《Bane Blood (On Hiatus)》


 Chapter 1

    I could taste the familiar metallic tang of blood in my cheek from where Garth¡¯s fist had struck. I didn¡¯t cry out like the otherchildren would have, my father taught me not to show weakness. This was not my first time taking a beating. I tracked Garth¡¯s movement, he was shifting around as though unable to find a comfortable position, his sweaty hands non-stop moving. He clasped them rubbing his palms together and turned towards me.


    ¡°Whenyour pop¡¯s returns I have a gift for him." He patted the knife strapped to his beltwhile moving his finger across his throat. "Once he''s been dealt with it''s your turn, cant have traitors and Bane Blood running around now can we?¡± Yellow and missing teeth were shown with his dark grin.


    I panicked losing the calm I had held seconds before. I struggled against the bonds holding me to the chair. My hands and legs chaffed where they were tied. The chair was facing away from the rickety wooden table at the back of the room. I choked on the cloth tied in my mouth. I was used to being tormented, but my father was all I had left.


    The other children all avoided me like something rotten, I had long since given up being accepted into their games. Dark words followed when they didn¡¯t think I could hear them, or maybe they wanted me to hear. Bane blood they called me, they said my parents should have left me to die in the wilds at birth, how they were traitors to the tribe.


    The breath whooshed from my lungs, pain spreading, as a punch landed on my side, I sagged into the chair. ¡°Shut it, this been long in the making.¡± Garth¡¯s hands clasped again, sweaty palms squeezed together, he turned away back towards the door. ¡°Ye want to blame someone, blame ye¡¯self Bane Blood.¡±


    Garth pulledthe rusted knife out of his belt loop. I closed my eyes and cleared my head, I had been taught better than this. ¡®Never let your emotions control of your actions,¡¯ my father would say. My heart beat calmed, I opened my eyes andtook advantage of Brand¡¯s turned back to look around. A nail was sticking out of the rickety table leg behind me. My father had asked me to fix it, good thing I had forgotten.


    Brand¡¯sfootsteps covered the noise as I jerked moving my chair back towards the table, my bonds could reach the nail. The thud of footsteps outside signaled the approach of at least two people, muffled voices grew louder till they were outside the door to the shack. I tried to yell out a warning but all that came out were muffled noises. The voices paused for a second, then there were a few more words spoken and one of the people outside took off.


    The ropes binding my wrists started to fray as I plucked it against the sharp end of the nail. Brand, focused on the person outside missed the thrumming, or paid it no mind. The door began to open, rusty hinges squeaked as they rubbed together. Light from outside lit a widening triangle of floating dust, it was a gloomy day. My father''s face became visible to me, his blond beard braided in the style of our tribe. An intricate tattoo flowed down his neck and followed his jaw, lines commemorating his kills in battle. Every time I saw it I couldn¡¯t help but be proud that my father had more than the others.


    I jerked the chair banging the table making noise to draw my father¡¯s attention. The door finished opening and my dad¡¯s eyes grew wide on seeing me tied to the chair. I nodded my head towards Brand against the wall by the door just out of my father¡¯s vision.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    I watched the knife in Brand¡¯s hand descend, a dirty rusted thing. This couldn¡¯t be happening; how could they do this. Caught unawares my father still reacted on some instinct, He moved and the knife aimed for his heart embedded to the hilt in his stomach. He roared in anger at seeing Brand, grabbing the wrist holding the knife and with great strength snapped it. The knife twisted widening the wound, the linen shirt began dripping blood.


    I no longer tried to be discrete, but the noise of the bindings on my wrists breaking was drowned out as my father¡¯s hands closed on Brand''s throat pulling him to the ground. My father landed on top, the knife still embedded in his stomach. Brand¡¯s face turned purple, his dirty fingers scratched drawing furrows of blood on my father¡¯s face.


    I frantically worked on the ropes tying my legs to the chair. At the front of the room, Brand stopped struggling, arms going limp. My father did not release his grip. Finally, the bonds on my legs came loose falling to the floor, my father with a grunt released his hold on Brand¡¯s neck. Bruising began to form in the shape of handprints. A clear cause of death.


    I rushed over to my dad as he leaned back against the wall. He left the knife where it was, in his gut, not trying to remove it. Tears clouded my vision, I fell to the ground putting my head on his chest. I didn¡¯t care that my father¡¯s blood was soaking my ragged clothing.


    ¡°Caelan, I don¡¯t have much time left. Once I am gone, the others will not hold back, you must leave this place. Scavenge what you can then head north into the wilds.¡± His usually strong voice was weak, as though he struggled to get any words out.


    ¡°Da..¡± My voice shook with sobs.


    ¡°Stop it, my son is strong. You will hold in those feelings till it is safe to let them out. Remember everything that mother and I have taught you.¡± His breathing was becoming sporadic blood pumped from the wound pooling around his legs.


    I tried to heed my father¡¯s words, but the tears kept flowing. ¡°y.. you know¡­¡± the back of my hand wiped my running nose, ¡°¡­I n.. never f..for.. forget.¡±


    My father¡¯s arm wrapped my shoulders, ¡°Caelan, I love you just as your mother did. I will join her in the great beyond and will watch you grow from above. Never forget it, you must live on for...¡± His words trailed off as his heartbeat slowed finally stopping. His arm fell limp, the feeling of safety his warm embrace had brought was gone.


    ¡°No, no, no no,¡± this couldn¡¯t be happening, my father was the strongest person I knew. He could not die. A memory surfaced, it was my mother''s cold dead face after the sickness had taken her. I had seen just ten cycles at the time of her death, two cycles had since passed. My father had been furious, he believed it was poison, but nobody would listen. Gone, they were all gone. I had always felt alone in the world, but for the first time, it was true.


    It was my eyes, they made it clear to the others what I was. Bane Blood, a monster. I was something that should not exist, something the others hated, but underneath the hatred, I could see their fear. My vision was perfect even in the dark, I had the yellow eyes of a cat. It was said I was the spawn of dark spirits, my parents told me it was superstition.


    The shamans advised my death, and, without my father, I no longer had any protection. I had always tried my best to be kind, to show them I was not something dark and evil.


    In the end, they had taken everything from me. As tempting as it was to follow my father into the grave and let the pain end, my mind was made up. I would become what they feared, the monster that would haunt them all. I stopped crying, I would no longer let my emotions show.

 Chapter 2

    I didn¡¯t move from my father¡¯s side as I delved into my mind. My mother, while alive, had told me I was unique, but all mothers try to make their children feel special. Constantly tormented I had planned ways to take my own life, but on the cusp of giving up, I created a haven. I partitioned my mind creating a space where I could escape the pain. Once I learned something it would be forever stored in my sanctuary.


    My sanctuary was an oasis of peace from the despair that surrounded me. It was waiting for me now, a light in my sea of thoughts, I was in a meadow filled with wildflowers and waving grass. The birds chirped, the sun shining down warming where its light touched, a creek bubbled as it ran down through the glade. Surrounding the glade was a magnificent forest of towering trees. When the other children would not allow me to join them in their games I would come here to play.


    I collapsed into the lush green grass, ragged sobs accompanied my tears soaking into the soil, memories of past years with my family played out in front of me, a ghostly hut formed from a mist. The apparition of my mother sat across from my younger self at the rickety table. My father, tending to the small fireplace, hummed a tune. They all formed from the mist. My specter was reading from a book, At the time I had been learning about the various cultures of the other lands. My younger self paused, looking up from the book,


    ¡°Momma, if Ziralia is to the east across the mountains, what is to the North?¡±


    Mother smiled down at me, her eyes held a warm love, ¡°To the north lies the wilds, a land filled with magic but also danger. The shamans fear the free magic that roams, unpredictable. They seek to tame it as the lands of Ziralia have done. The magic in Ziralia has been shackled, they have used it to build wondrous cities and works that we, the Coille tribes, cannot seek to replicate.¡±


    ¡°Momma, have you seen it?¡± I watched the yellow eyes of my younger self grow wide with wonder, almost seeming to glow with their own light.


    My father, with a huff, sat into the free chair next to my mother and pulled her into an embrace kissing her forehead, he turned to my younger self, ¡°no son, but we have heard stories from the hunters they send.¡± His eyes grew dark, ¡°not the slavers mind you, if I see those gut munchers they would not leave alive.¡±


    My mother slapped my father¡¯s shoulder lightly, ¡°honey you are scaring Caelan.¡± In truth, I had not been scared but rather intrigued.


    I stayed in my glade for what felt like hours watching the few mundane but happy memories I shared with my family, only minutes had passed next to my father¡¯s body on the cold dirt floor. I let my tears run free in the glade, but in the real world, I would no longer let them have sway. My face was dry. It was time, I got up from the floor.


    I used two shaking fingers to close my father¡¯s sightless eyes. I looked around, the shack was bare besides the table and chair. We never did have much, my father was going to take me hunting for food tonight.


    The rusted and now blood covered knife made a sucking noise as I pulled it from my father¡¯s wound, I would need it. Blood coated my knuckles and soaked my clothing dying them deep red.


    Rain began to fall outside the doorway, the wind rattled the shack. It was almost as though the weather reacted to my despair. Water from leaks in the roof pattered onto the dirt floor. North, I would go north into the wilds, I would travel into the deep parts where the shaman¡¯s creed would not let my tribe follow.


    Gripping the knife tight I made my way to the open door. Outside people ran for cover, the rain had come suddenly. Smoke rose from the cluster of buildings in front of me, happy families settling in for the night around warm fires. What gave them the right to be happy when they could so easily destroy everything in my life.


    I stepped from the shack, what had once been my home, into the street. It was located at the edge of the village, we were not allowed to live near the other tribe members, my parents never let it bother them. Puddles began to pool on the dirt road, a group of five men all with blond beards and hair dripping wet stood waiting in the rain.


    *SHINK*


    They saw me and without a word drew their blades, they were still a good distance away. My father¡¯s murder was no accident, it had been planned. I sprinted making for the forest, my heart raced, I didn¡¯t dare look over my shoulder to see if they were gaining. I splashed through puddles my legs pumping madly, I was fast for my age. The men behind me began to shout, their words were muffled by a flash of light followed by the sound of thunder. I would not stop no matter what they said.


    At the entrance to the forest a thin branch I had not seen left a red streak across my temple, I winced but kept running. The trees were huge, the rain had not yet penetrated the thick canopy overhead. My village was built in a large clearing for fear of the animals that dwelled within the trees.


    Thick roots, larger than the girth of a horse, spiraled in all directions making up the forest floor. The roots were covered in thick moss that would assist predators in sneaking up on prey. The undergrowth was thick with giant ferns and other flora, vines thick as my waist circled trees and smaller ones hung down from the branches far above.


    Now that I had reached the forest I would not be caught. Much of my time had been spent in here away from the tribe, out of sight, out of mind. I knew the forest''s perimeter intimately, tears started to well, but I stopped them. Memories of my father teaching me to lay traps, how to stalk prey as well as the uses of the surrounding vegetation surfaced. I wouldn¡¯t cry anymore, but in my sanctuary, the fresh tears flowed.


    My feet lightly brushed over tree roots as I jumped from one to the next. Behind me I heard a curse, someone had tripped. A misstep and I would be caught, confident in my abilities I did not slow.


    Time wore on, the forest had gone quiet, the animals going into hiding. Every now and then a bird would shout a warning of our trespass. My breath came in ragged gasps, I had managed to build a lead on my pursuers, but my stamina was draining fast.


    There! I could hear the rushing water of the gorge. I pushed aside a leaf twice my height coming to a stop in front of a steep ravine, a river flowing at the bottom. It thundered as white water frothed in a series of rapids. Massive roots spanned the gorge, if I fell the drop was enough to take my life.


    I let my lungs fill before exhaling, my breathing calmed, after I spanned the gap I would be in an area I had never gone before. Across the canyon was the true beginning of the wilds, the tribe¡¯s shamans had forbidden travel into its depths. With steady feet, I walked out onto a massive root, arms spread for balance.


    I looked down, the sides of the ravine were coated with a blue flower and moss. The angry river at the bottom threw up a thick mist that glistened making the sides slick with moisture. Heights didn¡¯t bother me, or vertigo might be enough to make me fall, I could only hope the men following felt different. I closed in on the other side; the root had grown consistently smaller, I jumped the last few spans, feet sinking into thick moss.


    My pursuers had reached the bank across from me. They were yelling but over the roar of the river, I could only imagine their vile words. Bane blood would be a word of choice. One of the men, Bodil was his name, made his way out onto the root. He was one of the clansmen who despised me the most. A memory surfaced.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ***


    ¡°Can I join you to play today,¡± I was nervous, they had never let me join before. I had just seen eight cycles.


    Dirk was an older boy, son of Bodil. I was surprised when he agreed to let me join, he had never before, nobody had. ¡°For this game, you will play the hunted and we the hunters.¡± I nodded growing excited.


    I ran into a clearing, large grin on my face, finally they accepted me.


    *SMACK*


    I felt something hit my head, I was on the ground. Dirk came out from behind a tree tossing a stone between his hands, my vision blurred, everything went dark.


    Things came into focus with Bodil standing over me. Spittle flew from his mouth, eyes holding a dark anger. ¡°Bane blood, you deserve worse. If not for your father I would kill you now, stay away from my son.¡± he kicked me in ribs, I felt something snap, I cried out as pain flooded my system. Dirk and the others stood snickering behind.


    ***


    I felt my cheeks flush with anger at the memory. I needed something to throw, looking around I spotted a rotting piece of wood. Reaching down I picked it up. Bodil¡¯s eyes widened as he deduced my intention and picked up his pace. I waited, the root grew thinner under Bodil¡¯s feet.


    He made a small misstep and his arms windmilled to catch his balance. I threw the rotted branch, it was a bad throw. Bodil already off balance moved so the branch would miss him, his leading foot slipped off the root. With a cry he fell, fingers clawed but could not gain purchase. The whites of his eyes were visible in his panic. He slipped off, falling towards the river, his body spun out of control.


    *CRACK*


    His head smacked a boulder far below in the rushing torrent, I could just make out the stain of red with my sharp vision before the water washed it away. A part of me wondered if I could pull him into my sanctuary. I would create a rack and have him tied there, I could vent my anger at the tribe with his torture.


    I watched as the other men made the sign of the great spirit, they yelled more words in my direction but made no move to cross. I turned and continued north, the others would not follow. It was beginning to grow dark, I had never been in the forest at night. My night vision was perfect needing little light to see, the dark was my element.


    The trees grew larger the deeper I traveled, Elder trees we called them, it would take ten people arms linked to circle the smaller tree trucks. I was careful to move silently and disturb as little as possible, there was a reason nobody traveled into the deep reaches of the wilds.


    Fungus standing as tall as most houses began to glow in the encroaching darkness. Every now and then I could hear thunder, but no rain made it past the vast canopy above. At the bottom of the canopy, the buds on vines glowed blue almost mimicking stars. I pushed past a fern twice my height revealing a spring of clear water. Algy waved in the bottom of the body of water glowing green.


    Seeing the water, my parched throat screamed for a drink after all the running. I stooped down placing a knee on the bed of moss by the spring. Using my hands like a cup I brought the liquid to my mouth I swished it around before swallowing. I had never tasted water so fresh, my eyes closed in bliss.


    A rustle of undergrowth and movement in my peripherals pulled my attention up, a large deer was on the opposite side of the spring. Its nostrils were flared as it sniffed the air. I looked down, my father¡¯s blood had mostly dried making my ragged clothing stiff, my skin underneath was dyed a deep maroon. It would draw predators if I didn¡¯t get rid of it.


    Peeling off my clothes, I waded into the water quickly washing away the blood. Clean I did not retrieve my rags, I would need to hunt to make new clothing. I looked at where the deer had been moments before, it was now gone. I hadn¡¯t heard a sound. In the distance the eerie howl of a wolf sounded, another answered from the other direction, closer to me.


    Wolves were the least of my worries, creatures of magic lived in the deep wilds. The storm must have picked up, the canopy overhead swayed like a great green ocean in time with the wind. Leaves rustled, the trees groaned with the slight sway of their trunks, a drop of water landed on my exposed skin.


    *AWOO*


    Another howl sounded much closer this time. I turned from the spring and walked along a root to the base of a massive tree. Its bark was rough with many places I could use for handholds, Large vines circle upwards like massive snakes merging with the leaves far above. Having nowhere to store my knife I put it in my teeth jaw clamping shut. I carefully tested my footing and handholds, beginning the climb.


    The tree was huge, big enough that the larger buildings back at the village could easily fit in its trunk. Shuffling and grunts drew my attention back to the ground, I hadn¡¯t realized how high I climbed. Down below two wolves circled sniffing my bloody rags by the spring. More appeared from the surrounding vegetation silent as wraiths.


    They were massive beasts, easily the size of the tribe¡¯s cattle. Their movements were sure and silent, black coats rolling over muscle as they prowled. The biggest one, the alpha of the pack, as though frustrated at finding no meal tilted it snout upward letting out a sorrowful howl.


    *AWOO*


    The other wolves answered in kind muzzles upward, an eerie chorus. I couldn¡¯t help but think how easily a predator could stalk me without my knowing. At least the predators were only following instinct, in my experience, humans were much more terrifying than any creature I would find in the wild. I shivered, the air was growing brisk. Grabbing hold of a thick vine I used it to pull myself up higher finally reaching the first of the tree''s limbs. They were thick enough that a small building could be built on top.


    I stood up and looked around, the massive leaves and branch itself worked to funnel water to the trunk. The tree branch had a slight dip in it that worked as a trough, water from the storm was trickling down pooling where it connected to the rest of the tree. I looked down, the Elder tree I had climbed was bigger than the smaller ones nearby. The glow from the vines was all around, many hung down from the branches swaying with the trees. Up high the trees movement was much more pronounced.


    I was tired, eyelids growing heavy. My stomach growled but I ignored it, nothing I could do about it for now. The sounds of rain and the sway of the tree were not helping me to remain alert. Finding a dry patch under a massive leaf I curled up letting my eyes close, maybe when I woke the day¡¯s events would all be a dream.


    Sleep took me, a nightmare. I stood back in my family¡¯s shack, my parents before me. My father dripped blood from where he had been stabbed, my mother stood beside him, both with dead eyes and yellow skin. My father''s voice was filled with malice, the one he used when cursing the shamans, ¡°this is your fault if only we had a normal son we would still be alive and happy.¡±


    Tears ran from my eyes, it seemed so real even though a part of me knew it was a dream. I tried to run over to him. He stuck out his hand holding me back. ¡°Da, I''m sorry I..¡±


    ¡°Hold your tongue Bane blood. I should have listened to the others, you are nothing but evil.¡± There was venom in my mother¡¯s voice. The aura of the room was oppressive, my deepest fears come to life.


    ¡°Stop it, stop it.¡± My hands covered my eyes blocking my vision, but then they were open again.


    I panicked my mind reaching for the light, my sanctuary. I kept my eyes closed, a warm breeze ruffled my hair, the sound of water flowing in the creek helped me relax. I laid in my clearing shaking with sobs, it was a long time before I moved from the grass.


    After calming down I fashioned a connection to my senses, my body on the Elder tree was cold and shivering but, in my sanctuary, the sun shined with its light bathing me in warmth. I stood up from the ground wiping away the last tears. Next to me was a wooden bookshelf I had crafted long ago to store information as I learned it. Bending over I picked up a stick from the ground, with a thought it formed into a spear. I would distract myself from the dream by hunting until it was time to wake.


    I moved to the forest surrounding my glade with light steps, a poor imitation of the giant wolves I had seen earlier. The forest was filled with evergreen trees, not the giant Elder trees of the wilds. The animals within were all mundane, ones I had killed on hunting trips with my father.


    Time flew by, I was creeping forward checking my footing to make no noise, a deer was up ahead. Its head was bent as it grazed, it stopped, raising its head it looked around with ears twitching. I had yet to get close enough to use my spear. It would be close to dawn back in the wilds, my body sleeping on the tree had stopped shivering as it acclimated to the cool weather.


    I felt eyes on me, no it wasn¡¯t in my sanctuary, something was watching me as I slept on the Elder tree. My intuition screamed of danger. I woke my body from its rest opening my eyes, everything was blurry for a moment before coming into focus. It was still dark in the early dawn.


    I sat up and had to stifle a shout, adrenaline coursed through my system eradicating all lingering drowsiness. Across from me on the opposite branch sat a massive panther, bigger than one of the tribe¡¯s shaggy workhorses. It was in mid prowl, its shoulder muscles and hind legs bunched underneath it. With explosive power it leaped the massive gap landing next to me, it didn¡¯t make a sound.

 Chapter 3

    The panther was now right in front of me, white whiskers tickling my face as it sniffed. Its eyes held me captive, each the size of my head glowed yellow. Its fur shined silky smooth I didn¡¯t dare to touch it even though a curious part of me wanted to. I stayed silent not daring to move, blood pounding in my ears.


    *PUFF*


    In a cloud of green smoke the panther disappeared, left in its place was a creature with what appeared to be leaves for clothing. It had a human-shaped body apart from the fact it was about the size of my forearm. Large dragonfly wings buzzed as it flew back from the tree branch, out of my reach.


    My heart beat calmed curiosity peaking. The creature had pointy little teeth exposed as it cackled, a high-pitched noise. Its skin could easily be mistaken for bark, green moss for hair. Squinty black eyes seemed to peer into my soul.


    ¡®Much pain,¡¯ the words appeared in my mind invasive. I could feel it¡¯s glee as images of the nightmare from last night surfaced. Had it been caused by this creature? It seemed to gain a sense of pleasure by frightening me.


    I pulled the knife from where I had stuck it in the tree branch. It wanted me to leave I could feel its intentions. An image appeared in my mind, my body lying on the tree branch, mangled, a panther was sitting above mouth clamped shut on my neck I was not breathing. It was foreign, not of my creation.


    I glared at the creature hovering in the air, my knife held at the ready. I had never heard of anyone seeing, much less interacting with a forest sprite, all I had to go on was the legends. They were said to be tricksters who enjoyed tormenting humans, terrifying them and in the end leading them to their death. The sprites beady black eyes narrowed, head tilted, a thought invaded my mind, curiosity at seeing my cat eyes.


    *SNAP*


    Without warning the sprites wings snapped as it blurred landing on a large colorful centipede that had been crawling to my side. Needle-like teeth tore off the large insect¡¯s head, the sprites bark like chin dripped green gooey insect guts. I lunged, but as my knife came close the sprite was gone in another puff of green smoke. ¡®I will be watching¡¯ followed by a high pitch cackle filled my mind. Looking around, the sprite was gone.


    Light began to peek through the leaves overhead, the glowing blue buds on the vines dimmed. Insects birds and other wildlife filled the forest with sounds coming out with the passing of the storm. When I moved birds hidden near me squawked and in a flurry of wings flew to a new perch.


    Animals with thick brown fur and flat faces swung from hanging vines using four arms. They hooted to each other as they moved around. Easily larger than me a few looked my way showing mild interest before continuing on their way. My instincts told me they weren¡¯t a threat.


    I reached up pulling down the leaf I had used for cover while sleeping. It was filled with fresh rainwater. The cool liquid was refreshing as it washed down my throat, it worked to trick my stomach, stopping my hunger pains. The forest sprite might want me gone and seek my death, it was wrong I would not leave. The deep wilds would be my teacher, I would learn from the great panthers, the wolves, my sanctuary would develop the longer I stayed, I would become a predator.


    I smiled, the sprite would have to work much harder to scare me away. Following the four-armed animals example, with knife in mouth, I jumped airborne for a moment my hands closed around a hanging vine. It was rough, pulling at the skin on my hands, I lowered myself to the forest floor.


    The moss was soft and spongy under my bare feet. The spring where I had left my bloody rags was hidden by undergrowth, knife at the ready I carefully moved forwards stepping from spiraling root to root. I reached forward to pull back some of the vegetation and reveal the body of water.


    *SNAP*


    With the slight touch of my fingers, a large leaf which reached far over my head, collapsed into a tight ball. A massive bull of an animal with three horns, one in the center of its head and two to the sides, turned from where it had been drinking at the spring. It was surrounded by its herd all around the waterhole.


    Like everything else I had seen in the deep wilds, the animals were huge, the size of a small house. They had leathery grey skin. The bull whose attention I had drawn swished its tail in annoyance or warning. Its nose flared as it huffed pawing the ground.


    I backed up slowly staying low to appear as unthreatening as possible. I used my peripherals to look for cover in case it charged. I made my way back towards the nearest Elder tree. Almost as soon as I started backing away, it huffed turning back toward the water lowering for another drink. I must not have seemed very menacing.


    Circumventing the spring and the herd, I walked making sure to keep my head on a swivel, senses tuned for any sign of danger. Massive snakes were coiled in the undergrowth, one was even able to wrap itself a few times around one of the Elder trees. If I kept my distance and was aware of them they would not be an issue. Insects flew around me, I had made it to a swampy area. I stuck to walking on the tree roots to keep out of the mud.


    I tried to stab the annoying flies, they were the size of my hand. They made a loud buzzing as they flew zipping around, I could not get close to slicing them with the knife, after every attempt they would just return. I could see the multitude of facets in their large black eyes.


    A sudden movement in the swampy mud drew my attention. It was a frog, standing as high as my shoulders. Its skin seemed to shimmer, matching the color of the mud beneath it. Its tongue had snapped out swallowing one of the annoying flies. I watched it sit in complete stillness waiting, then without warning it repeated the feat when a fly flew to close.


    With my knife out, I used my other hand to brace jumping down into the mud, the frog looked like a meal. Before I could get close to closing the distance, it saw me and jumped away, skin changing to blend with the new surroundings. I cursed internally, my stomach growled reminding me of my failure.


    Hmm, if the frog could eat the insects so could I, at this point just about anything edible looked appetizing. The flies had been much to fast, the second I would start moving they were already be gone. I took a deep breath to center myself, remembering how the frog had done it. It had sat unmoving, no indication of its intention. The second the insect had entered its range; the tongue had shot out with precision, zero telegraphing.


    In my sanctuary I watched the ghostly figure of my father instructing my younger self, a memory of my past. We both held wooden swords, my father had carved them to teach me how to defend myself. He reached forwards correcting my grip on the sword, then circling around me he made other adjustments to my stance and foot placement.


    ¡°Before executing a thrust you must be centered, if you leave your weight forward the enemy will see the lung coming long before the actual thrust is executed. Try it again.¡± His voice was firm, commanding as it always had been when he was teaching me. The memory faded away.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Keeping the lesson in mind I left my sanctuary and climbed back onto the root from the mud. The buzzing of the flies filled my ears, I relaxed all my muscles stance centered, stock still. With a burst of movement my arm holding the knife shot forwards, too slow. I forced down my frustration hunger was making me irritable, the memory of my father left a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach.


    I tried again letting go of the tension and assumed my stance. My arm whipped out, the fly saw it coming, with the first twitch of my muscles it was gone. I let out a sigh, my father would never give up. I would not let down his memory, he and mother had given everything so I could live.


    It was still early, and though I did not have a sundial, my estimate was it would be eleven ahn before sunset when the dangerous predators preferring to hunt in the dark would be on the prowl. I would not give up on this meal, although I knew how to set traps and hunt, everything was many times larger in the deep wilds, it would be much more difficult here in the deep parts.


    Around three ahn passed with me growing ever more irritated. My muscles protested, sore from holding my stance and constant attempts to catch the flies. I had nothing to show for my effort. Tempting as it was to go search for easier food, I would catch the damn flies, we were at battle. I would not give up till I had caught one, I recognized my stubborn streak but after three ahn there was no way I would leave the loser.


    Occasionally, an animal had wandered into the swampy area I stood, I did not see any that posed a threat. The sun having shifted in the sky above cast down rays of golden light spreading through the gaps in the canopy. With frustration I swung my knife towards buzzing behind me, the knife met resistance.


    ¡°HA!¡± I grinned, couldn¡¯t help but let out some of my triumph.


    I looked at the ground behind me, the body of a fly twitched where it lay. In its death throws it flopped around, before it could roll off the root, I skewered its head. It had been luck, but I would take it. With a moment of hesitation, I bit off the fly¡¯s body. It was disgusting, gooey with a slight crunch. I finished it off trying to chew as little as possible, for now, fire was not an option so what I ate had to be raw.


    My focus improved with the meal. To thrive in the wilds, I needed to get a sense of its rhythm, learn to live in harmony. If I tried to fight against it on my own, I would be easily swept away.


    Cackling surfaced in my mind, it wasn¡¯t my own. The Sprite. ¡®If you want to live you best hurry! Behind you in the mud.¡¯ The thought was deceptive almost as if my conscience were talking to me. I looked for the sprite but saw nothing. What I did see was something poking its head out of the swamp, staring right at me.


    I ran along the root to the nearest elder tree, I tried to climb, my hands slipped off the holds. Calm, I had to stay calm or I was dead. With controlled movements, I managed to make it a good distance up the side of the tree. Out of the mud rose the largest lizard I had ever seen, forked tongue slipped in and out of its mouth as it tasted the air, its eyes locked onto me.


    I climbed faster, my finger cut on a piece of bark with a jagged edge. Stout legs the size of barrels moved fast as the lizard rushed to the base of the tree. It clawed its way onto its hind legs snout extended upwards toward me. Sharp teeth the size of my dagger snapped just out of reach. Its breath smelled of something rotten. Claws tore furrows into the tree-bark as it tried to reach me, I climbed a bit higher to be safe.


    The sprite giving me a warning ran counter to everything I had ever heard about them. Just what game was the sprite playing at, did it want to keep me around as a form of entertainment or something more sinister.


    A shadow drew my attention, my mouth opened in awe. I forgot to be afraid. It was a griffin, massive with the head of an eagle and body of a lion. It was elegant as it dove, regal in its bearing. Its talons closed on the lizard¡¯s head piercing it, the lizard''s body went limp. Readjusting it grip the griffin looked me in the eyes, as though contemplating, it turned away and hauled its prey into the air.


    A feather fell loose from the griffin just as it disappeared into the canopy, a gift? It floated back and forth before finally coming to rest at the base of the elder tree I had been climbing. The feather was easily twenty hands in length, it would be able to comfortably cover my body.


    Even with everything going on in the wilds, my mind was partitioned, I stood in my sanctuary as well. One of the giant flies had found its way in. Time in the sanctuary ran slow, thirty moon cycles would be equal to one in the real world. I made use of the giant fly in my sanctuary, repeatedly I relaxed my muscles before exploding in attempts to catch the fly. I would not tire in my sanctuary.


    I dropped down from the elder tree, shredded bark from the lizard¡¯s claws lay at the base. A patch of blood from when the griffin pierced the lizards head soaked into the moss on the root. I moved to the feather several paces further from the base of the tree, picking up the end it was surprisingly elastic, I could bend it without damaging the fibers.


    I walked to a skinny vine hanging from a branch far above, with my knife I cut off a section. Back at the feather, I rolled it into a tight bundle tying it with the vine. I hung it from my back with a loop, the extra weight was barely noticeable.


    ¡®Blessed by a griffin, what an interesting human. Sleep with that at night and the scent of the griffin will scare away predators.¡¯ The sprites thoughts entered my mind, this time it didn¡¯t cackle but rather the tone was contemplative.


    ¡°Where are you, what do you want with me.¡± I didn¡¯t shout but having a sprite watching my every move was not a good feeling. The only answer I received was a cackle in my mind, I would just have to ignore the sprite.


    Now that I had made noise I didn¡¯t linger, following the flow of the roots I moved deeper into the wilds. I continued to emulate the silent prowl of the wolves, the roots all seemed to lead in the same direction, waves pointing the way towards my destination. Where? I had no idea.


    Movement caught my eye. I stopped in my tracks turning my head, it was an animal with shaggy brown fur and tall pointy ears, it stood up to my waist. It had moved in front what appeared to be a thorny bramble. The plant had many individual arms growing from a single stock at its base. Each arm spiraled out into the air in different directions. At the base was a group of yellow fruits.


    The animal stood up onto its hind legs sniffing the air. It had a white belly. It moved forwards cautiously going back on all fours. One of the branches whipped down smacking the ground as the animal dodged to the side. With that the game was on, I was amazed at the dexterity put on display.


    The plant would continuously whip its arms down, but just as they would come close to connecting, almost as if on instinct it would evade the attacks. Weaving in and out it managed to make it to the prize, the fruit at the base of the plant.


    Its cheeks puffed up like a chipmunk as it stashed its bounty. The second it left the center at the plants base the thorny brambles began to whip around again.


    It had made it halfway back out when a group of thorns made contact. It kept moving but I could see it''s movements becoming sluggish. More thorns connected, whatever venom was injected had an effect as the animal keeled over, lying still.


    The plant''s arms wrapped the corpse dragging it back towards its base, I could now recognize white bones littering the ground around the plant. I shivered, I would wait to try for those fruits once the plant appeared in my sanctuary.


    The glow from the plants and vines began to appear indicating the sun would soon be setting. My eyes marked me a creature of the dark, but till I had the skills to go with it I would make use of the griffin feather.


    I didn¡¯t have to walk much further before finding a flowing creek winding its way between the tree roots. I made sure there were no animals near before taking a deep drink using my hands to cup the water. A fly was buzzing around my head, I relaxed spreading my feet for a better base. My core twisted as my knife exploded toward the fly, it missed by a hands width.


    I waited, flies never seemed to learn. After half an ahn and countless attempts, I managed to skewer one. Not thinking about the taste I chewed, forcing the insect down. My practice in the sanctuary had paid off, I would not be starving tonight.


    Climbing back on a thick root, I made my way to an elder tree and began my assent. After reaching the branches far above I found as flat a surface as possible. Above me was a small gap in the foliage, I could make out the stars beginning to shine now that the sun was setting. Careful not to damage the feather I undid the vine and unrolled it. The underside was incredibly soft to my touch, it would be able to cover my body.


    Closing my eyes, I fell asleep, memories of my parents plagued my mind. I would get my revenge. Escaping to my sanctuary, my mind resolute, I continuing to work on catching the fly. In my forest, a giant Elder tree had appeared, towering over the evergreens. A dark grin showed on my sleeping face.

 Chapter 4

    A large thorny bramble was in front of me. I stood resolute, it was time. Over the past many moon cycles my sanctuary had developed, filling with giant Elder trees along with other life native to the deep wilds. Time moved differently in nature, without the structure of society it flowed together, days and nights blending.


    My body had gone through changes, I stood a head taller, though based on my father, I still had some growing to do. Calluses adorned my hands and feet; whipcord muscles covered my frame. The wilds were the strictest of teachers, but as a result, I had been forged anew.


    I stood resolute before the Bramble, its many arms seemed to quiver as if in anticipation of its next meal.


    A high-pitched voice invaded my mind, ¡®This is it, now you will die here today.¡¯ The forest sprite bared its pointy teeth, bark-like skin crinkling as is cackled.


    Sometime after the first moon cycle, it had taken to visibly following me around, though most of the time it would still stay undetectable. It was an annoying presence I did my best to ignore. Although the sprite constantly predicted my death, it had warned me many times of danger. I wasn¡¯t sure if I should thank or strangle the thing.


    ¡°Why warn me of danger if the thought of my death makes you so happy?¡± My voice was rough from lack of use.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± The sprite pouted giving no answer. Its tiny arms crossed, it stood on a giant mushroom cap.


    I turned back to the Bramble plant, this would be my first attempt at reaching the fruit while outside my sanctuary. Many moons had been spent practicing in my grove, always meeting with failure. At first, I would barely enter its reach before the whipping thorns would puncture my skin. I was stubborn, persisting, and now I had managed the feat with regularity.


    To make it to the fruit and back my reactions had been honed beyond what I thought possible. My speed and timing had to be precise, react to slowly and I would be plant food. It was a different kind of movement than when I stalked animals of the wilds.


    I stepped forward, I was in range. One of the plant''s arms covered in thorns larger than my fingers rocketed towards me. I slipped to the side, disturbed air ruffled my hair. Furrows were torn in the ground, throwing soil airborne.


    Thorns swung towards me with blazing speed from all directions. I let my reflexes take over, twisting and turning nimbly, they whipped past a hairs width from my exposed skin. I dove over a low swinging bramble tucking into a forward roll under another. The thorny arms could no longer reach me at the plant''s stem, the yellow fruit looked delicious.


    I grinned, heart pounding. looking over at the sprite I raised my eyebrows.


    ¡®You are not out yet don¡¯t be cocky.¡¯ Its voice echoed in my head, it seemed disappointed as though it thought I cheated.


    I plucked several fruits off the plant, they gave off a strong citrus smell. Using my teeth, I peeled the skin, they reminded me of large oranges. Hours had passed since my last meal, meat from one of my kills. Snacking on the flies had long since become something I only did when I had no other options.


    The sweet tang of the fruit tasted incredible, my taste buds quivered with delight. Sitting cross-legged I indulged shucking the skins then breaking off pieces, I looked at the brambles above, they were waving as if waiting for me to try leave.


    I scratched my head, fingers getting caught in my knotted hair. ¡°What are my chances of making it out while carrying fruit?¡± I knew the answer.


    ¡®Death,¡¯ it was a jubilant thought from the sprite. This time I had to agree, I would not try taking fruit back out with me. Giving the fruit one last longing look, I turned to the seemingly clear path, bones of dead animals crunched as I lunged forward. It might be some time before I found another of these plants.


    ¡®You made it out..¡¯


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so happy about it.¡± My voice dripped with sarcasm.


    The sprite might be a trickster and bother me incessantly, but it was the closest thing to a friend I had ever had.


    I felt a heaviness in the atmosphere, a slight dip in the sounds around me. Danger.


    *PUFF* The sprite disappeared as if in confirmation. A fickle friend I amended the thought.


    It was an overcast day, mist lapped at the edges of the clearing. I looked behind me, I was just out of range of the bramble. I Scanned my surroundings; the nearest elder tree was twenty paces away. The air was damp, through the gap in the foliage overhead grey clouds gathered.


    I could sense predators just outside my vision in the mist. Judging the distance to the nearest tree, I wouldn¡¯t make it. I calmed my breathing and mastered the fear that tried to dig its ugly claws into me. The wilds had schooled me on the perils of fear, it did nothing but cloud judgment and give predators confidence.


    Silently, as though wraiths wolves passed through the mist. Their thick dark pelts glistened as they began to circle prowling closer. It was easy to pick out the packs alpha, I stared him in the eyes without blinking. I lowered my center of gravity and bared my teeth letting out a low growl, a language they would understand.


    I held my knife at the ready, it was even more rusted than when I had first acquired it, but still functioned. I circled matching the alphas pace, showing him I would not back down, he must believe I was not worth the trouble.


    With no warning he lunged jaws snapping towards me with a snarl, saliva dripped from his fangs. I jumped back just out of his reach my knife blurred leaving a gash on his snout. With a whimper, he backed up continuing to circle. His pack hung back prowling letting out their own snarls.


    I ignored the others, alpha taking all my attention. I did not break eye contact my teeth always visible. After circling each other for a while the wolf stopped, tilting its head back it let out a howl.


    *AWOO* The others answered.


    With a last look in my direction, the alpha turned back to the mist and, silent as they had come, the wolves were gone. I could feel the pressure in the atmosphere dissipate the birds began to sing, even the flies came out.


    The telltale buzzing of a fly drew near, they were dedicated I had to give them that. Almost as an afterthought, my hand shot out catching the fly, it filled my whole palm. I tightened my grip squashing it and tossed it to the side. I would not need to eat fly after the fruit, but they were still an annoyance.


    I learned to move by mimicking the deadliest of predators, I learned to become invisible when I did not want to be seen. When I needed to eat I could hunt using my hands or the weapons I had created and practiced with for endless days.


    I could be fast when needed, I ran to the nearest Elder tree vaulting over the roots in my way. Soon after reaching the base of the tree I had climbed to its lowest limbs. This was my favorite part, being weightless for just a moment.


    I jumped backward off the tree limb, tucking my legs into a flip when my body started to drop I uncurled grabbing a hanging vine. I swung building up momentum grabbing onto the next skinnier ivy. I moved through the trees at a speed impossible to replicate on the ground. The four-armed animals had taught me the trick of it.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    A group of birds was started by my movement taking flight in a tumult of noise and colors. Four-armed creatures regarded me with mild interest but made no move towards me.


    A massive Elder tree drew closer, it was enormous even by Elder tree standards. Its branches expanded out in all directions as though it was king of the forest. The other trees seemed to cower around it, all smaller by comparison.


    Releasing my hold on a vine I was airborne aiming for one of the large branches. I tucked into a forward roll distributing the pressure of the fall across my body. The branch was large enough for three carts to move along side by side.


    Following the limb, I walked down to the tree''s trunk and began to climb higher. Soon I reached what had become my home of sorts. I had woven hanging vines together into a hammock, inside the hammock rested the griffin feather.


    A spear I had carved from wood along with a bow and arrows nestled inside a tree knot. Above there was a gap in the foliage so I could watch the stars at night. Every night before I went to sleep I reminded myself of my goal, I would hunt those who had murdered my parents. I would tear them limb from limb, in the end, they would beg for mercy and I would tear out their eyes in answer.


    In the past few days, the rhythm of the forest had changed, animals had begun migrating deeper. Rolling up my griffin feather I tied it with a vine, I then covered my weapons with a leaf. They would stay dry for when I came back for them, I would only keep my knife. I felt the drive to follow the animals, it was time to move on.


    ***


    I followed the sea of twinning roots north; A flood of animals traveled in the same direction, deeper into the wilds. I moved silently staying slow to a tree branch, bellow me sat a giant panther, its ears twitched nose sniffing the air.


    I was downwind, it could not pick up my scent, could not detect my movements. After a moment the magnificent creature pounced landing on a lower branch, its massive jaws closed on the back of a four-armed animals neck. It struggled but the panther¡¯s jaw tightened.


    *CRUNCH*


    It stilled going slack ¨C the panther gave its prey a final shake before moving off with the prize.


    My skin was tingling, I could feel a disturbance in the environment a power building further through the trees.


    *HREE!*


    A screech from above overpowered the other noises of the jungle, silence. Through a gap in the canopy above I could make out the body of a massive scaled beast as it flew, powerful wings sweeping down propelling it through the air. Puffs of thick smoke billowed from its nostrils. A dragon.


    I crouched where I stood, my mouth fell open. I had believed they only existed in fairytales, whatever was causing the disturbance in the wilds had managed to summon even a creature of such power.


    The sounds of the forest began to resume, tentative at first before building back to the usual chorus. I continued onward. A massive river crashed being fed by many smaller streams on the ground below. Through the trees up ahead I could see light, as I moved closer a deafening rumble amplified.


    I swung from a vine landing within the branches of an elder tree and walked out onto a limb into sunlight. Reaching out I used my hand to block the warm rays of light, giving my eyes a chance to adjust.


    The sky was clear, not a cloud in sight. The branch on which I stood hung over the edge of a cliff, the water from the river cascaded over the edge in a massive waterfall throwing up white mist where it impacted into a lake far below. I sat cross-legged taking in the scene. It would be a death sentence to climb down with all the animals below.


    I could feel the building of power making my skin tingle. It was coming from across the lake in what appeared to be ruins. The ruins were massive, a dilapidated stone bridge hung out over the water where most of it had worn away with time. Crumbling spires reached into the sky overtaken by vines, elder trees crowded the decrepit structures. A green and purple glow emanated from the entire area.


    Three dragons were perched on the elder trees, they were the largest creatures I had ever seen. All the animals seemed to be waiting for something, the glow continued to intensify hairs on my arm began to stand on end. A rumbling grew in volume even overshadowing the noise of the waterfall, the glow became blinding.


    *CRACKLE POP*


    The sound of the earth splitting and trees bending, branches broke from the forest and flowed with rock and earth to spiral into the air creating a maelstrom bellow me. Water from the lake was siphoned in massive amounts adding to the tornado. The green and purple glow merged with the cyclone.


    A face, body, and arms formed glowing with the magic of the wilds. The being formed of magic created a funnel with its hands turning to face the animals on the far side of the lake. The being¡¯s chest expanded, it blew an endless stream of green and purple power through its hands. The magic pooled around the animals a mist of light distorting the air.


    My eyes were wide not daring to blink, once all the magic was expelled from the being, its ¡®body¡¯ fell apart. Rocks, branches, and water fell from where they had floated in the sky crashing into the lake below.


    On the far bank the animals began to change, their bodies expanded as they grew soaking in the magic around them. This was the magic of the wilds, the magic that the shamans wanted to control. I shuddered to think what they could accomplish if they ever achieved the goal. I had been to far away to soak in any of the power. A part of me wondered if the magic would make an apearance in my sanctuary.


    It was time, I could feel it in the air. My despair at losing my parents had dissipated with time, it had been replaced with a burning anger. I had learned what the forest had to teach me, I would return for my revenge. I turned walking to the south away from the cliff, the forest was oddly silent as I moved through it.


    A pack of wolves caught my attention below, they were among the few animals to ignore the magics call. Noses sniffed as they moved through the undergrowth, they had picked up a scent and were on the hunt. They headed in the same direction as me, I followed in the trees above.


    In a clearing stood a man wearing a leather jacket and breaches, the first human I had seen in all my time within the wilds. He had a bow slung across his back, dagger at his side. I boiled with fury, I would gladly watch the wolves tear apart a member of the Coille tribes. My teeth ground in anticipation.


    I moved closer for a better view, the wolves had entered the clearing beginning to circle. It took the man a long time to realize the danger. On seeing the wolves he let out a yelp, fumbling he pulled out his dagger, it shook in his hands. I could hear him mutter words under his breath, they were foreign to me.


    I was wrong, the man was not a member of the Coille, he did not speak our language. His hair was not the blond of my people, it was a short brown. He must be a hunter from across the mountains in Ziralia. Somehow, he had gotten lost, nobody traveled into the deep wild. My anger evaporated, I could not let him die, he had knowledge to share.


    ¡®Let him die, humans do not belong here.¡¯ It was the forest sprites thought, looking around, my ¡®friend¡¯ had not become visible. I ignored it, the man could not die, yet.


    ***


    ¡°Gotta go to pay off the debt, gotta go risk your life so I can buy clothes Herve.¡± I mimicked my wife¡¯s voice in my head. It was her fault I was here to begin with, lost in this godforsaken jungle. I had traveled here with a group of slavers but had been separated, when out of nowhere, the biggest beasts I had ever seen came running at the group.


    I had been wandering around lost for the past few hours. Everything looked the same, everything was humongous. I heard a buzzing in my ear, I turned towards the noise, it was a fly slightly smaller than my hand. I jumped. Calm down Herve it''s just a fly, mighty big one, but just a fly. Taking out my dagger I tried to swat the thing.After a few tries I give up, couldn¡¯t get anywhere close to hitting it.


    I groaned, I would never have resorted to crossing the mountains if I didn¡¯t need the money. Adil Kesk had promised me it would be the easiest haul of my life, couldn¡¯t turn him down. Fuck Adil, fuck my wife. It was all their fault. I kept walking, probably had been going in circles anyway.


    I entered a clearing, it looked different than the others, maybe I wasn¡¯t going in circles. The slightest movement caught my eye, I turned to look. The biggest wolves I had ever seen were ten paces from me, I hadn¡¯t heard a noise. My fingers didn¡¯t seem to work as I fumbled for my dagger. Finally I drew it, my heart beat sped up hand starting to shake.


    I whispered a prayer, never been a religious man, but I was terrified. Not even my fear of heights could compare. Maybe if I had been more pious I would not need to pray now.


    The wolves snarled, mouths dripped saliva. The biggest one was closest to me, a deep rumble sounded in its throat teeth bared. There was a fresh gash across its snout.


    Something dropped down from above, I jumped back my poor heart couldn¡¯t take much more of this.


    It was a boy, he stood blocking the wolves path. He couldn¡¯t have been more than fourteen cycles old. Long blond hair was tied back using a woven cord. He was naked except for a pelt loincloth, his muscles were developed beyond what should be possible at his age. The color of his hair marked him as one of the savages, although from what I had learned they did not travel into the deep wilds.


    The boy stared down the wolves, better him than me. I turned prepared to run, I didn¡¯t want to die. The gods had answered my prayer in the form of a sacrifice, no savage was worth my life. Before I moved, I was astonished, the wolves let out a series of howls then slipped back into the undergrowth disappearing. The lad had faced down the wolves and won.


    The boy turned towards me, my breath caught in my throat. He had the glowing yellow eyes of a cat, there was an intelligence to them that was unmistakable.