere and an Aivern was unable to contain the damage on my body. Why the fucking hell am I always dangerously close to death!? Yes, that was a thing. When an Urvan-ere and Aivern make a contract, they may share AP and¡­other stuff. I wish there wasn¡¯t the other stuff though. A cold shiver ran through me at the thought of it. Dammit! Turns out that Faeve had been healing me continuously for two days while I hovered between life and death. The battle had taken a lot from me. My hands curled into an inadvertent fist, and it will take more, in the times to come. Let¡¯s not think about that right now.I took a deep breath and unclenched my hands and rested it lightly on the Nampar¡¯s coarse wooden Wheel. Imma pirate, yo! ¡°Don¡¯t turn it the wrong way¡±, Sullin yelled from somewhere behind the mass of ropes for the rigging. He was always tinkering with the rigging. Sometimes I wondered if he was a Shipo-phile¡­if there was such a thing. ¡°How¡¯s Kurrick¡¯s Tooth today, Sullin?¡± I asked him loudly, the wind beat at my face, making me blink. ¡°She is sailing fine, Torr-Eridan¡±, he yelled back. ¡°Such strong masts¡­and the beautiful, fluttering sails can¡¯t grow wrong! Look at the way she goes, all smooth and hard. The motion is beautiful! Almost like sliding on wet¡ª The roaring wind took away the rest of his praise of the Nampar. That sounded almost obscene. I sighed, yep, definitely a Shipo-phile. ~~~~ When I had lost consciousness that night, I had heard shouts before blacking out. Turned out that the mothership was carrying some prisoners. Four Maevarins, or the beastmen and a single Naval Guard. When Faeve had set the gunpowder room on fire, the explosion had ripped a large hole in the Ship¡¯s hull. It had been sinking fast, when Faeve had found the prisoners. They had been shouting in desperation for their lives, the water slowly increasing. I had asked Faeve why she saved them since she wasn¡¯t the do-gooder sort. She just replied that the small Maevarin girl had reminded her of someone. ¡°Torr, I brought some food¡±, a lank woman called me from behind. ¡°Corrin sent some dried fish Bakhaein¡±. ¡°Right. What does he send for dinner, and lunch?¡±, I asked her, tapping the wheel with my fingers. ¡°Dried fish Bakhaein¡±, the woman replied swishing her bushy, striped tail. Severe malnutrition was visible on her body, the cheekbones hollow and pale. Her tattered robe encased a skeletal figure, her sagging chest jutting out of her visible rib-cage. ¡°So, is there any reason to announce it every time?¡± I asked, a bit miffed. My body¡ªaches like hell. The limbs feel like they would fall apart. ¡°I¡­I am sorry¡±, the woman almost prostrated. ¡°P...please forgive me¡±. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t do that¡±, I said rubbing my neck, my voice straining, ¡°I am just¡­not feeling well¡±. I don¡¯t want to be here either, dammit! She just stood there, nodding. Her deep breathing was apparent from her impoverished frame. Prisoners were harshly treated here. My jaws clenched as I stared at her. Well not like prisoners in our world are treated much better most of the time. And they were of same race to boot. Part of her harsh treatment was due to her different race. Surprisingly, that didn¡¯t seem to have stopped the guards from raping her systematically throughout her confinement. Funny how these things work. Both in this world and ours. I tapped my fingers on the table. Get going already! My head is splitting apart! I rubbed at my temples to dispel the throb that had crept up. She stood there looking downwards, she knew what she had to do. She shook a little every time I ordered her to do this. ¡°Did you bring the food directly from the cook?¡± I asked her. She jolted up hearing me speak. Honestly, every single time¡­ ¡°Y¡­Yes Torr¡±, she quavered while she spoke. To make her so afraid¡­the days spent in that ship¡¯s hold must have been hellish. I pity you¡­but that doesn¡¯t mean I can take chances, can I? No, I can¡¯t. ¡°Forl! Forl!¡± I hailed. My voice carried out through the open door, spreading onto the deck. The woman flinched at my loud voice, her tail stood on its end and shook like a leaf. They really are very scared of me, aren¡¯t they? They all heard the screams and howls the past nights. The girls at the whorehouse were¡­too nice to put up with my screaming till the Shivang and Apopris arrived. The small girl from before came running, her rag like dress fluttered in the strong sea breeze. She looked up at me with bright eyes, her fingernails cracked and blackend with grime. ¡°Aye Cap¡¯n!¡±, she said in English. I had taught her a few English words. Mostly to call me Cap¡¯n and aye aye. And occasionally shout ¡°Ahoy! and some choice sailor cuss¡ª Ok maybe shouldn¡¯t have taught her that. My lips pulled down in an awkward grimace. Oh well. ¡°Call Corrin from the kitchen¡±, I ordered the little girl. ¡°And fast, the food is getting cold¡±. She bowed and left. Who taught her to do that? I looked on as she ran, her bare feet struck against the wood. I looked at the beastwoman again. Her form trembled when she felt my gaze on her. Pity, huh? Do I¡­even have the right to pity someone? I sighed. No, after the things I have done¡­ My head felt like a separate entity, pulsating, thudding. Ugh this bloody fucking headache! Why won¡¯t it stop! The somewhat fat fisherman stood in front of me, a Fish Gutting knife in his hand. His oily mustache drooped over his sun burnt lips. The woman stood beside him, shaking in the knees. ¡°Do it¡±, I ordered. Ugh. The headache reached a new crescendo. My head felt like a sack of rocks being hit with a wet towel. Damn this shit! Dammit all to hell! I held my head in my hands as it felt like my brain was pounding against my skull. Fuck! Aspirin doesn¡¯t even exist in this world. They both came forward, and took the spoon dipped in the bowl. With slow sips, they each took a bite. The cook, Corrin was steady, singing a song about sea breeze and loose women. The beast-woman shrunk back , closing her eyes when she took the sip. I waited¡­and waited. After some time had passed, the cook looked up at me, his gaze one of silent accusation. Why¡­you don¡¯t need to look at me like that. I¡­I have no choice! ¡°Torr-Eridan¡­can I be going te de Kicchen?¡± he asked while he wiped his knife on his clothes, breaking eye contact. His feet shuffled as he looked everywhere, everywhere but me. ¡°Go¡±, I propped my hands on the table and resting my chin on it, ¡°And send Faeve to my cabin¡±. I stared at his retreating back. He paused and turned once to look at the beast woman, pity in his eyes. What are you looking at! This was necessary, Yes it is! The cook was originally one of the fishermen of Kurrick¡¯s Tooth, and its cook. He had been hiding in the pantry when the fight had broken out. He had been found out when he came out screaming after the Guard¡¯s mothership had caught fire. He had said that he opposed when Vinter and his crew were planning to betray me and Faeve. He actually tried to stop them when they tied up Faeve to rape her later. The fucking bastards were waiting for the Guard Ship to take me away to have their way with her. They were apparently planning, in Corrin¡¯s halting words, ¡°to meak de elf-girl de shipwife¡±. Fucking assholes. My hands clenched when I recalled what Corrin had said. When I asked him what a shipwife was, he told me that they were usually whores or slave women who were taken aboard the ship. The men used her during the long, lonely voyages on the sea. All of them. Due to being subject to regular rape and abuse by anything from 10 to 25 men, no ¡®shipwife¡¯ lived more than one or two voyages. The only fucking reason those assholes couldn¡¯t rape Faeve was because the Marine Guards had come too soon. Bloody bastards! How can they¡ªin a fit of rage, I threw the spoon in my hands at the other side of the room. It crashed against a metal container and bounced off, the empty vessel ran rang out with a clanging vibration. The beast woman gave a short whimper and shrunk back, her hands over her head. Fuck! I need to control my fucking temper. I was losing it without the Apopris to act as a mood elevator. I took a deep breath to calm myself down. Easy, I told myself, just like the councellor taught me. Easy, deep breaths, Rigel. At any rate, Corrin was a compatriot of the Fishermen. The only reason he was kept alive was because he knew this ship more than any of us¡­and it was forbidden to kill a Cook on seas. Even Faeve didn¡¯t dare kill him for fear of a curse. It was superstition, but I could see the reason. Cooks and Doctors were the most valuable ship-members in High Seas. But I had seen Corrin tremble when he had told the tales of his apparent innocence. Innocence, huh? Fucking bullshit! He too was planning to rape Faeve, I can see it in his eyes when he looks at her! There was no reason to trust him. I fully expected him to try poison me and Faeve, as revenge for his shipmates. I will be rather surprised if he didn¡¯t. I can¡¯t trust him, I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t, I CAN¡¯T! I slammed my hands down on the table, the anger having won again. The beast woman further shrunk back into a corner, her trembling tail drooping between her legs. Just how much space does that corner have? ¡°Go¡±, I thundered at the woman, ¡°your work is done here, Tafina¡±. She flinched and then scampered away in fright, her claws scratched the wood floor. I grabbed the wooden bowl and drank the fish soup from it directly, wolfing down every last morsel. The cabin was enshrouded in silence, except for the roar of the sea. I know you people are listening on what happens here! As if to answer my thought, quiet footsteps born of padded hindlegs followed Tafina. Just as I thought! Beastmen were listening in on what was going on in the cabin. Well, why won¡¯t they? I am not exactly a paragon of kindness. I stared at the wooden bowl, now divested of its contents. Bits of fish still stuck to its rim. This regular poison check was necessary with each meal, for the one who cooked it and the one who brought it. Faeve can withstand poison, not me. Besides, last time, their anesthetic, the sleep-inducing oil had affected us, so it wasn¡¯t that Faeve was resistant to everything. I need to be careful, I can¡¯t lose my life out here. Those fucking bastards can poison us at any moment! I sighed . I wish I had some of that oil now, I need to sleep peacefully. Silence reigned in the small cabin, bouncing off its walls. The incessant roar of the seas was a irritating annoyance to my ears as it carried our little ship forward, tossing and turning it as it pleased. God! I hate the seas. I paced in silent frustration in the small cabin. We were hopefully riding towards the village of Forril. Hopefully, Since the only one who knew the sea route is the Cook and the Naval Guard who was found in chains in the mothership, along with the other prisoners. My hands gripped my shirt tightly. I can¡¯t trust these people¡­but there is no way without relying on them, is there? Damn it. Damn it all to hell! I didn¡¯t turn around at the soft footsteps that entered the room. My fingers unclenched and worked at the buttons. I winced at the sharp stab of pain when I took off my shirt. Rubbing at my shoulder, I sat on the small bed. A soft shuffling came behind me as Faeve sat kneeling on the floor, her palms on my back. Her cool skin wrenched a shiver from my bare back, her fingers ran over the numerous scars and wounds from battles. Soft torrents of AP flowed from her hand into my body, fixing the wounds bit by bit. It felt like an incurable itch under my skin that wound through my body, raced through my veins. Shit! I ran my hands trough my hair as the dull headache started again, coming in waves. Just why won¡¯t it stop? I held my head with my hands, rubbing it. The sea-vessel pitched and rolled fitfully, making bottomless pits in my stomach. Faeve¡¯s hands ran over my skin, like playing a piano. The tickling sensation elicited a shiver from my body. ¡°Did you say something?¡± I asked. I thought I heard something¡­ ¡°No¡±, she said curtly, her fingers like running water on my back. ¡°You don¡¯t have to heal me if you don¡¯t want to¡±, I said in a quiet voice. I could feel her shudder every time she was near me, fidgeting. She slunked away from me whenever she encountered me outside of the healing sessions. It¡¯s not my fault, dammit! ¡°Its alright¡±, she replied in a strained voice, ¡°it needs to be done¡±. I didn¡¯t reply. My body had been shred to ribbons in the fight. I don¡¯t have much of a choice in this, do I? I wouldn¡¯t survive if Faeve didn¡¯t keep healing me. But¡­it came with consequences. Very damning ones. I punched the bed, making Faeve jolt up. ¡°How bad is it, Faeve?¡± I asked her, quiet resignation in my voice. Her hands stopped supplying AP, fingers curled into a fist. Her body trembled, the sensation passing through my back. Her fingers clenched and unclenched lightly a few times on my skin, before she resumed the healing. ¡°Bad enough to make me want to kill you¡±, she said in a quiet voice. ¡°Every time I heal you, the feedback gets stronger and stronger. The connection is now not only passing on your emotions during sleep¡­but it seeps in when you are awake too¡±. A deep sigh escaped her lips. It¡¯s not like you are the only one suffering! She got up, meaning to leave, the session over for now. I didn¡¯t turn back towards her. She stood there for a moment staring at my back. After a while, her receding footsteps reached my ears. I don¡¯t know how to fill the uneasy silence between us. Her voice floated in from the doorway, ¡°I fear there might soon be a time when I won¡¯t be myself. Before that, Erid¡ªI mean Rigel, I will kill you¡±. Her footsteps were now heavier as they left, making the wood creak. The cabin was silent once again, the sea a gentle sway. The rolling and pitching had stopped. I looked out through the small window, the turquoise sea glimmered in the sunlight, as if to mock my helplessness. I really hate the seas. This reminded me of the last time I was on a boat. It had been years ago, when I was just a little kid. My parents, sister and I had gone to Okinawa Sea for a family vacation. We had laughed, we played and acted like any other ordinary, happy family. Yes, acted. Truth was, that our family had been falling apart for a long time. The fights between our parents had grown routine. The angry voices had become a regular occurrence every night. But, never in presence of other people. The fa?ade had to be maintained. At any cost. My fist clenched as I thought of the times past, when me and my sister huddled in a corner, scared at out own parents. I still remember my sister Yuki¡¯s tear stained face, as she trembled. A cold chill spread through me even after all this years. But that night in Okinawa¡­shouts drifted in from parents room, adjoining ours. Our room was being attended by a bellhop. He stiffened at the oddly distinct voices¡­accusing, arguing, threatening. He jolted up, apparently thinking it was rude listening in on the guests¡­even more so in front of their children and continued on in his work. His fitful demeanor an indication that he was pointedly ignoring the voices in the next room. Yuki¡¯s face had gone ashen while she fitfully kept looking between the bellhop and the wall between our rooms. Was it then that I wanted to become the older brother? A strange dull pang spread though my chest. That night, I had heard my sister cry herself to sleep again, like she had done on so many nights before. I had wondered then, Who should I cry to? Then the next morning¡­had come the unexpected. I sighed as I remembered that ghastly morning. The tears, the terror. I shook my head to dispel the memories. I¡­why am I thinking of this now? I was past that wasn¡¯t I?, so why...why now? Is the sea so salty because it held the tears of others? I stared through the cabin window. The bright blue sea carried on its indifference, unrepentant. My fist cracked on the bed again, the bed again, I really hate the seas! I got out of the cabin. I needed to relieve myself. The air inside was stifling. The cool sea breeze played through my hair. The salt spray wet the deck¡­and I was being poetic to gloss over the fact that my piss was flying through the air downwind into the sea. Take that, fucking sea! I shook my head, It is childish, I know it is! But¡­ I stared at the blue waves. I know it has done nothing, it had no connection to what happened with my parents. The sea breeze picked up again, dancing on my skin. At least the sea lets me complain and blame it. A girl with flowers in her hair flashed through my mind. She wanted to reach the seas, didn¡¯t she? A tight knot crept up my throat. I pulled up my pants. Sorry about that, Arin. Really¡­sorry. ~~~~ The sea glowed a deep orange as the sun dipped in the horizon, like a ball of fire slowly submerging into the womb of the seas, returning to where it came from. I stood at the starboard watching the sky darken in its urge to match the water beneath. ¡°Cap¡¯n Gorn! Cap¡¯n Gorn!¡±, Forl called at me from behind. She had taken to call me Gorn, which apparently meant big brother in Garahoshi, the Civet-cat language. ¡°Which one is my mother? Can you show me again?¡±, she jumped up and down on deck while she pointed at the starry sky overhead, ¡°I miss her¡±. Her large eyes were red. Has she been crying again? I hoisted her up on my shoulders, the small frame light for my strength. Then I held her finger and pointed to a cluster of six stars arrayed near the horizon. ¡°There she is, Forl, watching over you¡±, I jolted away my hands, taking care not to let my bare skin touch her. I pulled down the gloves even more. She will rot if my cursed hand touches her! My spine ached in protest. Even her light weight is making my bones creak. Ugh. My body¡­it¡¯s starting to hurt again. I shifted my weight on my other leg, trying to endure the pain. ¡°Will the bad men get her there too?¡± she asked, her voice lowering. ¡°W¡­will they do all the¡ª ¡°No, Forl. The sky is safe¡± I interrupted before she could finish. Fucking bastards! My stomach lurched at the thought of¡­what had been done to her mother. Even the assassin¡¯s impassionate mask had cracked when Faeve recounted how she had found Forl¡¯s mother. In a voice like tortured metal she told me how Forl¡¯s mother was found chained in the mothership¡¯s hold, blood and bile all over her. Her skin furrowed by whipmarks was left to fester as she sat in her own shit and urine. My gloved hand clenched in silent fury, beasts, fucking beasts, all of them! Forl¡¯s animal ears twitched in the cool breeze. No, beasts are better, far better than we humans could ever be. The Naval Guards had seemingly raped her day after day, in that damp hold devoid of sunlight. Fucking bastards! She had been left to rot, her body broken, beaten and tortured. She had nothing left in her body but bones stretching taut against the sickly, dirty skin. My teeth gnashed against each other. How¡­how can men be so cruel?...Even Arin was¡­. Was I any better? The female Knight¡¯s wails echoed in my mind. I¡­I left them there to be eaten¡­killed! My stomach lurched as a dull chill spread through my chest. My brains felt like it would burst out of its skull. So loud¡­can¡¯t a¡­anyone hear my head exploding? Empty eye sockets stared at me from the room. Wha¡­what have I done? The wails continued in my mind. It¡­it was necessary dammit! Yes! Talaviel¡¯s lackeys would kill me if I didn¡¯t¡ª ¡°Are you okay?¡±, Forl jarred me out of my train of thought. Her violet eyes reflected the starlight back, shining akin to a beast¡¯s. Her sensitive catlike ears twitched atop her head, having picked up on my unease. My hands supporting Forl¡¯s legs had dug in tighter, unknowingly. They had burned her mother with cinders. Her tail had holes in them made with iron spikes. And at last, the poor woman was dead when Faeve had found her, blisters and pustules all over her broken down body. ¡°Nothing, Forl¡±, I assured her. ¡°Everything is alright¡±. I felt my heart wound down from its laboured efforts. The small girl nooded, turning to look back at the stars. A streak of tear ran down her cheeks, sooty with grime. And this girl had seen it all happen to her mother, from a corner of the ship hold. Ugh. I unclenched my fingers. My palms hurt from where my nails had dug into it unknowingly. Do I even have the right¡­to feel anger? A crippled man¡¯s image flashed through my mind, while a madman tortured him with his sword. Whistles ripped the air as the madman laughed in savage glee. I¡­I probably don¡¯t. The headache dulled down as a strange pain crept through my heart. Heavens know, I don¡¯t. ~~~~ The same routine of poison checking happened at night, in light of the Ker¡¯dals. Corrin and the beast woman, Tafina stood at a corner, tasting the food. As always, the woman trembled uncontrollably while eating. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t disrespect a woman like that!¡± a harsh voice sounded from the door, ¡°You Torr, are a¡ª ¡°Stop it, Silas-Gaharin. I am okay. This is expected¡±, the beast woman Tafina kept the bowl down quickly went over to the man and kneeled down, her head on his feet. ¡°Please calm down, Silas-Gaharin¡±. ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t! to see my people disgraced like this, as a pack leader how can I¡ª¡±,the Pharin, the Wild Dog beastman spoke up, his furs bristling. He was another of the prisoners in the ship. He didn¡¯t really agree with my methods. ¡°The humans have disgraced us enough, I can¡¯t let this go on!¡±, he growled again, as his lips peeled up, revealing his fangs. Not this again. ¡°You should have protected them then¡±, I replied, banging on the table with my hands, ¡°I heard that you begged for your life in exchange of your own people¡¯s?¡± How dare he accuse me when he had let the travesty continue on Forl¡¯s mother? ¡°Lies! Lies speak the demon!¡± he growled back, ¡°Fight me if you¡ª¡± I bolted up, a hot lump in my throat, ¡°So says the ¡®leader¡¯ who watched as they raped one of his¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, you two.¡±, Faeve had heard the commotion and came in, ¡°Pharin, leave¡±. Gaharin stared at Faeve his claws drawn taut. Then he nodded and slunk away grumbling. His light footsteps receded into the distance, nails scratching into the wood. They really respect Faeve for saving them, huh? The poison testing was done, so I asked the two to leave. Corrin and Tafina bowed and left with quick steps. Who the fuck is teaching them to bow, dammit? Faeve took the chair opposite to me. She drew closer the other bowl set on the table. I nodded at her to let her it had been tested for poison too. My face turned in a grimace. I rubbed at my forehead. Ugh, the headache. I picked up a piece of fish with my fingers ¨C it fell apart on the table, blackening fast. Acid smoked though the piece, consuming it. Acrid smoke curled up from the decomposing flesh. Shit. I forgot my gloves. ¡°Can¡¯t you still control it?¡±, Faeve asked while offering me a spoon, ¡°Its not a Aivern power as far as I know¡±. I snatched the spoon from her hands. I knew what it is. Her eyebrows arched at my impatience. ¡°This must be one of your god¡¯s powers¡±, Faeve whispered, her voice died out midway. Oh yeah. The feedback from our connection. The connection seeped parts of my memories and emotions into Faeve, sporadically. With each healing, the connection was increasing, feeding back more and more to her. By now, she knew about Zain and Astria. But not that I wasn¡¯t from this world. She just thought I was their priest. I don¡¯t know what she will do if she knew I was an otherworlder. ¡°That¡¯s one inconvenient power¡±, I said while slurping food into my mouth, ¡°I wish I could shove it in their throats¡±. I dug the spoon in with force enough to make soup splatter on the table. Fuck this! Her mouth curved into a thin line as she watched the soup drain down the side of the table, dripping into the wood. Then she reached over and tapped my fingers , ¡°But it doesn¡¯t effect me so¡­it could be an Aivern power too¡±. No it isn¡¯t. It is the Gift of Sacrifice. I knew that because I could sense it in my mind. The power had probably activated because of the sacrificed souls in the room and me hovering between death¡¯s door myself. Half of its payment was my own life force. Goddammit! It was because of this power draining me that the wounds weren¡¯t healing fast! A power I don¡¯t even want! Whatever I touched with my left hands, if it was a living thing, it disintegrated like something was digesting it with acid. Black rot and poison claimed the living matter. Right now I was controlling it by wearing a glove on my hand since it didn¡¯t affect dead or inorganic matter. I wasn¡¯t sure, the fish was dead too but it still affected it, didn¡¯t it? I tapped the table with my fingers, pondering about the hand. If I wasn¡¯t careful, I might kill people with this. I have to be cautious; specially around Forl. Bloody bother. I switched to eating with my other hand. It was awkward guiding the spoon into my mouth. More food spilled as my hands trembled. Pain stabbed through my shoulder while I ate shakily. Even my own hand isn¡¯t mine anymore. Fuck it to seven hells! Faeve stopped eating as she stared at me eating sloppily. She opened her mouth to say something. ¡°Don¡¯t¡±, I barked harshly, ¡°let it be¡±. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.Her eyes hardened, ¡°how dare yo¡ª¡± she trailed off midway as she stared at my face. She froze for a while. Is her hand¡­shaking? Her face went back to the usual impassionate mask of the assassin as she started eating again. Nah, just my imagination¡­probably. I put another spoonful of fish in my mouth. I wonder what expression she saw on my face. Our bowls clinked as we ate in silence. The amber light of the Ker¡¯dals fell on the black sea, creating a spot of light. Darkness rushed in to swallow the small patch of light. The eternal game between light and shadows played on as the audacious ship raced on through the dark seas, under the light of moons and stars. The Nampars were basically a double masted ship of 60-70feet. The main mast was quite high, double sailed. The secondary mast was shorter but double sailed too. Kurrick¡¯s Tooth was built for speed and strength. According to the cook, the ship had two purposes, catching fish and transporting it. I sat on the starboard, watching glowing fish breach the surface and disappearing into the depths. A whole shoal of these Karrkir were following us for quite sometime, in midst of their migration. Corrin wanted to fish using the two ¡®wings¡¯ of the ship, but I stopped him. It would slow the ship down. Besides, who would man the wings? We were not fishermen! The patchwork deck echoed with soft footsteps. Faeve was walking towards me, her hands folded on her chest. The ship groaned as it dived in a deep pitch, the shoal of fish momentarily dived into the depths of the wave. The ship wont hold out for much long. The salvaged wood just isn¡¯t good enough for a rough ride. I turned towards Faeve as the last of the glowing red lights from the Karrkir vanished. Faeve stood on the blackened part of the deck, where I had burned the Naval Guards alive. It was only due to the flame retardant Xecchian wood that the ship still sailed in one piece. The colour of the wood was different in places as dfitwood from the mothership was used to fix what as damage din battle. The sails flapped harder in the wind, fluttering noisly. I tightened the sail rigging, in the way Sullin had taught me. The effort caused me to wince, as pain lanced up my arms. ¡°It¡¯s time, Rigel. Come to the Cabin¡±, Faeve called out, the wind eating at her words. Her face seems to be made of chiseled marble, like a staute dedicated to an indifferent goddess. While we walked to the Captain¡¯s Cabin that stood on the back end of the ship, Sullin was fishing with a hook. He still wore his Naval Guard outfit, even though they were the ones who had imprisoned him for insubordination. It was partly due to his effort that the rest of the prisoners were alive. ¡°Tal¡¯hael, Sullin¡±, I called out, greeting him goodnight. ¡°Tal¡¯hael¡±, Torr-Eridan¡±, he greeted back, jumping down from the railing he sat on. He traced my eyes on his uniform and shook his head, ¡°I still am proud to be a Naval Guard, Torr. It was my pride as a guard that made me stand against my superiors in their atrocities¡±. I sighed. ¡°The world doesn¡¯t reward the righteous, Sullin¡±, I remarked while I walked away, ¡°you will most likely be court-martialed¡±. He got back to his fishing, taking his seat once again on the guardrail, ¡°Even so, Torr, even so¡±. The wind made the sails boom, as if to refute his argument. The man carried on, indifferent to the world around him. You are a fool, Sullin. A fool I wish I could be. The Cabin was dark and damp. I lay on the low bed face-down while Faeve healed my arm. The arm had shattered into pieces, and still ached even after she healed it. Almost every bone in my body had broken in the fight. The bed grew damp with the sweat that poured off my body. ¡°How did you even fight, Eridan?¡± she asked while she ran her fingers down my spine, sending tingles through out my body. My head¡ªsplitting apart. ¡°The gift¡±, I spoke in the dark of the cabin, the shadows hiding my contorted face as hot pain lanced up my body again. ¡°The gift of might doesn¡¯t really raise my physical capabilities Faeve, it¡­releases it¡±. She was silent, as she shuddered while running her fingers down my spine, the skin scabbed and wounded. Memories flowing into her again? Her green eyes stared at my back, urging me. I know, I know! We kept up a conversation every time we were alone, so that the silence didn¡¯t stretch. With silence came the memories, with memories the pain. Our connection forced Faeve to feel the mental agony I faced every night. My hands bunched up the sheet under me. No one deserves to go through the pain I do. ¡°Human body has¡­limits set into them. Rather all the races probably have them. The pain threshold is set much lower than the body could take, so that no one hurts themselves. When in danger, we often do things we aren¡¯t capable of doing, right? It is when the limit is released, making us think we have a sudden gust of power¡±, I spoke while I traced pattern on the wood floor with my other hand. Faeve removed her hands, her breath caught, ¡°That means¡­¡± ¡°Yes. The Gift of might has been removing my limit consistently. My body can function to its limit¡­which also means, that I am always tottering close to crossing it¡±. The Cabin fell silent again, the wind suddenly picked up, the gust caught the sail, making it boom. How long do I have to stay in this fucking sea? I winced as more AP wound through me, the sensation prickly and at times, painful. I hadn¡¯t told Faeve, because I wasn¡¯t sure if there is the concept of hormones in this world, but from what I understood¡­the gift of might messed with my Adrenaline too. Everyone got a rush of Adrenaline when they faced danger, but¡ªmine might be a few times more. As a result, I was faster, stronger and more aware. But¡­I took a deep breath. My lungs sucked in more air than I ever could back in Earth. I became more aware of the world around me, the sounds sharper, the smells more intense. More Adrenaline also meant that my body was in constant state of excitement, to make me battle ready. But as always, the power comes with a price. The higher adrenaline meant that I lose danger perception and perception of pain to some extent. This means I could withstand much more pain than others and stay dauntless in face of danger. That is the power part. The price was, without a sense of danger, I would not feel the need to protect myself. Without a sense of pain, I wouldn¡¯t try to move my hand out of fire. While Faeve healed my other arm, I traced patterns on the wood floor with my fingers. Why the fuck do I have to go through this fucking shit? Though the gifts have not gone to that extent yet, but I realized during the naval battle; the fucking gods want a battle machine, but they don¡¯t intend for it to last long. My teeth gnashed against each other as my hand that nails scratched the wood floor. The wind and sea howled all around us. The Nampar crashed against the turbulent seas, prone to breaking apart any moment. ¡°How is the food and water situation, Faeve?¡±, I asked quietly, turning over. Her hands were on my stomach, mending the stab wounds. She chewed her lips before answering, fatigue evident in her voice, ¡°Not very good. A week at most. Most of the supplies from the Naval ship sunk before they could be salvaged¡±. Oh shit. ¡°Will it hold out till we reach?¡±, I asked turning away. ¡°No¡±, she mumbled. ¡°Be prepared to desert then. I won¡¯t die here¡± She didn¡¯t reply, her lips settled into the emotionless expression of the assassin she was. Quiet flows of AP, or Voice as she called them kept entering my body. How long¡­ till I am fixed? The sounds of her stressed breathing bounced around in the dark cabin, like some strange lullaby. I closed my eyes as the pains started again, making my head throb. I ran fingers through my hair. Just have to grit my teeth till it¡¯s over, huh? ~~~~ I woke up screaming. When had I fallen asleep? The narrow bed was wet with perspiration, my cries still echoing in the room. I...I...can¡¯t see. I panicked, beating around the room with my hands. My hands toppled unidentified things. My stomach sank as I scrambled around, blind. Fuck! fuck! fuck! Shi¡­Shivang, where is the fucking shivang? My hands stopped searching. In my panic, I had forgotten that the Shivang and Apopris were lost during the battle. My heart still throbbed loudly, a slight pain spreading through my chest. I curled my hands and banged them on the floor. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! Bang! My heart almost leapt out of my mouth as a panicked whimper escaped my mouth. The wild banging continued from the closed metal door. Someone howled like a madman, scratching and pounding on it. I got up¡ªand fell down face first, my legs numb from terror. Argh! My face hurt like hell, the wood floor dug against my jaws. I stretched my hands and clawed on the wood floor. Bang! Bang! Why won¡¯t the fucking banging stop! I crawled towards the door one push at a time. I held the metal doorknob with my hands. The cold metal sent shivers down my spine. I propped myself up, holding the knob. I calmed my breath while the wild pounding continued near my ears. I took a deep and opened it with a metallic screech. Someone jumped on me, punching me straight in the face. I tumbled backwards, unable to keep my balance. I kneeled down, holding my cheek. The punch had a spot of warmth on my cold cheeks. My hands came wet with scant blood. What the¡­ The lights silhouetted a trembling Faeve standing at the doors, her crossbow raised. ¡°Stop it!¡± she screamed, ¡°Stop it stop it stop it!¡±. Her whole form shook like a leaf, as if her knees would buck and give way any second. Her clothes were disordered, as wild flaxen hair stuck to her face, wet with perspiration. I could guess what had happened. She¡­has a fucking crossbow! I rolled forward like lightning and kicked her. She fell backwards, the crossbow loosing a bolt at the sky. I slammed the door on her face. I panted at the strain on my wounded body. I held the doorknob fast, my breath ragged. ¡°Faeve¡­Drop the crossbow¡±, I said gasping from behind the thin metal door, ¡°tell me what happened¡±. I need to keep this girl sane. She is the key to Vaegar. If I didn¡¯t go to the Tree of Life with her¡­I will lose my magic! Fuck! fuck! just how much has it progressed? Can she even think clearly right now? There was no sound, except for silence. I waited with bated breath. After a while something dropped to the ground and jangled. ¡°Let me in, I won¡¯t shoot¡±, she said in a strained voice, her breathing uneven. I opened the door, with my hands on my Wakizashi. Careful, Rigel. She isn¡¯t exactly¡­in a right frame of mind. She came in and looked at my dagger, her eyes like obsidian. Her eyes trailed all over me, but didn¡¯t meet mine. She had fixed her appearance, a sheen of perspiration coated her body. ¡°Drop the bow, and we can talk¡±, I told her in a hoarse voice, readying a defensive stance. My knees still hurt from the fall, throbbing lightly. Fucking shit, even my head is hurting again. She passed the bow to me and sat down, while closing the door. We sat on the wood floor. We stared at each other in silence. Her lips parted a few times and closed. With a final sigh she started talking. Her voice trembled as she fidgeted with her fingers, ¡°How do you live like this?¡± Shit shit shit! Just as I thought! ¡°Practice¡±, I replied. ¡°And bottles of Shivang and Apopris¡±. My heart started to settle in its usual rhythm as I calmed myself down. My hands came away clammy with sweat. Fuck! fuck! fuck! I don¡¯t need this right now! ¡°They were¡­ghastly, Rigel. They wa¡­wanted to claw me apart. Rotten, dead bodies stared at me from the depths! Their hands all bloody and swollen¡±, she shook like a leaf, ¡°and they¡­they wanted me, my soul!¡± Her breath quickened again, her hands shaking. ¡°Not you, Faeve. They¡­they wanted me. The one who killed them¡±. Oh god! no, no no! ¡°Why! in the name of Uruth, why!¡± she wailed frantically, ¡°how¡­how are you even alive?¡± her green eyes went wide, as both her hands clenched hard on the wood floor. I ran my hands through my hair, ¡°Healthy amount of killing and loathing. It¡¯s surprising that hate can be so powerful¡±, my voice grated against the darkness of the cabin. ¡°Your dreams¡­they, they want to drag you down with them. To damn you like you damned them. They are not merely nightmares. They are making you like them!¡± her wails bounced on the walls, threatening to consume me. ¡°Again! Again!¡±, she kept howling while pointing her shaking finger at me, ¡°they want blood! They keep staring at me with dead eyes, every person you ever killed! They¡­they want to strip you apart, make me bleed and rot!¡± The bind of the connection is making her think they want her, isn¡¯t it? She is seeing them like how they appear to me. I¡­I don¡¯t want to hear it! My own body started to shiver as I spoke, my hands clammy against the wood floor underneath , ¡°Faeve, that is the last gift, Sacrifice. All the things I have killed¡­had part of their¡ªsouls absorbed into me. Whenever I kill, am invisible wave passes into me, jarring me to the bones. I had told you that. I think it¡¯s the souls of who I killed¡±. My voice jarred strangely as I strained to keep my voice calm. I¡­It¡¯s not something new. I¡­I have these dreams every night, so¡­so why Am I¡ª ¡°Ho...how can you live with yourself? When they stand in front of you and speak of how you killed them? How they will torture you? The memories of death¡­they are there in your mind, Speaking every night! Falaha fend!¡± she wrapped arms around herself, as if to protect from invisible specters. Her body looked so little now, shivering against the wooden wall. S¡­Stop it! I don¡¯t want them either! I don¡¯t want these¡­these nightmares! ¡°That is why I take Apopris and Shivang every night. They numb me to sleep. The mo¡­monsters don¡¯t dwell there¡±, I wrung my hands as I spoke. I¡­I can¡¯t do anything about it, dammit! I don¡¯t want to see them either! They don¡¯t come when I am awake, they can¡¯t cross the border to my mind, when I am asleep though¡­it¡¯s a whole different situation. In this world, dreams are doorways. Her hoarse whispers rang against the walls, ¡°They want to take me too! They want to feast on my flesh, using my broken body to satisfy themselves!¡±. ¡°Falaha preserve me. Protect me¡±, she curled up on the floor and shook like a newborn fawn. S¡­stop it! Please, I don¡¯t¡­I kept my hand on her shoulders, ¡°Faeve¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t touch me you monster! You stole their souls!¡± she flung my hand away, cowering in a corner, ¡°Let¡­let me be. Your dreams are eating into my mind, corrupting them. Not only them¡­you too. The connection is strong. Too strong¡±. Little sobs wracked her tiny body as she kept wailing. ¡°What, what the fuck do you mean?¡± I asked. Wha¡­what is she talking about? Don¡¯t tell me¡­ ¡°Your rage, your pains¡­are flowing into me. I can¡¯t think straight when you sleep. So¡­so much pain and anger¡±, she huddled in the corner, ¡°My mind is eroding¡­you are eating into it. I fear I will not remain myself like this¡±, her lips trembled with every word. ¡°How much did you see, Fucking tell me! How much dammit?¡± I asked with a heavy voice, my teeth grit each other. This cant be happening, no, no, NO! ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know. So much blood¡­so much¡­a girl, a girl dressed in white hanging at the cross¡±, she started sobbing again, her tear streaked face glistening in the scant moonlight. Shit. Did she¡­ ¡°She was crying¡­praying. You couldn¡¯t save her¡±, Faeve¡¯s voice reached a fevered pitch, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you save her? Why did you fail!¡± Stop! Do¡­don¡¯t remind me! Stop, dammit! ¡°They all say you are weak, the girl, the dead, all of them¡±, she was hysterics now, her voice a loud shrill, ¡°They all blame you!¡± . Her words felt like poison, eroding my sense. Don¡¯t. Please stop. Please! That¡­that was not the real Arin! Just a dream! Arin would never¡­She won¡¯t! she won¡¯t she wont! ¡°Arin died because of you! And you still live! Don¡¯t¡ª The world went red. Arin would never! I slapped her, she keeled over to the side. Blood trickled in a small stream from the side of her lips. She wiggled and then looked up. Her eyes that had glazed over now stared at me, unblinking, clear. She lifted herself up weakly, touching where I had hit her. ¡°Rigel? What have ¡­what did I do?¡± she asked, her brows furrowed in a bow, ¡°what just happened¡ª¡± I couldn¡¯t hear her. The voices were back. ¡®Kill her¡¯ They clamoured. My body burnt up, I hugged myself. No! no! no! I don¡¯t¡­ want to! No! ¡®Devour her¡¯ They swam through my head, their hands on my body, furrowing through me. I wailed, my hands over my ears. The voices¡­Stop! STOP! ¡®Rip her apart¡¯ No more!..No! LET GO! My breath started falling deep, as cold shivers ran down my spine. My body trembled painfully, as I tried to stop what was coming. No¡­No! Let me be! Le¡­leave me alone! No! ¡®Take her¡¯ ¡°Stop it! Stop it! I don¡¯t want to!¡± I cried out hoarsely as I saw Faeve¡¯s eyes go wide, ¡°STOP IT!¡± ¡®Use her. Make her bleed¡¯. Waves of heat washed over my body. My heart strained hard against my chest. Bestial cries ripped through my chest. Oh no oh no oh no The Gift of Might it¡¯s¡­it¡¯s starting again! I wailed as the Gift flooded my body with overpowering libido. Fuck, fuck fuck! it¡¯s messing with my hormones again! Shit! Not again! It was hard living in the Whorehouse with all the moaning and begging going under the floor¡­the naked girls stirring up primal desires inside me. I had tried my best to not touch them¡­because I will break them. Break them in mind, body and soul. Their souls will find no salvation in my hands. It was agonizing, not fucking them¡­but I also had Apopris and Shivang to lull me into dead sleep. I looked at Faeve. My answered the voices in my head egged me on to devour her. Yes! Take! Yes! Faeve screamed in answer, ¡°No¡­no. Your lust...your rage is flowing into me. I can¡¯t. NO!¡± I advanced on her, the voices in my mind having won over. Take. This time, my own mind answered. Fuck her! Strip her! ¡°Don¡¯t! don¡¯t eat into my mind, bloody krumper! You¡­ have already taken my hair¡­no!¡± she wailed, trying to get away. She scrambled away from me, her legs kicking into the air. Dominate. ¡°Falaha preserve! Great Tree protect!¡±, she twisted away from me, ¡°don¡¯t devour me¡­I can¡¯t hold on my mind! Let me be myself!¡± the proud assassin wailed, crying. Heh. I crept up on her, and held her down. She struggled but she was too exhausted from healing me to use magic. I threw her down on the floor and exposed her neck. The black choker, the mark of exile shone with eerie brilliance. Stop the struggle, woman! My fingers ran over it , then caught her throat, choking her lightly. Faeve thrashed around, trying to dislodge me from her body. Blood and sweat shone on her panic stricken face. Her fair nape grew crimson under pressure. Fuck her. Her red lips curled up¡ªYes! My thumb ran on her lips, tracing its contours. Her saliva wet my thumb. Faeve flinched her head away. Where will you run! I like it when you struggle! My fingers brushed all the way down her neck. More, more! My fingers pushed inside her cotton shirt from the top and pulled. The fabric ripped apart¡ªher white skin exposed itself. Soft moonlight played on her curves, accentuating her breasts. You are mine! I will devour you, and all that you are! She now sobbed, and kept struggling, her hands beat on the floor. Her voice was a sweet cry against my ears. My palm gripped her mound and pressed down hard. Rough sandstone enclosed satin. Her breast depressed and deformed under the pressure, turning crimson. A bestial rumble erupted from my throat. I let go my grip, my fingers ran through her cleavage, all the way down to her pants. Her skin glistened with sweat. My nails dragged against her skin, leaving white drag marks. With a savage yank, I tore off the drawstrings holding her pants. Her skin radiated cold heat up my fingers. Her white thighs arose primal desires in me. Perfect. The voices in my mind cried in a unholy din. Faeve¡¯s skin felt like running butter on my finger tips. Mine! Mine! Yes! Yes! Feed! The voices had melded with my own mind, whipping me to a savage ecstasy. My breath fell in ragged gasps. Her porcelain like skin grew red from where I gripped her. She flailed her legs around me, trying to bite me. Her nails left deep gashes on my skin, drawing blood. Her hands rammed against my bare chest again and again. Do you not understand? ¡°Anyone¡­but an Aivern¡­no!¡± she screamed, tears streaming down her face. Her teeth shone in the moonlight, like sharpened fangs. Stop struggling! My hands down one of hers hands down as I dipped my face towards her. Our breath mingled in a warm, hateful mist. My tongue licked the blood off the corner of her lips. You taste good. Too good. She tried to bite me. I growled like a beast. She trembled and screamed beside my ears as her free hand gouged out bits of skin from my wrist on her crotch. My fingers slid inside her, a savage grin pulled up the corners of my mouth. I caressed the satin like skin folds between her legs. She was powerless to resist after exhausting herself healing me. Suddenly, a wave of nausea and hate assaulted me. The unreasonable terror crippled my senses, the hate searing my veins. I gagged, as bitter bile ran up my throat. What? What just¡ª Her eyes had gone white as she kept wailing and I gazed into them¡ªa beast was reflected in it. The beast did not yield, it only deprived people. The beast had a manic look in its face, eyes. It was demented. My hands trembled as I looked at Faeve¡¯s face, running with tears. Her voice had gone hoarse by now, her struggle a feeble one. I¡­I no, no no! The figure of a girl flashed through my mind, broken and tortured. Did¡­did Arin beg like this when they raped and tortured her? My stomach sunk in a bottomless pit as cold ice crept up my veins. My throat made a strange sound as I gulped for breath. A strange pain spread though my chest. What have I done! No! How¡­how could¡ªNO! I spat out bile on the wood floor beside me. The thick bitterness tore some of the red haze apart. Pain! More pain! I need pain! Stop it! Stop it! I noticed the Wakizashi lying at my side and¡ªslammed it deep into my arm. I screwed it in. Deeper. Deeper dammit! The goat¡¯s words flashed through my mind, ¡®You become like the ones you kill¡¯. Stop it! Stop it Stop it! Hurt! More pain! ¡®AaaaaAAAAAAaa¡¯ The voices in my head wailed at my pain. They cowered with their dessicated, bony hands on their empty sockets. Die! Die dammit! Fuck this all to hell! My stomach lurched as wave after wave of nausea hit me. How! How could I fucking do this! HOW?! Blood rushed though my ears as my heart beat strained painfully against my chest. I rolled away from Faeve, still digging in the dagger. The dagger touched a bone, scraping against it. Red hot lances of pain traveled up my arms. More! More! I picked myself up and threw myself on the narrow bed. My body was sweating like a pig. My breath fell in laboured wheezes, as I had difficulty gulping down air. No! No! No! what was I doing? Why did I give in to the voices? Why! Why! WHY! At the moment, I hated myself. All the hatred that I had kept pent up in the last year exploded inside me, shredding me. I could hear myself wailing like a baby. The bed grew wet with my perspiration and tears. Faeve had sat up, leaning against the wall. She looked at me, loathing in her eyes. Deep, potent hate reflected in them. Like ice, like fire. Tears streaked down her face as her body wracked with little sobs. Her eyes went wide when she traced the dagger stuck to my arms. Don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t look at me like that! Your eyes¡­your eyes¡­no! ¡°Stay away from me, Faeve¡±, I whimpered screwing in the dagger. ¡°I can¡¯t hold back my demons without Shivang. Stay¡­stay away from me, I don¡¯t know how long can I control myself¡±. She sat there, now quiet. She hugged herself, her body trembling like a leaf. She clutched her flaxen hair and cried. ¡°Go! I don¡¯t want to turn into a rapist. But I don¡¯t intend to kill myself either¡±, I said loudly. My reason was slowly returning. ¡°I am not the Aivern you are looking for, Faeve. I am not a Hero. I kill, I destroy, I have not made the best of choices¡­and I failed to save the ones I was supposed to¡±. My weak voice boomed in the room, spitting back my words at myself. She looked up at me, her deep green eyes bore into mine. I couldn¡¯t stand her gaze. My hands shook. Those fucking souls! ¡°I won¡¯t die before I can kill the gods who took everything from me. But that¡­means I have to turn like the ones I kill¡±, I was surprised at how my voice quavered. ¡°But I will gladly sacrifice myself. Because I failed to protect¡±, my words fell like a deep sigh upon the darkness. My chest felt strangely light as I spoke the words I had never dared to before. They even took control of my mind¡­those fucking gods. But I will pay them back, I will. The pain from the dagger made me pass out, the darkness shrouded me. The gift of Might does nothing to mitigate the pain inflicted by myself, huh? And there were no nightmares. They were chased away at the pain¡­and disgust. At myself, for myself. I truly wonder, what am I fighting? Is it the gods¡­or what I am becoming myself? ~~~~ When I came to, I found Faeve straddling my hips, naked. Soft moonlight filtered through the porthole window, washing her naked form with light. She was sprawled over me, her head laid on my bare chest. Her hands held a dagger over my heart. The tip had slightly dug into my skin, blood flowing in a slow trickle. She shook like a leaf, her hands shaking. My chest was wet with her tears, hot as coal. ¡°I am not a good person either, Eridan. I am not. Gods know how much I have deceived, killed¡±, she mumbled while she held the dagger over my heart. ¡°And that is why¡­I can¡¯t kill you¡±. She stiffened as her naked groin brushed against my bulge pressing up through the rough cloth. But she didn¡¯t move. I let her stay like that. This is the least I can do, can¡¯t I? I slid my hands under the bed, taking out a concealed fish gutting knife the fishermen had left behind. I took that in one hand and pressed it over her nape. She shivered at the touch of the cold dagger. But she didn¡¯t move. Cold anger and hate flowed into me¡­along with pity. Pity more than anything. The connection¡­now I can sense her feelings too? Another wave of nausea hit me as I hated myself more than anything. My insides felt like glass, threatening to break apart at any moment. My hands holding the dagger trembled. Faeve took a sharp breath as the trembling dagger shaved lightly against her nape. As my self-loathing flowed inside her, she took a sharp breath, ¡°I am not much better than you, Humankin¡±. ¡°I am sorry, Faeve, I am sorry¡±, was all I could say. Something hot trickled down my cheeks. And I thought my tears had dried up the past year. ¡°Sorry, Sorry. I am so sorry¡± I kept mumbling. What have I done? I¡­I¡­am turning into a monster myself. No, no NO! I don¡¯t want to! I DONT! We both cried, shedding tears for ourselves. Tears for the fate that had been thrust upon us. Bloody fucking gods! Bastards! The two of us stayed like that through the night, daggers poised at each other. The sea raged and roared around us, like a lullaby. However, we didn¡¯t sleep. We couldn¡¯t afford to. Like ages before and ages hence, man and woman lay atop each other. However, it was not our bodies that were laid bare to each other. It was our souls, that brushed against each other, revealing for the other to see what made us, us.
This chapter was very emotionally draining to write. I had to get inside Rigel¡¯s head as well as Faeve¡¯s. It was excruciating. Now I need to Shinji for a while(aka curling up in a corner of the room, crying and contemplating the meaning of my existence) Once again, I am asking for reviews/ratings and comments on this chapter and fiction. I mean, this chapter was so stressful...I need to know you guy¡¯s thoughts on this chapter and the fiction as a whole. Like the story? Vote for it on TopWebFictions so more people could read it I find support. No registration required and the process is very simple. You can vote for more than one fiction too, voting for another one doesn¡¯t affect any other fiction you have voted for already: <>> Happy Announcement+ Contest Hello there!! Well, this isn''t a chapter, but something important. I haven''t been able to post a chapter the last week and the reason for that is...EXAMS!! Don''t worry, I will get back to the story in a few days. As for another matter, I feel like I need to explain something. I repeat, don''t worry, just let me slay the exam demons.
Announcement Alpha Now, important part. With the love and affection you have given me, HTSAS101 reached a pretty sweet spot in TopWebFictions ranking list. But as it turns out, the votes need to be renewed every 7 days to stay there. So if you liked this fic, please vote for me? Even Anons can vote so, you don''t have to even register. Just a 5 second process, really. It would help me get more readers and motivated! Please support me if you like this story. It needs YOUR help to grow and flourish, so don''t be shy! Those of you who have voted will have to vote again...please? >>>LINK TO VOTE<<<
Announcement Beta! So, what do you think about having a character you designed yourself to appear in HTSAS101? Yes! now you can design a character and see it appear in HTSAS as part of the main storyline! All you need to do is draw me a character and name it. The best one chosen will appear in a few chaps(to be published in 2 months) and later in the next arcs. So, you ask ''what character?'' Well, a nine-ten year old girl from a poor fishing village. You have full artistic license to draw the character as you please and name it too. Just remember that the girl is poor and HTSAS is set in medieval world. Extra points if can show the girl with a fishing rod/fishing net. You ask ''what do I get?'' Well, no money since HTSAS is free and never asks for donations. But remember that ''sweet spot'' I mentioned? It is actually #3 (It has slipped now since I didn''t know about the 7-day vote recharge rule) on the TopWebFictions list, which mean thousands of people will be able to see your work and appreciate it! besides, you love HTSAS< don''t you? *wink wink* Just draw up your character and post it in this thread or send me a Private Message with the drawing. Any style of drawing will be accepted.
Announcement Gamma I got a recent comment that made me go ''Shit! I haven''t actually explained that, did I?'' A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. As wildex999 pointed out, in Chapter 4,
Quote:Thanks for the chapter, but this one really pulled me out of the story. It was great up to this point(Despite all the weird references thrown in for no reason). He was in a new land, meeting new people who had an unknown language and weird(For him) customs. Then all of a sudden he wakes up, knows their language and can talk with them. He is instantly all buddy-buddy with the people and make no mistakes anymore. Then they decide to simply train up this unknown person in combat, because.. you know.. they are all buddies now. They act as if they have known each other for years =S It just feels like you couldn''t bother with the slow(But more realistic) development of the MC in this world, and decided to speed it all up MAGICALLY.
He/She/It is sort of right. Now, What happened was, I started off writing it as a satire, therefore the ''PLOT ARMOR'' line in middle of this chapter. I was mocking the whole trope of MC getting everything suddenly. But then, while writing this project grew close to my heart and took a different, serious direction. So, a few of the earliest chapters still have a lot of ...things left over from the satire idea, so a lot of things don''t add up. I intend to fix the kinks and reconcile it with the rest of the story after I finish the latest arc. By no means I am am happy with everything I have written, and will improve them as I go. As for the ''buddy-buddy'' part and why they let him, I can''t explain it all the way without going into another POV, which will have to come as Short Stories when I finish the current arc. So, what I am saying is, the earliest chapters have some stylistic choices and general kinks that need to be fixed. This is a work in progress and the first few like till 5 or 6 was me totally going in blind. This is actually like the first draft. So please forgive me for now. I''ll get around to streamline/fix it soon, very soon. No, there won''t be a ''rewrite'', but rather ''touch-up'' of those chapters. Please have patience with me! I am a first-time author.xd Besides, the later chapters are pretty okay on the logic front IMO. It only happened because I was trying to mock the genre at first.xd Psst, It means now you know that you are getting short stories in Karro/Arin/*revealed later* charcater POVs. Don''t tell anyone, k?
See you guys in few days, with a new chapter or two of HTSAS. Stay awesome! Chapter 16: Surviving Serpents Chapter 16: Surviving Serpents ¡°¡­Ever seeth a sane hero, my boy? They exist doth not. The gifts of the gods subverteth their minds. The favours granteth be a double-edged sword, oh they doth beest. No hero, whether in their blood-thirst or brutal sense of justice remaineth sane. Therefore, my lad, doth not become a hero at any cost. If ye are ever chosen by the gods, kill thyself. For there is never a crueler fate than beeth a chosen.¡± ¡ª Alihernecht to his son, The Last Hero, by the first female playwright, Picalterssa Firehands. Unabridged Version from the High Talthelan Language. Curiously, according to some sources, High Talthelan was a bastard language arising from Talthelan and something called ''English''. No records of this language called ''English'' ever existing on Sangraal has been found. ¡°Do you really not have any Vilora Oil left?¡± I asked the cook, Corrin, while I gazed at the ocean from the deck. ¡°No, Torr. De Grunter used all of de oil on de fissh to put in your and Sin¡¯s barrel¡±, he said. Ah so that¡¯s how they put us to sleep¡­ ¡°How are the beastmen?¡± I asked of him without turning to towards him. ¡°Er¡­ Ah¡­ Torr, they be scared of ye¡±, he said while chewing his lips, ¡°de think you be a demon¡±. No wonder. ¡°What do you think?¡± I asked him. The soft salty wind whipped at my face, the ship creaked every time it plunged in a pitch. ¡°I be old on dis seas, Torr. I haf seen half de world. I haf seen men in pain¡±, he said while he glanced downwards. ¡°Torr, do ye believe that ye be a demon?¡± Good question. What do I believe? Faeve had listened to me and kept away from me as much as possible. But, she still had to replenish the life force that was expended in gaining the new gift. I didn¡¯t know what this life force she talked about was, but it sounded important. She said it was the life, the vitality of the living. The very force that runs its being. I honestly couldn¡¯t understand the gravity of the situation. I didn¡¯t even know what this Dahaerlir she kept talking about. It might just have been an Elvish concept. Faeve sat behind my naked torso and ran her fingers on my back, flowing in patterns. Slow tingles like static electricity ran under my skin, making me flinch a little. She was silent the whole time, our breaths the only sound in the room. Suddenly, she jolted up a little. ¡°More memories, Faeve?¡± I asked her. The connection has been broadening even more. She didn¡¯t answer but whimpered a little. ¡°Yes¡±, she said after a while, her fingers running slower now,¡°You loved her very much, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, I loved her a lot¡±. I sighed. A pang of pain went through my heart. She gasped again but didn¡¯t slow down her fingers. ¡°I¡­I just saw now. She¡­why did she condemn and then save you, Rigel?¡± Faeve is getting more personal these days. The connection is...is it making her want to know more? I sighed, ¡°Faeve¡­¡± ¡°Sorry. Should not have asked¡±. She said, her hands moved away from my back. ¡°Its just that, thoughts of her keep flooding my mind these days. I can¡¯t¡­I can¡¯t keep sane like this¡±. Shit. I need Faeve till she gets me Vaegar. As soon as the thought crossed my mind, my mouth felt bitter. My jaws clenched hard as I recalled what I did to her the night before. How far...how far will I fall? I relaxed my jaws as it started to hurt. Deep breaths, Rigel. I still haven¡¯t killed Talaviel. For what he did to my Arin... I looked out towards the blue seas, like I had done countless times the past week, ¡°Arin saw me use the black arm. That probably made her think I really was a demon. I knew she would choose me over the world, but¡­¡± I trailed off as Feave¡¯s fingers had started to tremble on my back, picking up my turmoil through the channel. She stopped trembling. Her hands went rigid on my back as she guessed what I was about to say. ¡°She was faced with the choice of either me or the people she had grown up with. So, it isn¡¯t much of a surprise really. But¡­I guess she really loved me, to want to save me in the end¡±. Faeve clawed my back, the nails dug in hard. I grunted while I grabbed Faeve¡¯s hands. Her hands had gone rigid as my words hit her. I detached her hands from my back. Dammit! She had drawn a bit of blood that glistened on her fingernails. ¡°Sorry, Eridan. When you talk about her¡­the channel makes me think¡­that the one you love is me. I can feel you. I can feel you hurting, loving. This ¡­is breaking me up¡±, she said in a sad tone. She stared at her hands Fuck. ¡°Hold yourself together, Faeve. The only reason we are together is because, we need something from each other. The only thing you need to feel for me is, hate¡±. ¡°Yes¡±, she looked up at me, her deep green eyes unfathomable, ¡°Yes. Hate¡±. I can¡¯t have the fucking assassin go soft on me! I don¡¯t need her love, I need her strength! As soon as I thought that, I felt a pang of guilt¡ªthat night, I almost¡­ I kept a hand on her shoulders, while I stared back into the depths of her eyes, ¡°I cut off your hair. Bound you to me. You hate me, don¡¯t you?¡± Waves of hatred and anger cold as ice assaulted my senses, punching my guts. Yes. This is right. I can¡¯t let you fall in love with me, Faeve. Especially a misplaced one. I need you to hate me till the end. For my sake and yours. I closed my eyes as I heard Faeve leave the cabin. A nauseating sensation was building up inside me. Guilt and hate, it tastes like bile. Arin, I miss you. By the time night fell, thick fog had fallen over the seas. Sheets of white danced over the water, tendrils snaked over the deck. Fog obscured the top of the mast, the wooden beam extending into infinity. Corrin came running to me and started shouting incomprehensibly, his eyes gone white in terror. He wouldn¡¯t calm down and kept howling like a madman. I slapped him hard, sending him sprawling across the deck. I was having a hard enough time with Faeve and her growing instability, I didn¡¯t need a middle-aged crazy fool flopping around the deck like a gutted fish. He calmed down after he fell and stared up at me, ¡°T¡ªTorr, please turn back now, we git into de Saphiron Sea, we will die!¡± Now, even Sullin came running with his face whiter than the fog around us, ¡°Torr-Eridan, we need to get away quick,. I have heard about this¡­this fog. This is the Saphiron Sea, The Sea of Fanged mist¡±. Corrin had started shaking mumbling praises to his god. The ship creaked loudly as it hit the waves, the visibility almost nil. ¡°Okay. So, what happens in the sea?¡± I asked. ¡°IT¡¯S THE SEA OF DEATH!¡± Corrin screamed. ¡°So, what happens in this sea of death?¡± I asked the terrified Corrin who was now prostrated on the deck in panic. ¡°PEOPLE DIE!¡± he shouted while he shook like a leaf. ¡°Yeah but what causes that?¡± I asked my eyebrows knit together in irritation. He just looked up at me, his beady eyes watering, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡±. Awesome. I looked at Sullin. Soft footsteps on the deck announced Faeve¡¯s arrival. Her weapons clinked softly every time she took a step. Trepidation flowed into me along with hesitation. I was getting more and more aware of her, every passing day. This has got to stop. The connection is fucking both of us up. ¡°There is something beyond the fog¡±, she said, shuffling her feet. She looked at me and winced as my vast irritation flowed into her. ¡°Of course there is something beyond the fog. Question is¡­what is? I have been asking that for a while now!¡± I roared, unable to keep my temper in check. If I am feeling so unsettled and irritated having another one¡¯s thoughts flow into me¡­what is Faeve feeling? The connection is much stronger for her. ¡°Cool it, humankin¡±, Faeve¡¯s voice was cold as ice, ¡°don¡¯t annoy me¡±. For the first time in days, Faeve started acting like the cold blooded assassin she was. I could sense her panic pulling back into the back recesses of her mind. Her anxiety settled into a deep pit as her cold assassin mind took control. It was as if cold winds flowed into me as I felt her thirst for blood and death. I shivered, and oddly enough, felt relaxed. This is the Faeve that I know. ¡°We will both die if we do not keep our emotions in check and our connection quiet¡±. she came up to me, ¡°Get ready, I sense something¡±. I took a deep breath. The fog felt cold and damp against my skin. The tendrils snaked uncomfortably inside the gaps of my armour, as if searching for something. Howls came from below deck. The entire ship reverberated from bestial cries. Furious scratching and scampering sounded from within the hold, climbing up the stairs to the deck. Gaharin came bounding up the stairs on all fours. ¡°The end is nigh! We all are going to die!¡± he growled while his tail swished wildly, his muscles tensed visibly. Parallel world doomsayers. Ugh. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s happening?¡± I asked him. ¡°Yes! Death! Death has com for us!¡± he now rolled on the deck, sending up howls deep into the foggy night. ¡°Splendid. All of you are spectacularly useless!¡± I spat at them, ¡°Go below decks and soothe your kin, Torr-Gaharin¡±. Faeve kept a hand on my shoulders, ¡°Calm¡ª I jolted. For a moment¡ªI¡­I could sense myself being touched and touching my own shoulders! In panic, I flung away Faeve¡¯s hands. A chill ran down my spine as I felt her hands. Fuck. Just how connected are we? I needed Shivang and Apopris to numb this connection and my dreams. Actually, I am not sure those will even work anymore. Something boomed deep within the thick fog. Distorted reverberations rang all around us, reflected by the fog. Oh fuck. The world simply¡­became more. The sounds grew louder, more distinct. The colours shifted and settled into more vibrant shades, while the darkness grew lighter. The wood beneath my feet¡ªsent up strange sensations into my legs, as is I could feel individual grains of wood. The air whistled and groaned through the ship, faint voices entered my ears. The hair on my skin prickled and stood up, in some dreaded premonition, chills crept down my spine. No, more like static electricity. I turned towards Faeve, my eyes locking into hers. Her lips trembled, I could see her breath itself, frosting in the air. I shivered at the cold touch of her mind on my own. For a brief moment, our minds had melded, letting each share in the sensation of the other. Is this how Faeve sees the world? This was, the first time that I became aware of the true power of the connection between an Uruvan-ere and her Aivern. But the price¡­is steep. Too steep. We tried turning back, but the ship was caught in a current, hurtling us forward. The wood creaked and groaned with every step as howls of the beastmen manning the ship¡¯s rigging cut through the air. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you turn the ship before we hit the Saphiron Sea?¡± I asked Corrin as I tightened the ropes on the secondary mast. ¡°I am de cook, not de navigator. De sea changes size too. It is too big now¡±. he said with an ashen face. Sullin couldn¡¯t have known since it was in the High Seas, the jurisdiction of the Imperial Navy, not the Duchy Naval Guard. Besides, he had transferred here fresh from training, so he hadn¡¯t gone through this part of the sea before. ¡°Can¡¯t we anchor?¡± one of the beastmen cried out, his hair standing on end. The beastmen were not used to crossing seas, what they called the Salt Sky. They were terrified to be in the ship. Sullin held onto the rope, the ship going into wild yaws at the cross-currents. He opened his mouth, the wind whipping away his words, ¡°The sea-anchor won¡¯t hold for such strong curr¡ª The sky boomed before he could finish his words. The Nampar broke through the thick banks of fog and hit calm waters. The ship careened for a while before gliding to a halt on crystal clear waters. Thick waves of white clouds¡­no fog¡­extended far into the distance, arranged in a circle, the other side not in view. The fog covered half of the sky, and extended even onto the surface of the sea. The fog banks encircled the waters like a semi circular dome. And within it, all was calm, like the eye of a storm. Someone screamed, ¡°Ships ahoy!¡± Three huge battleships glided through the glass like sea, churning up its waters. It was a mystery how they moved, since the air was still as death. Voices rose from their decks. resonated through the air. ¡°Imperial Navy!¡± a breathless voice spoke beside me, ¡°That flag¡­Fifth Suppression Unit ¡±. Sullin ran towards the guardrail, child like joy in his voice, ¡°But¡­why are they¡­¡± Fire blossomed from one of the ships as a huge boom spread through the sea and sky. It almost hit us like a battering ram, throwing us backwards on the deck. The ship shook violently, ropes straining against the wood. Faeve flew and hit the mast, her weight too light against the sonic boom. She groaned, writhing on the deck as she fell. I keeled over as roaring pain spread though my back, turning my legs to jelly. Fuck! We even share pain. Corrin stared with wide eyes, shaking, ¡°Wh¡­why are they firing the Noxrate canon?!¡± The air at the centre of the calm shimmered. It was as if the air itself rippled, like a flickering mirage. With a huge roar made from some gigantic throat, the mirage like shimmering shattered like glass, exposing what lay in the centre. A huge black spire stood in the middle of the calm ocean, extending towards the sky. Millions of shimmering stars graced the sky above the fog bank, in some bizarre festival of light. Underneath, the glass like sea reflected the stars. It was as if our ships floated in some strange horizon, with stars above, and below.. And at the centre of it all, the black spire. The air reverberated again as another ship fired its Noxrate canon. The charge rent the air apart. The canon¡¯s fire extended in a red flash of light, hitting the Spire. The surface of the spire rippled, as if someone had thrown a stone into a lake. The Spire lit up like Christmas lights. The ripples lighted up the spire as they went, millions and millions of huge runes glowing deep red as the ripples passed by. After a moment, the black monolith was as dark as it was sometime ago, as if the glowing light was never there. As if it was all a lie, a lie we tell ourselves. Everyone on the deck went silent. The air coiled around us in lazy waves, making strange noises as it passed through the deck. The people on the opposite deck¡ª Wait what? How can I see so far? I could see the panic in their faces while a stench of deep sea crawled up the place. Is the connection is raising my sensory perception? Dread mixed with an equal measure of panic passed though me. I sensed Faeve shudder as the terror passed to her from me. Then came her feedback of detached calm. She...is she trying to calm me down. I nodded at her. The battleships circled the Spire in slow spirals, gradually drawing closer. I ran to the side of our Nampar, peering over. Slow currents carried our ship towards the Spire. Like a whirlpool, it carried us towards the Spire. Only slowly, so that we could stare at our approaching death. ¡°Drop the fucking anchor!¡± I shouted while I stared at the battleships that were readying their normal canons at something unseen. ¡°We can¡¯t! The sea anchor won¡¯t hold out! The currents are to strong. The ship will toss and turn too much!¡± Sullin answered back, running to my side, ¡°More importantly, what is the Imperial Navy doing here?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they your fellow soldiers?¡± Faeve asked, tightening her gear. Sullin didn¡¯t look at us, still staring at the battleships, ¡°We duchy sea guards can¡¯t even compare to those heroes. They are the Empire¡¯s own Navy, fighting the pirates in High Seas and carrying out deep sea suppression¡ª His eyes widened, the fingers clutching the deck railing, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡± As if to answer him, a loud roar echoed from the Spire. A colossal figure clambered up, its long winding body coiled around black monolith. The moon silhouetted a narrow dragon like mouth, with two long barbell-like tendrils extending like beards. Two huge clawed hands emerging from the monster¡¯s upper body gripped the Spire. The ships fired in unison, their canons assaulting the spire and the beast in volleys. Fire blossomed along the monster¡¯s body like orange flowers. The creature wailed, its long serrated fins standing end-to-end, unfurled like a sail. Silence reigned our ship. Everyone stood with mouths agape. The beastmen screamed in myriad tongues, their claws and nails digging into the wood. Corrin fell back on his arse, mumbling incoherently. Faeve stiffened, her hair standing on end. Fear and distress flowed into my mind, along with hesitation. My legs trembled, and my breath fell in ragged gasps. Pure terror assaulted the ship every time the monster bellowed. The voice itself was fear incarnate. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Sharp smell of urine rose from the deck¡­ Is it me? I checked, Nope. I glanced at Sullin, he had frozen stock still, his mouth midway between a scream and grimace. ¡°Seagod¡¯s ballsack!¡± he finally let out a scream, ¡°What¡­what is that!¡± Faeve trotted beside me, her weapons softly clinking. I could even sense her unsure steps, unsettled by my fear, ¡°A Spire Master, probably Krunten-Class¡±. This is ridiculous. Just how much aware of her will I get? Fucking Elven Tree gods. I rubbed my neck, trying to keep my composure, ¡°So¡­how do we run away?¡± Faeve¡¯s eyes bore into mine, cold dread flowing into me from the connection, ¡°We can¡¯t. Look at the current. It is hunting us¡±. The monster dipped its huge head and jumped from the Spire, charging towards the water. Its huge forelimbs tore apart the waters, while its limbless lower body shot downwards like a bullet, disappearing undersea. The glass like water rippled, sending gigantic waves outwards, like a mini tsunami. The air stilled. Anticipation hummed in the skies as the ships continued their inward spiral towards the Spire. The battleships, much nearer to it than us, had much more speed. The first waves hit our Nampar, rocking it violently. With it, the monster rose in front of the leading battleship. Its jaws vibrated as it bellowed out of its fanged mouth. Water cascaded down its greenish body which was almost black in the moonlight. Corrin passed out in the middle of a scream. Faeve started cursing in Elven tongue. Her knuckles grew white, clenching the hilts of her daggers. I looked at her. The connection made her shiver from my gaze. She stared back at me, her red lips parting. Oh, the connection gives me better sensory capabilities¡­like an Elf. Her teeth shone in the dark, sharp like a beast, ¡°Eridan. Control your fear. You don¡¯t intend to die before you avenge Arin, do you?¡± My muscles stiffened. My jaws hurt from clenching. Faeve visibly flinched, my anger and bloodlust hitting her like a whip. She took a step back as my mind assaulted her with thoughts. She is using Arin to whip me to my senses. Like a beast. My teeth went up in a snarl as I took a step towards her. But¡­ I caught Faeve by the shoulders, bringing my face close to her. She stiffened, her face drained of colour. I need this to get hold of myself. I whispered in her ears, ¡°Careful, Elf. Too much of that, and I might end up killing you. Even if it means losing my magic¡±. The voices in my mind cried in unison, urging me to take her apart right there, breaking her. I reigned myself in, quieting the voices. Faeve knees had started trembling, her dagger pressed against my abdomen. The voices had flowed into her mind too, alerting her of my dark thoughts. I wondered what she was more afraid of, getting raped or getting killed¡­ There! Again the souls! Tainting my thoughts... I let Faeve go. She shied away from me. I put a hand on her shoulder, ¡°But, thank you for holding me back¡±. I sensed her relax like a loosened bowstring, her mind reeling from the sudden release from my thoughts. Her bisque doll-like face was even more pale, her lips mumbled, ¡°Keep away from me!¡± A snarl painted her sharp face. I chuckled inside. Yes, Faeve. Mutual hate is the only way we can keep each other sane. She jerked up and stared at me with her eyes wide. Dull thumps hit our ears. I turned around to watch as canon balls ripped into the monster, making it roar in pain. The monster reared back as a hail of iron hit it like a wave, shot from three ships. The monster¡¯s greenish scales shimmered in the light. The cannonballs¡ªAre not doing much damage? Suddenly, the monster stood stock still. Dull red fire glowed in its window sized eyes, visible even from this distance. The ship that was facing the monster directly bucked up from the sea, the sound of its wood creaking could be heard from afar¡ªOr is it the enhanced sensory capabilities of the connection? Shouts of men filled the air, the ship¡¯s main mast broke with a tortured snap. The monster had hit the ship underwater with its tail. Water cascaded down as the ship fell back into the sea. Briney water engulfed the ship in waves as it hit the surface. The surging waves momentarily obscuring the vessel from view. My hands ached. Unknowingly, I had gripped my sword too hard, causing the hilt to dig hard on my palms. Faeve shifted beside me. Unease flowed inside me in torrents. The speed of our Nampar gradually increased as we drew nearer to the Spire with every passing moment. The beastmen behind me¡­had curled up in furry balls on the deck. Their hair stood on ends, tails tucked between their legs. Forl was crying, her little body trembled. ¡°Tafina, take Forl below decks¡±. I ordered quietly before calling Sullin closer, ¡°Sullin, is there a way to escape?¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know¡±, he stammered, ¡°the current is too strong¡±. The monster had disappeared beneath the surface of the water. The wind picked up, as if it was unafraid now that the monster was hidden. The whole world waited with bated breaths. Where is it? The air crackled with tension as my eyes continued searching the watery waste. Where. Where did it go? My stomach sank as a deaded premonition took hold of me. Faeve opened her mouth, ¡°Eridan, we mi¡ª¡± She couldn¡¯t complete her words. The monster reared up from the sea, water churning in its wake. Its huge body loomed over the lead battleship. Light glinted off its scales as it coiled around its brittle prey. Howls rose from the deck of that battleship as the monster wound around it once, twice¡ª The ship won¡¯t hold! Wood creaked and bucked. Men, scared out of their wits, jabbed at the monster with swords and pikes. Hundreds of weapons sunk into the monster and¡­slid off. Its scales are too damn tough! Canons boomed from the attacked ship. Red flowers of fire bloomed from the dark gun ports, illuminating the sea briefly. The monster rumbled. Vibrations shook the air. The monster continued coiling around the ship¡¯s width, slowly crushing it. Screams of terror and desperation tainted the air. The ship¡¯s masts had splintered and broken apart. Men had started panicking. Some jumped from the deck in abject terror, making little splashes as they hit the water. The shouts and cries had reached an ear splitting crescendo. Ugh, the sensory feedback is too much. Dammit this connection! The rest of the ships pointed their guns at the monster¡ª It can¡¯t be¡­they will damage their own allies! ¡°Wh¡­why aren¡¯t they firing the magic cannon?¡± someone asked. ¡°The Noxrate takes time to charge¡±. Sullin replied, his brows scrunched. ¡°We are doomed¡±. His tone was one of silent resignation. I closed in on Faeve. I put a hand on her back, drawing her closer, ¡°We can¡¯t die here¡±. She trembled at my touch. ¡°What can we do?¡± she asked, whispering back in my ear. ¡°Anything that will keep us alive¡±. I mumbled. She smells nice, my hands drew her closer, inadvertently. She pushed against my arm when my thoughts entered her mind, trying to break free. I need to have control on myself. I let her go. The Gift of Might is acting up, isn¡¯t it? Canons thundered, the iron charges hit the monster like rams. The ship that it was coiling around had also fired. The close range made the cannonballs rip apart the monster¡¯s normally impenetrable skin. Blood sprayed into the air as the monster howled in agony. The monster was answer by the other ships, their own fire ripping into the monster and their own allies. The deck of the attacked ship crumpled and shattered under the heavy fire. The men screamed as canons hit them, tearing apart their limbs and crushing them. BOOM! The ship blasted apart as the fire reached its gunpowder storage, creating a massive explosion. Wood and other debris scattered everywhere. The men most likely died in an instant. The monster, for the first time, whimpered in pain. The blast had torn off a large chunk of meat from its serpentine body. Wood rained down from above on the remains of the ship, the debris that had shot up were returning by gravity¡¯s call. Parts of the destroyed ship floated in the water, their broken forms dark in moonlight. Stench of burnt flesh and singed hair hit us a moment later. Someone in the crew gagged, hurling up. I turned towards our crew. Their faces were grim. Corrin was still passed out, Sullin had sat down with his head between his hands, rocking side to side. Faeve¡¯s eyes were wide, her hands loose on her dagger. Her soft white hands¡­ Thump! A dagger slipped out of her hands and sunk into the deck. She stared with wide eyes at the monster ravaging the remnants of the ship. Ugh. Snap out of it, Rigel! I chided myself. No time to be a fool! I need Shivang and Apopris ASAP. It¡¯s getting hard to keep control around Faeve. But before that¡­ ¡°Load up the boats with the food and water!¡± I howled at the beastmen, ¡°We might have to abandon ship¡±. Can we even fight that monster? Maybe the Navy will take it out. It is already heavily injured. The ships had stopped to reload its canons. The monster took that chance and dove at one of them. Blood from its wounds colored its wake. Our ship shuddered. I peered over the railing¡ª Shit! The distance is too close now! The wood creaked and groaned from the strong current pulling us in. The speed at which we were gaining on the Spire had increased. The battleships were much closer than they had been before. Suddenly, my left hand began to throb. A dull ache born from the fingertips spread across my palm. It was gloved to stop me from decomposing something by accident, but I fancied that it throbbed visibly. I clenched and unclenched my fingers again and again. Faeve looked at me with her brows knit. The monster by now had swam in front of the second ship, and howled at it from the side. Canons boomed, and the monster swerved with unnatural speed. Most of the charges missed it, and landed into the sea with a plop, water rushed up in small fountains. Blood fell down in a fine, red mist from the monster¡¯s torn body. The men on the deck of the second ship had their armours bloddy from the red rain. One of the canons caught the monster in its right eye, making it howl. Its strong forelimbs curled up towards its eyes, its growls laced with pain. The monster slowed down, the water around it calmed down a bit. Everyone on our Nampar stared at the monster. It slowly opened its eyes that it had closed on reflex from the canonball hit. The red lamps, that were his eyes revolved to focus on the ship, dripping hatred. And then the Noxrate canon from the second ship hit it full on its face. The impact sheared away half its head. Flesh and bones melted, dripping down the rest of its body. A red beam passed through it like a sword, disappearing into the fog bank on the other side. Air hummed in a subtle vibration as the canon discharged. It was as if the sounds were thrumming inside my own skull, the vibration made me giddy. I clutched the deck-railing tightly. Time stopped for a moment. Then the monster fell back into the sea, its face almost gone. Water splashed up in waves, coloured red from the monter¡¯s blood. Loud cheers erupted from the decks of the both battleships. And after a beat, from our own. The beast men jumped up and down on the deck, bumping their furry bodies with Corrin and Sullin. Corrin had woken up sometime ago and stared at the spectacle with a blank look on his face. Faeve sighed audibly, ¡°Praise be to Earth Mother! Utaru preserves¡­we didn¡¯t have to fight it!¡± Sullin turned his tear stained face at me, ¡°Yes, Torr! The Navy did it!¡± I waited. They did just raise the flag after all. And sure enough, the cheering stopped abruptly. The tail of the monster reared up from the sea, its four fins trailing water as they wiggled. Cracks spread through its hide, reaching halfway down its body. Chunks of scale and flesh peeled off as a red orb peeked out from the cracked skin. The tails wriggled like it was in extreme pain, the motion strangely reminiscent of a dying earthworm. With a wet tearing sound, the tail split apart. In a jerky motion, a head tore out of the hide. It¡¯s teeth grabbed the skin still restricting it, shearing it with short, rough pulls. It was finally free, the remaining skin trailed from it¡¯s neck like a bloody snake-skin. The head, a little smaller than the original, roared back at the Navy Ships. The motion sent bits of skin plopping into the sea. All the while its nascent red eyes glared like fire, still under a layer of milky membrane. The shouting started anew. The second ship, having spent all its canon charges and the powerful Noxrate itself, floated helplessly. The crew raised a fevered din as the monster swam closer. The glass-like seas parted effortlessly. The clawed forelimb of the monster tore at its eyes, peeling of its membrane. It raised it tail¡ªNo, the former head towards it. The destroyed head still hung on its body. Burnt flesh and skin dropped from it, splashing into the seas. It howled at its dead head. It nudged it gently as if to wake it from its slumber. It kept nudging, one, two, three times. The new head whimpered as if finally realizing the truth.It wailed at the moon when it knew its other head was dead. A pathetic cry split the air. The mornful cries spread in waves of anguish, making our ears ring. For a few moments, there was no other sound in the world except the tortured cry . Faeve stiffened by my side, clutching at her ears. A moment later, the pain reached me. I sat down in pain as my eardrums throbbed with the cries of the monster. No¡­two pains. One from the enhanced senses from the connection, another from Faeve herself, carried to me by the connection. I doubled up on the deck, clutching at the wood fitfully. Someone touched me. I looked up to see Faeve brushing her hands against my body, green motes of dust swirling around us. The pain subsided into a dull throb. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! We need to learn to share and account for each other¡¯s pain. Or it could kill one of us with the other¡¯s pain. Faeve trembled a bit as my rage flowed into her. She put a hand on her chest, ¡°Eridan¡­¡± Fucking Gods. I looked into her deep green eyes, ¡°Get used to it, Elf. As long as you are of use to me, I won¡¯t let you go¡±. My stomach sank as I heard myself speak. I...I am becoming like the gods I hate, aren¡¯t I? A lump was lodged in my throat. But...I. I have no other choice, I don¡¯t. She shivered, and snatched her hands away, ¡°Yes. We need to live¡±. I sat back up, pulling on her outstretched hand for support, ¡°We might need to fight, if the Navy fails. Keep me sane, my Urvan-ere¡±. Her eyes widened as her lips trembled, ¡°Don¡¯t eat into my mind¡­Aivern¡±. I smiled at her. A smile born not of joy, but of recognition of mortal danger. She smiled back, my emotions colouring hers through our connection. How long till you are yourself, Faeve? She flinched, turning away from me. I touched her shoulder, ¡°Just keep in mind, you hate me. Those emotions are not real¡±. She didn¡¯t turn towards me. Her voice was of cold steel, ¡°Yes, Humankin, I did not forget¡±. The monster roared, coming out of its lament. Its dead head dropped into the water as it charged. In a moment, it nose-dived straight towards the ship. By now, the ship had finished loading the normal canons. Fire blossomed in the dark as the canons poured out their iron chrage. But¡­it was too late. The canons¡¯ discharge was fruitless as it split the air around the approaching monster, missing it due to its frightening speed. The Spire-Master drove straight into the deck, its head burrowing through the wood like rotten cheese. Wood crumpled and crushed. Two screams split the night. One born of countless human throats, another of the monster itself.
Edited by: Luci-chan Luciferia Hey guys! Sorry for being late with the chapter. Exams are still going on, so... Anyway, please vote for me at TopWebFictions to keep this series on the toplists. If you put even one vote, this series will get a high position, meaning more readers and hence...more motivations for me. hehheh. Just follow this link and vote. You don''t need an account to vote and the process just takes 5 seconds, so please? People who have cast their votes before needs to vote again for it is valid for just 7 days, you see....so please. I...it''s not like I wa...want you to vote, B-baka!->>> LINK<<< uuuu...I keep waiting for you all to rate and review this fic...but no one does....See if I care, hmph! I...it''s not like I won''t like it if you insist on a review though~ [table=#000000]From this point onward, I have decided to thank all those who left me a review as a sign of appreciation. I''ll edit this list till I post a new chapter. ummm, please don''t get angry for not mentioning the people who reviewed me before today, I am compiling that list, okay?[/table] opt23241 left me an awesome, and funny review! Reviews liek this make an author so happy!! You can read it here. Thank you so much, opt23241, you made my day. Chapter 17: Surviving Dragons, Elves and Psychotic Tendencies So. It has been a month since last chapter. You guys must be wondering if I dropped it. Nope. I had exams and then...my laptop went bust. I didn¡¯t have much cash at hand right then so I had to wait for a few days to buy a new one. It will release regularly from today. Here is HTSAS, from my new laptop that is red as wine(well, I am sure it is more like dried-blood red but the shop assistant was adamant that it was wine-red) Chapter 17: Surviving Dragons, Elves and Psychotic Tendencies ¡°¡­Vashtii Ragetide, the Hero-King of the Elves is a figure shrouded in mystery like the shadows of the forest. Legends claim that he was the firstborn of an Urvan-ere, named Sylfael Ragetide and her Aivern Shinaerl Stillglade. Sylfael was a scholar in her own right, and revered in the land. However, she was persecuted for blaspheming the Tree of Life. It is said that she killed her own Aivern out of rage and spite after Vashtii was born, for he had formed the contract with force and rape. For her transgression, the four clan-heads of the Sun-Elves and the three clan-heads of the Lunar Elves passed their judgment, and condemned her. As punishment, the seven clan-heads raped her again and again, in view of the Tree and Elves. After her punishment, she was executed by hanging from the Tree¡­¡± ¡ª Legend of Vashtii, Somarael Greenlake, Part- I Our ship hurtled towards the monolith in a suicidal spiral. Shit, those magic Battleships can endure this, not our normal Nampar! The men on our decks screamed, their eyes white. Collin frothed at the mouth. Faeve clasped her crossbow hard enough to make it creak audibly. In front of us¡­the monster ravaged the second battleship. It dove in and out of the hull, as if threading its body in a piece of cloth. With every passing, the ship broke apart even more. The men loosed their weapons at the Spire Master ineffectively. It chomped on the crew. The sickening sounds carried across the waves and to our ears. Chills crept down my spine. I turned towards Faeve. Her face was ashen. ¡°Prepare to fight! the Navy can¡¯t hold it!¡± I shouted. Shit, my legs are shaking. She jolted out of her thoughts and looked at me. Her eyebrows knit together, ¡°Fight? You could not even hold off assassins¡±. ¡°In case you hadn¡¯t noticed, they had trained their whole life for it. I just started a year ago!¡± I bellowed at her, ¡°Besides, not as if you were much better! You got surrounded on rooftops¡±. She put her hands on her hips, her lips curling up in a snarl, ¡°Fool, I ambushed them! As if they could get close to me with such sub-par skills¡±. We glared at each other. Her deep green eyes bore into mine and then¡­trembled. Banter aside¡­ The monster had decimated the ship and swam in midst of the debris. It prowled the wreckage, picking off stray men one by one, crushing them in its iron jaws. Desperate screams filled the air. ¡°We need to get out of here, even if it means fighting the Spire Master¡±. I told Faeve quietly. She nodded, tightening the straps on her leather armour. The monster swam away, satisfied with its hunt. Then it dove deep into the sea. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! canons spat out fire from the lone surviving Battleship. The cannonballs breached the sea surface in torrents of water and sunk ineffectively. With a jolt, the current pulling us became stronger. Shit! We are almost upon the wreckage! ¡°We¡­We wont survive if we hit the broken ships!¡± Sullin bellowed, his hands gesticulating wildly. He is right. Water rose up in cascades as the monster breached the surface close to the other ship. Its jaws opened wide. A black abyss stared back from its maw. Its fangs dripped blood and bits of flesh. Some spears and swords had lodged themselves between its scales. Its red eyes glowed in the dim moonlight. The monster charged the battleship. Water swirled in eddies at its wake, the sea churned foam. Our ship had come close enough to the fist sunk ship to carry over the smell of spent blood and gunpowder. The monster roared¡­the boom shook the deck of our ship. The stench of blood¡­awakened the monsters, the monsters inside me. Kill. They screamed. Slaughter. They wailed. Tear apart. My head throbbed with their cries. Rend! Burn! Destroy! Their cries awoke what I was afraid of; myself. A savage grin split my face. I could feel my teeth gnashing against each other. Faeve shifted beside me. Her voice was uneasy, ¡°Eridan, don¡¯t¡ª ¡°Shut up, Elf. Now¡­we hunt¡±. I snarled. I took out Thirst. The blade glinted silver in the moonlight. Faeve shivered, my bloodlust colouring her thoughts. I didn¡¯t have to look at her to know she was trembling like a leaf, responding to my wishes. Her thoughts flowed into me as my bloodlust slowly drowned her own cold steel like mind, melding her to me. Yes, this is domination. She curled her fist on her heart, shaking her head. Feel with me, Elf. The rise of the seas, the aroma of blood, the stench of danger. Come. Her legs trembled, as she grasped her head with her hands. Her porcelain skin was flushed crimson. The souls not only use me, but I use them too. I will take this bloodlust and use it to fight. Faeve clasped her hands as she understood my intention, her deep green eyes met mine. Savage grins split our faces as we delved into each others¡¯ aggression, the music of blood trembling in ecstasy. The monster was now just a few feet from the bow of the remaining battleship. The mounted canons swerved to face it. Red light engulfed its humongous Noxrate canon, red lightning sparked along its length. The monster bit down, wood and rope crunching in its mouth. It swallowed the front of the agic canon and¡­froze. Canonballs hit it like a barrage and exploded. Red light spilled along its mouth, reaching till the mid of its serpentine body. The scales were lit underneath by a vicious crimson light as the Noxrate discharged inside it. The monster exploded in a flash of red light. A crimson beam extended from its neck, burned through its skin and streaked skywards. The beam stretched up and cleaved though the sky. The monster¡¯s skin smoked and crackled as it wailed. It¡¯s still alive? Fucking snake! Like its previous head, this one too had sustained heavy injuries. Just how tough is this thing? Half its face had melted away, cracks spread through its upper body. Blood gushed out from its torso, reddening the seas. The ship it has attacked had its front chewed off, the hull exposed. Cheers exploded from its deck as the monster wobbled, its red eyes dimming. My grip relaxed from the handle of my sword. Guess I don¡¯t have to fight it anymore. The shouts from the half decimated ship split the air, the men on its deck dancing when another sound assaulted our ears. A loud cracking sound stopped the shouts of men¡­their cheers turned to fearful shouts. The Noxrate canon was still spilling red light. The length of its body glowed deep orange. The monster howled again, this time the sound came in gurgles. The Noxrate exploded. In a moment, the remnant of the ship was swept up in a torrent of red light and fire. With the sound of a hundred thunderclaps, the ship blew apart into kindling. Smoke curled up from the remaining debris, accompanied by the foul stench of burning flesh and wood. The monster boomed weakly, declaring its victory. Our ship shuddered as a piece of driftwood from the first sunk ship hit our Nampar. Shit! We are too close! Half-sunken, the remnant of the first battleship loomed before us. The current carried us straight towards it in frightening speed. Sweat fell from my temples. My bloodlust gave way to cold dread. ¡°Deploy the fucking wings, dammit!¡± I shouted, running towards the left ¡®wing¡¯ of our ship. Sullin ran towards the one on right, stumbling. The wings deployed with the sound of creaking metal. Huge nets unfurled from it on both sides with a rushing sound. The leaden weights made the nets swiftly sink underwater. Then it caught the first piece of debris. The nets that were used to catch fish like a trawler now caught pieces of driftwood. Hopefully, this will slow it down. The ship careened to the side as a huge piece from the sunk ship caught in its left net, the current making it swerve. Sounds of shearing arose from the wing and metal screeched, straining to arrest the speed and¡­stopped. Shouts of joy exploded from out deck as the ship slid to a halt, the debris that was to be our death saved us instead. I looked up at Faeve. Her face taut with tension was relaxed, a loose smile adorned it. Her teeth flashed as she gave me a grin. Relief flooded through me. Is it my feeling or hers? ...doesn¡¯t matter. The ship was stood still in the water, the current beating against it with force. Wait what was that? Something stirred underwater, far away near the fog bank. How can I even feel it? Legs and tails swished underwater, beating steadily towards the spire. I flashed a tiny smile as I realised what the creature¡­no creatures, were. They had arrived. Another roar brought us back to reality. Everyone stared at the source. The monster was wailing with half of its head gone, his body punched with holes. But¡­it was not dead. The last battleship was totally obliterated, leaving only a smoking patch of wood on the sea. The monster howled at the moons, its body shaking¡ªwait¡­it is dying! Suddenly, red eyes turned towards out ship, Shit! The monster noticed us! It swam fitfully against the seas, the glass-like clear water parted at its wake. The monster was almost dead, but even with its last breaths, it was capable of annihilating us. ¡°Faeve¡±, I called out. ¡°Madness¡±, she replied shaking her head while readying her crossbow and daggers. I took a deep breath and let the voices inside me¡­take over. The world ground to a halt. Colours exploded, every hue more vibrant and visceral. Kill. Kill. Kill. Aroma of blood and death swirled around us, egging me on. The salty-sweet smell of blood burned my throat. Rend apart! My lips hurt from the inadvertent feral grin. I didn¡¯t have to glance towards Faeve to know that she smiled too. Unease flowed into me. Ugh. I twisted towards Faeve. She was staring at the sea straight while she chewed her lips. Her hands were curled into tight fists. I sauntered up to her and grabbed her jaw, forcing her to meet my eyes. I don¡¯t fucking care for this right now. ¡°Look, Faeve. Just as you are using me to get back to your homeland, I too am using you to get more power¡±, my voice rumbled strangely from the AP laced delivery, ¡°drown in my bloodlust, Elf, and let me use you¡±. She flinched. Her eyes went wide as my mind tried to assert dominance over hers. Her lips opened and closed like a breathless fish. ¡°After all, you are my Urvan-ere¡±, my fingers dug into her skin while my face was close enough to send shivers down her spine. I do not care right now what I have to do to use her abilities. I will force her mind into submission. Her hands fell limp beside her. Her eyes bore into mine. Her powerless hands rose up to brush my cheeks. The world split into two. I looked up at myself, trembling in my heart. He will consume me¡­I¡­I can¡¯t stay myself. I am losing control! Gods protect! I could see my own face, glaring like a beast. A beast that won¡¯t listen to reason. A beast that will consume my mind, body and soul. Is this how Faeve sees me? Our minds had melded, as the connection grew stronger than ever. I could feel, see, hear what she did. But¡­I need to give in to him right now. For now¡­as the decree of the Tree of Life, under the ancient pact, I am his. His to use, His to protect, His to ravage. The Urvan-ere belongs to the Aivern. I could feel my skin burning as a something hot seared into my skin¡­from my own fingertips¡­No, from my fingertips to Faeve¡¯s. It was Faeve¡¯s thoughts just before! What the hell is the connection actually?! Eternities passed in the space of a few moments. An Urvan-ere stared at her Aivern, their eyes boring into each other. The raging sea stilled, my sense of unease quietened as I acclimated with the connection. But I will kill him one day, for all he and his kind has done. Faeve¡¯s parting thought whipped into me like fire. Thick hate drilled into my senses. That¡¯s right¡­she hates me. But for those few moments¡­ Faeve broke the eye contact as she turned towards the monster. I could sense what Faeve was sensing. It was as if I had extra limbs and organs. She and I were synched. ¡°Shall we go into battle, Urvan-ere?¡± I whispered. She didn¡¯t answer. She didn¡¯t need to. A feral grin that mirrored mine crept up her face, her teeth shone like fangs. She has given in to my bloodlust. Metal clinked softly. Someone behind us screamed. But for now, only three things existed in this world. Me, Faeve and the Monster The monster reared up in front of our ship, a few metres away. Its half-decimated jaws opened wide, half of its teeth broken from the Noxrate blast. Drool and bits of smoking meat hung from the ravaged right jaw. Bits of skin and flesh plopped into the sea when it roared, its body vibrating. Almost dead, still so much arrogance! I roared back at it, my voice laced with massive amounts of AP. The boom shook the ships, hitting the monster like a battering ram. Faeve trembled beside me, half in bloodlust, half in arousal from the battlecry. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Always wanted to hunt a Wyrm¡±. I said quietly, finally having remembered its name. Red eyes like simmering embers stared back at us. The fins along its body rose up like small sails. Then it shook like a frill-necked lizard, its fins rattling with the booming cry. AP concentrated beneath my feet as I jumped straight towards the lizard. The deck¡¯s tough Xecchian wood creaked and cracked from the recoil of my jump. Faeve stumbled as the ship shook. The wyrm-like monster pulled back at my unexpected charge. I landed straight on top of its flaring nostril. The AP charged Thirst sunk into the monsters snout. I used the momentum from my jump to catapult myself on its head. The blade sheared its flesh apart. The dull sound of the blade wrenching apart the nose was accompanied by the screeching wail of the monster. Not so tough, eh? The top of its head was still intact. The neck however had a thick hole through it where the Noxrate canon¡¯s charge had punched through. I raised up by blade in my hands, plunging it straight down on its skull. Clang! The blade-point met its scales. I used the enhanced force from my black arm to sink it deeper. By now, the arm had recovered to the point of full manifestation. The beast roared. Rend! Slaughter! The voices in my head went wild. Annihilate! Massacre! I let myself drown in their anger and thirst. Power flooded through me, I cloaked myself in the rage of the fallen. Eradicate! Obliterate! I sighed. Looks like someone found a Thesaurus. AP charge flooded the blade. The steel creaked with tension¡­and released it. The AP boomed along the skull of the monster, cracking it. The vibrations turned the rest of its head into mush. My other pair of feet pattered onto the monster like leaf, landing softly. No, it was Faeve¡¯s. Our connection made me feel like she was an extension of me, her body belonged to me. The monster roared in pain as Faeve¡¯s crossbow loosed its bolts. With dull thuds, the arrows sunk into its eyes. Thick arms the size of small minivans swerved up its head as the monster tried to dislodge me. But Faeve¡¯s eyes informed me of that movement. I swerved like lightning. Still, the edges of its claws hit me like a ram, throwing me off. I flew backwards. The contact scored a deep gash across my armour. I fell down and the slithery scales offered me no traction. I continued falling along its length. Shit! Shit! Shit! I got too taken in by the bloodlust to take into consideration its slippery scales! I extended my blade while falling. The tip dug into the Spire-Master¡¯s skin, scoring a deep wound along its length, the sword slowly digging deeper. The fall was arrested as the momentum slowed. I hung from the blade, halfway along the creature¡¯s length. Deep anger flowed into me as Faeve became enraged. My body shivered as I took in her bloodlust at having her Aivern hit. I used the blade as a fulcrum and swung back up on its body. I bit down on the glove of my left hand. I ripped apart the glove with my teeth. Leather left a bad aftertaste in my mouth.. Time to see how my new power works. I pressed my hand into its scales. The cold hide sent jolts up my arm. Let the power of ages flow in this arm of mine, Ravage of decay, embody me, spread your icy fangs. Disintegrate in impunity, punish my enemies. For I have housed the rot, taken in the corruption. Corrupt, Consume. My incantation ended. I couldn¡¯t see her but I sensed Faeve shivering from the feedback. Black rot spread through the monster¡¯s skin. Black smog consumed its scales as acid crept inside it. The monster screamed and flailed in desperation twisting its body. A sharp jolt to my sides almost made me lose my grip on Thirst. I looked down¡­.and there was no wound. Nothing had hit me. What the? I sensed Faeve whimpering in pain as my sides exploded again in dear agony. Oh fuck! synched senses mean we share pain too! The monster bucked and twisted, trying to dislodge us. My power spread through its back, eating into its flesh. Skin withered and blackened as smoke rose from where my hand laid on it. My palms sunk as more of its meat was eaten through. With a loud roar, the monster rushed towards the sea. It drove inside the water with manic speed. I held on as the serpentine body submerged, the water churned. Oh fuck! fuck! fuck! The bloodlust had made me forgot another important fact. The monster could dive underwater. Water rushed around me and into me in torrents. The strong currents hit me like trucks, making me lose my grip¡­almost. My hands had already sunk into it arm-deep so the water didn¡¯t dislodge me, but it had its toll. The strong currents hit me with enough force to make me wince with pain. I couldn¡¯t even shout and risk water flooding my lungs. Not that I am too successful in that. Water was already streaming through my nostrils, entering in frigid waves. Where is Faeve? The intense pain had dulled our connection somewhat. I extended my sense to reach out to my Urvan-ere¡­there! It was as if she was a patch of green luminescence in a sea of inky black, Our connection spread like a thin strand of luminescent string, visible underwater. I could not see her directly but¡­I could sense her, glowing, writhing and calling out. She was hurt. Irrational hate swirled up inside me. How dare you hurt my Urvan-ere. I was shocked at my own reaction¡­is this a result of our connection? My muscles tensed unknowingly, the black hand now dug even deeper with its claws. The monster buckled even more, blood swirled out from the open wound. The rot was not working anymore! The swirling currents had numbed the power. Undersea, the rot progressed much slower. The AP in this ocean was abysmally low, making me unable to unleash the full power of my black arm. In that case¡­ I pulled out AP from the monster itself, using my other hand that gripped Thirst. The enormous amount of AP channeling out of the monster¡¯s body made the blade buck and twist. Steam rushed out from the blade as the AP rushed forth into me, boiling the water surrounding it. I turned the monster¡¯s own reserve of AP against it. The rot now spread like a wildfire, engulfing it. The monster now twisted in coils, the water bubbled around it. But¡­my breath is almost at its limit! I can¡¯t breathe anymore!. The underwater rush of the monster had driven most of the air from my lungs. A year of consuming and training had given me more endurance than Olympic Athletes but¡­this was too much. But I will make you pay, slimy asshole. How dare you hurt my Urvan-ere!...dafuq? The connection is making me want to protect her! The thin strand of thread that connected me to Faeve now glowed even more brightly. Thick bloodlust flowed from me to Faeve and from her, to me. Our aggression melded and rose exponentially. The monster bucked up, rushing towards the surface. The charge discharged the last of the air from my lungs. Like a freight train, the Spire-Master breached the surface. I doubled over as I coughed the water out of my lungs. I keeled as pain like jagged ice shards swirled around my chest. I could feel Faeve gasp too. But her Elven body quickly recovered. For a brief moment, when I was weak, her cold assassin mind asserted its dominance over mine. My pain was suppressed by her mind, and spurred me to action. The monster was now floating on the surface like a huge whale, his limbs trying to scratch of parts of its own body¡­Has it gone mad in its own pain? I stood up, dislodging Thirst from its skin. My knee bucked¡­but stayed put. And again¡­Faeve was engulfed in my bloodlust. I felt her go weak in the knees from my rage. I stared towards the figure straddling the beast¡¯s head. A pair of forest green eyes stared back at me. I smiled at my Urvan-ere. She smiled back at me, my emotions mirrored on her own lips, curled up in a snarl. After that, a dance of death started on the monster¡¯s prone body. Our daggers and blades sunk into the monster with eerie precision. What was her dagger made of anyway? Our senses were attuned to each other. Our breaths felt as one, our steps synchronized to the tune of death. There was no one in this world, but us. A world of an Aivern and his Urvan-ere. I could feel Faeve shudder as my thoughts reached her. Every beat of her heart answered mine, as mine hers. Our blades sliced at the monster in perfect unison. My eyes met hers once again, and we grinned. Her mind was ice, and mine fire. We consumed each other, and grew even stronger. My breath felt lighter, my vision sharper. Colours exploded once again. Plethora of sounds and smell entered my senses. This is the world Faeve sees. A low growl resounded in my throat¡­and was mirrored by Faeve¡¯s. Our senses, heightened beyond measure kept track of each other. Every movement, every beat was a perfected dance. Even sex doesn¡¯t feel so good. Faeve trembled as the thought crossed my mind. Her legs buckled for a beat as the bloodlust aroused her. Then came her hate. Hate beyond measure. Ice shards plowed into my body, shearing apart every organ. My mind was frozen. My knees trembled, and I myself shook like a leaf as I realised for the first time¡­exactly how much Faeve hated me¡­no, an Aivern. The connection broke with a snap. The world grew dull suddenly and the sensory feedback cut off. I slumped like a doll cut of its string. My limbs grew heavier, my hands trembled. The rot that spread with every swing of my blade slowed down as fatigue engulfed my body. Faeve¡¯s hate terminated the connection? I looked at her, she turned her eyes away from me, trembling. Her porcelain skin was flushed a deep rouge, while her knuckles were white. No, the connection is still there but it has dulled. The monster under us rumbled at its momentary respite. Our combined bloodlust that had locked it into place had vanished. Just how much does she hate me? It wasn¡¯t so puzzling anyway. Tell me, what will you feel for someone who had taken away your dignity and then made then obey you with force? Almost enslaved your mind and use it to their own purposes, making you feel the same emotion as them, eating into your thoughts and stealing them? But¡­I had no choice. To kill a god, I needed to become like them. Sorry, Faeve, but I can¡¯t hold back. Not anymore. I looked at Faeve, this time she stared back at me, hunching her shoulders. Her red lips trembled as she started to say something. She couldn¡¯t finish. Her light frame flew like a loosened arrow as the monster bucked up, regaining its spirit. An arm had smashed into her like a train, making her fly sideways far away into the sea. With the same fluid motion, the monster doubled up on itself and charged towards me. In a flash, the huge head hit my gut like a battering ram. Air was driven out of my lungs as I flew backwards. I hit the wreckage of one of the battleships. The force was strong enough to make my body break through layers of wood and metal. I finally came to a stop, half-submerged. My mouth was barely above the water-line. Broken pieces of wood gaped from my torso. Splinters had embedded itself into my limbs. Bubbles formed as more air escaped from my sunken mouth. Oh fuck. I lay in the wreckage, amidst broken ship-parts. The wood shrouded my view from the outside world. Only the moon was high up in the sky. I could feel Faeve¡¯s consciousness cut off from me. Did she faint? Or is she dead? My arm throbbed. Pain like fire lanced up my black arm. I didn¡¯t even have the energy to scream. But¡­I still had one trump card left. Them. Even before the battle I had sensed them break into the fog bank, attracted to the aroma of blood and death. Now they were near, very near. My power as a chosen vassal of Zain let me sense their thick feet parting the deep seas, their tails swishing like whips. I called out in my mind. O scions of the dark, jaws of steel. Rend with your claws, rip with your teeth. Let shadows sing of your justice. Balance keepers of the depths, bring down your peace. I, who has offered your kin my own flesh calls out to you. Bring to my enemies the doom they seek. Strength flooded my muscles. I wrenched my body from the wooden stakes that held me. I crawled out of the wreckage, blood streaming in my wake. I climbed out and saw the sight I was waiting for. Hundreds of black patches breached the sea surface in unison. Water cascaded from dark scales as hundreds of red eyes glared upwards. Water churned as powerful tails split the sea. The Great Sea Crezets had arrived.
Once again, sorry for the long delay. I hope you all will forgive me¡­ Did you know that rating/reviewing How to Survive a Summoning 101 on RoyalRoad can save you from violent sea-dragons? Help yourself today, rate it and keep dragons away. (Link to rate on main page) (Psst, did you know that registering on RoyalRoad is easy as pie? Takes just 1 min and then you can rate to keep the dragons out- Register) Oh and will you vote for HTSAS on TopWebFictions? It will help save travellers from dragons. Something like that. VOTE (Voting on TopWebFictions takes just a few seconds and you don''t even need to register!! How cool is that?) Chapter 18: Surviving Mating Rituals Don¡¯t click the spoiler if you don¡¯t want yourself spoiled about the psych theories used in this chapter. Spoiler: One-line psych lesson!!! As some might have already guessed, Rigel¡¯s mind links correspond to Freudian theories about the three levels of mind; the Id, the Ego and Superego. Chapter 18: Surviving Mating Rituals ¡°¡­Vashtii was thrown into the slave pits for trying to defend his mother. There he was used in exhibition fights. Legends claim of Vashtii becoming a Jal¡¯kaer, leader of the fighters. There on, he gained the right to challenge a noble and won in the battle. Vashtii rose to prominence quickly, drawing ire from the clan leaders who had executed his mother. Legends are unclear about when exactly did Vashtii gain the Vaegar, but there is undeniable proof that he used it to subdue the clan-leaders, and made himself the King. He then took the seven Urvan-ere daughters of the clan-leaders and raped them in front of their fathers. He forced all of the daughters to make a contract with him, making him the Aivern with seven Urvan-ere. In the end, he gave the Urvan-eres over to the Elf clans, ordering them to do with them as they pleased. The crowd, ordered by their King, did as they were told. Vashtii made the clan leaders watch as their daughters faced the same humiliation as Vashtii¡¯s mother¡­¡± ¡ª Legend of Vashtii, Somarael Greenlake, Part- II; Vashtii¡¯s Revenge. I clambered up on top of the wreckage, thankful that Thirst was still in my hands. I searched frantically for Faeve amidst the rising Crezets. She will be eaten if I don¡¯t find her! But she was nowhere. The Crezets swam in from the fog bank, their red eyes converging on the monster. I spread my senses, looking for the connection between me and Faeve. I tried to force the connection through. Sweat bathed my whole body despite the chilly water I was drenched in. There! A brief flash of consciousness responded in one part of the sea. I jumped into the waters and swam towards it. The strength I borrowed from the Crezets powered my taxed body. Each muscle groaned and creaked. Can¡¯t give up now¡­it will be all for nothing if that elf is dead! The thin strand of connection sunk deeper into the ocean with each moment. I raced to rescue her before she drowned. Cold water sent shivers through my body, as I tried hard not to choke. The dark seas yielded no results. My hands searched in vain for the girl with green eyes. Yes! My fingers touched something soft. I pulled it closer towards me. Faeve¡¯s soft body was cold as ice, and she¡­ Still alive! I wound my arm around her, the other beating at the waters to swim. I held her close to me. Don¡¯t die, don¡¯t die¡­ Fuck! I can¡¯t swim. She was too heavy for my damaged body to carry. Our leather armours added more weight. Need to take off these fucking things. I held her body close to me with her face pressed against my chest. Her limbs splayed like lead weights in the water. Fuck this shit¡­ How will I take off my armour with both my hands occupied?! I have to take off hers! I dipped my head towards Faeve¡¯s white nape. My teeth encountered the leather. I bit into it. My jaws had inordinate strength, borrowed from the Crezets. Frigid water rushed into my mouth. My teeth chattered in the chill. I bit down harder, shaking my teeth like a Crezet would. The leather slowly parted from her body. I continued my assault on her armour while I swam towards our Nampar. My mouth tasted of wet hide as I continued downwards, ripping it off her. The peaks of her breasts brushed against my teeth. The contact made me shiver. Soft flesh caressed my mouth. Her skin was regaining its heat. My tongue ran over her soft skin, the texture smooth. Fuck! What am I thinking right now?! This bloody Gift of Might! Ugh! At last, she was free of the leather. I swam laboriously, my breath misted up the air. Faeve shivered. Good! She is okay. The water was only a thin fabric between our bodies. Every undulation of her body, every contour melded into mine. The rest of the leather armour covering her legs was too tough to rip while swimming with one hand and holding her with the other. Fuck! I give up! I glanced towards the Crezets while making my way towards the Nampar. The Crezets circled the monsters in a slow motion. The Spire-master reared up and snarled at the approaching Crezets. The Crezets (having heard my call of shounen brotherhood)were charging the monster. Beautiful bonds of friendship and love urged them forward in the rescue of their beloved guild mate, like the shounen animes we all love to watch. Plot armour, yeah! NOT. The Crezets, instead of attacking the monster, swerved towards the broken wreckages of the battleships. They are fucking feeding on the easier targets! They dived into the bodies of the fallen soldiers, tearing at their flesh. They skipped the monster and went straight for an easy meal. These fucking pieces of motherfucking cunthugging shitheads! Dickheaded clusterfucks! Bitchpaddling lizard fuckers! If I could facepalm in that situation, I would have. Fucking sacred animals my ass. Bunch of savage corpse eaters! My body heated up in the frigid water due to anger. I finally understood what the people of Sangraal meant when they cussed ¡®sons of a milking cunnus.¡¯ I glanced at the monster. It rose from the water like a cobra, ready to defend itself from the charging Crezets. Water cascading down its upper body and drained through its damaged scales. Half of its body was gone, destroyed by the battleships and combined efforts of Faeve and I. One of its red eyes was put out by Faeve, deep gashes scored in its remaining body. Blood streamed down its length,reddening the glass-like sea in patches. With its one good eye, it blinked at the Crezets. Even the fucking monster is surprised at you bitchwads! The monster turned towards us and then at the Crezets. Probably wondering which one is the stupider. Its frill-like fins rose to their fullest, eaten through at patches from my rot. Vibrations shook the air as the monster rumbled. I closed my eyes in resignation. We are done for. Calling the Crezets was a wild gambit. Even if I could control a bunch of Crezets from the lake, the Great Sea ones were too much. Even the blood pact formed by feeding them small pieces of my own flesh weren¡¯t enough to control these beasts. My efforts in the past year to train them¡­is a failure. I waited for the fangs of the Spire-Master to tear into me. But it didn¡¯t happen. I opened my eyes. The monster roared and charged at the Crezets. Is it¡­defending its territory? Faeve moaned under me. I held her even closer. My muscles were numb from the chill water and the fighting. I can¡¯t hold on much longer now that the Crezets left me. It is too hard to try control them in my weak state. Saltwater entered my mouth in gulps. I looked at Faeve, her red lips parted in a soft sigh. Maybe we will both die here. A sudden shock ran through my body. Jolts of electricity crept up my spine. Startled, I stared up towards the monster. It had dove straight into the wreckage the Crezets were feeding in, and bit down on them, hard. Pain flooded my senses. Even if it was weak¡­I was still connected to the Crezets by the blood pact. The Crezets chattered¡­loud enough to send a rumble through my heart¡­its like they are speaking in my mind! The Crezets stopped their feeding. The monster had started attacking them, rending them apart one by one. All of the red eyes in the sea turned as one, towards the Spire-Master. And then, they charged. Hundreds of the Crezets tore into its body like wild animals. Well, they are wild. Electricity ran through my body once again. I became stock still as my body refused to move. Suddenly¡­ information overflowed my brain. I had hundreds of eyes and thousands of legs. My tails churned the water like whips while my fangs tore into the skin of the abomination before me. The blood pact made me into a Crezet. No¡­my body is still human¡­its just my mind is connected? I could feel their eyes as my own as each of them reflected the monster shearing at my, no the Crezets¡¯ brethren. Rage, hotter than the sun filled every pore of my body. Kill! The souls inside me clamoured once again as my talons ripped the monster apart, Eat! My teeth tasted the foul blood. Rend! My skin was on fire from indignation. It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s not me, it¡¯s what the Crezets¡¯ are thinking! My mind reeled from the vast feedback from each of the Crezets¡¯ minds. For a brief moment, I was a god. The world seen through all their eyes were my eyes, all their limbs my own. I was the master. Wild strength flooded my veins again, a gift from the Crezets. Faeve went wild under me. Her mind was open to the Crezets too, due to our connection. Intense bloodlust flowed through both me and her. The Crezets are angry! I shivered. So much rage! My body was slowing down in terror from the rage I was feeling¡­no, my fear vanished as I drowned in the Crezets¡¯ bloodlust. Faeve flailed her limbs wildly, trying to rip me apart. Her nails dug across my skin, Shit¡­her mind has turned into a Crezets¡¯! She opened her eyes wide, no signs of recognition in them. Her mouth went up in a feral snarl, close to my face. I dug my hands tighter into her. I forcibly tried to dominate her mind through our connection. Shit! Not working! She clung to me even more fiercely, all traces of sentient thought vanished from her mind. Bloodlust enough to overwhelm me rose in her and flowed into me. In trying to get her to calm down, I was the one in danger. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! If she does that, how will I hold on? The Crezets went on in their frenzy. The water foamed at their furious battle. The area under them turned dark red with blood. The beasts didn¡¯t relent, and hundreds of jaws dug into the mighty Spire-Master. Faeve suddenly stopped her struggling. My mind had asserted dominance over the connection. Thank god! We are almost at the boat. Please let her stay calm.! I flinched. The mindless rage in Faeve¡¯s eyes had given way to something else. Her lips spread wide, breath misting the air. The look in her eyes¡­was¡­arousal!? Seven fucking hells! She is like a Crezet now! Of course, if I still her bloodlust, she will perform the mating ritual! I had forgotten one very important fact. Male Crezets mated by asserting their dominance over the female during her feeding frenzy. For all intents as purposes, she took me as her mate when I stilled her bloodlust. Bloody. Fucking. Hell. I still swam with one hand while holding her body with the other. Her nipples grew hard under me, her legs wrapped around my torso. Her hands clawed at my back. Ever seen a Crezet mate? It¡¯s a bloody affair while the beasts claw at each other throughout the ritual. Faeve now dragged her nails across my flanks, the wet leather squeaked audibly. Then¡­she bit me. I gave a hoarse shout as her small teeth bit into my neck. Blood flowed into her little mouth as she sucked fitfully. Her tongue snaked along the wounds like snake¡¯s, lapping up my oozing blood. Dafuq bitch? You vampire or something? She wouldn¡¯t let go. She kept slamming into me with her crossed legs, urging me to push into her sex, just like a female Crezet would. Her fingers found gaps in my armour and dragged her nails across my skin, this time drawing blood. Her lithe body shivered in ecstasy as she lapped up my blood. The nubs of her breasts pressed into me further, her pleasure reaching a crescendo. And I still had my pants on. Should I be disappointed? I barely held onto my reason as our connection was forcing upon me to feel her passion. She wanted me to take her, ravage her and make her bleed. She was urging me to release inside her, while I partook of her own blood. Her savage ecstasy was affecting me. I trembled in excitement, mirroring her own. My swimming grew frantic, as my breath fell ragged on her face. A barely coherent desire took hold of me. She is mine! mine! My reason was fighting a losing battle. Ravage her! I used both my hands and pulled her pants. Cold water entered my lungs, making me choke. I quickly went back to swimming, spitting out salt water. Fucking hell. I am not a Crezet, my body is not built for underwater humping! The rush of frigid water quelled my mind a bit. I let Faeve run her bloody lips on my neck, lapping up the leaking blood. She had calmed down a bit after sucking ¡­what the actual fuck? Faeve, in her frenzy, had sucked up AP from my body. She had torn open a wound in my body and drunk my lifeblood directly, so the consumption was enormous. I couldn¡¯t re-supply my body with AP fast enough. Thirst was slung at my back, but its magic jewels were exhausted. My body grew heavy as Faeve sucked out more and more AP. I can¡¯t swim at this rate! If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The battle between the Crezets and the monster went on in the distance. Snaps and snarls filled the air. In a corner of my mind, the feedback from the Crezets still lingered, albeit dulled to most extent. The initial connection had overwhelmed me, but now¡­it was fading. The blood pact did offer me some protection against mental overloading but Faeve¡­her hands still lingered all over my body. She was now trying to unbuckle my pants, her hands roved over my groin. Fortunately, her brain was too muddled and Crezet-ed to figure out the mechanism. She snarled and gave up, and now dragged her nails over my pants to slice it off. What the fuck? She still sucked at my neck, AP dribbling away. Okay, can¡¯t let this go on. I dipped my mouth toward her neck¡­she smells inviting. I bit down on her. Faeve went quiet at my touch. Her eyes closed as she waited for my teeth to dig into her. A wild, savage urge built up inside me. My body trembled. I ran my tongue over her smooth shoulder as my teeth broke her skin. Blood, sweet as honey rushed up to meet me. It tastes of sunlight and grass. I lapped at her welling blood, sucking. AP gushed into me, like a torrent. I won¡¯t lie, it felt¡­exquisite; painful and ecstatic. She continued her motions too. We swam in the dark, not looking upwards as we nibbled on each other. Savage fury and arousal filled our veins. I pushed her closer to me. She shivered every time my teeth dragged on her skin. She had started to moan now, her chest rose and fell rapidly. The AP flowed in a closed circuit. The amount she sucked out, I absorbed it back. Our individual AP swirled and mingled. Rising tides of magic met each other in waves and entwined, forming into a single refined flow. Despite the chilly water, my entire body heated up rapidly. Tingles ran down my spine. My hands beat the water surface even stronger now. The ship was close, very close. Faeve moaned as my erection pressed onto her groin. She is beyond sense now. Her naked skin rubbed against my armour as if heat erupted from where we touched each other. She suddenly went limp in my arm. Her limbs splayed lifeless in the water. Her head detached from my neck. A wild panic rose inside me. No, no, no! I sighed in relief as I felt her beating heart. Not dead, just exhausted. Something splashed in front of us. I glanced up. The boat was now metres away. Someone had thrown something. A rope! I grabbed on the thick rope. Someone pulled us up. I hung on it limply, Faeve in my arms. With a final heave, we were pulled on deck. I slumped powerlessly, facedown. I lay Faeve beside me. ¡°Someone cover her up¡±, I wheezed out, and rolled to the side, ¡°and tell me what¡¯s going on in the sea¡±. I had no energy to get back up to assess the battle situation. But I knew one thing for certain. The Crezets had prevailed. ¡°The hull is taking in water¡±, Sullin said in a grave tone. I wobbled on my feet. I had no strength to stand, much less walk. I stared up at Faeve, sitting opposite to me. She had a fresh set of clothes on. She didn¡¯t meet my eyes. Hatred and contempt flowed into me from her. ¡°We abandon ship then. Unlash the boats¡±, she said in a low voice. The wreckage had helped stop the hurtling Nampar, but it had also ripped apart holes in it. Water now gushed in freely, filling up the hull. We barely had half an hour before it capsizes. The provisions had already been loaded onto the dinghies lashed to the ship. Faeve and Sullin carried me to the boat I was to get in. I was laid down gently. Faeve flinched every time our bodies bumped into each other. She rubbed at wherever our skin touched as if to rinse away my vile touch. I raised my eyebrows at her. She looked at me, her eyes trembled. Shame and anger flowed through the connection. ¡°That was humiliating, humankin. So¡­so shameful, disgusting¡±, she spat out in an acidic voice, ¡°never again will I¡ª ¡°I had nothing to do with it¡±, my voice came out hoarse, ¡°you were the one who kept on¡ª ¡°You think you can say that after you forced your mind into mine, you son of a milking cunnus?¡± she scrunched up her eyebrows while touching her chopped hair, her mouth curled up in a snarl. Well, she is right about that, but¡­ ¡°I have said this before, Faeve, I will use you¡±, I said that while I bore into her eyes, ¡°like you are using me¡±. She flinched, a flash of surprise in her face. Why is she so surprised? She held my gaze, not looking away. She rubbed at the place my teeth had bit her, the wound still fresh, ¡°I hate you, Rigel. More than you know¡±. I clenched my hands. Shit! Every muscle hurts, ¡°Faeve¡±. She looked up. I held her gaze. She shivered as my mind touched hers. Memories of hours previous flowed into me, as she remembered what happened. Hatred flowed from her as her body shrunk back. I kept looking into her green eyes, ¡°The connection is very broad now¡±. She held a questioning gaze towards me. I couldn¡¯t help but think of her crazed courtship ritual just hours before. She stiffened as she realised what I was thinking. Her bisque-doll like face contorted, a crimson flushed up her skin. Her knuckles were white as they shook, ¡°never again will I submit to¡ª ¡°Emotions and memories are flowing both ways now, more than before¡±, I didn¡¯t let her finish, ¡°So tell me, why do you hate the Aiverns so much?¡± She flinched like I had whipped her. She clutched at the sides of the boat hard enough to make her hands go white, whiter than they usually were. She gazed away from me, her voice low, ¡°My father...he was an Aivern¡ª The Nampar made a loud sound as more of it sunk. Faeve glanced at it, ¡°No time to discuss issues now, Eridan. Also, you have no business knowing it¡±. Our boats made a splash as ropes lowered it onto the sea. Slowly, three more boats descended, each time making a splash. Neither the Spire-Master nor the Crezets were to be seen anywhere. The crew in out ship told us that the monster had sunk to the bottom while the Crezets chased it. I couldn¡¯t feel the Crezets either. Goodbye, Kurrick¡¯s Tooth. There was no unnatural current in the waters now. Only Faeve and I sat in this boat, some provisions between us. We began rowing towards the fog bank, rather Faeve was the one rowing. My body was too exhausted to be working. Each time I tried to move, muscles and bones creaked like they would come loose. I closed my eyes in exhaustion. The steady movement of the sea under the boat lulled me. As we approached the fog bank, the boats kept calling out to each other so as to not get lost. ¡°Sin Faeve ahoy¡­¡± I heard Sullin¡¯s voice getting fainter and warbled. I opened my eyes. Thick cloud-like fog enveloped us, its tendrils snaked inside the boat. A faint chill crept up my limbs as they coiled around me, the fog rendered everything invisible beyond a feet or two. Faeve opened her mouth wide, her chest flared up to bellow. ¡°Don¡¯t¡±, I said quietly, ¡°it¡¯s time we went our way¡±. Faeve stared at me for a bit, before exhaling. She rowed the boat silently, not meeting my eyes. The steady rhythm of the boat lulled me to sleep. I woke up screaming. The dead men were back in my dreams, now that I had grown even weaker due to my injuries. My heart thudded against my chest. Faeve was sitting on the opposite side of the boat. She was gasping for breath. Sweat dripped from her skin flushed crimson. She shivered when my eyes met hers, her hands wrapped around her body. My dreams are getting to us both. I tried to get up. Oh, my god! Each part of my body screamed in unison. Now that the gift of might had run its course, the pain and exhaustion had their full toll. Faeve whimpered too, her bloodless lips opened in a silent scream. I smiled weakly at Faeve. Her lips tightened in a thin slit, eyes hardening. She stared at me again and then shrunk back. ¡°The connection has got even stronger¡±. I mumbled at her. Shit, my hands are shaking. She clenched her fist, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault for forcing the connection through¡±. She banged her fist against the boat, ¡°Never again will I give in to you, krumper. I will kill you before you take me¡±. The image of Faeve in the midst of her aroused craze flashed through my mind. She stiffened when my thoughts entered her. Uh oh. Faeve pulled out her crossbow and aimed at my head. She had a spare set? Then she trembled as her fingers tightened on the trigger. One of her fingers travelled up and touched her lips, ¡°I would rather be dead before I turn into¡­that again. You and your abominable powers have made me this¡­¡± A slight sense of shame and arousal floated into me. Along with terrible anger. It felt like she would melt my mind with the heat of her anger. Oh? Control reverts to her when I am weak? I closed my eyes, not refuting her words. She is not wrong, I am the one eating into her mind. A dull thud near my feet announced that the crossbow had been put to rest. Faeve¡¯s voice floated to me, ¡°Why does Arin keep accusing you of killing her? Your dreams¡­Arin is in there all the time, it feels like my mind will erode from thoughts about her¡±. I sighed and rest my head on the boat¡¯s side, ¡°I didn¡¯t kill her personally, so it¡¯s probably just a nightmare¡±. My nails dug into my palm , ¡°when I am awake, I know she isn¡¯t the sort of person who would torment me with guilt. But in my dreams,¡­it¡¯s all too real¡±. Faeve hadn¡¯t spoke at all. I couldn¡¯t even hear her breath. Oh? Since when did I start to hear her breathe anyway? Her thoughts flowed into me when she realised what I had just crossed my mind. I could feel her mind jolt in surprise and then settle down. For just this once, I didn¡¯t remind her to hate me. ¡°If you can take no more, ask me and I will kill you¡±, Faeve said in a quavering voice. Her tone was softer than it had been, ¡°that is the least my hate can do for you, even if you are despicable¡±. I didn¡¯t open my eyes, ¡°At this point, killing me is the singular most act of love you can show me¡±. Her mind reeled from my words, as I heard the sounds of her breath falling in deep sighs. ¡°In exchange of that, you can ask me to kill you too, when you can take no more¡±, I said again, my words a loud whisper. Faeve took a sharp breath. I sensed the surprise in her mind, ¡°After all, the connection does work both ways, I can feel your suffering and pain too¡±, I said in a quiet voice. Faeve didn¡¯t talk after that, and neither did I. Two people sailed adrift on a boat, with a pact of killing each other. The ocean raged and sung all around us, while we, held on to our minds that touched one moment and flinched from contact the next. The sea again put me to sleep. The monsters mauled me again in my sleep. Their dead faces stared at me, in silent accusation. The once men clawed and tore at me, blind eyes rolling with grey pupils. I ran from them but the ground was filled with broken, desiccated bodies. They stirred when I came near them, and rose to drag me down. Hands erupted from the ground and clutched at my running feet, making me stumble. I awoke again, sweat had soaked my clothes through. I found myself curled up in a ball at the edge of the rocking boat. My eyes travelled to the other side, weakly. My body gave a jolt¡­no, it¡­it can¡¯t be. Arin was sitting there, her face pulled into a tight grimace. what¡­how is she? Her eyes looked away from mine, her body trembled. I couldn¡¯t hold on anymore. I clambered towards her. Every muscle in my body groaned, but I didn¡¯t relent. I¡­I need to go to her! She flinched when I reached her, clutching at her body. She tried to push me away, her hands against my chest. ¡°Why¡­why did you leave me!¡± I wailed, my voice choking, ¡°where had you gone! I¡­I can¡¯t live without you¡±. Her clothes grew wet from my tears, her breath a warm sigh on my nape. I buried my face in her lap. Her body trembled. ¡°What¡­what are you...¡±, her voice was strange to my ears. ¡°Arin, don¡¯t go, please don¡¯t go. Don¡¯t leave me alone¡±, I kept crying in her lap, ¡°the souls¡­they will kill me, please stay, don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t leave me¡±. Her entire body stiffened under me. Her voice stopped. A trembling hand fell on my head, caressing my hair, ¡°Yes¡±. Her voice was trembling, ¡°Yes, I am¡­Arin. I love you a lot too¡±. Drops of heat fell on my neck. Is she crying? A sense of warmth enveloped me, as her hands gently ran over me, like soothing a child. ¡°I won¡¯t leave you¡±, the voice said. I clutched her tighter, my exhausted body and mind gave way to another nightmare filled sleep. But, I have Arin now.
Wait what? Arin is back?!? What the hell is happening? What do you guys think? And if you do stumble upon an answer, let us know is the comment section. Let''s see how many of you get it:p Seriously though, rating/reviewing isn¡¯t that hard. Just go to this page and click on the stars. It¡¯d make me happy, and happy me means faster chapter releases :p Don¡¯t forget to vote for me on >>TWF<< you don¡¯t need an account to vote. Voting refreshes every week Edited by Luciferia chan . You should go check out her fiction too, it''s pretty dope! Chapter 19: Surviving Fates If you like this story please support it by voting on TWF. Registration is not required and refreshes every seven days. Please vote to encourage new chapters!: LINK to Vote Chapter 19: Surviving Fates ''¡°The Skyreach, majestic and decadent looms above Mt. Svaljer. Legend has it that its obsidian black walls cast no shadow, nay, is made of shadows itself. The central tower pierces the grey, perpetually overcast skies of Kshajlmeir. It was as if the air itself lies dead still as our Skyclimber inches toward it. The silence is so profound that each thrum of the ragnacore engine sounds as loud as thunder. I can¡¯t help but shiver as I lay my eyes upon the fading ground far below us. Up in the sky, you really start to appreciate how vast, how endless the world is. I must close my account, for now, for the wide black arches of the Skyreach beckon me. At night, perhaps by the warm fires, I might pen down my thoughts more, if I can withstand the thin air up here, that is.¡± 14th of Redleaf, 26th year of Silver Spring.'' -- Last entry from the journal of Proghar Xiolptli, a beastfolk researcher considered foremost among the ruin researchers. Dated 15,495 A.C A loud bang. Startled, I jumped up. The boat had hit a submerged rock, jolting me out of the hazy slumber. Fuck! Every part of my body was aflame with pain. Bones groaned when I moved. The boat was floating lazily around the rock it had hit. Its underside scraped against the rock while the eddies moved the boat. Faeve was sprawled on the other side of the boat, her hands extending on both sides. I crawled towards her. Why is she¡­? Her face was deathly, paler than an Elf¡¯s skin could ever be. I touched her temple. Shit, she is burning up! I shook her frail body that was curled up in a tight ball. She didn¡¯t reply. Even her breathing was rough and, I put my finger under her nose, Too hot! Her fever is really bad! She shivered a bit as my skin touched hers, and mumbled in some unknown language in her sleep. Hmm? Her cheeks were wet. Oh, fucking hell! Arin¡¯s figure came to me in a flash. I¡­I saw her, she said she loved me¡­ What, what just happened? How was Arin...I stared at Faeve¡¯s slumbering face, something must have exhausted the elf too much, else how would she¡­don¡¯t tell me¡ª Faeve¡­you acted as Arin to comfort me? I couldn¡¯t imagine the pain she had to go through to keep her mind sane. My fevered mind must have been hallucinating and she¡­accepted it? The effort must have been enormous. Due to the connection¡ªFaeve¡¯s mind must have made her believe the love I felt was for her. It would have been agonising when I called out Arin¡¯s name again and again; each time it would remind her that it wasn¡¯t her I loved. Even if she hates me, the connection would make her think she is my loved one again and again and me calling Arin¡¯s name would break that illusion just after. I brushed my hands on her warm cheeks, I am no good with women, am I? Water was rushing into the cracked hull. Fuck! The rock! The boat would sink fast. The shore lay before my eyes, still a bit far. We need to reach that shore. I stood up in the boat. Pain lanced up my body. Fucking gifts always mess me up! I rolled over to the side, splashing into the water. The cold water made me shiver. I swam slowly to the front end of the boat. I unlashed a length of rope attached to it. I can¡¯t swim while carrying her on my back so¡­ I tied one end of the rope on the boat¡¯s prow. Pungent water swirled into my mouth as I bit down on the other end. Yuck! I started swimming slowly. The pain in my muscles seemed to have subsided in the frigid waters. The salty seas made careless inroads into my mouth. The white sandy shore loomed some distance away. The boat glided behind me, every moment a little more of it sunk. Faster! Before it sinks totally. I swam harder, my breath misting up. The sands of the beach glittered in the scant light of dawn. Suddenly, I faltered. My body couldn¡¯t take the abuse anymore. The muscles felt like it would tear apart. But I still swam on. I have to live! My limbs were growing numb, as I took more and more water inside me. My teeth chattered from the cold. Fuck! the rope slipped out from between my teeth and splashed onto the water. I clambered to catch it as it floated away from me. I¡­I can¡¯t hold on anymore. I whistled loudly. Once, Twice¡­nothing happened. Of course, they won¡¯t listen when I am weak. I swam on, every second a fight against losing consciousness. I took a sharp breath as something floated upwards in front of me. A small grayish-black drifted towards me, water cascading out of its tiny scales. A baby Great Sea Crezet! Little red eyes peered at me from the water. Its small head floated up with a shrill chatter. Will it be of any help? Its so¡­tiny that even its scales haven¡¯t turned black. Then again, no strong Crezets will listen to me right now. The small beast swam towards me. I made a wide loop out of the rope and gave the baby crezet half of it. It bit down on the rope and started pulling the boat with me. Beast and man strode through the water side by side, like the ancient times. The load became a bit lighter, but it was still too much for my weak body. We reached hip-deep waters when the Crezet left, unable to swim any deeper towards the land. It chattered loudly as it turned and swam back into the deep. My legs folded as I stared at it, unable to take even a single step forward. I fell forward into the water. Water cold as ice rushed up into my mouth. This¡­this is probably the end. I lost consciousness as my lungs filled up. Something tugged at my arms. Then, with enormous force it dragged me towards the beach, the boat in tow. I looked up in my hazy stupor and saw¡ªa hand, fair as snow drag me. The sand was rough beneath my knees. The coarse grains scraped by skin, the saltwater made it sting. The woman with the fair hands dragged me without care, my mouth fell inside the water again, this time, some sand crept in with the water. I spat out wet sand, my cough a wheeze. I looked up again at the woman with slender hips. The black gown she wore clung to her form, wet with the sea water. She turned back towards me. A sharp face that reminded me of katanas was staring into my eyes. A grimace crept up her alluring lips, ¡°It is trouble keeping you alive, mortal¡±. Astria tucked her flowing black hair behind her ears as she pulled me towards the white sandy beach. The exhaustion took me over as I saw the scenery darken before me. ~~~~ A soft rustle woke me up. The insides of my head throbbed like a dwarf hammering away at it. The room was sweltering. Where am I again? I opened my eyes. Soft light played on the rocky ceilings. Small crystals jutting out from the walls glittered. A howling noise swept through the cave occasionally. Wind? A flash of light caught my eye. Faeve sat beside a small fire. The wood crackled and threw firelight dancing on her bare skin. Her snow white skin had turned a flushed crimson due to the heat. A light sheen of sweat coated her entire body. The cave we were in wasn¡¯t very big, just a hole in the wall. A very small patch of dark sky peeked out from where the cave had bent and formed this room. I tried to sit up. Oh my¡­ My body was on fire¡­or so it felt. My muscles screamed in agony as I tried to sit up. I didn¡¯t relent and stood up, taking shaky steps towards a corner of the cave. I need my clothes! The cool night air played on my bare skin, sending a chill down my spine, making the hair on my skin stood on its end. I took wobbling steps towards my clothes hung up on a stick near the fire. Uh oh. That actually meant that I had to face Faeve. Ever since I forced through the connection, I was aware of her presence, more than ever. It served to make us much stronger during the battle with the Spire-Master, but right now¡­fucking bother. I was aware of her heartbeat that spread through me in a steady rhythm. Her breaths fell like a soft sigh as if she was right next to me. I was even feeling the heat that rolled off her skin. More than that, after synching during the fight¡­I could sense some of the feelings itself. Before it was just vague emotions but now they were much more distinct. Faeve stirred a bit. She had nodded off in front of the fire. But¡­even more than that¡­something unexpected had happened due to the synch. I wanted Faeve. I stared at her naked form, the contours of her body was in sharp contrast to the firelight. Her thin red lips parted in a slight sigh in the midst of her slumber. Yes, her. I want her. I want her under me, moaning. I want to make her mine while I took everything she is. She is mine! I will ma¡ª I slapped myself on the back of my head. Dangerous thoughts. My skin tingled from a strange sensation. I was drawn to her inexplicably. Well, not exactly inexplicable, she is pretty and naked but that¡¯s not the point. Something was making me feel this way. Eerie thoughts swirled in my mind. It was as if she was made for me, she existed for my sake. Faeve jolted up, her green eyes dilated. She glanced around fitfully, in a haze. Her hands slowly reached down to¡­oh shit!! She was touching herself, as a soft moan escaped her lips. I made a huge noise by slapping my hands against each other. The sound reverberated in the cave, making a loud boom. Faeve jolted again and somersaulted in a fluid motion away from me. Her eyes were sharp as she took a crouching pose. Her daggers were in her hands, pointed at me. When did she pick those up? So fast! She glared at me and then¡­blinked. She spoke in a tensed voice, ¡°I thought I heard some loud noise¡±. ¡°Yeah, it was me¡±, I said while I tried not to look at her, ¡°now stop playing Assassin¡¯s Creed and sit down¡±. ¡°Why?¡± she asked, arching her eyebrows. ¡°An assassin must always be ready for da¡ª¡±, her voice faltered when she tried to buckle her daggers. Her eyes travelled down towards her naked body. ¡°That¡¯s why¡±, I said, sighing, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you naked right now¡±. Our clothes were still wet from the sea voyage. Faeve had gathered a few sticks and brambles to light the fire and hung our clothes to dry them. We sat opposite each other, the fire between us. Cold sea wind blew into the cave in a gust, making us shiver. Faeve rubbed her hands and held them near the fire. She trembled¡­and held my gaze on herself. She grabbed the dagger she had embedded on the ground, ¡°Your thoughts¡­are disgusting. I do not have a problem if you stare at my naked body but I can not condone your beastly thoughts¡±. But she just tried to fap herself when I woke her up. Faeve¡¯s mouth went up in a snarl as she read my thoughts, ¡°That is because you forced the connection in, you mongrel. Just like an Aivern, using an Urvan-ere as you please, you son of a krumper. Now your arousal effects me!¡± Fuck this connection! I stayed silent for a bit, staring at the fire. It crackled, sending sparks flying. With a sigh, I opened my mouth, ¡°You know as well as I do, we needed that connection at that time. Could we have fought without that?¡± She frowned, her nose crinkled, ¡°Nay. But, you just took control of both my mind and body¡±. She hugged herself and stared at the fire, ¡°You¡¯re violating my mind, Eridan¡±. She is right. What I did does amount to raping her mind. ¡°You consented, though. At that moment I understood your thoughts, I know you let the connection happen at that time¡±, I spoke. What am I doing? Making excuses for myself? She played with her dagger, her eyes cast down, ¡°There was no choice right then, humankin. Either get killed by the monster or get¡­owned by you¡±. She spat out the last words, brimming with hate. Owned? What does she mean? What the! Something touched my leg and went scampering. Oh, just a skitterbug. I had stood up in my surprise. Faeve looked up at me. I traced her line of sight¡­she is trying to avoid looking at my crotch! I chuckled inside. Her jaws hardened when she realised what I was thinking, ¡°Beast! You are the reason for this. The connection makes me wa¡ª¡± My legs buckled as I toppled forward. Faeve¡¯s eyes went wide. She jumped with feline grace and caught my falling body. She held me with her hands, my nose centimetres from the cave floor. ¡°Thanks¡±, I sputtered, ¡°now can you stop fondling my balls?¡± She took a quick breath, as her face twitched, inches from my face. ¡°I am getting a hard-on, you see¡±, I offered helpfully. She flung me on down the cave floor, tearing her hands away. I felt cold anger and hatred flow into me from her mind. I rolled over. The dust and sand on the floor now caked my face. I faced Faeve, ¡°That spectacularly defeated the purpose¡±. Faeve now sat behind me, her hands roving over my back. AP flowed from her fingers into my body. Muscles and skin knit on their own, an unnerving tingle ran through my body. The fire crackled loudly as a sudden gust of wind blew through the cave. The wind picked up sand from the beach and blew it in. I rubbed at my eyes to dislodge the sand. Faeve¡¯s soft palms shivered while treating me. Her slender fingers traced patterns on my back, again and again. I curled my fingers into a fist and then unclenched them, the action making my bones creak. How long can I go on like this?My body is already at its limit every time I fight. Faeve¡¯s lithe fingers stopped moving for a second. Her breath fell upon my skin in a soft sigh. I could feel her momentary fear. Okay, it is time for that. ¡°Faeve¡±, I said in a low voice, ¡°time for some answers¡±. She flinched when I called her. After a beat, her hands continued their healing. ¡°What makes you think you deserve any, Aivern?¡± she asked in a quiet tone. Her teeth gnashed against each other. Her seething rage flowed into me. ¡°Because you are my Urvan-ere¡±, I spoke up. She was eerie quiet before her voice whipped out, ¡°Just because you are an Aive¡ª¡± ¡°We need to work together if we are to remain alive¡±, I sighed, ¡°that¡¯s what I mean when I said that¡±. She removed her hands from my body, her breath regained its steady, comforting beat. Huh? Comforting? ¡°What do you want to know?¡± ¡°I know less than John Snow, so¡­pretty much everything, Faeve¡±, I said, ¡°about the connection, you and the Aiverns¡±. ¡°Who¡¯s John Snow?¡± she asked, her voice reverberated in the cave. ¡°Someone who knew nothing¡±, I said. She just sighed, ¡°I never get human jokes¡±. Faeve took a big breath, ¡°Ask¡±. ¡°What is the purpose of the connection?¡± I asked, ¡°I know I have asked this before but recent events¡­seem to indicate there is more than you are telling me, Sin-Faeve¡±. ¡°Sin?¡± she asked, surprise colouring her voice, ¡°since when are you so polite towards me, humankin?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t help it. I wanted to sound like a hard-boiled detective interrogating a beautiful mysterious woman¡±, I shrugged. ¡°Please continue, Sin-Faeve. Time is running out¡±, I said in a grave tone. First releasing a Kraken and now interrogating like a detective! At least I get to fulfil some wishes. Faeve¡¯s voice snapped me out of fantasy land. Well, to another fantasy land. ¡°The Tree of Life has mysterious magic that it cannot impart directly to its chosen people, the Aiverns. Even though regular Elves can use magic, it is nowhere as potent as the one the Tree wields. I have said this before, but the Tree extends its bloodline through Elvish women, giving birth to us, the Urvan-ere, daughters of the Tree¡±. ¡°It can birth daughters but not create warriors?¡± ¡°Yes, the Tree can not birth Aiverns on its own. The reason, however, is not known. Mayhaps the Elders know, but it is not spoken of¡±, her tone was grave. ¡°Has anyone ever told you how formal and weird you sound when you speak of your people?¡± I said, ¡°I mean, hell, you sound like a different person¡±. Faeve sighed, ¡°You focus on the weird things, Eridan. I usually speak like that¡±. She seemed to hesitate to say something, ¡°But it all changed when I met you¡±. My eyebrows shot up. Yikes, is she going all Mills and Boons on me? She slapped the back of my head lightly, ¡°I can feel what you just thought. Even if I didn¡¯t understand, I know it was nothing flattering¡±. ¡°Okay, okay. Please continue¡±. ¡°The daughters of the Tree are like conduits. When an Aivern defeats an Urvan-ere and forms the contract, they gain access to the Tree¡¯s magic, using the Urvan-ere as an intermediary¡±. I kept silent, urging her to continue. The sea outside the cave roared like a hungry beast, occasionally drowning her voice. ¡°Magic¡­is about reforming the Voice of the Universe, or Aurora Particles as humans call it. When you cast magic, you reform the Voice to your tune and make it perform your wishes. Each magic is the imprint of the caster¡¯s desire¡±, she paused, ¡°do you know what it means?¡± ¡°Except that you Elves speak round and round but never get to the point?¡± I splayed my hands, ¡°No, surprise me¡±. A flash of murderous intent flowed into me from her. Oh well. ¡°Urvan-ere and Aiverns are two separate entities, their desires and thoughts are different. Since the magic from the Tree flows through the Urvan-ere¡­her mind has the chance to effect it. If her Aivern¡¯s desire is different from hers, the magic won¡¯t take effect and scatter. Worst case, it will wreck havoc in their own bodies and kill them. Just like when AP goes out of control in a caster¡¯s body¡±. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ ¡°That is why the Tree uses the connection to force the Urvan-ere¡¯s mind into submission to the Aivern¡¯s. So that she can be used just as a tool¡­¡± her voice trailed off. I whirled around. She hugged herself while she shook like a leaf, ¡°Our life is over when we make a contract. The connection forces us to obey the Aivern, making our minds and body, his. He can order us to do anything and, if the connection is strong enough, we have to obey¡±. Her eyes like deep green lakes wavered with water, ¡°Nay, when the connection reaches that stage, we have no free will left. We don¡¯t even want to disobey. Just like a slave, we follow our masters, the Aivern we contracted with¡±. ¡°Faeve¡­¡± my heart felt like it was being hammered, my throat dried up as intense terror assaulted my senses, ¡°calm down¡±. Dear god, this girl was carrying this much burden? Now I know why is she so terrified of me! She flinched, her eyes trailed water, ¡°I do not want to die! Nay, I do not want to stop existing! The connection would erase who I am¡­and make me just a toy for you to play with. If I kill you¡­no, I don¡¯t even have this choice¡±. I touched her shoulders, ¡°Faeve, list¡ª¡± She flung my arms away, scrambling away from me, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t touch me!¡± She whimpered, looking down. Her hands clenched the dust on the cave floor. The sand beneath her grew wet. She is¡­crying? Faeve shook as she continued talking, ¡°Every time I heal you, the connection broadens. I can feel you more and more, I can see your memories. Your emotions, your desires¡­they resonate with me. I feel like I want to fulfil them¡­like have to offer you everything¡±. She trembled each time words escaped her lips. Her cheeks had flushed crimson. Terror and pain flowed into me unabated. It was like some giant was pummeling my guts with its fist. ¡°But I can sense your feelings to. Not very clearly, but I can¡±, I offered. Shit, I didn¡¯t know how much I tormented this girl. She looked up at me, her hands wiped her cheeks, ¡°Yes. But that is just the effect of magic from the Tree of Life. As I said, Aivern¡¯s are our masters. Our bodies serve as extra pairs of eyes and ears for them in battle. And¡­after that, as objects of their lust¡±. ¡°So you are telling me¡­¡± ¡°When the connection manifests itself fully, an Aivern can use his Urvan-ere¡¯s senses as his own, without the consequences. If an Aivern dies, most of the time his Urvan-ere also dies because all his pain and feelings flow into her. But an Urven-ere¡­it does not matter what happens to her, her Aivern does not feel her pain or emotions¡±, her voice has regained its usual emotionless tone as if nothing happened. I chewed my lips. The firelight played along the cave walls, throwing twisted shadows everywhere. The sea crashed on the beach in its singular effort. I talked slowly, ¡°Are there no female Aiverns? Because from your words, all Urvan-ere seem to be daughters¡±. She fidgeted with her fingers, ¡°Yes. There are. But they are very few in number. Females who prefer company of other females have become Aiverns. But almost all the Aiverns are male. The Tree produces only daughters to contract with the Aiverns¡±. ¡°Why is that?¡± I asked. The wind is starting to get colder. Aren¡¯t the clothes dry yet? ¡°Have you seen a Grilnder?¡± she asked, her voice quavering, ¡°they are monsters with a lure shaped like a beautiful female attached to their heads. When the targets are besotted with the lure and come close¡­the monster eats it¡±. ¡°Yeah, almost got killed by one in the Prologue¡±, I said shrugging. She flashed a tight-lipped smile as her voice quaked, ¡°We, Urvan-ere are the lures that the Tree of Life use¡±. A dull aching sadness spread through me, from the girl with deep-green eyes. Oh my god, don¡¯t tell me¡­ ¡°Even among the Elves, every Urvan-ere is exceptionally beautiful. They are extremely desirable. The Tree uses the Urvan-ere to trap the Aiverns. Like an insect eating plant, the Aiverns can never escape the Tree if they are besotted with its daughters. The Tree considers mostly males eligible to become Aiverns, so it uses our bodies to entice them¡±. Seven fucking hells. That tree is a fucking magical pimp! ¡°It is also the same reason why the Tree makes us the servant of the Aiverns. The contract makes us feel the same emotions and memories as the Aiverns to mould our minds to¡­the Aivern¡¯s desires. Our minds are made bereft of free will to turn us into sex slaves that will bind them to the Tree¡±, she gazed at somewhere afar, ¡°Nay, being a sex-slave is better fate than to be what we become, mere puppets in the hands of the Aiverns, divested of any free will¡±. Her sadness hit me like a tidal wave. I stared at her eyes that swam with tears. How can she live like this, knowing she is just a tool to be used? I couldn¡¯t speak. This living, knowing that she might be forced to become a slave to someone¡¯s perversions¡­no, worse than that, she is in constant fear that I will swallow her mind, and strip away everything that makes her. Her fear kept lapping at me like sea-waves. Her eyes widened. She took a sharp breath, her body shivered, ¡°Do not pity me, Humankin. That is what I hate most¡±. ¡°No, I was thinking how you are trying to claim that you are one of the prettiest women around¡±, I spread my palms, ¡°so vain, Sin-Faeve¡±. A loose smile played on her lips. Her body relaxed visibly as a sigh escaped her, ¡°It is useless to lie to me, Aivern. I can read your mind¡±. She got up, and walked with an odd grace, ¡°It is time we wear our clothes. I do not feel safe with you looking at me like a hungry Kivala¡±. While she threw me my pants, she grinned, ¡°You may lie all you want, but I can sense your excitement when you stare at me¡±. I smiled back at her. That¡¯s right, laughing at out fates is the only way we can live. While we put on our clothes, I kept glancing at Faeve¡¯s skin, glistening in the firelight. She turned away, sensing my gaze through the connection. ¡°Faeve?¡± I called out. ¡°Hmm?¡± she jerked as if electrocuted. What is she flustered about? ¡°When you meant it¡¯s my fault that you are talking differently¡­¡± She didn¡¯t turn back at me, but her shoulders stiffened, ¡°Yes. That is what I meant by slowly moulding to the mind of the Aivern. My speech is already changing to sound like yours¡±. She continued buckling her dagger belts, ¡°we need to get to the Mountain of Trees quickly before you swallow the rest of my mind¡±. ¡°How long till I lose my magic?¡± I asked her. She froze. After some time, she replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know. But it can¡¯t be very far away¡±. What was that just now? It felt like¡­she was hiding something¡­ ¡°Faeve¡±, I stared into her eyes, ¡°what are you hiding from me?¡± She averted her eyes, not speaking, ¡°nothing I would tell an Aivern¡±. ¡°Faeve¡±, I raised my voice. What is this girl hiding? ¡°Do not pry¡±, she spat out in an ice-cold voice. Irrational hate rose inside me. How dare she! She is mine how can she¡ª Faeve¡¯s eyes widened. Her mouth opened up in a snarl. She closed the distance between us in a flash, her dagger drawn. I roared, the cave rang with my voice. Faeve flinched. I swept her feet with a savage kick, making her stumble. I fell on top of her, my hands pinned her shoulders. Her dagger raised a shrill note as it scratched ineffectively on the cave floor. I looked in her rage filled eyes. So beautiful¡­ Her porcelain skin was flushed from the fire. Heat rolled off her lithe body in waves. My mouth went up in a snarl. My Urvan-ere. Her mind sent waves of terror and anguish to mine. Waves of hatred hit my senses like a tangible wave. Your rage, so¡­delectable. I brought my mouth down near hers. Her breath was hot upon mine. I glanced at her slender nape, my eyes travelled¡ª a reddish bite mark marred her alabaster shoulder. It was where I had bit her last night, isn¡¯t it? A deep sigh escaped my lips. I stared at her again. Her eyes swam with pain. Her skin was turning bluish where I held her. She struggled frantically. ¡°Faeve¡±, I called her name softly. She took a sharp breath but didn¡¯t relent her struggles. ¡°Faeve¡±, I called her again as if her name was some mantra to calm down a beast. She looked up at me with a glazed expression. She licked her lips like a cat, bumping her hips against mine. Her crotch pressed up against me as if to urge me to penetrate her. Shit! When did I get hard?! ¡°Faeve¡±, I called her name again. She jerked violently under me. Her eyes regained their sharp, cold look and met mine with surprise. She felt my erection against her and her mouth twisted. ¡°Calm down¡±, I spoke while looking into her eyes, ¡°and tell me what is going on between us¡±. ¡°Get off me first¡±, she spoke in a cold tone, ¡°you krumper in heat¡±. Faeve rubbed her arms where I had held her, ¡°Somaru curse, you are always doing this, Eridan. Do you intend to break me?¡± She sounds¡­weird, doesn¡¯t she? She talked in a low voice, ¡°The real power of the connection between an Aivern and Urvan-ere is unleashed when they¡­copulate. The power flows from the Tree to the Aivern during the act, and even the Urvan-ere gains some power¡±. Bloody fucking hell. Now I know what this Tree¡¯s deal is! It is distributing magic via Ancient Circuits! That¡¯s why it tries to get the Urvan-eres fuck their Aiverns! To invoke the Life Magic and hence, the Magic Exchange! She kept rambling on as if to dispel what had transpired between us moments ago, ¡°So, the Tree influences its daughters. It makes us want to seduce our Aiverns¡±. She kept rubbing at where I had touched her, ¡° Every time I heal you, the connections broadens and after that¡­it makes me want to¡­lie with you¡±. I gave a deep sigh, ¡°So just now¡­¡± ¡°Yes, The Tree is using the connection to make you feel the same way. When you held me down¡­¡± she trailed off, ¡°it made me want to obey your every wish, give myself up to you. It felt like it would be good to even be taken by you¡±. She looked down, her voice quavered. Little trembles wracked her body. Waves of nausea mixed with arousal hit me from her words¡­No, her mind. The connection is dangerous. But I can¡¯t ask her to stop healing. That¡¯s the only way I can¡­ Faeve took a sharp breath. Her eyes sharpened. She looked at me like she was staring at something filthy as she read my mind through the connection, ¡°Every Aivern! You just think of me as a tool, you maggot spawn! You are just like that krumper, You¡­you¡±. She was trembling, her knuckles had gone white. Her breath fell ragged, ¡°You are just a lowly¡­¡± ¡°Faeve¡±, I thundered. She flinched and shrunk back a bit. I looked into her eyes and drew up close to her. She pressed her dagger on my heart. I gripped the blade of the dagger and pressed. Skin split and blood trickled down my fist. ¡°You talk as if I wanted this contract. In case you didn¡¯t notice, I do not like controlling another person¡±, my own voice gain a strange timbre, ¡°do you think you¡¯re the only person getting hurt by this? You can read my mind. Do you realise what I am going through? It¡¯s not just you! Do you know what the Gift of Knowledge does? In exchange of knowledge, it chips at my emotions. I know how to perfectly use my sword to strike but I can¡¯t feel the pain¡­of killing a person. Do you know how hard it is for me to hold on to myself?¡± She stared at me, her eyes wide. Her hand holding the dagger shivered continuously. I didn¡¯t relent, ¡°Every time I kill, I lose a little part of myself. I know how it feels to be controlled by someone else¡±. My face was now just inches from hers. Her red lips trembled as my breath fell hot on her cheeks. I still held the dagger¡¯s blade in my hand, ¡°We knew from the start that we were going to use each other. I need more power¡­to strike back at those who made my life a living hell. For that, I am willing to a lot of things. So¡­¡±. I breathed her in as I took a sharp breath, ¡°Let me use you, Faeve. Til we reach the Tree, become my Urvan-ere and I, in turn, will become your Aivern. After that, we both are free¡±. She let her hands drop from the dagger, sighing. her hands hung beside her. She mumbled, ¡°Even now, the connection is making me feel aroused. It makes me want to throw myself at your feet. But¡­I won¡¯t relent¡±. A small grin crept onto my face, ¡°Every time you feel that, just remember you hate me¡±. She rested against my hand that still held her neck. Looking up towards the dark ceiling, she whispered, ¡°And you? Don¡¯t you hate me for this contract?¡± I let my hand unclench from the dagger. It fell to the ground with a sharp chink, ¡°Thank you, Faeve¡±. ¡°Why?¡± she turned her face to look at me, ¡°I trapped you¡±. ¡°For being Arin in that boat. Even if it was for a little while. Thank you¡±. She went still. Her breath caught in her throat, ¡°You were the one who made me do it. That immense pain, that loneliness¡­how do you stand it, Eridan?¡±. ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice. I can mourn her, but I can¡¯t stop living. I seek revenge, not for her, but for myself. If I let that go¡­what will become of me?¡± She stared at me, her body trembling. She leant forward and hugged me, her head resting on my chest, ¡°I was so afraid¡­those few moments, it was as if I was Arin¡­you wished it so strongly for me to be her¡­it felt like the love you felt was for me¡±. Her small body trembled like a leaf. My clothes became soaked with her tears as she sobbed, ¡°So much pain, so much love¡­I can¡¯t stand it. Even now, you feel so strongly for her, I can¡¯t take it. The connection makes me feel I am the one you love but¡­it is her¡±. ¡°Remember, Faeve. I cut your hair, I bound you to me. I can enslave you at any moment. I almost raped you.Hold on to that hate. Remember that we don¡¯t love each other. We never will¡±. She went still for a while like a marionette cut of it strings, ¡°Why do you want me to hate you so strongly, Eridan?¡± I was silent for a while before I replied with a sigh, ¡°Because, your love is misguided, Faeve. It¡¯s just the Tree¡±. ¡°Yes¡­it is just the Tree¡±. she mumbled. ¡°Sometimes, hate is the only redemption. How can you love me when I hate myself?¡± my voice drifted in the small cave, ¡°Besides, I am not good at taking care of people¡±. She pulled my bleeding hand inside her small palms, ¡°Let me heal this, humankin¡±. As small green light enveloped my hand and hers, I felt a strange warmth emanating from our hands. I grinned a bit, ¡°besides, you know I like doing Elf-twins with a rough tree branch¡±. Her eyebrows arched as she stared at me, ¡°Your jokes¡­are beginning to make sense¡±. The fire crackled happily at one corner of the cave as the sea howled its song.
(Extra)Whispers of the Two ¡°You are useless¡±, Faeve snickered. ¡°Yes, you say that a lot¡±. Rigel sighed as he oiled his sword, ¡°what is it this time?¡± ¡°So many people read your story, but so few people follow or rate, let alone leave a review¡±, Faeve flicked her flaxen hair. ¡°It¡¯s not very complicated. They would just have to go to this page and scroll down a little and click on the stars. Following is even simpler, they have to hit the ¡°add to list¡± button on this page¡± and click ''Follow''(Don''t click follow if its already followed, it will unfollow the thing), Faeve shook her fingers at me, ¡°It¡¯s obvious. You are responsible for this¡±. ¡°What? How am I responsible for this!¡± Rigel thundered, ¡°You! You should provide some fanservice, blush or shake your booty or something¡±. ¡°We are not that kind of a story¡±, Faeve chewed her lips, ¡°that might be the reason for low comments and reviews¡±. Rigel and Faeve both sighed, their heads hung low. ¡°Should we...go mainstream?¡±, Rigel asked. Faeve shuddered, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡±. Her eyes brightened up, ¡°maybe I should be the MC from now on¡±. Rigel blinked. ¡°Fuck no! I''ll ask them to vote for my story on TWF too! I mean, no registration required, so that should make them vote, right? right guys?"
So what do you guys think of this chapter? The Tree seems to be very manipulative and plays plain dirty. Treating their daughters like a honey trap...what do you think the Elves will be like? tell me below! Check out this awesome review by Andy2C. Thanks a lot andy! Leave an upvote if you agree.xd Dractal left me a sweet one as well, , that awesome guy! Leave an upvote if you like it! Edited by Luciferia-tan . You should go check out her fiction too, it''s pretty dope! Chapter 20: Surviving the Other Important: Please read the Author''s Note at the end of the chapter. Really important post, and really needs your input. Also, please don''t use the new reader for commenting as comments made to it will be lost when it replaces the current reader. Just use the old reader to comment. (If you want to access the old reader, just go to the Index page of this fiction and click on the chapter title again, k? ) Edited by the wondorous, amazing and talented Luuuuci-chaaaan! She has an awesome fiction too, pretty dark and complex like HTSAS.
Chapter 20: Surviving the Other ¡°Ultar¡¯el solpariel kalfheg¡¯hn | Trapati touirj y¡¯tter agashein` Krom¡¯tul alapirn faeve salashin| They know not of death, nor pain. Life is but a dreary existence, Hence they seek oblivion, the gods.¡± Dawn was breaking over the world. Pristine white sand glowed a deep orange as the ball of fire rose from the red seas. The roaring wind carried the salt breath of the deeps. We were on the point of no return. After this, we will never be the same people again. ¡°Faeve?¡± I gazed upon her rosy cheeks. ¡°Mmhm?¡± she answered while engrossed at how my hands moved. ¡°I am going in, alright? It¡¯s a bit tight¡­so I¡¯ll start with two fingers¡±, I said while I looked deep into her green eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t go too vigorously. Slowly use your fingers¡± she said, half mumbling, ¡°the hole is really tight¡­¡± I grunted once and put my fingers inside. I massaged the hole slowly, as Faeve watched. Her eyes went wide with surprise as her teeth clenched. I knew my feelings transmitted to her. Her eyes swam with water as the pain finally hit her in full. ¡°Fucking piece of shit! Cuntsucking tossher!¡± ¡°Somaru curse! Rot worm shit!¡± Faeve and I cursed at the same time as I drew my hands out of the hole. The Porlek was hanging onto my fingers with its pincer. The things chattered at having been disturbed in its hiding hole. What? What hole were you thinking I was putting my hands in? The crab-like animal held onto my fingers as I swung my arm like a windmill. Fuck! It hurts so much! Even Faeve was rolling around at the sudden pain. I smashed it down on the sand. The thing just bounced off the sand and tried to stab me with its stinger. I jumped back and spat fire. The porlek retreated into its shell like armoured body while digging down with its claws. In a moment, it buried under the sand. There goes our lunch. ¡°Faeve!¡± I called her loudly. ¡°What?¡± she scrunched up her eyebrows at me. ¡°I thought you were an Elf. Can¡¯t you¡­you know, sing or something to make animals come and offer their life to you?¡± ¡°No, I can not. Besides, these are not animals of the forest¡±. ¡°You are useless¡±. ¡°So are you, Humankin¡±. By now, dawn had fully broken. The white sand stretched across the distance on both sides. Deep blue sea lapped at the beach, carrying the song of the wind. And here we were, hungry and miserable. The red carpet moved on the white beach. It was as if a river of blood flowed endlessly through the sands. Porleks. Thousands and thousands of porleks, skittering away in the sand as far as eyes could see. And we couldn¡¯t fucking catch one of them! ¡°By the way, do you know where we are?¡± I stood up. ¡°Nay. I didn¡¯t go out scouting since I couldn¡¯t leave you alone and unconscious. However¡­¡±, she trailed off, ¡°what are you doing?¡± ¡°Stretching exercises¡±, I replied while I twisted my hips, ¡°you were saying?¡± She kept staring at me with narrowed eyes, ¡°There is only that cliff behind us, extending as far as eyes can see. So, we have our heading made for us¡±. I stared at the white cliff she spoke of. The cave we took shelter in appeared like a crack on that flat cliff. More like something had gouged it out. ¡°An ancient Kaloptris nest probably¡±, Faeve spoke out, ¡°I could trace faint claw marks eroded by age¡±. I don¡¯t want to meet a beast that could gouge out holes in a basalt cliff. The cliff loomed in front of us like a barrier. Twenty, no thirty feet high probably? The huge cliffs seemed to dwarf the skies itself. The wind cried out in strange voices as it passed through the small holes and tunnels in the structure, born of time and erosion. ¡°Well¡­atleast we have clean water¡±, Faeve said while she squeezed a blue lizard type¡­thing. ¡°I am not sure that is ¡®clean¡¯. That is a lizard! and it has gills!¡± I rubbed at my forehead. Faeve arched her eyebrows, ¡°So you have a better choice, humankin? The Gilahari lizard is our only choice right now. Its humps store the water that its red branch like gills absorb from the sea and air¡±. ¡°Bear Grylls would be proud of you¡±, I said splaying my hands, ¡°but I am just disgusted¡±. ¡°What is that?¡± she said while she kept squeezing the blue lizard. It squeaked at its water being drained. ¡°Bear Grylls? Someone terrifying¡±, I said while staring at the red porleks that basked in the sun some distance away, ¡°now stop giving that lizard a handjob and give me a hand¡­to catch the porleks¡±. Armed with sticks we approached the porleks milling in the sand. Our shoes were still wet so we walked barefoot. The heated sand stung at out feet. Slowly, slowly I walked as quietly as I could. Faeve¡¯s footsteps were like a cat anyways, so she wasn¡¯t having a hard time of it. The pincers of the porleks moved continuously, like grass blowing in the wind. Red claws stabbed the air in a relentless dance. Just a little more¡­ The white rice-grain-like eyes whirled around at us. First a few, then some more, slowly all of the porleks turned their eyes at us. Then all of them made a dash towards their own holes in the sand. Within a moment, it was as if the beach had always been empty. Faeve sighed loudly beside me, ¡°so it is the hard way¡±. ¡°Yeah¡±, I walked over to the nearest porlek hole, ¡°the hard way it is¡±. I stabbed the stick down the hole and waited. Well, I¡¯ll just shake it to be sure. Faeve stood beside me, cocking her head. A sweet smell drifted from her. She does smell nice¡­ She stiffened when she sensed what was on my mind. Bloody hell. It¡¯s like a romantic comedy about telepathy but swapped with lots of hate. I shook the stick inside the hole even more, ¡°Faeve, it¡¯s just that¡­it¡¯s getting tough controlling myself. The connection is getting stronger¡±. ¡°I know¡±, she replied quietly, ¡°the Tree of Life wants you to¡­take me and bound yourself to it¡±. Dammit! Why isn¡¯t the porlek biting the stick! ¡°Do you hate me for¡­all this?¡± I asked. Why am I asking her this? I¡­I what am I doing? She picked up some sand in her palms, ¡°Yes. Even if unwitting, you were the one who initiated the contract. You are the one responsible for this whole trouble¡±. The sand sifted through her fingers. ¡°But, I also know you are as much trapped as me, Eridan. You too are being played by forces out of your control¡±, she let the rest of the sand fly away in the strong wind, ¡°as such, I pity you as much as hate you¡±. I stared up at her, her green eyes bore into mine. Her lips quivered, ¡°This is my own thought, Eridan. Not influenced by the connection¡±. Her voice caught, ¡°or at least that is what I think. I do not know, Eridan. I do not know anymore¡±. The stick seemed to have gained weight. I pulled it out fast. A large porlek had grabbed on to it, as it attacked the stick with its stinger. I slammed the stick down on the sand. Faeve moved like lightning and stabbed the porlek with her dagger. Its shell made a sharp snap and broke through. Blue blood drenched the sand underneath. I stared at the twitching porlek, stabbed clean through with the dagger, ¡°Faeve?¡± She turned her head towards me. ¡°Just hate me. For the things I have done and for the things I will do¡±, I said quietly. I sound so angsty, don¡¯t I? Faeve stooped down to deal the suffering porlek a final blow, ¡°Like you told me before, Eridan. You had no choice but to kill those after your life. You can¡¯t afford to be merciful when your opponent is a god¡±. ¡°Sometimes I doubt whether I have made the right choices¡±, I looked on as Faeve beheaded the porlek, ¡°but I wasn¡¯t talking about the CurseBlade . I am talking about you¡±. She stiffened. Her lips opened and closed in a voiceless utter. Finally, she picked up the dead porlek, ¡°I do not deserve that pity, Eridan, I really don¡¯t¡±. Why is she saying that? ¡°Hurry, we need to get some more Porleks¡±, she urged me. Well, let''s eat first. My stomach growled loudly while I stared at the porleks grilling slowly over the fire. Is it just me or is this taking too damn long! The fire crackled merrily as the aroma of burnt meat wafted off the sticks. It¡¯s done! I snatched at the sticks, the fire almost singed my skin, I tore into the meat ravenously. Bits of shell that still remained crunched under my teeth. Fuck! A small splinter of the shell lodged itself on the roof of my mouth. Faeve shivered, the sudden pain through the connection surprised her. I picked out the splinter with my other hand. My stomach growled again. Spitting out the shattered pieces of the shell, I bit down at the soft white flesh. A tangy, sweet flavour exploded inside my mouth. Faeve was sitting a bit away from me, holding her share in her hands. She gazed at the seas. The cave was littered with our belongings. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± I called at her, ¡°it will get cold¡±. She woke up from her daze and bit down on the stick. Her eyes went wide as she wailed in sudden pain. She spat out the meat as her whole face turned crimson. She grabbed the Gilahari lizard and squeezed. Water trickled out into her mouth. ¡°What are you doing?¡± as her pain hit me like a sharp sting and vanished. ¡°Elves¡±, she drank some more water, ¡°can not eat hot food¡±. ¡°Then why did you eat it?¡± ¡°It just felt like¡­I should¡±, her face went rigid, ¡°no...it felt like that¡¯s what I should do since you told me to¡±. Wait what? I whirled around at her, ¡°Tell me clearly what you felt¡±. Oh no no no, it can¡¯t be what I am thinking. She stiffened when as my anxiety flowed into her. Her hands pressed down hard on the Gilahari lizard, ¡°It feels like I should do things that please you. Sometimes, it feels like I should seek your affection¡±. The lizard squeaked loudly. Faeve loosened her grip, putting the creature back in a piece of hide improvised into a bag. Oh, my god. So it really is like that. ¡°Does it make you inexplicably happy if I praise you or you do good things for me?¡± I asked her to confirm my sneaking suspicions. Her hands shivered, ¡°Yes¡±. My hands clenched tight, ¡°When I touch you, does it feel like you should give yourself up to me?¡± Her jaws clenched, ¡°You little¡ª¡± ¡°Just answer me!¡± Her eyes hardened, ¡°Yes. Even now, when you commanded me to answer, it felt like that¡±. I took a sharp breath. It really is just as I thought. I didn¡¯t care for Faeve. But even so, the absolute monstrosity of the situation terrified me. Her eyes widened as my fear touched her, and enveloped both of us. I looked at her. Her eyes met mine and rippled like a green lake. She shivered as my gaze took all of her in, her bisque skin, her flaxen hair, her lithe body. Her mask of a cold assassin fell away before me, revealing to me what I had refused to believe earlier. She was just a young girl, terrified of what¡¯s happening to her. Her hands shook as the connection carried my thoughts to her. I took a deep breath before talking, ¡°Do you know why we feel emotions?¡± ¡°No¡±, she shook her head, ¡°I did not study academics, humankin¡±. ¡°There are¡­chemicals inside our brain. When those things are secreted, we feel emotions. Certain chemicals would make people feel a certain way¡±, I spoke slowly as I took the horror of the situation in. She didn¡¯t speak but looked on as I spoke slowly. The air outside raised a strange song passing through the cliff¡¯s tunnels. ¡°I don¡¯t know about Elf bodies, but I can guess what is going on. Dopamine is the name of a chemical released by human brains that make us feel happy. Some people like to do a certain thing because their brain releases Dopamine while doing such things¡± I spoke on. Her body shrunk back as she realised what I was getting at. Her mouth opened in a voiceless scream. God, she looks just like a normal girl now¡­why does she have to go through this¡­ ¡°The contract is probably releasing something like Dopamine in your body whenever you¡­do things that I tell you to. Slowly, that will make you feel like you should do what I tell you. That will grow into an irresistible urge, and make you seek to fulfil my desires, always¡±. Her mouth released the scream she had been holding in. The stick of meat dropped from her hands on the dusty floor as she hugged herself. Silent sobs wracked her whole body as tears fell from those deep green eyes. The contract is training her to like me. Her mind¡­is being forced to accept my ideals, my desires. No¡­more like her mind is being rearranged itself to accommodate me. My hands hurt from clenching. Just how far will the gods use us? I let her sob in silence. I stared at the girl mourning her own death. It was indeed a sort of death, losing your personality bit by bit as you are ¡®taught¡¯ to feel new things. What is our ¡®self¡¯? Is it our emotions, memories and ideas? If so, isn¡¯t what the contract doing is like killing this girl bit by bit while she watches her own self die? Her pain and unease flowed into me, making my own mind turbulent. I took her in and let her emotions rage inside me. She went quiet after a while. Looking up, she wiped her eyes with her sleeves, ¡°I¡­I knew something like this was happening, yet¡­¡± Her eyes were downcast , staring at the crackling fire. I took the half-eaten stick from my hands and passed it on to her. Her eyes went wide. ¡°Why¡­why you¡­¡±, she muttered while she took the stick, her fingers touching mine. I snatched the stick back, while I gestured her to wait. She frowned at me. She watched in silence as I blew on the stick. I looked into her green eyes, ¡°Elves can¡¯t handle hot food, right?¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Faeve nodded, as a tears ran down her cheeks. Her emotions flowed into mine. This time, however, it wasn¡¯t all pain. We stared at the white cliffs that rose up like a wall. There were occasional breaks in the Cliff faces that went all the way to the top. The thirty feet high cliffs stood majestically on the beach of fine white sand, like guarding to what lies beyond. ¡°It¡¯s a hike then, along the broken paths¡± I declared half-heartedly while I scratched my scraggly beard. Haven¡¯t seen a razor in days, dammit. ¡°Yes¡±, Faeve answered, ¡°we must start soon if we are to use the light of day¡±. We packed our things up as we left. Our clothes gave off the pungent smell of wet hide and sea. Luckily, all our weapons were still with us, except for Faeve¡¯s crossbow. She had lost it when the Spire-Master had knocked her out. I went to the corner where Thirst was kept, intending to put it inside my¡ªthe fuck? A pool of water had spread in the corner, making muddy water run in rivulets. I looked at the source of the water¡ªno, no no! I snatched at the leather bag I had got from Ichvarrion¡¯s. It was leaking water. I opened the pouch with shaking hands and¡­saw what I feared. I closed up the pouch promptly, pulling the drawstring tight. I can¡¯t deal with this right now. Who knows how much got inside the bag? Faeve called me from the cave entrance, her voice boomed low in the cave. I walked out, Thirst clinking softly against my armour. Her green eyes tracked my movements as I walked out slowly. ¡°Which way?¡± I asked She pointed towards the left, ¡°There is a break in the cliff that way, I scouted it out when you were sleeping earlier¡±. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to leave me alone?¡± I asked as I twirled Thirst in my hands, ¡°not that I am complaining, a man needs time away from his wife¡±. I forced myself to make a joke, to lighten up the situation. The weight of the blade was a comfortable weight in my hands as I kept walking, without waiting for her to answer. After a pause, her footsteps followed mine. She sighed, ¡°I needed some time alone with my thoughts¡­I do not know for how long I have that¡±. What? No snappy reply? I mirrored her sigh. Not just you, Faeve,till how long before the souls claim my mind too? We walked through the white sands, the sea to our rights. The wind roared into our ears, carrying with it the song of the deep. Porleks scampered away at our footsteps. What¡¯s that? Something glittered in the white sand. I picked up a purple coloured¡­.sea shell? The thing felt smooth in my hands, triangular in shape. It flat surface had wave patterns on it as if carved by the sea itself. The thing was oddly heavy as I played with it, tossing it up, snatching it out of air the next. Suddenly, I stumbled forward as something slammed into me from behind. I scampered to keep my balance but the fine sand offered no footholds. The purple seas shell dropped out of my hands as I kneeled on the beach to avoid slamming headfirst into the sand. My leg gave a scream of protest as my whole weight fell on it. Fuck! It still hasn¡¯t healed fully! Sharp pain lanced up my legs, as I winced in pain. ¡°Sorry¡±, Faeve¡¯s voice drifted down. ¡°Sorry¡±, she repeated herself as her eyes fell on me clutching my legs. A sharp pang echoed with me, like a sudden jolt. Faeve stared at my legs, lost in thought. I haven¡¯t been able to sense her thoughts for a while. She stretched her hands towards me. I grabbed her with one hand and got up, the effort making her stumble towards me a bit. She immediately let go of my hands as I stood. Her eyes didn¡¯t meet mine, drifting away towards the beach behind me. I turned around once again and walked on the sand, picking up the purple shell. ¡°A ress for your thoughts, Sin?¡± I smiled towards her, suppressing the steady throb of pain that crept up my legs while I walked. Shit. I miss the bustling city too much. She didn¡¯t answer me. But I knew she followed, I could hear her shoes scrape the sand beneath her feet. I sighed. This is going to be a long journey, isn¡¯t it? I ran my fingers through my hair, This is fucking frustrating! She knows whatever I think of and I know nothing. My fingers clenched hard Shit. I need to rein in my insecurities, dammit. Her feet momentarily stopped, ¡°Eridan¡­it¡¯s not something you need to know¡±. ¡°No¡±, I spat out. ¡°I need answers. Now. Not taking a step without it¡±. ¡°Alright, what do you want to know?¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°Everything. I hardly know anything about where we are going¡±. A long silence ensued. The sea kept roaring till it drowned out even the slightest sounds. Sand crunched under my feet as I walked, waiting for the girl to speak. ¡°Olyelnore Ur¡¯van is the capital city of the Sun Elves, deep within the Mountain of Trees¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, I have been wondering, why is it ¡®Mountain of Trees¡¯?¡± ¡°You interrupt me as soon as I start to speak¡±, she sighed. ¡°The forest we live in is dominated by the Tree of Life. It is so huge that it looks like a green mountain, dwarfing everything else. The Tree and its children radiate from the centre, making it seem like a mountain¡±. ¡°Even the children of the Tree do the shit the Tree does?¡± I threw the purple shell in my hand. ¡°You know, like mind-controlling people?¡± The purple shell hit the white sand and rolled a little. It began to wiggle a bit. What the? ¡°No, the children do not have the same power as the Tree. Though they are its ilk, they are like normal trees¡±. The purple shell flopped on the sand once, then small membranes extended from its either sides. Sunlight glimmered on those small wings. Trembling, the wings flapped and the shell took flight. Flapping towards the seas. What the actual fuck? Flying clams? ¡°Oh! an Eleter clam! Why didn''t you keep it! We could have eaten that!¡± Faeve chimed behind me. It¡¯s a flying clam, dammit! How are we supposed to eat it? ¡°Nevermind that¡±, I grumbled. ¡°Tell me something, why does the Tree need to bind people to it? Like it has bound me?¡± Shit. I hadn¡¯t fucking noticed this before but¡­wasn¡¯t I going with her too easily? Why hadn¡¯t I fucking asked her before? Her feet didn¡¯t hesitate this time. She, however, took a sharp breath. ¡°How much do you want to know?¡± Don¡¯t fucking tell me¡­the connection was suppressing my urge to know its intentions? Fuck! Fuck! Just how much are our minds being controlled?! I stared at the azure sea in its unaccountable vastness. The stench of salt hit me full in the face, till my lungs were full of its wind. My teeth gnashed against each other, Fucking piece of filth! Every fucking god is a bastard! Faeve¡¯s feet stopped momentarily, as my sudden rage flowed into her. ¡°Like I said¡±, I took deep breaths, further inhaling the clammy winds. Calm down¡­calm down. ¡°Everything¡±. ¡°It is going to be a long story, humankin¡±, Faeve rasped. Even little emotions are affecting her now, is it? Just how close is her mind to eroding in full? Dammit! Damn everything! ¡°So be it¡±, I answered, ¡°in this piece of shit place, time is all we have¡±. I turned my head towards her. She walked at a steady pace, her fingers fidgeting beside her. Deep forest green eyes stared back at me. Her face was paler than it usually was. Is she¡­suffering? The erosion must be worse than I imagined. Fuck. We need to reach the Elf city soon. A sudden shiver ran down my spine. How can I...read the emotions on her face? She jolted back too, as my thoughts washed over her. Her lips opened in a slight gasp. ¡°Fuck!¡± I snarled. ¡°We really don¡¯t have much time before the connection¡ª¡± I didn¡¯t have to finish my words before her eyes went hard. Her knuckles curled into little fists at her side, the skin turning white. ¡°I know!¡± she spat back, ¡°You do not have to remind me every time, you filth!¡± her voice rose over the din of the sea, ¡°I know! I know, I know! It is creeping up on me every single moment! It is eroding me slowly! Somaru curse everything! I¡­I¡ª¡± ¡°Faeve¡±, I looked into her eyes. She inhaled deeply, her breathing settled into the familiar controlled rhythm. ¡°Keep walking, I will tell you the stories¡±, she urged, her eyes downcast. I would have made a PMS joke if it was back on earth but¡­ I turned towards our destination, the white cliff beside us like a behemoth reaching for the skies. White sand crunched under my feet again as I started walking. Faeve followed behind me, not to let me see her crying. Dammit! My hands clenched again, Fucking gods! Her mind is on the brink of falling apart! I kicked at the sand. A torrent of fine grains flew up in the air, scattering downwind, towards the cliff. Do I really have to watch as she falls apart? I was not sure if the Tree made me feel this way or it was myself. A sigh escaped my lips. I don¡¯t have the right to feel pity for her¡­it was me who caused all this after all. I walked on the beach of white sand, as I waited for the girl to speak. The girl who I doomed, and in doing so, doomed myself. Rigel¡­your crimes keep piling up, don¡¯t they?
(Extra) When Cats Fight. ¡°Oi bitch¡±. Faeve was startled as a voice called out to her. This new addition to her recurrent nightmare scared her. ¡°Oi bitch¡±, the voice was now much closer to her. Her heart pounded loudly. She knew all this was a dream, just a dream, yet... ¡°Stop dreaming inside a dream, you manstealer¡±. The owner of the voice manifested a few feet away from Faeve. Her slender form conjured out of thin air, bit by bit. Just a dream. Faeve reminded herself, just a dream. ¡°This might be just a dream, but the thrashing you¡¯ll get will be very real¡±, the girl dressed in white skirt rasped. ¡°Hello, Faeve¡±. Realisation hit Faeve like a tidal wave. ¡°A-Arin!? What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Teaching you a lesson, cunt¡±. ¡°What?¡± Faeve took a step back, ¡°no, how are you even here?¡± ¡°Unimportant. However¡±, Arin¡¯s eyes took and a dangerous glint, ¡°You are stealing my man. I do not like it. I will never, ever let¡ª¡± ¡°But you are dead¡±, Faeve interrupted Arin. ¡°like burnt up and scattered, what not¡±. ¡°Being dead is just a minor inconvenience¡±, Arin spat. ¡°that doesn¡¯t give you the license to steal him¡±. ¡°I am not stealing Rigel¡±, Faeve sputtered. ¡°In fact, I hate him¡±. ¡°LIES! I know you are shaking your tits and ass at him, you,you long-eared-golden-haired...bitch¡±. ¡°You were never so foulmouthed in Rigel¡¯s memories¡±. ¡°Of course not¡±, Arin flicked her hair, ¡°Anyone would be their nicest in front of the man she loves¡±. ¡°Right¡±, Faeve sighed in exasperation. ¡°Anyway, I am not stealing him¡±. ¡°You better not be¡±, Arin huffed. ¡°I heard you guys aren¡¯t getting many ratings and advanced reviews? It¡¯s very easy. Did you ask them to go to this page and click on the stars and hit submit? The new RRL ranking system has already sunk you guys real low, you need the ratings¡±. ¡°Yeah, we do. Actually, we also need votes on TopWebFictions. Readers just have to go here and click on vote. Very easy and they don¡¯t even have to register. And they can vote for as many fictions as they like. Voting on one doesn''t remove votes on others!" ¡°You better get your game up, girl¡±, Arin threatened, ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll drop you faster than ABC dropped Castle. Then I''ll replace you¡±. Faeve threw up her hands, ¡°I repeat. You. Are. Already. Dead¡±. ¡°That won¡¯t stop me from whooping your ass, you skank¡±. ¡°That again?¡±
Author''s Note(Important) So, I guess you guys wanted a bit of lighthearted chapter? Well, somewhat? I need you guy''s opinions on something. Lately, RRL''s ratings and policies have changed. I''ll tell you guys about that in a different post, but know this: it screwed over HTSAS101''s ranking on lists. The change was necessary, but we got shafted.xd Secondly, this fiction has crossed the 100K word mark. Which means...it''s time to think about getting published, make plans for new volume etc. Which means it would need artwork, hire an editor, promote on RRL etc. besides, I want to have higher quality stuff for my readers, nice artwork, better ebooks... Which needs money. I was thinking of opening donations. Well, I can''t just ask for donations so I want to ask you guys an important question. I worked on one model. 1. What many Patreon owners do. Have early access to chapters for a monthly pledge. 2. Release special content on here upon completion of a milestone for paypal donations on RRL/Wordpress. I might decide having one system one or both. Thing is, I need you guys input on this. What are your thoughts? Would you help HTSAS? If you pitch in, the novel will get published one day. Believe me, I like writing the story and presenting it to you all. But, seems like it isn''t the only thing that will ensure its success/publication. It needs your help. Would you? Please let me know what are your thoughts on this. You can also decide to help HTSAS by buying a promotion pack for it here. It is sold by RRL and would help a lot in getting more readers! Chapter 21: Surviving Quiet Days If you like the series, please vote for it on TopWebFictions. No registration required, even anons can vote. Voting refreshes every seven days. Voting on one series doesn''t cancel votes for the other. VOTE. Edited by the wondorous, amazing and talented Luuuuci-chaaaan! She has an awesome fiction too, pretty dark and complex like HTSAS.
Chapter 21: Surviving Quiet Days. "Fight like its your last breath. Love, like she is the last woman on Sangraal. Drink like there is no tomorrow. And when time comes, enjoy the quiet, for it always brings the storm". - Rungnir''s Lament, Songs from the Battlefield, author unknown. ¡°Legends say that The First Mother, Riliadvael sang forth the creation and everything in it. She created the trees, the seas, the mountains and the skies. Before her was nothing, and after her, everything¡±, Faeve¡¯s soft voice fell upon the sands like a soft sigh. No! No! No! That¡¯s just the connection making me like her voice! Don¡¯t listen to him, Rigel! I sighed. Back to talking to yourself again, eh, Rigel? I sighed again. Faeve coughed softly. Ugh. Can¡¯t even think by myself without her knowing it. Fuck this¡ª A delicate silence spread between us as a soft chill spread through my stomach. Faeve¡¯s porcelain nape had gone crimson as her ears trembled. It¡¯s not like she wants it¡­I mean I am eroding her mind, aren¡¯t I? Her quiet pain continued to swirl through me, raising a hundred pinpricks. ¡°I am sorry¡±. I breathed out. She flinched and stared at me, shock spreading through her face. Faeve shifted her eyes as she noticed me staring back at her. What is she looking at? Don¡¯t tell me¡ª ¡°I know¡±, she mumbled, ¡°I should keep hating you¡±. She touched her hair, playing at the edges. It was growing back from where I had cut it. ¡°I should keep hating you, right?¡± She repeated. I didn¡¯t answer as I ran my fingers through my hair. You know we both have to. It¡¯s the only way to fight the Tree. The silence stretched between us. A silence of many words, a silence of even more words, unsaid. This fucking silence¡­it¡¯s going to kill us. She shuffled her feet as she came to the same realisation. Or did the connection inform her? Fuck¡­I don¡¯t know what¡¯s what anymore. ¡°Riliadvael lamented when she saw there were none except her to enjoy the world she had created. Therefore she impregnated herself with her own seed, for there were no men yet. She gave birth to herself, the Second Mother Nurielnonne¡±, Faeve paused as the wind picked up, eating at her words. ¡°She birthed the Elves, once in the light of the day, second in the light of the moon and third in the shadows of the twilight. Thus came forth the three races of Elves, of the Sun, the Moon and the Twilight¡±. ¡°Did anyone tell you that you sound strange when you talk of your hometown?¡± I asked while I put up my palm to shade my eyes from the sun. The cliff now glimmered in places. Probably crystals? Top edges of the cliff were now more jagged, broken up badly in places. Trees and bushes now jutted out from the cliff faces, as if in defiance to unforgiving nature. ¡°I am just quoting our ancient texts¡±, she bristled, ¡°I do not sound strange¡±. ¡°Alright, alright¡±, I urged her, ¡°you said three races? I can somewhat understand the Moon Elves¡­¡± Probably something like those Dark elves you see in hentais. Dammit! Don¡¯t think of hentais! That¡¯s some imagery I don¡¯t want Faeve to see! She stiffened. Her brows furrowed. Di¡­did she see it? Shit, shit ,shit! Faeve stared at me with her nose crinkling, ¡°The Moon Elves are black skinned with hair the colour of silver moon. The other race are the¡­Twilight Elves. But they are confined mostly to the legends¡­none of the Moon Elves or the Sun Elves have seen a Twilight Elf in living memory¡±. ¡°I thought all the races lived over at uh¡­your city?¡± I asked while I spotted a long eel-like fish flopping on the beach. Its black fins glinted in the sunlight as it¡¯s gills struggled hard to take in water that wasn¡¯t there. ¡°No, Olyelnore Ur¡¯van is the capital city of the Sun-Elves. The Moon Elves live halfway across the world in Aftalheir, the Moonlit Bastion. As for the Twilight Elves, as I said, no one knows where they actually live or if they still exist. Legends say that they live on a floating island where the day and night meet, the Elternhel¡±. I jogged towards the eel-like fish before it could flop itself back into the sea. Unblinking, its black beady eyes stared at me. It is probably terrified or warning me. ¡°Too bad, I don¡¯t speak fish¡±, I declared while I grabbed onto its slick body. The fish just slipped out of my fingers. I made a wild grab at it again. You little piece of¡ª Faeve¡¯s voice interrupted my thoughts, ¡°Eridan watch ou¡ª¡± ¡°Fucking piece of shit!¡± I cried out as a sharp stab of pain drove up my palms. The asshole had sharp spikes along its body! The fish had raised those barbs to defend itself. Long thin spikes rose along its length like a porcupine. The fish bared its razor sharp teeth as me. Faeve walked up behind me, ¡°That is what I was saying. Only fools try to catch a Nogereli with their bare hands¡±. Not like I know, you asshole. I carefully extracted my fingers from the spikes that had stuck to it. Dammit! These won¡¯t break off! I dropped the fish from my hands. Its spikes sunk into the wet sand, barely making a sound. It tried to flop away but the spikes anchored it to its place. The magic bag from Icchvarrion¡¯s came away from my belt with difficulty. I crouched near the struggling Nogereli and pinched it by its tail, the only place without spikes. With some difficulty, the fish came away from the sand, its writing weight threatened to break free from my awkward pinch. Faeve raised her eyebrows at me, her hands crossed over her chest, ¡°What are you¡­¡± ¡°Stop looking like a damn statue and open this bag wide¡±, I grumbled while the fish tried to slap into my hands. She took the bag into her hands, her eyes widening as she pulled the drawstring open, ¡°Gods! Why is there so much¡ª¡± I plopped the fish inside the bag. It disappeared without a trace, ¡°I simply didn¡¯t have the energy to clean the bag out. But, hey! We can have fresh fish for dinner¡±. She just shook her head at me, ¡°Something is definitely wrong with you, human¡±. A small smile had crept up the corner of her lips, ¡°very wrong¡±. My hand stung. I shook it, but the pinprick sensation quickly escalated to a steady burn. What the actual? My eyebrows started to sweat as the sensation overtook me. ¡°Oh, that was a poison Nogereli then?¡± Faeve stared at my hand, ¡°You will be paralysed for a day¡±. ¡°Do something about it then!¡± I yelped. This elf is crazy! Why won¡¯t she¡ª images of what I had done that night flashed through my mind¡ªthat¡¯s right, I almost raped her, didn¡¯t I? Why would she help me after all that I¡­ ¡°Your hand¡±, Faeve said with a strained voice, breaking my train of thought. ¡°Give it to me¡±. I extended my hands towards her. She took my palm in her hand, the contact making her shiver. Waaaaaaaaait a minute. Is she¡ªFaeve took my wounded fingers into her mouth and sucked. Shit! Shit! Shit! Her eyes closed as she sucked hard. AP left through the wounds in my fingers and snaking inside her mouth. Her neck arched as she grabbed on my hands tight. I noticed this before when she broke into my room at the whorehouse¡­why does she get excited every time she absorbs my AP? Even when I was carrying her during the fight in the water¡­ She let go with a flinch, her jaws hardening. I sighed. I can¡¯t control my thoughts, can I? Faeve¡¯s nails dug down on my arm as she dipped her mouth again on a different finger. A soft numbness spread through my fingers as she sucked away more of my blood. Her face scrunched up as she spat out blood mixed with a sickly green fluid. The sand grew a muddy red with my blood. The intolerable burn turned into a dull ache as she separated from my palm. Her cool breath played on my fingers like a soft sigh. ¡°Elves are one with the Voice of the World. When an Urvan¡¯ere takes in the Voice of her Aivern, she is absorbing the very being of her Aivern, hence the elation¡±, she whispered while wiping her lips. Her hand holding my own released, letting it drop like unwanted baggage. ¡°Why do you call AP the Voice?¡± I asked while I wiped my hands on my clothes. Is the wound¡­gone? I brought my hands closer to my eyes. It really is gone! Faeve¡¯s power of healing is getting more potent? She shook her head as my thoughts reached her. ¡°As the connection between Aivern and Urvan¡¯ere broadens, so does her powers¡±, she tightened the makeshift rope holding her ragged tunic.¡°Besides, the last time I applied healing, you were far too damaged for it to take effect quickly. Your own power of¡­rot was inhibiting the healing to a large extent¡±. So the ¡®vitality¡¯ the Elves speak of is something akin to regeneration of the body, huh? She looked up at the sun, her eyes squinted, ¡°We Elves believe that what you humans call AP is the song of Riliadvael and her children. When we take in the Voice, we attune it to our own self, releasing our own songs. For a brief moment, all the creatures are creating their own tunes, and when they die¡­¡± her eyes lowered to her own hand, ¡°they return to the first tune, the tune of Riliadvael¡¯s creation¡±. I motioned with my hands for her to start walking. She arched her eyebrows up and then turned away from me, trudging on the white sands. I followed closely behind her, wringing my hands to bring sensation to my numbed fingers, ¡°I thought the Tree of Life was central to the Elves, so why do the Moon Elves don¡¯t live in the Mountain of Trees?¡± Her lithe figure walked the sands effortless while her fingers traced the dagger on her left thigh, ¡°They were cast out millennia ago when they rose up against the Tree of Life. By the law of the Tree, they should have been killed but a lot of the Moon Elves were deemed innocent of the rebellion. I believe the humans call the incident ¡®The Betrayal¡¯. So they¡ª¡± ¡°Wait, wait. I thought ¡®The Betrayal¡¯ was an incident incited by the humans?¡± She looked at me, her eyes furrowed, ¡°You know surprisingly little for a servant of god, or for that matter a denizen of this world¡±. Oh shit! She finally is suspicious of where I come from! However, she didn¡¯t press on the matter. A deep sigh escaped Faeve¡¯s lips, ¡°Almost every mortal and a few immortal species rose up against the gods during ¡®The Betrayal¡¯. However, it was not as if every faction of each species did it. The Sun Elves stood with their gods while the Moon Elves¡­sought to bring down the tyrannical regime of the Old Gods. Just like humans, the Elves were divided among themselves in their ideals¡±. ¡°So what happened to the Dark¡ªI mean Moon Elves?¡± I wiped at my temples. It¡¯s fucking hot today. I don¡¯t even have a bloody towel. ¡°After the rebellion ended, their leaders were executed and the rest of them were cast out from the Mountain of Trees. They now live in forested mountains of Aftalheir, around the Tree of Death¡±. ¡°The Tree of Death? Is it something like an antithesis to the Tree of Life?¡± Her breathing caught for just a moment. Her voice carried a bit of mirth, ¡°Looks like you are not so stupid after all, humankin. The Elves were created in accordance with the different aspects of a day. Sun Elves are the embodiment of daylit life, the time of beginnings and the Moon Elves portray the Moonlit death, the time of endings¡±. ¡°Legends are good and all, but what does it actually mean?¡± I rasped. Fuck, some sand went into my throat. I coughed loudly. ¡°Also, what are the Twilight Elves then?¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. She ran her hands through her hair, ¡°Twilight Elves symbolise the time between life and death. The dreaded void, where no magicks reach. As such, they were hated from the dawn of time¡±. I spat out a wad of spit on the sand. Oh? My feet now found more purchase on the sand. Soil? I slammed the tip of my leather shoes on the sand a few times. A soft spongy sensation different from the porous sand travelled up my feet. Yeah, definitely soil. ¡°What it actually means is that though all the Elves swear their allegiance to the Tree of Life, the Moon Elves have another god, the Mistress of Death and Moonlight. When they were exiled from the belief of Tree of Life, they sought refuge with their patron goddess and brought her Earthbound form back into the Realm of the Living as the Tree of Death¡±. ¡°I am guessing that the Earthbound form means a tangible body like¡­a tree? And the Realm of the Living means Sangraal¡±. ¡°Your intelligence keeps shocking me¡±, her half-turned face quirked up in a smile. ¡°Ha, ha. The Elf babe knows sarcasm¡±, I flashed my teeth at her and then I added in a laugh like a donkey¡¯s bray for added effect. ¡°Has anyone told you that you laugh like a Ghuril?¡± She put her hands on her waist, ¡°never grew up, did you?¡± She sighed again and turned her head towards our destination, ¡°Right on both counts, however. Though Realm of the Living means the whole Universe where living things exist. Gods exist in a different realm than us, the Roshivaeganr, what you humans call the Immortal Plane¡±. ¡°So let me get this straight, each Elf race has their own patron gods in addition to the Tree of Life?¡± ¡°Aye. The Tree of Life is the ruler of the other two. Each Elf race but the Sun Elves have two main gods. For we, have taken the Tree of Life itself as our patron god¡±. Her form stiffened for a bit, ¡°That despicable tree¡±. ¡°Blasphemous today, are we?¡± I could feel my mouth curl up in a smile this time. ¡°Like you have any right to accuse me of blasphemy¡±, her tensed shoulders relaxed, ¡°don¡¯t stray from the conversation¡±. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say, we have all the time in our hands¡ª¡± Her eyes went wide she heard my words. ¡°¡ªtill we cross this wasteland¡±, I finished my sentence. We don¡¯t really have much time before she gets consumed, though. Faeve turned away from me again as she walked. I followed her with heavy steps. Her voice drifted back after a while, ¡°The Tree of Death is anathema to the Tree of Life. Each tries to assert its dominance over the other in a never ending battle. For each life the Death takes, Life brings forth one anew¡±. I tracked her footsteps wordlessly. Her light footprints on the sand were marred by my own lumbering ones. Like how my mind seeks to mar hers, isn¡¯t it? ¡°But, every five years, the Moon Elves make a pilgrimage to the Tree of Life to pay respects to the graves of their fallen kin. At least, that is the official reason. In truth, that time is used by the Elders of the Sun Elves to remind the Moon Elves of their defeat and subjugation. A regular subversion to keep their species in check, if you will¡±. ¡°More like under their thumb¡±, I said in an impassioned voice. Things are same every-fucking-where. People shitting on people. Cunts. She nodded lightly. Just like I thought. ¡°I wish I was born a Moon Elf¡±, Faeve¡¯s voice cracked a little, ¡°then again, they subjugate their men as much as Sun Elves subjugate their females¡±. ¡°Matriarchal society?¡± I strained my voice to speak above the roar of the sea. No wonder she hates her people. The Tree uses its daughters as a honey trap after all. ¡°Aye¡±. She splayed her hand, ¡°antithesis of the extreme Patriarchal society of the Solaraul Elfarin¡±. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I asked, my mind wandering. I think I forgot what I actually asked¡­what did I¡ª ¡°That means they value their men much above¡ª¡± ¡°I know what patriarchal means!¡± What was it that I forgot? Dammit ¡°I just used the word ¡®matriarchal¡¯¡±. ¡°Oh¡±, her voice drifted easily, as if dancing over the roar of the ocean, ¡°Solaraul Elfarin is what Sun Elves call themselves in Elvish. Moon Elves call themselves Lutveria Elffaez¡±. Just how far is the break in the cliff? I craned my neck to scan the expanse of the White Cliff. The Sun had climbed to its zenith, its oppressive heat made us sweat. Well, atleast I am sweating. I stared at Faeve¡¯s nape. Her skin was flushed. Dammit. Doesn¡¯t this chick sweat in this heat? She shivered when she realised I was staring at her. I never noticed how much her skin flushed at daytime¡­ ¡°Stop looking at me like a hungry Kivala¡±, her hands crossed over her chest, ¡°honestly it¡¯s things like this that make me think you are a beastman in heat¡ª¡± I rubbed my neck. That¡¯s it! Well not exactly since her comment has nothing to do with it¡­but! ¡°Why does the Tree need to bind people to it?¡± I said in a hurry before I forgot. ¡°War¡±, her stride faltered for a moment. ¡°And the succession of Vaegar¡±. ¡°Aren¡¯t normal Elves enough to pillage and loot? Why would they need to bind people to it?¡± I asked scratching my beard. Ugh. I am turning Robinson Crusoe is this shipwreck. I need a fucking shave. ¡°Pillage and loot?¡± she turned her body towards me, turning backwards while walking. How the fuck is she walking backwards? ¡°Yeah, I read how the Elves came invaded the Human territories, razing everything in their way. They raped, pillaged and looted till they reached the heart of the Human Empire hundreds of years back¡ª¡± Her eyes went wide as her jaws hung open, ¡°Is that how the humans write about us? Sacrilege! The Elves merely tried to reclaim the forests the humans had defiled! They invaded our lands and took our people! Enslaved them like animals!¡± Faeve¡¯s fists shook with silent anger. Her eyes hardened, ¡°You humans always paint our species¡ª¡± ¡°Faeve¡±? I interrupted her tirade, ¡°where was all this written?¡± She spat out the words, ¡°All Elf children are made to study the historical texts¡ª¡± She froze, her eyes even wider than before, ¡°oh¡±. ¡°Yeah¡±, I nodded at her. ¡°History is a bitch, manipulated from all sides¡±. I held her gaze, ¡°Why are you defending the Sun Elves so¡­vehemently? you hate them with passion¡±. A cold chill ran down my spine, It can¡¯t be¡­ She cocked her head, her hands on her chest, ¡°It is not like all the Elves are despicable¡­oh gods!¡± Shit! Just like I thought, didn¡¯t I? Her knees buckled. Faeve dropped down on the white sand. Little tremors shook the body as her hands clutched her own hair. ¡°Why, why, why!¡± she wailed into the sand, keeling over, ¡°I just want to remain who I am!¡±. The sand under her head grew muddy with her tears. The beach soaked up the water like a desert hungry for rains. Her hands took a fistful of the sand as her body curled up on the ground. Sobs wracked her tiny body her golden hair covered her expressions. That fucking Tree is manipulating her emotions to grow protective of her people! Bastard is chipping away at her mind, altering her personality. A gnawing pain assaulted my heart. It¡¯s not like I am any better, I am breaking her mind too, aren¡¯t I? A deep sigh escaped my lips as I kneeled in front of her. No, I am not any better. She looked up at me, tears streaking down her face, ¡°Just¡­just why is this happening? I know I have killed, taken from others but¡­but¡±. She wailed even louder, ¡°Eridan¡­I don¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t want to lose myself! No!¡±. I have killed too, Faeve and now I pay the price¡­every night. She stiffened when my thoughts entered her, Her green irises swam in red as tears streamed down her cheeks. Faeve held my gaze, ¡°I¡­I had to kill, I don¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t¡ª¡± I held her arms with my own. I didn¡¯t remove my eyes from hers. Kneeling, I held her at an arm''s length, ¡°Faeve. You are an assassin. You kill people¡±. Her breath caught as she heard me speak. I am sorry. I too feel like a dick saying this right now¡­ My voice gained a cruel tone, ¡°Remember. I cut your hair. I bound you to me. Remember how much you hate me¡±. Her body shook again as her eyes lost their manic look. Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, unlike her erratic breathing just before. I¡­I am sorry, I don¡¯t know what else to do¡­. ¡°Yes, hold on to that hate. Wrap your mind in that emotion and come back to me¡±. The sweltering heat sent sweat running down my eyebrows, stinging my eyes. I blinked, breaking our eye contact. She took a sharp breath as I looked away. ¡°Yes¡±, she said like a lament, ¡°yes, I hate you¡±. I stood up, using my hands to brush off the sand clinging to my pants. I stretched my hands towards her. She looked up at me, her breathing quickened. She caught my hand and pulled herself up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be alright¡±, I assured her. I hope so. She opened her fist. Most of the sand had sifted through her fingers already. The scant remains of it scattered into the wind from her open palm. ¡°I hope so too, Eridan¡±, she said in a quiet voice. She squeezed my arm. ¡°And thank you¡±. As if she realised what she was doing and snatched her hands away from me, ¡°For the hatred¡±. Hatred huh? Well, that¡¯s the only thing we have for each other. She wiped her tears with her sleeves as she turned her stern eyes at me, ¡°The Contract is acting up again¡±. I nodded. Well, that explains why she flung off her hands. I pointed at a line of greenery that ran down the sides of the White Cliff like a deep gash. ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°Aye¡±, she nodded while she brushed the sand out of her clothes, ¡°trees and shrubs growing in the small break in the cliffs¡±. Still a few miles away. ¡°Okay, Faeve, now back to my question¡±. Her mouth quirked up with a tiny smile. That¡¯s the only way I know, Faeve. Rather than keep poisonous silence, I chose to fill it with words. Words that would hide the frayed weave and the pain that stretch between us. ¡°Let¡¯s walk while I sun lasts¡±, she motioned for me to walk in front of her. I cracked my neck once and started trudging the sand. Strangely, this time, Faeve walked beside me, a few feet apart. The two of us walked side by side on that beach of white sand. Our footsteps didn¡¯t mar the other¡¯s anymore, it ran along each other. In a few hours, the footsteps would be gone, engulfed by the tide. Just like us, mortals trapped in the game of gods.
Err, I have been getting some messages asking me a question. This surprised me, but I realised the wording was kinda iffy, so it isn''t really a stretch to see how people might get confused. No, Voting for one fiction doesn''t cancel the vote for the other fictions you have voted for on same week. And yes, you need to vote again for any fiction after seven days(or every day, if you prefer) to keep the votes valid. Yes, it helps. Voting there gets me higher on the list, and higher the position, more readers I get. And for people who asked exactly how to vote: Follow this link. It''ll take you two this page OR this page Now enter the captcha(it you get that version) and hit ''vote''. Just that, and you are done! Easy, no?
So, another slow-ish chapter. The story had to take a break from the relentless action without losing much of the tension and impending doom. And the reader who said the previous chapter felt like Chapter 20 part one called it correctly lol. That 8.8K chapter was broken up into two parts for better flow and since it was too much info in one chapter. While this is not a slice-of life, the story does need some quiet days. So...what are you guy''s thoughts on slower chapters? Is it a nicer change of pace? Interlude I: Wrought of Shadows If you like the series, please vote for it on TopWebFictions. No registration required, even anons can vote. Voting refreshes every seven days. Voting on one series doesn¡¯t cancel votes for the other. VOTE. Writing this chapter was very exciting. I had a lot of freedom since I didn¡¯t have to be constrained writing in Rigel¡¯s voice and vocabulary. More than that, this chapter marks all that I have learnt till now since I started writing. Here is to hoping you all have as much fun reading this as I had writing it.
Interlude I: Wrought of Shadows ¡°Blood upon stone, life upon blade. Death is your cloak, night is your name. I offer thee my life as I pray for your grace, Bring me into your shadows, O¡¯ goddess Nightshade¡± They say it is darkest before the dawn. They might be right, the lean young man mused while he endured the jarring vibrations of the dawn bell. But then they haven¡¯t seen the crypt. His head jerked downwards as soon as the thought crossed his mind. The deep darkness stared back at him, a match for his own obsidian-black eyes. The scant light of candles inside the crypt was too sparse to make out the idol. But he knew. He knew that it was there. It always was, watching. He had seen the graven image only once and he had no desire to see it again. That single vision of Sahalar, with her body half stuck to the wall behind her, was enough for him. His eyes kept searching the darkness with an absent mind while he thought of the last time he had actually stepped inside the crypt. The low chant, the clink of weapons and the heady smell of fragrant incense had made his head swim. The whole room had blurred into a glowing ball of light, with it¡¯s pulsating veins of darkness and within it, Sahalar. Everyone said that he had fainted while screaming. The condescending eyes of his superiors had reminded him of all he needed to know. He failed in his Initiation ceremony. He would never become a Master assassin. A faint trembling took hold of his hands. Ever since he failed to assimilate the Essence of Shadows, any thought of the Patron Goddess of Assassins made him tremble. I¡­I can¡¯t let others know, he panicked like he had done on so many occasions before. An assassin who trembled at the thought of his Goddess was worthless indeed. His own brethren would slit his throat and throw his body in one of the many ditches outside Salrest. Perhaps, as a consideration, they would use the painless poisons. They were oddly affectionate that way, an inappropriate chuckle threatened to bubble up his throat. One of the High Assassins standing in solemn silence midway on the steps leading down to the crypt rotated his head towards him. The blank white mask didn¡¯t reveal any expressions as it stared at him, But the man with obsidian eyes knew what the man under the mask was probably thinking. His chuckle died in his throat. The ceremonies were always so deathly quiet. He hugged his leather cloak tighter. The wind wafting up from the crypt was strangely chilly. Summer mornings in Salrest were a sweaty affair, but all bets were off in front of the Temple of Blades. He always found it strange how the crypt seemed to be in a world of its own, far removed from the warm, bustling city of suppressors. His gaze dropped down on the platform he stood on. The black granite seemed to soak up the chill from the cold crypt air, despite the long stairway that lay between him and the crypt. A sudden flash inside the crypt caught his eye. A bottomless pit formed inside him. He fancied with panic and a strange morbid fascination that her eyes were staring back at him. Sahalar¡¯s eyes, he shuddered inwards, how could eyes made of hewn lava rock be so¡­lifelike? He never told anyone, but he was certain of what had happened on his Initiation Ceremony. The smooth stone image of Sahalar had finished the motion she was frozen in. She had finally crawled out of the crypt wall, freeing her lower body. His heart thumped wildly, in cold dread as he remembered the cold sensation of his manhood sliding inside her. The chill between her legs shocked him. No living woman she wasn¡¯t. Sahalar had taken him again and again in that shadowy crypt. She laughed in pleasure as he screamed while her magick flowed into him, taking hold of his being. The cold numbness had made him pass out in the midst of the laughter of shadows and a woman made of stone. The Elders, his friends, no one would believe him. After all, a Bloodtaken in this day and age was madness. Actually, he was quite happy to chalk it up to the illusions caused by the narcotic scents. Most of the times he could convince himself of the ridiculousness of the whole affair. But on days like these, his mind doubted itself. It really did happen, didn¡¯t it? His eyes caught the faint light gleaming off the stone idol. Her laugh echoed in his mind as his eyes finally traced the faint outline of her bust. Flinching, he averted his eyes. Patron Goddess of Assassins, Nightshade, Cloaked Wrath, Bladedancer, he rattled off the names his Goddess was graced with throughout the years. But to me, his knuckles tightened, you are one stone cold bitch. A heavy sound wrenched him back to reality. The bell tolled again. Black birds scattered from the bell tower as the heavy gong spread through the city in waves. Odd custom, that, the man thought. He braced himself for the jarring sensation that hit him every time the bell tolled. All other places toll their bells when someone dies, his gaze followed the scattering birds, but Salrest does it to proclaim a new day. He stood in attention as a group of three men flowed out of the crypt. One of the men put up his hood while turning around. His face was always shrouded in darkness. His soft strides fell silent on the black granite stairs. A bald man with salt and pepper beard followed him, a thick staff on his hands. Sunlight glinted off the silver etchings on the staff, a sharp contrast to the pure black Bloodwood it was made out of. The face of the last man had an affable grin plastered to his face. Dukar is always smiling, the man with obsidian eyes thought, like a kid in a sweetshop. The men climbed up the narrow stairs with slow, deliberate steps. All of the men present stood in attention. The pair of High Assassins bowed as he passed them. The hooded man gave a slight nod, while the bald man murmured words of prayer. The man called Dukar gave a slight chuckle and waved his arms around the neck of one of the High Assassins. It was too far off to listen in to what the High Assassin said. They rarely said something, he thought, and especially not a joke. Like he expected, the High Assassin remained stoic even after Dukar spoke to him. Was he¡­tickling the High Assassin? Sahalar¡¯s blades! Is he gone crazy? The man with obsidian eyes had his mouth open. Bladedancer preserve me, that man is a lunatic! The bald man barked something at Dukar at which he stopped tickling the High Assassin. His smile still plastered on his face, he tread the stairs to rejoin his position with the trio. They were almost upon the platform. Their steps slowed as they climbed up to where the man who fancied himself a Bloodtaken stood. The hooded man revolved to face him without missing a beat. ¡°Is he the sole survivor?¡±, a grave voice issued from the hood. With his hands clasped backwards, he inspected the man with obsidian eyes. ¡°Yes, he is the last one left¡±, the bald man replied. His deep grey robes flapped in the wind as he scanned his face. ¡°You did well to survive, lad¡±. ¡°Dukar, take him under your wing for now¡±, the hooded man proclaimed, ¡°and you, uh¡­¡± ¡°Smoke, his name is¡±, Dukar interjected helpfully while he twirled the iron ring on his fingers. The black skull ring marked him as the Chief Spider, master of spies. Smoke waited for the usual surprise that accompanied when his name was spoken. He himself didn¡¯t know what his name meant. No known language had the word ¡®smoke¡¯ in it. It wasn¡¯t a surprise considering his mother was an eccentric woman from what those who knew her had told him. For all he knew it was a made up word his mother had spoken as she died giving birth to him. ¡°Initiate Smoke, go with Chief Spider Dukar and await further instructions¡±, the hooded man made a dismissive gesture with his hands, ¡°and while you are at it, get some food in you¡±. The man with obsidian eyes kneeled down, ¡°As you command, Master Arfaes¡±. The occasional acts of kindness of his leader always surprised him. The bell tolled for the last time. Arfaes, Master of the Salresian Assassin Guild gazed up. His jet black leather garb was splattered with dried bloodstains. ¡°Priest Koffar, follow me¡±, Arfaes¡¯ voice was as cold as the granite he stood on. The bald man rammed his staff on the stone. A dull thud resonated in the air, almost a match for the ringing bells. ¡°Of course¡±, Koffar, the priest of Sahalar responded. The bells tolled in a new morning. With it, came a brewing storm. ~~~~~~ Sunlight filtered through the shuttered windows, rending the shadows apart with claws of light. The small room was one of many that belonged to the Assassin Guild in Salrest. Nestled in a crook between Harrengaz, the pleasure quarters and the markets downtown, the room had a clear view of both. The wooden floorboards creaked as a man got up suddenly as if some strange new idea had struck him. He reached the window in a brisk pace and jerked the window open in a violent motion. The windows, sooty with grime didn¡¯t open all the way through, cursing, he jerked it again. The window acquiesced, letting a sudden burst of light flood the room. Smoke flinched as the light stung his eyes. He shaded his eyes with his palms. But the man who had opened the windows was unperturbed. Smells of the bazaar, with its rotten fish and the heady scent of southern fruits permeated the room, mixing in with the sickly sweet aroma that made Smoke gag every time he visited Captain Rhetter. Captain Rhetter turned around from the window to face him, his expression hewn of stone. ¡°Two people¡±, his deep timbre vibrated inside the room. Other people¡¯s voices dissipated, but his used silence as a means of folding upon itself till it became heavy as a tombstone. Smoke gulped. He had always been scared of Capt. Rhetter. There were lots of scary men in his circles. But Rhetter was absolutely terrifying. ¡°Yes. One man. One woman¡±, Smoke forced himself to talk in small sentences, lest he got tongue tied. He might kill me, Smoke¡¯s thoughts were no comfort to himself, he will do anything to protect Master Arfaes. Rhetter paced about in the small room, his hands clasped behind his back. His breath fell in ragged gasps as his mask of inscrutable calm wavered. For a split second, all the people present in the room saw the fire lurking under his eyes. And all of them knew that they were doomed. His anger exploded all at once. ¡°Two fucking people!¡± his voice was a low thunder that made Smoke wince, and possibly, everyone behind him. ¡°Two people massacred half of the best Assassins in Salrest?¡± Smoke stood transfixed, his legs quivering. Watching Rhetter was akin to stare into the eyes of a Hooded Venom, death in its very pupils. He had repeated his story multiple times now, so he just nodded. What Smoke had seen a few nights before shook him to his very core. Witnessing the best members of his organisation die wasn¡¯t exactly something he had ever expected to come pass. ¡°Who the fuck are they?¡± Rhetter¡¯s voice boomed again. ¡°Captain¡ª¡± Koffar, the High Priest of Sahalar said in a low voice. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me to stay calm, Priest¡±, Rhetter growled, ¡°half of our men are dead and¡­I want to find the sons of Krumpar¡¯s who did it¡±. One is a daughter, though, Smoke thought. He would never forget the woman with hair of spun gold, leaving nought but blood in her wake. His hands trembled again as he remembered the other one. A demon, Smoke¡¯s jaws hardened, who the fuck has hands like those? ¡°The man went by the name Eridan in Salrest¡±, Dorne answered in a smooth voice, ¡°But, his real name is Rigel. Wanted by the Order of Talaviel on suspicion of being a demon¡±. Smoke¡¯s legs buckled underneath him. I knew it! Bladedancer¡¯s mercy! He dropped down to the floor, his daggers clattering against the wood. Rhetter paid him no mind as he continued to talk, ¡°So the lad wasn¡¯t addled when he said they fought a demon. But still. Who would have thought¡­the Windrunners and Fangsong squads lost¡±. His voice quietened down. ¡°Unforgivable!¡± his anger exploded all at once. He slammed his hands down on the table. The small tumbler went flying, it¡¯s water drenched the table, running down to soak into the wood floor. Silence reigned in the room, save for the quiet sound of water dripping in a protracted laze. Rhetter grumbled, ¡°Still. Those Talaviel cunts would identify anyone as a demon. As if they ever saw a real one this part of the world¡±. He pondered for a moment, ¡°Might be some strange Beastmeld magic¡±. ¡°Get up¡±, Rhetter hissed, finally taking note of Smoke lying prone on the floor. Smoke pushed himself to his feet. He hated the day he had taken the ¡®easy assignment¡¯, as his friend Sorhn had put it. Now Sorhn was dead, cut in half by a demon. He might be killed too, for failing in his assignment. ¡°What was an Initiate doing with the Windrunners?¡± Rhetter asked the men behind Smoke. Dorne stepped forward. Dukar had charged him to speak in his stead, for he was one of his favourite disciples and near to becoming the next High Spider. With the glib tongue of a spy, he explained what happened that night. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Smoke had good eyes and skills. Despite the limitations presented by having failed to fuse with the Essence of Shadows, he was ambitious. Smoke had made quite a few connections with the members of the squads. His easy manner and affable ways had made him dear to many. With that, he had been invited to the important job that had cropped up that night. Both the Windrunners and the Fangsongs judged the contract to be easy, it was just one man after all. Smoke was asked to be one of the eyes of the squad, keeping track of the target if it escaped. With the immense skills of the Windrunner squad, it was but a consolatory position. Smoke knew why he had been called, they just wanted me to get a share of the money. Sorhn knew of my troubles, he just wanted to¡­who knew we would face a fucking demon! Smoke¡¯s face twitched, he didn¡¯t quite believe Capt. Rhetter. Smoke had seen beastmeld magic before, it was nothing like what he saw that night. The man was in glee as he butchered the assassins. Smoke shivered as he remembered the man¡¯s laughter that tore up the night. He witnessed a dance that night. A dance of blood, deaths and madness. A dance worthy of Sahalar. Another tinkling laughter resonated in his mind. He knew this one. Gods! I am going crazy! His face tightened as Sahalar¡¯s laughter continued unrestrained inside his head. I need a good drink, Smoke mused, and a woman. ¡°Who was the woman?¡± Rhetter asked Dorne. ¡°I hear she uses the weapons of an assassin. So, why in the name of Nightshade¡±, he paused to take in a sharp breath, ¡°have I not heard of her?¡± Dorne¡¯s silvery voice contrasted against Rhetter¡¯s heavy growl, ¡°Initiate Smoke¡¯s description matches with a Sun Elf named Faeve. The Suppressor¡¯s Guild registered her a few days ago¡±. His voice faltered as Rhetter¡¯s eyebrows shot up, ¡°S¡­seems like she made quite a ruckus about who cut her hair¡±. Rhetter¡¯s eyes went wide. His voice was a strained whisper mixed with strange awe, ¡°A Sun Elf? Bladedancer¡¯s mercy! Could it be a Urvan¡¯ere?¡± His voice checked itself as if he thought better of voicing his opinion, ¡°The Armatech family sure brought in a lot of trouble this time¡±. Armatech? Smoke¡¯s mind connected the dots as he digested the misspoken information. So that¡¯s why the pay was so high. The assassins in the guild were not informed of the person behind the issued contract. Only the uppermost echelons knew who wanted someone dead. ¡°So, what¡¯s the woman¡¯s story?¡±, Rhetter inquired. ¡°We are still investigating¡±, Dorne said, ¡°Information about her is hard to¡ª¡± Smoke couldn¡¯t hear the rest. His attention was taken up by the swift motion with which Rhetter unclasped his dagger and threw it. Something rushed past Smoke¡¯s ears and made a wet sound. The dagger had buried itself to the hilt in Dorne¡¯s throat. He clutched at his throat as blood flowed out in a fountain. Dorne died thrashing on the wood floor. The dark wood soaked in the blood greedily. The dying man¡¯s eyes stared up at Smoke as if in some silent accusation. Smoke was too tired to feel pity or fear. Most of all, he was still too terrified from the encounter that night to feel any anything more. ¡°Looks like Dukar better find a new disciple¡±, Rhetter¡¯s grave voice flowed through the room, ¡°this one was useless¡±. The two guards behind Smoke barely made a whisper as they watched their compatriot die. It wasn¡¯t the place of an assassin to judge the actions of their superiors. Rhetter¡¯s eyes snapped up from Dorne¡¯s corpse. His mouth went slack as he stared straight at Smoke. His eyes searched for something. ¡°How did you survive, Initiate?¡± ¡°I played dead, Captain. I ¡­smeared myself with the blood of my dead companions and lay still¡±. Rhetter nodded his head, satisfied. ¡°Doing whatever to survive, huh. We might still make an assassin out of you¡±. The Captain fell back on his chair. The wood floor creaked in protest at the sudden weight. His head rested on his raised arms as he spoke, ¡°We all have disgraced Master Arfaes and the Guild. We must bring swift retribution¡±. He waved his hands to dismiss all the people in front of him. The people filed out silently. So, it was Dorne who would end up in a ditch today, Smoke mused as he left. ¡°Dukar would not be happy¡±, Koffar said in a gruff tone. ¡°I know that¡±, Rhetter said in a low voice, his earlier anger dissipated, ¡°but that was my goal¡±. ¡°Playing with fire is never a good choice¡±, Koffar rapped his thick staff on the wood floor. Rhetter was silent. He knew this was his best chance. The assassin squad was in disarray after losing half its members. I have to thank the ¡®demon¡¯ and his bitch for that, Rhetter thought. Who knew¡­an Urvan¡¯ere and an Aivern. No wonder, those worthless maggots died. His thoughts strayed back to the Master Assassin. His knuckles turned white. Now that the other two Squad captains are dead, all that were left was himself and Dukar. The unexpected fortune had given a sudden boost to his plans. ¡°You could have spared the boy¡±, Koffar¡¯s eyes traced the dead body lying on the floor. ¡°Too much?¡± Rhetter asked. ¡°Anyone would half a brain could have figured out your theatrics¡±, Koffar whispered, ¡°Luckily, none of them had it¡±. Rhetter scoffed. He thought that much was necessary to establish himself as a passionate leader. He knew that in a weird way it engendered trust and admiration in his subordinates. Which, in time, would help him when he became the Master Assassin of Salrest. That day isn¡¯t far, he thought. The day I take everything from you, Arfaes like you had taken from me, he had a lump in his throat as the scene from years before played in his mind like it had done a hundred, a thousand times before. That night, a little boy had turned six. His Moon Elf mother had started to teach him little magics. Though the boy had a human father, he got his talent from magic from his mother. That, and her tipped ears. The boy woke up from his sleep in between screams. He watched in numb incomprehension as dagger after dagger plunged into his parent¡¯s bodies and his little sister. The blood was warm, so very warm as it flowed like water and wetted the boy¡¯s feet. ¡°Run¡±, the hooded man had commanded, shadows pooling at his feet. ¡°We didn¡¯t come to kill you¡±. The little boy had ran, far away from his father¡¯s mansion. The property of a noble was vast, he had plenty of space to hide from the assassins, but not from the scene that kept replaying in his mind. Rhetter¡¯s nails had drawn blood from his palms. I will have my vengeance, Arfaes. Soon, very soon. ¡°Koffar, ask the Council of Shadows for permission to hunt down this demon¡±. ¡°Too reckless, Rhetter¡±, Koffar whispered. ¡°It is my only chance to convince the council. When I catch that demon, I will be awarded. The new Master Assassin of Salrest would be me¡±. Rhetter had waited long enough. With the fall of the other two captains, Arfaes was disgraced. A slight nudge, Rhetter¡¯s mind raced, and all will fall down like a house of cards. The assassins of Salrest were on the precipice of ruin, and he was determined to push them over the edge. Bastards, fucking contract killers. When I am done with you, next is the bloody Council of Shadows. I will kill those ancient bastards like stray Kivalas. ¡°You know I cannot do that¡±, Koffar¡¯s voice pulled him out of his hazy dreams, ¡°A High Priest of Sahalar is to remain impartial¡±. ¡°He is also to remain celibate¡±, Rhetter¡¯s voice was a low growl, ¡°tell me, did you enjoy the present last night?¡± Koffar sucked in a sharp breath. His voice faltered, ¡°Last night¡­it was...your doing?¡± ¡°Did you think farmgirls give themselves up to priests every so often?¡± Koffar¡¯s hands tightened on his staff. His legs threatened to give way underneath him. ¡°Azulai¡¯s Fire¡ª¡± his spat out a curse. Rhetter chuckled lightly, ¡°Remember, we have but one god now, Sahalar, the lady in shadows. Taking another god¡¯s name is blasphemy. Especially the god of light¡±. Koffar¡¯s hands were slick with sweat as his worst fears were confirmed. ¡°Oh yes¡±, Rhetter had a nasty grin on his face, ¡°funny what wine and woman does to a man. Tougher men than you have fallen to the charms of a courtesan. A pair of legs like that, and even Talaviel himself would spill out his guts sucking on her cunt¡±. The staff slipped from Koffar¡¯s hands. The clatter of wood bounced around the walls. ¡°Yes, I know who you are¡±, Ritter''s face fell back into the impassive stone mask, ¡°you told her everything, priest of Fire Temple. Everything¡±. Sweat trickled down Koffar¡¯s brows as his legs buckled under him. His robes were soaked through as he sat on the wood floor, his hands shaking. ¡°Oh come on. Don¡¯t be so hard on yourself¡±, Rhetter said in a softer voice, ¡°She used Corpellini. There was no chance you could resist. Men turn beasts under that drug. And you¡­you were easy. Abstinence is quite painful¡±. Koffar stood up, the bloodwood staff was back in his hands. The two men were silent. Occasional shouts from the bustling bazaar came in through the open window. ¡°She was a courtesan?¡± Koffar asked in a low voice, no trace of the earlier panic remained. ¡°Yes¡±, Rhetter replied, ¡°burned a hole in my pocket hiring her. Well, at least you can have her every day¡±. Koffar¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°What?¡±, Rhetter said in an amused voice, ¡°Not like I could let her go and risk her babbling. Her face¡±, he chuckled as he reminisced, ¡°was white as sheet when she realised who she had seduced this time. For now, she is being entertained in a holding facility under my care. You are free to visit her¡±. Koffar sighed. ¡°I will talk to the Council of Shadows. But from what I hear, the Demon and the girl have fled to the seas¡±. Rhetter waved his hands, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Let me worry about capturing that demon. The Bloodseekers have been sitting on their asses for far too long. About time they became useful. What was his name again? Eridan, was it?¡±. The Priest meekly nodded, his hand still shivering. Rhetter had a grin plastered on his face. He hadn¡¯t smiled for a long time. Finding out the secrets of the High Priest was a huge leverage. At most, he had hoped for some scandals. He never had in his wildest dreams imagined the Fire Temple to be involved. With this, the assassins¡¯ days were numbered. All that was left was removing Arfaes from his path. Rhetter touched the small phial hung at his chest like a pendant. He had endured for long. That vile man¡¯s touch burned his skin whenever he laid with Arfaes. He had to restrain himself to not stab the Master Assassin in his moments of weakness. He had seduced Arfaes long ago, in order to get close to him. The Master of Assassins was a careful man. It had taken a lot of painstaking effort to win Arfaes¡¯ trust. The only part of his ordeal that Rhetter didn¡¯t detest was the fact that he actually welcomed the company of men. But he shuddered every time Arfaes took him to bed. For if Arfaes ever had the slightest notion he was the half-Moon Elf he had spared all those years ago¡­Rhetter¡¯s hands touched the cold metal earrings on his mangled ears. He had sacrificed the tapered ear-tips he got from his mother so no trace of his ancestry remained. The human blood inside him had muddied the onyx-coloured skin Moon Elves usually possessed. I sacrificed so much. Now that the time was ripe, Arfaes had to die. With him, his detestable empire of murderers, Rhetter¡¯s hands clutched the phial of poison tighter, Soon, Arfaes, soon. But before that¡­ ¡°Call the bloodseekers¡±, Rhetter¡¯s voice rebounded in the room, ¡°we have a demon to kill¡±. Demon, human, beastmeld, doesn¡¯t matter. You will be my stepping stone. His nose crinkled as a sudden gust of wind blew through the window. The stink of fish from the bazaar had always irritated him. Rhetter searched the drawer in his wooden table. His hands finally found what he was looking for. Dried Husui leaves packed in a piece of paper came apart under his hands. He put his nose closer to inhale the strong aroma. Something else inside the drawer caught his attention. The fancy package of the Usui beckoned him. Stronger, and headier than the usual Husui, this strain of the leaf contained other powerful drugs. His hands hesitated over the package. The Usui was expensive and rare. Nah, I will keep it for now. His hands reluctantly grabbed the pack of the cheap Husui. When I finally kill Arfaes, he vowed in his mind while taking a last look at the fancy pack of Usui. The Husui caught fire easy. Bluish smoke curled up from the clay pipe, filling the room. Sickly sweet smell diffused to all corners, expelling the malodor of fish. The man¡¯s dominion spread inside the room once again. Here, none dared go against him, not even the pervasive smells from the Salrest bazaars.
So, how was the chapter? What do you think of the assassin guild and their inner machinations? More than that, how was the style of writing in this chapter? Let me know in comments where the next ¡®Interlude¡¯ chapter you want to be set in? Giving the fiction an advanced review helps a lot in the rankings, you know? You just have to go here and scroll down till you see the stars and the empty box. Click on the ¡®advanced review'' button and rate the category stars, write a little review, or long if you prefer and you are done! If you want to just rate the fiction, please go here and scroll down till you see the stars and the box. Click on the stars and submit! Quite simple, no? Chapter 22: Surviving Cliff-Hangers If you like the series, please vote for it on TopWebFictions. No registration required, even anons can vote. Voting refreshes every seven days. Voting on one series doesn¡¯t cancel votes for the other. VOTE. Sorry for the delay. My college started so might have to shift releases to sunday-sunday. Sorry about that.xd Chapter 22 : Surviving Cliff-Hangers ¡°The first dwarf crafted the world out of Komiergral rock, the seed of the world. Twenty six days and twenty seven nights did he toil to craft the world out of the unforgiving rock. After his ordeal was over, the first dwarf renamed himself Alinahzl, which carried the cadence of ¡®Worldsmith¡¯ in the tongue before tongues¡± ¡°And why is there a convenient uh¡±¡ªwhat the heck is this? Break? Gap? I dunno, I ain¡¯t a climber, doe. I flailed my hands to find the correct term, ¡°this, this break in the cliff¡±. Faeve scanned the deep gash in the bone-white cliff that extended all the way to the jagged top. Plants and trees grew on the gap, breaking the monotony of the otherwise bare cliffs. Well, not exactly bare, shrubs and bushes grew sporadically on the cliff wherever they found purchase. Like they say, life always finds a way. She crouched down, scooping out some of the soil at the foot of the cliff. White, chalky soil born of the massive cliff in front of us sifted through her fingers. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked her. Choppy sea-wind blew at us from behind, making our clothes flutter. ¡°Checking where we are¡±, she mumbled, inspecting the soil in her palms. ¡°You can do that?¡± She turned her head towards me, blinking. ¡°Of course. Elves are one with nature, so this is just elementary¡±. Right. I stared at the cliff again, its layer upon layer of rocks a massive behemoth in our way. The green trail of overgrown shrubs and plants extended like a deep wound on its white, crinkled surface. I pointed towards the green swath, ¡°So, did you¡ª¡± ¡°Kaloptris¡±, she said while standing up. ¡°We are probably at Aggrazhen, the site of the Third Landing¡±. ¡°The what?¡± I walked up towards the base of the gash enveloped by the greenery. Tall, green grass extended in a gentle slope upward, following the contours of the break in the cliff. Reed like pants with red pustules swayed in the wind. Fighting the unforgiving, are you? I sighed. These plants were a lot like us. I turned my head back at Faeve, arching my eyebrows. Her eyes were scanning the jagged rock face. She jolted up as if electrified by my stare. She cupped her hands over her eyebrows. So as not to get blinded by the sun. ¡°What?¡± her face crinkled, ¡°stop staring at me¡±. Irritated much? I put my hands up, ¡°I was just asking, what is a Kaloptris or a Third Landing. Why so salty?¡± Well¡­given the developments, no wonder she is in a bad mood. She blinked again, as if not comprehending. Her eyebrows drew together, ¡°How¡­hwo could you not know what a Third Landing is? Where actually did you come from?¡± Oh shit. ¡°I am very ignorant, unwise of the ways of the world¡±, I splayed my hands. This is why I could never ask people questions, in fear of asking the wrong ones. Dammit, you bloody gods! At least give me a crash course on general knowledge of this world! She shook her head, ¡°You really are¡±. She brushed past, stalking towards the cliff, ¡°Let''s talk while we climb, We need to make some headway before the sun goes down¡±. ~~~~ The terrain extended before us in a slight slant, the edges of the gash a sloping wall on both sides. It was like climbing a slightly steep ramp, overgrown with weed. I tore apart the third bloodsucking conchicle plant from me, its tiny sucker like tendril left a faint red mark on my skin from where it had wound around my arm. ¡°Oi, Faeve! Can¡¯t you do some nature magic to keep these things away?¡± I hailed her loudly. Ugh. I flung my other hand as another of the tiny, slender tendril wrapped around it. You little¡ªI snapped the tendril, it fell on the grass, still twitching. White ooze escaped it like blood. Faeve stared at the whole exchange in tactful silence. Stop looking at me like that. She turned her head again, her body twisted away to resume walking the trail. I kicked at the main body of the conchicle plant, making its tendrils tear away from the nearby plants it had snagged. Trembling green appendages hung from the trees, dripping white. Fucking plants. I rubbed my forehead as the slow dull pain crept up again. Ugh. Of late, the headaches have been growing worse. Planting my feet firmly on the slope, I climbed after Faeve. Take a deep breath, like the counsellor taught you. The deep exhale came out like a long drawn sigh. Faeve¡¯s petite frame parted the thick greenery, her dark green clothes almost melting into the leaves. Her soundless footsteps were a sharp contrast to the heavy lumber of my own. Metal clinked against my clothes as Thirst hung awkwardly beside me, jangling whenever it hit the soil. I need to make a proper harness for it. I promised myself on the ship deck, that I would. The sun now beat down on us stronger than ever. Oppressive heat rolled off the plants. I wiped my hands on my clothes. No use, my clothes are soaked through to absorb any more sweat. With every step, the slope grew more inclined and the shrubbery, denser. I looked up at Faeve again, chopping the low growing plants with her dagger. The same dagger that takes lives, eh? I slapped my neck loud enough to make her jolt. She craned her neck back at me, her eyebrows a furrow. I spread my palms before her¡ªblood smeared my fingers, along with the smudge left by the gnat¡ªone of the many that kept buzzing around us. Her mouth formed a tight line as she stared at me. ¡°What in the world are you doing?¡± her voice was a low growl, laced with irritation. ¡°Do not annoy me¡ª¡± ¡°Elf nature magic please¡±, I spat back, ¡°I am annoyed as well, because of these things¡±. She sighed while chopping at the next plant that blocked our way, ¡°your mood is affecting me. I need full concentration to climb this difficult path¡±. She hadn¡¯t stopped to reply, continuing her climb instead. ¡°Besides, if you want you can do it yourself¡±. ¡°DO what myself? I am not an Elf¡±, I burst out, ¡°stop being¡ª¡± Her dagger stopped midway while cutting down a tangle of vines. Her voice strained, ¡°Eridan¡±. ¡°What?¡± I thundered. Again, this fucking headache¡­ ¡°Eridan¡±, her voice was a low growl that reverberated between the sides of the cliff. My legs froze for a second. Right¡­this isn¡¯t her fault. Who am I getting angry at? My body ached from the climb. I have been getting hurt too often these past few days. The continuous headache wasn¡¯t improving matters either. My hands clenched on the nearby vine I was using to support myself. ¡°Sorry¡±, my voice was a low mumble. The Voices in my head¡­I can barely think straight now. She started her upward climb again. Wait¡­she heard my apology? My hands tightened on the vines she had just cut through, white liquid still oozing from them. I looked up to see her doing away with more trees, a little far from me. She doesn¡¯t need to¡­she is always there in my mind, listening. Faeve trembled again as my thoughts passed into her mind, the dagger in her hand shook for an instant. A sigh escaped me again, well¡­she isn¡¯t responsible for that. I tightened my grip to pull myself up, panting. Sorry. This time, I said it in my mind. I don¡¯t need to say that out loud, anyways. ~~~~ ¡°What¡¯s for lunch?¡± I whimpered as I pressed my face on the cool earth. The thirsty soil soaked up my sweat, muddying my clothes in return. Even Faeve was panting lightly while leaning on the tree trunk opposite me. Her porcelain-like skin was flushed, the tip of the pointy ears dyed a deep, deep red. I rolled onto my back and gasped like a beached whale, eager for the cool air to rush through my system. The trail had gotten much steeper, requiring us to use both out hands and feet to climb. The wide crevice we were climbing through had gotten narrower, and denser with plants. Now trees of deep green bark¡ªno, moss-encrusted on their barks slanted outwards from the crevice floor in search of the sun. That made for a blessedly cool floor. ¡°Did you pick anything?¡± Faeve said while catching her breath. ¡°No¡±, I groaned. Fuck¡­my leg muscles are burning. I¡¯d be long gone if my body wasn¡¯t strengthened by the core and the gift of might. I held my sides as it ached in dear agony, pain like raw fire washing over it. Faeve clutched her sides too, mirroring my pain. Ugh. I hate the shared senses at times like these. ¡°Stop¡­sending pain!¡± She growled. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for a contract, you damn Elf!¡± I spat back at her as I held my head down. If only this cool soil would stop the headache¡­ Faeve went silent. The only noise was of gnats buzzing over our heads. I slapped one sitting on my wrist. ¡°Forty-Six¡±, I mumbled. ¡°I picked some mushrooms growing on the rocks¡±, Faeve sighed. ¡°I knew I couldn¡¯t count on you¡ª¡± I didn¡¯t answer. I could sense the rising irritation in her voice. If I gave in to the feelings that crept into my mind from hers¡­we will be at each other¡¯s throats. She caught herself in the middle of her angry tirade. I sat up, facing her. Her face, taut with tension revolved to face mine. Her furrowed brow shot up as she searched my face. Her thin-lipped expression quirked¡­and transformed into a smirk. ¡°You have soil all over your face, Eridan¡±, she chuckled. ¡°Very funny¡±, I answered, a light mirth in my own voice. ¡°Now bring out the mushrooms, Mario is starving¡±. ¡°Mario?¡± she asked while her hands rummaged a little pouch made of leaves string together with vines. When did she make that? ¡°Humankin joke¡±, I grumbled while stretching my hands, ¡°food. Now¡±. She put a few bulbous red mushrooms on my hand. Bigger than my thumb, those things had a rather large head. Tiny, black spots spread through the entire cap, extending into the white stem. I twirled them into my hands. Are these¡­safe to eat? Faeve went stock still. She looked into my eyes for a second, the mushroom hanging from her slender fingers. The previous laugh vanished from her face, as her lips pursed. Her hands shot out and grabbed my wrist, upturning my palms. The mushrooms tumbled down, rolling on the soil. She picked one up in slow, deliberate movement and put in inside her mouth as she chewed. Her jaws chomped down on them with unnecessary force as she swallowed them bit by bit. What is she doing? Her eyes bore into mine. ¡°Satisfied?¡± she spat out. Oh shit. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that, Faeve¡±, I sputtered. Her shoulders slumped back as she sighed. ¡°Sorry¡±, she mumbled at me. ¡°I would have done the same thing, it is just that the connection¡­¡± She picked up the rest of the mushrooms and exchanged them with the ones in her hand. ¡°It¡­I¡­I couldn¡¯t take it when you thought I could poison you¡±. I held her gaze as she fidgeted. A pang of guilt ran through me. She¡­she is torn up, between her old self and how she is changing. ¡°Sorry¡±, I mumbled again, ¡°Old habit¡±. I reached over and grabbed her hand. She stiffened as I came close, her hands shot towards the grip of her daggers. Faeve relaxed when she saw me picking up the mushrooms she had originally given me. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that¡±, she whispered, her hands picking up the rest. ¡°I don¡¯t need to. But I am doing that anyways¡±, I smirked. Her voice was a cold chill, ¡°Remember. I am dragging you on a journey you don¡¯t want to. I am always there, invading your mind. All you need to do is hate me¡±. I trembled as her voice cut deep into me, ice spreading through my insides. That¡¯s right. She trembled as she spoke those words, her knuckles gone white. Her red lips parted voicelessly. After a while, she mumbled, ¡°It is not easy uttering those words under the influence of the Tree. The closer we get, the stronger it¡¯s control becomes¡±. I leant back to my side of the crevice-edge. Sharp rocks pushed against my back as the gnats continued in their buzzing. My outstretched leg touched the trunk Faeve was leaning against. The crevice is growing narrower as we climb. Too narrow, in fact. ¡°For a pair that hates each other, don¡¯t you think we apologise too much?¡± I asked Faeve. Her eyes went wide at the question. I slapped my neck again. ¡°Fifty-three¡±, the dead gnat was a smear on the leaf as I rubbed my palms on a nearby plant. ~~~~ The mushroom exploded in sour juices inside my mouth. Tch! The liquid stung the insides of my mouth. When had I bitten down to get so many cuts? I bit down on the fleshy stem, the rough texture leathery to my tongue. A bit different than the mushrooms back on earth, eh? New pain spread inside my mouth as the juices found more wounds. I would be lucky if I don¡¯t bite my tongue off in my sleep. I ran a mushroom smeared finger through my hair. The dreams¡­I need them to stop. Faeve¡¯s outstretched legs shuddered for a moment as my thoughts washed over her. Her hesitation for just for a moment as her lithe fingers resumed their ravenous assault upon the mushrooms. Dappled sunlight played over her form while her eyes were set on the food. She wolfed down every morsel without taking a pause to breathe. Just¡­how hungry is she? She grabbed another mushroom without stopped, ripping it apart without stopping. Of course, using so much magic to heal me take a lot of energy. It¡¯s not like Aurora can alone sustain our bodies. Faeve¡¯s jaws were clenched hard on the food while I stared at her. Her green eyes flit towards mine for a moment before flinging away again. ¡°I am trying to keep my mind off things¡±, I ranted between bites. ¡°My thoughts aren¡¯t exactly comforting¡±. She didn¡¯t say anything, not even stopping for a moment. Her disarrayed hair bobbed with her savage bites. Her hair¡­it has grown a bit, hasn¡¯t it? Her hands trembled for a moment. She took a sharp breath in. Oh shit. That¡¯s a touchy subject. I tore my gaze away as I spat out some of the mushroom. This bit is just like rubber, and bitter., ugh. ¡°I know¡±, she mumbled, ¡°I am always there in your mind¡±. She pointed towards my hand, ¡°Let that bitterness ride out, its is the most nutritious part of the mushroom. And it gets sweeter a few moments later¡±. She unslung the pouch from her belt, taking out that blue lizard. I squinted my eyes as I watched her squeeze that little animal to divest it of the water. Some of the water trickled down her chin into her shirt as the lizard deflated visibly. Beads of water glistened on her red lips¡ªStop it! I slapped my hands on my head. Stray thoughts again! At this point, I couldn¡¯t even understand whose thoughts were these, mine, the tree¡¯s or the demons¡ª ¡°I apologise for the incident before¡±. She looked towards me¡ªno, everywhere but my eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much time is left before¡­before you takeover¡±. Her hands holding the lizard dropped beside her, the lizard squealed and wriggles itself free, making a beeline towards me. My hands shot out, almost by reflex. I cringed as my hands closed around the wart-ridden surface of the animal. It¡¯s body squirmed between my palms, the rough skin rubbing against my own. ¡°Not so hard, it will die¡±, she admonished, ¡°And thanks¡±. I passed the lizard into her outstretched hands, cupping my hands so it didn¡¯t escape again. A strange warmth passed from her fingers so mine as they touched, breaking apart almost as sudden as it had emerged. She opened the leather pouch to deposit the animal back into her when she tossed her head towards me. ¡°You sure you so no need any water?¡± she trilled while tucking a golden strand of hair behind her ears. The hair that I had cut. A slight pang of guilt ran through me. ¡°No, I still can¡¯t stomach milking a lizard¡±. Her mouth quirked up in a suppressed smile, ¡°Take care not to get dehydrated. I am not about to lug you all the way through this crevice¡±. I nodded towards her. I tracked her gaze again, ¡°I know you know what¡¯s in my mind. But I need to say it. It makes things a little bit normal¡±. Her smile didn¡¯t waver, rather it contorted , ¡°Normal?¡± I snorted, ¡°I know¡±. I bit down on the mushroom. I didn¡¯t spit the bitter part this time. I let the bitter juices run down my tongue. She is right. The flavour does get sweet after the initial shock. I looked at her again to watch her resume her tear into more mushrooms. But she already knows what I am thinking, eh? As we finished our meals, I stared up at the top of the cliff. The plants¡­no, towards the top, full-fledged trees obstructed my vision. The thick green canopy made it hard to see even the position of the sun. ¡°A few hours till sundown, at most¡±, Faeve interjected, ¡°we need to move fast¡±. ¡°You know, have you really thought how do we get down the other side?¡± ¡°We have to find a way¡±, she shot back, her fingers tightened on the dagger at her waist ¡°no matter what¡±. Is she winging it? What the¡­ ¡°There is no other choice. Where we are, no matter where we go, this cliff will stand in front of us. We have the luck of the goddess to land so near to the Site of the Third Landing¡±. Goddess? quite close to the mark. The sensation of water filling my lungs as Astria pulled us up was still fresh in my mind. ¡°Oh yeah, I keep forgetting to ask¡±, I groaned as I held my throbbing head again, ¡°what is this Third Landing? Also, what goddess? The Moonlight one? But it was a Dark Elf goddess, right? Why are you invoking her name?¡± Shit. How much does she know of Astria? ¡°Uruth is the goddess of Luck and Chance. She is one of the gods that is revered by both Sun and Moon Elves¡±. She reached over me, ¡°The headache is passing onto me too. I need my wits about me if we are to cross this crevice¡±. My shoulders slumped as the muscles that had clenched without me knowing relaxed. Good. She doesn¡¯t know I am an otherworlder yet. I slapped my head as soon as I thought it. Dammit, I need more control over what I think! I hung my head as she pressed her soft palms against my temples. Soft pricks of AP rushed over my skin as static electricity crackled. ¡°Don¡¯t fry my brain. I need it¡±, I grumbled while I took deep breaths. I still haven¡¯t got used to this sensation¡­ I chuckled lightly as I noticed my strain of thought, ¡®used to¡¯ huh? When did I start to take Faeve¡¯s healing as something granted? Her hands tightened on my temple as if to counter my thought. A soft, numbness crept through my skull dulling the pain. Why hadn¡¯t she done this before? ¡°Because I can¡¯t afford to lose too much magic, especially for what lies before us¡±. ¡°Huh?¡± I broke in, ¡°You can just absorb AP¡ª¡± ¡°Oh no. Elves don¡¯t use magic the same way as humans. Why do you think we live in forests and worship a big tree?¡± She scoffed. ¡°KEEP STILL!¡± she boomed while healing me. I groaned while I clapped my hands involuntarily on my ears, ¡°Don¡¯t shout so close to my ears!¡± ¡°You know every living thing in Sangraal absorbs and uses AP, right? Same goes for plants. But, instead of casting magic, the plants use it to grow, and in the process, refine it, making it richer¡±, her voice trilled softly beside my ears. ¡°Elves and other Sithern like the Fae creatures use that enriched AP given off by the plants to cast magic, not the one used by humans¡±. ¡°So the Voice you keep talking about is that¡­that plant AP? And I probably said this before¡­you really sound all stuffy when you speak about your people¡±. ¡°Yes and No. Voice is what the AP is called in general¡±, She paused, drawing a breath, ¡°I was taught to speak proper for the Court¡±. ¡°When you meant you need to conserve AP for what is to come, you meant¡ªWait what? The Court?¡± ¡°I doubt there will be much greenery on the other side of the cliff. I am only healing you because I can recover from the plants around us¡ªand I do not like talking about¡­the Court¡±. Should I keep asking? Or not. The look in her eyes told me not to broach the issue again. I mean I am not exactly forthcoming either, right? ¡°Okay¡±, I leant forward, popping my knuckles. ¡°What the hell is this place? Tell me before I forget again¡±. I flinched as I realised something else. Something damning. This¡­this wasn¡¯t good. Not good at all. My thoughts have started to unravel. A cold chill ran down my spine. I didn¡¯t even realise that Faeve never answered my question about what this place is. And¡­and¡­. My left hand trembled as I pondered the implications. The souls in my mind...I clasped my wrist hard to stop the shaking. They¡­they are interfering with my thoughts. A deathly silence enveloped Faeve as her face drained of blood. And I thought she couldn¡¯t get any paler¡ª I slapped myself on the cheek. Not again! I took deep breaths like I had been taught to. Or was it the tree? At this point, I don¡¯t know anymore. What I do know however is¡­I have little time left. I nodded towards Faeve for her to proceed with the explanation. She rolled her shoulders while her voice strained due to the exercise, ¡°What do you know about the Heretics War?¡± I leant back again, the sharp rocks behind my back had become a bit more tolerable. ¡°You mean the war that the mortals fought aginst the gods, right?¡± She nodded before pointing a finger, ¡°Not all mortals. But most of them, yes¡±. It wasn¡¯t easy to find records of that war. Partly because most literature pertaining to that had been outlawed and burned, but mostly because it was almost fifteen thousand years ago. Actually, I always wondered how the hell did they have any records from that long ago? ¡°The Lost Generation¡±, Faeve picked up my train of thought, ¡°I mean the ones that fought that hundred year war belonged to the Old Empires. It is said that they had magicks and metalworks much, much superior to ours. Ancient powers flooded their veins, that is how they fought the gods in the first place. Their knowledge, their creations still baffle us¡±. She paused to catch her breath, ¡°The records they wrote¡­the ones that endured the gods¡¯ wrath are nigh indestructible. That is how we are able to know of those times¡±. ¡°I kind of guessed that might be the case¡±, I mumbled. Can she not pick things up from my mind like that? It¡¯s¡­vexing. ¡°You didn¡¯t say it out loud?¡± Faeve mused, genuine surprise colouring her voice. What? I stared at her, unable to suppress the dread in my mind. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ ¡°I¡­It just¡±, her eyes went wide, ¡°I thought you spoke it out loud¡±. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. My jaw clenched hard. Fuck, she is too far gone. Faeve took a sharp breath as her hands clutched at the soil. Her fair fingers were a sharp contrast to the almost black dirt. A deep sigh escaped her lips as she looked at me. The terror in her eyes was palpable, but she fought to tame it. Heh, we both are learning to tame our fears, are we? She regained her breath, ¡°The Lost Generation and their ancestors before them boasted of immeasurable strength, born of strange contraptions and magick itself. Legends say they made cities that rivalled Cielt¡¯lan, the abode of the gods themselves. Their arrogance knew no bounds as they aimed to unseat the gods, in a bid to become such themselves¡±. ¡°They wanted to become gods?¡± I hissed, ¡°why?¡± ¡°Do you think we are the first people who were made to dance in their palms?¡± Faeve answered, her eyes downcast. ¡°There were people who desired that power and those who wanted to divest the gods of it. It was like any other war¡±. Her little knuckles turned white, ¡°a bid to satisfy their greed¡±. ¡°You seem to know an awful lot considering most of the records have been lost¡±, I wheezed. This was NOT what the Rolsberg Order had told me. ¡°Aren¡¯t wars always the same? Besides, not all records were lost. Bits and pieces of that history remain in the ruins of the Ancient Empires. Legends about that dark time swirl about in the children who escaped the destruction of the First Cities¡±. ¡°Only legends, nothing concrete¡±, I spat back. I need information dammit. Not heresy and fairy tales. She arched her eyebrows at me, her lips parted in a smirk. ¡°What¡±? I asked in a dry tone. ¡°Did not you say it yourself a while ago?¡± She answered, ¡°all history are legends, woven by storytellers¡±. ¡°Very witty¡±, I remarked. ¡°What after that?¡± She nodded, the grin still plastered on her face. ¡°Theologists and Historians can bicker about their motives all they want. What the legends are all united about is how they sought to bring down the Cietvalheim, what you humans call the Immortal Plane. Their Iron canons and Thunder Drakes shook the chains holding the world together, ripping apart the fabric of both this world and the god¡¯s¡±. I have heard of those weapons before. Where are those now? ¡°Lost¡±, Faeve said in a grave voice. ¡°All that made the First Cities the powerful entities they became were lost when the gods came down in their fiery vengeance. No species were spared. All who went against the gods were razed to the ground, and their cities devoured¡±. Her voice reminded me of the young woman the Rolsberg Order had sent to recruit me. Myrthe¡­was her name, wasn¡¯t it? She had spoken a tale much like this in the mired in the shadows of Kraus¡¯ underground chamber, leaning on the jury-rigged Infuser machine. Myrthle had spoken how the Black Spires rained down from the skies turning the First Cities into wastelands, their people vaporised without so much as a resistance. Kraus¡¯ pained shout when the woman had slammed her hand into his Infuser still rings in my mind. ¡°If only the First Cities had succeeded¡­the despicable gods would have vanished by now. Look at us! We have resorted to extortion and sold ourselves as mercenaries to scrounge by. If we still had those weapons¡­¡± She had lamented. ¡°No excuse ta¡¯ break my Ahrecht Infuser fa¡¯ dat, ya cow. Get ya¡¯ breasts off my machine. Now!¡±, Kraus¡¯ thunder was a match for the fanaticism that had lit up her eyes. I honestly hadn¡¯t seen Kraus get so angry ever before. Even Myrthle, who made her living blackmailing the nobles looked visibly shaken. She had looked at me, her violet eyes bore deep into mine, ¡°The Rolsberg Order will take revenge on the¡ª¡± ¡°A descendant¡±, Faeve¡¯s steel like voice tore me into the present, ¡°that woman in your memories is a progeny of the First Cities, her violet eyes are a proof of that¡±. I really hate it when she does things like that. My jaws clenched when a slight pang went through my heart, passed on to me by Faeve. Right. She has it worse than me. ¡°That woman¡­Myrthle told me that the Betrayers, the ones who rose up against the gods wanted to free themselves of the yoke that the gods had put on the mortals. In name of guiding, they wrought total dominion over all races, their tyranny paled even the most atrocious of despots¡±. Faeve didn¡¯t say anything, quietly chewing her lips. ¡°And seeing what your Tree God is doing to us¡­I¡¯d say they were right¡±, I accused. Her answer was a pained smile, the kind of smile that made people remember every heartache they ever had. My stomach felt hollow. That smile reminded of another girl who had smiled when the flames devoured her. ¡®I love you, Rigel¡¯. Bile ran up my throat. I spat out the greenish liquid, the bitter taste a match for my memories. Faeve flinched, her hands covered her face as she quivered like a leaf. ¡°Stop it!¡±, her cries pierced the dark forest, echoing endlessly in the narrow ravine. The stone walls spat the words back at us, exchanging it among themselves till the whole mountain resounded with it. I sighed. ¡°I am not exactly having the happiest of times remembering her¡±, the scorn in my voice assaulted her like a whip. She removed her hands from her face. Her cheeks were flushed red while her green eyes rippled like water. We were both silent for a while. Quietness ruled the ravine as if the sudden violation from our throats was a lie. My hands ran through my unruly hair. Ugh, it is sticky from all the sea air. I didn¡¯t know what to say. What can I say to a girl whose mind I keep corrupting? ¡°The gods assaulted Sangraal Five times¡±. Thankfully, Faeve had chosen to break the silence herself. Her soft silvery voice fell like a sigh upon the unforgiving rocks. ¡°This crevice we are on is probably Aggrazen, where the coalition of Moon Elves and Humans brought up the Southern Wall to stop the gods of the high seas¡±. Wait, wait, wait. ¡°You mean¡±, my voice faltered, ¡°this¡ª¡± Her eyes traced my fingers pointing at the white cliffs. ¡°Yes¡±, she confirmed. ¡°That is probably the Southern Wall and this crevice¡ª¡±, her own fingers traced the sight of the deep gash against the bone-white cliffs, ¡°is where the Metal Puppets of the gods broke through¡±. A sudden burst of wind howled through the ravine, sending dry leaves skittering away. Sun-rays broke through the thick canopy overhead. The yellow beams made our weapons gleam, sending fractured sunlight everywhere inside the forest. The gust made the dappled sunlight shift, sending light and shadows skittering over Faeve¡¯s small frame. ¡®Komorebi¡¯ a small child had called this play of light and shadows through the leaves. Yuki had seemed so wise, so big when she had taught me that word. She had smiled like only little children could when I fumbled repeating it. I mean, I was just starting to learn Japanese. She was always unfair, trying to show off to her little brother. It was odd how I could still remember the feel of her hands when she had ruffled my head with her little palms, ¡°Yuki¡­t¡­teach you well¡±. Her English was as bad as my Japanese, I chuckled inadvertently. Everything seemed to wondrous when we were small. Small and innocent. ¡°Komorebi¡±, I gestured towards the shifting shadows playing hide with light, ¡°they call it that in my mother¡¯s country¡±. Faeve¡¯s voice was a strain as her voice faltered. ¡°Wh¡­who was that little girl in your memories?¡± ¡°Yuki, my little sister¡±, my voice tightened. ¡°I wonder how she is doing. I haven¡¯t seen her in years¡±. Blood drained from Faeve¡¯s face as her mouth opened and closed, much like fish out of water. What the¡­Her eyes had gone wide as she struggled to talk. Why is she¡ª¡°You okay?¡± ¡°A¡­aye. It¡¯s just that I have a little sister too¡±, she sputtered. ¡°Why are you surprised if people have sisters too?¡± I mused. That is exceedingly weird. ¡°Nothing. I am just surprised you have one¡±. I decided not to press the issue for now. That wasn¡¯t the reaction of being just surprised. She was¡­shocked out of her mind. Why? ¡°What were you telling me about Metal Puppets?¡± I offered as a way of diverting the conversation. ¡°The gods, being gods had wondrous inventions of their own. The brought down their own armies, and at their helm were the Metal Puppets. It is said that the Dwarven gods, infinite in their crafting created those beasts of metal. They possessed Iron hearts made of ancient magicks and metalworking. Their skin of metal withstood even the thunder canons of the First Cities, their claws of steel sundered the sea and skies¡ª¡± ¡°They were made of metal?¡± I sputtered. ¡°Aye. There is an account of it in the Sun Temple of Olyelnore Ur¡¯van¡ªI think. It says how their metal skin glinted in the sunlight, burning the eyes of the legions of the Lost Generation¡±. Metal? Puppet?. Don¡¯t fucking tell me¡­those were fucking Automatons. ¡°How did the humans even fight the gods ? I mean they had these monstrous machines¡± I heard myself speak as my brain went into overdrive trying to connect the pieces. ¡°Not just humans. Factions from almost every species in Sangraal banded together to fight the gods, I am sure you know that at least¡±. Faeve wiggled her eyebrows as if to challenge me. She nodded her head sideways with a sigh, ¡°Then again, considering how little you know¡­¡± ¡°Hey!¡± I shot back, ¡°I might be a country hick but I do know at least that! Elves and Dragons had their powerful magic but humans, how the hell did they fight back?¡± Her smile faltered for a moment. ¡°Humans¡±, she said while her head snapped upwards to scan the top of the cliff. ¡°Were not always this weak. They had their own War Machines that could almost rival the Metal Puppets. Almost¡±. Faeve stood up with a languid motion, her body stretched like a cat bathing in the sun. I swear this woman has extra vertebras. She brushed her clothes, small specks of dust showered down on the underbrush. Her voice continued, ¡°It is said that they had uncovered the secrets of the Aurora, making it bend to their will. The people of the First Cities, and as a whole the First Empires¡ªcould unveil the inner work¡ª¡± ¡°We already manipulate Aurora to our desires, right?¡± I broke in. ¡°I mean magic is reordering the world through commanding the Aurora, isn¡¯t it?¡±. ¡°The Human arrogance¡±, Faeve snorted. ¡°We merely request the Voice to grant our wishes and bless us with their grace¡±. She stretched her hand towards me, ¡°Trying to ¡®order¡¯ the voice is foolish, something only the humans could think of¡±. I took her hand and pulled myself up. Faeve faltered but kept her feet planted to the ground, taking a sharp breath as our bodies collided lightly in the momentum. She flinched back from the contact as if my skin singed hers. ¡°What is the function of Aurora then?¡± I asked to dissipate the mood. She tightened the straps on her shoes as her voice strained, ¡°It is possibilities. All the things that could be and not¡±. ¡°What the heck does that mean?¡± I grumbled, ¡°it barely makes any sense¡±. Faeve started walking again, her head turned away from me as her voice dropped low, ¡°I do not know. This is what I was taught. As for whether I truly understand it¡ªI do not¡±. I followed her footsteps. She had taken out her daggers again and chopped at the vines blocking our way. The climb is getting steeper. So this si why she took a rest here. I groaned as I saw the steep climb before us. At least 60 degree incline. Fuck. She tilted her head back, ¡°And you know what? I do not know if I want to know. The stories say that the Lost Generation went mad¡­because they uncovered the secrets of the Aurora¡±. The Rolsberg Order would kill you if they heard of this, I chuckled inwardly. Faeve snorted as she tugged on a strong vine extending from the cliff face. She wrapped it around her petite waist and took her feet off the ground, planting it on the incline. ¡°The misguided children of the First Cities are fools. Still stuck in their¡ª¡± she rolled her eyes, ¡°glorious rebellion that destroyed the world once, all they can do now is flail in meaningless futility. Fools¡±. I tightened Thirst on my waist as I walked towards Faeve. I really, really need to make a back-sheath for it. She still hung on the vine, trying to gauge its strength. ¡°Can we really climb using this?¡± I grumbled as I kept my hands on the rough rock that formed the sudden incline. Layers of white limestone peeked under the moss-ridden cliff-face. The rough surface was oddly cool as my hands came away wet with water. Dew? ¡°No other choice¡±, Faeve panted from all her jumping, ¡°besides, I think this is strong enough¡±. I followed her in the rappelling using the vines. Thankfully, the vines weren¡¯t wet, the sun had evaporated most of the dew by then. We climbed silently, the only sounds came from the shush of our feet and our laboured breathing. Just how long was this vine? ¡°Valperi¡±, came a strained voice, ¡°you will see lots of them in Oylelnore Ur¡¯van¡±. ¡°You should¡­start teaching me Elvish¡±, I answered, my reply coming in gasps. Fuck. My limbs burned with dear agony. Ugh. No more. I¡¯d have surrendered long back if it didn¡¯t mean falling down to my death. I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t go on. Fire lanced up every muscle in my arm. Each time I pulled myself up, they creaked and complained. How¡­How much more? I looked down, the forest down below was enshrouded in darkness. The setting sun cast long shadows, making every tree look twisted, monstrous. Something chirped in the bushes. Hisses rose from the underbrush. It would be night soon. I don¡¯t want to be stuck climbing till nightfall. My head churned. My hands shook. Oh shit, oh shit! This is not the time to develop vertigo! I gulped down warm air. I looked up to see Faeve dangling from the vines. Her lithe frame rappelled fast. Appalingly so. Should I¡­use my black arm? My jaws clenched. Every¡­every single time I use it¡­the souls would just get stronger, won¡¯t it? More than that, I didn¡¯t want to use it. My stomach turned at the thought of using something that took people¡¯s lives as its price. But. I looked up again. We were almost there. I can¡¯t give up now. I had faced worse, right? my hands gripped the vines tighter. My teeth gnashed as I planted my feet tighter. I must¡ª A yelp broke my train of thought. Waves of panic assaulted my senses. My head snapped up. Faeve! She fell, her arms flailed. Time crawled as her body hurtled towards me, only infitesimally slowly. Terror, deep terror from her heart wrenched deep into mine. It was answered by the terror that rose within me. I can¡¯t let her die. Not now. Pain exploded from my left arm. Black shadows along the length of my arm. Claws tore through the darkness that coiled around it. Waning sunlight glinted off the black scales that could rival iron. I didn¡¯t need to look at her to know Faeve was almost upon me. The connection between us made me aware of her. Painfully so. My brain almost exploded with the information relayed, from both her mind and mind. Bestial howls ripped through my throat as I let mt feet off the cliff. Just one chance. My right hand shot out as my heightened senses discerned Faeve¡¯s falling form. There! I caught Faeve with an awkward vice made of my legs and my one human arm. Aaaaaaaaargh! My throat went sore with screaming. Her momentum had ripped my hand out of its socket. Faeve wailed too, as my pain touched her mind. I choked on my own howls, coughing out spit. AAAAAARGH! Fire lanced up my arm. My tongue went bitter as bile ran up my throat. Fuck, fuck, fuck! My mind hovered in and out of frenzy. What? My mind reeled back as my eyes ran over Faeve. She was holding onto my waist tightly. Tears ran down her eyes, as she screamed too. Her fingers dug into me tighter, almost painful. Panic still made my stomach flutter. Faeve mumbled and ranted in an unknown language, her body quivering. Calm down, I sent a mental command to her. She looked up at me, her forest green eyes rippled like a pond. Faeve¡¯s little lips quaked as she held onto me tighter. Her breath still fell in pants. She rested her face on my stomach, just above¡ª¡°Climb¡±, I commanded her, my voice rasping. This isn¡¯t good! The connection is fucking us up. Even in this situation¡ª She took a sharp breath as my thoughts crossed into her. She looked up at me, her jaws clenching. Her hands clutched onto my gear as she tried to pull herself up. She slipped. Shit! I locked my legs tighter around her to arrest her movement. We dangled dangerously from a cliff. The only thing keeping us alive was my black arm, still clutching the vines. My hands had grabbed around Faeve¡¯s collar when she fell. With a humongous effort, I pulled her up. Her eyes went wide as the sudden movement surprised her. Fuck, fuck, fuck! My arm now displaced further, grinding against bone. AAAAARGH, I howled into the cliff surface before me as I flung Faeve in front of me. Her body slammed against the rock and settled as she frantically grabbed the vines. I gazed into her eyes. Her eyes lay centimetres from mine. I trapped her between the cliff face and my own body. She rearranged her fists to settle on the gaps that my own palms had left on the vine. With this¡­she is safe right? Faeve shuddered. I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t know¡ªis it the connections? Is it me?I don¡¯t care. What matters that she is safe. My muscles relaxed. I slumped like a puppet cut off its string. Faeve flinched as I simply let go, my face rolling on her shoulder. My arms still burned like liquid fire. Each of my muscles were still screaming, but my mind¡­it was blank. Like a bow-string suddenly torn, my mind reeled back from the release of tension. My mouth tasted of copper¡­Or is it Iron? What does blood taste like? Copper? Iron? Actually, when did I bit down? I felt my mind wander, but I didn¡¯t care. We were alive, and it was all that mattered. Right? Yes, all that it was. Faeve is so¡­warm. Her contours pressed up against mine in a perfect fit as if parts of a single puzzle. Ever smelled wet earth? The word¡­yes, moist. Moist is the word. Her hair smelled like a rain-drenched forest, where the soil soaked up the water in its sensuous hunger. I let my right hand wander down her back as I pressed her close to me. Hah¡­she really smells so nice. Wet earth, moss and¡­sunlight. Her warm breath played along my nape. An ancient hunger was rising in my depths. Faeve shifted under me, her breath quickening. Is she¡­is she saying something? Hah, I don¡¯t care, I need to¡ª Faeve¡¯s warm thighs wrapped around me. Oddly enough, it was reassuring. ¡°I appreciate you saving me¡±, her voice was like a bucket of cold water, ¡°but I don¡¯t appreciate being molested. Again¡±. Right. What the actual fucking hell was I doing? I knew it was dangerous so close to her, yet I¡­Dammit! This is what fucking happens every time I use the black arm! These bloody souls always trying to¡ª I sighed. At this point, I wasn¡¯t sure. No, I wasn¡¯t. Not at all. Was it the Tree? Was it the souls or¡­was it just me? I stared blankly as blood ran down my right palm. The vine was getting slick with my own¡ªactually, when did my fingers clamp down so hard? ¡°Now, you clumsy Elf, get your ass moving¡±, I grated. Ugh, lashing out at others. Funny things people do when they are powerless. Faeve chewed her lips. In a small voice she declared, ¡°I can¡¯t¡±. ¡°What?¡± I bellowed, making her wince. ¡°I twisted my ankle on the climb, that is how I fell¡±. Oh great. When it rains, it pours. ¡°Support me¡± I sighed as I planted my feet on the steep walls. Her eyebrows shot up as she scrambled to tighten her legs around me. I took a deep breath as I detached my black arm from the vine. I can¡¯t detach both my arms¡­any more than this, and we would fall. I grabbed my right shoulder and¡ªrammed the displaced joint back into place. Even if I was ready, the movement still wrenched a cry from me. It wasn¡¯t like this was the first time. I had to learn things like these the past year. But it still hurts every single time! I took a few deep breaths to calm myself as I looked up at the cliff. Ninety, no hundred metres more, maybe? ¡°Grab tight¡±, I rasped, ¡°it is going to be a bad climb¡±. Faeve said something. Honestly, I couldn¡¯t care less. I was pissed. I had to climb a cliff, displaced a shoulder, probably torn a few muscles and carry a girl on top of it. ¡°Shut it¡±, the frigidness in my own voice surprised me. ¡°For fucks sake, shut the fuck up and let me climb. Please¡±. She went still. I knew she was agitated. Her heartbeat resonated against my chest, as if an answer to my own. The most damning thing? I knew what I was really pissed at. Myself. And my powerlessness. Faeve¡¯s eyes tracked my face as we climbed. She knows all that goes inside my mind. Right now, though, I don¡¯t know if I should be vexed at it or¡­thankful. The sun had gone down when my hands touched the summit. The forest was had come to life while we climbed the last few metres. The hisses and caws in the trees were an accompaniment to our frantic breathing. I heaved like a beached whale as I just dragged Faeve on the rocky top and collapsed atop her. My face fell flat on the ground. Dust and soil scattered as I exhaled loudly. Faeve squirmed underneath me. I rolled away from her, falling to the ground with a soft thud. I waited for my heart to wind down as our breaths misted up the night air. Cool air played on our legs dangling off the edge. Sensing eyes one me, I turned my head to see Faeve staring at me. A grin split across my face. In a moment, she let go of her own hesitation as her face mirrored mine. We both grinned at each other like idiots. It didn¡¯t last long. Bitterness ran up my throat. I¡­I ned to. I dragged myself away from Faeve. My body felt like mush. Bones creaked as I couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. I heaved down the sides of the cliff. There goes my lunch. My body wracked up again and again as I puked. Dammit, I hadn¡¯t even eaten this much. Well, at least it didn¡¯t end in a cliffhanger, eh? I pushed myself away from the edge to look at the other side. The sky was an upturned bowl, decorated with glittering stars. The Ring looked brighter than I had ever remembered it seeing. And under that¡­Oh, seven bloody fucking hells. The moonlight was enough to let me see what lay on the other side of the cliff. And it wasn¡¯t good news, not good at all. Fuck.
Giving the fiction an advanced review helps a lot in the rankings, you know? You just have to go here and scroll downtill you see the stars and the empty box. Click on the ¡®advanced review'' button and rate the category stars, write a little review, or long if you prefer and you are done! If you want to just rate the fiction, please go here and scroll down till you see the stars and the box. Click on the stars and submit! Quite simple, no? Interlude II: Cast in Sunlight Sorry guys, I have been infernally busy since college started and what with Beowulf and John Donne and all that stuff. Haven¡¯t had a moment''s time to write the story. But now that the routine is settling, I¡¯ll have more leisure for HTSAS! Oh and, as a special treat and apology, some more ''parallel-storyline'' chapters people have been asking for.
By popular demand, I''ll recap the character histories here where they last appeared in the strory. Spoiler: Characters All these characters last appeared in Chapter 15-16. Gaharin= The Beastman who was imprisoned in the navy ship Rigel and Faeve had sunk. Was at odds over Rigel for his perceived cruel attitude. Tafina= A female beastman in the same ship. The one who got scared and had to deliver Rigel''s meals Forl= the little child beastman who Rigel and Faeve bad for after the naval officers killed her mother brutally. All these characters were last seen boarding a boat after the shipwreck at sea. Rigel and Faeve drfited away from them in the thick fog in another boat] Interlude II: Cast in Sunlight "Honor. Moral. Duty. Valor. The four pillars of the Ebraven Imperial Navy. Every naval soldier must follow these ideals and hold them above all the rest. Unless, of course, the Empire needs you to discard them. Then, your only action must be according to the Empire''s will. Anything for the Empire, may it reign till the end of all ages" - The First Doctrine, Imperial Navy of Ebraven. The visitor entered the room with slow, deliberate strides. His claws scratched against the grey stone floor, filling the entire room with a harsh sound. The soft shuffling of papers stopped as Morath looked up from his wood desk laden high with papers. The sight of the Maevarin filled Morath with disgust. Bloody beastmen, he cursed in his heart while staring the visitor down. The beastman shuffled his feet, the movement elicited a painful noise as his claws scraped against the floor. This is why I fucking hate beastmen. Morath clutched the document in his hands tighter as he waited for the hated noise to stop. Uncivilised brutes. Huge arched windows on three sides flooded the large room with sunlight. Shadows and the like didn¡¯t reside in Morath¡¯s room. A few stories above the ground, his room was the highest point in Ozine town, and the southernmost point of the Ebraven empire. The warm stone floors gave off the smell of sunlight and summer, mixed with the fruity scent of a full-bodied wine. Usually, Morath liked the time he spent in his room, a testament to the position he had gained through years of hardships and humiliation. Usually, but not today. Morath¡¯s nose crinkled at the heavy musk of the beastman overpowered the delicate fragrances in his room. Brutes, he cursed again in his mind. He shuffled and filed away the papers on his table made of luxurious dark wood imported from Aftalheir. He could sense his visitor grow uncomfortable as he waited for Morath to explain the nature of his summon. You might have Ambassador status, Morath was thankful for his self-control that his thoughts didn¡¯t show up on his face, but you and I both know you will be treated like the trash you are. The beastman coughed, unable to contain his discomfort. The sound was closer to a throaty growl that broke the silence of the room where order and propriety had established themselves like an invisible, heavy mantle. Morath gnashed his teeth until the growl had dissipated, and sombre order reclaimed the silence. The ensuing quiet was enough to impress upon the visitor the impropriety of his actions, forcing him into an uneasy muteness. Morath looked up with his chestnut eyes to stare at the beastman hunching awkwardly. He took a perverse pleasure in seeing his visitor quiver in fright with his whiskers trembling in the golden sunlight. ¡°Torr-Gaharin¡±, Morath rumbled, ¡°pardon my rudeness, I get too engrossed in my work for my own good¡±. Gaharin¡¯s face twitched as he came forward, the sunbeams setting his brown-black fur golden. He knew that Morath¡¯s was a deliberate fa?ade, an attempt to humiliate him. The undisguised glee in Morath¡¯s brown eyes made his fur itch. He suppressed the reflexive low growl emanating from him. Ebraven Empire¡¯s bureaucracy held no love for the Maevarins, and an ambassador giving in to petty provocations wouldn¡¯t do them any favours. Gaharin shuffled on his feet, discomfited by the warmth and the fleas that plagued him. ¡°We deeply regret the treatment received by His Excellency¡±, Morath chewed on the honorific as if pained him to bestow such a title upon his visitor. ¡°Unfortunately, our Southern Command Headquarters does not have¡­ the proper luxury to receive a beastman¡±. Serves you right, you filth. If you had just died in that ship-hold, I would have a lot fewer problems. ¡°One cannot expect proper sanitation on Ebraven Ships¡±, Gaharin growled smoothly. Morath¡¯s brows wrinkled at his choice of words. How dare he! The paper sheafs scattered as his fingers shook. Insulting our ships? This son of a ¡­ Morath caught himself before he said those words out loud. Damn this¡ªhe rearranged his reports meticulously, again and again. ¡°The Duchy Sea Guard ships are hardly part of the Imperial Navy, I am afraid¡±, Morath grated. ¡°Arranged by the duchy they are attached to, they just patrol the coast for smugglers and escaped slaves¡±, He put an unnecessary stress on the last two words. He stopped himself from gagging as the strong beastman-musk barreled towards him. Fucking piece of shit. I would have already hung you if you weren¡¯t an ambassador, you bloody krumper. ¡°I am sure the Imperial Navy is much better¡±, Gaharin retorted, his striped tail coiling behind him. He picked off a tick from his fur as he stared at Morath, ¡°pity it isn¡¯t equipped to deal with pest infestations¡±. Morath¡¯s cheeks heated up as he felt the veins in his neck throb. This bastard! He clutched the wood table hard enough to make it creak. ¡°As I already told His Excellency, Naval Command Ozin does not play host to beastmen usually¡±, his voice dripped venom as he leant back. The deck chair made of lightweight cane creaked under his weight, providing a sharp punctuation to the conversation of the two men. Gaharin stared at Morath, his furs bristling. He retracted the talons that had come out in reflex. He cracked his jaw loudly, the popping sound a counterbalance to the creaking chair. Large canines jutting out of Gaharin¡¯s jaws shone white in the sunlight. The two guards behind Morath tightened the grips on their cutlasses, their facial muscles taut. ¡°Forgive me, Torr-Gaharin¡±, Morath sneered while his hands ran through his golden hair, ¡°how rude of me¡±. Gaharin did a double take when Morath apologised. His ears moved back while his eyes went wide. ¡°Beastmen like to be called Maevarin, don¡¯t they?¡±, Morath japed while he arranged the papers on his desk once again. ¡°I erred out of habit, forgive me¡±. Did you really think I would apologise, you little cur? Morath laughed inside at the Gaharin¡¯s reaction. The inkwell...there! He gave a satisfied smile as he set his desk perfectly. Gaharin¡¯s clenched jaws and shaking form gave him immense pleasure. Beasts should just stay in forests, those bastards. The guards stepped forward in a defensive manoeuvre. Gaharin¡¯s bristling fur and savage expression had set them on edge. Morath waved his hands to restrain them. ¡°Stand back¡±, he stared at Gaharin without blinking, ¡°I am sure the ambassador meant no harm¡±. ¡°Indeed¡±, Gaharin drew back, clasping his hands behind his back. ¡°Shall we get along with the nature of the summon?¡± ¡°Of course¡±, Morath leant forward, his hand clasped on the desk. ¡°We have finished the questioning of your entourage. And¡­¡± , Morath chewed out the words slowly, savouring every word as it left his mouth, ¡°we found some interesting facts, Silas-Gaharin¡±. Gaharin visibly blanched at Morath¡¯s words. He took two steps back as his hackles rose. The glass windows shuddered as the sea-wind changed directions, the wind vane on the balcony outside the east window rotated wildly, the whirr of the metal wind-vane unreasonably loud in the quiet room. Right on the money, I was. Morath knew he had a smug look on his face. All it needed was a few days. His only regret was how messy the inquisition room had become when they questioned the beastwoman. ¡®Inquisition room¡¯, hah! He chuckled inwards, fancy name for a torture chamber. He had hated the room and its users when he had first come here, but soon as he found out, the inquisition room had it uses. Very useful, in fact. His scalp itched at the thought of how incorrigibly dirty the room becomes. He just couldn¡¯t take his mind off the bloodstains, the shit and piss on the floor, the dismembered body parts. It was a good thing that the beastwoman had cracked in under three days this time. No matter how cruel people thought he was, Morath couldn¡¯t stand the damned torture instruments. So unclean, so unclean they are! He wrung his hands as he dispelled the thought of the screaming beastwoman from his mind. She had been proven an invaluable asset, giving him all the information he needed. If it were possible, Morath would have preferred keeping the woman alive. He didn¡¯t like killing without need. But this one¡­Tafina, wasn¡¯t it? Was too broken, too far gone to be considered a sentient creature by the point the torture stopped. Not like beastmen are much sentient in the first place. Morath waited with eerie patience as the beastman went from fear to shock to realisation. He enjoyed how ambassador Gaharin¡¯s face changed colours as he shook like a leaf. This guy? A Silas? A light smirk arose in Morath¡¯s face as he couldn¡¯t control himself, with pack leaders like these, the beastmen would be wiped out soon. The passing clouds threw the room in sudden shadows. One of Sangraal¡¯s daytime moons grew brighter as the sun hid itself, glowing softly behind the dark ring. The flutter of the Imperial flag on top of Ozin¡¯s Imperial Navy Southern Command died down along with the wind, plunging the whole room into silence and shadows. Gaharin still stared at Morath with absolute horror. Muscles tensing, he leapt with a low howl, his claws tore through the air. Morath jerked back violently on his cane chair, eliciting a savage creak from it. The guards were faster. Two cutlasses left red lines across Gaharin¡¯s flank. Morath¡¯s guards were best of the best recruited from the seasoned rank of sailors. They gave Gaharin no room as they pummeled him with the swords. Gaharin keeled over at the sudden onslaught of kicks and chops. The flurry of practised blows knocked the wind out of him as he was sent sprawling on the stone floor. THUD! The sound of Gaharin¡¯s body hitting the floor resounded through the lavish chamber. Blood stained the dark floor, gathering in little pools on the cracks and nooks. Morath clicked his tongue. Someone has to clean those stains up. He stood from his chair and sauntered over to the far side of the room near the west window. The only dark part of the room was adorned with long shelves of fragrant wood. Glass containers in various curious shapes lined the rack in rows. Morath ran his finger over the bottles holding myriad colours. Desert Snake, Corianth Whiskey, Salabar port wine, Dreadnaught rum¡­Nah. His finger rested over one glass container. Deep amber liquid rested in the transparent glass bottle shaped like a small cask. High Sea rum. That¡¯s it. Morath uncorked the bottle with a satisfying pop, taking in the aroma. The whole room got infused with a woody scent in moments. Ah. Now that is better than sniffing that beast. Morath pawed through the cabinet for a glass, knocking over a few things in the process. Where is the fucking glass when I need it? Who in the name of Visakh keeps displacing my stuff? His hands closed around the glass he searched for. Oh, I don¡¯t let anyone touch this cabinet anyway. As the liquor filled the glass with short, satisfying glugs, Morath gestured for the guards to back off from Gaharin. The beastman lay prone on the ground, whimpering. His tail lashed helplessly on the floor as he tried to get up. ¡°His Excellency¡±, Morath lilted between sips, ¡°that could have been a diplomatic crisis¡±. Gaharin¡¯s claws left long scratches on the floor as he tried to get up in vain. The screech made Morath wince. Gaharin spat out a mouthful of blood along with a few broken teeth. The blood-smeared, white canines lay in sharp contrast with the dark floor. Gaharin tried to roll over without success, only his pathetic low whimpers reverberated against the floor. ¡°So, you little dog¡±, Morath trembled as he sipped more of his precious liquor. ¡°Tell me how does a wild-dog become a Silas¡±. No voice answered him, only a pained wheeze desperate to inhale the air it so needed greeted Morath. A cruel smirk graced Morath¡¯s face as he swaggered over to where Gaharin lay. ¡°No more pithy remarks¡±? His eyes had an odd shine as he mocked, ¡°His Excellency?¡± Morath kicked the prone form in front of him full on its flank. His feet sunk into the lush fur, sinking into the hidebound muscle. How do you like it now, you little beast cunt? Morath kept kicking Gaharin, each kick followed by a sharp breath from the fallen ambassador. After a while, Morath crinkled his nose as the room filled with the stench of tangy smell of blood. His eyebrows quivered as the air in the room itself took on the thick smell of copper. He covered his mouth so as not to gag while he walked over to the windows at a brisk pace. He threw the huge windows open, the glass warm from the unrelenting sun. Air rushed in all at once, the salty sea wind battled the smell of blood and won. The squeals of the sea-faring birds filled the room, as did the sirens and horn calls of the numerous ships in the Ozin harbour. Morath looked down on the courtyard where his men practised under the sun, each of their faces inscrutable and sweaty. Rows of blue uniformed men marched and swung their cutlasses as part of their daily routine. The short commands enforcing the drills brought peace to Morath¡¯s mind. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. He turned towards Gaharin. The beastman had ceased his laboured breaths. His tail still lashed the floor helplessly as he took measured breaths. Gaharin¡¯s whole body shook. The room was once again thrown in full sunlight, the golden rays of the sun lent the whole scene an odd layer of cheerfulness. Yes. Everything looks better in the sun and the sea. Morath mused as he lapped at the last of the rum in is glass. Looking at the vast blue-green sea had always calmed him down. The salty sea winds, the screech of the birds were the only disorderly things he permitted in his life. With the sea at his back, Morath turned sharply towards Gaharin. ¡°Brave sailors are dead because of you¡±, Morath spat out. ¡°Brave men of the seas who only wanted to protect the lives of citizens¡±. Gaharin¡¯s eyes flew open. At least, he tried. The beating had left one of his eyes too swollen to be opened, and the other stared back at Morath in a seething rage. ¡°What¡­what brave men?¡± Gaharin wheezed. ¡°They captured and raped my people, even when we were not slaves¡±. He spat out some more blood as he spoke, ¡°No, no one treats even slaves the way they treated us¡±. Morath¡¯s face twitched. This mangy cur dares insult the sailors? His voice took on a dangerous lilt as he barely contained his rage. ¡°All things considered, His Excellency, my men haven¡¯t yet forgotten the horrors of Poxtli riots¡±. Morath stared at the glass in his hand, as condensation coated its surface. The cool glass became warm as he rubbed it with his thumb, leaving behind trails of water. Gaharin lay quiet, staring unblinkingly at Morath with his one good eye. A low derisive laughter emanated from his throat. ¡°Twenty-seven years, and yet the humans haven¡¯t stopped playing the blame game¡±. His laugh choked up as his lungs laboured to supply the air he needed. ¡°We, the Maevarin have suffered most in that riot the humans created¡±. ¡°It was as you deserve, you filth¡±, Morath japed, ¡°hundreds, you slaughtered hundreds of humans¡±. ¡°So did the humans¡±, Gaharin shot back, ¡°they killed our kin too. Humans stole so many of our children to be sold into slavery. Your Empire refused us answers, cancelled all negotiations! Your greed had brought on all that¡±. ¡°You dare¡±, Morath fumed while his shaking arm pointed a finger at Gaharin, ¡°you dare, against the Empire¡ª¡± ¡°None of our sides had any control over the riots, Trident Deuxime¡±, Gaharin slammed his fists down on the floor, flakes of dry blood scattered from his bloody, matted fur. ¡°After the riots, the Maevarin citizens captured by the Empire still haven¡¯t yet been repatriated! You continue to treat our people as slaves!¡± ¡°Silence!¡± Morath lost his cool for the first time. ¡°It was you beasts who came into our homes and killed our families at night! It was your people that tore us apart, it was you beasts who¡ª¡± Morath checked himself before his voice reached the courtyard down below. ¡°Who took everything from me¡±, he seethed at Morath. A deep sigh escaped Gaharin as he let his body relax. Only his single reddened eye stared at the infuriated Morath. ¡°So that¡¯s it¡±, Gaharin muttered before laying his head down on the floor. ¡°What do you mean ¡®so that¡¯s it¡¯?¡± Morath bellowed loud enough for the commotion in the courtyard to stop. Those red eyes of his¡­such insolence! He raged in his mind. ¡°The laws allow you to stay alive, but that¡¯s the only thing it says, not how I treat you, you cur¡±. The wind-vane whirred into a metallic whine again as the wind picked up. The sudden gust sent papers inside the room into a wild flutter, disarraying what Morath had so meticulously arranged. Morath¡¯s brows wrinkled as he watched his paperwork fly through the room. He walked over to his timber table, setting the glass down with a clink. He ran his fingers down the edge of the table he so loved. He petted it like a pet while he stared daggers at Gaharin. The table was made of wood painstakingly obtained from Aftalheir, paying the Moon Elves a hefty sum. He might have just killed Gaharin if he had managed to damage it with his claws. Still, even selling a beastman ambassador wouldn¡¯t be enough to pay for this. Gaharin¡¯s voice brought him out of his musing. Morath leant against the table as Gaharin uttered in a pained voice, ¡°What have you done to her? My niece¡±. ¡°Your mistress told us all about this ¡®niece¡¯ of yours¡±, Morath sneered while rearranging his papers, sorting it out again with perfect precision. ¡°Frankly speaking, the idea of a Civet cat being the niece of a Wild dog is preposterous¡±. Gaharin¡¯s voice was strangely hollow as he sputtered, ¡°What¡­what did you do to Tafina?¡± Morath¡¯s face morphed into a tight smile as he remembered the broken husk of the beastwoman named Tafina. It was only three days, but she had undergone horrific torture under the hands of the inquisitors. She had her revenge, though, her blood and shit had made the inquisition room messy. Very messy. ¡°Your mistress succumbed to her injuries¡±, Morath said in a flat voice, ¡°unfortunately, she passed away. The journey was too hard for her¡±. Morath¡¯s eyes went wide as he saw Gaharin cry. Trails of transparent tears trailed his furry cheeks. What? Beasts aren¡¯t supposed to¡­they can¡¯t have such compassions! Morath¡¯s fists shook while he took in the sight of the proud beastman¡¯s silent grief for his beloved. ¡°However¡±, Morath spoke with a hurry, ¡°Third Princess Xaeth Prosain Forl Ixlotl is fine¡±. ¡°Let the princess go¡±, Gaharin pleaded, ¡°she is just a child. She wasn¡¯t even born during the riots¡±. ¡°Yet, she was the reason a shipful of brave sailors died¡±, Morath spat out. ¡°Soldiers in service to the Empire¡±. ¡°Let her go!¡±, Gaharin was adamant. His body shuddered as he forced himself to talk, ¡°she has nothing to do with this. Please¡±. Even beasts care for their own, don¡¯t they? Morath walked over to where Gaharin lay, standing in front of him. ¡°What do you see there?¡± he pointed at the wall behind his desk. Gaharin couldn¡¯t respond. He wheezed painfully as his chest constricted. A few of his ribs had broken. It was only the ferocious tenacity of the beastkin had kept him going till now. Morath crinkled his nose as he pointed again. ¡°Tell me what is on that wall¡±. Morath brought his foot down on Gaharin¡¯s outstretched hands. His finger bones broke with sharp snaps, the sound dreadfully loud in the large room. Gaharin whimpered in pain, thrashing against the stone floor. ¡°That¡±, Morath¡¯s forefinger pointed at the deep blue banner draped on the wall behind his desk. The huge rectangular banner stretched taut as its swallow tailed-end was weighted with lead. ¡°See the four cutlasses radiating outwards from the centre? That; is the heraldic coat of arms of our proud Imperial Navy Southern Command¡±. Gaharin had come out of his stupor and stared dumbly at the wall. Morath¡¯s face had taken on a maniacal look as he explained the drapery. His left hand lay flat on his chest in the standard navy salute. ¡°And that¡±, Morath trembled in excitement as he spoke pointing his finger at the other end of the wall. The sunlight had thrown the wall holding the banners half in shadow. I¡­hate this time of the day. Why do the shadows have to creep on the glorious banners! The rectangular banner fluttered a little in the wind in spite of the lead weights as if in reply to Morath¡¯s thoughts. The golden anchor tipped with a trident embossed on the flag rippled, the turquoise background a perfect match for the sea outside the windows. ¡°Are you listening?¡± Morath nudged the fallen Gaharin with his foot. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare look away from the Imperial Navy flag, you imbecile¡±. The climbing sun stretched the shadows so more and more of the wall grew dark. Morath agonised in his heart. I will change the architecture if I have to, but no more shadows on the banners¡­ ¡°And now¡±, Morath kicked Gaharin full on the face. His heavy draken-leather boots smashed the beastman¡¯s snout with a sickening crunch. Gaharin howled in pain with blood trickling down his nostrils as bright red blood matted his fur. His tail coiled and thrashed on the ground like an earthworm sprinkled with salt. ¡°Look, look in awe you mangy cur¡±, Morath bowed his head as he pointed at the crimson banner with black and gold borders. ¡°The shieldmark of the four divine instruments. Talaviel¡¯s Sceptre, Fargalith¡¯s Sword, Cromnorgar¡¯vel¡¯s Sickle and Bisakh¡¯s Trident¡±, Morath¡¯s voice took on a fervent reverent tone as he kneeled in front of the banners. ¡°The four god¡¯s blessings grace our Holy Ebraven Empire, may it reign till the end of all ages¡±. Morath held up Gaharin¡¯s head by the long fur on his neck. ¡°This. This is all you have tried to defy, beastman. The Empire will exact its toll, and by the gods, will it be heavy¡±. He let Gaharin¡¯s head drop, the motion making a dull thwack against the floor. ¡°Your fate was sealed when you and your ilk sailed up to the Ozine harbour. You killed men of the Empire, destroyed Empire¡¯s property and sail up to us? How brazen. Preposterous!¡± Morath swaggered away from Gaharin¡¯s prone body, towards the banners. ¡°You and your preposterous stories about demons and Spire-Masters. Did you for a moment think anyone would believe you? After what you did? And with a Princess in tow?¡± His harsh laughter rang through the room, causing the numerous glass decanters in his liquor cabinet tinkle as they vibrated. ¡°And now, you have lost your precious princess¡±. ¡°What¡­what are you¡ª¡±, Gaharin¡¯s sputtered in a choking voice, unable to keep the blood flooding into his lungs. ¡°what have you done to Princess?¡± Morath¡¯s eyebrows rose as he stared at Gaharin. The beastmen are really persistent, aren¡¯t they. Even after all the beatings... ¡°Nothing¡±, Morath splayed his hands as he watched the sea change colour outside the windows. ¡°Absolutely nothing. The code of conduct and terms of Poxtli treaty demand that I return the Princess unharmed to the Tashcoatl Kingdom. I might be a lot of things, but I do not harm children¡±. ¡°No¡­no¡±, Gaharin protested in his weak voice, ¡°Not¡­our Kingdom. She will be¡­killed¡±. ¡°I know¡±, Morath replied in a flat voice. His eyes traced the white and grey Johar birds fight for the fish that had spilt out of fishermen¡¯s net. Their shrill cries filled Ozine harbour with chaotic cacophony. ¡°Please no¡±, Gaharin still sputtered with his last strength. ¡°Don¡¯t send Forl¡­to our Kingdom. We fled from¡­her siblings¡±. ¡°Succession rights can be nasty¡±, Morath walked up to Gaharin again as he stared the proud beastman-noble take his last breaths. ¡°However, this is what the law dictates; hence, the Fourth Princess Forl will be sent to her homeland. But we don¡¯t intend to let her die. No child will die on my watch. As long as she is of use to the Empire, that is¡±. Gaharin stared at Morath with his one good eyes. ¡°Humans!¡±, he wailed as tears ran down his cheeks, ¡°Humans! how low can you kind sink!¡± . His voice was unusually clear for one dying. Bloody tears ran down his cheeks from the damaged eyes as he sobbed, ¡°Forgive me, Princes, for¡­for I couldn¡¯t sav¡ª¡± CRACK! Bones broke as Morath brought his foot down on Gaharin¡¯s skull. The beastman immediately lost consciousness, blood drenching the floor beneath him. ¡°Anything for the Empire¡±, Morath said in a hollow voice. ¡°Anything¡±, he muttered again as he walked up to his desk, manoeuvring himself on the cane chair. He drummed his fingers on the dark, wooden desk as he had done on so many occasions before. He checked himself as soon as he realised what he was doing. Can¡¯t do that. Such frivolity cannot be permitted for a man of my position. He removed his hands lest he be tempted to drum again. Morath let out a huge sigh as he gestured for one of his guards to come forward. The man stood in front of his desk with a perfectly executed Navy salute. His face did not betray any sort of emotion. Morath liked it that way; Perfect soldier, he thought. ¡°Get the ambassador out of here¡±, Morath ordered while rearranging his papers and desk stationery. ¡°Absolutely do not let the beastman die. Throw him in the deepest level of Ozine dungeon¡±. The guard saluted again and marched out of the room to bring in people to carry the Gaharin¡¯s body. His dull footsteps echoed in the room, a continuous punctuation to the shrieking birds outside. ¡°Oh and¡±, Morath added, ¡°send someone to clean the blood up¡±. Morath¡¯s chestnut eyes scanned the documents for the umpteenth time as he thought about what was to come. Princess Forl, he mused as he thought about the black haired civet-cat girl. Soon, we will make you a Queen. His eyes tracked on the document the correct Maevarin term, Yes; Broodmother. That¡¯s the term for beastmen queens. He sighed as he contemplated the immense work that needed to be done to transform the weak, sobbing little girl who was unaware of her true identity to the Queen Regnant of Tashcoatl. A puppet queen, mused Morath, dancing on our Empire¡¯s strings. Morath¡¯s hands moved in a brisk pace, filing, rearranging, sorting. So much disarray! He agonised in his mind, must sort them out.
Whoops! Who thought Forl was a Princess?!? Now that she is in the hands of the nefarious Morath (Seriously, what is up with this OCD navy commander!) what will happen to the cute, little Forl? What do you guys think is going on? Vote for HTSAS101 on TopWebFictions today, if you too hate weird navy officers! VOTE HERE Every vote counts in our fight against the creeps of the high seas! Interlude III: Baptized in Salt-Part I Intermission III: Baptizedin Salt- Part-I ¡°Morals are not for others to see. It is there, for us to live with ourselves. All said and done, it is us, ourselves who are the greatest judges of what we have done, and what we have left behind¡± -Prince Jaisein Komatar Foisen, in his speech before declaring war on the Poligar Tribes of the Horseneck Mountains. Flickering candles made the shadows jump from wall to wall. The light and shadows twisted, morphed and danced till Sullin could make out grotesque monsters out of those shapes. I must be going insane, he thought as he amused himself by staring at the ceiling where he fancied seeing two fearsome monsters fight to the death. Nothing to do here anyways, he sighed as he put his manacled hands up high, so the light from the candle cast shadow of the heavy chain attached to the iron cuffs. Sullin cracked a wry smile as the chain cast a barrier of light and shadows between the two warring factions of shadows on the ceiling. Really, insane, he sighed while the chain clinked softly, weighted down by the heavy iron ball at the other end. The battle of the shadows didn¡¯t last long. Heavy bootsteps announced the arrival of a prison guard, the sound echoing in the empty hovel-like cells on either side of the narrow hallway. The thick walls bounced the noise off of each other, till the whole hallway reverberated with tens of footsteps. No voices greeted the bootsteps as every cell in this prison floor was empty save one and it occupant, Sullin was distressed that his candle would be taken away. However, the common prisoners and smugglers in the level down below were not silent. They howled and shrieked when they heard the bootsteps overhead, for it signified the most horrific time of their miserable existence, the imminent loss of light. ¡°Damned sons of krumpers!¡± The prison-guard swore as a way of conversation. ¡°Nah, not even krumpers raise such hell in theair muddy marshes. And it be a damned disgusting critter. Goes ta say summthin¡¯ bout¡¯ these crooks, eh?¡±. Sullin didn¡¯t reply. He stared at the candle with unblinking eyes while his body trembled all over. No¡­no don¡¯t¡ªhe panicked in his mind as the guard enclosed his calloused fists over the thin candlestick affixed to a holder on the wall. The prison-guard hesitated as his eyes fell over Sullin. Clothed in rags, the prisoner¡¯s eyes were white with terror. Bent crooked from the weight of the ball and chain, Sullin sat hunched on the edge of his ragged blanket. Tightening his lower jaw, the prison-guard tried to wrench-free the candle that had stuck itself firmly on the holder. The molten wax had hardened around the metal fixture as if reluctant to let go. The guard gnashed his teeth when he heard a low whimper. Sullin clutched at his torn-up blanket while his throat formed wordless whimpers akin to a beast. ¡°Fine!¡± The prison guard threw up his hands; the baton clinked against his metal belt. ¡°Just for a little bit¡±. He walked away from Sullin¡¯s cell while humming a tuneless little jingle. Turning back, he took a last look at his charge before the sound of his boots disappeared up the stairway. Sullin stood frozen in his position for a little while more. The chains jangled as his whole body relaxed, the sigh that escaped his lips only served to reinforce the silence in the room. He rolled over to his side, wrapping in a fetal curl around the iron ball that weighed his chains down. The cool floor sent shivers down his spine as he stared at the flickering candle. For a long while, the dry fizz of the burning candle was the only sound on the silent floor. Sullin matched his breathing with the candle crackling lazily, another of his favourite pastimes in the Ozine undersea prison. A small smile floated on his lips as he stared anew at the wall, where the shadows fought each other. Thankfully, it was the rookie guard today, Sullin mused while the candle awaited its end. Even he is getting tough to manipulate these days. His smile turned into a slight frown as he realised that it might not be too long before even the rookie guard stops taking pity on him. Sullin would be lucky if he doesn¡¯t take part in the sudden violent beating the other guards subject their prisoners to. The Trident Deuxime¡¯s strict orders on following the laws to the letter were the only thing keeping the prisoners from being beaten to violent ends. Sullin jolted up at the sudden sensation of dampness at his feet. That time again, he wondered as he waited in vain for the water to stop spreading. By now, he knew the seas won¡¯t listen to his unspoken pleas, yet he fought this stubborn resistance every day, again and again. No use, he let his body relax in resignation as he prepared to move to the far corner of his cell, away from the wall that faced the open seas. Twice each day, as the high tides roll in, the water pressure caused the water to seep through the black lavastone, into the prison cells. Sullin had heard that it was much worse in the deepest levels of the Ozine undersea prison, where the cells become half submerged during the tides. More than a few prisoners had died in those salty waters, all in the confines of their isolated cells. But Sullin was lucky. Him being a Coast Guard under trial was confined to the uppermost level, where the water just formed a puddle at one end. Not nearly enough for someone to drown, but plenty to keep one on their toes. Sullin grimaced while he dragged his broken leg over the damp lavastone floor. He grunted as the action sent painful jolts up his body. He grabbed his leg by both his hands as he dragged himself over the rough floor, the iron ball rolling in dull thuds behind him. He cursed at the senior guard who in a fit of rage had smashed his baton on Sullin¡¯s leg over and over again. Nobody liked a traitor in their midst. Treason, huh? Sullin wondered as he watched the water soak up the threadbare blankets he was provided with. His rags stuck to his clothes with the light sheen of sweat he had worked up dragging himself all over the cell. Over and over, Sullin had thought back t the day he had washed up on Ozin harbour, the beastmen in tow. Sullin would be lying to himself if he said that he didn¡¯t expect a hero¡¯s welcome, or at least a fair trial for standing up to the atrocities of his superiors. But the news travelled faster than the boats they were in. His superior had already informed the Cafaril Duchy Sea Guard head quarters of Sullin¡¯s insubordination when he was alive. The complainant High Grunter¡¯s death only substantiated the claim. The confessions of the beastmen under duress didn¡¯t help him either. In the end, Sullin was charged with wilful insubordination and cooperating with the enemy. Before he knew, Sullin found himself locked in Ozine undersea prison awaiting his judgement. Looks like he was right, Sullin wondered aloud, his voice coiling around the room as he remembered what Rigel had told him. Sullin rested his head on the thick metal bars of the cell. ¡°The world doesn¡¯t reward the righteous¡±, He whispered Rigel¡¯s words for the umpteenth time as he felt the hard rivets on the metal bars dig into his head. ¡°You were right¡±, Sullin¡¯s voice was a silent scream as if he agreed to someone unseen. ¡°Talking to myself¡±, he muttered as an afterthought, ¡°now, isn¡¯t that just wonderful?¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The candle sizzled violently as it went out, plunging the room into sudden darkness. Sullin muffled a scream that ran up his throat. The occasional screams of the lower-level prisoners below made him grit his teeth. He couldn¡¯t even cover his ears from the tortured howls, the ball and chain restricted his hands. Sullin shivered as he tried to find a suitable cranny to rest his weak body. Being underwater, the cells were always chilly. But when the lights went out, he could almost feel the cold grip its icy claws around him, snaking inside him as he breathed that cold air in. Before long, the iron bars took in the chill, numbing his frail body. ¡°Tal¡¯hael¡±, he bade goodnight. There was no one to hear him unless one could count the darkness, the cold or the chilly metal manacles. He sighed one last time before he closed his eyes. There was nothing to see after all in the pitch dark. With the screams of his fellow inmates as his accompaniment, Sullin waited for the blessed sleep to take over. Waiting, that¡¯s what he did most of the time these days. Waiting for the sunless mornings indicated only by the change in guard shifts and slight warmth; waiting for the daily gruel; waiting for the candle to run out. ~~~ Harsh whispers greeted Sullin when he woke up from his forced slumber. Opening his eyes every morning had become a chore for him. Every joint in his body had frozen up due to the cold and damp in the cell. The guard barked something again. Lately, Sullin could tell the time of the day by the change in guard shifts. This particular voice belonged to a scar-faced guard who treated him with cold indifference and occasional insults. It also meant that it was early morning when he would be served some cold, bitter leftover gruel made for the express reason for the inmates to wish death. Sullin lay like the dead, waiting for the guard to bang the iron bars with his baton like he did every day. After a while Sullin grew curious when the loud banging and the usual jeers didn¡¯t start. Whats going on? He thought as he readied himself to pretend waking up. He ceased his effort as he heard another voice ask something of the first. ¡°I thought this one won¡¯t be punished¡±, The voice spoke with soft whispers that melded into the prison walls. ¡°He is a Xet, isn¡¯t he? How can a noble be punished?¡± Punished? Does that mean...Sullin¡¯s stomach sank. My sentence has been decided? A cold chill ran down his spine as he waited for the guard¡¯s response. ¡°Fool¡±, scar-face barked. ¡°This bastard is a Seth. Four letters. You know what it means? Noble from the Old Empire before Emperor Jatanhel took over¡±. The silence was deafening to Sullin¡¯s ears. What¡¯s my sentence dammit. Tell it. Fast! He raged in his heart. ¡°But¡±, the other guard stammered, ¡°He is still a noble, right? How can¡ª¡± ¡°Four-letters, son. Means his family was loyal to the old royal family. Means he is a goner. One little mistake and the wrong family name, and you are on the fast track to the gallows¡±. Scar-face coughed loudly. ¡°Seen a few four-letters myself. Dragged off and killed or sold. Deserved, I say for what they did to the Empire during the Old Emperor¡¯s rule, may he rot in his grave¡±. There was a long silence before the other guard replied. ¡°So this is what they mean by ¡®a letter apart, a world apart¡¯¡±. ¡°Aye, son¡±, Scar-face grumbled. ¡°Makes me glad I don¡¯t have a middle name. Nobles and their games¡±, he spat out. ¡°Now, if he had three-letters...it would be a whole different story¡ª¡± He choked up as a loud shuffling ensued. ¡°Bring the prisoner to the East grounds. The sentence will be handed down¡±, a gruff voice said. Sullin whirled around to see a blue-uniformed Naval officer pass orders while he crinkled his nose. The guards stood at attention, saluting the officer as he spoke with a stony expression. ¡°Aye, sir¡±, the guards replied in unison. The officer noticed Sullin was awake. A small sneer played on his thin lips as he looked at Sullin. ¡°Get him cleaned some. He isn¡¯t fit to be presented¡±, He dismissed the guards with a flick of his hands. His boots rang loud against the floor as he walked towards the stairs out of the prison. ¡°Do it quick¡±, he turned around once to leer at Sullin before striding away. ¡°Looks like his time is really up¡±, said the other guard. Sullin recognised him. He was the rookie who would leave the candles occasionally. Sullin slumped, his chains jangling on the stone floor. His breathing was rough as tears trickled down his face. He knew what was coming. After all, the punishment for insubordination was death. Sullin looked as the damp jail cell, the flickering candle, at the iron ball that weighed him down. ¡°No, no no!¡± he muttered under his breath as salty tears kept running down his dirty cheeks. ¡°NO!¡± he screamed as much as his parched throat would allow, the sound making the guards wince. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die¡±, Sullin repeated again and again as he curled around the iron ball that had grown so familiar to him. He drew the chains around him taut as if it would save him from what was coming. The guard didn¡¯t jeer at him like usual as he opened the jail cell with a loud screech. ¡°Come on, boy¡±, the voice was oddly soft as he nudged Sullin with his feet, ¡°time to go¡±. Time went by fast as he was forced to have a shower and scrubbed clean like a new born baby. He was presented with new clothes gleaming white. Sullin didn¡¯t resist as he knew it was futile. He took as much time as he could on the tasks, moving on to the next only when the guards shouted at him. Finally, he slumped along with his manacles and iron ball supported by the scar-faced guard. He winced as he dragged his broken leg out of the prison. The familiar chill was replaced with gradual warmth as he headed towards the exit. The sun blinded Sullin. He stood stock-still waiting for his eyes to adjust as he felt the sweltering heat assault his body. His eyes, used to the darkness of his cell was unable to comprehend the sun-lit compound that stretched before him. The jangle of his chains drowned in the shouts of the men outside. Familiar sounds of Serrads neighing, clash of weapons during practise and raised voices greeted him. The dusty air mixed with the salty stench of the seas, playing through his just-cut hair. He took in the smells, the sounds all in, knowing these will be the last things he will ever experience. He blinked as his eyes got used to the light. He couldn¡¯t comprehend what lay before him. A group of uniformed officers stood in rows in front of a hastily made wooden stage, decorated with the banners of the Empire and the Navy. He stumbled as the guards shoved him harshly towards the stage. The flags fluttered n the wind, louder than any voice. The men had grown silent upon his arrival. What. That isn¡¯t an execution platform. Sullin was dumbstruck as he stared at the familiar military formation. That. That¡¯s a commendation ceremony. He strode agape as he stared at Trident Deuxime Morath on the stage along with a few of his officers. Morath stared straight at Sullin, his uniform bathed in sunlight. Sweat had pooled beneath his new cotton clothes as he dragged himself on the stage. The smell of old leather and oil was overwhelming as he blinked at the officers facing him. Raised a few feet high from the ground, the shoddy wooden stage creaked every time he walked, threatening to give way under the iron ball that restrained him. ¡°Duchy Sea Guard Sullin Seth Foyal¡±, Morath bellowed. ¡°Today, we are gathered here as witness to your bravery on sea¡±. Sullin¡¯s eyes widened as he heard the speech. His mind struggled to keep pace with the sudden turn of events. His head swivelled around again and again to confirm that this wasn¡¯t some delusion brought on by fevered dreams. He had hear of men gone insane in confinement after all. The solemn face of the officers didn¡¯t melt away like a dream. They all stared at Sullin on the stage. The screeches of the birds, the pungent smell of Serrad-dung, the balmy sea-air was all to vivid, too real to be some phantasm. ¡°For standing up against his superiors even under duress, for doing what is right even under orders we commend him¡±, Morath¡¯s voice brought Sullin out of his musing. ¡°And, for that, as dictated by our laws, we shall present Sullin Seth Foyal with the Order of the Seacrest badge, as testimony to his bravery and allegiance to duty¡±. Sullin gulped dry air as a hot lump lodged in his throat. His tears started anew as he mumbled incoherently. His legs gave way as he sat crying, his choking sobs punctuating the round of applause in his honour. Morath strode forward to stand in front of Sullin. ¡°Rise¡±, he rumbled. Sullin stood up in halting motion. His chains jangled as he forgot he had them. He slumped forwards before stumbling to stand hunchbacked. Morath pinned the silver badge on his white shirt, before clapping on his back. The sunlight glinted off the silver badge, stabbing him in the eye. Sullin looked up, his face tear stricken. His whole body relaxed as euphoria overtook him. He wondered if the guards, the Trident, the officers were playing a joke with him all this while, only to present him with such honour afterwards. He was ecstatic that he lived, and relieved that his faith on the navy wasn¡¯t misplaced. ¡°And now, Sullin Seth Foyal¡±, Morath ordered, ¡°I sentence you to die¡±.
Interlude III: Baptized in Salt-Part II Um, vote for HTSAS101 in Topwebfictions? It takes just a few moments and gives me strength to write more! VOTE! Interlude III: Baptized in Salt-Part-II "The East is a fascinating place with it''s mystique and tales. One tale in particular is most captivating. The tale claims that the people of the East, the Huenxuan Kingdoms have known of another world for thousands of years. Legend has it that a lot of people just like us have come from another world to ours, while some from ours have gone to the other. Perhaps, this is what explains some of the myriad facets of the Huenxuan culture, alien to the countries or people around it. Even the Huenxuan name bear no resemblance to any of their neighbouring cultures. Then again, this all could be an old wives'' tale." - Sailerr Convargo, Traveller and Bard, "Road to East: Of Taverns and Bamboo Flutes" Sullin stared at the red gate in front of him. Even from a distance, the instalment was huge. Or maybe, it seemed huge to Sullin because he was to die under it. ¡°In spite of your brave and dutiful disposition, it is a fact that you took part in willful insubordination against your direct superior at sea. Then, you cooperated with the enemy that killed the rest of your fellow shipmates¡±, Morath¡¯s voice had been a hazy drone as he had rattled off the list of Sullin¡¯s transgressions. Sullin¡¯s couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the structure made of crimson wood. He had only heard tales and rumours about the ¡®Sea God¡¯s Wrath¡¯, the famous red gate at the southern most point of Ebraven Empire¡¯s landmass. Turns out, the huge gate was also made into an execution instrument at times. A prison guard supported Sullin¡¯s weight as he dragged himself on his broken right leg. Rows of Imperial Navy officers stood on solemn ceremony on both sides of the narrow walkway to the Sea God¡¯s Wrath. In all honestly, more than the impending execution, the stony, expressionless faces of the officers scared Sullin more. The wind picked up, making Sullin¡¯s pure white robe flutter wildly. He had just come to know that it was the preferred garment for Naval executions. A pure white robe to show off the crimson blood under a crimson gate. Sullin wondered who came up with the colour combination. If possible, he would have liked to murder that person before he was executed. Sullin¡¯s chains jangled against the lava stone walkway. The heavy iron ball attached to his manacles dragged on the stone with dull sounds. Each time he took a step, Sullin had to grunt and pull the weight forward. The oppressive midday heat had already made his clothes soak through. A sudden screech made Sullin breakaway his eye contact from the crimson gate looming before him. Hordes of sea-birds had flocked all around the red, rectangular gate that floated on the blue sea. Hundreds of gray-white birds shuffled their feathers and cooed while sitting on the red gate as they watched Sullin with their black beady eyes. In that moment, a wild idea rose within Sullin¡¯s mind. The birds, long regarded as messengers and servants of the sea god Bisakh seemed to be waiting for him. At least, that¡¯s what Sullin thought. He shook his head to dispel the idea that such a powerful being would await his death. Sullin tore his eyes off the birds and concentrated on the red gate. He had always wanted to visit the shrine to Bisakh. He shivered as he couldn¡¯t stop himself from staring at his impending death. He even entertained the idea that it was this very fact that prompted him to look at it. The thick wooden posts rose from a sturdy wooden platform set atop a base of black lavastone. Sullin knew that in a few minutes, the high tide would roll in, submerging the platform. Then, the gate would look like it had risen from the sea itself, a floating testament to the will of the god. A hiss rose from Sullin¡¯s lips as he flinched. The black stone walkway had warmed all day long in the sun, its surface now hot like a pan. Sullin endured the pain of his skin being scalded each time he took a step on the streaming rocks. Prisoners en route to an execution were not allowed to wear shoes for it would disrespect the gods. Sullin¡¯s hands gripped the guard tighter. Suddenly, his mind caught up to him. All along, he had prayed all this was a dream. But he couldn¡¯t believe any longer as the gate loomed bigger in front of him with every step he took. His breathing grew rough as he realised in his heart of hearts the immutable fact for the first time. He was going to die. Death; a strange word. The world, the sea, the ships, the birds, the people; all of them would go on like they had been for hundreds of years. The only difference would be that he himself wouldn¡¯t be there. Not that it mattered to the rest of the world. He thought of the little brother and his parents he had left back home. His mother with her kind, yet strained smile as she struggled to keep their degraded finances alive. His old father who had given himself up to alcohol and gambling, unable to part himself from the glory of the nobles they once were. Sullin¡¯s breath caught as he thought of his brother. The little runt of a kid who would stare at him with watery eyes as their father raged and mourned around the house in his alcoholic stupor. Sullin wished he could see his brother for one last time. He always felt he had abandoned his family by joining the Naval academy. Sullin had convinced himself that it was all to reclaim the lost glory of their family, but he himself knew the truth. He had run away. From his father, his mother, and his little brother. How he wished he could see them for one last time. How he wished he had gone back to his home at least once in the last few years. And now, death will take all that away. All that his family would get is a silver badge and a decorated weapon as per the rules of the navy. Sullin would cease to exist. He didn¡¯t want to die. He didn¡¯t want to die. He didn¡¯t want to die. Sullin¡¯s chest tightened as he approached the crimson gate. His vision narrowed to just the twin poles of the gate and the three wing-like horizontal boards at the top. To him, the gate seemed to break apart into little pieces, the red poles, the ropes and fetishes decorating its sides, the inscription covering every inch of its surface. As his legs gave way beneath him, Sullin let a bestial cry from his throat. He sat clutching his chest, staring straight at the gate before him. I don¡¯t want to die, he told himself over and over again, I don¡¯t want to die. The guard supporting him stumbled at the sudden movement and fell headfirst into the stone walkway. Some officer sighed at the sudden spectacle and came forward. Sullin couldn¡¯t see him as he stared at the gate that would take his life. He rocked back and forth muttering incomprehensibly under his breath. The officer grabbed Sullin by his collar and shoved him to his feet. Sullin stared at the officer blankly, his eyes dilated. The officer barked something at him. The words just washed over him without comprehension. He kept staring at the officer. A momentary laugh escaped Sullin¡¯s lips as he saw how the officer¡¯s lips moved without making a sound. The laughs turned to choked sobs soon enough while he trembled in fits. Sullin finally tore his gaze away from the gate and buried his face against the stone walkway. His fingers clutched the stones, refusing to let go. His cry was like some pathetic beast as he was wrenched away by the guards. The officer dragged Sullin away by his feet. Sullin tried to break away but the officer held him firm with his hands. His face and hands bled as he was dragged over the rocks. Nis nails cracked and ran with blood as he tried to clutch at the rocks. I don¡¯t want to die, I don¡¯t want to die. He told himself over and over. Occasionally his voice would leak through, lending a wavering, sobbing voice to his thoughts. He was thrown violently on the wooden platform at the gate¡¯s base. He was even more startled to see the crimson gate up close. The posts supporting the Sea God¡¯s Wrath shrine were wider than a man¡¯s hips and at least five men tall. Sullin was surprised to find water pooling at his feet. The sea had started to encroach on the platform. The stone walkway was already under a very shallow layer of water. The metal and rope fetishes hung on the humongous gate jingled as the sea-wind blew through it. Two men dragged Sullin directly under the shadowed recesses of the gate. Three huge wooden boards decorated with sloped roofs made the shadows pool at the base of the shrine, its temperature a few shades cooler than it¡¯s sun-beaten surroundings. Sullin¡¯s cries stopped when he heard the sounds of chains. With a ratchet the lowest and the smallest wooden board came down along the posts. A few men operated the contraption to lower the board along with its serrated roof. The red roof creaked and swayed as it came down stopping only a few feet above Sullin. More men shoved Sullin towards a temporary wooden board affixed at the base of the shrine where it ran across one post to the other. As they lay down Sullin¡¯s neck on the semi-circular depression, he realised what it was. A guillotine. Strangely enough, Sullin¡¯s heart calmed down as he saw the gleam of the monstrous blade hidden under the roofed board above him. He knew that in a moment, the metal hidden under the wooden skirt of the board would detach his head like a knife through butter. Sullin¡¯s head swam as a queer sense of detachment came over him. He regarded himself disconnected from what was happening to him and around him. His own impending death seemed like just one of the things he wanted to get over with quickly. He sighed as the other half of the semi-circle closed around his head, locking his head in. The hole was enough to let him swivel his head, but not slip through. A sharp sting of coppery smell from the wooden board reminded him of all the executions that had taken place here. Though the wooden board was clean, he was sure he could see dark bloodstains that had proven too difficult to scrub off. His mouth filled with a metallic taste as he imagined his headless corpse, watering the same board with his blood, just like the person before him. He wondered if the next one executed will also think the same of Sullin. The smell of blood grew more intense. To dispel the coppery scent permeating the air, in his last moments, he decided to regard the intricate etchings and inscriptions on the gate. He knew many of those stories and praises to the sea god Bisakh carved into every inch of the shrine. His only regret was that he couldn¡¯t see the full scriptures etched onto the three wooden boards at the top that ran across the two posts supporting the whole gate. He had always admired the story of a brave sailor told on one corner of the outstretched wings of the middle board. Sullin was brought out of his fevered musings by a violent spray of salt water. By now, the sea had crept up to the waist of his kneeling form. He swivelled his head again to stare at the deep blue sea glittering in front of him. It was a custom of the Navy. When it came to executing their own men, they did it in full view of the sea as a last courtesy. But, for Sullin, it had grown to be a bother. The errant sea waves splashed surf and brine water into his eyes, making it sting. The stifling scent of the sea overpowered even the oppressive smell of blood. Facing the wide sea, Sullin kneeled under the gate waiting to die. Behind him, the whole Southern Command of Imperial Navy looked on at his trembling form washed by brine and sea-winds. Splashes behind him told Sullin that a few men approached where he lay, but he had no way to check who it was since his head was affixed to look only in front. ¡°By the laws of the sea handed down to us by the glorious god of the seas¡±. Morath¡¯s voice rumbled an octave lower than the roar of the seas, ¡°Sullin Seth Foyal is to be executed under the watchful eyes of gods and men. May he find absolution for his sins¡ª¡± What absolution! Sullin cursed in his heart, I did nothing wrong! ¡°¡ª May he return to the bosom of the sea he so loves. May his soul gain eternal peace as waters of the ocean. In full view of the eternal sea, let our fellow brother who had been laid astray join the faith once more¡±, Morath finished up. Sullin grew tense as he waited for the command to come. In a moment, his head would detach from his body. His body trembled like a leaf as tears streaked down once again from his cheeks. ¡°Under the Southern Gate, let the Wrath of the Sea God judge our brother and bring his eternal soul once again to Bisakh¡¯s embrace¡±, Morath delivered the final command for the execution. The black masked executioner stepped up to the platform and ratcheted the chains for the guillotine blade to swing down. The wind stilled around Sullin. He could hear the blood rushing through his veins. All sounds stopped as he strained his each for the slick sound of the metal blade falling down. Sullin closed his eyes. Coert smacked his lips as he saw the prisoner tremble under the crimson gate. This was the third execution using the Sea God¡¯s Wrath he saw in his four years of service in Ozine Navy HQ. He had expected this one to follow how the other two went. In fact, the officers had bet among themselves whether the prisoner would piss his pants or shit himself. Coert took a gamble and opted for both. His spirit had risen high when he had seen Sullin thrash and struggle on the stone walkway. Coert rattled in his mind the number of rum-kegs he could buy with the money. He had to restrain himself from grinning ear to ear as the prisoner was dragged towards the Sea God¡¯s Wrath. The sea breeze carried with it the sweet cries of the sea birds. Coert breathed in the salty scent of the blessed sea. Nothing could go wrong today. And then, everything went tits up. The prisoner settled down on the execution platform waiting patiently on the guillotine. He didn¡¯t struggle even the slightest bit, only swivelling his head to stare at the crimson gates like a country bumpkin. Coert had never seen a man so in love with the instrument of his death. He stared at it like his newly-wed wife. Look at the sick fuck swivelling ¡®is fuckin ¡®ed, Coert raged in his mind, like switching on ¡®is wife¡¯s tits. Coert¡¯s hands shook in silent fury. Cry, you fuckin¡¯ bastard! Shout!! You are dying, god damn you! His thoughts remained unspoken as he maintained his outward expression of icy indifference. Coert traced Sullin¡¯s eyes on the Sea God¡¯s Wrath shrine. What¡¯s there to look at? Coert gnashed his teeth as he saw the huge red gate. After four years, the gate had lost its novelty on him. The thick red wooden pillars, the metal and rope fetishes ¨Che found it all tacky and tasteless. He particularly hated with a passion the triple straight arches that ran across the two doorposts. You like that so much that you forgot to grieve your own death? Coert seethed, barely containing the savage fury that churned in his mind. Ten Royal Rita! Dammit, a hundred Royal Rita is ridin¡¯ on you. His expression brightened when he saw the guards close the wooden neck-hole. Aye! Coert rejoiced for this was when the prisoners struggle their hardest, feeling their last chance collapse before them. Coert was disappointed for the second time today. In spite of the furtive glances of his superiors, his mouth hung open when he saw the prisoner close his eyes and peacefully lay his head. What...what in the name of Bisakh is goin¡¯ on? Coert¡¯s mouth crinkled up at the corners in a pained smile as he watched his gold slip away. A movement at the edge of his vision prompted Coert to swivel his head. The superior who had bet on the prisoner not reacting nodded at him. Coert nodded back in silent defeat. This bastard...how ¡®ad he known the prisoner won¡¯t¡ªfucking ¡®iece of shit, Coert convinced himself that the superior officer had a stupid smile plastered on his face. I jus¡¯ know it. That¡¯s bastard¡¯s smilin¡¯ behind that face o¡¯ ¡®is. He had considered not paying. But, with Trident Deuximme¡¯s stringent insistence on maintaining order and discipline amongst his ranks, gambling and whoring were all but shut down. Not that it stopped from the sailors from doing those, but those who got caught were severely punished. A tussle with his superiors would just earn Coert a place in the gaols. A false accusation was certainly within the tools his superiors employed to their benefit. Not that gambling and whoring would be a false accusation against Coert though.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Coert cursed the sea, the wind, and the damnable birds. He had the feeling the whole world was conspiring against him. He cursed the world, the gods and raised concerns about the sexual misdemeanours of the mothers of his superiors¡¯. His face had taken a bright red tinge when the Trident Deuximme ordered the guillotine blade to be swung down. He watched in dull pain as the executioner donning a black mask pulled at the chains that held up the blade. In a moment, the hidden blade would rush down from the gate and take the prisoners head. An¡¯ my fuckin¡¯ hundred Royal Ritas with it. Coert closed his eyes like the prisoner, unaware of the irony. Sullin and Coert, both waited for the grating sound of the blade falling when the chains would be released. A clear sound like a ringing bell interrupted the ceremony. Coert¡¯s eyes flew open to see the huge guillotine blade stuck just above the prisoner, a few inches from cutting his head off. Murmurs and shouts arose in the ground as they all watched a huge curved sword stuck between the guillotine blade and the wooden bracket that held the prisoner¡¯s neck in place. Coert¡¯s mouth hung open as he saw the spectacle of a sword larger than a man and thicker than a hand across vibrate under the guillotine blade. The high pitched ringing still wormed through the parade-ground, rising far above the roar of the seas and shouts of men. The heads turned at the Sea God¡¯s Wrath shrine immediately turned at the sound of loud clops resounding across the ground. Coert swivelled his head to see a pot-bellied man alight from a green-black serrad. His short stature made it a bit challenging for him to jump from the tall animal. When he finally got down, he brushed his clothes and coaxed the long gray moustache that extended far down his lips like some thin beard. The man¡¯s sun-burnt skin peeked out from under the deep blue blazer. Coert had never seen the design before. The buttons were all far to the right side, following a straight line from shoulders to the navel. The man stroked his raised collars and coughed loudly. A smaller curved sword just like the one that had stopped the guillotine blade hung at his waist. The man took out his hands from the long sleeves that hung loose and kept it on the handle of the sword by his waist and coughed louder. ¡°Trident Deuximme Morath Je Flamrauhl¡±, The man said in a wispy voice that managed to carry over the ground in spite of the multitude of noise. Coert swivelled his head to see Morath walk slowly towards the man. He had never seen more fury in a man¡¯s face before. Hands behind his back, Morath walked up to the man, meeting him halfway on the stone walkway towards the shrine. ¡°Trident Deuximme Xiao Yin Bei¡±, Morath spat out. ¡°What business might you have here?¡± Coert¡¯s mouth hung open. He had heard of the South-Eastern Command¡¯s infamous leader before, but the image he had in his mind was vastly different from what he saw before him. He couldn¡¯t believe that the man who looked like someone¡¯s genial grandfather from the countryside could be heading one of the Empire¡¯s Navy command forces. Coert was vaguely aware that he looked like an idiot staring at Xiao¡¯s precious few wispy hair strands blowing in the wind. His bald pate shone in the sun as he gave a hearty laugh, his pot-belly shaking. ¡°Good. Me on time. No problem more¡±, Xiao¡¯s broken speech was too loud. Everyone winced as the voice threatened to tear their eardrums apart. ¡°Please explain, Trident Deuximme Xiao¡±. Morath fumes while his mouth contorted in an ugly expression. ¡°And by the gods, why are you speaking with voice magic when you are standing right across me?¡± Xiao beamed at Morath as another laugh rocked his belly. ¡°Hard of hearing. Forget to disenchant¡±, he blurted while his voice returned to normal. ¡°You see, I have come for Torr-Sullin¡±. Xiao pointed at the prisoner. ¡°There. That¡¯s his butt¡±. Coert barely managed to contain the laugh that threatened to bubble up his throat. He had always found it funny how the prisoner was held down with his face towards the seas. As a result, the entire multitude of onlookers had to watch at an ass as it trembled in fear. Morath¡¯s eyebrows knitted together as he stared daggers at Xiao. His impressive stature towered over the old man¡¯s small frame. ¡°I have come to take Torr-Sullin. He work for me now¡±, Xiao muttered while tightening his belt. Once again he stroked his gray moustache while he gave an affable smile. ¡°So, Trident Deuximme Morath, release him¡±. Dark clouds took over Morath¡¯s face. He pointed his trembling finger at the old man while he seethed, ¡°The South-Eastern command has no control over what the Southern Command does¡±. Realizing the lapse in front of his men, Morath controlled himself. ¡°Surely, you do not expect Southern Command to listen to your tiny navy¡±, his voice had taken on the dangerous tint of a man who condensed his anger, building upon it in layers. Xiao still had the unflappable smile plastered on his face. His slanted eyes twinkled as he turned backwards. ¡°Aide Lin¡±, He called out. A woman stepped forward as if materialising from the shadows. The hasty murmurs told Coert that he wasn¡¯t the only one who hadn¡¯t realised the existence of this woman until this moment. Where did she even...Coert¡¯s eyes traced the face of the woman. And then, Coert was surprised for the third time today. It was a goddess. At least, that is what Coert thought. Dressed in the same deep blue uniform as her superior, the woman was absolutely breathtaking. Coert gulped as he traced the buttons on her shirt passing over the voluptuous curves of her body. The woman took out a scroll from the recesses of her uniform in one fluid motion. Wordlessly, she handed over the scroll to Morath. Morath¡¯s brows crinkled as he broke open the goldenwax-seal on the document and began to read. Lin, aide to Xiao shuffled her feet. The motion made her curious dress waver; the long slits that went up to her thighs offered a glimpse of her snow-white skin and a flash of metal. Coert realised with a start that the woman was armed to the teeth. Harnesses all over her thighs carried an assortment of throwing knives and daggers. Witch. That was the second thought Coert had about Lin. He still remembered the tale of ice witch from his favourite fairy tale from childhood. He thought back to the times when he would stare at the frigid expression on her face in the book. And this woman was the same. The bridge of her nose, her lips, her eyes, everything about her seemed to be razor sharp, poised to cut even the air before her. Lin¡¯s haughty expression made Coert¡¯s breath catch. It was as if she was a living doll made by a master craftsman with years of effort as he traced each delicate line of her body on a block of unsullied ice crystals. ¡°What is this!¡±, Morath¡¯s flat voice broke Coert out of his stupor. ¡°Written order by the Trident Premier¡±, Lin spoke. Even her voice felt like a shard of jagged ice eager to draw blood. ¡°An order for acquittal for Torr-Sullin and his transfer to South-Eastern Command¡±. ¡°I can see that¡±, Morath retorted. He turned to face Xiao as he visibly gnashed his teeth, ¡°What I am asking is...why do I have to listen to a dirty Tianshan like you¡±. Lin¡¯s jaws tightened as she stared at Morath. That simple action made Coert¡¯s heart skip a beat. So...beautiful, Coert gasped in his mind. He himself was alarmed at the errant thoughts rising in the deep recesses of his mind. ¡°Trident Deuximme¡±, Xiao stepped forward, breaking the eye contact between Lin and Morath. ¡°Surely you do not wish to disregard the direct order from the head of all navy in Ebraven Empire¡±. Morath¡¯s fists tightened at his sides as he heard the words. True enough; no matter how much he detested the filthy Tienshans, this was a direct order from the Trident Premier, second only to the decree of the Emperor. ¡°You dirty Tianshans¡±, Morath fumed. ¡°I can¡¯t trust you lot. One day I will prove the connection between your lot and the Order of Rolsberg. Just you wait, you fogey old bastard¡±. Lin sprang like a tiger. In a moment, the slender sword at her waist had jumped to her hands, poised at Morath. Before anyone could even comprehend what was happening, Xiao slammed his bare hand on Lin¡¯s wrist. Her sword slipped from her hands and clattered on the stone walkway. ¡°You!¡± Morath stammered. ¡°You tried to kill me!, you little Tiansh¡ª¡± ¡°Pardon my daughter¡¯s lapse in judgement¡±, Xiao made a deep bow. ¡°She is still young and gets upset at the insult of her people¡±. ¡°Insult? What insult?¡± Morath seethed, ¡°the Tianshans are the enemy!¡± Xiao smiled, the crow¡¯s feet around his eyes crinkled. ¡°Our people have given up fighting the Empire a long time ago. What can even a small island do against the vast machinations of the Ebraven Empire?¡±. He bent to pick up the sword his daughter Lin had dropped. He groaned as the action made his hips creak. ¡°The Tianshans, for all intent and purposes are now loyal subjects of the Ebraven Empire. Even the Emperor recognises the fact. Therefore, South-Eastern Command, though it might be the smallest is an instrument carrying out the Empire¡¯s will. Nothing more, nothing less¡±. Morath snorted. His mouth quirked up as he spat on the ground. ¡°Truth is, you people have nowhere to go. Even your mainland has abandoned you lot¡±. Lin shook like a leaf. Her icy countenance had gained a shade of deep scarlet. Her fingers clutched the wingless dragon motif that wound all the way from her right sleeve, snaking around her neck to her left shoulder. ¡°Lin¡±, Xiao urged. The woman bowed her head. Her luxurious inky hair fell forward, the ends of the waist-length tresses touched the ground. Morath stared at Lin for a few moments before wrenching his gaze away. ¡°Xiao¡±, He growled. ¡°One day. One day I will prove your connection to the Rolsberg Order. And then...¡± Morath snarled, ¡°You and your little navy will be finished¡±. ¡°No such thing¡±, Xiao replied unperturbed while he kept his hands on Lin¡¯s trembling shoulder. ¡°The South-Eastern command has not had any unlawful contact with the Order¡±. Xiao patted Lin¡¯s shoulders, urging her to get up. ¡°Now, if you excuse us¡±, he nodded at Morath. Morath¡¯s brows knit together while Lin stood straight up, her eyes focusing on the prisoner lying prone on the shrine. The woman took a deep breath before taking a strange stance with her left feet forward. Her legs and the daggers around it were in full view as the slit dress did little to conceal what lay beneath. Her hands drew two small iron instruments out of the leather belts she wore. She pointed her hands towards the prisoner, each hand holding one of the curious objects. Her hands thundered with a flash of fire. The loud boom spread across the field as smoke spewed out of the iron rods in her hand. A dull sound echoed from under the crimson gate where the prisoner lay. His sudden frantic movement laid no doubts that whatever the woman did, it had broken the iron chains on the man¡¯s hands, setting him free. The prisoner shook his hands, the last remaining vestiges of his shackles jangled in delight. ¡°What¡±, Morath¡¯s mouth hung open. ¡°What was that?¡± Xiao smiled, his hands disappearing under the loose ends of his long sleeves. ¡°Pistols¡±, He replied. ¡°The dwarves made some interesting things out of the Huenxian Firepowder we use for fireworks¡±. The appearance of the new weapon had thrown the ground into disarray. The power of that weapon was no joke, tearing thick iron chains apart. People stared in utter shock at the smoking barrels and the dangerous woman holding it. ¡°Take your prisoner¡±, Morath ordered before striding away. ¡°You!¡± He pointed at Coert, ¡°accompany them¡±. Xiao bowed at Morath before urging Lin to follow him. The two were walking towards the shrine when Morath called them from behind. ¡°Why were you pretending to not know the language well?¡± he asked. A radiant smile broke through Xiao¡¯s face as he replied, ¡°Fare thee well, Trident Deuximme¡±. He promptly turned and hastened for the shrine. Coert saluted Morath before following the father-daughter pair. Coert couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Lin. He walked in a confused daze as his eyes undressed Lin again and again in his mind. Her slender nape, the sway of her hips, the slit in her dress that showed off her curves, all of it bewitched him like some forbidden spell of the faerie queene, long forgotten and lost. ¡°I¡¯ll gouge your eyes out¡±, Lin Xiao Yin Bei spat without even turning around. Her fingers already played with a triangular throwing knife peculiar to the Huenxan people, the cluster of kingdoms the Tienshan people called their mainland. Coert gulped, unable to retort. He quietly followed the pair with his eyes towards the ground. His cheeks burned in shame. Coert¡¯s fists tightened as he derided himself in his mind for acting docile like a child in the flush of his first love. The sounds of footsteps stopped. Coert looked up to see the prisoner sitting cross-legged on the ground with his back leaning on the wooden chopping block that held his neck down but moments ago. Sullin¡¯s dilated pupils stared at the three. His brows were scrunched together as it tried to make sense of what happened. ¡°Torr-Sullin Seth Foyal¡±, Xiao said with a smile, ¡°congratulations¡±. Sullin tilted his head while his mouth hung had hung open. He jangled the remnant of his chains in his hands, running his fingers over the broken ends. His mouth gasped like a fish out of water in absolute silence. Sullin looked back at the crimson gate once before blinking at Xiao. ¡°Con...congratulations?¡± he rasped while his eyes flitted between Lin and Xiao. His eyes went wide when he noticed the curved sword Xiao wore. ¡°Yes. You, promoted. High Grunter¡±, Xiao strained while he touched the handle of the massive sword still lodged between the guillotine blade and the wooden block. The sword rippled as cracks like spider web ran through the metal, the faint Huenxan inscription etched on the blade glowing with spilled red light. Before Coert could blink, the humongous blade shrank to the size of its twin hanging by Xiao¡¯s waist. With the sword gone, the heavy guillotine blade fell forward with a dull thud. It chewed through the wood block, its shimmering surface reflected sunlight like a metal curtain. ¡°Bisakh-Forpis Traellan Kargris¡±, Xiao whispered while he read the Aruvahn inscription on the guillotine blade, ¡°Bisakh¡¯s wrath is justice¡±. Xiao turned to face Lin. ¡°Our new High Grunter hurt. Please help him, aide Lin¡±. Lin squinted at Sullin lying on the ground. She rolled her eyes before touching one of her slender fingers to her hair. Coert¡¯s mouth had a tight smile as her hair moved on their own accord, tying themselves up in two small buns on two sides of her head. A further tap of her fingers sent a single thin tail of hair loose from each of the buns that hung just past her shoulders. Coert¡¯s mouth went dry. He had tried to learn magic once. He knew just how precise and delicate the caster¡¯s controlled needed to be to be able to perform such flawless manipulation. Lin pulled Sullin up roughly, wrapping his hand around her shoulders. She let him lean on her while he limped on his broken leg. ¡°Now then¡±, Xiao smiled radiantly at Coert, ¡°Please pass Trident Deuximme Morath my regards¡±. ¡°Wh...why?¡± Sullin stuttered as he leaned in Lin. ¡°Why save me?¡± ¡°Because, Torr-Sullin¡±. Xiao clasped his hands behind his back as he walked to the end of the platform of the shrine, ¡°I need you. I am searching for someone. His name is Rigel. Bring him to me¡±. Sullin¡¯s went rigid. His jaws clenched hard while he stared hard at Xiao. ¡°I¡¯ll break your hands if you try to cop a feel¡±, Lin warned Sullin. ¡°Relax your hands or I¡¯ll remove them for you¡±. A loud noise drowned Sullin¡¯s reply. Two huge ships had sailed into the open sea not much far from the crimson gate. Hidden by the cliffs, they had been able to stay out of sight just before they came upon them. The ships each had a single massive sail with another smaller one. Coert¡¯s cry of alarm died down in his throat as he saw the sails. The dusty red sails were ribbed like a fish¡¯s fin. A black dragon was painted on each of the main sails. The same wingless eastern dragon emblazoned on Lin and Xiao¡¯s uniforms. ¡°Lin¡±, Xiao murmured while looking over his shoulders. ¡°We left the Serrads¡±. Lin just nodded while watching the ships drop anchor. The single-decked ship manoeuvred fast like a Kivala, its low deck almost lapping at the sea water. ¡°How many is this one?¡± Xiao asked while scratching his cheeks. ¡°47th Serrad you forgot to bring back¡±, Lin sighed. ¡°Leave it. This one is just a rental¡±. ¡°Before that, Lin¡±. Xiao whispered something in their tongue. Coert strained his ears to catch the conversation. He knew that Morath had sent him to listen in on them and report everything back. Lin flashed a smile at Coert. She stretched her slender fingers towards Coert¡¯s cheek, barely brushing it. Coert tried to draw back in sudden alarm but froze in his tracks, held into place by the woman¡¯s glacial gaze. A jarring shock ran through him as if he was electrocuted. Coert¡¯s mind blanked out for a moment, dark fogs wormed and entangling inside his head, probing and squirming. He had a vague feeling that he forgot something important, something he had heard just now. Something...I....some name...Rigel, He tried to hold on to the thought before it escaped him but soon, the haze in his mind settled. The frays in his mind knit back without leaving a trace. He shook his head . Eh? What just happened? He stared dumbfounded at Lin, convincing himself her smile just before was an illusion. ¡°Lin¡±, Xiao barked. The woman walked forward while dragging Sullin. By now, the tide had already climbed to their shins. With sharp cracking sounds, spiderwebs began to form on the sea-water. Within moments, a film of translucent white had formed on the water as it frosted over. Thick ice stretched in a narrow walkway. It cut through the sea to where the ships moored in wait for their Trident Deuximme. Loud exclamations told Coert he wasn¡¯t the only one shocked when Xiao, Lin and Sullin stepped off the shrine and walked through the middle of the sea. The figures of the three soon vanished as the warm sea and the merciless sun melted the ice-bridge behind them. Their walking figures went out of sight due to the fog rising from the warming ice. Coert strained his eyes hard to discern Lin¡¯s figure among the white. What am I even thinking? he chided himself. Someone who can freeze an ocean wouldn¡¯t drown. He sighed as he turned back. Still, an Ice Witch. I was right. Coert scratched the back of his neck with his mind hard at work, But still, it feels like I am forgetting something...
Please rate and review How to Survive a Summoning here. Please go to the link and give out the stars and write a review if you want! It helps me to conjure more of the writing energy to write more chapters! LINK Chapter 23: Surviving Sandstorms. Recap: After their shipwreck and eventual laborious and danger-frought climb up a steep cliff, Rigel and Faeve pass out due to to fatigue. Before that however, Rigel notices what lay ahead of them and is terrified. Chapter 23: Surviving Sandstorms ¡°Oh, how must the fates laugh¡± -Inscription on the Sourvgh Tablet, recovered 5569 A.C., site of the First City Kahrn. Someone once told me that our mind was like a bucket with a hole. Strange, how we lose the memories of our childhood as we grow older. I don¡¯t really remember much of my earliest school. But for some reason, I remember two things. The old Kurada-sensei and the swing-set in the little playground. Being the only non-Japanese kid in class wasn¡¯t easy. Schoolchildren are some of the cruelest creatures, a belief I still keep even after coming to this world. I used to get picked on a lot and they wouldn¡¯t even let me play with them. Whenever I sat crying, Kurada-sensei would come over and pat my head and in his heavily accented English would try to talk to me. ¡°Rigeru-kun, life is like a mountain. When you climb up, you can look down and be happy to see the distance you have crossed. So work hard, and don¡¯t fret¡±, he would say in his quaking voice. I have forgotten most things from my childhood, but for some reason, his words stuck with me. There was something incomparably sad about Kurada-sensei. Whether it was the fact that he lost his grandkids in an earthquake, or whether his frail, sickly form, I could never tell. Today, after so long, I remembered Kurada-sensei, with his bug-eyed glasses and white, wispy hair. I knew why. A deep sigh escaped me as I prepared to face reality. Denial never really works, does it? ¡°Kurada-sensei, you were wrong¡±, I muttered as I looked down. ¡°The view from this mountain is fucking depressing¡±. Faeve stared slack-jawed, much like me. The situation was worse than she had expected. Much worse. Catastrophic, in fact. ¡°So¡­¡± my own voice sounded tired to me. Faeve¡¯s mumbles didn¡¯t make any sound. Her face was flushed red from the heat, sweat trickled down her brow. Her head snapped towards me, ¡°We are out of luck, humankin¡±. So we are. ¡°How do we get down?¡± I grated. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡±, She mumbled, ¡°I have never crossed Arhan Canyon¡±. The wind picked up again. Below us, steep limestone cliffs extended far into the opposite horizons. Innumerable little canyons formed a maze, their ochre and orange surfaces steaming in the sun. The long rock formations twisted and turned like rivers, only bone dry. Small dust bowls sprang up everywhere as we stared, dissipating almost immediately as they had appeared. Small hills, larger than the others broke through the surface in irregular formations, like some giant whales had breached the ocean surface, and rested under the sun. As wind howled through the canyon, shrill whistles spread through the air. We kept watching as the sound reached a crescendo. ¡°Cries of the fallen¡±, Faeve sputtered, ¡°they are called¡±. The shrill cries were almost unbearable now. Faeve mused in a sad voice, as if lost, ¡°The holes in the rocks¡±. She pointed ad oddly shaped spires rising from the arid, yellowish landscape. ¡°Those have countless little holes. The wind cries like this went it blows through¡±. As if in confirmation, the sounds died down as the wind stilled. But they didn¡¯t stop. The whistles bounded between the canyons, as if searching for something it had lost. The air shimmered above the rocks while they gave off heat borne of the sun. ¡°Fuck¡±, I cursed loudly. ¡°Indeed¡±, Faeve agrred. We had both passed out cold last night after the climb. When I had woken up, I saw Faeve stare at the canyon, her eyes wide. I already knew what lay there, having seen it the ight before. But with all my might I had prayed what I saw was a trick of moonlight and shadows. But it wasn¡¯t meant to be. ¡°Any plans?¡± I asked Faeve, ¡°we need to go down somehow¡±. Her brow scrunched up, deep in thought. But it wasn¡¯t necessary to ask her. I too saw the sheer drop from the cliff we were standing in. The other side was a steep surface, culminating in a few sparse vegetation at the foot of the cliff. My head swam as I gazed downwards; small rocks and boulders lay strewn at the foot. And beyond that, the wasteland. How the fuck do we climb down this? ¡°Can you grow wings?¡± I asked Faeve. Can¡¯t hurt to ask, can it? She stared at me like I wanted her kidneys. Both of them. I splayed my hands. Come on! Can¡¯t a chap make a joke around here? Faeve stood up from her kneeling position. The leather gear groaned a soft murmur of protest. Wind whipped at her sun-kissed hair. A deep sigh escaped her lips while she crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°In case you haven¡¯t noticed, I can not use Beastmeld magic. So, no wings¡±. Woah, she answered that seriously. A faint irritation creeped into my mind. Hers? Probably. I was feeling something else. I was fucking pissed. What the hell was this Elf thinking? We climbed up without a plan and now what? ¡°Not like anything has gone according to plans. Nothing¡±, Faeve snapped back, ¡°None of these were in my plans¡±. Her barely contained anger boiled over like a kettle. I stared at her quavering face. It was strange, really. Lately, I have been able to tell apart the different shades in her emotions. Earlier, all I could feel was a mass of resentment from her, but now¡­ She whipped her face away from me, breaking the eye contact. My stomach dropped while waves of emptiness gnawed at my insides. Who has changed? Is it her? Or me? She dragged her feet as she played with the leather buckles of her dagger holsters. Her voice was hollow when she spoke, ¡°I do not know, Eridan. I do not know¡±. Silence stretched between us again as we stared at the landscape before us. We kept searching for a way to get down, a crevice, a ledge...anything. Meanwhile, the sun beat down mercilessly on the canyon without a river. The wind picked up suddenly, bellowing up the cliff we were standing on. ¡°Fuck¡±, I cursed loudly as red sand whipped at our faces. I blinked to get the dust out of my eyes. The canyon was rife with mini dust storms, born of an arid landscape and twisting windways. I sat up with my back to the howling winds. A beat later, Faeve followed suit, keeping her eyelids shut. The sands stung our skin where it was exposed, little pinpricks erupting on our bodies. Guess it¡¯s better than going into our eyes. ¡°Those sandstorms¡±, Faeve said with jaws clenched so as not to let the sands in, ¡°strip one of their skin and flesh, till only the bones are left. Many a life has been¡ª¡±. She coughed out some of the sand that had creeped inside her mouth, ¡°lost trapped into the sandstorms of Arhan Canyon¡±. ¡°People cross this?¡± I asked. ¡°There are desert-dwelling tribes in some parts. But more important than that¡ª¡± Faeve rubbed her neck, ¡°this is a site of pilgrimage for a lot of people¡±. She lay flat on the ground as the winds got even wilder. The winds on top of a cliff were always strong, but this particular one had a characteristic of sending the winds barreling upwards, hitting us like a gale. She gestured me to get down as well. What is she¡ª The wind hit me full on the face. Sand barreled into my mouth in a torrent. I fell on my knees coughing, the sand threatening to go further into my windpipe with every wheezing breath I took. I held my head down and rode out the ordeal. I spat out mouthfuls of sand-mixed saliva. As my body wracked with spasms, I lay myself flat on the ground. We lay on our stomachs as the winds danced over us with red sands. In a few moments, the sky was dyed crimson. Sunlight grew dim under the blanket of whirling sand, shadows cast through a red veil. The storm beat us with its thousand earthen fangs. The only reason we were safe was because we were near the edge, most of the gale blew overhead. A pained whimper brought me back to my senses. Faeve lay on the ground in a fetal curl, shivering. Lines of red crisscrossed her skin. Oh shit. I was spared the full brunt of it due to my armour. Faeve had lost hers, so the sands assaulted her thin vest. Moreover, both our clothes had grown ragged from the torture we put ourselves through. The sand opened lines of blood across her limbs and nape, making her whimper every time as they bit into her. I dragged myself near her, battling against the blinding sands. She stiffened as I pressed up against her. I can¡¯t take off my armour, so¡­ Her body looked so little, so frail as she tried to guard against all that assailed her. I embraced her awkwardly, putting her trembling hands inside the gap between our bodies. Faeve resisted, trying to break away. I hissed at her loudly, above the sounds of the storm. She stiffened for a moment and then relented, cuddling up close to me. Our faces were mere centimeters from each other. Our breaths mingled, Faeve¡¯s warmth pressing up against my body. The storm raged with rustlings of a thousand snakes. For some odd reason, I could hear her heartbeats. They wound up like clockwork, tensed. Even her breaths fell in ragged gasps. Numbing warmth was filling my veins as her thoughts flowed into me. ¡°Faeve¡±, I spat. Stop this¡ª She interrupted me, ¡°I know. I hate you enough. But this connection¡­gods, it is difficult¡±. The winds drowned us again, both our voices, and our thoughts. The storm raged on for a while. Lying so close to each other was¡­tough. I mean, she was a very attractive woman no doubt. Being in close proximity didn¡¯t help either. She was¡ª Faeve trembled as my thoughts sidled into her brain. An image flashed into my mind. A face. Distorted by lust and all that was ugly within. A room, dark and damp where a beast loomed over me. It would strip away all that I was, all that I¡ªNO! NO! NO! Faeve¡¯s whimper brought me back to reality. My fingers felt strangely warm. Bright red blood spotted my nails. In midst of my daydream I had dug hard in Faeve¡¯s arm. Daydream? I looked at Faeve. Her forest green eyes stared back at me unblinking. That¡¯s¡­that was me, wasn¡¯t it? The beast. Is that how she saw me that night in the ship? A hot lump lodged was lodged in my throat. All the same, I held her closer. After all, this was the least I could do. Yes,after what I did¡ª I knew. I knew some of this was the connection that wanted me to protect her. But¡­how much of it was the connection? I had started to doubt for a while. Where is the line, what is the tree making us feel and what¡­what are my own? ¡°Misplaced¡±, Faeve coughed. ¡°I can offer you none¡±. My eyebrows scrunched up. Hmm? What is she¡ª ¡°Redemption¡±. She dug her face in to avoid the stray sands, ¡°there isn¡¯t any. For both of us¡±. A harsh laugh echoed in my mind. It increased in volume till it echoed off the insides of my skull. A whimper escaped me. Or¡­was it Faeve? I didn¡¯t know¡­What, why¡­ The laughter was joined by a few others. Young. Old. Male. Female. All of them laughed, their shrill voices giving away to sobs. Who¡­was it me? Faeve¡­tears rolled down her cheeks as her little body trembled. I screamed in Faeve¡¯s voice as the souls, the voices inside me grated my mind. They chanted something indistinct. I knew. I knew it was something horrific, like a curse. ¡°Redemption. Redemption. Redemption¡±, their chants grew clearer as bile ran up my throat¡­.No, no¡­ Faeve slapped me. The hit was hard enough to make my cheek flare up in pain. ¡°Get a hold of yourself!¡± she screamed. ¡°Don¡¯t go insane, you piece of shit¡±. ¡°I need Khaginar Wine¡±, I groaned into the sand. My breaths sent little specks flying. ¡°You hit hard, woman¡±. There was a tense silence. The sands twisted above us like a stream of red locusts, swerving, turning upon itself like a living swarm. All at once, the wind died. The sand fell upon us like rain. Damn this hurts! We lay flat as the sands assaulted our bodies in an unceasing rain. Faeve¡¯s grip on my arms tightened. When had she¡ª? ¡°Like you said, humakin¡±. She whispered in a tight voice, ¡°Pain and hatred is the only thing we can offer each other¡±. When we got up, we had a few inches of sand smothering us. The sands fell away in a rustle as I stood¡ªdammit! Some of them went into my clothes. Faeve brushed off the sand as she watched me do an awkward dance to get rid of the sands that had gone inside my shirt. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± I grumbled. ¡°Watching you do a tribal dance¡±, Her lips gave way to a tight grin, ¡°you got some sands in your underwear, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Fuck you¡±. Below us, the canyon was still rife with sandstorms. Parts of it were still under crimson dust clouds. I spat out some sand that that got into my mouth, the spit came out reddish. And above all that, now that the hellish storm above us had abated, rose the piercing cry of the whistles. ¡°They say the sands are red because they drank blood¡±, Faeve whispered while brushing off the remnants of the sand. The rustle of the falling sands stopped for a moment as she squinted into the distance. ¡°The blood of the fallen¡±. I kneeled down and took off my leather boots. The familiar brown shoe came off with a tired squeak. I upturned the left one. How the hell? Red sand, more in volume than my entire foot came pouring out. I gave them a good shake to remain any last vestiges. The right one however¡­it had visibly torn a lot. It was always the case even back on earth, someone had said because my right feet were a bit bigger than the left one. The soft leather had parted in places, revealing the white layer underneath. I watched as the sand trickled out to form a small mound on the cliff. I could sense Faeve¡¯s eyes behind me, watching. ¡°The leather from the Spire-Master in Salrest¡±, I sighed, ¡°took me a lot of tries to get this much. Fucking carcass vanished quick¡±. She said nothing, choosing to look at the cliff we were standing on instead. The cliff we stood on had to be at least five hundred meters across, and stretched far into the distance. Though the edges looked roughed from the beach, the top was pretty smooth. The regular sandstorm must have shorn away the top to make it somewhat smooth. Standing on top of it made me realize for the first time what Faeve had meant. This was a wall. A titanic one at that. Whatever the wall had wanted to keep out must have been¡­enormous. Come to think of it¡ª I looked at Faeve¡¯s sand-caked figure standing with her arms on her chest. I snapped my fingers, ¡°Oi Sand-Elf¡± Faeve tore her head away from her musing and faced me. Looks like she didn¡¯t realize what I called her. ¡°I did¡±, She grated. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What fought here?¡± I sputtered while I put on my boots. I need a new pair, and soon. ¡°I mean, you keep saying ¡®fallen¡¯, right?¡± She looked at me as if I was something unbelievable. Her eyebrows scrunched up, she shook her head in a dismissive gesture. ¡°Have I told you that your ignorance is stupefying?¡±. ¡°Only a few thousand times¡±. Faeve snorted in barely contained disdain. ¡°Remember. Third Landing. Metal Puppets¡±. I nodded my head at her. The sand deposited by the storm had started to heat up. By now, the sky had cleared of any storms and the sun beat down on us in its full glory. I snapped my fingers as things clicked. ¡°The lost generation? The betrayers?¡± my voice sounded scratchy. My parched throat had choked up from all the talking. ¡°Aye¡±, Faeve confirmed. ¡°A combined army of Moon Elves, Humans and beastkins¡±. She traced the pattern on her dagger-hilt as the whistles from the valley tore through the cliff-top. ¡°This is where they fought the metal puppets¡±. She winced as the whistles grew sharper. ¡°And died. All of them¡±. I jumped to my feet as the sand beneath my outstretched legs had grown too hot. My knees creaked like an old man¡¯s. Not surprising, considering how much I abused my own body. Ugh, I did an awkward crab-like side-step again. Bloody sands! No matter how much I struggled, the sands inside my clothes wouldn¡¯t go away. The whistles now cried in a fitful, quavering song as the gale blew in frantic bursts. The mournful tune was gradually overpowering the roar of the storm. ¡°They say you can still find old bones and armour in caverns and crevices in the canyon¡±. Her forlorn voice drifted atop the cliff, mingling with the other desolate tone in the canyon, the whistle. I stretched my limbs, making the joints pop in a relaxed habit. ¡°So, the pilgrimage you mentioned¡­¡± I trailed off as I saw Faeve nod. Beads of sweat were forming on her brow. Heh. Even if the call themselves Sun-Elves¡­ ¡°The pilgrimage is people to seek forgiveness from the gods for the ¡®sin¡¯ their ancestors committed. Pilgrimage of betrayal, the humans call it, I believe. The Moon-Elves however¡­¡±, Faeve put her palm up to guard against the sun as se squinted at something far away. ¡°They come to honour their ancestors who fought against the gods. They cry and offer blood, singing praises all the while¡±. She stalked slowly towards the edge of the cliff presumably to get a better view of whatever she was looking at. ¡°Oh and¡±, Her voice carried a whiff of irritation, ¡°even if we are Sun-Elves, we would sweat in a desert¡±. I arched my eyebrows as I cracked the joints on my fingers. Pop! The little cracking sounds were surprisingly loud. ¡°I thought the Moon-Elves reconciled with you guys and did a pilgrimage in your city?¡± ¡°Their pilgrimage starts from Olyelnore Ur¡¯van. After that they cross the Mountain of Forest and a fringe of Arrhan Canyon to offer pilgrimage near a distant part of the Wall¡±. She gave a light chuckle that gave off no mirth. ¡°Reconciled? Never. They were just suppressed in the war. Their pilgrimage to Arrhan Canyon is officially to seek forgiveness from the gods. But, we all know what it is actually about. Elders just turn a blind eye because no one wants another all-out war, though some would gladly crush the Moon-Elves¡±. I sauntered over to stand beside Faeve. She apparently hadn¡¯t realized I stood behind her so she jolted up, her dagger halfway out of the sheath. She relaxed when she saw me standing with both my hands towards the sky. Her eyebrows scrunched up. ¡°I know what you are trying to do since I can read your mind, but¡±. She sheathed her dagger again, ¡°That is not a gesture of surrender. Mages do that to bring down thunder¡±. ¡°Yeah, I knew that¡±, I chuckled lightly. ¡°Someone attacked me in the past because of it¡±, I said with a sigh. I felt a pained smile crack my lips as I remembered Karro. I hadn¡¯t known it then, but when I had first met him, I made a terrible mistake. I put up my hands in a surrender, but this world being different, he had thought I was trying to call down thunder. And so, happened our first fight. Karro¡­ My head drooped as I his face, whiter than paper came to my mind. Karro, who I killed with my own hands. I jerked up to see Faeve stare at me with her eyes wide open. She took a step back, and then seemed to hesitate for some reason as she stood rooted on the spot. The cliff-top was deathly silent, save for the sounds of our clothes flapping in the wind. I ran my fingers through my hair as I held back the bitter fluids that had run up my throat. ¡°Redemption¡±, I parroted back at her what she said some time ago, ¡°it is not for us¡±. Yeah. I killed Karro with these very¡ªI held up the palms up to my face¡ªhands. Faeve clutched her shirt as her head dropped down. An alabaster palm on her mouth, she gulped something down. Unable to resist it, she spat out a mouthful of green liquid. Wiping her mouth with her sleeves she accused, ¡°I do not need any of your thoughts, Humankin. I already¡ª¡± Her hands feel loose beside her powerlessly, ¡°I have enough of my own. Enough to hate myself¡±. ¡°I didn¡¯t choose this¡±, I splayed my hands. ¡°Stop blaming me every single time¡±, I said while my hand scurled into a fist. I¡­I can¡¯t be blamed for this, can I? I kicked a stone from the edge of the cliff. No! I watched as the stone went sailing into the canyon below. This elf should stop¡ª ¡°Neither did I¡±, She shot back, interrupting my thoughts. ¡°Yet here you are, eating away at my mind¡±. She spat some more bile on the sand. Her fine features twisted into an ugly, savage expression. Snarling, she twisted her body away from me. I could hear my teeth gnash against each other. She does have the right to get angry, but¡­where does she get off thinking she is the only victim? Who the fuck wanted this bloody fucking connection? Waves of heat built up inside me, till the anger felt like it would boil my skin off. I stared straight into her eyes, ¡°Look, you little¡ª¡± Faeve was trembling. Her face had gone white, whiter than anyone¡¯s face should ever be. I felt her fear. The connection didn¡¯t have to carry it over to tell me how afraid she was. Not that it stopped. I felt a part of the fear she felt while I approached her in rage. She held her head in her hands, covering her ears. Her whimpers brought me back to my senses. She¡­does she think covering her ears would save her? She stared up at me fitfully. I could see the fear cloud her eyes, No, not just that¡ªanger. Rage bled into her as she looked on. Rage born of my mind. At the same time, I saw on her face the shame. Shame at the realization she was being controlled by the connection between us to feel what she felt. Goddamit! I broke eye contact. This girl won¡¯t even let me¡ªI breathed in and out to calm myself down. She is right. I needed to check my emotions not only for myself, but for her as well. I had already seen how my mania could careen her off the edge, making it perilous for both of us. That¡¯s right. Deep, I closed my eyes as I reminded myself, in and out, in¡ªand¡ªout, like the counselor said. A small smirk broke through my face as I laughed at the irony of the situation. The counselor had also warned me against self-medication, didn¡¯t he? But look at me popping Shivang and Apopris like it was nothing. Well, not that I had much of a choice. They were the closest things to anti-depressants this world had to offer. And, I need them. Badly. I opened my eyes slowly, closing them immediately. Tch! The sunrays stung my eyes, making me blink. I peered over the edge to look at what Faeve was intently staring at. Looking from the top only served to impress the sheer magnitude of the wall. What looked like a cliff from down below revealed itself for the artificial construct it really was. Nature had played no part in its formation, judging from its steep, unnatural sides and the topography. I tracked Faeve¡¯s eyes following the slight bend in the otherwise straight heading of the wall. Jagged rock formations dotted the cliff at random intervals with their streaks of darker hue reminiscent of claws against the reddish surface. The frequent sandstorms had painted the inner side of the bone-white cliffs a bloody shade of red. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± I strained while I cracked the finger-joints on my other hand. She pointed at the green shrubbery growing on some of the precarious ledges on the inner wall of the cliff. Small branches and brambles poked through the red rocks, almost hidden from view. It might not have been created by nature, but she sure as hell was doing what she could to claim it. Huh? I noticed something else within the jagged rocks. Squinting my eyes didn¡¯t help. Wasn¡¯t I supposed to have better sensory perception from the connection? Why not¡ª ¡°Our connection still is not as ideal as it should be¡±, Faeve wearied. ¡°For now, the sensory perceptions might just be enforced only during battles, when your life it as risk¡±. Just mine, huh? ¡°Faeve?¡± I couldn¡¯t stop myself asking. ¡°Mmm?¡± ¡°Why do you hate yourself as well?¡± She froze hearing my question. It was as if she even forgot to breathe. Her hands gripped the hilts of her daggers. I could see a deathly pall come over her face as she, for the second time smiled the most heartbreaking smile I have ever seen. Her eyes were like deep pools with a forest, age-old with all the moss it had accumulated over time. With those eyes of restrained sorrow, she looked at me. ¡°Because¡±, She mumbled, ¡°I am every bit as despicable as you are¡±. For the second time today, I broke the eye contact. Her sigh told me what she had expected in that brief moment. I¡­I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t get involved. Unknown to me, my arms had clenched tightly by my side as I turned away. Sorry, Faeve. I am can not the hero you want me to be. I never was. The wind picked up again and carried with it the sound of shrill whistles. Faeve swiveled on her feet and started walking without warning. Taken aback, I followed her in a moment. Our footsteps scraped against the ground, a defiant opposition to the desultory whistles. ¡°Why are we¡ª¡± I coughed as a fresh mouthful of sand blasted into my mouth due to the wind. The grit scraped against the insides of my mouth, the sand crunching between my teeth. ¡°going?¡± I managed to complete as I spat it out of my mouth. ¡°On top of those cliffs¡±, she pointed again where I fancied seeing something. She shut her mouth against the wind, choosing to walk without a word. She shielded her eyes against the strong draft carrying sand with it. I strained my ears to hear the rest of her words which the wind ate away. ¡°Not ¡®where¡¯, ¡®why¡¯¡± I groaned, noticing her mistake. It was getting increasingly difficult to converse with the roaring drafts. Faeve walked on without a reaction. I strained to reach above the howling winds, ¡°WHY, WHY¡±. She inclined her head at me, making a half turn whiel she walked. A moment later, she nodded, realization dawning on her face. Faeve said something, her words were stolen away. ¡°WHAT?¡± I shouted again. Faeve opened her mouth before closing it again. She chewed her lips before putting up one hand to ask me to wait. Without waiting for my response, she turned away and continued on her path. We walked on the wall, the world at our feet. Horizons encircled us in an infinite circle. Azure was the sky above us, hiding its two moons in it¡¯s bosom. The dark band of the ring stretched across the sky. The sea raged on one side, and the canyon on the other. Two deserts, one of water and other of red sands, separated by a wall of white. Rocks and pebbles skittered away from our footsteps, the occasional crunch a stark punctuation to the wind¡¯s rage. Our walk brought us to the top of the cluster of delicate ledges and jagged rock formations. Faeve peered down into the ledge, a tight smile on her lips. My eyebrows rose at her reaction. What is she plann¡ª The stench hit me like an invisible freight train. The malodor curled around me, the vileness of it all made me gag. Rotting meat? Food? Dead animals? I pondered as my head swam with the sudden onslaught of hideous olfactory assault. I jerked my head away from the ledge in reflex, beating a hasty retreat away from it. Ugh¡­not good. I managed to barely contain myself from heaving up. Shaking my head to dispel the smell, I forced myself to gulp down the seawind. The bitter, sharp smell of the sea helped me to clear my senses. I had always found the sea to be unpleasant, with its stench of rotting salt and that tangible fishy smell that all the seas carried. But on this particular occasion, I was thankful for it. Faeve was still peering over the edge, unfazed by the horrific stench. She¡­an Elf¡¯s senses would practically magnify that to almost a catatonic degree, no? What the fuck was that any¡ª¡°Oi Faeve!¡± I bellowed, answers, dammit! She put a delicate finger on her lips and hissed. Huh? She sauntered over to me all the while asking me to keep quiet. When we were close enough, she pointed at the bag I had got from Icchvarrion. I unhooked it from my belt but not letting it go. Why is she silent? What¡¯s happening? I glared at her in vain; she provided no answers. Dammit! Why doesn¡¯t the fucking connection go this way too! Her hands shot out at the bag. No you don¡¯t!¡ª I grabbed her wrist before she could touch the bag. I need answers! She looked at me, her eyebrows scrunched up. Sighing, she brought her lips close to my ear. She had to stand on tip-toe to whisper, ¡°There are some vines in your bag. Take them out¡±. It was my turn to stare with rched eyebrows. Why is she whispering? What vine? Why? I pondered while I opened the bag which had turned into its own nest of horrors. Is she stupid? She saw what happened inside the bag right? Why would she¡ª My hands stopped as realization hit me. Faeve handled my stuff. My jaws hardened as I swiped the Wakizashi-dagger out of its sheath, pointing it at her. Too fucking dangerous, what is she planning? Her eyes stared back like cold jewels boring into my depths. Sighing again, she kneeled down beside me. She leaned over, her lips dangerously close to my ears again, while her hands crept towards the bag slowly. In a moment, my dagger was poised on her throat, digging into her bisque-doll like nape. She shuddered as the blade touched her skin, but made no attempts to move away. Slit her neck¡ªa jab at her heart¡ªno substantial armour¡ªeyes fine too- My thoughts were interrupted by her whisper. ¡°Calm down¡±, she grated, ¡°I could have killed you long ago if I wanted to¡±. I didn¡¯t remove the dagger yet from her neck as I waited for her explanation. Still in the same position, she spoke softly, as if afraid of someone overhearing us. ¡°The vines we climbed up by. Cut them when you were asleep. Put some in your bag because water makes it strong. Need those to climb down, Didn¡¯t take anything else¡±. I stared at her eyes in point blank range. Climb down? There? The jagged rocks and precarious ledges were still fresh in my mind. Is she mad? She didn¡¯t reply, but guided my hands to the drawstring of the bag. The sudden motion made me jolt, and dig in the dagger deeper on her throat. She let out an involuntary grunt with sharp intake of breath. Faeve waited stock still, with only a blade separating each other. A red trickle stained the upper edge of my blade and sauntered lazily down the metal. Her hands trembled over mine as I saw the thinly veiled terror in her eyes. I gestured her to back off, which she did. With feline grace, she sat on her haunches and removed her hands from mine. I stabbed the dagger straight down into the ground with force as I sighed. Ugh. For a moment, I really thought¡ª I rummaged through the bag. Well, waded would be a better term. The bag had taken in a lot of water when Faeve and I had fallen into the sea during the fight with the monster. I hadn¡¯t bothered to unload it since¡ªI was lazy. My hands shuddered when I remembered the Nogareli fish we had caught earlier was still swimming somewhere in the depths of the bag. Thankfully, the water that had gone in went through the small opening, otherwise we might have to worry about Crezets swimming inside it¡ªHow much did the bag hold anyway? I nodded at Faeve, when I found the vines. I had went in arms-deep so one of my shirt sleeves was entirely wet and dripped sea water. The stench of salt inside the bag was overbearing as I pulled out the vines. She had sure picked a lot. What the! The vines were much thicker than I remembered them to be. I guess that what she meant by water makes it stronger. A slight chill was emanating from the bag now. Okay, that¡¯s good. The familiar cold off the Curseblade permeated the entirety of the bag, assuring me that Faeve hadn¡¯t stolen it. I looked up to see Faeve splay her hands with an ¡®I-told-you-so¡¯ expression. She immediately grabbed the vine and went to affix it on a nearby rock. After testing it for strength, she wound it around her waist, holding it up for me to do the same. We really are climbing down? I looked at her walking over near the ledge. Well, I guess we have no choice, he had to climb down anyhow. But¡ª The rope¡ªIt won¡¯t reach till the bottom, would it? She stood on the ledge, waiting for me. I walked over to her, only to stop on my tracks. A red line still graced her throat. The small trickle of blood had yet to congeal. Her eyes went wide as I gestured her to stand still while I used my sleeves to wipe the blood. The slight contact made her shiver. She stared at me for a moment before shaking her head. I¡­I didn¡¯t mean to¡ª The wakizashi, still stained with her blood grew heavy on me hands. I am sorry. I gripped the hilt tighter, for I knew one thing. I will do the same thing, again and again. Trust, is one thing we can¡¯t afford. I hoped the connection would carry my thoughts to her. Seeing her eyes, I knew it did. Faeve nodded at me before gripping the vine and rappelled off the edge. She descended slowly while planting her feet firmly on the steep walls on the cliff. I followed her. The height was enough to make me dizzy. I could hear my heart thump as I looked at the canyon hundreds of feet below. One misstep, and¡­ I imagined my body laying squashed like a bug on the red dust, each bones broken by the rocks in the fall. My red blood mingling with the red of the¡ª I gripped the vine ad pushed myself off before I had more unpleasant thoughts. I stole a last look at the blue sea. Finally, I took a last mouthful of gulp of the rotten salty stench of the sea wind. The sea looked much like that day at Okinawa, with its azure sky and equally jubilant waters, the day Yuki and my world had come crashing down. Sayonara, piece of shit. I braced myself for the overpowering stench and planted my foot firm upon the jagged cliff. From top of the world, we started out descend into the red waste underneath. But, why here? I know the vine is too short to reach the end. I almost gagged at the winds carrying up the overbearing smell of rot. If we needed footholds to mitigate the length of the vines, wouldn¡¯t there be other places without such a stench? Why here? Faeve¡¯s voice had a light mirth in it when she spoke. ¡°Did not you ask me to grow wings?¡± she chuckled. ¡°Why, it might just be possible here¡±.
Rigel tossed and turned restlessly in his sleep. His body was swatched in sweat as he whimpered softly. "Wake up, sleepyhead", a soft voice assaulted him. Warmth flooded his veins as the owner of the voice sat beside him. Wearing a flowing white dress, she sat down on the abundant green grass of Rigel''s dreamscape. "A-Arin?" "Hey", Arin smiled. "long time no see". Rigel stared at her dumbstruck. Even in his dreams, she was as beautiful as the day he had first seen her. Maybe it was exactly because it was a dream. "Remember you told me about a festival in your hometown? People would dance around a tree while singing praises of a voice in the sky? Y''know, the one where a fat guy creeps into children''s bedrooms at night?" "I think you have it a bit backwards, but yes, Christmas". "Yeah. My gift please". "But you are dead, What will you do with a gift?" "That joke had been absolutely overdone", Arin simpered. "You promised" "Fine, fine. Three chapters. back to back, one each day". Arin smiled. "Yes". She drew closer to Rigel. "Forget and I won''t let you sleep at night. And no, not the good kind". Rigel smiled back. "And my gift?" Arin looked downcast. "I am dead, Rigel. I can''t-" Her eyes went wide as a thought hit her. "Oh, I know!" She giggled as she spoke, "Maybe the Readers will help. Give fiction an advanced review helps a lot in the rankings, you know? You just have to gohereand scrolldown tillyou see the stars and the empty box. Rate the category stars, write a little review, or long if you prefer and you are done! If you want to just rate the fiction, please click on the stars "Overall Score" and submit! Maybe the readers will help me in giving you such a gift...won''t they?"
If you like the series, please vote for it on TopWebFictions. No registration required, even anons can vote. Voting refreshes every seven days. Voting on one series doesn¡¯t cancel votes for the other.VOTE. Chapter 24: Surviving Holy Birds If you like the series, please vote for it on TopWebFictions. No registration required, even anons can vote. Voting refreshes every seven days. Voting on one series doesn¡¯t cancel votes for the other.VOTE.(Actually, please vote...) Chapter 24: Surviving Holy Birds ¡°We have taken their forests, their lakes, their mountains. We have raided their homes, their lands and their haunts. Is it really a wonder if the nightmares come looking for us, when we, ourselves have disturbed their domains? Alas, my wise King, the beasts have awoken, and there is no stopping them¡± -Moureth Boneshredder, Wazir to King Growveth Urk Ironthorn, Last of the Gewath Lineage of Ironthorn Kings, rulers of the free city of Parvein, 7886 A.C. Bones and ribcages littered the small outgrown ledge. Flashes of white gleamed through dark green grass, a testament to the last remains of creatures, weather-worn and polished by the elements. Maggots crawled on bones that the weather hadn¡¯t yet had the chance to divest of the last vestiges of life. Flies and gnats buzzed around stringy ligaments still attached to more recent kills. Yes. Kills. Creatures of different shapes and sizes had their lives stolen from them here. Bent and tortured ribcages jutted out from the reddish soil, their ends splintered and chewed off- a shiver ran down my spine as I thought of the teeth that had performed the carnage. Needless to say, I wanted to do nothing with creatures that could snap in half a spine thicker than my arm. But here we are, having a staring contest with the darkness inside the cave of terrors. If the smell emanating out of the cave was any indication, the inside promised to be just as gruesome. ¡°At least it¡¯s not false advertising¡±, I muttered to no one in particular. ¡°Ssssh¡±, Faeve hissed while she crouched low, her eyes intent on what lay beyond the small cavern before us. Her motionless form didn¡¯t make the faintest of noises, her eyes settled into the unnerving patience of an assassin. I grit my teeth as I stared daggers at the elf. I didn¡¯t appreciate not knowing what awaited us, particularly when that could mean our bones whitening in the sun. Like any sane person, I prefer my bones inside my body, you see. Faeve dropped flat on the ground in a flash. Wait, what just... I decided to take no chances and followed suit. The only difference? I made a lot of noise doing it. Like a garage metal band practising off-key noise. Faeve swivelled her head to stare at me like I had desecrated her grandmother¡¯s gravestone. I didn¡¯t care. I was way too pissed off not knowing what was going on. You are in my fucking head every waking hour, But I don¡¯t know jack-shit that goes on in yours. Her eyes hardened as the thought crossed my mind. I could practically see the anger clouding behind her green eyes, threatening to break loose. I don¡¯t care, I told her as much as I told myself. None of us chose this. Faeve sighed and broke off the eye contact. She leaned her ear flat on the ground listening for something. Meanwhile I tightened the clasps on my armour to tighten the weapons hanging by my side. No matter how much we disagreed, she was the assassin and if she was being cautions, there was a very good reason for it. The leather clasps refused to tighten properly so I gave it a savage yank, Come on, you piece of shit. My fingers brushed against something hard by my side. A heap of bones collapsed with a muffled clack. Small spines went skittering away from the ledge as a cloud of flies and dust erupted from the mass. The sickly sweet stench like mouldy bread and rotten meat threatened to make me gag; I had to clap my hands over my mouth not to retch. And with it, came the memories. The bonestrewn ground, the bloody entrails, the smell, all of it reminded me of the room I had created in Salrest, a room where I had left people to die. Innocent was hardly a word that could be applied to Talaviel¡¯s minions but nonetheless...No! I can¡¯t think like that! I clutched the Kivala necklace on my neck. They. They were the ones who killed my Arin. The practised anger rose in me like a torrent drowning my discomfort and guilt. Tortured, burned, and maimed her. They couldn¡¯t live, not their god, neither they. My hands dug the reddish dust unconsciously, I will¡ª ¡°Rigel¡±, Faeve called out sharply. ¡°Not the time¡±. Right. I forced myself to dispel the images in head. They wouldn¡¯t go away; after all, they had been seared into my mind over the course of the last year. Every waking hour, every dream was of Arin and what they did to her. Not the right time, I told myself over and over, Not now. Deep breaths only brought the stench of rotting meat even deeper inside me, but this time, it served to shock my mind out of the self-induced haze of wrath. I crawled with my body flat to the ground. Ribs, spines, chitin, I counted off the various skeletal remains around us as I made my way towards Faeve. ¡°Where. Are. We¡±, I spat out in a low snarl. Faeve put a finger on her lips. I stared at the humongous femur that lay behind her. The thing was wider and bigger than most two-handed swords I had seen in Salrest. Believe me, some of the blades wielded by dragonkin were even bigger than me. ¡°Answers, now¡±. I ain¡¯t going anywhere without answers. Faeve sighed as she slapped the ground softly. ¡°Fine¡±, she whispered as she stood up. Red sand grit cascaded down her body as she pointed at the cave. ¡°Follow me¡±. Surprisingly, the cave was much smaller on the inside. The wide mouth just twisted in a shallow corner to end in a small, dusty hovel barely big enough for five decent sized dinner tables. Something cackled and chirped as we entered. A thick smell of rotting meat and vomit assaulted us as we came upon what lay in the chamber. The dim light given off my glowing moss encrusting the cave¡¯s walls illuminated four skinned chickens scampering about. Red, beady eyes swivelled to face us as the clacking died down. What the fuck? One of those things gave a hoarse shriek as it tumbled towards us on its fat little legs. Now, I said ¡®chicken¡¯ but those were the size of your average pig. ¡°Sylphex chicks¡±, Faeve said while she sheathed her daggers. ¡°And?¡± I asked while I followed the furless little turkey-pig bump its head on the wall. It fell down with a soft thud but got up immediately while it shook its wrinkly little neck. ¡°I thought we could ride those down the cliff¡±. ¡°These fat little things?¡± I pointed at the bird staring stupid at the glowing moss. It tried to wrench some of the glowing blue moss by its beak. ¡°These things can hardly even walk their own lair¡±. ¡°Oh Sun-Elves do it all the time¡±, Faeve said as she kicked a human-sized femur into the gaggle of chicks. It bonked one of them in the head making it bounce off the floor. The other two birds skittered away to far corners of the cave flapping their skinless appendages. ¡°I did not realise they were this juvenile¡±. The one hit on the head made an ungodly shriek as it stared at the bone from a distance. It gathered its courage as it came close and pecked the bone savagely. The peck made the bone swivel and hit the chick from its other end. The chick ran away in fright making noises like someone gutted a pig. ¡°Now what?¡± I said with a wince as all of the three chicks started screaming and shrieking while running around the room like headless chickens. ¡°We can¡¯t wait till they grow up¡±. Faeve chewed her lips as she crossed her hands over her chest. ¡°We have to climb back up and look for another way down¡±. Again? ¡°You know, we have to move quick¡±, I grumbled as I watched the three chicks try to peck the femur to death. ¡°Wait, what did you mean Elves ride them all the time?¡± Faeve took out her dagger to slice off a piece of the glowing blue moss from the cave wall. She tossed it in her mouth and chewed slowly. ¡°Our armies tame Sylphax birds to ride them and attack from the skies¡±. She spat out the remnants of the moss, now divested of its light. She wiped the dribbling goop from her mouth with her sleeves as her face wrenched in a disgusted expression. ¡°Probably gonna have a sick stomach from this¡±. Of course, you will. Who the fuck eats glowing shit off cave walls? ¡°Vulp-head moss is pretty good for nutrition¡±, She splayed her hands, ¡°we will need lots of it if we are to cross this accursed canyon¡±. Faeve cut off another piece and offered it to me, ¡°here. Breakfast¡±.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°No thanks¡±. I retorted, ¡°It looks even worse than vegemite¡±. Faeve arched her eyebrows while she popped the piece into her mouth. Her face twisted into another grimace. Why do you even eat it if you hate it so much? I decided it would be very beneficial for me to look at the birds instead when her face shifted to an expression that looked like she wanted to snap some baby-spines and rip off their heads. The first chick was still tugging at the clump of moss on the cave wall with all the might it could muster. It tumbled backwards on its ass as its little beak couldn¡¯t hold on, as its chubby little body bounced off the floor. ¡°Say, Faeve¡±, I muttered. ¡°Hmm?¡± She whispered back. Her lithe body was bent over the floor looking at the thick white-grayish substance that covered it. ¡°How do they taste?¡± Faeve froze in the middle off picking off the white substance with her daggers. Her eyebrows scrunched up as she stared at the chunk of white in her hands. ¡°Why would you want to eat Sylphax shit?¡± ¡°No not that¡±, I retorted while I watched the little bird sidled up to me. It apparently found the shoelaces very intriguing as it started pecking them. I kicked the chick, it went squawking away bouncing off the floor covered in their own droppings. ¡°I mean these birds; we would need food to cross the canyon¡±. ¡°Sylphax are holy birds. We can¡¯t eat them¡±, Faeve said while she reversed the grip on her dagger and hammered the pommel on the thick layers of guano encrusting the cave floor. ¡°But you bonked one ¡®holy bird¡¯ on the head¡± ¡°Aye¡±, Faeve nodded with a straight face. Seriously, I don¡¯t get her logic. I sighed as I watched Faeve repeatedly hammer the guano till the soft squishy layer gave away to the hardened under-layers. With each hit, a mouldy, gut-wrenching smell spread through the cave. ¡°What¡±, I sputtered as I struggled not to throw up, ¡°what are you doing?¡± It was a fair question. You don¡¯t see a pretty girl shove pieces of bird shit into her bag like it was on sale. To be fair, I have seen women buy really weird things if they were on sale, but still never this. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be insensitive, but¡±, I backed away from Faeve to the far corner of the cave. ¡°Do you really need to pick up shit for worship or something?¡± ¡°Worship? As if¡±. Faeve snorted. ¡°Sylphax shit is good for making fires. Something we would need to survive the cold nights down in the canyon¡±. Well, that...that makes sense. Back in Salrest I had heard of people using dried animal shit as fuel but had never had the unfortunate opportunity to try myself. The holy birds started squawking in protest as Faeve stole more and more of the guano. Back on earth, Yuki kept some birds. Well, mostly mum ended up taking care of them since we were too little. The birds would shit inside the little clay pots we hung up and lay eggs over them. It was meant to be a squelchy cushion for the tender newborn chicks to remain protected in. My train of thought was broken by a rattling at one corner of the cave. A vermin jumped out from a pile of unidentified bones and went scuttling away into the depths of the dimly lit cave. The whole cave was littered with bones of various shapes and sizes eerily lit by the effervescent blue glow of moss. Like the ones outside, these too were gnawed and mangled at the ends. A horrible realisation hit me as I stared at the skeletons with stringy meat still attached to it. If there were chicks... ¡°Faeve!¡± I bellowed. ¡°Where are its parents?¡± Her hands stopped gathering the guano for amoment. ¡°Sylphax mothers don¡¯t return to the nest till sundown. As for the father¡ª¡±, her voice grated, ¡°they fly away right after mating¡±. I sighed in relief. Meeting the monsters that could reduce such humongous bones to kindling wasn¡¯t an encouraging prospect by any means. ¡°But Faeve¡ª¡± A strange noise stopped me midsentence. All the chicks had stood up in attention with their red eyes glowing. The sparse feather that dotted their naked crown had risen up while their wrinkly throats vibrated with a low, guttural cry. The cave resonated with the growl to the point that the ground itself vibrated. I grasped the hilt of my sword in alarm. ¡°Faeve, I don¡¯t like the sound of this. Let¡¯s get ou¡ª¡± My voice died down as I saw Faeve¡¯s mouth hung open. Her face had gone even paler with terror as he stared at the birds with a horrified expression on her. Oh fuck. The chicks stopped their growl as abruptly as they had begun. An eerie silence enveloped the cave only to be overwhelmed by the groaning wind as it rushed to fill the cavern. A cold sense of foreboding settled in the pits of my stomach. The hairs on the back of my neck rose in dreaded anticipation. Faeve gulped, the sound oddly loud in spite of the savage gust. A high-pitched throaty growl ripped through the cliff. I clapped my hands over my ears as the sound continued to shake the cave. The palpable murderous rage in the voice made the blood curdle in my stomach. Faeve was the first to take action. In one swift motion, she had unslung the Daharil crossbow from her back and slid bolts into it. Her jaws tightened as she crouched on the ground. The growl slowly drew closer along with an unmistakeable sound. I have heard that before... It was the sound of wings beating down air, much like the birds we had back at home, only multiplied manifolds. The ledge outside the cave was obscured from view by the twisting tunnel. I failed to grasp my sword as my palms slick with sweat slid over the metal pommel. The growl grew to an ear-splitting crescendo and suddenly choked out. The rush of wings was the only sound remained. A large thud announced that the bearer of the wings had landed on the ledge. Its huge weight made the ground rumble. Bones snapped in the distance as it stepped over the skeletons. It growled again. Growls from inside the cave responded to it, the little chicks screamed with all their might. The heavy footsteps drew closer. With the soft creak of leather Faeve drew her dagger. The scant sunlight from the entrance clouded over. Elongated shadows fell over the cave, making and made the mushrooms glow even brighter. My heart thumped against my chest like it wanted to break free. My eyes felt the shadows inch closer as I stared at the twisted turning. With one silent motion, a huge, black-beaked head burst into view. The blue light glinted off the silvery feathers that sprouted out of its crown. The birds swivelled it¡¯s long, feathery neck as a low growl shook the air, the vibrations pounding hard against my chest. It''s harsh grunts bounced off the walls as it searched frantically for something. The bird fixed its red eyes at the back of the cave where the chicks had started their infernal growling. The little chicks tumbled over each other as they rushed past our legs to meet their mother. The silver feathers on top of its head shook as it brought it beak near the skinless chicks. Its long neck dropped down to nudge the little birds, with more gentleness and care than I would have ever thought those savage beaks were capable of. Low rumbles shook the air repeatedly as the bird cooed and coaxed it¡¯s little ones. The small chicks climbed and ran all around their mother, pecking her feathers. However, that scene didn¡¯t last long as soft shuffle beside me brought me back to my senses. Faeve was slack jawed as she hands shook. Sweat beaded her temples and ran down her fair skin. A tinge of extreme fear ran through me as our connection gave me a measure of what Faeve felt. My stomach sank in a bottomless pit as I saw Faeve back away, her face ashen with terror. Her lips mumbled incoherently as her breath fell ragged. By now, she had backed away almost at the extremity of the cave, almost flattening herself against the wall. What...what is she so afraid of? A chill ran down my spine as I saw Faeve¡¯s face twist in a silent scream. She curled up on the ground with her hands over her ears. What in the world... Faeve sobbed softly as small tremors ran through her frail form. My hands grew cold as her sobs slowly turned to screams. I gulped as I felt a small portion of her fears. How...just much is she afraid of these bir¡ª A low growl interrupted my thoughts. The mother bird stared at us with its glowing red eyes. Low vibrations rumbled through its crimson breast. Oh shit! Shit! Shit! The bird¡¯s growl was deafening as it threatened the invaders of its nest. The feathers of its crown rose up and shook with its roar. Metal on metal, its crown screeched like hundreds of knives nestled against each other. A sobbing scream answered the howl. Faeve screamed while she flattened herself against the wall, her body shaking like a leaf. ¡°No! No!¡± she shrieked, ¡°No!¡± ¡°Faeve!¡± I barked. What happened to her? ¡°No!¡± She made no sign of having heard me as her gaze transfixed on the bird. ¡°WHY!¡± her scream drowned the howl of the bird, ¡°Why is a false-mother here!¡± What? She tore at her flaxen hair while tears and snot ran down her tortured face. She started screaming in Elvish, her screams barely legible. ¡°Faeve!¡± I howled. Fuck, fuck fuck! I can¡¯t fight this bird alone! The bird stepped forward, the movement making the earth rumble. ¡°Faeve!¡± I ran over to her, ¡°Faeve!¡± Her eyes glazed over as she grabbed my clothes. A foul stench of urine rose from her as she sobbed into my clothes. The bird shook its feathers, the movement sent a gust of wind barrelling down towards us, and with it, the sound of knives. She...she is so afraid she pissed herself? My heart threatened to break free of the ribcage. With each moment, the bird clambered closer. ¡°Faeve!¡± I screamed and slapped her. She pitched sideways at the hit, falling face down on the hardened guano. She looked up at me with a dazed expression. She licked off the small trickle of blood that ran down her mouth. ¡°Augh¡±, She winced as she touched her face where I had hit her. Her lips trembled, ¡°You¡ª¡± She couldn¡¯t finish as the bird howled once again. It stood a few feet away from us, blocking the mouth of the cave. Rows of sharp teeth glinted in the scant light as the bird clacked loudly. The little chicks retreated under it''s puffed up wings as if guided by some instinct to gather behind the protective umbrella provided by their mother. A sharp sound split the air as the bird whipped its long tail. Sparks scattered from the stone walls each time its lion-like tail banged against it. Faeve closed her eyes shivered as each hit rang harshly against stone. My mouth went dry as I watched the stone-tipped tail split open a bone nearby. ¡°Faeve¡±, my voice grated as I shook her by the shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to you but¡ª¡± Chunk! A sliver of stone hit the wall behind us. ¡°Snap out of it!¡± I cried in desperation. Feave blinked as my fear flowed into her. ¡°Stop shaking me¡±, she warbled as she flung my hands away. ¡°Good¡±. I took my wakizashi-dagger out. ¡°How do we walk away from this?¡± Faeve picked up her crossbow as she trained her eyes on the bird¡¯s movements. ¡°This is not a Sylphax. This¡ª¡± She grunted as she reloaded the bolt, ¡°is a false-mother Kairex. Moreover, quite old¡±. ¡°Spare the names for later¡±. I flexed my fingers as I felt AP gathering in my arms, ready to burst forth. ¡°It means that it has started to grow beast-steel¡±, She whispered. ¡°Swords and bolts...won¡¯t bother it much¡±. My mouth hung open. Fuck this shit! how does a monster grow steel¡ª I could feel a wry smile float on my face. This, after all, was Sangraal. Anything was possible. ¡°So then¡±, I wearied as sweat run down my shirt, my eyes settling on the monster¡¯s. It stared at us for a few moments. Time crawled to a halt as we stared at each other. A mother, eager to protect her children. Two raiders, fighting for their lives. The Kairex¡¯s tail rose up beside its head as it began to howl. The cry made Faeve drop her crossbow with a whimper. A bolt split the air as the crossbow clattered on the floor. Thunk! With a dull sound, the bolt passed through a gap and sunk into one of the little chicks. The mother cried out with a pathetic whimper as the chick whined and tumbled to the ground. She nudged it with her beak to no avail. The chick lay convulsing amidst a growing pool of blood. The Kairex turned towards us with rage in its blood red eyes. Razor sharp fangs erupted from its beak as it screamed in pain and fury at the death of her child. With a cry that shook the cavern, it charged. My blood ran ice cold as I prepared to meet it. As I looked into a mother¡¯s wrathful eyes, I realised one simple fact. There would be no escape.
Giving the fiction an advanced review helps a lot in the rankings, you know? You just have to gohereand scrolldown tillyou see the stars and the empty box. Rate the category stars, write a little review, or long if you prefer and you are done! If you want to just rate the fiction, please click on the stars "Overall Score" and submit! Quite simple, no? Chapter 25: Surviving Barrel Rolls ¡°They rained down relentless. Bleakstone Sanctuary, the fortress famed to have stood against Dragon Lordes of old shuddered and wailed at the onslaught of the Furhanaer, the Sylphax-riding regiment of the Sun-Elves. They rained down fire and ice, thunder and light from their flying steeds and the famed Royal Guards of Jalahaeshin stood like puppets. All their might came to naught that day as the Elves brought down the fury of their God-Emperor upon mankind. And all the gods, stood witness¡± -Stories of War, Grahern Standerg, Historian and Philosopher, Royal College of Salizbergen, 15065 AC ¡°Faeve!¡± I cried out as her lithe body crashed into the wall. I barely had time before the Kairex slammed its head on my stomach. The hit sent shockwaves of pain blossoming through my body. My hand went numb as I crumpled on the floor. The bird brought down its sharp claws to rip me apart. I rolled away just in time to see its nails take chunks off the rock-hard guano encrusting the floor. Shit, shit shit! Faeve¡¯s unconscious body lay sprawled a few feet away from me. Dammit! I cursed as I realised she won¡¯t be of any help. ¡°Wake up! Wake you elf¡± I screamed as I slashed my dagger at the bird¡¯s feet. The Kairex roared in pain and reared back. It screamed again as the movement cracked its head against the rocky ceiling. The cavern offered little space for the huge bird to freely manoeuvre, making its attack a lot less precise. But it also meant I couldn¡¯t swing Thirst. Flames flickered along my gloves as I channelled AP through my hand. My eyes didn¡¯t leave the Kairax as it glared at me with hatred in its eyes. The bird puffed its feathers as a strange ululating cry escaped its long throat. Singed leather burnt my nose as fire engulfed my palm. A sudden chill ran down my spine; I barely had time to jolt my body away. CLANG! Stone wailed in pain. The Kairex¡¯s tail split the air again. I raised my hands up in reflex. Stone cried out again right beside my ear. ¡°FUCK!¡± I cursed loudly as I scampered away from the Kairex. My back was against the wall. The bird closed in again. The Kairex dropped its head a few inches from my face. Its beak opened wide to reveal serrated teeth and stringy meat still hanging from it. My arms were unresponsive to my commands. Fuck! Fuck! A sinking feeling settled in my stomach. I stared at the huge beak¡¯s slow approach. I...I don¡¯t want to die! My spine ran ice-cold as the bird screamed a few inches from my face. For a few moments, my world consisted of only those teeth. I sat there, transfixed at my approaching death. I could feel the warmth roiling off the Kairex as it approached even closer. Its open jaws blasted me with the putrid smell of rotting meat. No! Not today! I slammed the wakizashi-dagger on the side of its head. The blade slid off its skin. No,no no, I kept pounding the dagger; each time its steel skin rejected the blade. The Kairex howled but didn¡¯t relent. Its beak snapped once, twice, mere inches from my face. My heart thumped wildly as the bird went for my other hand, still laying numb on the floor. Thwack! A single bolt sunk into the bird¡¯s throat. It scampered back in pain. A gout of fire engulfed where the bird stood. I propped up my numbed hand with the other and continued spraying the fire. The Kairex growled in anger. ¡°Eridan!¡± Faeve screamed. I screamed in pain as something hot seared across my palm. The fire sputtered and waned. The bird brought its tail up, its end still dripping with my blood. The flames in my hand sizzled and finally went out; the bird lunged again sensing an opportunity. Two more bolts flew past my ear; one of them caught the Kairex on its neck. Faeve ran past me, her daggers out. She lost no moment and countered the Kairex with her daggers. They fought in a volley of lunges and parries, each strike faster than the previous. The Kairex shouted as Faeve¡¯s daggers managed to pile up damage on it. Her slashes unerringly found gaps between the Kairex¡¯s steel skin. A trickling warmth reminded me of my own pressing problem. Blood seeped out of my hands in an alarming rate. I bit down on the hem of my shirt and pulled. Linen ripped away with the sound of wet rags. Something flew by my ears and peppered the wall behind me. I yelped and hit the floor as more stones came hurtling towards me. The Kairex¡¯s tail took chunks off the cave wall and sent it flying in all directions. The cloth smelled of bitter sweat and dust as I wrapped it around my palms. I kept my head down to avoid the flying stones as I took a breather. The battle in front of me was drawing to a close. Faeve had cornered the Kairex with her agility and resilience. Blood dripped down the bird¡¯s ochre feathers, the steel edges glistened with matted blood. But Faeve wasn¡¯t in a good shaped either. She drew laborious breaths as she danced around the bird, her daggers flashing in tandem. Her shirt sported a few new slashes across it. Green motes of dust swirled around the curved daggers as they fought with the steel-tipped tail of the Kairex. However, that wasn¡¯t the only thing that caught my eye. What the... Minute globules of fire sparked and danced between their feet. Each time the monster pranced the fire spread. Fire. Guano. I broke out in a cold sweat as I screamed at Faeve. She whipped her head to see what I was pointing at. Her eyes went wide¡ªand then the guano exploded right in front of her. Green fire rolled through the cave for a few moments. The blooming flames dissipated as abruptly as they had appeared. But those flames had expended in much of the air in the cave. I wheezed in pain as my lungs sucked in scorching carbon dioxide. My throat and chest burned in the lack of air. Crawling on my knees, I searched for Faeve. She lay a few feet away from me, covered in soot. I dragged her prone body across the cavern floor. Suddenly, the room plunged into darkness as the glowing moss lost their luminescence. At almost the same time, breathable air returned to the cave. I coughed like a beached whale as air returned to my lungs. Sweet, sweet air flooded my veins as I lay on the ground, Faeve by my side. When some measure of strength returned to my body, I turned Faeve over. Surprisingly enough, except the soot, Faeve seemed to have sustained no harm. Well, if one disregards the singed ends of her hair and vanished eyebrows. Faeve wheezed loudly and blinked. With a muffled groan she rolled over and watched the deep darkness inside the cave. Our position near the entrance gave us a clear view of the soot covered chicks too. They lay clumped in an unmoving mass. ¡°Looks like the Vulp-head moss started its¡ª¡± Faeve coughed loudly, ¡°work¡±. ¡°What work?¡± I asked while I peered at the darkness for a sign of the Kairex. If our luck was good, it was dead. But our luck was never good. ¡°Sylphax and Kairex build their nest in caves infested with Vulp-head moss. Since their guano is combustible, Vulp-head is a security measure¡±. Faeve sighed at the listless look on my face, ¡°Vulp-head takes burned air and fire and consumes it. And this pure air...is what they give¡±. Photosymthesis on steroids...rather, magic. ¡°Good thing the Kairex is dead¡±, I muttered. Oh wait. If Faeve is alive then...This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Aye¡±, Faeve confirmed my suspicions as my thoughts flowed into her, ¡°It is still alive¡±. Almost as soon as she stopped talking, something rumbled in the cavern. With a loud scream, the Kairex shot out of the cave like a freight train and faced us. It had fared much worse than Faeve in the explosion. Blood dripped down its neck and feathers as it wailed loudly, bits and pieces of charred meat flying from its beak. I chewed my lips as I saw the Kairex take a stance. In the commotion, I had lost my wakizashi, but we were near the entrance now. It meant¡ª I unslung Thirst. I winced as the metal dug into my injured palm. ¡°Faeve¡±, I called. She nodded when my thoughts reached her. For once, the mental connection between us served to fulfil our purpose, not hinder it. The Kairex charged without warning. I grit my teeth as I braced for its charge. It barrelled towards us¡ªNot yet, not yet, I chanted in my mind. The bird reached the mouth of the cave. NOW! A bone the size of a dog hit the Kairex on its legs. The bird tripped over and launched itself. The ledge shook as the Kairex tumbled and fell on its face. I immediately ran over and hit the bird with the flat of the blade. I kept battering it with hits. AP ran through the blade, infusing each hit with more strength. Faeve walked over, her job done. ¡°Nice throw¡±, I complimented her. She snorted and went back inside the cave. The Kairex hardly moved now. It whimpered with each hit of the blade, its body trembling. The explosion and the violent fall had taken much of its strength away. My hits slowed as Faeve walked out of teh cave with a rustling sound. I stetched my hands for the wakizashi she recovered from inside the cave. Faeve¡¯s stare never left the fallen Kairex when she handed my dagger over. Sensing something uncanny, I called after her, ¡°Faeve?¡± Her eyes had gone wide. Her cheast vsibly heaved as she breathed roughly. ¡°Faeve?¡± She pushed me away and jumped on the Kairex. With a savage cry she brought down her daggers on the Kairex. No trace of the usual grace that embodied her combat was visible as she scored hit after hit on the bird. No, I couldn¡¯t be called combat. She hit the bird senselessly, most of her hits just sliding off the Kairex¡¯s skin. ¡°Die. Die. Die¡±, Faeve screamed over and over as she slashes at the bird, ¡°Die¡±. What just. ¡°Faeve!¡± I barked. What is with her and the bird? ¡°Die you rotworm¡±, Faeve cursed in Elvish. She looked up at me, her face devoid of blood despite her excited state. Her eyes bore no coherent thoughts as she mumbled in her native. Loud cackles broke out inside the cave. The chicks we thought dead came tumbling out, screaming for their mother. The soot covered little birds came tumbling about, their little sqawks a heartrending cry as they searched for their mother. Faeve¡¯s face twisted with rage even further. She got up and kicked the fallen Kairex. The action sent the chicks in frenzy. Shrill cries ripped through their throat as they watched Faeve desecrate their fallen mother. Its time to put a stop to this. I walked towards Faeve. A bubble of self-depreciating, bitter laughter threatened to rise through my throat. My mouth tasted bitter with my own hypocrisy. What right do I have to stop Faeve? I answered myself as I pulled Faeve up from the corpse. None. None whatsoever. Faeve struggled in my arms trying to reach the bird. ¡°Just calm down¡±, I wearied, ¡°Its dead¡±. I pointed at the corpse, ¡°look¡ª¡± My voice died in my throat as the saw the little chicks climb up and around the mother¡¯s body, much like when she was alive. They nudged their mother with their beaks when she didn¡¯t get up. Their cries wound through the ledge in an incoherent cry, no, they were crying. It was odd. So very odd. I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes off the scene. I couldn¡¯t bear to watch it either. Monsters...it was trying to kill us, right? Then it¡¯s...it¡¯s not really wrong. The mass of flesh budged. The Kairex wasn¡¯t dead yet. The mother groaned as it dragged its ravaged body along the ground. I swear, at that moment, I was relieved. I cheered for the bird to get away from us. A strange bubble of comfort rose in me as I saw The Kairex making its way towards the cave. My joy was short-lived as Faeve managed to break free of my arms. She screamed at the Kairex again and charged it. The bird looked back, and tried to quicken its pace. I ran after Faeve. But before I could stop her, she planted a savage kick on the bird. ¡°Die, false-mother¡±. But the Kairex...oh my god. The bird shrouded its young under its wings. It simply laid its head down as it took the beating while protecting its chicks. It whimpered and bled but never relented from its position. My sense of unease boiled over. The Kairex...even if it was a monster...She, she looked a lot like that. I staggered as I remembered what happened years ago. Memories from the past hammered my conscious in a barrage. A woman, the look of desperation on her face, the rubble, a child, the mother¡¯s cries as she dug through the wreckage. Faeve hit the bird again. She...even before the disaster management arrived... The mother curled around the chicks even tighter. She tried to defy the earthquake for a child that wasn¡¯t even her. A chick managed to poke its head out and squealed at Faeve. It wobbled out and tried to defend its mother. ¡°Enough!¡± I screamed. I couldn¡¯t stop myself as I rushed Faeve. My punch sent her tumbling down on the ground. Faeve looked up at me, disbelief in her eyes. ¡°Just stop¡±, I implored. Her face broke into a snarl. ¡°This? Coming from you?¡± ¡°Yes, even from me¡±. ¡°I saw what you had done, Humankin¡±, Her eyes fell over the bird, ¡°And you stop me over a false-mother?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡ª¡± my objection died midway as an idea rose in my mind. A wild, wild idea that would probably get us killed. ¡°Fine! You actually do have a reason to not kill it¡±. Faeve eyes widened as she realized my intent. ¡°Very well¡±, she muttered as she kneeled beside the Kairex. The bird trembled as Faeve put her hands on it. The chicks immediately jumped to their mother¡¯s defence and tried to jab Faeve with their beaks. Her kick caught one of them and sent it flying. The mother rumbled as the chick squawked as it crashed against the ribs of a carcass lying on the ledge. I sighed as I watched the mother get more and more agitated. ¡°You heal the Kairex¡±, I said as I sheathed my sword, ¡°I¡¯ll mind the chicks¡±. Faeve nodded and knit her brows. ¡°To think I would have to waste my Voice on a false-mother¡±, she grit her teeth. Soft green light spilled from her palms and vanished, drowned by the sun. ¡°Let me know¡±, I muttered. Faeve nodded and ebbed the flow of her magic. The chicks quietened down as they saw Faeve heal their mother. The Kairex itself started to make sounds as it slowly recovered. I started to make a rope girdle while I watched the Bird recover. Too bad it doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s coming. ¡°Now¡±, Faeve barked. I ran up and jumped on the prone body of the Kairex. The steel-tipped wings brushed against me as I hung onto the bird for dear life. Fortunately, only the crown and wing-tips of the bird had steel, or I would have been shred to ribbons. ¡°Move¡±. Faeve jumped behind me and scampered up. I passed her the girdle which she promptly put around the bird¡¯s neck and tightened. Better leave this to the ones who ride these things. ¡°Just so you know, I have never ridden a Sylphax¡±. ¡°What the¡ª¡± my voice choked off as the Kairex reared up. It shook its head to dislodge us to no avail. I clutched Faeve tightly as she held on to the girdle. ¡°You know¡ªthe Princes are usually ridi¡ªng and the princess holdin¡ªon to them¡±, Faeve sputtered between gasping as the Kairex vaulted like an enraged horse. ¡°Yeah, we are¡ª neither¡±, I managed to reply, ¡°now shut up¡±. The Kairex shrieked and tossed around. It tried to turn its head to snap at me. I suppressed a loud scream as its flailing wings left deep gashes on me. The wound in my hand reopened. Blood soaked the makeshift rein. ¡°Faeve¡±, I shouted. Oh shiit, shit, shit. I let loose a stream of curses as I felt my hands slip. Faeve kicked the Kairex on its flank. The bird wailed and struggled even more furiously. Inch my inch we neared the precipice of the ledge. Just a little more... The Kairex tried to swerve towards its chicks. I yanked at the reins violently. We wobbled at the edge for a few moments. The Kairex seemed to almost stabilize itself. And then, suddenly, we went over the ledge. My stomach sank as we fell. For a few moments the wall rushed passed us in a blur of colours. My mouth went dry. No, no, no! We failed. We failed We failed. Faeve started screaming behind me. Boom! Huge wings unfurled beside us. The Kairex took flight. The receding view of the ledge swirled and danced as the bird barrel rolled mid-air. My heart beat as violent as the Kiarex¡¯s wings. Faeve still shuddered behind me. Her screams had given way to choked sobs. We aren¡¯t dead yet. Relief washed over me as we stabilized. The scenery stopped its mad dance as we flew over the land, the wind whipping at my face. I released the breath I hadn¡¯t realized I was holding in. ¡°You okay?¡± I muttered. ¡°You almost got me killed¡±, Faeve seethed in panic. ¡°Hey!¡± I retorted, ¡°Weren¡¯t you planning on riding a bird in the first place?¡± Faeve went silent. No matter what I say, It really was very dangerous, I chided myself. Well, we aren¡¯t out of the woods yet. We still need to get down there. My eyes fell over the vast yellow canyon. Its yellowish hills were blood red in the waning sunlight. The sun, half submerged in the horizon threw long shadows that twisted and stretched behind the hillocks. The Kairex¡¯s shriek brought me out of the stupor. It folded its wings and dived towards a nearby hill. The flat hill-top rushed at us. Panic started to well up inside me again. If we crash with this speed...We will die! ¡°Hold on tight¡±, I commanded Faeve. Before I could say anything else, the Kairex burst onto the ground. The violent landing sent us vaulting onto the hard earth. Faeve and I hit the ground with loud thuds. The Kairex tumbled and hit a nearby rock. Skin peeled off from my limbs as I skid across the rocks. Faeve wasn¡¯t in much better shape either. My body screamed in pain. I...it¡¯s not over yet. I looked up to see the Kairex right itself and open its beak. It recovered faster than I thought. Shit. An arrow hit the Kairex full in its face. Faeve had recovered to some measure and stalked the bird with her crossbow. Her clothes were in tatters and dripping with blood. My eyes fell over a small crack in the rock a few feet away. Barely enough for us both, but too small for the Kairex to attack. I picked up myself shrieking with pain and ran towards Faeve. Her eyes had taken on that insane glint again as she loosened bolt after bolt at the Kairex. Most of it just skid off the bird as it protected itself with its steel-tipped wings. I grabbed Faeve by the waist and ran for the crack. She wailed and hit me with the crossbow as we ran. The Kairex followed us with a loud crash. With a violent push I deposited us both into the small opening. Faeve let loose a stream of cusses in Elvish as she pointed her crossbow at the charging Kairex. ¡°Stop it!¡± I grabbed her crossbow. ¡°STOP IT!¡± I thundered. Faeve flinched. Her arms went lax as she stared at me in utter disbelief. I don¡¯t have time for this now. The Kairex snapped and snarled at the entrance. The rotten smell from its mouth filled the cave. I picked up a rock and threw at it. The rock caught the Kairex in the face with a loud thud. It shrieked and shook its head. A barrage of stones hit the bird as I threw them relentlessly. The bird clacked loudly and started to back off. Even if it was somewhat impervious to metal, it couldn¡¯t do anything about blunt force trauma. With a final shriek it flapped its wings and took off. I sighed in relief as the Kairex flew towards the ledge where its children lay. ¡°Eridan, you¡ª¡± I couldn¡¯t hear the rest of her words as I fainted. ~~~ It was night when I woke up. I blinked as the impossibly starry sky came into focus. Thousands, no millions of stars lighted up the moonless night sky. Being a city kid, the number of stars in Sangraal¡¯s sky has always astounded me. But this was in a totally different league. I tried to get up from where I lay. The effort made me gnash my teeth as pain lanced up every inch of my body. A flash of light caught my eyes while I struggled on the ground. Faeve tended to a small fire some distance away, acrid smoke billowing towards the sky. ¡°Hey¡±, I hailed her, ¡°how long was I out?¡± She didn¡¯t reply. But I knew she had heard me because her hands trembled, unsettling the fire. ¡°Hey¡±, I called again, ¡°what¡¯s the matter?¡± She closed her eyes as she swivelled to face me. When she opened her eyes, I could see the coiling rage in them. ¡°Why did not you let me kill the false-mother?¡± Still on about that? I sighed. ¡°First tell me¡±, I leaned forward as I looked into her eyes, ¡°What the fuck happened back there?¡± Chapter 26: Surviving Cruel Kings ¡°O hero, O hero, have you come? The need of the hour; the dawn of the sun. Our battles are lost, and our fights done. The rise of the moons and the shadows grow num¡¯ Claim Vaegar, and lead us to war. A true successor will we follow. Of Vashtii the conqueror, Lead us to glory and lands of tomorrow¡± --Lament of the Elven Forests, Unknown composer The fire crackled wildly, the sparks scattering up into the night sky. ¡°Ugh¡±, I groaned inadvertently as pain snaked through me when I tried to get up. Gnashing my teeth, I braced myself for the damage assessment. I sucked in my breath in and ran probing fingers over my body. ¡°Ow. Ow. Oww. FUCK! That hurt!¡± I let out muffled screams as I felt my ribs. Probably broken. I lay down again, too afraid to jostle myself. The sudden flaring of pain had left me breathless and reeling. In between my frantic pants, I wiped at the clammy sheen of sweat layering my face. -Tch, I clicked my tongue as sharp grains of desert-sand sliced across my face. A bout of irrational rage welled up at the whole absurdity of the matter- the flight with the Kairex, the fight at the cave, Faeve¡¯s inexplicable behaviour-everything. Calm down; I took deep breaths, calm down, I told myself again as I dusted off the sand that caked my gloves. My face still smarting, I glanced at the firelight again. Faeve sat deathly still, as if carved from immutable stone. Faeve. I nudged her with my mind. Nothing betrayed that she had felt my call. Firelight danced on her, accentuating the sharp lines of her face. Shadows and light cavorted in her eyes, as if she was some ancient statue- the only sign that she was still alive was the slight rise and fall of her chest with every breath she took. A deep sense of foreboding rose in me. She had always been cold to me-and with reason. But now, she felt the farthest I had felt from her ever since we had our connection. Faeve. I called for her again through our link. With every passing moment I was becoming more aware of a sense of loss- an empty gnawing inside me. Fuck, the sense of disquiet grew and grew till it buzzed and nagged continuously at the corner of my mind. It was as if some vital part of me was lost. That¡¯s it! The connection between us-it¡¯s...it¡¯s too quiet. It was as if Faeve had cloistered herself from our connection. Her mind, which would brush against mine ever so often, had fallen eerily quiet, as if she was dead. But how did you do it? I spoke in my mind out of the habit that had taken root without me realising. Damn it! I growled in my mind and I encountered the wall she had put up for herself, my impatience fuelled by the strange dissonance that was clouding my mind. The sensation of not having our connection gnawed and ached inside me. The quiet grew to a cacophony of buzzing dins till it felt like my head would burst from the pain of losing a sense organ. Unable to take the silence any longer, I groaned, ¡°Help me, will you?¡± Or that¡¯s what I thought I said. Truth is, even my voice sounded so alien, so...wrong to myself without Faeve¡¯s senses to augment my own. Faeve¡¯s only response was to stoke the fire with a stick. Ember scattered up towards the sky, furhtur throwing her eyes into darkness. She shuddered, and drew her knees in closer. She almost looked like a little girl, in the firelight. Something¡¯s really, really wrong with her, I felt my mouth going dry as another damning realisation dawned within me. Fuck, just how used to have I gotten to our connection? The prospect of the Tree having that much control made my blood run cold. I tasted vomit and bile while I dragged myself over the jagged plateau towards a rock. The effort drove air out of my lungs every time I wiggled on the ground. Fuck, fuck fuck! I swore at the fates, the gods and at everything under Sangraal¡¯s sun as I made my way like a worm. A worm, a self-depreciating laughter bubbled up my throat as I realised how pathetic I must look-crawling, crying with my nose in dirt as I made my way to a rock to rest against. Mostly though, I cursed myself. When my hands grasped the weather beaten outline of the rock a sigh of relief escaped my lips. I whimpered and groaned as I positioned to use the rock as my backrest. As luck would have it, it was the windward side of the rock- smooth and sculpted. The thought of not having to endure the jagged leeward side filled me with a strange comfort. I thanked the same gods I had been cursing but a moment ago. A strained smile stretched my lips No, I corrected myself. Fuck the gods. I stared at the brilliantly starry sky spread above us. One of Sangraal¡¯s moons had risen, and another had almost set. The glowing fire did little to outshine the sky. The steady starlight made me wistful for the sky back home, and the hours Yuki and I would spend together poring through the cheap telescope I had bought for her birthday. The fire crackled loudly, sending up sparks towards the sky, as if to become new stars themselves. A time long gone, I chided myself and dragged my eyes back down to the problem before me. Now then... Faeve had drawn herself even closer- like a tortoise retreating into its shell. Her breathing was more pronounced now, as if she was awakening from some cursed slumber. The fire scattered again, her hands held a twig with which she repeatedly stabbed at the fire. ¡°Faeve¡±, I called her softly. She kept stabbing. The fire gave off an acrid smoke. ¡°Faeve¡±, I urged again. She was frantic. Some burning firewood shot out of the fire. ¡°Faeve!¡± I bellowed fearing the fire would collapse knowing well what that loss meant in such a chilly night. My voice startled her. Her body jolted like that of a frightened hare. Her breath came in audible ragged gasps as she became more animated in her movements. ¡°What¡±, she croaked without missing a beat, ¡°Did you say something, humankin?¡± With her voice, the connection returned. Rather, it crashed into me with the vengeance of a tidal wave. The sudden rush of her thoughts and sensations slammed into my own. I gasped like I was drowning. The sudden return of feedback from her mind left me reeling- her thoughts leaving screaming gashes on my mind, hot with her terror, pain and a thousand other whirlwinds of emotions. Stop. Stop. I begged while a scream threatened to tear though me. Faeve turned her head towards me, her eyes resting on my face, my hair, my eyes. Her eyes saw through me, somewhere far. Her hands had stopped shaking, only to be replaced by shivers. --She¡¯s cold, I snapped my fingers to get her attention again. -She drew in tighter still, shivering all over. Oh...I realised with a start. That¡¯s not it. She¡¯s...she¡¯s...afraid? For a brief moment all the loss, all the sorrows she had ever faced was writ plain on her face. Her alabaster face, reddened from the heat of the firelight shook with terror. In my mind, I could feel her scrambling to close off the flood of emotions that had escaped her. Her terror resonated in me, and rose. Try as she might, her mind incessantly crashed into my mind, again and again as if to take control, or destroy. She kept sobbing as her min slowly, but violently bled into my own. The sand beneath her grew muddy with her tears as she apologized over and over, ¡°Sorry,sorry...¡± Elf Assassin my ass, I groaned as the onslaught started slowing down, she¡¯s just a scared, little girl. After a while, the connection trickled down to normalcy, if this sharing of thoughts could ever be called normal. ¡°Stop¡±, I muttered, ¡°Stop apologizing¡±. She drew in a breath and fell quiet. Her shaking had stopped too; the hungry desert having had already soaked up her tears. Sorry Faeve, I sighed as it was my turn to apologize for things I had no control over. She didn¡¯t face me, instead stared at her hands that had clenched themselves sometime during the ordeal. ¡°Sorry, Faeve¡±, This time I muttered, ¡°But this won¡¯t do¡±. I snapped my fingers repeatedly. I didn¡¯t want to push her, but... I¡¯m a terrible person. I sighed, but I already knew that, didn¡¯t I? ¡°Stop it¡±, she hissed at the loud snaps of my fingers. ¡°Finally¡± I sighed. ¡°Welcome back, Major Tom¡±. Her eyebrows scrunched. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it¡±, I said while waving my hands. On one hand I wanted to describe David Bowie to her on the other...nah, too much work. ¡°So, let¡¯s go at it one more time¡±, I spoke with the same caution a giant has around china, ¡°what happened up there?¡± Firelight glistened off her suddenly tightened jaws. Feeling the onslaught on her mind coming I added hastily, ¡°without the mental agony¡±. A wisp of breath escaped her which might have birthed an amused snort had it been a happier time. Happier time, I chuckled to myself, as if we would ever have that. ¡°Stay out of it¡±, Faeve¡¯s voice was hollow as she turned away from me, tending to the flames again. ¡°Like I said, Elf¡±, impatience laced my voice, ¡°This. Won¡¯t. do¡±. Her body quivered as I spat out the words. ¡°We are both stuck with each other. So, better or for worse till we get to that fucking tree of yours we have no choice but to be together. I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯d like to stay alive during that time. What you happened there-¡± I pointed at the cliffs, ¡°could have got us killed¡±. The stick in her went motionless. ¡°It¡¯s not for you to know¡±, Her voice was little more than a whisper, ¡°what happened to me¡±. ¡°It is¡±, I the anger had ebbed from me, replaced by a strange weariness. ¡°You weren¡¯t yourself up there¡±, my breath caught as I remembered her shivering and terrified in front of the bird, ¡°why? And what if it happens again? Who will save us if half of our fighting force goes mad trying to kill a bird?¡± ¡°The Gods surely jest¡±, Faeve¡¯s hollow voice was like ice down my spine. ¡°All my thoughts, all my desires, all my pain laid bare to your every whim like a Salrest whore and the one time...¡± Her voice caught. ¡°Faeve¡±, I said alarmed at the streaks of tears rolling down her cheeks. ¡°One time I could do with you knowing my thoughts, I have to speak it out loud¡±, she finished. I dared not speak again. She looked...fragile. She looked frightened like a rabbit; hardly the tough as nails assassin I was used to seeing. I swallowed my impatience and asked again slowly, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The Sun-Elves are a proud people¡±, She started suddenly, almost afraid that if she didn¡¯t force herself to speak , she¡¯d lose her resolve. ¡°Really? Never would have guessed it¡±, I delivered, unable to stop myself. Faeve gave me a cold stare, her features wrinkling into a mask of disdain. ¡°Shut up, don¡¯t talk and do not utter a single word¡±, She snapped.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Those are the same things, you know. ¡°Alright, alright¡±, I relented, ¡°my bad¡±. Her eyes drooped again as she spoke. ¡°Long, long ago a long time ago, The continent was ours, and the rest did cower. Our reign was the forests at dawn, and the lake at dusk. Our cities towered over the lands, bereft of time¡¯s shifting sands. How were we envied, oh how envied! How were we feared, oh to be feared! The old gods, inconstant, fleeting, Their whimsies untold, would venture down and frolic about Our vast Svartalgurd, Forests ancient, magickal and protected¡±. Faeve¡¯s words had a strange quality to them. As she spoke, I didn¡¯t only hear the verses, but almost felt it. The words fell around us like a sheer fabric, each sound a thread as it knit into being a story. ¡°Wha...¡±, I choked my question in, afraid to break the delicate weave her voice was contructing. ¡°I am surprised you can detect it to such an extent¡±, Faeve¡¯s voice snapped me out of my daze. A look of genuine surprise played in her eyes. ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been the first stanza and you are glassy-eyed. Surprising. You have quite the low tolerance for Alfanveim¡±. My expression must have betrayed my cluelessness, because she immediately followed up, ¡°Elvensong. Word magic used in Elven songs and poetry to entrance the listeners and cast mind magic¡± No wonder human bards hated the Elven ones back in Salrest. Now the frequent street corner brawls between bands of roving minstrel groups made much more sense. ¡°I will stop speaking in Alfanveim. The Towers of The Sun is not for humans anyway¡±, Faeve said with a sigh. With hardly a pause she resumed her tale, ¡°Everything changed when the Human nations attacked¡±. The residual Elvensong hung in the air, making me wistful. Dangerous, I reminded myself, its mind magic. ¡°The First Cities, the citadels of human civilisations had grown powerful enough to challenge the Sun-Elf kingdoms. By then, infighting and wars of succession had already weakened the Sun-Elves. It was no surprise, however. Where the Sun-Elves strove to protect their forests and cause non harm to them, Mankind was relentless. They cut down those forests, made them into trebuchets, ships and other magical armaments...they killed us with the remains of our own forests¡±. Faeve¡¯s voice had a tinge of anger onto them. ¡°Yes, I am¡±, Faeve¡¯s jaws tightened. ¡°If only the humans had not attacked...¡± ¡°So I have heard¡±, I replied, ¡°On the human side they say the Sun-Elves were absolute autocrats¡±. Revolution, some bards call it in their songs. ¡°Perhaps¡±, Faeve¡¯s voice was hollow. ¡°I know only what I have been taught. Knowing the Sun-Elves...¡± Faeve lingered as the embers died down in her eyes, ¡°the humans might be right¡±. ¡°So, what happened?¡± I nudged. What does this have to do with the cave?! Faeve let out a deep sigh, evidently alerted by the connection between us. ¡°I aplogise¡±, she mumbled as she gulped. I knew that look well. A deliberate hesitation; a forceful rumination on the wrong details to avoid confronting the real issue. ¡°A truce was achieved. A very difficult one. After years of fighting wars with no end, the humans and the elves eked out a fragile peace. The Sun-Elf kingdoms however...did not survive. Our cities were burned to the ground, our people scattered and broken. The Sun-Elves were mostly restricted to the Mountain of Trees, and our capitals reduced to one, Olyelnore Ur¡¯van¡±, Faeve recited, as if from memory. By now, the fire had been going low. Faeve stoked the fire absentmindedly, the acrid smell from the kindling made her crinkle her nose. I waited for her to speak. The momentary lull in the conversation had brought to me the howling winds of the desert with its eerie keening. As my eyes adjusted to the low fire, the stars had once again exploded all over the sky, except the dark patchy belt across the horizon, the ring in the sky divided the skies in this planet. I hadn¡¯t noticed when the winds had changed from a blistering wave of heat to a shivering cold. Huddling closer to the fire, I looked at Faeve. Her features had smoothened over, inscrutable, yet an ever present sorrow painted her delicate face, as if the shadows from where the fire didn¡¯t reach leeched into her, melding her one with the desolate desert. ¡°Speak¡±, I urged with both my voice and mind. Her hand trembled, skittering the fire. ¡°Yes¡±, she acquiesced, ¡°and so began our obsession with our past¡±. My eyebrows went up. I knew this phenomenon. The Golden Age, back in earth the people called it. An obsessive nostalgia. A desire to return to the past when everything was good, when everything was better than now, and in no small measure, a lie we told ourselves to convince of our past greatness and take comfort in it. ¡°And no one is more obsessed about the past glory of the Sun-Elves than the current king, Faelor Ragetide, my adoptive father¡± ¡°Yeah, I still don¡¯t...¡± I words fizzled out as I realised what she said, ¡°I am sorry, WHAT?¡± ¡°I said, that the current king Faelo...¡± Faeve stopped midway as I cut in. ¡°Your father is the king of the Elves?! I croaked. ¡°Sun-Elves¡± Faeve corrected, ¡°But yes¡±. She shifted and touched her nape, her eyes downcast. ¡°I am sorry, but you¡¯re the daughter of the king?¡± I asked again. ¡°Yes, that is what father means¡±, Faeve offered dryly, ¡°I am astounded by your sharp powers of deduction, O hero¡±. Her ridicule was almost a physical force slapping me through our connection. ¡°You¡¯re the fucking princess of the fucking Elves¡±, I sputtered, my brain still unable to catch up. Holy shit. Holy shit. ¡°One of them, yes¡±, Faeve sighed, apparently annoyed now. ¡°Look, if you do not want to hear the rest...¡± ¡°I am bonded to a princess of the Sun-Elves¡±, my voice cracked, ¡°I cut her hair and now have to go her kingdom and meet her father¡±. Shit, shit, shit. ¡°Yes¡±, Faeve answered with visible alarm, the sarcasm in her voice evaporating. ¡°You do not have to be so distraught, human¡±. ¡°Your people will kill me won¡¯t they?¡±, I held my head in hands. Goddammit. Should have just fucking left her. ¡°With your uncouth manners and speech, most likely¡±, Faeve nodded, ¡°but not on my account¡±. ¡°You see¡±, She said with a ragged voice, ¡°I am hardly a princess¡±. ¡°Adoptive or not, you¡¯re still the king¡¯s daughter¡±, my jaws clenched. ¡°That means trouble. A fucking princess¡±. ¡°An exiled one. But I know what you mean¡±, Faeve whispered, her voice barely audible, ¡°Being a royal in our land is a curse¡±. ¡°How?¡± Disbelief poured out my voice. ¡°Leave it be¡±, She demanded, ¡°not a tale worth telling¡±. A roiling tide of emotions washed over me through the connection. It was like staring down an abyss, a darkened river of pain and sorrow and a hundred other jagged thoughts rolled into the shape of a fragile Elven girl. ¡°No¡±, my voice was harsh enough to surprise me. ¡°No more secrets. You¡¯ve kept enough. I will not take a step further if you don¡¯t tell me everything, princess¡±. She jolted at the last word like she was whipped. ¡°Do NOT call me that. EVER¡±, she half screamed, her voice burning with cold, furious anger. Her fury washed over akin to a blade tempered in liquid fire plunged deep within my spine. ¡°Whatever¡±, I grimaced. ¡°But I won¡¯t take a journey without knowing what it is I am dealing with¡±. ¡°Somaru curse you, Eridan¡±, Faeve spat, her porcelain skin flushed a deep crimson in anger. ¡°What sins must have I committed to get bonded to you¡±. Faeve took a deep breath. In that space of a breath, she seemed to transition into a brittle doll of glass fragile enough to break in a strong gust. ¡°Fine¡±, she resigned herself. ¡°The King is obsessed about the past. He seeks to reclaim all that is ours, our birthright. He wants to rebuild our kingdom and more¡±, Faeve¡¯s voice was a monotone devoid of any emotions. ¡°But, we have neither the wealth, nor the strength for it anymore. We are barely a shadow of our former selves. And that¡¯s where Vashtii Ragetide comes in¡±. I remember that name. ¡°First Hero-King of Elves?¡± I asked. ¡°The very same¡±, She replied, ¡°more a tyrant, murderer and a rapist, but him indeed¡±. Different world, same story, huh? ¡°Isn¡¯t he dead?¡± I asked, ¡°He is right?¡± Damn, how long do elves live anyway? ¡°Yes and no¡±, Faeve chewed her lips, ¡°He ascended to godhood so while his mortal form has perished, he can be resurrected¡±. ¡°Ah, you guys going to do some crazy rituals and sacrifice innocents to bring him back?¡± Faeve looked up at me with hollow eyes. ¡°The only ones sacrificed here, is us, human. The sole remaining royal bloodline, the Jorgaens¡± A deep foreboding chilled me to the bones. I could not distinguish whether it was something that came from deep within me, or it was the connection but I knew, I knew nothing good could come of it. ¡°Vashtii had unified the seven Elven tribes, four Sun-Elves and three Moon-Elves. He begot seven royal lines on the seven daughters of the tribe chiefs he had captured. Seven families to rule the elves, to make, and to mar. King Faelor thinks the key to resurrect Vashtii in the mortal world is the blood he carries. He says the blood of the seven royal families has been diluted by commoner blood for far too long to re-birth the divine hero-king Vashtii¡±, Faeve continued. Oh no no no. I knew where this was going. Egyptian Pharaohs all over again. ¡°Therefore, he wants to concentrate the royal blood into most pure form¡±, her voice cracked. My worst fears were confirmed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me...¡± I croaked ¡°They started marrying and having off spring with their own siblings¡±, Faeve¡¯s voice was one of silences dejection. ¡°The current royal family is a product of incest¡±. ¡°Is that a taboo like among humans? Who am I kidding, even humans back home do it pretty often. ¡°Even more than humans¡±, Faeve answered. ¡°Since Elves live a long time, it is very important to have clean bloodlines due to our low fertility¡±. ¡°And yet...¡± ¡°The desire to regain what we have lost; no matter how imaginary; makes us do a lot of things, human. All of us¡±, Faeve almost whimpered, her words grating. ¡°All the detractors and opposers had mysteriously disappeared, killed, or changed their minds. Nothing could stop the royal family from achieving their goals, not even their own people¡±. I was at a loss of words. Does that mean Faeve is also intended for her brother or something? Wait a second...doesn¡¯t that mean I¡¯ll be killed as well?! The connection must have carried some of those thoughts to her. ¡°Oh no, no. There are other pure-blood princesses for my brothers. Princesses born of King Faelor and his sister, now his Queen¡±. My jaw dropped. What the fuck is going on in that royal family? ¡°Ah, you¡¯re adopted. So you¡¯re safe right?¡± I asked. Though in my heart of hearts...I know fate wouldn¡¯t be so kind. Little tremors shook her body as she replied, ¡°No. I was meant for father, Faelor himself¡±, Faeve¡¯s voice broke into short sobs as she trembled like a small animal. Her figure curled up into a small ball with her arms around her knees. ¡°Say what?!¡± my jaws hurt from clenching as a red hot anger rose from somewhere deep within me. How dare he try to take my Faeve from me? Despite the cool desert wind, my skin felt like on fire. How dare he...wait... ¡°My¡± Faeve? The anger I felt ran cold. The tree. The fucking tree is messing with my mind again. ¡°And then?¡± My realisation did little to cool down the anger however. My voice was still coloured with rage. ¡°How is it that you¡¯re exiled and how are you fucking assuring me I won¡¯t get killed going to Olyelnore?¡± Faeve sat straight, tear streaks marking her cheeks. ¡°My real father was the King¡¯s eldest brother. He was supposed to be the first in line to throne...but he refused. Such a scandal it was, I am told. A royal Sun-Elf prince refused to become the king. He was cast out of the royal line¡±, Faeve¡¯s voice was remarkably stable. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re exiled?¡± ¡°No¡±. Faeve shook her head. ¡°Faelor had my father killed. The he took his commoner wife and daughter as his own¡±. ¡°You¡±. This Faelor is fucking mental. ¡°Yes¡±, her eyes glistened with unshed tears. ¡°Is that so he could take you as his wife and continue...his experiments?¡± I spat in disgust. ¡°Yes¡±, her face was ashen. ¡°After killing your father¡±, I confirmed. The fucking gall of this asshole. ¡°Make no mistake¡±, Faeve¡¯s hands clawed the desert sand, ¡°It was never officially proven. It was rogue assassins, it was said. But I know. By the Sun, I know he had my father killed, that Kairex shit¡±. ¡°You tried to kill him, didn¡¯t you? That¡¯s why you were exiled?¡± Can¡¯t blame her. I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯d do in her stead. ¡°Yes¡±, Faeve nodded, ¡°yes I did¡±. But not as revenge for my father. My mother...she...she had a daughter with Faelor¡±, her voice faltered. ¡°The sweetest sister I could have had. I do not deserve her, I do not. But...Maeve had the misfortune to be born a royal and she...born of Faelor was to be his wife too¡±. ¡°Oh¡±, I couldn¡¯t trust myself to say anything more. A King, a father obsessed with having children with his own sisters and daughters...fucked up and then some. But as my own world had proven, not outlandish. ¡°Therefore, I took a knife to Faelor¡¯s head one day¡±, Faeve¡¯s eyes and teeth shone by the firelight like a ferocious beasts¡¯ ¡°Before he could put his hands on my sister¡±. ¡°You tried to assassinate the King¡±, I spread my hands, ¡°How are you still alive?¡± ¡°Well, I am a princess and a daughter of the Tree as well. The Elf King cannot kill me. By the laws of the tree, I must be set free to follow my divine will¡± ¡°Finding a guy to bond with?¡± ¡°Finding a chosen of the tree, yes¡±, She seemed like a marionette with her strings cut off. Her ¡°confession¡± had taken a lot out of her. I looked her over. The connection between us had flooded me with strange and fearful emotions all this while. The anger, the frustration, the fear born of her had set my body on a cold fire. Her emotions assaulted me almost physically, such were their intensity. It was as if the connection between us had blown wide open. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±...I mumbled an apology. I...I didn¡¯t mean for this to happen. I...I should have stopped pushing...NO! I steeled myself. Now I know what I am dealing with. It had to be done. I shambled towards her in an uneasy gait. Faeve sat with her head between her knees, her arms around herself. My fingers were drawn towards her; her hair blew in the wind like wisps of gold. She sensed my action. Her body stiffened. Oh yeah. What I did on the ship... ¡°Sorry¡±, I mumbled. A little smile played on my lips though. The connection told me she...felt light. Poor girl...a massive weight had lifted off her. While we were in any way closer, I could sense she had dropped her guard a little. Little by little, eh? Faeve looked up at me. The mask she donned of a cold assassin seemed to have cracked a little, revealing a peek at the fragile, scared girl underneath. I saw my smile reflect back on her face, albeit one shadowed by sorrow. I gulped. I remembered another girl, another time. Arin...I missed her. I miss you Arin. Every day, Every hour. I know Faeve sensed it too. The shadows on her face deepened. ¡°Say Faeve¡±, I said with as much softness my voice could muster.¡°I still don¡¯t know what happened in the cave¡±, I confessed. ¡°You don¡¯t give up, do you? Faeve hissed. ¡°Since our family is obsessed with getting Vashtii re-birthed, every generation tries to mimic the conditions that led him to greatness. That includes an assassin in his family, the one who did his dirty work. And this generation, it is me who has been trained as an assassin¡±. The desert wind had grown chilly and wild, whipping the fire into frenzy, as well as aching our bruises and wounds. Faeve waited as I laboriously sank down beside her, our bodies a few centimetres apart. She resumed, ¡°The mother bird up there was not a Sylphax, but a Kairex. Those birds are extremely possessive of their young. It¡¯s a repetitive training for an assassin initiate to go kill Kairex chicks in their den. Countless days and nights I have spent in dark, musty caves in fear of my life, waiting to kill chicks in front of their mothers¡±. Faever shivered as the wind whipped at us. She brought her hands closer to the fire for warmth. Delicate piano fingers, But for thin assassin blades. ¡°The worst part is that often some of the chicks in a Kairex den is not a Kairex at all, but a Sylphax. Our ¡°Holy Birds¡± lay their eggs in others¡¯ den and often eat the egg or young already present. The poor host bird continues feeding the Sylphax chick as its own¡±. Faeve sucked in a deep breath, ¡°I was chased, pecked at, almost killed by Kairex birds, all for youngs not their own. My missions did not allow me to kill Sylphax¡¯ you see, just the Kairex chicks¡±. Oh wow. PTSD from her training? I realised something else as well. It wasn¡¯t just the stress and near death experience that haunted her. Her fucked up family life was bad enough, and she had to go kill children in front of parents. Must have been agonising for a young girl, assassin trainee or not. Faeve had become quiet. The howling winds moaned and keened their strange songs and the desert was alive with wordless music. A gulf of silence stretched between us, the few centimetres of distance between our bodies as vast as the desert itself. We knew what this silence was. It was a tacit, a deliberate understanding to not stir the ghosts of her past, soon to be past no more as we ran headlong into the capital city. This, this silence here was precious, almost sacred. Fragile; but necessary for us both. ¡°Tomorrow¡±, Faeve rasped in a heavy voice shattering that silence, ¡°we cross this god forsaken desert¡±. Another day; another problem. Chapter 27: Surviving Desert Monsters "Ah''la descended upon the battlefield with the brilliance of a second sun. Her rays of fury froze solid the cruel armaments of Rozengard, seventh of the First Cities. Her walls, her people, her instruments turned into solid rock; twisted and contorted into shapes beyond human. The city itself, turned into a desert. Such was the rage of Ah''la.'' -- "The Descent of the Gods", From inscription fragments in the Temple after Time. Sleeping in a desert without a tent is a bitch. Add to it the fact that this world is full of magic and magic beasts. So, obviously¡­there are magic-sucking insects and flies. I woke up with a familiar din beside my ears and I looked up at the ball of buzzing and popping insects that hovered a few centimeters above my head like a bearskin hat. I was well acquainted with these bastards in my days of outdoor camping in Salrest. First time I went out on an overnight monster suppression trip, I had scoffed when a wandering merchant offered insect repelling potions. His amused smile and nods had seemed to me just a seller¡¯s trick. I mean, they never did bother me. Turns out, they are a big problem for the average suppresor. The writing mass of bugs absorbed a large amount of magic through the human body so fast that the people would get sick due to excessive aurora particles flowing through their bodies. Every day, there would be newbie suppresors groaning and keeled over in the camping grounds as victims of the bugs. I never had that problem. I suspect the magic circuit in my body bestowed by a god had to do something with it. I stretched my hands beside me¡­oh damn. My body, frozen and contorted into strange shapes by the chilly desert winds and uncomfortable rocky ground groaned and protested. Every muscle hurt like hell. Almost gasping for breath, my hands searched frantically on the ground. The effort wrenched a muffled groan from my throat while my fingers grabbed onto the hilt of Thirst. I swung the sword upwards, careful not to jostle my injured arm. I forced a small bit of magic into the blade and slid the tip into the mass of buzzing insects. The magic bug-hat flowed into the sword, covering it thickly as the mass flickered with little pops of blue electricity while they suck up more magic. And then, I covered my face with my free arm and let lose a shockwave from the blade. With a surprisingly crunchy sound, the bugs exploded everywhere. This morning ritual of mine had been a very unpleasant affair to the suppressors, and had served to give me the distance I so desired. The bug problem sorted out, I proceeded to painfully stretch the rest of my body. Oh shit shit shit!, I groaned as my frozen joints popped and yesterday¡¯s bruises reminded their existence. Cracking my neck, I propped myself up on my relatively uninjured arm. All that was left of last night¡¯s fire were some glowing embers and a lot of acrid smoke. Fucking hell, that¡¯s a lot of acrid smoke. Crinkling my nose, I identified the culprit. A few strange looking globes were skewered onto misshapen sticks over the fire, with thick black smoke pouring out from them. ¡°If your¡­¡±, my voice faltered as my eyes fell on Faeve. She sat askew on a rock not very far from the dying fire. Hair the colour of white-gold framed her face in profile as the soft light of dawn played on her face. The rest of her body did nothing to betray the vigorous motion of her arm; her fingers slid over her daggers in a practiced motion, again and again. The wind blew a few wisps of her hair to reveal the moss green of her eyes¡ªwith its gaze fixed on the blade and nothing else. So peaceful...and¡­so quiet. I realized with a start that the connection between us had fallen completely silent. No¡­not completely¡­a steady thrum permeated the sense between us, but it didn¡¯t carry any emotions or thoughts. As the assassin polished her blade with the single minded precision, she shared with me her peace¡ªsolitude without loneliness, a state of mind absent from thought, nothingness without emptiness. As soon as I realized that, Faeve stiffened. Her hands stopped their motion for a few moments. Her eyelashes shook, as if she deeply resented my intrusion in her private space. Of course¡­Not only was I aware of her emotions but I even encroached upon her little moments of pace as well. But¡­I have no control; you know that, don¡¯t you? She went back to tending to her dagger, but the connection between us lost its earlier calm. Little eddies of thought and emotions began to leech into it, along with it¡­some resentment. ¡°Sorry¡±, I said with a sigh. Faeve turned her face away from her completely. ¡°If your plan was to keep magic beasts away¡­¡±I resumed my earlier line of thinking, ¡°It didn¡¯t work¡±. Faeve¡¯s back straightened and her motions stopped. Her head drooped a little as if she resigned herself to something. She turned towards me in a single, fluid motion and asked, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Those¡­¡± I pointed at the charred things on the skewers, ¡°those things weren¡¯t to keep beasts away while we slept?¡± The smoke wasn¡¯t to repel the magic-sucker bugs?? ¡°No¡±, She said as her lips quirked up in a smile, ¡°that, human, is breakfast¡±. Of course. ¡°Faeve, the smoke from these things are burning my nose¡±, I protested. Though I say that¡­ ¡°There is not much to eat in this sun-blasted desert, is there?¡± Faeve spoke out loud what I thought. ¡°Do not be afraid, needleballs are not that harmful¡± ¡°Not that harmful? So it IS harmful!¡± I stared at them hard. The smoke had begun to trickle down. Surprisingly, they looked really familiar. Faeve didn¡¯t even reply me. She just tucked her dagger into her makeshift belt and pointed at towards the wall. From the desert, it looked even more imposing. A huge wall made of red and grey almost reached the sky. Anything around it was dwarfed in comparison. Faeve¡¯s finger hovered in air as she announced, ¡°We must make haste through the desert. We cannot travel in the harsh mid day sun, so we must cover as much distance as we can.¡± Without missing a beat, she started walking towards me. I sighed and shambled my way towards the now dead fire. Covering my nose and eyes with my hands, I pried the skewers loose, waving it in the air a few times to dissipate the lingering stench. As I did so, I walked over to the edge of the rock we had landed on. Faeve gave me a wide berth as she crossed me, evidently trying not to get into the ¡°splash zone¡± of the horrid smell. I peered down the sides. Rock skittered down along the steep cliff and hit the ground below with a dull, barely audible thud. The rock we were on seemed to be a flat table top with very, very steep sides. I had not paid much attention to geography class back on earth, but I knew what we were standing on from the scores of Westerns. A butte. Isn¡¯t it? Truth be told, the bottom wasn¡¯t very visible. The sun rising behind the wall threw its humongous shadow cross the desert. Around us, only the very tops of the buttes and mesas were reached by the sun. The dark shadow of the wall flowed through the desert and submerged the rest of the formations. In a sea of dark shadows, the flat tops floated like islands of light. ¡°Stop staring¡±, I heard Faeve shout. ¡°Yeah, yeah¡±, I sighed while jogging to the other side of the table-top. The butte was rather small compared to the other behemoths I could see beside us. Faeve had already fixed a rope to a large boulder on the side of the cliff. ¡°Follow me after I am down¡±, Faeve warned, ¡°do not overburden the rope¡±. Without waiting for a reply, Faeve rappelled down, As I saw her lithe body grow smaller, I stared at the desert we were about to traverse. A vast vista opened up before me, cloaked in shadows and light. The landscape felt familiar, reminiscent of all the pictures of Grand Canyon I had seen back on earth. Gigantic masses of rock reared up from the earth like whales breaching the surface of a sea. Only the tops glowed a burning amber and gold in the emergent sunlight while the rest was coloured in deep shadows that seemed to have retreated and pooled at their bases. I could hardly imagine how mighty the ancient river must have been that had etched these deep canyons, these sharp gorges into this harsh landscape. The shadows still obscured much of the landscape but it couldn¡¯t hide the deep, deep twisting pathways that river and its branches had taken thousands of years ago. The desert was not as bereft of life as I had thought before. Smudges and fletches of green and blue could be seen here and there, nestled amongst cliff faces, hidden between outcroppings. Small sand storms blew violently between eerie shaped rocks through wind carved alien sculptures. Where the shadows stopped, a blazing desert of red and gold began. Rocks and sand shone like starlight in the distance, blinding the eyes. My stomach dropped; as far as the eyes could see, there was no end to this desolate land, and no respite. I heard a sudden shot directly below me. Faeve cupped her hand on her mouth and shouted again, letting me know it was my turn. I cracked my neck as I held on to the rough rope. Oh shit. I had forgotten to pass on those horrid roasted things to Faeve. Seeing no other way, I tucked the skewers under my improvised belt. Huh! The looks of it gave me a light chuckle. It was like being as assassin, but instead of poisoned daggers, it was skewers of food! The thought must have annoyed Faeve because her disapproval snapped at me through our connection. Ugh, my hands felt clammy as I saw the rope I had to entrust my life to. Frayed in places, it was as trustworthy as a Salresian guard saying he doesn¡¯t take bribes. Nothing to do about it¡­I grasped at the rope and kicked off from the cliff face. With a woosh, last night¡¯s fire disappeared before my eyes. Off we go again. Apart from a few minor jerks and twitches of the rope that nearly made my heart give out, there weren¡¯t any problem on the way down. Small lizards and insects scattered away from my heavy footed descent. How is Faeve so silent in everything she does? Oh yes, years of assassin training. I immediately regretted that line of thought. With a flash, I was reminded of eberything she told me last night. The thought must have reached to Faeve too, because there was a sudden tumult between our connection. Sigh. What do I even do¡­ ¡°Oh fucking hell!¡± a scream escaped my lips. I hadn¡¯t noticed when I passed from areas lit by the sun to shadows. The difference in temperature was sharp. A rather chilly wind hit me from all sides, making me shiver. I held on to the rope for dear life as I rappelled down fast. Luckily, the cliff wasn¡¯t nearly as steep as I had expected, and it sloped out nicely towards the bottom. ¡°About time¡±, Faeve¡¯s voice was frigid, ¡°you¡¯re slower than an Elvish child¡± ¡°Careful¡±, I retorted, ¡°I hold the breakfast hostage¡±. Faeve gave a loud snort. \ On the ground, the landscape was much more restricted. The wind flowed in a frigid river through the gargantuan rock outcropping all around us. A silence fell between us as we walked; the crunch on the rocky gravel was unreasonably loud as the sound reverberated between rock-pillars and hollowed out stone. Gargantuan outcroppings dwarfed and blocked opr view, and the only way was to look up. The sun had started rising above the wall, and the last of the stars were fading away. One moon had already set, and another was directly above. ¡°Is this the right direction?¡± I inquired. ¡°No¡±, Faeve snapped, ¡°I am going this way as a lark¡±. ¡°eSorry¡±, I sighed. This girl¡­¡±But, can we determine our way during the day?¡± She gave me a look over like she couldn¡¯t believe how ignorant I was. ¡°The more I see you, I more I think you were a pampered cake-boy of the city¡±. Among the suppressors, ¡°cake-boy¡± was a potent insult. In this world of limited mechanization and resources, cake, or what passed for cake was a highly priced commodity available only to the rich people of the city. Therefore, anyone na?ve, bratty and not street-smart was¡­a cake boy. The insult didn¡¯t bother me back at Salrest, because I mean...I did love cake back home¡­but here, in this accursed desert, it stung. In true suppressor fashion, I glowered at Faeve. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that¡±. Faeve just shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I already charted a course by the stars at dawn¡±, She explained. ¡°Valaren in there too¡±, She pointed at the black coloured moon high above. We¡¯ll set out course again during Sun-Shadow¡±. ¡°We are way off course. Would you even know the star positions at Sunshadow?¡± ¡°Not that off course. I know of this desert. The next settlement is just a week¡¯s walk¡±. She said. ¡°But, with your speed¡­¡± she snorted, ¡°might take much more¡±. Yeah right. I knew what this was. Last night¡­she¡¯s retreating back into her shell¡­ What I thought must have been right, because she clammed up right after that. However, she silently asked for the charred things I held at my waist. I passed them to her gingerly; they seemed liked they¡¯d fall apart with the slightest shake. How is she gonna eat those? What are those anyway? I stared at her as she took the blackened lumps and peeled off the carbonized skin to reveal white and pink flesh. She bit at them while cupping her hands beneath it. A greenish liquid trickled out of the bite she had made on it and rolled onto her palms. My stomach rumbled, letting me know I hadn¡¯t eaten anything for quite a while. Faeve¡¯s mouth broke into a visible smirk at the sound. I followed Faeve¡¯s steps and¡­Ouch! Something poked at me hard from the black lump. My hand started bleeding a bit as I took out a small thorn form my finger. Looking carefully, the lump had needles of all sizes arranged on it like an armour. Makes sense, Faeve did call it a needleball. The fire had burned the needles down and made it accessible. Oh. I realized with a start. It¡¯s a fucking cactus. Peeling away the charred skin along with the needles, I bit at the white flesh. A pungent, burnt taste filled my mouth. The horrid taste made my fingers tighten, squirting the sickly green fluid inside my mouth. What the flying fuck!! The fluid burned my throat on its way down with its violent, bitter taste. Worse still, it was so sticky that the taste remained for a long while.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. My face must have been a mask of horror and suffering, because Faeve turned her head back at me and silently mouthed, ¡°Cake-boy¡±. Ha ha. We had been walking for quite a while now. The temperature had risen quite a bit as the sun peered down the deep canyon. Each rock formation we encountered was stranger than the rest, twisted into impossible shapes. The wind had turned into a wave of dry heat, carrying with it dust and grime determined to enter into our eyes and mouth. Both Faeve and I covered our mouths with a scrap of cloth, and stopped talking. The endless walking brought with it an insane monotony. Bored out of my mind, I started making up stories about the strange rock formations around. A strange shape was dubbed as the tree that got petrified when it offended a god¡­that¡¯s two hairy dwarves plonking each other¡­and that¡¯s definitely a man who hung himself because he was annoyed to death by his Elf companion¡­ I slammed into Faeve while lost in my thoughts. She just looked back at me with annoyance in her face. Evidently, she had signaled with her hands for me to stop, but I hadn¡¯t noticed. ¡°Come on, that¡¯s just a joke¡±, I offered. She is annoyed at that? Faeve put a finger on her lips to signal me to be quiet. She stood absolutely still without the slightest whisper of a movement. That¡¯s strange. I decided to follow suit and freeze. Faeve gestured for me to look around. The scenery around us didn¡¯t seem all that different. Strange rock columns and formations twisted and rose around us; wind rushed through deep, shadowy caverns and threw out its cool air¡­wait, what is that? Deep white marks criss-crossed the stone pillars and cavern entrances. It was as if someone or something had chipped away at the stone repeatedly. For some strange reason, the marks reminded me of the marks Yuki¡¯s kitten left while sharpening its claws. I looked up at Faeve. Her face was contorted in alarm and surprise as she stared forward. What is she¡­I squinted my eyes to follow her gaze. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary in the patch of sand she was staring at. Wait¡­.a patch of sand? All this while, the ground was mostly compacted gravel. But before us lay a very slightly discoloured patch of yellow sand, like a bit of desert had just bloomed in a canyon. From the corner of my vision I saw Faeve¡¯s eyes go wide. However, she made no movements. From the connection between us, I could sense apprehension and¡­fear? What now? We waited there with our eyes trained on that patch of sand, unmoving. The sun blazed down without mercy, and the clear blue summer sky had little in way of clouds. In short, it fucking sucked. How long do we have to¡­sweat trickled down my temple in small rivulets. What are we even waiting for? My eyes darted towards the small, cramped cavern hollowed out of rocks just a few steps away. Cool air billowed out of it in small intervals. Can¡¯t we just run to it? What the fuck is happening? Faeve stared at me hard, nodding her head to caution me. Yeah, yeah. But my legs had started to cramp. But¡­If she is so wary, it is with good reason. The wind picked up again, and brought with it that strange wailing cry. As it traveled through the twisted canyon, the cry became even more haunting¡­its reverberations on the walls magnified into a thousand voices. Alarmed, Faeve¡¯s fingers slid to her dagger hilts. With a slow motions, she pulled them up¡­but¡­she fumbled. One of her daggers fell to the ground with a dull thwack. Her eyes went wide in shock and she whipped her head towards me. Her mouth had the time to barely form the words ¡°Run¡­¡± The ground exploded into a geyser of pebbles and sand. ¡°Somaru curse!¡± Faeve cussed as a blur shot out of the ground. Both she and I ran backwards where we came from as sand showered down and pelted where we had stood. Hearing a heavy thud behind us, I turned my head. Holy shit. Two claws the size of a small car had emerged out of the sand. The claws crunched the sand as it dug down into the ground. ¡°Run, run, run¡±, Faeve shouted, ¡°don¡¯t look back, it is a Soroscope¡± A what? Not like I wanted to find out. If the claws were any indication, it won¡¯t be pretty if I stuck around to find out. Another heavy thud shook the ground, this one causing a small tremor that sent rocks clattering down the canyon walls. I couldn¡¯t help but turn my head. A yellow and red creature the size of a bus stood where the yellow sand had been. Propped up on its six massive legs, it¡¯s claws¡­no, pincers opened and closed with the sound of a heavy metal door. A very sharp metal door. With a strange screech, the beast charged towards our running figures. The rest of its body shot out of the sand. What the¡­the creature¡¯s jhuge muscular tail swung back and forth. Hung high above the body, the tail had been bifurcated into two, with each side having its own sharp spike the size of a Claymore sword. A fucking desert scorpion?! The thing was impossibly fast on its legs, and quickly caught up to us despite our all out run. Fuck, fuck, fuck, ¡°Faeve! We can¡¯t outrun it!¡± I shouted. She nodded and leaped into a nearby boulder, her daggers shining like dual fangs. I unslung Thirst from my back and retreated behind a rock formation. The Soroscope stopped a few feet away. Its body slung low, its tail brought forward to pounce. Oh? It dragged one of its pincers on the ground. The other oozed a bluish-grey liquid. Blood, perhaps? Deep gashes marked its dull yellow-red carapace. The carapace itself looked as if made out of rocks, albeit rather shiny. It screeched again, loudly. Four beady, red eyes swung around to look at our direction. I glanced at Faeve. She crouched on the boulder, her eyes scanning the beast. The red eyes went back and forth between me and her. I don¡¯t know why, but I could sense its impatience. The eyes swung at me once more and¡­stopped as if coming to a decision. Oh fuck. The monster charged at me, its pincers swinging low. However, it wasn¡¯t the pincers that attacked, but the tail. I crouched down to hide myself behind the rock formation. The tail swung down with the sound of slicing air. Thwack! One of the spikes hit the rock. Thwack! The other followed. The beast screeched in frustration. The tail quickly retreated. I grasped Thirst tightly. My heart pounded in my chest. The tail swung again with that slicing sound. I braced for impact¡­but nothing? I peered from a wind carved hole in the rock. Faeve had engaged the beast. Since the Soroscope had advantage of reach with its long tail, Faeve didn¡¯t use her daggers, but hit at the beast with rocks. Its tail couldn¡¯t reach behind the boulder to hit Faeve. It crashed against the boulder again and again in a vain attempt to get her. Thud! A rock the size of a fist hit the creature on its head. The beast reeled back as more missiles came flying. Thud! Thud! More airborne rock missiles hit it with uncanny precision. The creature shook it head once, twice. Just a few more, Faeve. It¡¯s tail jerked up wiuth sudden animation as it redoubled its efforts to hit Faeve. Small cracks ran through the swollen tip of its tail as it hurled it again and again at Faaeve¡¯s hiding place. Faeve¡¯s stopped lobbing the stones in fear of being hit. Nothing for me to do huh? I relaxed, seeing that Faeve had the situation in control. I was not about to charge in and try to fight the oversized beast with a puny sword. As if on cue, just as I thought this, the creature gave an ear-piercing scream. The barrage of hits on the boulder slowed to a stop. What happened? Is it dead? I poked my head out from the rock formation. A sudden foreboding chill ran down my spine. I immediately jerked my head back without waiting to assess the situation. Schwing!! Something shot past with barely a hair¡¯s breadth. Cold sweat ran down my spine as one of the tail spikes the size of a large sword sank deep into the ground. The dry desert soil became wet as the tail spurted some viscous liquid. The Soroscope gave off a grinding screech as its tail was stuck to the ground. A pungent smell emanated from where the tail met the soil. With a start, I realized what it was. Poison! And must be really potent too!! A chill ran down my spine as I realised that a moment¡¯s delay would have cost me my life. An image flashed before my eyes. The Soroscope¡¯s tail hoisted high, with the spike straight through my heart¡ªmy body convulsing as the poison leeched into me. Not today, you little fucker, not today. As if on instinct, I raised my sword up high . The tail, like rest of its body was covered in chitinious armour divided in segments. The gaps! Faeve¡¯s senses waded into mine. I need to hit the gaps! The connection between us thrummed with energy as my minds shared our sensory organs, our thoughts, our emotions. My panic was counteracted by Faeve¡¯s cool, analysis of the situation. In an instant, I brought down my blade. Shit! I missed by a hair¡¯s breadth. The sharp sword clanged on the chitin and slid away with a dull sound. The Soroscope made a chittering sound with its pincers, evidently angry at being hit. As Faeve¡¯s mind flowed into mine, I confirmed something. This little sucker is wounded. Again! I urged myself as I brought down the blade again. This time, the sword sank deep between one of the gaps in armour. With a wet sound, the sword sliced in. Through the corner of my eye, I saw a flitting motion. With a loud screech, the beast had managed to jerk its tail spike out of the ground. The force of the pull made the spike sail through the air and hit my side. I crashed some distance away. Goddamit it hurts! My first instinct was to look for my sword. Luckily, my fingers still clung strong to its hilt. With a groan, I clambered to my feet. The sudden development had stunned as all. The Soroscope itself hadn¡¯t anticipated this. Its beady red eyes looked about in confusion. Taking advantage of that, I rolled away before ity could gather its wits and strike at me again. Crouching down to a defensive position, I saw Faeve had sneaked in closer to the beast. If it hadn¡¯t been gravely injured beforehand, I doubt it would have let her get so close. Oh fuck. In the excitement of the battle, I had forgotten to check the damage. Thought the tail had hit me, by a miracle, the spike had missed. One more inch¡­ I looked at the spike dripping violet venom¡­and I¡¯d be done for. Soon enough, the monster recovered. The tail came sailing at me again. I gritted my teeth as I saw Faeve steal closer and closer to the beast. Can¡¯t let it turn its attention to her. I used the sword to block the incoming tail. Some venom splattered from its tip. Need to stay away from the splash zone. The Soroscope jabbed its tail towards me like a sword. Its two spikes swung through the air with slicing sound s to entrap me and land a solid hit. With Faeve¡¯s senses as mine, I danced around the tail delicately¡ªblocking, parrying, thrusting. Each time the blade sliced at the tail with the precision of an assassin, the monster grew more and more frustrated. Its actions became more frenzied, more erratic. I could hardly believe what I was doing. It was like gliding through air, finding the smallest of safe gaps¡­Is this what Faeve¡¯s sees when she fights? It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s beautiful¡­ The monster gave a sudden yowl. I didn¡¯t even have to turn to know what had happened. Faeve had started slicing away at the gaps in its body. It tried to scamper away as Faeve landed hit after hits on its legs. It swung its tail to engage the Elven assassin. Oh no you don¡¯t! I brought he blade down on it hard. Faeve won¡¯t be safe if the Scoroscope could bring its tail to fight her! Blocked in iots attempt, the beast chittered loudly and suddenly coiled its tail into a small spring. Huh? Suddenly, the tail hit out at me like thrown punch, hitting me square in the chest. With a loud crash, I flew backwards while the tail swung away to engage Faeve. Oh no oh no oh no! ¡°Faeve!¡± I screamed. The force of the hit had me incapacitated. The events of the past few days had left my body a wreck¡ªthe force of the Soroscope¡¯s tails had reopened some old wounds. I groaned and whimpered as I tried to get back on my feet. Oh shit shit shit. Screams threatened to tear through my throat as I sat back up somehow. I could feel that my pain was affecting Faeve as well. Her face contorted with mine as the connection carried my pain over to her. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± I gasped with labored breaths, ¡°don¡¯t die, run you shit assassin¡±. The tail jabbed and sliced with lightning speed as Faeve danced between its legs. The creature screeched louder as it hit its own body. I even tried to catch her with its already injured pincers. Can she evade all that? By breaths now came in ragged gasps. I popped myself up on Thirst to see Faeve deftly roll under the Soroscope¡¯s carapace as the tail swung down hard. What is she¡­? Almost immediately, the beast let out an ear curdling scream. She is hitting its underbelly! The monster tried to scamper away with alarming speed¡­but failed. The assassin¡¯s earlier hits had damaged its legs. It clambered as it tried to get away as a little figure darted underneath its shell, slicing away at it. Yes! Yes! Yes! Excitement coursed through me, some of it mine, most of it Faeve¡¯s. The beasts¡¯ tail swung like a separate living being, it contorted and writhed as intense pain wracked its body. Suddenly, the daylight faltered. The canyon took on a twilight gleam as a golden glow spread across the land. My head snapped up to see the sun enter into the twilight before the Sunshadow. The Sun was half hidden behind the ring in the sky, its light dimming down by the second. A loud screech brought me to my senses. The sun-shadow seemed to give the Soroscope a fresh lease of life as it dashed madly towards me. Faeve¡¯s figure was visible through its legs; she clung on to its undercarriage for dear life. Her panic flooded the connection as the beast gained power by the second. I weakly brought up my sword to defend against the incoming tail strikes. The Soroscope howled. The tail came slicing down. I swung the sword up to block the strike with both hands. The impact made my hands go numb. Ugh, how is it suddenly so powerful?! It chittered, as if laughing. It¡¯s less damaged pincer came hurtling towards me. Panic and excitement spiked within me, for a moment my body felt like it was floating¡­and suddenly it was. No¡­I felt detached from my body, like an Out of body experience¡­What¡¯s happening? The pincer was approaching me with super slow speed. My vision swam; suddenly I was under the Sorocope, slashing at the beast wildly to save my companion¡­wait what? when did I¡­? My mind was thrown into confusion as I saw, felt, heard from two vantage points. The connection completely melded my senses to Faeve¡¯s, but I couldn¡¯t keep up with the extra stream of information Oh shi¡­ With a loud thud the pincer picked me up and pressed me against a rock wall. My sword clanged away as the impact drove the air out of my lungs. The pincers started tightening. Fuck, fuck, fuck! Clang! Something flew out and lodged itself where the pincers joined each other. The dimming twilight gleamed off a dagger. Faeve! She had thrown that dagger to save me! While the creature couldn¡¯t close its pincers to cut me in half, it was enough to hold my body in place. The Soroscope opened its huge maw; serrated teeth gleamed like a guillotine made of teeth. The stench of the rotting flesh stuck to its gums was overpowering. No! No! I struggled to get free. I hit the pincer with my hands, to no avail. The beast¡¯s tail rose higher and higher and then hurtled towards me like a comet. The Soroscope screeched! I waited for a certain death, my mind a eerily calm. Arin¡­ Bang! The rock wall shuddered. The beast screeched with a frenzy unlike before. Huh? I opened my eyes to see the beast had lodged its tail in a hollowed out rock formation. It¡­it missed? No¡­the other dagger in Faeve¡¯s arsenal had lodged itself into one of the gaps between the Sorocope¡¯s tail segments. She had thrown away the last of her weapons to make that tail veer off course. But¡­for what? How will I even¡­ In my wild thrashing, my hands hit the rock wall. Oh fuuuuck! Pain blossomed in my palms with a fierce fury. What now?! My palms came away bloody, with something the size of a fist lodged onto them. Needleball! A cactus with thorns the size of my palms had been growing into the cliff face which had now stabbed itself into my palm. The beast dragged itself even closer, its mouth just inches from mine. Even if its tail was stuck, it was determined to make me into its meal. It constantly shifted and scuttled to attempt dislodge its twin-pronged tail. Its beady red eyes looked at me with vengeance and fury. It¡¯s over¡­my fight¡¯s done. Just as that thought crossed my mind, deep shadows fell all over the canyon. Darkness like night blossomed from the cliffs, the rock faces, from the desert itself. Stars exploded into the sky as if torn into being. The sun had crossed over completely behind the ring in the sky. The Sunshadow had started. Almost immediately, the beady eyes of the Soroscope expanded like the focus of a camera. To adjust to the night light, the eyes the size of casino chips expanded to the size of dinner plates. As my hand still burned from the cactus I thought¡­Maybe, just maybe¡­ I rammed my hands into one of the four eyes of the monster. The needles sank into its pupils with a gush of viscous liquid and dark coloured blood. The monster screamed. Mucous and bits of rotting flesh showered my face. I rammed my hands deep into the eye. Without Thirst, the effect would be quite low¡­but¡­ I sent a shockwave through my palm. The cactus was not a magic object so it didn¡¯t handle it well, but the needles exploded inside the Soroscope. The monster gave a deathly wail and then fell sideways; its belly exposed. The ground shook as its huge body hit the dust. I fell with a loud crash beside it. Faeve looked up at me, her body drenched in dark fluids and bits of internal organs of the beast. She panted in exhaustion. The Soroscope was finally dead. We were saved; for now. I crawled over to her, my heart hammering in my chest. A strained laughter bubbled up both our throats. I looked up at the sky. Brilliant stars dotted the sky while the ring itself had a gold halo running through it. Ever since coming to this world, I had seen sunshadows every day, but it still felt so alien, so otherworldly. Well, technically, it IS otherworldly for me. Faeve nudged me with her hands. She pointed at something on the ground. Following her gaze, my eyes fell on little glowing patches on the dark desert floor. Little stains glowed and throbbed with light. But there hadn¡¯t been anything just a while ago? ¡°Glows only at¡­night¡±, Faeve explained between labored breaths, ¡°Pathfinder mushrooms¡±. True, like as if they were following a path, the glowing things bloomed across the desert in small patches in a largely straight line. I rested my back against a rock, too tired to even turn my head towards Faeve. ¡°Significant?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes¡±, She seemed to have recovered her breath, ¡°Food, water, shelter¡ªsign of oasis¡± I smiled in relief. ¡°Let¡¯s wait till sunset¡±, Faeve proposed, ¡°when night falls, we follow them¡±. Chapter 28: Fraying Edges " Don''t believe the tales of glory, laddies. Supressors who don''t get eaten end up 3 ways. Tyrants, drunkards, or blow their brains out with magic. I''ve tried the last two and failed. Guess what I''m gonna try next?" -Seth Xi "Bardkiller", "The Suppresor who Carved a Kingdom". No matter how many times I saw it, the sunshadow was a spectacle. A lurid night fell for anywhere between quarter of an hour to multiple hours. An eerie glow illuminated the ring in the sky, like how Northern Lights light up skies in a peculiar fashion; only the ring was a static band among a tapestry of stars. This sense of wonder seemed to be just me though. For a world whose sky was dominated by three moons and an ever-present ring, phenomenon like eclipses wasn¡¯t very special. In fact, life on the planet had specifically evolved to take this slice of night time during the day into account. And that is what saved my skin today. ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡±, Faeve¡¯s voice woke me from my daze, ¡°why do you stare at each sunshadow like it is your first love?¡± First love, huh? I just grunted in response. I had known from experience in Salrest that letting slip the fact that sunshadows were indeed rather new to me brought with them unwanted questions about my origin. ¡°Do not space out like a fool and clean your wound¡±, Faeve instructed. My hand still dripped blood and other unidentified goop that made up a Soroscope eyeball. If the beast hadn¡¯t reacted to the sunshadow by expanding its eyes, I¡¯d have been resting somewhere inside its gullet by now. ¡°With what exactly?¡± I snapped. No food, no water, no supplies¡­this fucking trip is a nightmare. ¡°Shipwreck. Everything lost, remember?¡± Faeve rolled her eyes. The night light of the sunshadow glinted off her pupils, making her look like a dangerous predator. Which she is, I reminded myself as I saw her lithe form, drenched in blood and bile of the monster. Speaking of monsters¡­ ¡°The core¡±, I uttered, ¡°I want the core of this monster¡±. ¡°The core?¡± Faeve inquired. ¡°Ah, you humans call the magic-hearts that¡±, She nodded. ¡°No, the Soroscope is not a magic beast. It was made¡­¡± she flailed her hands as if searching for a suitable term, ¡°¡­ without magic, so no magic core¡± she explained. Her eyes darted about, searching the ground. ¡°You mean naturally¡±, I offered. Dammit!. All suppressors hated having to battle dangerous beasts without the chance of getting a magic core. ¡°You humans¡±, disapproval coloured Faeve¡¯s words. ¡°Magic is in this world¡¯s air, water, ground; the very being and yet you insist on treating it as unnatural. Maybe that is why most of you cannot use it well¡±. ¡°Yeah yeah¡±. This whole fucking world is unnatural to me!! Faeve¡¯s roving eyes froze at an unremarkable rock. She crawled over slowly to the base of a rock, her hands tracing its surface as if she was following an invisible line. Her hand dug into the small crevices of the rock. Her face, blooming with a smile, told me that she had evidently found what she was searching for. What is she? She walked over, waving something rendered indistinct by the dim light of the sunshadow. Faeve came close and tried to pass the object to my outstretched hand. My hands jerked back involuntarily as I realized what was. Another needleball?! Faeve sighed as if she was dealing with a child. ¡°Needleball juice is good for injuries¡±, she explained. ¡°Why are you a suppressor?¡± she asked. ¡°You do not know basic things¡±. Because I have been one for less than a year, cunt. ¡°Evidently. If I did, I wouldn¡¯t have saved you¡±, I retorted. Faeve went strangely silent. A melancholy came over our connection, something akin to an aching pain that wouldn¡¯t go away. ¡°I suppose so¡±, Faeve replied, her gaze somewhere far, ¡°I suppose so¡±. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way¡±, I said. What¡­what do I do with her? Especially after what she said yesterday¡­ ¡°It¡¯s fine¡±, Faeve¡¯s mouth quirked up in a wry smile, ¡°the sooner we get rid of each other, the better. We go to the Mountain of Trees, get our connection dissolved and never see each other again¡±. ¡°Look I didn¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need pity¡±, Faeve interrupted. ¡°Not from you¡±. She shifted her gaze as she insisted, ¡°especially not from you¡±. What did she mean by that? ¡°Nonetheless, we first need to actually reach there¡±, Faeve said with a tone of finality. She doesn¡¯t want me to ask, huh? She gave me a look as if to fix me in place. ¡°You are right about one thing. We do not have any supplies. Crossing the desert would be impossible without it¡±. Then what were you rolling your eyes for?! She put up her hand before I could interrupt, ¡°that¡¯s why we have to follow the pathfinder mushrooms¡±. She pointed at the little glowing patches of desert. ¡°Following them usually leads to an oasis or watering hole¡±. Usually? My eyebrows quirked up. ¡°Bad news is that we can¡¯t follow them when the sunshadow passes¡±, Faeve explained, ¡°Sunlight would render them invisible. We need to wait for night to fall¡±. ¡°Sounds good to me¡±, I confessed. ¡°I¡¯ll just sleep till dusk. Silatenn!¡± ¡°Not so fast. We need to clean the Soroscope¡±, She said sternly. ¡°And is goodnight the only thing you picked up from my Elventongue?¡± ¡°Piss off¡±, I protested. ¡°Can we even salvage the Soroscope? If was spewing poison¡± ¡°We just have to be careful¡±, She said, brandishing her daggers. In the space of a few breaths, the dark began to dissipate. The sun was ending its sunshadow and entering noon. The stars were vanishing from the sky one by one, the moons lost their glow and turned to their dull, daylight appearance. The glowing mushrooms lost their luminescence and melted back into being indistinguishable. With the return of the day, the winds raced through the lands again. The desert resumed its keening cry. With a final push, the sun birthed itself out if the ring and the day went on as if it had never been interrupted. I felt a gentle tug on my arms. Turning back, I saw Faeve standing with the cactus, juice dripping out of an incision. She gestured me to come close. Bracing myself, I put forward my wounded arm. Something that tasted so horrible¡­can¡¯t be any good. Sticky green fluid dripped down and¡­it doesn¡¯t hurt? My tensed arm muscles relaxed, as a coolness spread across my palm. Faeve and I worked as fast as we could to strip the Soroscope bare. Faeve¡¯s daggers sliced through the bast expertly as she stripped it of its meat. I didn¡¯t fare as well. In Salrest, the only insect type monsters were worms that spat acid, and¡­no one wanted to eat that. But still, I got used to the process. There was a curious peace as we worked in tandem. The simple drudgery of the work, the same cutting, piercing, skinning anaesthetized the mind. And that meant, both our minds were silent. A small, but relative peace from the cacophony our connection had become. As the day wore on, the rock walls grew blisteringly hot. The sun beat down incessantly and forced us to stop working. Our only refuge was a small cavern made of hollowed out rock. The Soroscope corpse started to give off a strange smell in the baking heat. ¡°Do we have enough?¡± I asked Faeve, pointing at the neatly arranged heap of internal organs. She wiped her face, slick with dark blood. ¡°Not nearly. The Soroscope was a baby, so it did not have more than two stomachs and that too would make really small bags. Even the intestine was badly damaged so not much rope can be made out of it. The blasted beast didn¡¯t even have intact pincers to make some weapons out of¡±, she complained. ¡°It was a baby?¡± I all but screamed. ¡°How big are the adults?¡± Faeve pondered while tapping her blood-soaked fingers on her cheeks. ¡°I saw one as big as a merchant ship swoop down on a party of suppressors¡±. ¡°Well, if it wasn¡¯t heavily injured we¡¯d be probably dead by now, so I am not complaining., I said. ¡°Wait, swoop down?¡± My eyebrows shot up. How will a scorpion¡­ ¡°Adults grow wings¡±, Faeve supplied. ¡°Really troublesome monsters¡±. The thought of flying supersized scorpions filled me with a sort of despair. Pretty much everything in this world filled me with despair. I sighed heavily. ¡°So, I suppose you want me to carry those in my bag?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes¡±, came her monosyllabic reply. She stared at the rest of the corpse wistfully. ¡°Too bad it is going bad in the sun¡±. I pulled out my bag of superior holding¡ªor that¡¯s what I¡¯d have called it if this was an RPG. I never did find out what this was called since I had discovered a mark on it, and I was too scared to show it to people. I had heard that the Noble I murdered¡­no, paid his due had family that was looking for the murderer. Showing that bag would¡¯ve been a death sentence. As I opened it, my nose crinkled at the salty smell that wafted out. What the hell? I peered inside. ¡°Uh¡­¡± strange sounds bubbled up my throat involuntarily. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Faeve¡¯s voice was harsh. ¡°Uh¡­theres a problem¡±. My mind was racing to connect the dots. This¡­this¡­ ¡°What problem?¡± Faeve sounded tired. ¡°Is it the sort that illustrates how incompetent you are?¡± I didn¡¯t retort. ¡°Remember when we fell into the sea, fighting that sea monster?¡± ¡°Yeah¡±, Faeve gnashed her teeth. Her memories flooded my connection. Memories she¡¯d rather forget. ¡°This is a bag, right?¡± I explained to her slowly, but I was really explaining to myself. ¡°So, some water got in¡±. Faeve¡¯s mouth hung open. ¡°How much water?¡± she stuttered. ¡°As much as a bag such as this can hold I suppose¡±, I confessed. Look, I saw that fish I caught and put inside playing about so probably a lot, A whole lot¡±. Faeve held her head in her hands. A stream of exotic expletives exited her mouth as she stared at the ground. ¡°Now what? How do we keep the meat, you blasted kivala!¡± ¡°Hey! Language, young lady!¡± I retorted. ¡°It¡¯s not all bad¡±. Huh, maybe we can¡­ ¡°Isn¡¯t there any salt separating magic in your arsenal of assassin magic?¡± I really don¡¯t want to have to drink cactus water... Faeve looked straight into my eyes. Her mouth hardened into an uneasy smile. ¡°I was¡­exiled before I could learn much about poisons and such. The ones I do know are not of this kind¡­¡± She trailed off. Tsk. ¡°Huh¡±, She suddenly sat upright. Faeve swivelled her head to towards the pile of bloody organs. ¡°The stomach!¡± she exclaimed, her voice high pitched, ¡°we can use the stomach to refine the sea water! ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I believe so¡±, Faeve said with a voice of certainty. ¡°Soroscope carapaces are usually the colour of the surrounding of where they live, to better mimic their surroundings to hunt prey. Since this one has a yellow one¡­must be a sand-dwelling one. Since water is scarce, they need to absorb whatever liquid their prey possesses¡­and it means having to refine the salt of their bodily fluids!¡± she slammed her hands on the ground. ¡°I have never heard a more disgusting and splendid thing in my life¡±, I said as a grin spread across my lips. ¡°What are we waiting for? Sun will set in a bit¡±, I said. By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, we had packed everything. Unfortunately, the salt water would take some hours to refine so we were still stuck with cactus water for the time being. I took a piece of chewy Soroscope meat into my mouth that we had sizzled on the hot rocks by the beast''s own fat. I looked at the remainder of the corpse one last time. ¡°Do you¡­¡±, I pondered loudly, ¡°do you know what could harm a Soroscope like that?¡± Whatever the fuck did that it was out there. We were heading straight for it. Fucking splendid. ¡°Pray we don¡¯t find out, human¡±, Faeve answered without turning her head. ¡°The Soroscope youngling was far from home; alone, hungry and exhausted. Whatever was chasing it¡­is far beyond our strength and guile¡±.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. I shivered. Just like me, buddy. Running from what you fear, just like me. The bit of flesh in my mouth turned to mud. ¡°They¡¯re here¡±, Faeve¡¯s call brought me out of my daze, ¡°time to go¡±. She turned her head back at me, her eyes on mine. ¡°It¡¯s our foolishness to think we¡¯re above them. Beasts, in the end, are much more like us than we care to admit¡±, she said softly. She shook her head and rid it of whatever thought was possessing her and pointed at the sands. With the passing of the sun, the desert-canyon had come alive. As the first stars came into being, so did light bloom in the harsh landscape. The pathfinder mushrooms pulsated with a soft blue-white light like luminescent footprints heading far off into the distance. As we walked slowly, Faeve frequently kneeled and put her ears to the ground and checked the glowing patches, her eyes tracing invisible lines. She frequently gestured me to stop and proceed to repeat the process a few times before resuming our journey. ¡°Say Faeve¡±, I called her during one such stop. ¡°Why do you guys call these mushrooms?¡± They look like mold dammit! She looked up at me, her face illuminated ghastly by the dim bioluminescence of the Pathfinder colony. ¡°Touch them, you¡¯ll see¡± I kneeled down beside her. I don¡¯t really wanna touch but¡­There was an ethereal quality to them that drew me in an inexplicable pull. In a world where almost everything was trying to eat us, these things looked so fragile, so harmless that it was wondorous, endearing even. As my fingers brushed them lightly, spores exploded into the sky in a little cloud of glowing dust. As my fingers traced their form, I realised they were just what Faeve said¡­mushrooms, just very, very tiny. I lost count how many hours we walked through the cold, desolate desert. As winds lashed and billowed about, hidden critters came alive under the sands. The myriad sounds grew into a deafening dean that drowned out the keening cry of the desert. One moon had set, and another had taken its place. But in a world with three moons, that was hardly a thing to pay attention to. ¡°How long?¡± I asked Faeve. My legs had started to ache and throb, the wounds picked at by the cold winds. ¡°Pathfinders can stretch for a long distance through the desert. We can¡¯t see it, but all of them are connected deep under the sand. The mother plant must be near the oasis and these long branches radiate out from it ¡±, she explained in between walking. ¡°Yeah but¡­¡± I protested, ¡°we need fire¡±. ¡°We can¡¯t rest¡±, Faeve said in a strange tone. ¡°We are being tracked¡±. Say what? ¡°Who? How many?¡± I asked while unslinging Thirst. Faeve looked at my blade, her eyes flashing with dismay. She softly nodded before answering, ¡°I do not know for sure. But it has heavy footsteps, and gaining on us¡±. She paused for a bit before continuing, ¡°We probably cannot fight this one. In a desert abused by the sun, the predators are all nocturnal. And what comes out at night here¡­is nothing good¡±. Whoppity fucking doo Sweat coated my forehead even in the chilly desert night. ¡°You¡¯re telling me now?¡± I growled. ¡°What do we do?¡± ¡°We run¡±, Faeve replied. ¡° Not every fight can be won, human¡±. ¡°I know that¡±, I snapped. ¡°But if we can somehow¡­¡± ¡°No¡±, she refused. She turned her face towards me, her eyes searching. ¡°The problem with you is that, for you, the fight is the escape¡±, she said while she walked faster. What does she even mean by that? My jaw tightened. While I matched my steps to follow her, I spat out, ¡°What do you even know about me?¡± ¡°Enough¡±, Faeve replied. ¡°After you cut my hair, I asked around¡±. Our connection grew chaotic as both our emotions churned inside it. ¡°Crazy, asshole, nasty fucker¡ªI believe these were the words used about you. There were rumours about you. Unsavoury, frightening rumours¡±. The room flashed in my mind, piled with corpses of both man and beast, consuming, cannibalizing, cursing. Stop! Stop! Not now! Half eaten faces stared at me with dead, accusing eyes. I had to! Faeve¡¯s figure shook as my emotions flooded over to her. ¡°That¡±, her voice was hoarse, ¡°That is what I am talking about¡±. Her fists balled as she continued, ¡°You go to the dwarf¡¯s workshop to fuse cores. Even fools know to stay away from that. You live on top of a whorehouse and you don¡¯t lie with a woman¡­or man, you are a junkie¡­¡± This fucking bitch!! ¡°All suppressors are shady, you cunt. And I¡¯m a junkie?¡± anger rose like a wave of heat inside me, drowning my reason. ¡°Every fucking suppressor is a junkie. You can¡¯t live without numbing yourself after day after day of killing and maiming. I am a junkie? Your asshole father drinks Shivang and fucks his daughters. Why are you taking that out on me? Faeve didn¡¯t slow down but her mind was like cold water. I could feel her heart breaking as my words sunk deep within her. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps. My teeth gnashed. Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t need my pity? But deep down I knew what I did. I wanted to break her. And I did. As soon as I thought that, Faeve stopped. She turned back to me. Her eyes, glowing in the moonlight rested on mine. I backed away unconsciously. What is she¡­ I wanted to look away, but I couldn¡¯t. ¡°Oh no, Eridan¡±, She whispered, her voice unreasonably loud in my ears. ¡°You wanted to break yourself¡±, she mouthed. I gulped. ¡°I have known men like you¡±, her voice choked. She shivered as she remembered from something past. Her father? ¡°Men who torture others for pleasure¡±, She closed her eyes. ¡°But the truly damned ones, too fucked up, too far gone like you torture yourself because you think you deserve it¡±. Her words sliced through like a blade of ice. My hands shot up to the kivala fang necklace around my neck. No¡­she isn¡¯ right! She can¡¯t be. The fang dug into my palm. No! Faeve¡¯s eyes followed my gaze. Her lips quirked up in a smile that was as sad as her eyes. A deep sigh escaped her lips as she turned away, her shoulders drooping. She started walking again, her hands still balled into fists. I looked up at the sky once to see the dark desert night fading. Arin¡­ is she really right? The rest of the way passed in silence, our footfalls the only mark of our existence. As the night dissolved into a murky dawn sky, one by one the critters stopped their cries. It was a perfect silence as if the whole world waited with bated breath the birth of the sun. The trails of the pathfinder mushrooms grew more numerous as similar trails from joined the one we were following. As more time passed, more and more such trails cropped up like they were rivulets rushing to meet a mighty river. The trail of pathfinder we were following swerved between two boulders and hid from our sights. Faeve ran up to the boulder and climbed on it. She stood on the boulder, her golden hair swaying in the dawn breeze. ¡°We¡¯re here¡±, Faeve¡¯s tone was frigid. Instead of climbing up the boulder like her, I went around it. The murky dawn sky hung over a fantastical landscape. Well, technically all landscapes here are fantastical. But still¡­this¡­ a small hill arose from the rocky ground, different from the flat-topped mesas and buttes around it. It was as if someone had dropped a mass of sharp, jagged rocks carelessly in a pile. That was however not the most curious bit about it. The rock is¡­glowing?! As I stood with my mouth agape, Faeve jumped down from her stone perch and cupped her palm above her eyes to see better. Wait, it¡¯s not the hill itself¡­tens and hundreds of trails of the pathfinder mushrooms radiated from the hill in different directions. Though the dawn had dimmed their lights, my eyes still spotted them spread as far as the eyes could see; their trails traversing over rocks, twisting, hiding. The jagged hill was where all the trails lead to, its walls and the ground before it grew thick with the pathfinders. Their combined glow had the effect of rendering the hill into a mass of pulsating light. Each of the trail was akin to a root, and the hill the tree. I turned towards Faeve, ¡°Where is the oasis?¡± The hollowness of my voice shocked even me. Faeve¡¯s eyebrows knit together. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know¡±, she confessed. ¡°I guess only one thing to do¡±, I grumbled and started walking towards the hill. Soft footsteps dragged behind me, as if reluctant to follow. Sigh. A dull ache had begun to take hold in my head. Why the fuck did I have to say all that¡­ Up close, the hill was even more impressive. Wait what¡¯s that? A glowing cave entrance spread before us. Since even its inner walls were encrusted with pathfinders, we hadn¡¯t seen the cave from the beginning. ¡°Is the water in there?¡± I asked. Argh. My head¡­ Faeve surveyed the entrance with the eyes of a hawk. ¡°Good¡±, she uttered. ¡°the entrance is small. Nothing big can be waiting inside¡±. Oh yeah. If it¡¯s a watering hole¡­who knows what is in there? ¡°Don¡¯t we have water enough by filtering from the stomach?¡± I asked. No use taking chances. She pursed her lips, her eyes hardening. ¡°No¡±, she said. ¡°though the salt-water will preserve the stomach for a few days, it¡¯ll rot before we can make it out of the desert. To make a proper bag out of it, we need a leatherworking shop¡±. ¡°Fine¡± Suddenly, the pathfinders on the hill and the trails outside flickered¡­and then sputtered out. While we were engrossed, dawn had rolled in over the land in its resplendent glory. A dark shadow peeking between the landscape between us was the only mark of the wall beside the sea.The wind had picked up again and as the desert wailed its eerie keening cry, we decided to go in. We drew our weapons as we trudged into the cave. Blue light from the pathfinders untouched by sun glinted off our weapons and illuminated the cave. Every available surface inside was coated by the mushrooms. The soft, moss-like floor rippled blue lights outwards at every step we took. Oh wait¡­ I had barely enough time to rush beside Faeve and clamp her mouth shut with my hand. Glowing spores erupted in a puff of cloud where we stood. Ugh! I hacked a cough as some spores entered my mouth. Faeve had stiffened, alarmed by my hand on her face. As the dust cloud settled, she touched my hand with her cool fingers. Her touch lingered for just a moment more before she pushed my hand away. ¡°Thank you¡±, She mouthed. ¡°Can¡¯t have you¡­falling sick¡±, I replied in between coughs. I know I know¡­I am just being nice to her because of earlier. ¡°Should have covered yours as well¡±, Faeve complained while taking out a piece of cloth to cover her mouth. Her voice softened, even if just a little. ¡°I tried to¡±, I gave a sheepish grin. ¡° I forgot I had a sword in hand¡±. Faeve shook her head. ¡°Be careful¡±, she whispered before covering her mouth. I just nodded before doing the same. Yeah, who knows what¡¯s inside. The cave entrance widened out into a long passage similarly illuminated by the pathfinders. It was almost as if it invited us. We both shivered as the temperature continually dropped inside the cave. Something¡¯s wrong. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that this cave was something nefarious, something that was more than what we had bargained for. Then again, what wasn¡¯t? But each step I took, my skin crawled. The tunnel of light seemed to stretch as we walked. My vision swam, as if tricks were being played on it. Is it the spores? Even Faeve¡¯s footsteps fell heavy and unsteady. What¡¯s going on? I called her softly. Faeve didn¡¯t respond, instead, she changed into a faster gait and eventually broke into a full sprint. What is she doing?? I ran after her, by brow strangely clammy even in this chilly cave. Blue spores exploded one after another in our wake. As we ran, I noticed the passageway wove lower and lower. We¡¯re underground? As we went further and further away from the sun, our breaths gave off clouded mists. And despite the running, we both shivered. This is strange! How can it be so cold? My train of thought was broken as the passage suddenly widened into a huge subterranean chamber. Faeve¡¯s run ground to a halt as she broke into the chamber. Her eyes widened as her eyes fell on what lay before her. What happened?? She took a couple of steps back while her mouth hung open. Her hands fell limp beside her, daggers pointing down. What did we get ourselves into now? I burst into the chamber as well. A huge field of flowers spread before us glowing in shades of blue and white. Unlike the pathfinder mushrooms, they didn¡¯t illuminate the place. Somehow their quiet glow made the surrounmdings even darker. The flowers covered the ground, hung from the walls, were rooted in crevices¡­what even is this!? Wherever the eyes fell, stalks jutted out of the ground bearing intricate, lily-like drooping flowers. I took a step forward. So¡­so¡­beautiful. A ripple played through the meadow of luminescent flowers as if it had heard my footsteps. Maybe they have. I shivered as the thought struck me. ¡°What are these?¡± I whispered. Even my muted voice felt loud enough to break the sanctity of the scenery. There was no reply. I turned back to see Faeve still standing with her mouth open, her face illuminated in the sparse light of the few last patches of pathfinders. As my gaze met hers, her mouth moved. ¡°I do not know. But we need to find another way out. The pathfinder back there¡ª¡± She pointed at the passage we just came through ¡°is abnormal. The spores were meant to incapacitate and confuse¡±. Of course. Just our luck. We found the only belligerent pathfinders in the whole fucking world. ¡°Why can¡¯t¡±, I gnashed my teeth, ¡°we catch one fucking break¡±. Suddenly, Faeve¡¯s teeth shone as she broke into a broad grin, ¡°Maybe we just did!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± She pointed somewhere behind the field of flowers. ¡°A lake. We found a lake!¡± ¡°Where?¡± I whipped my head. Why can¡¯t I see anything! All I saw was darkness. Goddamn Elf eyes! I could feel Faeve grinning at the thought. Well at least she isn¡¯t¡­sigh. I really shouldn¡¯t have said those things. ¡°What if these are dangerous too?¡± I asked Faeve as we approached the field of flowers. They probably are. Nothing is safe in this world! Faeve knelt down by a flower, inspecting it by the light of a torch we improvised with Soroscope fat. As soon as she tore off a flower from the stalk, it lost its meager light. She sniffed the flower. Oi! Isn¡¯t that dangerous?! ¡°No¡±, She declared, ¡°it¡¯s safe¡±. She said it¡¯s safe but¡­I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling something was wrong. Every time Faeve brushed against the flowers, they rippled with light like they tracking her position. Is it just me? Have I finally gone crazy? The dull aching in my head rose in tandem with the sick feeling in my stomach. Argh! my fucking head! ¡°Are you okay?¡± Faeve asked as the torchlight cast shadows under her brows crinkled in concern. ¡°Yeah, yeah¡±, I gnashed my teeth as I tried to keep down the bile that was threatening to rise up my throat. ¡°Just a headache¡±. The shadows on her face deepened. She turned away, but not before her lips hardened in a line. I know what you want to say. My jaws clenched. I know. I fucking know. Though our connection carried my thoughts to her, she made no indication that she had heard. That irritated me more than I thought I would. Stop! Stop feeling like this. You know you can tide over it,I assured myself. A laughter bubbled up my throats in derision. The fuck I can. Last time when Apopris and Shivang were unavailable in Salrest due to a temporary trade route blockade¡­I was frothing in my mouth in my room¡­no way can I tide over. If the girls at the establishment hadn¡¯t smuggled in some contraband¡­ ¡°It¡¯ll pass¡±, came Faeve¡¯s firm, yet steely reply. ¡°Speaking from experience of junkies?¡± I snapped. Laughing at me, are you? My head¡­ ¡°Unfortunately, yes¡±, her voice quavered. ¡°Faelor isn¡¯t the only one I know. My mother¡­¡± her voice trailed off. She paused. When she spoke again, her voice had the composure of an assassin, ¡°after Faelor took her into his harem, she¡­broke. She took to all the¡­¡°entertainment¡± available to a royal concubine. Rarely had I seen her since without a stupor. From a woman who fought down a Troich to keep me safe, she¡­she loved her vapours and liquids more than she loved her own daughter¡±. Oh. My mind reeled at the new information. Is¡­is that why she was so unnaturally aggressive towards the Kairex? Her own mother¡­neglected her so she conflated her with the bird¡¯s excessive affection? Faeve eyes bored into mine as if I was a ghost of the past. Her sharp gaze was defiant, daring me to say something cruel; to mock, to ridicule. Her stare shook me to my core. What do you want me to say?! What? Her eyes fixed me into place, rooted like a dead butterfly pinned and labelled for the viewing pleasure in a collection. I didn¡¯t want to. I didn¡¯t want to! The protests died in my throat. Of course, I had a choice. Everyone does. I gulped. Don¡¯t stare at me with those eyes! Don¡¯t! Faeve¡¯s gaze softened. Her eyes searched my face as sweat trickled down my brow. ¡°The pain will pass in a bit¡±, she softly said. ¡°It always does¡±, she insisted, as if to convince herself as well. Our connection thrummed with life. Her sorrow didn¡¯t hit me like a violent sea storm. It spread like a calm lake with hardly a ripple, engulfing me. I found myself sinking in it bit by bit. You¡­Faeve¡­ my mouth twisted in a small smile. Such a fine pair we make...fucked up beyond saving. Faeve broke the eye contact, her eyes darting down. ¡°Yeah¡±, she said, ¡°yeah¡±. She walked towards the edge of the subterranean lake, her shoulder drooping down like it carried the weight of the world. Chapter 29: Grave of The Moon "Citizens and slaves, the years of Sunshadow approaches. We will be tested in our long years of eternal twilight. Many of you won''t be here when the sun emerges again. But,we will persevere. We will see the sun" - Ralegh Rainsteel, "The Sunshadow Address" Faeve kneeled beside the rocky shore of the lake, her torch held high. The lake itself was fairly big. Dark water stood unperturbed, too ancient, too grave to be illuminated by something as puny as a torch. A frigid fog loomed over the lake as if it was knit out of a thousand years of spiderwebs. That! That sickening feel again! Though at this point I wasn¡¯t sure whether this was the cavern or the withdrawal. Dammit! I kicked a nearby rock in frustration. The rock made a frightful cracking sound and flew towards the lake before sinking with hardly a splash. My eyes had caught the flash of a familiar colour. The colour of rotting bones. ¡°Stop!¡± I screamed at Faeve. ¡°Get away from the water¡±. Faeve didn¡¯t move, her eyes staring deep within the inky pool. She stared at me, her brows knit together. ¡°This¡­this is not water¡±, she sputtered. She sprang up, trying to get as far away from the shore as possible in a single leap. A chill went down my spine. This..smell, I know it¡­ familiar memory burned my nose as dots connected in my head. I gripped Thirst and thrust down the ground. It sank with another sickening crunch. Bones. I retracted the blade and thrust again, this time at a different place. It sank with even louder crack. Fresher bones. Another thrust. Same. Another. Still bones. A cold sweat permeated my forehead. ¡°Faeve¡±, my voice was hollow. She grunted in reply. I looked over. Hoisted on the tip of her dagger was a three-horned skull the size of a basketball. Blue and red flowers blazed in the empty sockets of its eye, hung through its jaws and every crevice. She stared intently at the flowers, her eyes wide. Trepidation flowed from her to me as she scanned the skull. She gestured me to follow as she mowed down some more flowers and unearthed what lay beneath. Bones, both ancient and fresh turned up no matter where we looked. We couldn¡¯t even see the ground buried under layer upon layer of rotting, mold infested jaws, femurs, skulls and ribs. According to Faeve, if there was a type of monster in the desert, you could find it here. Curiously though, most of them were juveniles and hatchlings, rarely adults. Oh, wait! ¡°The size of the entrance!¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s why no larger beasts could get in!¡± Faeve nodded. ¡°But what is the purpose, the reason behind this? Even the water in the pool is cursed¡±. Cursed water?! Faeve put her torch up high. The fickle fire light exposed twisting and strangely contorted cavern walls as far as the eyes could see. A strange shadow caught my eyes. What is that? The firelight had been close enough to a wall to throw the shadow of an object that jutted out from the rock. A familiar shape. A human hand. ¡°Faeve, quick¡±, I urged, ¡°bring the light here¡±. And sure enough, a hand stood outstretched from a rock as if frozen in motion while it had tried to claw its way out of its stony prison. What in the world¡­ That wasn¡¯t the only one. One by one, our torch revealed more hands and feet emerging out of the walls, the ground; all arrested in their forever motion of struggle. Their long fingers contorted in expressions of pain and horrors. Time and dessication had drawn the jet-black skin tight over the strangely long and fine bones. ¡°Moon Elves¡±, Faeve gasped. The firelight trembled as her hand shook. Even her fine alabaster skin had grown further pale. ¡°Elves?¡± I asked, ¡°down here?¡± My skin crawled as I saw more and more remains. This¡­this strange picture of a dying struggle¡­this horror and pain¡­The cursed pool¡­ Faeve gulped audibly. ¡°Oh¡±, She explained. ¡°Oh. This must be an undiscovered grave of the exiles¡±. Air, strangely heavy hung over this part of the cavern, chilling me to my bone. I shivered as I remembered the familiar scent. A sharp, sickly sweet smell so frigid that one could taste the thick cold of the scent. The smell of a curse. The room in Salrest¡­I had done something similar. The faces¡­the half-eaten corpses¡­ Bile rose in my throat. Their eyes¡­the dead eyes! Their body parts, torn and strewn about. I had seen such scenes many times over. I couldn¡¯t hold it in. I keeled over and retched. As I kneeled on the ground, my body wracked in fierce motions. Their eyes won¡¯t leave me! ¡°This isn¡¯t the same¡±, Faeve rasped. She¡­she knew?! ¡°How!¡± my breath came in ragged gasps. ¡°How?¡± How long has she known? ¡°You speak of it as you sleep, human¡±, Faeve said while drawing in sharp breaths. ¡°You dream of it, you are haunted by it¡±, her voice grated, ¡°now stop thinking of it¡±. ¡°Sorry¡±, I mumbled, ¡°sorry¡±. ¡°Neither am I a saint, make no mistake about that¡±, Faeve said with a pause. ¡°But we can hardly afford to bear each other¡¯s sins¡±. Sins huh? But I¡¯d do it all over again, how many time it needs to be done. I wanted a god dead. And I will have it. ¡°So what¡¯s the deal here?¡± I asked. ¡°What happened to the Moon Elves?¡± ¡°We, the Sun-Elves happened¡±, Faeve said while she knelt down, her eyes lingering upon a balled fist jutting from the rock, small enough to be a child¡¯s. ¡°When the First Cities rebelled against the gods, they found themselves with few allies. The Sun-Elves¡­¡± She said with a pause, ¡°fought for the gods, against the alliance of the First Cities¡±. ¡°You said Sun-Elves, not Elves¡±, I remarked. ¡°Yes. The Moon Elves stood with the Humans of the First Cities. It is said they became arrogant and spiteful of the Tree of Life, for they envied its power. They joined the humans and fought against their brethren, the Sun-Elves¡± She said while she tore her eyes from the small hand and walked forward. The innermost parts of the cavern encased within them even more vivid poses of death. Sunken and mummified heads and bodies jutted out of the walls, contorted. Beside them, whole pillars of translucent stalactite and stalagmites stood with bodies inside them, as if someone had taken the time to arrange them in neat rows, far from the haphazard posture of the bodies near the entrance. ¡°So you guys did this?¡± I asked. ¡°Imprisoned them in rock?¡± Faeve¡¯s voice shook as she saw even more bodies of obsidian bodied little children, their heads and arms too big for their shrunken bodies. ¡°No, not like this¡±. ¡°After the gods won the war, and the First Cities were razed to the ground¡­the Sun-Elves sought to punish the Moon-Elves for their transgressions. The warriors who were still alive were executed by the Tree. The women were taken as slaves and whores. The children¡­¡±, her voice was empty, ¡°followed either the women or the warriors¡±. Unknowingly, my fingers had balled into a fist. Same story. Same as earth. ¡°And the sick, the wounded and the old were cast out the Elven kingdom, without food, without water. They were left to die. We sought to eliminate entire generations, and turn the remainder into our slaves; our property¡±. I couldn¡¯t utter a word. What will I say? Nothing could be said in front of little bodies huddled together in death, deformed with extreme hunger and pain. Faeve¡¯s eyes burned with a fire, a cold anger that coloured my senses too. Her pretty face was set in stone like some vengeful goddess hewn out of marble. ¡°That is, of course, the half-truth. Being royal grants one extra privilege of knowledge. Though in this case, it is a curse¡±. Her steps carried her to the end of the cavern. The firelight illuminated the last of the mummified corpses. ¡°The Sun-Elves, even before the days of Vashtii Ragetide had warred with the Moon Elves. The bad blood of the centuries before had come to full circle after Vashtii took the throne. The four Sun-Elf tribes had the king and the advantage of numbers on their side over the three tribes of the Moon Elves. They weren¡¯t made slaves after the war with the gods. They were abused, exploited and enslaved long before. When the Moon Elves stood with the Humans, it was to end this tyranny. To end the Sun-Elves who ruled with the mandate of the Tree of Life¡±.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°So the fight of the Moon-Elves¡­¡± I uttered. ¡°Was a rebellion for their freedom and way of life¡±, Faeve confirmed. ¡°For the Sun-Elves, however, it was nothing more than a slave-rebellion. That is why the penalty was so harsh so that they cannot rise up again. That is why they weren¡¯t exterminated fully, for we still needed slave labour¡±. ¡°And these graves are¡­?¡± No matter the world, the race¡­people just¡­ ¡°The ones we cast out were the weakest ones. The Kingdom was sure that they would die, and even if they lived they would as a disgraced, weak people living on scraps and pity¡±. She pointed at a mummified child in a fetal curl, ¡°This...this is that legacy. Groups of the exiled tried to find a new home. Most of the groups perished on their way in unmarked graves like this, alone, hungry and in terrible ignominy¡±. So that¡¯s what that curse is. A curse of their dying breaths, a curse against their gods and people Faeve knelt down beside a dark figure than lay prostrated. Half of the figure had calcified into a Stalagmite, becoming one with the cave. Its outstretched hand held a piece of jagged crystal that sparkled in the firelight. ¡°There should be an inscription¡±, Faeve whispered. ¡°Find it.¡± My eyes scanned the walls¡­There! A section of the wall shimmered as if a veil of light floated over it. The Wall seemed to absorb the torchlight and¡­lines in an unfamiliar script bloomed into existence, mimicking the light of the torch. ¡°There!¡± I shouted. The script, a mass of wavy lines shimmered again and..English?! It''s English! My mouth hung open. This was the first time I had seen English script in this world. ¡°English¡±, this time I uttered out loud. I finally knew what butterflies in stomach meant. Faeve came over and looked at me curiously. ¡°language from my worl¡­hometown¡±, I said. Faeve looked at me, her mouth spread in a sad smile. ¡°No, it is magic. The script would mimic the language closest to your heart¡±, she said. Oh. The rush of hope and joy turned to a sour, metallic taste in my mouth. Faeve had already fallen silent as her eyes darted on the inscription. Well, fake or not, this is the first bit of English I saw so¡­ I started reading the words of flame. ¡°I, Sorluk Valaren Nightbow, Moon-Elf of the Black Moon Valaren tribe writ this text in the ardent hope someone will discover our fate. Be you wanderer or treasure seeker; hunter or farmer; good or evil matters to us not. What matters is you are here and you listen to our tale¡± Wow, that magic even converts to modern English. ¡°After the Great War, we Moon Elves were exiled. Our sons and fathers slaughtered; our daughters and mothers taken as slaves by the King Url¡¯ok of Spring Leaf Tribe of the Sun Elves; cursed be his name and all hereafter of his lineage¡± I guess his curse did spell true, didn¡¯t all but one of the royal line of Sun Elves die out? ¡°We were chased, disgraced and beaten. Only the old, the infirm, the injured were spared. Spared to die. I know not where the others went, but we entered this accursed, sun-blasted land to find shelter, and live out our final days. All we found were deserts and dead men. Oh by the moon! The destruction of¡­¡± part of the inscription cut off. I guess even magic couldn¡¯t protect against time and decay. That wasn¡¯t the end, however. Part of it still remained and glowed brightly compared to rest of the message. ¡° We started out a five score and twenty-nine people. The desert and its damned monsters have claimed all but two scores and ten. We have no food, no water and no hope to go on. This cavern will be our final grave, of this I am certain. O¡¯ traveller, do not leave our remains be. Pray for us, even if just a moment. Pray for us poor souls and spare a bit of water, if not for me, but for the children who died sucking on limestone. I use the last of my magic to write this message. Weary traveller, shed you may tears in our memory? The accursed sun has dried our eyes, we have nought to shed for the ones who fell before. May moonlight¡¯s blessings follow you on your journey; your waterskin be full of cool water, your pack full of meat¡±. Wow. A sigh escaped my lips. These kids¡­My eyes fell on the small rocks sprouting hands and feet. They died of starvation. My eyes fell on Faeve, her eyelashes quivering by the light. Her hands clasped in front of her, she mumbled the contents of the inscription in her own language; again and again. ¡°It was the resentment, wasn¡¯t it?¡± I asked. ¡°The lingering resentment and pain of the dead cursed this place?¡± After all, I had seen it happen before. Faeve answered while kneeling, ¡°Yes. Resentment, anger, and add to it the dead being improperly interred.¡± Thought so. Proper funeral rites were a necessity and held sacred in this world where the dead have been known to haunt people and the menace of necromancers were a real threat. I looked at the calcified mummies again, frozen in motions of agony and horror. I have no right to¡­ Huh, wait a second. ¡°The writing said there was no water¡±, I inquired, ¡°so the pool is a recent formation?¡± ¡°Pools like these could be seasonal in the desert and the writing is millennia old. The curse itself preserved the bodies to this extent. When they were here, the pool might not have existed¡±. Faeve¡¯s eyes glanced at the pool before she continued, ¡°actually, that pool is not water anymore. It might have been at one point, but the accumulating curse transmogrified it into something else. The pool might also have been formed by the curse itself, their hatred and pain congealed and given form of water¡ªsomething they wished for in their deaths¡±. Huh. Curses can work like this too? ¡°The Pathfinders¡±, I uttered. ¡°Affected by the curse water, they lure creatures to their deaths¡ªsubjecting to them the same horrible way the Moon Elves died. Such is the curses¡¯ form. Seeing as we saw no bones of intelligent or large creatures, the hold of the curse is weak. Only unintelligent, smaller creatures get enchanted by the pool water and waste away in this cavern¡±. But there are thousands upon thousands of bones¡­how much did this curse consume? ¡°So, we can get out right?¡± I asked. I don¡¯t¡­want to be here. Reminds me too much of what I did¡­ ¡°You can if you choose¡±, Faeve¡¯s voice hardened. ¡°But I will stay and offer prayers¡±. ¡°There¡¯s no water here¡±, I chided. ¡°No food, and we still have long ways to go¡±. ¡°Do not be afraid¡±, Faeve said coldly. ¡°I will not ask for your water or food. I will give mine. But I will not go without trying to give them at least some measure of peace. Such is the way of my people¡±. ¡°Your people killed them, Faeve¡±. ¡°I know¡±, her eyes were downcast. ¡°And that is the reason why I must do so¡±. How long will this continue? I sat near Faeve as she mumbled prayers in a singsong voice that enveloped and reverberated in the cavern. Her face had a strange calm to it as she knelt beside each body, her head bowed. Did they also want prayers? I had asked myself in Salrest again and again whether what I did was right. No, it never was. I knew it then, I know it now. But every time my eyes fell on the corpses, something gnawed at my heart. Arin¡­would she¡­would she even recognize me now? I closed my eyes unable to bear the corpse in front of me. Who am I kidding? There was no respite. Every time I closed my eyes, it was the room in Salrest that haunted me. Truly, the dead were the most patient of all, they could afford to be relentless. Thes aren¡¯t the people¡­I know there is no way for me¡­But as I saw as an assassin, taker of lives offer her respects¡­what have I become? I couldn¡¯t stand the sight. Oh, fuck it. I got up with a sigh. A bit of water and a bit of food, huh? I don¡¯t know why but I knew what to do. I grabbed my bag and poured some sea water on the glowing flowers that grew over the pile of dead bones. Almost instantly, flowers started browning and dying off. I am sorry, I mumbled to no one in particular as I poured more. The flowers burnt up and dissipated like ashes over large swathes of the meadow. The fog in the cavern began to shimmer like sunlight had penetrated its depths. As more and more flowers wilted, the water in the lake rippled. I took a look at Faeve. She stared at me wide, her eyes strangely warm. She nodded, and a faint smile spread on her face. ¡°It¡¯ll be a problem if you gave away all of your share. Can¡¯t cross a desert lugging a dead Elf¡±, I lied. Misplaced redemption is all we have. Maybe it¡¯s fake¡­but it¡¯s something. You know that too, don¡¯t you? The lake churned and tossed, assaulted by an invisible storm. The water dissipated in the air like bad dreams come morning. The flowers also had all but vanished, and with it went the oppressive air of the curse. The sea water it took to lift the curse was nowhere as much as I thought it would need. Guess its more about the sentiment, eh? Faeve was still halfway through her ritual. She cut up little chunks of Soroscope meat and left it in the outstretched hands jutting out of the rocks. When she knelt beside the mummified little boy, she left him a bigger piece. ¡°Rest thee well, little one. Let you go to the meadows of the Moon, where fruits are ripe and rivers plentiful. Off you go, child of the moon¡±. Why did she say that in common tongu¡­ She didn¡¯t, did she? The horribly imprecise Gift of Knowledge had finally worked, letting me understand Elventongue. I stared at the bag of water in my hand. I wonder if this had to do something with it? Faeve¡¯s ritual ended not long after. As she stood up, a smile spread across her face. ¡°Time to go¡±, she declared. Finally. I sprang up eagerly, a flash caught the corner of my eye. It had caught Faeve¡¯s attention too; she walked at a brisk pace towards the now empty river. It isn¡¯t empty? A small puddle worth barely a few mouthfuls stood at the shore. It¡¯s quicksilver like surface shone with an unseen light. ¡°Moon Water!¡± Faeve exclaimed breathlessly. She leapt towards the sparkling liquid and inspected it carefully. A few barely audible whispers from her in Elventongue sent the puddle quivering violently. In a slow, but smooth motion, tendrils of silvery threads rose from it into the air and congealed into a sphere that descended on Faeve¡¯s outstretched palms. ¡°Mind explaining?¡± I asked of Faeve. ¡°Moon Elf magic. One of the rarest of all potions¡±, she gushed excitedly. Another one of those. I knew from my time back in Salrest that potions and the sort in this world were rarely without side-effects. Neither they were the miracles in bottles they were advertised as, and prolonged use came at deep personal costs. ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± I grumbled. That beastkin in Salrest¡­I shook my head as I remembered his death. Used too much potion and lost his sense of pain. He died in a fire in his own house, as his insensitive skin burned without his knowledge. ¡°Mmm¡±, Faeve pursed her lips. ¡°MoonWater is a cure-all potion. No matter hungry, thirsty or unlucky, it solves all. But¡­¡± she whispered, ¡°not all the way. No matter how much you take, it never is enough. Your thirst will never be quenched fully, your luck will never be good enough. Like the illusions of the Moon. It¡¯s intoxicating in its incompleteness¡±. Sigh. ¡°What is it doing here?¡± I said while walked away to leave. Too much time has been spent here. ¡°probably¡­the blessings of the moon. Curses and Boons are powerful magicks with consequences. Just as the resentment was able to develop into a powerful curse, so were our actions here rewarded. Moon Elves are a proud race, and they would not fail to return favours¡±. As we trudged out, the passage didn¡¯t seem to be as long. The pathfinders had died with the flowers, and the tunnel was no longer illuminated with their eerie luminescence. The cave had lost its wonders, along with its curse. While we were stuck in the cavern, the world outside had gone on. The sun shone on the other side of the ring. As our eyes adjusted to the harsh sunlight my legs felt unsteady. What¡¯s happening? Faeve widened her stance to maintain stability. The earth rumbled and shook. With each passing moment, the ground was more and more unsteady. Loose rocks fell and skittered away from the walls of the canyon around us. ¡°Earthquake!¡± I alerted Faeve ¡°No¡±, Faeve said while her face went ashen. ¡°The Lord of the Land approaches¡±. Chapter 30: The Final Crossing ¡°Yvetal, the father of all beastfolk strode through the heavens. The Maiden of the North constellation cried, ¡°How pretty are your Claws!¡± and lay with him. From her egg birthed the Clawed ones. Next night, the Maiden of the East constellation cried, ¡°How magnificent are your feathers!¡± and lay with Yvetal. Thus, were born the Feathered ones. The night after that, the Maiden of the West constellation beckoned Yvetal, ¡°How shiny are your scales!¡± And lay with him. Thus came forth the Scaled ones. And then, the Maiden of the South constellation spoke, ¡°How strong are you antlers!¡± and lay with Yvetal. Thus was the origin of the Antlered ones. As the beastkin strode through the earth, the father of the maiden constellations grew jealous. He transformed into the most beautiful woman that ever lived and called out to Yvetal, ¡°How charming is your cunning, O¡¯ Yvetal!¡± and lay with him. And thus, came the Cunning ones, the nemesis of the beastfolk¡± -¡°The Origin¡±, Beastfolk Lore. Lord of the land?! I struggled to keep myself on my feet as the tremors beacame more and more intense. The whole canyon rumbled and shook with the passage of something unseen. In the distance, dust clouds and dirt spewed out of the earth in small geysers. It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s coming towards us! The shaking became unbearable and forced both me and Faeve on all fours. As the source of the rumbling came nearer, it left a deep gouge in its path like some humongous plough rending apart the land¡¯s guts. Of course. It¡¯s a fucking Lord of the Land. Even with the Gift of Strength, my head spun with the pitch-and-toss of the land like it was a small boat in a sea storm. ¡°I thought they were mythical!¡± my voice shook with the ground. Faeve¡¯s face has assumed a sickly shade of ash. ¡°Not quite. Just almost never seen¡±, she squelched while trying not to bite her tongue. ¡°Why¡­¡± I had to close my eyes to keep the motion sickness in check, ¡°...now¡±. Faeve couldn¡¯t reply as she lay completely prone on the ground, hanging on for dear life. Just like the stories. Pain lanced up as the vibrations made my teeth chatter. Ripping apart the earth like that¡­most Spire-Masters don¡¯t even stand a chance! Suddenly, the tremors stopped. The trail of upended earth stood on the canyon before us like a deep wound that had scarred over. It stopped? My heart pounded. No¡­ the mounds of soil trembled. Like the Sorocope! Is it gonna lunge too?! ¡°Fae..¡± my panicked shout died in my throat as the earth boomed. Just like the desert scorpion before, the Lord of the Land burst through the ground in a shower of loose earth and rocks. Oh fuck! Is it revenge?! I covered my mouth as dust billowed in the strong desert wind. Sharp sand rained down in a rogue storm and left lines of red scratches as they blasted us with a savage fury. I curled myself into a ball as rocks hit the ground like hail, having been tossed with careless abandon. Fuck! My teeth clenched. From the frying pan to the¡­ My train of thought was cut short as a strange crooning cry broke the air. The air rippled with soundwaves that screeched and gonged. What the¡­ The ground seemed to settle down as the eerie cry spread like a lullaby. More like the cries of souls in hell! As we dusted off the thick layer of dirt that had piled on us, jagged rocks broke the surface of the canyon. The trail of stones revealed themselves like the birth of a new mountain range, complete with vegetation. Faeve¡¯s eyebrows shot up as she stared at the spectacle. My hands shook with the same terror that made my heart hammer against my chest. ¡°Great Tree protect¡­¡± Faeve trailed off, taking a few steps back. The rise of the rock ridge abated. Its base spread out in a curious fashion as if the ridges were nothing but small protrusions on its massive stony-gray surface. ¡°Wha¡­what¡±, my voice died in my throat. The gray earth beneath the ridge split apart to reveal a massive eye. The obsidian black pupil swiveled to stare at us. Each hair on my body rose as its gaze met ours. We stood as if rooted, the perfect black of its eyes some ancient abyss, both fearsome awe-inspiring in the absoluteness of its existence. My mouth went dry. The clattering noise made me aware that the sword in my hands had started shaking. What¡­what is this¡­ For a few moments, if felt as if there was nothing else in this universe. Except ¡­except that eye. A dull thud rang out beside me. I dared not look away. But...But I have to. I have to¡­I broke out in cold sweat as I tried turning my head. I have to! I urged myself. My jaws clenched as I wrenched myself free of that infernal stare. Faeve was on her knees, as if pushed down by some inviolable force. Her daggers were beside her, sunk halfway into the ground. Beneath her bowed head, her face contorted in a grimace, as if she too fought of something great. The Aura of the Divine. I clenched my palm hard. A warm wetness welled through my fingers alerting me that I had drawn blood. The sharp pain was the only thing that kept me from prostrating. I won¡¯t kneel! I bolstered myself. Not for the aura of a god! The rock-ridges shook as another booming cry broke out. The ear splitting clicks like some massive Geiger counter that had gone haywire rent the air and vibrated the earth. ¡°Kneel¡±, Faeve hissed. ¡°No¡±, I snarled. The clicks intensified into a strange pattern. It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s laughing? Even its amusement came at the cost of our pain as the sound threatened to burst our ears. ¡°Don¡¯t get us killed¡±, Faeve growled, all her blood drained from her face. ¡°Kneel. Now¡±. Fuck! with a deep sigh, I acquiesced. My knees sank to the ground like magnets attract iron. Relief flooded into my mind. My labored breathing normalised as sweet, sweet air flooded into my lungs and let me exhale breath I didn¡¯t knew I was holding. My skin crawled as the eye scanned us all over, its stare like pricks of hot flashes. Sweat trickled down my temple as muddied the desert soil. The Lord of the Lands¡­they¡­they weren¡¯t they just massively powerful monsters?. The suppressor guild danger index had them classified as Spire-Master class, not Catastrophe class, dammit! I felt the eyes recede as the immense pressure lifted. Every part of me that was screaming in abject terror quieted down as the aura retreated unto the Lord of the Land. As the assault on my psyche abated, the gears began turning. Why is it here? My hands grasped Thirst. Not like it¡¯ll do any good. Suddenly, Faeve looked at me, her mossy eyes glazed over. Come to think of it¡­why is the connection quiet? A harsh voice tore out of her throat. Her mouth moved in motions that didn¡¯t match the voice. ¡°OTHERWORLDER AND TREE-CHILD¡±, it boomed in a voice unlike Faeve¡¯s. ¡°WE¡­APPRECIATE¡±. The fuck?! My mouth hung open. ¡°BROKE MOON-CHILD¡­CURSE¡±, the voice halted and stuttered as if the words were alien to it. ¡°HELPED DESERT. WE GRATEFUL¡±. Faeve¡¯s face grimaced and contorted as if she was in great pain. ¡°COME¡±, the voice commanded from Faeve¡¯s mouth for the last time. Come where? My eyebrows scrunched. Faeve¡¯s lithe frame crumpled on the ground like a marionette divested of its strings. She groaned, her hands scrambling in the soil. She looked up at me, her fair features swathed in dirt. She touched her nape as her eyes blinked in confusion. ¡°What happened?¡± She asked. I smacked my lips. Some Exorcist shit. ¡°I think you were taken over¡±, I said. ¡°By that thing¡±. ¡°Silence!¡± Faeve snarled. She rubbed her temple as if she was talking to a petulant child, ¡°do not disrespect the God of the Land¡±. A god! Knew it! She turned towards the god again and asked in Elventongue, ¡°What offense have we caused, venerated Lord of the Arrhan Canyon?¡± She doesn¡¯t know what was spoken through her? The Lord chittered again in his high pitched clicks, this time its intensity much lower. Faeve nodded, her head bowed in deep respect. She understood that?! Relief flooded through her mind into mine. She looked at me, her face spread into a smile. ¡°Humankin, looks like we have a ride¡±. Wha? And ¡­I have a name! a name! ~~~ Faeve cupped the water in the small oasis with trembling hands as if it was a supreme treasure. It probably is, I thought as I saw the scenery rushing by. Not every day does one get to hitch a ride on the back of a god after all. ¡°Let me guess¡±, I wagged my fingers at Faeve. ¡°Magic water?¡± ¡°No¡±, she looked at me with disdain, ¡°why would you think that?¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know¡±, I could feel my mouth curl up in a mocking smile. ¡°Is it strange to think the oasis on the back of a land whale made of rock has magic water?¡± ¡°Shhh¡±, Faeve hissed. ¡°The Lord can hear you¡±. My sighed as the phrase reminded me of one of mom¡¯s church-friends back on earth. She liked to regularly remind us that ¡°The Lord¡± paid inordinate amount of attention to our lives. But really. I looked down at the trail of furrowed earth we were leaving behind. It was difficult to imagine a being of this size travelling with such velocity. I held on to a rock that protruded out from the creatures back even tighter. If I fell from here¡­it¡¯ll just be a Rigel shaped splatter on the ground. The creature clicked again, its whale-like calls spread and reverberated through the canyon. Echo-locating? What happened to its¡­with a start,I realized that most of its body had sunk, only the sharp rock ridge protruded from the ground, splitting the land apart in its motion. A rock-whale with a rock fin, huh? I chuckled as Sangraal surprised me even more than it usually did. The body of the whale vibrated, as if agreeing. Sunlight sparkled from the many rock protrusions made of precious gemstones and minerals on its body. ¡°Lord of the Land?¡± I asked Faeve. ¡°A god?¡± ¡°Aye¡±, she answered while scanning the horizon from top of a rock fin. ¡°Rather, semi-divine. Mostly¡±. I arched my eyebrows, urging her to continue. Fucking useless Supressor guild has no useful information. ¡°Not quite god. Not worshipped¡±, Faeve whispered as if afraid to incur the wrath of the land-whale. ¡°No one knows how a Lord of the Land is born but, the Voice of the World; the Aurora births a monster to¡­nurture a wildland. The vast magic coalesces to crown an ordinary monster with the mantle of the Lord of the Land and appoint its caretaker¡±. Not born of belief then, I nodded. Not like the worshipped ones. ¡°So it doesn¡¯t want to murder and destroy I guess¡±, I said. That¡¯ll be a first. Faeve grimaced. ¡°Not unless one goes against the law of the land. Which, humans have done again and again¡±. Yay, one more fan. ¡°When you say law of the land¡±, I kneeled down to pick a berry that had grown on one of the many bushes and shrubs dotting the rock fins. ¡°I am guessing you don¡¯t mean Ebraven Imperial Law, but¡­¡± I struggled to find the correct word, ¡°natural order? The ecosystem?¡± Faeve nodded, still perched on her lofty position. ¡°Yes, the balance of life¡±. ¡°Don¡¯t eat that¡±, she warned. The berry? Why? I soon learned why. Something hissed near my foot. By instinct, I flitted away. A black snake like creature stared at me with angry red eyes under its flared hood. It hissed again, its two miniscule arms outstretched. ¡°This?¡± I shook the red berry. Its eyes followed my hand. ¡°There is an ecosystem on Lord of the Land¡¯s back¡±, Faeve hollered down. ¡°Do not violate that, human¡±. My eyes swept through the island of rocks and vegetations we stood on. Violate? This creature could carry an entire oasis on its back. Only fools would offend this guy. I gave the berry back to the small serpent. It grasped it on its hand and skittered away amongst the rocks. Little squeaks suggested that there were more of them. ¡°Faeve¡±, I called. ¡°We are going to the right direction right?¡± I don¡¯t trust a whale to know human places, demigod or not. Faeve warned me with her eyes. She jumped down and walked over. Her eyes hardened as she whispered, ¡°Truth be told, the Lords of Land are utterly unconcerned with affairs of most races, especially human. But do not test his patience, or we will be terribly sorry¡±.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. She sat down against a rock that seemed to be made of emerald, ¡°as for the right direction, I think so. The curse was a scourge on the land¡ªkilling many of the creatures and fouling the balance of life by distorting the Aurora. Dispelling it has pleased the Lord immensely¡±. ¡°In other words¡±, I said, ¡°we get special treatment¡±. ¡°We get a ride to the nearest human village¡±, Faeve corrected. ¡°No special privileges. Not even to us Elves who are closest to nature. Balance is impartial¡±. If only all the gods were like this. I sighed. Fucking sacks of shit. A faint smile played on Faeve¡¯s lips as our connection delivered my emotions to her. ¡°Aye¡±, she agreed. A sudden thought struck me. Dammit. How did I forget! ¡°Can¡¯t we skip the human village?¡± I asked. ¡°By now, the Armatech family would have spread my wanted poster all over the area. Won¡¯t be safe¡±. Faeve blinked. Can¡¯t blame her. A lot happened. ¡°No¡±, she trailed off. ¡°It has to be a human settlement¡±. ¡°Why?¡± I rubbed my temple. Fuck, we also tangled with the navy. We¡¯re screwed. Badly. ¡°It has to be a human settlement!¡± She snarled. ¡°A human settlement on the night of the speared moon¡±. ¡°But why?¡± I growled back. Why is she acting like this? ¡°We just have to enter the Mountain of Trees right?¡± Deep crimson crept up Faeve¡¯s porcelain cheeks. She opened her mouth but stopped herself. She breathed deep before continuing with calm as if nothing had happened. ¡°Your ignorance baffles me. Only on the night of the Speared Moon does the Mountain of Trees let outsiders in. That too, only near human villages. Points of trade and communication¡±. Huh? ¡°Really?¡± I asked. ¡°You guys wait an entire year to trade?¡± ¡°No¡±, Faeve¡¯s eyes travelled down to gaze at her feet. ¡°Sun-Elves can come and go as they please. But not humans and exiles¡±. Oh. But still, why was she so annoyed? The connection between us was turbulent. But like almost always, it obscured her thoughts when it mattered. ~~~ As the whale traversed the canyon, the rocky ground gave way to fine desert sand. The keening cry of the desert grew more piercing as if in a confrontation with the Lord of the Land¡¯s probing croon. Faeve and I huddled under the protection of the rocky fins as fierce desert winds threatened to whip us off our ride. ¡°Does it feel like the whale is sinking deeper and deeper into the sand?¡± I asked. Must look strange, an oasis travelling at the speed of a car. ¡°I noticed it too¡±, Faeve¡¯s words were almost snatched by the wind. ¡°Must be the sand¡±. ¡°When you said it was unconcerned with the affairs of outsider species¡±, I said as the whale now pitched and tossed like a vessel at sea. ¡°Does it include drowning its riders in sand?¡± I groaned. ¡°By mistake I mean¡± I added hastily. Faeve¡¯s squinted her eyes. She splayed her fingers as she spoke, ¡°I suppose it is perhaps possible that the...GREAT LORD OF THE LAND might have forgotten we are on his back¡±. Why is she...didn¡¯t she say the Lord Of the Land is unconcerned? Would praising it solve anything? Faeve faced me, lightly whispering, ¡°Not like I have prior experience dealing with them. But praising gods usually work¡±. The whale sunk lower. ¡°Usually¡±, she stressed. Oi oi oi! ¡°Wait what¡¯s that?¡± Faeve cupped her hand over her eyes. ¡°There¡±, she pointed at a distance. Dark specks flitted about in the red and gold sand dunes with terrifying speed. Soon, the sparse few specks were joined by more as they traversed the desert in the same direction as us. ¡°Does not seem like a Sand Whale pack¡±, Faeve opined. ¡°There is more than one?¡± ¡°Of course¡±, she scrunched her eyebrows. ¡°Whales are the only beasts common in all three spheres; water, sky and land¡±. Of course. Sky whales. Friggin huge whales flipping through the sky like a bird. As we conversed, the distant spots on the desert had grown larger. Each time they crossed a dune, they shot through the air and glided on the surface of the next in an elegant, yet haphazard acrobatic display. Are those...sails?! Indeed, as the objects resolved themselves into identifiable shapes, their sails flashed in the sunlight as they raced across the desert in a frenzied chase. ¡°Sand Pirates¡±, Faeve spat, ¡°the rots take them¡±. These guys? ¡°Back in Salrest...¡± Faeve interrupted my words. ¡°Salrest is a small town full of new adventurers and suppressors. They do not know which side they need wiping at. I have heard old man Frezzio¡¯s tall tales as well. And no, they don¡¯t attack in huge wooden ships drawn by Sawali sand snakes. That¡¯s just a whole lot of kivala shit¡±, she said while her mouth curled up. Yeah, excuse me for not realising which parts of a fantasy land are real. ¡°So...¡± I pondered as I saw their vehicles swerve in our direction, ¡°they are going to attack us. But...why?¡± What do they expect to do against a Lord of the Land with their weird Sand canoes? ¡°Rotten as their brains are, they probably do not realise what they are up against¡±, Faeve sighed. ¡°Besides, the Lord is mostly under the sand¡±. ¡°They are just gonna attack a speeding rocky oasis?¡± incredulousness coloured my voice, ¡°they must have seen some weird shit before¡±. Unless of course... ¡°Normal land whales have small rock spikes too, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Aye¡±, Faeve nodded. ¡°But none this valuable¡±, she said pointing at the several jagged protrusions of precious stones that sparkled in the sun. By now, huge dunes beside us hid the sandcrafts behind them as if they didn¡¯t exist. We both knew that it was only a matter of time before they¡ª With a ear-piercing ululating cry two sandboats exploded from both sides. Riding the sand dunes, they jumped high above, their trajectory taking them above the tail end of the exposed rock-fins. Their sails glinted in the sky as they did a double barrel roll before landing on the sand, still speeding. Their acrobatics however, made them lose some speed as they chased us. More sandboats joined the fray as they chased us down the dune. Indistinct shouts pierced the air as the sandboats swerved and rode the rolling dunes, like a surfer rides the waves. Impressive skills, if nothing. The same ululating cry resounded once again. The boats inched forwards by some trick of navigation, their hulls piercing through the fine sand. Men in ragtag leather armour and rusty gear yelled their hearts out, as if predators herding a prey. Is it really going to be alright? Faeve rested against a rock, her expression languid. As I arched my eyes at her, she replied, ¡°As if a Lord would let some bandits lop off a chunk of diamond off his back¡±. You might say that but... My eyes fell on their men whirling ropes from their boats. We aren¡¯t diamonds are we? By now about eight crafts were on our tail, their passage leaving trails of sand much like the whale itself. Their sails full of fierce desert wind propelled their sleek crafts forwards, each moment bringing them closer to us. ¡°Git that whale!¡± a hoarse voice cried out in a thick accent. ¡°That old bastard wos roight! Desert full o¡¯kills in these ports!¡± Fierce sounds of agreement replied from the other side. They¡¯re already this close?! ¡°Spotters!¡± a voice like sandpaper yelled. His voice rang out through the dunes. Magic? Two small boards sailed overhead, shooting through the air. What the! The huge kites attached to the two sandboards fluttered in the wind as the riders fought to keep control. Their crafts joined the other pirates. ¡°Two riding¡±, a shrill voice yelled. ¡°One man, one woman¡±. Fuck! ¡°I am not drunk!¡± the voice cried again in reply to some apparent aspersions on their sobriety. Yeah, I can understand. Who¡¯d believe that people are riding a whale? ¡°Prepare to board!¡± the sandpaper voice was back. ¡°Kill them if they resist¡±, rang out his order. I wiggled my eyebrows at Faeve. She sighed and took out her daggers, their hungry edges glinting in the sunlight. Here we go again. I unslung Thirst, its familiar weight a strange reassurance. ¡°Hey Faeve¡±, I spoke in a low voice; ¡°Don¡¯t throw them off¡±. An idea was forming in my head. She arched her eyebrows at me. Her figure swayed in a gentle dance in an effort to maintain upright position on the turbulent ride. WOOSH! A dark four-angled iron hook flew through the air and grabbed onto a rock fin. Three more of those grappling claws tore the air and grabbed onto rocks. ¡°We only need two!¡± I yelled as I ran towards the nearest one. A straight shop of my sword clattered against the rope. It didn¡¯t break?! My jaws clenched as I hacked again to no avail. Faeve had better luck as her opponent¡¯s claw had wrapped around a jagged diamond ridge. The strain of the pirate pulling himself up nearly shore the rope apart before Faeve¡¯s dagger cut it free. The man¡¯s yell downwards was cut short as he smashed below. ¡°Fuck!¡± a growl tore my throat as I saw the bandit jump up using his rope. A savage smile spread across his sun-toasted face. ¡°Soroscope heartstring¡±, he chuckled. ¡°Rope can¡¯t be cut¡±. My eyes met his. His freshly-oiled scimitar swished through the air as he unbuckled it. I knew a smile spread across my lips too. If I was wounded, perhaps. But the MoonWater had restored much of my strength. I dashed forward with a sudden kick and¡ª A slice of my blade tore the man¡¯s hand loose. I kicked him full on the chest in midst of a shower of blood. He didn¡¯t even have the time to yell before he toppled over and smashed into the raging sands below. ¡°But your hands can¡±, I replied. A sharp yelp behind me alerted that the other two had boarded. Faeve danced in a bladed fury between them, each slice drawing sharp cuts across their bodies. ¡°Not the clothes!¡± I yelled. She arrested the long dagger strikes in a moment and stabbed with a savage ferocity. Her dagger sunk with a wet squelch into a bandit¡¯s eye and came out the back. Blood splattered her fine features as the man spewed crimson. ¡°Faeve!¡± I yelled as I threw my wakizashi. It found its mark on the other pirate¡¯s throat, while his sword slash clattered against Faeve¡¯s other dagger. The man died in midst of trying to dig out my weapon from his throat, gurgling with blood. Faeve nodded at me while she stepped on the previous bandit¡¯s throat and pulled hard to retrieve her own dagger. The dagger broke free, bits of skull and gray matter still stuck to its serrated edges. I ran up to her. ¡°Quick¡±, I urged. ¡°Shove the bodies in a crevasse so they don¡¯t tumble!¡± Before we were able to drag the bodies across the rocky surface, more grappling claws scraped across the rocks. Two more suntanned men clambered onto the surface. Their veiled faces only revealed eyes painted in anger. Just how many will board? I took a stance with my sword, ready to intercept their strikes. What the fuck is the whale doing?! The bandits this time were more cautious. No doubt, watching your companions disappear in the sand tends to have that effect. They paused for a moment, startled by my inappropriate chuckle at my own wisecrack in my head. The two men circled me slowly, their curved axes poised to strike. Tch! They stayed outside my blade¡¯s reach. Not good...they tried to get at my blind side. No you don¡¯t! I rushed at the nearest one to break the encirclement. A sudden whooshing sound hurtled towards me and...CLANG!. A thrown axe bounced away from my blade with a shower of sparks. Fuck! Another axehead sliced through the air dangerously close, taking a few bits of my hair with it. The other bandit struck at me again in a whirl of frenzied axe strikes. Schwing! Something whirled past my ears again. The bandit¡¯s eyes froze as the wakizashi sprouted from his forehead. Thanks! I nodded at Faeve. The other pirate spared but a glance at his fallen comrade before trying to retreat. ¡°DUCK!¡± Faeve yelled suddenly. I sprawled myself on the whale¡¯s back without a second thought. A huge shadow passed over me and...Hit the bandit full on his chest, violently throwing him off. I curled myself up in ball as the whale¡¯s rock fins scraped against the underside of a huge arch made of red sandstone. Chunks of rock rained down, but the juggernaut continued its journey unperturbed by the crashing rock formation. The bandits weren¡¯t so lucky however. Pained yowls howled all around as the rock chunks bombarded the nearest sandboats. ¡°You alright?¡± I groaned at Faeve. ¡°Aye¡±, she replied. ¡°Watch out for rocks¡±, she warned as the whale passed through a field of strange rock formations. ¡°Anthill!¡± the sandpaper voice warned the crafts. Well, what¡¯s left of them. The keening cry of the desert brought me back to my senses. Why so loud! The usual eerie sound was now absolutely deafening. Turning my head, I soon discovered the source of the sound that had been haunting us through our desert crossing. As the whale sunk even lower, it crossed through a field of twisted and thin rock spires jutting out of the ground. The keening cries reverberated all around as the desert winds howled through its most distinctive feature¡ªnumerous holes as if made by some monstrous ants. Ah, so that¡¯s why ¡°anthill¡±. The whales manoeuvred through cramped spaces and small paths as if it loathed disturbing the field of rock reeds. The pirates weren¡¯t much behind, twisting and turning with a frightening accuracy through the treacherous paths. One of the kite riders returned as the fierce wind carried him in the air. His sandboard glanced off the top of a rock spire and thrust him towards us. What¡¯s that? Light glinted off a small mechanism in his hand. He held on to the kite with one hand and pointed the thing at us. I rolled to avoid the small bolts that were no bigger than a large toothpick. Spring-loaded mini crossbow? Shit! Fortunately, the winds veered the shots off course. I hid myself behind a rock fin to avoid the kite-rider peppering the whale¡¯s back with his bolts. Poison coated? Probably. My hands touched something cold on the ground. The grappling claw from the first guy! I dislodged the claw. Need to aim... And with a sudden whirl, I let the claw fly from my hand towards the kite-rider flying above us. The claw sunk into his kite with a tearing sound. With a scream, the guy dropped like a stone, his crash hidden behind a keening rock spire. ¡°Another!¡± Faeve shouted. This time, the other kite-rider flew over us. As the lithe body twisted and turned in air to track us, the shrill voice screamed as if in deep anguish. A woman? ¡°Bring her down¡±, I commanded. Faeve picked up one of the other grapping claws left by the dead pirates. The claw shot out of her hands and wrapped around the woman¡¯s ankles. As the pirate¡¯s veil fell off, black locks spilled from her bandana. Her face contorted in a mask of terror as the claw pulled her towards us. With a final jerk from Faeve, the woman crashed against a rock fin. She rolled over, lifeless as a ragdoll. ¡°Harpoons!¡± voices cried out from the sandboats. They came prepared for whaling! I poked my head out to see thick metal shafts loaded on barrels mounted on the sandboats. A couple of people from each both rested their hands on the barrels and murmured. The harpoons shot out and struck the Lord of the Land...and then bounced off harmlessly. Silence fell on all the boats followed by shouts of dismay. However, their voices died down quick as a crooning click vibrated the air. Looks like they pissed it off. And in time too, for the valley of rock spires thinned out into barren desert sands. With a booming cry, the Lord of the Land started to resurface. Horror and dismay were writ plain of the faces of the sand pirates as the gargantuan whale breached the sand in an impressive display of power. But far from attacking the pirates actively, the whale continued on its passage through the red and gold sands. The pirate sandboats fell behind. Their sails turned as one and bounded off deep behind the dunes in their terrorised flight. Realising the actual size of the prey they chased, the predators turned tail. Take that suckers! ¡°Now then¡±, I called Faeve as I noticed the pirate girl regaining consciousness. The girl woke up with a start, her eyes wide at our blood soaked visage. As her eyes scanned the desert sands to watch the sails retreat, she gave a cry of dismay. ¡°No!¡± She screamed, ¡°nooooo!¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going to kill you¡±, I assured her. Not like I enjoy killing people who don¡¯t wanna fight. Her eyes roved over our bloody blades and she screamed harder. ¡°You killed my brother!¡± spittle flew out her mouth, ¡°you chopped off his hand!¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°He attacked us¡±, I growled. ¡°So did you¡±. The pirate girl gritted her teeth. ¡°Do what you will¡±, she sighed. ¡°Just...make it quick¡±. I am sorry but... ¡°Strip¡±, I commanded. The girl retreated into a corner, her hands wrapped around her. Faeve arched her eyebrows. ¡°No, not for that¡±, I clarified. ¡°I just want your clothes¡±. This time, both of them arched their eyebrows as if looking at a pervert. ¡°I am not going to crossdr¡ª¡± I sighed. ¡°Faeve¡±, I grumbled. ¡°Exchange your clothes with her. And then, tie her up¡±. ~~~ I rifled through the dead pirates and grabbed whatever was useful. Nasty...but okay, I thought as I wore their ill-fit clothes, trying hard not to think what the suspicious stains were. ¡°We¡¯re almost to the border of the village¡±, Faeve pointed at the debris of habitation strewn about the desert; broken carts, discarded pots, bits and pieces of tattered clothes flying in the wind. ¡°Let me go¡±, the pirate girl pleaded. ¡°Not like I can do anything¡±, she said while shaking her tied up wrists. ¡°So that you can come after us for vengeance?¡± Faeve asked pithily. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. The Lord of the Land will let you off¡±, she added. A smirk played on her face as she finished, ¡°probably¡±. The bandit girl crumpled on a rock ridge. The whale suddenly stopped. His clicking voice cried out softly, and he started to sink. Within moments his humongous body hid below the sand, only the rock fins the sole symbol of his existence. ¡°Jump¡±, I instructed. Faeve complied and got off with a feline grace on the sand set ablaze by the setting sun. The rest of the Lord of the Land disappeared below within moments, revealing the figure of the pirate woman on the other side. She stared at us with darting eyes. She seized the chance I guess. With one final look at us, she ran screaming on the golden sand, deep towards the desert, her steps frenzied and flailing. ¡°I hope she won¡¯t be a problem¡± I uttered. ¡°She won¡¯t¡±, came Faeve¡¯s reply. ¡°Not enough time to gather forces to attack again before night of the speared moon¡±. I nodded. We started to walk towards the signs of litter dotting the yellow sand. ¡°Humans¡±, Faeve shook her head, her brows crinkling. ¡°Filthy creatures¡±. As the sun dyed the horizon an artist¡¯s palette red, gold and purple we came upon the top of the last dune. Beyond, a tranquil bay opened up before us, the river feeding it as if on fire in the last light. As the tiny huts and settlements glinted with their metal roofs, Faeve whispered, ¡°Our crossing¡­has come to an end¡±. Chapter 31: A River of Smoke "Empires are curious objects. They are found on ideals but never sustained on those. Love and devotion only go so far. Fear, oh fear is the everlasting, everpotent source of power. One cannot rule only through swords, magic, and gold. One needs to establish an empire of terror in their hearts." -Emperor Exelfeor, First Emperor of the Ebraven Throne ¡°I think pink would go well with your eyes¡±, I whispered at Faeve in a voice barely audible over the impassioned speech on the other side of the curtain. She blinked with her arm deep inside a box of toy swords and faux crowns. ¡°It is a moustache¡±, she said while her brows quirked up. ¡°No one can tell the difference, I swear¡±, I bantered as I rifled through as an assortment of the wiriest and decrepit wigs and fake facial hair. Holy shit. Might as well just paste straw to my head. In no universe is this a believable costume choice. ¡°Are you saying I look like a man?¡± Faeve bristled. Oops. ¡°I am saying¡±, I pointed towards the other side of the curtain. ¡°You look no worse than the guy there playing the lovely, frail queen Fenriel¡±. The audience cheered again, no doubt at some other scene of the hero taking down a tin dragon with a cardboard sword. Faeve snorted. ¡°Some queen he is. Pot-bellied, with hands rough as a sack ¡­he is the spitting image of the Goddess of Love¡±. Well, that¡¯s your fault! ¡°Never thought they would replace the actress with the guard!¡± I grumbled. ¡°I almost feel sorry for the villagers. Travelling theatre troupes don¡¯t come around very often¡±. ¡°We did what we had to¡±, Faeve replied, holding up a hay-coloured wig. ¡°Without poisoning the actress, we could not have lured the guard away and get access to the group¡¯s prop chests¡±. ¡°I know, I know¡± I picked a tawny wig. ¡°Wait, poisoned?¡± She¡­she didn¡¯t kill her right?! ¡°No¡±, Faeve replied as if she read my thoughts. ¡°Sap of Porvellin. She will be alright¡±. Eww. I know that! My body shivered as I remembered the extreme laxative it was. Well, at least we didn¡¯t have to kill anyone. Faeve tried on the wig. She tugged at it; the golden locks fell on her shoulders. She looks like before I chopped her hair. I sighed. ¡°Faeve?¡± I asked. ¡°Remind me to never have you as my enemy. I don¡¯t want to die shitting my guts out¡±. Faeve paused for a bit. She nodded. ¡°Alright, no Porvellin¡±, she said in a soft voice. Wait? What¡¯s with her? Why so serious? Meanwhile, applause broke out in a large din behind us. ¡°Go, go¡± I urged Faeve. ¡°Third act is over, they¡¯ll come to change!¡± ~~~ As we ran out into the night, footsteps echoed behind us as actors filed in behind the curtain. The steady stream of cheer and conversation from the rural audience hid the noise of our retreat. ¡°I must say¡±, I struggled to glue the fake moustache on my face. ¡°The plan to rob the travelling theatre troupe was brilliant¡±. Now we can rest a bit easier. Little chance anyone would recognize us. ¡°Night of the speared moon is still three days away¡±, Faeve replied. ¡°I could have spent outdoors but¡­I could do with a bed to sleep on and some decent food¡±. She whirled back, her eyebrows scrunched. ¡°And, do not call that theatre. Some fools slathered with powders and colours do not a theatre make. A mockery of fine arts, that is what that¡­that travesty is¡±. Oh wow. Very touchy today, are we? ¡°It¡¯s four wagons attached with each other to make a stage. What else did you expect out of a village roadshow?¡± We walked through the empty streets of the village by the faint light of the single moon. As almost the whole village gathered in the outskirts to spectate the rare bit of entertainment, very few houses had lamplight peeking out through the doors and windows. Still¡­something¡¯s strange about this village. ¡°Faeve¡±, I whispered softly. ¡°Have you noticed?¡± ¡°Aye¡±, she replied. ¡°Faerad village was supposed to be a fishing village but¡­¡± I knew what she was getting at. Before entering the village, we had stood on a hill nearby that overlooked the whole bay. As twilight had approached, we had had our eyes peeled on the horizon, for any sign of fishing boats. And any navy boats that might follow. As the golden sky turned purple with the birth of stars, there was no movement on the seas. No boats returned to the desolate jetties, no sails glinted in the sun in their homeward journeys as they did back at Salrest. And fishing wasn¡¯t even the main occupation there. Heck, it¡¯s supposed to be the only work in this hamlet. Faeve¡¯s eyes were scrunched. ¡°Strange¡±, she muttered. ¡°Look¡±, her slender fingers pointed at the few moored boats. ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°I can¡¯t see that far without our connection¡±. Faeve grunted. ¡°Disuse¡±, she said. ¡°Rotten wood, broken net spreads¡±. Her eyes squinted. ¡°This village hasn¡¯t fished for a long time¡±. We had come down from the hill with extreme caution. The village had been devoid of activity as if asleep from some witch¡¯s curse. However, the odd stare from the corners of a window; the crawling of one¡¯s skin when one is being watched; the sudden clatter of a utensil had told us we weren¡¯t alone. And we had been watched the whole time. Faeve clicked her tongue and shook me out of my thoughts. She held a fishing net hanging by the doors of a house. What? She spread the net in the scant moonlight. Huge holes ran through the surface of the net. They didn¡¯t fix the one thing indispensable for their trade? ¡°This fishing village is fishy¡±, I said in English. Too bad puns don¡¯t translate in Aruvahn. Faeve kept her hands on the dagger as she motioned me to follow. Despite the fact we wore leather gear taken from the bandits, the clink of our gear was still audible, such was the silence that reigned through the village. A play by the fire couldn¡¯t account for this. Salty wind raced through the village, carrying with it a strange sickly sweet smell. It was as if the wind had suddenly breathed life into our surroundings. Animals and beasts howled in the distance, their cries reverberating through the empty streets. Faeve whiffed the air. ¡°I cannot quite recognize that smell¡±. ¡°Yeah¡±, I agreed. ¡°Me too¡±. And most likely, it¡¯s nothing good. Something flashed in the distance. Its yellow glow stood stark against the backdrop of dark silhouettes that made up the village. As we turned a corner, the single glow multiplied into a row of lurid oil lamps that threw light and shadow into a ramshackle wood building. ¡°Finally¡±, I pointed at the rusted sign of a lit hearth that tilted by the building. ¡°Beds¡±. Faeve cursed. ¡°Great tree protect. It just keeps getting better and better¡±. ¡°I didn¡¯t say the beds would be clean¡±. ~~~ An Elven assassin and an otherworlder human walk into a bar, I thought to myself as we threw open the half-rotten saloon doors of the inn. Let¡¯s see how this joke ends. If one thought the exterior was a match for the interior, well¡­.they¡¯d be right. The floorboards creaked like angry mice as we made our way to the counter. So much for being inconspicuous. As it turned out, we didn¡¯t really need to bother with any amount of stealth. The fuck is this? I coughed as I waved my hands to dispel thick plumes of vapour that coiled inside the establishment. Faeve cursed under her breath while covered her nose. Her hands rested on her dagger ready to lunge at a moment¡¯s notice. The counter itself was barely visible through the billowing white smoke. The top of a shiny bald head peeked through as an errant wind rustled the smoke curtain. ¡°Ahem¡±, I coughed. The man didn¡¯t as much as stir. Thick masses of the same white smoke billowed out his nose as he puffed on his driftwood hookah. ¡°Oy¡±, I barked and rapped on the table made of the same driftwood for extra effect. The man jumped out of his skin, falling backwards from his awkward slump on his chair. I heard Faeve sigh as his plump figure disappeared with hardly a stir in the white smoke that crept on the floor. Ugh, my head again¡­I held my aching head in one hand and reached down into the mass of curling white that writhed like a living being. Fuck, where is he? Sickly sweet aroma snaked up to my face as my hands searched around. There! My hands grabbed hold of a rough homespun collar. I yanked at it and¡­almost fell over. Shit! How light is he?! I knelt down to look at the man¡¯s sunburnt face. He looked at me through the haze, his eyes a deep shade of red. ¡°Room¡±, I rasped. Fuck this smoke is¡­my head swam as the white mass attempted to engulf me. ¡°Need a room for two¡±. The man¡¯s eyes wandered as if he couldn¡¯t keep focus. Drool dripped down his chin as he stared at me listlessly. Fucking druggie. I snorted as I immediately realized the irony of the statement. As if I¡¯m any better. Faeve swooped down. Her eyes glinted like a wild beast even through the thick smog. Oh shit. I shook the guy like a biscuit tin. Wake up you little shit. This Elf will fucking kill you! The guy gasped and slammed the floor. ¡°I¡¯m not asleep! No asleep!¡± He yelped. ¡°Please don¡¯t gut me!¡± he prostrated.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back as soon as these wretches settle their bills¡±, he whimpered. ¡°Don¡¯t cut me off!¡± ¡°You dazed fool¡±, Faeve growled. ¡°We are not loansharks¡±. The man¡¯s eyes flitted between Faeve and me. ¡°You¡¯re not Lord Asper¡¯s men?¡± he asked. ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°Whaddya shakin¡¯ me fer then you kivala¡±, the man switched to his coarse Aruvahn. ¡°Shakin me noggin like that, want me to turn idiot?¡± he bristled. ¡°There is no danger of that¡±, Faeve spat. ¡°That horse has already fled the stables¡±. The man blinked, his eyes squinted at Faeve. He turned to me and rasped, ¡°Yer woman has a mouth on ¡®her¡±. Oh shit! Before Faeve could react, I bellowed, ¡°We want a room!¡± ¡°Whatcha yellin for?¡± the man retorted while his hands searched for something behind the counter. ¡°me ears work fine¡±. Faeve rolled her eyes. ¡°No magic locks¡±, she demanded. I doubt he¡¯d notice if we stole the inn under him. ¡°¡¯ere you go¡±, he slapped an old-fashioned heavy lock and key arrangement on the counter. ¡°Whatcha think dis was ¡®ere lil¡¯ lady? Salrest? Don¡¯t do no fancy magic locks ¡®ere¡±. Mmm good. I couldn¡¯t count the times I had seen young suppressors left penniless because they depended on those pesky magic locks. Heck, the thieves sold those themselves to rob them later. ¡°Which room¡±? I asked. The man¡¯s hands stopped in midst of fondling his hookah. His snarled, ¡°take any. Ya think anybody comes to Faerad these days?¡± Huh? Wasn¡¯t this one of the few points of entry to Mountain of Trees? As we turned to take the stairs that led to the second floor, the proprietor beckoned me with a wave of his hands. He slid me a slip of paper, yellow with oil stains and age. What¡¯s this now? ¡°Want some?¡± he asked in the tone of a confidante. ¡°Best Daze that be in these parts. One puff and you be suppin with gods in heaven¡±. He paused for a bit before adding in a hurry, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean you¡¯d die, but feel¡­¡± he groped the air for the word, ¡°in heaven¡±. ¡°Yeah no¡±, I refused. If he was any indication, this stuff is fucking dangerous. ¡°You sure?¡± he scrunched his eyebrows. I simply walked away. Fuck. The ending to that joke seems more and more perilous now. As Faeve and I walked up the rickety old stairs that creaked like they were on their last legs, the counter was once again engulfed in thick layers of smoke. ¡°Daze¡±, I whispered. ¡°Should have known. It¡¯s a border town after all¡±. Faeve crinkled her nose at the groans and whimpers that came from the fog of white on the first floor. Her hands grabbed the termite-ridden railings. ¡°The rot take them¡±, she spat at the faint figures of men visible through the dense fumes. Her anger was like a heated blade down my guts. ¡°Calm down¡±, I said. ¡°Killing a few drug smugglers won¡¯t solve a thing in Elfland¡±. Same thing back on earth. There¡¯ll just be new highs and new merchants to sell them. She sighed and climbed the rest of the stairs with steps heavy on the precarious floorboards. ¡°OY!¡± a shout recited from downstairs. ¡°Dat woman! She call me stupid!¡± He realized it now?! ~~~ We picked the room based on how far it was from the dug den and the number of escapes it had. Really smart move. Spending the night on top of a drug house. The dusty room was in almost as much disrepair as the rest of the establishment. He wasn¡¯t kidding when he said no one comes here. As my eyes adjusted to the faint moonlight filtered through the half-shuttered windows, I saw the single bed and a cot. Wait what¡¯s that¡­oh crap. A small bug crawled under the bed. I whipped my head around to see Faeve knocking on the doors and the walls to see how flimsy they are. She hasn¡¯t noticed! ¡°You take the bed¡±, I drawled as if I didn¡¯t care. ¡°I¡¯ll take the cot¡±. She pressed her ears against the floorboards and checked for hiding spots. ¡°No, I shall take the be¡­wait what?¡± She looked at me, her brows raised. ¡°Why so generous?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t let a lady sleep on a lowly cot¡±, I replied as I put my things on the cot. Probably too much. Faeve now checked the strength of the shutters in case someone attacked in the middle of the night. ¡°From you, human, it is very suspicious¡±, she said while chanting in Elventongue. Her magic is back? I pondered while I fumbled with the straps on the leather jerkin. Guess so. We¡¯re out of the desert, so she can use as much Vegetative AP from plants as she wants. ¡°No traps¡±, she sighed. ¡°So, what did you find on the bed?¡± Bedbugs, obviously. ¡°Just thought a fine lady such as yourself shouldn¡¯t take the dirty cot¡±. ¡°As opposed to the¡­¡± she ran her fingers on the rough bed sheet, ¡°dirty bed?¡± ¡°I called dibs¡±, I said as I unbuckled my armour. ¡°As everyone knows, dib rights are sacred¡±. Faeve rolled her eyes and slumped on the bed, without taking her armour off. ¡°So¡­¡± I said while rummaging through my bag. ¡°I guess we aren¡¯t eating at this very reputable inn I guess?¡± Faeve rolled over, her cheeks a faint blue in the light of the moon. ¡°Just eat some dried Soroscope¡±. She yawned and stretched with a feline grace. ¡°I missed this¡±, she moaned as she sprawled on the bed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you too coddled for an assassin?¡± A soft touch on my hands alerted me that I had found the cloth I was looking for. ¡°Human¡±, she said as she rolled over. Her chin rested on her hands. ¡°What do you even think assassins are?¡± Well, that¡¯s easy. ¡°They break into rooms and threaten people with a blade¡±. ¡°No¡±, Faeve sniggered. ¡°People who need to be dealt with by an assassin do not live in rot infested places like this. Balls, estates, courts, we deal death in places like those¡±. ¡°Sure¡±, I said as I looked at her reclining form on the bed. My eyes rested on her soft curves as moonlight caressed them. Mmhm. Faeve shivered as she followed my gaze on her exposed nape and going lower, lower¡­ ¡°Too much of that smoke has gone to your head¡±, she said as she gasped, her skin assuming a faint crimson in the moonbeams that draped her. ¡°Cool off¡±. Not like you aren¡¯t¡­I thought as I saw her uneven breathing. Her head sank as she curled up, her face toward the window and away from me. Of course. I quickened my pace and wetted the cloth with the leftover salt water in my bag. The connection is affecting her even more now¡­ I plugged the gap between the door and the floor with the wet cloth. Now they can¡¯t gas us with the Daze as we sleep. ¡°Tal¡¯hael¡± I whispered as I took place in the cot. ¡°I¡¯ll take first watch¡±. A slight murmur from the bed was the only sign that she had heard me. Guess that¡¯s all I am gonna get. ¡°Tal¡¯hael¡±, came the unexpected reply. ~~~ Wha¡­what time is it? I woke up all groggy while my hands searched around for my phone. Where the fuck am I? my hand scampered frantically. Where the fuck is the phone? Phone? A chuckle escaped my lips. Haven¡¯t done that since¡­since Shrafingshire. When I had first come to this world, every now and then I¡¯d forget where I was when I woke up. Arin used to laugh in that tinkling bells and rivers laughter of her when she saw me scrambling for my phone in my sleep. Arin¡­ I shook off the last of my sleep. Sword? Check. Dagger? Check. I sprang up. The fucking drug-den! I stared at the empty bed. Faeve¡¯s gone?! I unslung my weapons. Where the fuck did that Elf go? Something rustled as I moved. A paper? ¡°Gone to scope the village. Stay alert. P.S. Found the bedbugs. The rot take you¡±. Oh. I crumpled the slip of paper she had stuck to my side. That goddamn Elf. She didn¡¯t even wake me up before going off? A sigh escaped my lips as I strode over to the windows. When did she become so indispensable? A silent chuckle bubbled up my throat. Better not get used to it. We¡¯ll part ways soon enough. My eyes fell on the massive mountain in the distance. In the light of the waning moon, its dark bulk stretched almost infinitely. The mountain of trees, huh? My fingers grabbed the wooden slats. Vaegar. My teeth clenched as Talaviel and Zain¡¯s cocky smiles flashed in my mind. I will burn you two shits like you burned Arin. The old wooden shutter groaned with the force of my hands. But first, I need Vaegar. I let go as fine cracks spread through the wood. As the dark of the night turned into the dark of the dawn, I sat cross-legged polishing my blade. There was a strange peace in the repeated, mechanical motion of the blade going over the whetstone. Glad those sand pirates had a few. The sharpening of the sword had become almost like a ritual. The rest of the world fell away, only I and my blade remained in a never-ending reverie of motion. The dark of the room after moonset didn¡¯t hinder my work, as I knew every notch, every curve of the Tavitz Steel blade through my long nights at Salrest when nightmares and phantoms would haunt my sleeping hours. Zain. Talaviel. Astria. I recited in my mind. Zain. Talaviel. Astria. ¡°One day¡±, I promised myself. One day. The soft creak of the door would have gone unnoticed had I not been sitting by it. Faeve stepped through, her footsteps silent as a cat even on the old floorboards. ¡°Dressir¡±, my whisper was barely loud enough for an Elf. Faeve jumped out of her skin. She immediately crouched by the door, her daggers out by instinct. I continued polishing my sword, the sound of the metal against the stone the only noise in the room. ¡°Great tree protect, human¡±, Faeve sighed in relief. ¡°Do not surprise an assassin like that¡±. ¡°The question is¡±, I rasped. ¡°Why is the assassin so surprised¡±. Something¡¯s fishy. Faeve didn¡¯t reply, instead sheathed her daggers. ¡°I thought you would still be fast asleep¡±, She said after a long pause. Huh? ¡°Why, I wonder?¡±I interrogated further. ¡°Is there something you¡¯re not telling me?¡± Faeve sighed. ¡°Nothing of the sort. You got a pretty good hit of the Daze, so I figured you would sleep like the dead¡±. ¡°And¡­knowing that, you left me undefended¡±, I pondered aloud. Being careless isn¡¯t really in her nature. ¡°Hardly¡±, she sniggered. ¡°Booby-trapped all the doors¡±. This fucking elf! ¡°What if I wanted to go out, you idiot!¡± ¡°It would just lop off a little bit off your head¡±, Faeve grinned in the light of breaking dawn. ¡°More importantly¡±, she added. ¡°I have news¡±. ~~~ In the morning, when I came down the stairs, the bar downstairs came into view. Huh? The place which was so full of that dreadful smoke and scores of desperate men eager to whiff it was completely devoid of life. Crooked driftwood chairs and tables lay strewn about, askew and without occupants. Only the acrid scent of burnt out oil lamps irritated my nostrils. Huh, those are some punctual druggies. Back in Salrest, the revelry such as this would leave people passed out all over the bar. It wasn¡¯t uncommon to see people spending days or even weeks at a stretch in such places. But here, both the smoke and its partakers had evaporated like last night¡¯s bad dreams. As I passed the counter, a strange gurgle caught my attention. Hmm? A shiny bald head rose from the floor and cursed loudly. ¡°Coin¡±, the proprietor grunted. ¡°How much?¡± Damn, conked out of his mind, yet didn¡¯t forget his dues. ¡°One Rita¡±, He sputtered. ¡°Or two Gold-Tree; One Saliz; Four-part Dwarfmetal; ya choose¡±. Like hell it is! I slapped down three coppers. ¡°Three Ress¡±, I said. ¡°And if the Elves hear you¡¯ve been calling their royal currency a gold-tree they¡¯ll gut you¡¯. He gave a toothy grin. ¡°This be a bordertown. The onl¡¯ Elves ¡®ere be smugglers and thieves. Coin be coin ta them¡±. He looked me up and down with his bloodshot eyes. ¡°An you ain¡¯ no Elf¡±. He grimaced as he saw my hands holding the coins. ¡°10 Ress¡±, he groaned. I slid two more into the pile. ¡°Five, and you know you¡¯re slitting our throats for the krumper-shit room you have here¡±. ¡°Ya starvin'' my children¡±, he grumbled. His actions didn¡¯t match his complaints as he eagerly grabbed the coins with hands that were nought but skin stretched over bones. ¡°Stag protect¡±. Stag? That¡¯s new. Since it¡¯s a god, probably a bastard as well. The village was much like as it was at night; silent and deserted. Apart from the wood smoke curling out of occasional chimneys, it was like a ghost town. Tch, I¡¯m being watched again. The gazes behind shaded windows, door cracks, felt like pinpricks running on my skin. What¡¯s their fucking deal? The wind picked up in a savage gust, blowing dust into my eyes. That¡­that smell again. The sweet scent of Daze crept outside the barred doors of many homes I passed and flowed out into the streets like tributaries flowing into a river of Daze that snaked through the village, engulfing its muddy roads. This whole fucking village¡­in the light of the day, the decay was even more visible. As I walked, the houses were more and more ramshackle, torn and disused nets hanging outside, fishing lines rolled up in dusty bundles. Few people milled about here and there. ¡°Hey!¡± I called out. They shuffled away in a hurry as if I was some contagion. Some even went inside and bolted the doors. Strange. It was as if the whole village slumbered. No¡­Dazed. I felt my fists ball up. Do I¡­do I also when I take Shivang¡­ I shook my head to rid of the thought. I need food. Some fresh food that isn¡¯t Soroscope. But no matter the direction I took, shuttered windows and the occasional sprawled out figures of the Dazed greeted me. Oh, fuck it. I kneeled down beside one such addict. The scrawny old man lay on the ground face down and groaned. His hands clutched at an old fishing pole. ¡°Oy¡±, dust fell off his tattered clothes as I shook him. In response, he groaned even louder. Goddamnit. I pried his fingers loose and grabbed the pole. I slid a Ress in his hands. I might not even see him again. Might as well buy it. I walked away towards the river, the fishing pole in my hands. Sigh. Nope. I turned back where the Dazed guy lay, the Ress still gleaming in his outstretched hand. ¡°He¡¯ll probably be here anyway¡±, I uttered to thin air and exchanged the copper coin with one of lesser value. Not like anyone¡¯s here to judge me for being a cheapskate. ~~~ I hadn¡¯t realized how much I missed air untainted by the Daze. As sickly, sweet scent gave way to the stench of saltwater, my heart lifted. Before long, I caught myself singing a cheerful ditty. Ah, the song from the Moonsong festival Suri had tried to get me to learn the flute and become a bard, but I had less tune than a blacksmith¡¯s hammer. I chuckled as I remembered Suri¡¯s face when she heard me playing the flute. Never asked me again, did she? I cupped my hands to avoid the summer sun beating down. Should have got a hat¡­but this will...I plucked a huge leaf that grew by the riverside. Suddenly, something flashed in the corner of my eyes. What¡¯s that? The grass rustled as the wind blew through them to reveal a petite figure bounding down the muddy road. Her mangy black hair matted with salt flickered like the ocean waves while she skipped. My heart hammered in my chest. Why¡­why¡­is she¡­ The fishing pole on her shoulders danced along with her while the wind brought snatches of a raucous ditty known to fishermen all over Ebraven. My mouth went dry. She¡­she looks so like¡­like¡­ The small red bucket beside her slapped against her worn down tunic. Suddenly, she looked at me: her black eyes stared into mine and fixed me into place. I backed up a couple steps. This¡­this can¡¯t be! How is she here! The little girl¡¯s soft eyes squinted in confusion. Dappled sunlight played on her oriental features as she stared at me with a face I have known for years. Yuki¡¯s. My half-sister back in Japan. Chapter 32: Bordertown Blues "Then, the god of love, Sairel gave us her tears. Her love for us coalesced into the Cenna. It is through the Cenna we love, we feel joys and tide over sorrows. The Cenna shows us worlds we couldn''t have seen. Cenna is the gift of life, and it is to be guarded with ours". - The Tears of The Goddess, 13:67 Honestly, seeing Yuki was a punch to the guts. As I saw the same upturned eyes, that toothy smile, I was instantly transported to all those years back to that final day in Kyoto that had broken the camel¡¯s back. It had been a summer day much like this. Or at least I think it was. After so long¡­I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m not sure. Strangely enough, I don¡¯t remember what happened back then. Not in exact words and¡­It was just a memory in splashes of colour and¡­and the tears. As the girl with the fishing poles stepped closer to me, I backed away even further. Yuki also¡­that day she had been this happy. She¡­we rarely had been happy those days. ¡°Look, Look!¡± Yuki had pulled on my shirt. ¡°They aren¡¯t fighting!¡± But I had known it was a lie. I had already seen the divorce papers, rifling through Dad¡¯s cabinet. But I couldn¡¯t tell her¡­not when she¡­. Yuki bounded through the endless vermillion gates of Fushimi Inari shrine, her face beaming with joy. If only I had kept my mouth shut about the other woman¡­But back then, I was a kid. And kids tell things they aren¡¯t supposed to. I was broken out of my stupor by the sight of the fisher-girl making strange faces at me. She waved her arms and pulled her cheeks, her thin fishing rod dancing in the air like a strange tail behind her. ¡°Yuki¡±, I sputtered with a dry mouth. ¡°How, how are you here!¡± I all but screamed in Japanese, rendered broken by disuse. She¡­she should be all grown up by now! She tilted her head. ¡°Eh? Foreigner¡±, she said in Aruvahn while nodding. Her next reply took me aback in its harsh, guttural sounds and rapid speed. That¡¯s not Aruvahn. I smacked my lips. Shit. Shit. Shit. What the fuck¡¯s going on? I repeated my question in Aruvahn and without the hysteria. ¡°You doo speak, eh eh? I thought you were mute! Or woorse!¡± Her eyes grew wide, ¡°stuupid!¡± She tilted her head again, her black locks dancing. ¡°Whose Yuki? I¡¯m Temera. Yoou?¡± She isn¡¯t Yuki?! My mind reeled. Has she lost her memories? I knew my mouth hung open. Did¡­did the gods send her younger self here? ¡°Hey! I¡¯m speaking to yoou!¡± the small girl complained. ¡°Is he Dazed oor soomething?¡± she wondered aloud. ¡°Dressir, Temera-larr¡±, my mouth moved on autopilot. Is she even Yuki? But then how does she look exactly¡­ ¡°A gentleman froom the city!¡±, Temera exclaimed, her voice a pitch higher. ¡°So poolite! I feel like a¡­a¡­nooble lady! Like that froom last night¡¯s plaay!¡± She cleared her throat as she spoke again, this time trying hard to hide her country twang. ¡°Dressir¡­¡± her knees bent in an awkward bow, no doubt emulated from last night¡¯s performance. ¡°Eri¡­kivala¡±, I spat out the first word that came to my mind. Shit! Almost gave away myself there! Temera¡¯s small nose crinkled, ¡°Kivala?¡± Oops. I guess I fu¡­ ¡°I understand¡±, she gave a sagely nod. ¡°Poik in our village also has a weird name because his parents love poik fish. I won¡¯t laugh at your name, Kivala-torr¡±, she said with all the sincerity of a twelve-year-old. Her suppressed smile gave away the fact that she, in fact, was very amused. Even her smile is like her. She really isn¡¯t Yuki? ¡°Yoou new here, aren¡¯t ya? Yoou staying at Krossels¡¯ inn?¡± she grimaced as she spoke. ¡°I hate the smell of Daze¡±. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not smoking any¡±. My stomach sank as I considered other possibilities. Did those fucking gods bring Yuki too? My knuckles turned white. If they so much as touched her¡­ ¡°The sun isn¡¯t goona wait for us¡±, Temera bubbled, her previous thought already forgotten. ¡°Coome with me! I knoow the peerfect spot!¡± As I stared at her, I¡­ I need to find out. I need to know. My hands trembled at the thought of Yuki having been transported to this shithole of a world. On the other hand¡­if this is really her¡­a slight smile broke my lips. ¡°Please¡±, I agreed. One way or another, I will find out. Staring at a fishing line for hours on end could be the worst thing if you didn¡¯t have the patience of an old Japanese man babbling about how the evil city gobbles up innocent country folk. At least that was what hours upon hours of fishing with Yuki¡¯s grandfather had taught me. Well, it certainly hasn¡¯t taught me fishing. I rolled on my sides to avoid the midday sun as I lay at the base of a grassy knoll overlooking a calm section of the river. Temera had stuck both our fishing poles in the soil, while we lazed about, eating small berries. This is so fucking boring! The little girl chattered on and on beside me, her face going through a palette of emotions in accordance with the story she was currently telling. How do people in the village have a personal life with a chatterbox like her?! ¡°¡­and then, Rossie fell ill. Then we found oout she was gooing to have a baby¡­¡± she gesticulated wildly as if she was the one going to have the baby, their scandalized parents and the excited father all at the same time. Who the fuck even is Rossie?! By now, I had probably heard about all the houses in their village. My eyes caught the slight flutter of the pole. Sure enough, the tiny bit of twig being used as a float bobbed down. Something bit! I lunged, eager to catch at least one fish. Temera whispered shouts of encouragement, ready with the bucket. ¡­.And nothing. I reeled in the empty line, now devoid of its lure. Yep, fish 5, Rigel 0. ¡°Here¡±, Temera offered me another piece of bug to spear on the hook. ¡°Um, Kivala?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Yoour beard is lying oon the grass¡± The fuck?! I whipped my head to see the tawny beard I had stolen last night lay on the grass, its cheap adhesive worn away by the sweat and friction. ¡°I¡­um¡±, I stammered. Fuck, fuck, fuck. ¡°It¡¯s you see¡±, a cold sweat covered my forehead. The girl nodded with her eyes cast down. ¡°I oonderstand¡±, she whispered. ¡°Faerad¡­well. It¡¯s noot my first time seeing soomeone run from soomething¡±, she hesitated. ¡°Smugglers, thieves¡­people who owe more than they can pay¡­¡± ¡°I could be any of those¡±, I drawled. I don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s Yuki but¡­ ¡°You¡¯re sitting here with me alone¡±. ¡°I doon¡¯t think you¡¯re a bad person, Kivala. Bad people doon¡¯t sit around and fish¡±. Really? That¡¯s a fucking strange logic. Oh well. ¡°Besides¡±, Temera flashed a gap-toothed grin. ¡°I can whoop yoour ass with this pole¡±. ¡°I have a sword, Temera¡±. Calm down. This might not even be Yuki. ¡°And I have a fishing pole¡±, She said. ¡°Which oone do you think would catch more fish?¡± she added confidently, her tiny fists on her waist. What even¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t hang around with strange people¡±, I warned her. ¡°They might be dangerous¡±. She looked at her with her legs pulled up to rest her chin. Her black pupils gazed deep within me, almost as intently as the Lord of the Land. ¡°Are you, Kivala?¡± she inquired. ¡°Dangerous¡±. With the things I have done¡­ ¡°Maybe¡±, I said. I can¡¯t¡­ I didn¡¯t know why, but the yes wouldn¡¯t slip out of my mouth. Maybe it was her face¡­speaking of that¡­ ¡°So hey Temera¡±, I asked. My heart pounded in my chest as I formulated the rest of the question. I gulped. ¡°You look very different from the rest of the people here¡±. ¡°Ooh yeah, everybody says that¡±, she nodded while she pulled at her line. ¡°My foother¡­.¡± She grunted as she landed a big fish that screamed as it was hauled out of the river, ¡°People say he was a travelling salesman froom Huenxuan. Right bastard he was! Leaving my mother like that!¡± she sputtered without a care in the world, all the while putting her third fish in the bucket. She might not be Yuki after all¡­ A sigh escaped my lips. I was looking forward to it so much? My shoulders slumped at the realization. ¡°I¡¯ll share soome of mine!¡± Temera assured me. ¡°I can catch more than I need!¡± she said gleefully with her fists pumping the air. Still. Such uncanny resemblance¡­ a chuckle bubbled up my throat. Might not be. All I have are my memories and a few photos I haven¡¯t seen in years. Maybe I just really wanted Temera to be her. ¡°Well then¡±, I yawned. ¡°Wake me up after sunshadow¡±. The goddamn elf is gone again anyway who knows where. I rolled over on the soft grass as a sweet river breeze played with my wig. ¡°Ooi! You!¡± she grumbled. ¡°Doon¡¯t sleep!¡± I¡¯m not. Just that¡­she reminded me too much of Yuki. It was well past sunshadow when I regained consciousness. Ow, my neck! I stared accusingly at the rock I had slept on to cause such a violent soreness. Sword, check. Dagger, check. Bag, check. I looked around to find Temera asleep as well, her tousled and salt-matted hair framing her soft face. You really aren¡¯t Yuki, huh? My fingers brushed aside her hair to reveal her drooling face mumbling unknown words. Gossiping even in her sleep. I could feel the corners of my mouth lift up in a smile. I tucked her disorganized locks behind her ears. This isn¡¯t Yuki, I told myself. This isn¡¯t Yuki. I shouldn¡¯t be touching kids I don¡¯t know. ¡°Temera¡±, I called softly. ¡°It¡¯s noot dawn yet¡±, she drawled. ¡°Temera¡±, I shook her. Something splashed nearby. The bucket trembled. Oh wow. The bucket now held six fishes, all thrashing and trying to escape the scant water inside. ¡°Aiiyee!¡± Temera yelped. ¡°It¡¯s already evening! I need to retoorn! Oh no oh no oh no¡± she panicked. ¡°Weren¡¯t you keeping watch?¡± I asked while I reeled up my line. What the fuck? Not only bait, but the fishes ate half the line! ¡°Noot by choice!¡± Temera grumbled. ¡°Now hurry up before I get thrashed at hoome¡±.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Alright, alright¡±, I relented and started walking. ¡°Too heavy?¡± I asked as I saw her struggle with the bucket. ¡°Help¡±, she said with a red face as she tried in vain to nudge the bucket. Well, no harm I guess. I grabbed the bucket and¡­Oh shit, that¡¯s heavy! ¡°Near the river¡±, she pointed. Huh? Why? But I dragged it towards the river, my breath coming in ragged gasps. The fuck why these fishes are so heavy! A snarky smile played on Temera¡¯s face while she walked beside me. She kneeled down to pick up a fish from the bucket and¡­threw it into the river. One after the other, she released four back in the river. They disappeared with a slight plop, never to be seen again. Why did you catch them then?! ¡°No sense in taking moore than I need¡±, Temera spoke as if she read my mind. ¡°Greed is oor biggest enemy¡±. Mature for a kid. But then again, I looked back at Faerad, it¡¯s tin roofs glowing in the setting sun. Kids grow up fast in this world. Temera even waved at the fish, ¡°bye bye!¡± She puffed her cheeks and complained, ¡°doon¡¯t laugh!¡± as she saw me shake with laughter. I put my hands up in apology. ¡°This way¡±, she pointed. ¡°Quickest way to village¡±. Our way back was through a dense thicket. The sky just divested of its sun threw the last of its light on the bushes and trees we passed through and formed eerie, contorting shadows. But for the first time in a long while¡­I wasn¡¯t on my guard. My hands didn¡¯t rest on my weapons. In fact, I found myself whistling along with the lilting song that Temera sang as we walked. ¡°O, ho the boats return~ their bellies like pregnant fish/ as the stars twinkle up, our fathers chart the seas~¡± Where did Faeve go in such a hurry back then? I pondered as I tried to sing along to the song. Temera turned back, her face set in a grimace. ¡°I can see why they named you Kivala¡±, she shook her head. ¡°Goo back to whistling¡±. This kid! ¡°Ha ha¡±, I retorted. ¡°Says the girl about to get beat¡±, I wagged my finger. ¡°It¡¯s nightfall, you know~¡± ¡°Don¡¯t remind me!¡± she cried. ¡°Hurry! Hurry!¡± she urged. As I picked up my pace to match her trot, my eyes caught onto something. What¡¯s that? A small shrine made of driftwood and rocks stood askew in middle of an overgrown knoll. The wood and rope decorations had faded their colours and now hung like ghastly sentinels to an empty tomb. Temera turned back and followed my stare. ¡°The old shrine¡±, she whispered as if afraid to break the sanctity of the place. Just a rundown shrine! What I she even paying respects to? ¡°And disused¡±, I pointed at the grasses and vines that had engulfed the shrine in their grip, as if in a bid to reclaim the land for nature. Good, at least one god is gone. My mouth curled up in a sharp smile. ¡°It used to be soo full of life¡±, Temera spoke softly. ¡°Fathers and soons prayed for a good catch, wives and daughters prayed for their safe return; women prayed for a safe childbirth¡­¡± she continued as she walked towards the decaying structure. ¡°When I was little¡­¡± You¡¯re still little! Her feet crunched the fallen leaves, ¡°Fish-oil lamps would burn ool night, they¡¯d bring back corals and bits of the sea that goot tangled in their nets and offered it to the shrine. We would all wait for the harvest on the month of shadow¡±. I know how it ends. Faeve told me in her ¡®news¡¯¡­ ¡°The Daze changed all that¡±, she kneeled down and brushed her hands on one of the fish statues. ¡°The day thoose men came and made their dazefields in the valleys woos the day we forgot to fish¡±. Matches with what Faeve saw in her night sojourn. Daze crops planted all over the valley and the meadows. The villagers weren¡¯t just addicts. They were the farmers. A labour force bound by their addiction, stupor, and mounting debt to the Noble that controlled the fields. ¡°What¡¯s stopping them from running away with the crop?¡± I had asked Faeve. ¡°I mean, why use addicts as farmers in the first place?¡± ¡°Lord Asper¡¯s men and their whips¡±, Faeve had replied with a grimace. ¡°I¡¯ve seen this before. They¡¯re never given enough Daze, just enough to staunch rebellion. To quench that thirst, they soon sell themselves, their wives, their children. Slavery is disallowed in Ebraven only on paper and for lesser nobles. Higher ups like Asper¡­¡± Faeve had taken a sharp breath of air, ¡°the Aristocrats look the other way¡±. So that¡¯s why not one fishing boat leaves Faerad. Temera sat up straight. ¡°I wish all the Daze woould just burn away¡±, she sighed. That¡¯s not how it works, kiddo. ¡°Time to go¡±, I urged as the last bits of light disappeared. Firefly like bugs swarmed the dilapidated shrine as if to replace the old oil lamps that no longer burned. Temera nodded and started walking, only this time in a veil of silence. When we reached a forked path, she swerved on her feet. ¡°Here!¡± she gave me one of the two fishes in her bucket. ¡°You sure?¡± I asked. I dug through my pockets to pay her. ¡°I doon¡¯t need it¡±, Temera said. ¡°I don¡¯t want your cooin either¡±. ¡°But¡­¡± I stared at her tattered clothes, patched in places. A slight blush crept on her face. ¡°It¡¯s foine¡±, she insisted. I¡¯ll definitely get her something before I leave. She might not be Yuki, but¡­still. ¡°See you tomorrow!¡± she chirped. ¡°Meet me at the secret place!¡± I nodded. I might not even be here tomorrow. We needed to leave fast. Temera had seen me without my beard. She said she won¡¯t tell anyone, but¡­ kids tell things they aren¡¯t supposed to. Like all self-respecting people who ever went fishing, I hauled the fish on a bit of the line, as if I had caught it. Take that suckers! I mentally fist-pumped at the throng of people who lined both sides of the streets and marvelled at my catch. Huh? Pretty soon, I realized they didn¡¯t marvel at anything. Their empty eyes traced the roads while their muddy feet dragged their body forwards. Their taut frames bucked under the load of the heavy farm instruments on their shoulders. Occasionally, their eyes would stare at my fish and gleam but would soon dart away as if it hurt their eyes. My skin scrawled as dozens of people returned home without so much as a conversation between them, a river of silence despite the throng of humanity. As I stepped inside the inn, the familiar scene of yesterday played almost verbatim. Men sprawled on misshapen furniture, already Dazed out of their minds while thick white smoke threatened to engulf all light from the flickering lamps. The innkeeper stared at me like his eyes would fall off before he darted his eyes and made himself busy with his hookah. What¡¯s going on? I took the stairs that penetrated the gas cloud and lead upwards. Is Faeve back yet? I pondered while I steadied myself on the groaning stairs. Huh? The door to our room was ajar. Lurid yellow light spilt from it onto the dark hallway. Something¡¯s wrong. I took out the wakizashi in my hand as I approached the door. Just as I was about to¡­ ¡°No need for such alarm¡±, came a voice smooth as silk. ¡°Please come in¡±. Tch. My muscles tensed. How did he even know I was here? As I entered, I found a man leaning on a chair with his legs up on a table. Huh? These furnitures weren¡¯t here, I thought as I stared at them. The man traced my eyes. ¡°I redecorated¡±, he answered while he cut a fruit with a small knife that glinted silver. ¡°I wonder how Krossel stays in business with these horrid rooms¡±. Expensive suit¡­not from Salrest¡­the capital? Gold and silver buttons, silk kerchiefs¡­Ah ha! ¡°With your Daze I presume, Lord Asper¡±, I retorted. This is the fucker. ¡°Sharp. I like it¡±. He motioned his two guards to bring me a chair. ¡°Please sit¡±. ¡°I¡¯d rather stand¡±, I replied, my hands resting on my weapons. Where the fuck is the useless elf? ¡°As you wish¡±, Asper nodded. His hands smoothened the creases on his coat before he replied, ¡°I presume you know why I am here¡±. I can guess. ¡°Have I offended your Lordship in any way?¡± question is, what does this fucker want with me. His laugh was like a blade that grated my ears. ¡°Drop the act¡±, he rasped. ¡°A man and an elf in my territory, armed to the teeth. Now, what should I make of this?¡± he leaned back further, his eyes glowed in the moonlight. ¡°Just two passersby¡±, I replied. ¡°We have no¡­ill intentions¡±. Why the fuck is this guy so jumpy at two random people? A chill ran down my spine. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ ¡°I am not here to play petty games¡±, Asper wiped his mouth with his expensive silk kerchief. He took out a yellowish paper from his pocket, balled it up and threw at me. I grabbed hold of it by reflex. Shit! It¡¯s the wanted poster! ¡°I know exactly who you are, Torr-Eridan.¡±, Asper chuckled. ¡°Your¡­exploits aren¡¯t exactly very discreet¡±. He added after a pause, ¡°it¡¯s amusing that you think that cheap theatre-wig fools anyone¡± Exactly who I am? My hands tightened on my blade. Should I take Asper out first? ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish¡±, Asper rasped. ¡°These two aren¡¯t the only guards I brought¡±. You say that. But your face is white as a sheet. ¡°A Moon-Elf shaman is targeting you as we speak¡±, Asper grated. ¡°One snap of my fingers and¡­poof¡±. I grit my teeth as I forced myself to relax. ¡°Seriously, the reward money isn¡¯t worth it to a noble like you¡±. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Is that all that is? Does he know I¡¯m Rigel as well? ¡°Maybe¡±, Asper regained his composure. ¡°But I am a Von Armatech¡±. My eyes bogged. He¡¯s a relative of that crazy girl? ¡°You¡¯re Grisaia von Armatech¡¯s family?¡± I stuttered. ¡°You guys put out that wanted poster?¡± ¡°Not me¡±, Asper grinned. ¡°But uncle was always a bit soft on Grisaia. No doubt she pestered them hard enough to get this done¡±. Shit, shit, shit. This is bad. Very bad. It¡¯s not even the reward anymore! But¡­. My tensed muscles relaxed a bit. He hasn¡¯t connected me with the ¡°demon¡± Rigel. Sounds of commotion floated up from below. Resounding cracks sounded as tables and chairs broke in the bar. Asper nodded at one of his guards. The guy left to check the trouble out. Before leaving, he turned around at the door, saluted Asper and said, ¡°Stag protect¡± Asper nodded back. ¡°Stag protect¡±, he whispered. That stag thing again? ¡°Now tell me¡±, Asper leaned forward. ¡°Give me a reason to let you walk free¡±. A cold sweat broke out on my forehead. Wait¡­what¡¯s that? My eyes fell on a strange brooch that Asper wore: antlers carved out of gold that branched finely. Stag! ¡°How about I give you three¡±, I rasped. Well, here goes nothing. ¡°One¡±, I put up my forefinger. ¡°You don¡¯t care about Armatechs¡±. Asper raised his eyebrow. ¡°Ebraven nobles follow only the four officially sanctioned Churches. But Stag¡­isn¡¯t one of them. Don¡¯t tell me¡­you¡¯re in this frontier village because the main family has sidelined you. They aren¡¯t very fond of apostates after all¡±, I paused. My heart hammered in my chest. I¡¯m fucked if I am wrong. ¡°Why would you listen to a brat from the main family?¡± Asper chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯d be in the good graces again if I handed your head?¡± ¡°Nah¡±, I replied. ¡°From what you say, Grisaia¡¯s tantrums aren¡¯t important enough to risk taking an apostate back¡±. Asper looked into my eyes, his pupils evaluating. ¡°What¡¯s the next reason?¡± ¡°The Sun-Elves want me. I am an Aivern, the chose¡ª¡± Asper cut me off. ¡°I know what it is. One can¡¯t do business with them without hearing about that damn Tree¡±. He paused for a bit, his mouth quirked up. ¡°You¡¯re an Aivern? I thought it might be the case but¡­thunders and clouds, still unbelievable when you hear it¡±. That makes my job easy. ¡°So you know that they want me. Handing me over or killing me kinda puts a dent in that plan¡±. Please please work. Where is Faeve anyway? Imma fucking kill her! ¡°You won¡¯t piss off your trading partners, would you?¡± I said as sweat trickled down my brow. ¡°You don¡¯t know a thing, boy!¡± He chuckled and then pressed his lips together. ¡°And the third?¡± ¡°The elf is holding a dagger to your shaman¡¯s throat¡±, I lied through my teeth. I don¡¯t even fucking know where she is! You really thought we would be that careless? Yep, we totally were! ¡°Besides, I escaped a squad of assassins, what makes you think I can¡¯t do the same here?¡± I don¡¯t even know what a Moon-Elf shaman can do, goddammit! Asper¡¯s eyebrows scrunched together. He twisted the ring on his hand. ¡°You¡¯re lying¡±, he said while his feet twitched. ¡°What if I am not¡± Good, he can¡¯t communicate with the shaman to verify. Asper grunted. ¡°The Sun-Elves did tell me to let you and your elf pass. The night of the speared moon is tomorrow. Torr-Eridan¡­¡± He stood up. ¡°I do not want any trouble. You and your elf companion stay away from my affairs, and I¡¯ll stay away from yours. It¡¯s a border town. Everyone is running from something. We don¡¯t need to cross paths while doing so¡±. He motioned to leave. His guards filed out, protecting him. ¡°And hey¡±, He threw a bundle of cloth at me. ¡°My compliments¡±. ¡°I don¡¯t want it¡±, I held the cloth bundle. The sickly sweet stink of Daze from the bundle was overpowering. ¡°A principled man I see; better than us smugglers and slave traders¡±, Asper sneered. ¡°But that¡¯s not what my contacts in Salrest tell me¡±. After he left, I crumpled on the floor. So much for laying low. Fuck! A knock sounded on the door. Familiar footsteps stopped beside my prone body on the floor. ¡°You¡¯ve Dazed?! You incorrigible rintrump shit!¡± Faeve spat. The veins in my neck throbbed. This shitty elf! I sprang up and caught her by her collar in the same motion. Her eyes widened. In a flash, her blades were out. I pushed her lithe form against the wood wall, my hand grabbed her dainty wrists and pinned them over her head. The dagger in her hand sank into the old wall with a dry sound, her hands still on the hilt. ¡°Where were you¡±, I rasped, my face barely inches from her. Faeve gasped, her legs bending to knee me in the stomach. Oh no, you don¡¯t. I pressed my body onto hers without leaving a gap. A faint scent of grass and sweat emanated from her and swirled into the meagre space between us. ¡°Where. Were. You¡±, I snarled. My hands grabbed her other dagger and pressed it on her throat. ¡°Made contact with Sun-Elves¡±, she trembled as she spoke. She licked her lips. ¡°Let me go¡±, she said. I could feel my jaw bunch up. The soft undulations of her body nestled on my skin. Her green eyes trembled. ¡°It hurts¡±, Faeve pleaded. I took a deep breath. What am I even doing? I pushed the dagger in my hand into the holster on her body, my fingers brushing her hip. I retreated a few steps. ¡°I didn¡¯t Daze¡±, I said with a gravelly tone. From the corner of my eyes, I could see her rubbing at her wrists that had now grown crimson. ¡°Yet¡±. Faeve turned away. ¡°Tomorrow at sundown we enter the nearby forest, from there¡­ the mountain of trees¡±, she said with a tone of frost. Temera¡¯s fish turned out to be a delicacy. Even Faeve ate more than she usually did. She did stare at me strangely when I told her I caught it myself. Probably best not to tell her about Temera. Faeve looked surprised when I told her about what went down with Asper. Her lips pressed together when I told her the Sun-Elves knew we were coming. ¡°Probably the Tree¡±, she whispered. ¡°Oh hey¡±, I said. ¡°What¡¯s that thing?¡± I pointed at the ring that gleamed on her finger. It wasn¡¯t there before! Her eyes darted downwards. ¡°Identification; need it to show it at gates of Olyelnore.¡± ¡°Got it from the Sun-Elves?¡± ¡°Aye¡±, she shrugged. ¡°Rest up; we have a long way ahead tomorrow¡± ¡°Yeah¡±, I nodded. ¡°You must be happy. Soon you¡¯ll be rid of me¡±. ¡°Aye¡±, Faeve looked outside, her gaze far away. ¡°Aye¡±. Huh? Ocean waves roared and crashed in front of me in white surf. Countless stars stretched in a boundless sky with four moons. This¡­this isn¡¯t Sangraal¡­ Pitch black sand stretched as far as I could see behind me, all the way up to the horizon. The wind howled, but none of it touched my skin, or so much as ruffle my hair. A dreamscape? Mine or¡­ Ocean water swirled with a great rumble. It wasn¡¯t the sound of waves but of a gurgling river rushing to meet the ocean. The water swirled and swirled, its phosphorus glowing like millions of fireflies caught in a whirlpool. The air cloyed with an oppressive scent. Aura of the Divine? About time that damn Astria showed up. But as the water grew more luminous, I began to grow less sure. Her aura never manifested this way¡­the dreamscape is also¡­ From the eye of the whirlpool, driftwood arches and river stone pillars started to emerge. Fishes and other glowing aquatic organisms hung on to its doors, archways and staggered ziggurat dome at the top. This¡­this looks familiar. Wait, what¡¯s that?! A small figure jumped down from its top, water cascading its lithe form. Wait, that¡¯s not Astria! ¡°Rigel¡±, the figure said in a voice of a roaring river, ¡°we need to talk¡± Chapter 33: What Men Worship; What Men Forget I took a few steps back. Wait, what now? This isn¡¯t Astria! Another god?! My hands grabbed for my sword, only to find¡­nothing. It¡¯s a fucking dreamscape! The small figure walked on the blue sand. Its footsteps on the sand glowed an iridescent blue. Unseen clouds in the sky obscured her face as she approached me. ¡°Who are you?¡± I croaked. Cold shivers ran down my spine. Which one of the assholes is it now? A sea god? ¡°A friend¡±, it said. The darkness lifted from its face as it smiled at me, head tilted to one side. My knees buckled. I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away from the face as I fell. My heart hammered in my chest. ¡°Yuki?¡± I screamed. No¡­ ¡°Temera¡±, this time I whispered. The girl nodded. The phosphorus that clung to her cascading black hair sparkled. She drew her tattered, salt-encrusted robe closer as she waited for me to speak. ¡°You¡¯re a god¡±, my hands clutched the black sands. ¡°Why?¡± Temera arched her eyebrow. ¡°Why I am a god?¡± she asked. ¡°Or why did I not tell you I was?¡± ¡°Why did you assume this form?¡± I wailed. ¡°Why! Why!¡± I felt myself shake as my voice grew hoarse from the yelling. ¡°Why Yuki?!¡± Temera¡¯s mouth¡­no, Yuki¡¯s¡­quirked up in a strange smile. ¡°I did not. You did. You chose to see this form within me. You, Rigel, You¡­¡± she nodded, ¡°You wanted to see your sister¡±. It was like a punch to the guts. I keeled over and sprawled face up on the fine sand. As the hot liquid from my eyes stung, I stared up at the impossibly bejewelled sky. ¡°And you obliged¡±. No reply came. Instead, the sand rustled as she drew near. I didn¡¯t scramble to get away this time. What¡¯s the use? What¡¯s the use of anything? These gods play with mortal lives like silly little game. There¡¯s no getting away from it. There never was. Temera sat down beside me, her hair and dress dripped water on sand. ¡°I wish I could have played a sister to you a little longer¡±, she said in a wistful tone. ¡°Stop¡±, I implored. I knew it. There are no lows these gods won¡¯t sink to¡­ Temera fell silent giving way for the roar of the ocean to fill my ears. She drew up her knees to sit in a very human position. Like a little girl. The girl she had pretended to be. She said nothing. She demanded nothing. Most of all¡­she reined in her aura of the divine. Something¡­Astria had never done. No matter what¡­even when I couldn¡¯t breathe, couldn¡¯t stand, Astria never¡­ ¡°What do you want?¡± I blurted out, unable to bear the silence. She chose Yuki¡¯s face deliberately. I¡¯m sure. Temera pursed her lips as if she wanted to say something but stopped herself. ¡°You know what the Daze does¡±, she spoke. ¡°I want it gone¡±. What? ¡°I¡¯m not peddling it. What do you want me to do about it?¡± ¡°Kill the one who brought the infernal stuff to my shores. Burn the fields¡±, her voice was like ice. A chuckle bubbled u my throat. But I couldn¡¯t dare let it out as I saw her eyes glowing with a cold fire: a fire born of rage and the mysteries of the dark seas. ¡°What will it solve? You know he isn¡¯t doing this alone. The Empire is taking its dues alright, so are the Armatechs, even if he is an apostate¡±. ¡°But they can¡¯t do it without my people. All I need is a miracle, one single miracle. The Fisherpeople of Faerad won¡¯t be held slaves again¡±. ¡°The people who gave up their trade the first time?¡± ¡°My people were tricked!¡± the fury in her voice was matched only with the fury of the seas that churned and coiled around the half-submerged water temple. ¡°Medicine, they said it was. A crop to support them while the drought in fishing they told them. And before soon¡­¡± ¡°Unused boats, torn fishing nets, and desperate people begging for a shot of Daze¡±, I interrupted. ¡°I saw. Your fishing village was converted to a drug farm. You want it back. Is that it?¡± You just want your fucking worshippers back. She looked at me, her eyes the colour of waves in the night. ¡°Not for worship, Rigel¡±, she said as if she had read my mind. ¡°My people had stopped worshipping me long ago. Did you think the ruins of my shrine were made yesteryear?¡± I sat bolt upright. So that¡¯s what this underwater temple is! The driftwood archways, the river stone doors¡­the shrine Temera showed me! ¡°People don¡¯t forget Sea Gods¡±, I pondered aloud. ¡°What exactly are you a goddess of?¡± ¡°River deity; the river that flows here, the estuary and the near seashores. I am¡­revered as the keeper of the fishermen, the source of the silvery harvest, mistress of fortunes at river and inland sea and childbirth¡±. Local deity¡­minor goddess. Probably worshipped in just a couple of fishing villages. ¡°Just give them more fishes¡±, I sighed. Nope. Not fighting a battle that isn¡¯t mine. ¡°I did at first¡±, she looked at the horizon. ¡°Then they wanted more. Then more. The silvery harvest isn¡¯t endless. When they didn¡¯t have more, they prayed. Eventually, they stopped coming to the shrine¡±. She actually¡­ I whipped my neck to look at her. So frail¡­so small. NO! I reminded myself. That is a god. Not my sister or a little girl. But still, she did try to look after her people. ¡°When I gave them more, their good fortunes made them stop coming. When I gave them less, they blamed it on the heartlessness of a stone idol¡±, Temera scratched her neck in a very human motion. ¡°They forget that it was human hands that carved the stone, not us¡±. ¡°Yet you want to help them?¡± Why? Why would you? She flashed a smile that matched the face of the bubbly girl she had pretended to be. ¡°My people. My responsibility¡±. I won¡¯t lie. I blinked in utter confusion. A god that cares about her people? ¡°Help me, Rigel, she pleaded. ¡°Help me return my people their livelihood and their lives¡±. ¡°And start the cycle all over again?¡± I stood up. ¡°They¡¯ll forget you as soon as they have good catches¡±. Temera looked up at me and nodded. ¡°They might. But¡­that¡¯s a worry for a hundred harvests later¡±. ¡°I can¡¯t help you¡±, I turned away. I can¡¯t do this while she wears that face. ¡°I am not going to risk fucking up now¡±. ¡°I know¡±, Temera sighed. ¡°But Olyelnore Urv¡¯an is not a place to be taken lightly. You will die there¡±. I shrugged. Maybe, but I still can¡¯t. ¡°Become my hand of justice. Stay here and be revered as the Justice of the Scales for a couple centuries. I am a small god, but still, you¡¯ll be able to manifest some powers. You don¡¯t need to fight tooth and nail to survive your summoning¡±. I can stop? I can rest? My hands balled into a fist. Arin. Those people in the chamber¡­Faeve. I took a deep breath. Zain. Talaviel. Astria. No, I can¡¯t. I shook my head at Temera. Temera exhaled a deep sigh. ¡°At least, carry my blessing with you. More blessings? The last god that gave me one¡­I shivered as I remembered Zain¡¯s gift of sacrifice. ¡°Every power has a price. Yours must too. I won¡¯t be doing this.¡± Temera turned away from me, her body shaking. ¡°Asper uses a lot of people in his farms. Some of them are slaves bought from the gallows and prisons. There is a girl amongst them¡±. I can¡¯t help them. ¡°From Shrafingshire¡±, Temera continued. ¡°Someone you helped before¡±. Huh?! What? ¡°I¡¯ll await your answer¡±, Temera declared before a wave of her hand brought the whole dreamscape crashing down. ¡°Dressir, Torr-Eridan¡±. ¡°Wai¡ª¡± my scream was interrupted as I sat bolt upright on the cot. My outstretched hand grasped only empty air. Fuck, fuck fuck! ¡°What happened?!¡± Faeve sprang up with daggers in her hands. ¡°Where are they?¡± I stared at her, unable to form a single word. She pursed her lips and sheathed her daggers. ¡°Try to get some sleep¡±, she said before going back to sleep. ¡°Not like I can with the bedbugs¡±. Someone from Shrafingshire? Who?! My mind reeled as I went through the possibilities. The grandma? She¡­isn¡¯t exactly a girl, but knowing gods¡­Someone I knew from the village guard team? Tavern? My blood ran cold as an impossible thought ran through my mind. Could it really be? But¡­but she died! I am sure of it! My knuckles turned white as I grabbed the cot. What if¡­what if she isn¡¯t really dead. I mean gods can play tricks, don¡¯t they? They do, right? What if that wasn¡¯t her charred body¡­ I hadn¡¯t realized when I had got up and dressed. But what if Temera had simply¡­lied? My hand grabbed the hilt of Thirst. Well, I guess I have to find her and ask. Dawn was just breaking over the perpetually dazed village. In the soft morning light, I could see the covers cling to the contours of Faeve¡¯s body. Nah, better to keep her out of it. ¡°Where? When?¡± came the muffled questions from the bed. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter¡±, I rustled. ¡°I¡¯ll be back before sundown¡±. ¡°Don¡¯t get yourself killed¡±, she whispered almost inaudibly. ¡°No promises¡±, I closed the door behind me. ¡°But I¡¯ll try¡±. The long haul to Temera¡¯s shrine went by in a blink. I ran, I ran as fast as I could. Animals and beasts scrambled to get out my path as I tore through the thicket. Dawn hadn¡¯t stretched its rays to the shrine yet. Shadows and darkness mingled in its abandoned alcoves and shattered archways. The last of the fireflies still lingered on the broken steps overgrown with grass. ¡°Temera¡±, my voice was a barely concealed roar. Only silence answered. The swirling shadows had already engulfed my voice. ¡°Temera¡±, I seethed. ¡°Come out¡±. Something¡¯s behind¡­ I jumped forward and slashed the blade behind me. The blade just stopped a hair''s breadth from Temera¡¯s face. She arched her eyebrows. ¡°Not like simple Tavitz Steel can kill you wretches¡±, I said while sheathing my sword. ¡°Now. Answers¡±. ¡°I do not know her name. But I know she knows you. I have seen your face in her dreams. When you fought the Kingdom¡¯s guards¡± My stomach sank. No, no, no it can¡¯t be! ¡°How do I know you aren¡¯t lying?¡± I gave a hoarse cry. ¡°You¡­do not¡±, Temera shook her head. ¡°Black hair, Fair skin. You remember?¡± She egged me on. How can I forget? ¡°But if this is just a ruse¡­¡± ¡°I guess you have to see her for yourself¡±, Temera stated. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck¡±, I cursed out loud. ¡°Fuck you, this world and fuck all that live in it¡±. ¡°Indeed¡±, Temera nodded. ¡°But do not be so harsh on us. We are doing all we can to save ourselves. Just like in your world¡±. ¡°If the girl you say isn¡¯t there¡±, I warned her as I swung my blade. ¡°I¡¯ll come back here and burn down the rest of your shrine, and tear down your idol¡±. ¡°If¡±. ¡°Faeve!¡± I yelled as soon as I climbed the stairs to our room at the inn. ¡°Get out, we have work¡±. If the lord has her, then¡­ ¡°Get out!¡± my voice boomed in the empty corridor. The door fell apart with one kick from my boots. What the hell is this? Inside, the meagre things we had were strewn about in careless abandon. The bed and cot were in a mess, their covers slashed and burned black. Faeve was nowhere to be seen. This smell¡­acrid smoke of sulphur and spellcasting permeated the room. My fists clenched as I saw a shred of the clothes that Faeve had taken from the pirate girl. A fight broke out? She was taken? Fuck. My jaws clenched hard enough to make my teeth hurt. Not now, not now, not now! I turned around to leave. Bigger question is, who took her? Something flashed at the corner of my eye. A mouthpiece? A strange wooden piece like the end of a recorder lay outside the door. Is that¡­the piece seemed familiar. The hookah mouthpiece! I ran down the stairs into the first-floor bar. Like yesterday, only a wretched emptiness greeted my eyes. Except for the soft mutters behind the counter. The innkeeper stared at me with beady red eyes as I dragged him out by the collar. ¡°This yours?¡± ¡°N..no!¡±, he stammered in between clawing the floor to get away. ¡°Never seen ¡®im!¡± I grabbed his hookah from behind the counter. The piece fit the long pipe like a glove. In this world devoid of a standard measuring system and industrial production, this piece was made for this specific hookah. ¡°Where¡¯s the Elf?¡±, I kneeled in front of him. ¡°I have very little time and even littler patience¡±. ¡°Dunno!¡± he tried to run on his fat legs. ¡°I¡¯ll ask again¡±, I grabbed the mouthpiece. With my other hand, I grabbed his bald head. ¡°Where. Is. The. Elf?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll kill me if I tell you!¡± the man screamed. Crack! I smashed the man¡¯s face on the floor. He wailed with his face all bloody. Crack! I smashed his face again. Teeth clattered on the ground. ¡°Asber¡¯s Moob Eff!¡± he sobbed. ¡°leb me go!¡± Just as I thought. But only the Moon Elf? ¡°Think again¡±, I shook his face. ¡°Otherwise this is going inside you¡±, I waved the mouthpiece in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m nob lyin¡¯¡± his snot and tears now mixed with his blood and dripped on the floor. Alright. He isn¡¯t probably lying but¡­ I decided to jam the mouthpiece in his palms anyway. With a sickening crunch, the wood splintered and tore through the hand. The innkeeper writhed on the ground, his face contorted in pain as he sobbed. I am coming. Just hold on a little. As I stood beside the grassy knoll I had caught fish at just yesterday, I braced myself. Shit, shit, shit! I suppressed a scream as I hacked through my own flesh. Fresh blood dripped in the flowing river like and blossomed like flowers. The flesh disappeared into the depths.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. I didn¡¯t even have to chant. Both River and Sea Crezets broke the surface of the churning water and stared at me with their feral eyes. Dark, bony backs dotted the river like floating corpses. It¡¯s time to get back what¡¯s mine. The Crezets sunk back into the muddy depths of the river. They had their destination. All they now needed was an animal fury to point them. And I was happy to oblige. The setting sun of did little to obscure the beauty that was the Daze field. Tulip-like flowers as varied as a painters¡¯ palette dotted the meadows around Asper¡¯s mansion. Poppies¡­but not quite. Men, women and children toiled in the field. Their emaciated hands plucked at the flowers and collected something that dripped from them. Even the slightest mistake was punished heavily by the whip-carrying guards. A young boy coughed and tottered as he walked. His knife slipped and his blood tainted the Daze he held in his hands. The guard¡¯s whip flashed in the sun once. Twice. Thrice. The boy wailed as more of his blood scattered in the wind. This isn¡¯t why I am here. Not this. I reminded myself as I grit my teeth while I crawled through the fields. I held the small piece of kindling in my hands. Just a bit more, just a bit more. My hands tightened on my blade. With a final blow, the kindling blossomed into flames. The nearest poppy plant caught on fire. Its green stalks danced in the flames as it burned. Now then. It didn¡¯t take too long for the fire to spread. Entire swathes of Daze crops went up in a hellish conflagration. The funny part? Those shits popped like popcorns. Intoxicating fumes spread across the field, whipped wild by the wind. The shots followed soon after as the guards went berserk trying to control the spreading fire. The Socotran Lizards they rode bucked and bolted at the heat and threw them helter-skelter. One of them ran at me, its rider still attached to the stirrup. I swung Thirst. The man¡¯s foot detached in a shower of crimson that sizzled in the fire. I jumped on the Lizard¡¯s back as it ran past. ¡°Gzep!¡± I barked the harsh command that urged it further towards the gates of the mansion. Afraid of the approaching flame, the beast ran faster and faster till its full tilt forward carried it towards the iron gates. Rather than a mansion, it was a tropical summer villa. Huh. Either his fields aren¡¯t doing as well as I thought¡­or he is too overconfident. Only a few guards stood in front of the gate, their eyes wide at the conflagration of the daze fields. They raised their weapons at once. SCHWING! Arrows ripped the air on all sides. With a dull squelch, a couple arrows found their mark on the lizard¡¯s throat. Too late, I sneered as the beast crashed into a guard, trampling him under its clawed feet. With hardly a break, I brought down my blade. A head flew into the air, its eyes still set in a determined grin. My next mark found himself impaled on my blade. ¡°By the Stag¡¯s antlers!¡± he cried as he held on to my blade with his bloody hands. His compatriots surrounded me on all sides, eager to take advantage of the moment their friend had bought for them. I felt my mouth split into a grin that reached my ears. AP surged into my blade and rushed inside the man¡¯s body. I closed my eyes. His face bulged as he exploded from within. Flesh and blood showered the other guards blinding them. They didn¡¯t even see my blade as it cut through their throats, guts, heads. By the time I was finished, renewed screams resounded from the Daze fields. Too slow, I growled internally as I saw Crezet after Crezet burst from the river beside the fields. The very source of water that had made the plantation possible now delivered death upon them. Only the ones with weapons, I ordered them. And the ones in Blue, I added to encompass the livery of Asper¡¯s guards. The chaos of the fields had drawn most of the men away. The heavy wooden door was already thrown ajar when I went through the back entrance. The guards fucking on the pantry floor died together as Thirst ripped through their bodies still in throes of an orgasm. At least these guys died while having fun. My heart hammered wildly in my chest. Just a moment. I sat down on the chair. My breath came in ragged gasps. Need food¡­Summoning the Crezets had drained a lot of my energy. My eyes fell on the still cooking slabs of meat left over the fire. Fat and sauces sizzled on the hot Firestone as they dripped, their aroma mixing with the copper smell of the slain guards¡¯ I wolfed down bits of meat and wine. The food, still sizzling burned my throat as it passed. That¡­that¡¯s some taste. A small clatter behind me alerted to the presence of someone. I whirled around to find the cook stare at the guards and me with his jaws hung open. His utensil still danced on the ground from its fall. ¡°Ssssh¡±, I hissed at the cook with a finger on my lips. ¡°You cook well¡±, I grated through my burned throat. I mean, I wasn¡¯t about to kill someone who cooks that well! ¡°Th¡­thank you¡±, the man stammered. Sweat ran down his temple. ¡°Was¡­was the sauce okay?¡± ¡°Perfect¡­¡± I licked my lips while I used a spare apron lying around to clean the blood off my blade. ¡°Now don¡¯t tell anyone what you saw here¡±. ¡°Saw what?¡± The cook asked. ¡°If the Lord didn¡¯t have tasters, I¡¯d have killed him myself¡±. I grinned at him. ¡°Too bad they can¡¯t save him from the taste of steel¡±. ¡°Talaviel protect¡±, he whispered. ¡°Kill that bastard for me¡±. Talaviel? I whirled around. Should I kill him? No, that¡¯s not the priority now¡­they are waiting. By now, guards streamed in through the corridors of the villa, pikes and spears in hand. Too many, I grit my teeth. Time to use that. I took out the Daze in cloth bundle that Asper had thrown at me. With the many weird utensils in the kitchen, I made something that I hoped would emulate crude smoke grenade. The firestone inside the improvised grenade burned furiously, gushing white plumes into the air. Now! I closed the kitchen door and wrapped my nose in a cloth. ¡°What are you!¡± the cook screamed. But the scant smoke had crept in under the door already extended its tendrils inside the room. With a mouth protection, the man started to wobble, and then¡­fell over in a drunken haze. Just because I didn¡¯t want to kill you, doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll let you run around. I¡¯m coming, you two. I calmed my hammering heart. I won¡¯t be late again. A scream tore through my lips as I kicked the fucking kitchen door down. Never again! The hallway was an impenetrable tunnel of white smoke and groans that emanated from its depths. The Daze had done its work. The premium quality Daze the Lord had offered me was head and shoulders above the cheap shit sent out to the village. Fuck. No wonder the Daze trade is booming. It was ridiculous how quickly it had intoxicated the men. Eerie laughs and cries reverberated from all sides inside the world of white smoke, its inhabitants in throes of strange dreams and hallucinations. ¡°Give it back!¡± ¡°Marry me¡± ¡°O mother¡± ¡°praise be to centaur dicks¡± ¡°I¡­I am the king!¡± Strange cries ripped through the haze. Wait, centaur-dicks? What even? I shook my head of remaining thoughts. I need to concentrate for this. With a deep breath, I called upon the Crezets and urged them to share their power with me. For a moment, I didn¡¯t know where I was. There I was, skittering along the ground chasing blue-skin food that screamed and tried to run on one leg. There I was, chomping down on a Lizard, I was there too¡ªsome men pierced me with their pointy metal nails. I suppressed a scream as both pleasure and pain washed over me as the Crezets melded their minds to mine. No no¡­concentrate, I rebuked myself. Slowly, my eyes sharpened. The smoke¡­it feels like muddy water! As if I had chased down prey a hundred thousand times before I navigated the haze. There! My sword chopped down, relieving men of their heads before they could utter a scream. Soon, the world of white was dyed with a crimson spray. Die. Die. Die! I snarled as my metal tooth chopped down. I need to eat¡­NO! I slapped myself. I need to get to them. I ran up the stairs without pausing. The white fog ended halfway through and settled at the bottom of the stairs like some infernal swamp. Take care of them for me, I instructed the Crezets. Kill. Eat. All. The two guards who stood in front of the door came at me with their weapons raised. CLANG! Sparks scattered as out weapons connected; the transient flowers of fire illuminated the terror in their eyes. What are they¡­I traced their eyes to see my left hand had turned into the black monstrosity. Shadows coiled and fumed around and from the clawed appendage. A strange laughter echoed from somewhere. The guards shrank back. Oh, I¡¯m the one laughing. I jumped; my shadowy arm grasped the screaming man¡¯s head. With a soft pop, his head crushed in, the blood absorbing into my hand. The tattoos that swirled got bigger, as did the arm. I stared at the remaining guard. A pungent smell accompanied by liquid dripped from his pants. ¡°Boo!¡± I shouted. The man wailed and curled up on the ground. You live, fucker. ¡°Asper!¡± I screamed as I kicked down the heavily decorated door. The noble pointed a blade at me, its tip glowing with the heat of magic. ¡°I thought we had an arrangement¡±, he spat. An arrangement? A fucking arrangement? ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you had someone from Shrafingshire¡±. His face clouded over. ¡°So?¡± he asked. ¡°Where have you kept her? Where is Arin?¡± I rasped. My heart almost leapt to my chest as I took her name. She¡­is she really alive? ¡°It¡¯s true there¡¯s a girl from Shrafingshire here. But not by that name.¡± Huh? ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± I snarled. ¡°If you trick me¡ª ¡°Sein¡±, he rasped. ¡°A little girl by the name Sein¡±. My knuckles turned white. God fucking dammit! I slammed Asper¡¯s desk, turning it into kindling. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I realized what had happened. Temera deliberately tricked me. Sein was the little girl I had rescued in the forest as a noble was raping her. Fair skin, black hair, just like Arin. A chuckle bubbled up my throat. Played by the gods. Yet again. ¡°You can take her¡±, Asper rasped. ¡°But how will you compensate my loss?¡± he waved his hand around, ¡°You! You burned down every fucking thing!¡ªhe stopped himself as he stared at my shadowy arm. ¡°You¡¯re the Shrafingshire demon¡±. ¡°Yes¡±, I laughed. ¡°And I¡¯ve come to exact my toll¡±. I confirmed what Asper claimed with my own eyes. Well, Crezet eyes. As per my order, they herded every non-combatant in the villa estate in an encirclement. There I saw Sein for the last time since¡­Since the fight with the noble¡¯s soldiers. Emaciated, bruised, battered she stood. This girl¡­how much has she endured since then? She shook like a leaf as Crezets snapped at them, her weak knees buckled under the weight of the wicker-basket of Daze fruits on her back. And¡­there was no Arin. How could there be? I held her charred remains in my hands after all. A strange relief spread inside me at the realization. What would I have even said? I¡¯m not even the Rigel she knew. ¡°Now then¡±, I made AP run through my blade, making it vibrate. ¡°Give me back my Elf¡±. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about¡±, Asper splayed his hands. ¡°Why would I take her?...unless of course¡ª¡± he trailed off. ¡°Lujek¡±, he rubbed his temples. ¡°I guess you know what I mean¡±, I brought the blade within inches of his throat. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°Lujek must have taken her to the old church¡±, Asper sighed. ¡°Follow me?¡± Ambush? He stared at me and shook his head. ¡°I have more to lose if he kills the Sun-Elf in my territory¡±. ¡°Lead the way¡±, I told Asper. ¡°Uh huh, you first¡±. As we trudged up to an old church, the sun had all but set. Asper stared at the encirclement of the Crezets and shivered. His head hung low as he walked. Mourning the loss of his empire? ¡°It won¡¯t stop you know¡±, Asper said. ¡°If I am gone, another will take my place¡±. I didn¡¯t reply. I mean, he was right. Asper took my silence as disagreement. ¡°The flow of Daze is becoming too important to the Empire. Sometimes even the Navy¡ª¡± he shook his head. ¡°Just let me go, alright? I have nothing to do with Lujek did¡±. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that¡±. Not likely. So that you can tell everyone who Eridan is? He sighed. ¡°You¡¯re not going to keep me alive, are you?¡± He whirled around. ¡°What if I just refused to cooperate?¡± I slashed the blade in a quick arc, chopping off some of his braided hair. ¡°Then you lose that even tiny chance of surviving this¡±. ¡°Either way¡±, he paused as he spoke, ¡°I¡¯m finished¡±. The old church turned out to be an old wood building, black with age and mould. Light shone through its skeletal remains overgrown with bramble and grass. My nose crinkled at the faint acrid scent of magic. A sudden hiss made us stop. I gripped my sword tighter. Asper smacked his lips and nodded at me. Shadows exploded from the corners, under the rotten wood, from the very dark of the dead trees. Fuck! What kinda magic is this? The shadows resolved into misshapen shapes and beasts. Their shadowy maws let out roars, but no sound came out. The army of silent screams lunged at us all at once. My sword cut through them¡­and nothing. Their shadow bodies coalesced together again if the sword strike was but an illusion. This is bad. Very bad. Dark claws and canines ripped into us. The shadows drew blood. Now! While the shadows coalesced into solidity to inflict pain, I grabbed on to them. My dark arm twisted through them like butter. Shadows battled shadows and ripped them apart. Light as bright as the sun exploded on my side. Squinting my eyes, I saw Asper¡¯s hands leak bursts of light that banished the shadows. They monsters squirmed and hid under the little pockets of darkness the light couldn¡¯t reach. Huh. Well prepared to fight his own shaman. ¡°Aivern¡±, a figure spoke from the dark. ¡°Leave now and you can be free¡±. ¡°You¡¯re the Lujek that took Faeve?¡± I asked. Where is he? Asper took a defensive stance. ¡°What is the meaning of this? Attacking your Lord?¡± The disembodied voice¡¯s laughter shook the ruined church. ¡°A weaker Lord I have never seen. You really thought you were my Aivern, Asper?¡± What? Moon-Elves had Aiverns too? ¡°I had my suspicions¡±, Asper spoke. ¡°Why did you take the Elf?¡± ¡°A Sun-Elf sacrificed on the night of the Speared Moon¡±, Lujek laughed again. ¡°Poetic. And potent for Moon Magick¡±. ¡°I¡¯ll need her back¡±, I rasped. ¡°You see, I have a date tonight. I don¡¯t like being late¡±. A momentary silence fell, followed by a groan. ¡°Your humour is even worse than Asper¡¯s¡±. Fuck you! ¡°I¡¯ll tear this place apart if I have to. Give. My. Elf. Back¡±. ¡°Rage of an Aivern¡±, Lujek¡¯s voice was ice. ¡°Does it match up to my magic I wonder?¡± Something¡¯s coming! Shadowy chains erupted from the ground. Tch! They bound us both within seconds. Asper screamed as if the chain ate at him. Huh? The chains surrounding me loosened by themselves and fell off. I was not the only one surprised. Lujek too wailed. ¡°You have been blessed by the Moon? How!¡± Oh. That cave¡­ A formless shadow jumped and rushed towards the back of the church. Slow. So slow. My eyes tracked each movement. I could feel the rising moon strengthen my senses. The shadow landed beside an altar. Wait, is that?! The illusion of shadows shimmered. A fair figure emerged from under a veil of darkness, lying still as if in blissful sleep. Faeve! A jet black figure materialized over Faeve. Tattoos swirled around his body in luminescent shades that matched Sangraal¡¯s moons. He hoisted a dagger in his hand and brought it down. AP exploded under my feet and propelled me like a bullet. My hand grabbed onto Lujek and dug in a shower of dark blood. He screamed as I held his heart in my hands. ¡°Die¡±, my simple command was accompanied by the surge of AP from my shadowy hand. His heart imploded with a nasty squelch; the blood showered Faeve in a black rain. Faeve didn¡¯t move, didn¡¯t breathe. Her alabaster skin had taken on a pallid hue. Don¡¯t die, don¡¯t die, don¡¯t die! Okay, Rigel. You can do this. I kept my hands on her chest. Her cool skin felt even colder. I sent a small surge on AP down her heart. Breathe! Again. Breathe! I parted her lips. Don¡¯t die on me, you elf. My mouth formed a seal on hers as I breathed air inside her. Breathe. She didn¡¯t move. I held her small form tighter. I breathed again; AP and air coalesced and formed into a simple wish. Breathe! I pleaded. A soft touch brushed my cheek, its fingers running over the unkempt growth of the past couple weeks. Faeve! She¡¯s alive! Another small hand rested on my chest. With a start, I realized my mouth still kissed hers. Relief washed over me, and with it came the tiredness. I crumpled beside the altar, my head on her chest. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡±, Faeve whispered. ¡°I¡¯m here¡±. A chuckle burst through my lips. CPR. This sleeping princess wakes up with a fucking CPR. As I supported Faeve outside, Asper was nowhere to be found. I don¡¯t even care anymore. I put Faeve down under a tree. ¡°Right at sunset, just as promised¡±. ¡°You said ¡®before sunset¡¯¡± Faeve snickered. ¡°And the moons are already high up. The Speared Moon is nigh¡±. Yeah, but¡­ ¡°I have one last thing to do before that¡±. Faeve¡¯s green eyes looked into mine. ¡°I¡¯ll wait at the tree line. Do not take long¡±. The labouring farmers fled as soon as I lifted the Crezets¡¯ encirclement. Only Sein remained, half delirious with smoke and hunger. My fists shook as I saw her little body; battered and bruised with whip marks. She weighed nothing as I picked her up. There¡¯s just one place¡­ I ran fast towards my destination. The movement made Sein wince. I can¡¯t stop, sorry. She looked up at me with frightful eyes. ¡°You¡±, her voice was barely audible. ¡°They said you¡¯re a demon¡±. Her words were a sharp stab to the guts. Even after all this while¡­ ¡°Maybe I am¡±, the hollowness in my voice rang sharply in my own ears. Sein clasped me tighter as she lay in my arms. ¡°I used to think that too¡±, she coughed. ¡°Not anymore. You¡­are not the demon¡±, she sputtered before passing out. Tears streamed down my eyes without reserve. Don¡¯t trip, I reminded myself as tears clouded my sight. The five simple words kept ringing in my ears. Thank you, I whispered in my mind again and again. Thank you. Thickets and bramble parted as I approached the ruined shrine of Temera. The little girl with Yuki¡¯s face stood there smiling. ¡°You already know why I am here¡±, I stated. ¡°You knew that girl wasn¡¯t Arin¡±. ¡°Yes. That girl will be my shrine keeper from now. No harm shall befall her¡±. Temera added with a pause, ¡°I knew this was not the girl you ached to see¡±. I looked around the desolate shrine. Temera noticed my gaze and smiled. ¡°It won¡¯t be like this anymore. After tonight, the Daze is done on these shores. Like a bad night¡¯s dream, people will awaken from their stupor and go back to their boats and nets¡±, she declared. ¡°But people have already forgotten you¡±. She stepped closer to me. ¡°You think a god is so easily forgotten?¡± she spoke with her voice of gushing river. ¡°Each time they leave the house and murmur a forgotten prayer, they remember me. Each time a wizened crone delivers a baby and soothes the mother she evokes my protection. In each half-remembered ritual of lighting lamps at the shore, in each wish of a protection, in each prayer for a close one, I exist. They might have forgotten in whose name they ask of a boon, but they will learn it again tonight¡±. I lay Sein¡¯s small body on the ground. ¡°Look after her¡±, I said. ¡°Thank you¡±, Temera nodded. ¡°For bringing forth the miracle I needed. Temera will be established again in these shores, Rigel¡­The Justice of the Scales¡±. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything to do with these fancy titles¡±, I warned her. ¡°Just stop using Yuki¡¯s face¡±. Temera smiled. Her form rippled like a silk veil was lifted off her. In front of stood a freckled girl as old as Yuki, her black hair tied up in seashells and strange knots. She¡¯s not that different from Yuki after all. ¡°Goodbye, Temera¡±, I said. I don¡¯t even know why¡­ I feel so sad. ¡°I had a brother once¡±, Temera ran up and put her tiny hands on mine. ¡°At this distance of years, I do not remember his name or how he looked. But I remember how he smiled. How he was. It was¡­I liked playing your sister for a day. Please take my blessing if you won¡¯t become my Justice¡±. ¡°Every power has a price. I don¡¯t know if I can pay yours¡±. ¡°You already did¡±, she smiled. ¡°My people are free because of you¡±. She tried to reach my head. She pouted as her small hands only reached to my chest. ¡°Kneel!¡± she preened. ¡°You promise upon you Godhood that you won¡¯t exact a further toll?¡± I asked. Maybe¡­just maybe this once¡­ ¡°I promise¡±, she said while she rested her hands on my head. She kissed my forehead and tousled my hair. ¡°May my blessing always follow you¡±. Images rushed inside my mind in a torrent. No¡­memories. Faerad looked much more different. How old is this? Even the language spoken was ancient. I was a so small, as small as Temera. I am Temera! Realized with a start. The memory grew fuzzy as little Temera didn¡¯t understand why her mother dolled her up in the finest clothes they had. Even elders came and prostrated before her. But I¡­No, Temera was happy. She hadn¡¯t eaten such good food since the fishing drought started. Old women braided her coral red hair. A woman with blurry face and warm hands fed me milk. It was so delicious! I want to¡ª Why¡­why am I so sleepy? Temera felt drowsy. Why was brother so noisy? Why is he crying? Don¡¯t cry brother¡­don¡¯t cr¡ª Temera sat in a small boat that sailed away while the whole village watched. Strong men restrained her brother. Why are you stopping him? Where am I going? Mother wiped her tears at the shoreline while Temera¡¯s boat wobbled towards the open seas. No! No! I cried in Temera¡¯s voice. My little boat took in water. Why are there holes? Why? As my little body sank¡­I could see no more of my brother. Oh brother¡­ The huge old turtle at the bottom of the sea stared at me with his ancient, humongous eyes. Bubbles escaped his nose as he spoke. ¡°Little Girl¡±, he said in a strange tone, ¡°So unfortunate¡±. The last thing I saw was the turtle opening his mouth. A whirlpool of water propelled Temera¡¯s small body in. ¡°Safe¡±, the turtle rumbled. ¡°No humans here¡±. As the memory ended, I sprawled on the ground, tears down my face. ¡°Why?¡± I implored. ¡°Why help the people who sacrificed you?¡± Temera smiled. ¡°They were scared, Rigel. They were trying to live. My people. My responsibility¡±. ¡°Your hair was red¡±, I asked. I¡­ I am sorry, Temera. She twirled her black locks in her hand. ¡°The people remember me like this now. So this is what I¡¯ve become¡±. Oh, gods. Oh, the gods. As I was leaving, Temera called me from behind. ¡°The Elf. Probably best not to trust her too much¡±. Yeah, I touched my cheek as I remembered her hands¡­and her soft lips on mine. Yeah, I reminded myself, yeah. ¡°Oh, Temera!¡± I turned back once, ¡°what powers do I get? Super sea powers? I can call the waves? Summon sea monsters?¡± Temera chuckled. ¡°Fish¡±, she held her sides with laughter. ¡°Fish will come to you easily¡±. Lame! That¡¯s way too lame! But I had a feeling that wasn''t everything. "Now if you''d excuse me", I heard Temera say. "I have a bonfire to watch". True to her word, Faeve waited for me near the tree line. ¡°Hurry¡±, she urged while pointing at the moon. The three moons of Sangraal had aligned in a single line as if a spear had run through them all in one fell swoop. Only one moon glowed, but the light of the other two flared in a halo around it. With one last look at Faerad village, we went inside. Stay well, Sein. Stay well, Temera. It was almost dawn when we felt the edge of the Mountain of Trees envelop us. The magic shimmered and swirled all around us and finally parted to reveal impossibly green forests and trees. Dark figures jumped down all around us. Sun-Elves pointed their bows and swords at us. ¡°Faeve¡±, I called. ¡°Is this supposed to happen?¡± Faeve didn¡¯t reply. ¡°You know what needs to be done¡±, a husky voice spoke from the trees. The owner of the voice, a female elf nodded. Huh? ¡°What¡¯s¡ª A sharp pain jabbed at my neck. What the¡­ my fingers touched a sharp needle that protruded my skin. Faeve stood a little far away, her mouth around the blowgun that had shot the dart. ¡°Why?¡± I wailed as my body crumpled to the ground. ¡°I am sorry¡±, tears streamed down her face. ¡°I am sorry¡±. Then, everything turned black.
Reasons First off, since chapter titles like this inspire credible fear and apprehension: I am still writing HTSAS. I have NO plans to drop it. Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, I apologise for the delays in chapter. It has been a month since I last published. Truthfully, things have changed a lot the past months. Changed more rapidly and more terribly that anyone deserves. My mother has been diagnosed with Amyloidosis, which the docs tell me is a form of blood and marrow cancer. They gave her a year, and with treatments maybe some more. The sheer shock of the sudden inevitability was only dwarfed by the shock of the speed in which we had to help her as much as we could. From the strong, spirited woman with a zest for life, she...it''s a hard deal you know? Finding progressively increasing volume of hair that clogs the bathroom drain. The chemotherapy takes more than just hair though. A person''s skin turns darker, like black soot permanently disfiguring one''s hands, feet, face. Each day they sleep more and more, feel more tired and spend more time sleeping. There are rare days when she soaks up the warm sun, and smiles and scolds me as she used to when I can almost convince myself that the cancer is but a morbid dream.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. I won''t pretend that I had been a good son to them. Heck, the relationship between me and my folks are strained. But what makes me most cut up is that even now I can''t seem to bridge that gulf between us. I am trying. But it''s not enough. I don''t know how much time she has left. Even if she beats the disease, right now I need to be by her, with her. I...I do write chapters...at least try to, but not easy while taking care of her. My mind keeps flitting between writing a description in the story to which of the 22 daily pills and tablets she needs next. That said, things are settling down now. I mean, as much as they can settle in this situation. Soon, I''ll post some more chapters. Know the kicker? the condition might be genetic. There might be a timer ticking down for me as well. So there''s that. So....that''s the reason for delays. I debated whether I should write this. So many times I have typed this and deleted. But I figured that you guys, who have stuck with me for longer than two years deserve to know why I was so late. Also because I needed to put words to paper screen. Know what? I''ll...give an advice today. Don''t keep stuff for tomorrow. Do it today. That vacation you always wanted? take it. That person you wanted to ask out? Ball all your courage and do it. That call you never made to your estranged friend after a fight? Do it. Make that apology. Life is too short, too fragile. Be well.