《Silverleaf》 Chapter 1 - Taiga Saliva splattered against the lush green rug walked upon by only the highest of nobility and power. The glob stretched a few short steps from Her Majesty¡¯s overflowing furs of minx and bear. Taiga pushed back his friend, digging his boots into the rug and forcing Mouse away from her. Mouse¡¯s strength faltered beneath Taiga¡¯s, though Mouse could easily overpower him. ¡°You bitch, how fucking dare you.¡± A growl rumbled through Mouse, escaping through clenched teeth. ¡°Try saying that again¡ª¡± ¡°Mouse,¡± Taiga snapped. His friend hesitated. ¡°Stop.¡± His glare flicked to Taiga. Purple whirled in his eyes, glistening outward. ¡°Did you hear her? This piece of¡ª¡± ¡°Mouse.¡± Mouse tensed, visibly forcing his anger down. Taiga lowered his tone, ¡°calm down.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do it. Fuck her.¡± Mouse¡¯s eyes darted towards their queen, whom Taiga hadn¡¯t dared look at. If their heads were meant to stay upon their shoulders by the meeting''s end, it would only happen with Mouse¡¯s calming. ¡°You are knights of Lanria, are you not?¡± The queen¡¯s words echoed through an otherwise silent hall. The audience chamber had emptied at Taiga and Mouse¡¯s summons, with only Queen Nolara remaining. ¡°Not by choice.¡± Mouse bared his teeth at her. Taiga hardened his grip, and when Mouse flicked his eyes to him, Taiga held his glare. Mouse slumped his shoulders in compliance, stepping back and glancing to the floor. Queen Nolara wasn¡¯t known to overlook such disrespect. For now, it appeared unminded. Taiga did mind, however, considering neither of them could live without a head. He reached out, grabbing Mouse¡¯s arm, and pulled it until Mouse knelt in submission. Mouse clicked his tongue, but obeyed. Taiga bent a knee beside him, bowing his own head low. ¡°While we are your knights, Your Majesty, we will dare ask why you¡¯d have us commit such forbidden atrocities?¡± Taiga bit down much he wanted to add, if only to simmer Mouse¡¯s mood. She stirred, and Taiga ventured a glance up. Fur and silk draped over the queen and spilled over her throne made of an Ancient Tree. She hinted a smile towards him, and a shiver of heat coursed through him. Taiga smothered it, but not before his mind spoke for him, ¡°you would have us wander through the corrupted lands, slaughtering the Guardian Spirits which purify the land we cannot live upon? The only beings maintaining humans¡¯ way of life?¡± ¡°I would.¡± She spoke without a hint of doubt. Her voice echoed through the vaulted glass dome above their heads. Queen Nolara lowered her eyes to he and Mouse, her thinned smile widening. ¡°Considering the¡­ numerous incidents you both have caused us over the years,¡± her voice hinted towards disdain before regaining its regal elegance, ¡°I believe it is time for repayment of my grace towards you. Despite this, you still demand a reason from your queen?¡± Her pale lips curled, adorned with three green gemstones just below her bottom lip; a mark of her regency. Taiga paused. Without a doubt, she had granted them ¡®grace¡¯. Being alive was evidence of this. But it had not been given without cause. ¡°I do. While you have our gratitude and loyalty, the magnitude of this mission does warrant a reason.¡± She held her smile, watching them silently for what seemed an eternity before speaking, ¡°there have been sightings of the Guardians Spirits attacking my people.¡± Mouse stilled beside Taiga, and they caught each other¡¯s glances. While the Guardian Spirits were whimsical creatures, they had never been known to attack humans, no matter how foolish their actions. To venture out of their territory, out of the corrupted lands they fed from, to attack humans? This was an impossibility for any Guardians Taiga had ever come across. The queen paused, eyes following he and Mouse¡¯s reactions. ¡°We know not the cause,¡± she waited for their attention to shift back to her, ¡°but the Guardians that once purified the land are now rotting the earth and spreading corruption in their wake. I suspect a sickness of a sort, some internal cause for such a change in a number of them.¡± ¡°Liar!¡± Mouse rose, his hands clenched into fists and eyes locked to the queen¡¯s. She did not ignore his lack of respect this time. The Queen rose to her feet, her furs tumbling around her. ¡°Do not mistake my benevolence for foolery.¡± Her voice boomed over his, despite the thin body yielding it. Her words only furthered Mouse¡¯s temper. His shoulders arched, teeth bared, his chest expanding from a deep, seething breath. Taiga leapt up, pivoted between them, and broke Mouse¡¯s sharp gaze on the queen. He placed his hands on Mouse¡¯s shoulders and squeezed enough to draw back his focus. ¡°Stop. I will handle it. Step out.¡± ¡°She¡¯s lying! You know it as well as I. Guardians aren¡¯t capable of¡ª¡± ¡°Step out.¡± Taiga¡¯s voice, though quieter than Mouse¡¯s, stopped the outburst in its tracks. He blinked at Taiga, purple anger breathing out through every breath. A moment, two, went by while he stared at Taiga. As Mouse¡¯s eyes relaxed, so did his demeanor. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Taiga repeated, ¡°step out.¡± Mouse glanced between Taiga and the queen, jaw clenched, before he turned and walked out of the audience hall without another word. Queen Nolara glowered until the door shut. ¡°I did not give permission to leave. It seems you both think me a mockery?¡± While her voice was even and calm, a sharpened blade nestled beneath it. ¡°I do not, Your Majesty. I humbly believe his nature is not for that of the high court. Please forgive any impudence, but I can speak for the two of us, if it pleases you.¡± Taiga dropped back down to one knee, and focused her attention from the door Mouse left through. She did not seat herself, but allowed it. ¡°Are you, too, under the presumption that I lie?¡± ¡°No, your majesty. Even half-truths become full when spoken by your tongue.¡± She let out a laugh, and sat back upon her throne. She flicked her silver hair behind her shoulders, and pulled a minx fur over her shoulders and arms. ¡°Our priority must be the people of Lanria. I, too, wish for an outcome that does not require the sacrifice of our land¡¯s protectors. But time is of the essence. The longer we linger on possibilities, the more lives are taken by corruption. Am I understood?¡± His eyes dropped to the floor, lingering only a moment on the wooden throne. ¡°However, we¡ª¡± ¡°You do not have permission to speak beyond a yes or no. This is no longer a conversation.¡± Taiga bit back. It was good he¡¯d sent Mouse out. A ¡®yes¡¯ would suffice, he supposed. But the deaths of the Guardians were not such a light matter that could be dismissed with a nod. And for Mouse, raised by a Guardian Spirit, such an agreement would be betrayal. ¡°No.¡± He didn¡¯t venture towards the queen¡¯s eyes. But he knew she likely weighed the use of his life in the silence. Taiga held worth. Worth enough, at least, for this. ¡°Then you propose an alternative?¡± The chuckle in her voice froze him. Did she offer conversation now? He¡¯d take the bait. ¡°A reason. If we find out the cause for the corruption of ancient beings such as the Guardian Spirits, we could find a cure.¡± Stale air hung between them. Taiga studied the woven fibers of her rug, roots spreading their branches into a grand tapestry. A show of pride to any nobel of her court invited to Her Majesty¡¯s audience. Hopefully, Mouse¡¯s spit hadn¡¯t stained that pride. ¡°Do you take me,¡± she paused, a balance of regality and playfulness in her tone. One difficult to predict, ¡°for an idiot ruler?¡± ¡°I do not.¡± ¡°Then are you so foolish to think I would not have sought such a possibility?¡± A trick question. ¡°I am not.¡± He raised his eyes to hers. When they locked gazes, the green stones above her brow arched as she smiled. ¡°Then I am rash, and willingly put the future of our land into jeopardy?¡± ¡°You are a wise ruler which¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, yes, who speaks only truth and am most benevolent. Your flattery does satisfy every time we meet.¡± She waved the conversation away, though her smile remained. ¡°We have tried. The Gale Order and my own advisors are investigating. However, we¡¯ve come to understand the monumental loss of life cannot be weighed against the time it takes to find the solution.¡± He said nothing. They no longer carried a conversation. Her tone shifted to one of dominance and order, not of play and tolerance. He would not make the mistake twice. ¡°The decision we¡¯ve come to is to prioritize our people. Lanrians are not to be sacrificed while we twiddle our thumbs in hope of a ¡®cure¡¯ announcing itself. We will consider the damages done as you and,¡± she paused before waving it off, ¡°the other one complete the mission given to you. You both will find and kill any Guardian Spirit showing signs of corruption. That is all.¡± Taiga tightened his jaw. Time. They needed time. He ventured, ¡°none have successfully slain a Guardian, Your Majesty. How shall we¡ª¡± ¡°Only because none have tried.¡± She dismissed his words as if spoken by a child. ¡°And you¡­ are known for the impossible, yes?¡± The green of her eyes almost glowed from the slits they watched him from. Taiga hardened his heart before he spoke what he¡¯d regret. She awaited a challenge from him, but instead of speaking, he bit down. She spoke instead, ¡°due to the nature of this mission, I expect secrecy. You say it is forbidden. I, and my advisors, are inclined to agree. None shall know of this order, and it surely will not have come from the Kingdom of Lanria. From this point on, you will no longer be knights of Lanria.¡± Time. ¡°If I may be so bold, Your Majesty¡ª¡± ¡°You may not.¡± ¡°Then I will.¡± He swallowed before taking a breath, steadying it before speaking more. He met her darkened eyes. ¡°I¡¯d like to make a pact, of a sort.¡± ¡°A deal?¡± The foreign word on her tongue made her cackle. At least his head hadn¡¯t rolled yet. ¡°Mouse and I will find the cause of the Guardian Spirits¡¯ corruption, and stop it.¡± Her smile slipped into a frown. ¡°We¡¯ve already discussed this.¡± ¡°If we come across a Guardian already corrupted, we will slay it before it takes any more lives. We will agree to this mission, on the condition that you allow us to investigate this matter ourselves.¡± She weighed this, her thin smile returning. ¡°And if you don¡¯t find this cure?¡± ¡°We,¡± he knew the words, but they refused to come forth. He breathed in, and forced the words out with his breath, ¡°will kill every Guardian Spirit in Lanria if we must.¡± ¡°You think you can find this cure of yours?¡± ¡°As you said yourself, Your Majesty. We are known for the impossible.¡± She tapped a finger to her lips, hiding any shift in her expression. ¡°And what do you wish for in return? If you find the cause and manage a solution?¡± He considered his words. Queen Nolara was not known for her well-treatment of non-humans nor those of other kingdoms. If she willingly slayed such ancient and precious beings as Guardian Spirits from impatience, she would likely do so again in the future. ¡°The Guardian Spirits who roam Lanrian lands will be protected for the rest of your reign.¡± The queen stilled, a crease forming between her brow. She tapped a bony finger against the armrest of her throne. ¡°I do not stand to lose in this sort of wager?¡± ¡°But I have much to gain.¡± Another cackle, softening into a sigh. ¡°A deal, then. I will hold you to your end of it.¡± She waved him off, allowing his exit. He bowed. ¡°I¡¯d expect nothing less.¡± Chapter 2 - Mouse Mouse waited in the rafters until the last knight apprentice left the storehouse. He knew the guard rotation and routine, since Taiga trained recruits once upon a time. Mouse never liked working in the capital, but all that suffering finally paid off. Once the door clicked closed, and he listened as the apprentice said their thanks to the guard, he slid down from the wooden beam, swung his legs down to soften the landing, and let go, dropping into an abandoned pile of straw. He forced back a retch at the stench of mold and grime. Humans were disgusting. Leaving a pile of ruined targets and practice dolls in the back of a musty warehouse was only something a human would do. He shivered the disgust from himself. Why Taiga liked these gross creatures was beyond him. Well, Taiga would say ¡®like¡¯ was the wrong word. But from Mouse¡¯s perspective, the amount of shit Taiga put up with could only be tolerated by liking them. He considered a moment. Maybe a few humans were tolerable. The knights in their squad when they fought on the frontlines at the western border were decent enough. For humans, anyway. Mouse rolled off the straw, dipping behind a shelf. He listened for any keen ears outside that may have heard him. Nothing stirred, and he hurried along the backside of the shelf to a barrel of wooden swords. He looked them over briefly, before sliding two out and stuffing them into the back of his tunic. Taiga told him: two good swords. Their own swords were confiscated since they bore the emblem of Lanria¡¯s knighthood. Surely, two magical Anrix swords in replacement of the ones they¡¯d lost would be fair. Taiga would surely be pleased. He secured the wooden swords in his shirt before sneaking back behind the shelf. He swung a rope over the main support beam and tied a loop up to the top. When ready, he pulled himself up the rope, and back into the rafters. Untying the rope, Mouse slid out a small open window. He glanced around to see no one in sight before dropping onto several piled bags of grain he¡¯d placed there during the night. He rolled to his feet before sprinting off. Most of the recruits and apprentices were training this early in the morning, but some guards may already be up and readying for the day. Once a dozen or so meters away, he slowed and casually walked out of the training grounds. He nodded at a couple guards on their rounds, and headed towards the main palace. To the right of it stood the stockrooms, where supplies and goods were delivered daily for the castle ground¡¯s needs. A covered supply wagon stood, and Mouse bee-lined towards it, hopping into the back through a flap in the fabric. Taiga sat upon a box, greeting him with a smile. ¡°Did you get it?¡± Mouse nodded, pulling the wooden swords from his shirt, ¡°they¡¯re good, right?¡± ¡°What are those?¡± The smile slipped from Taiga¡¯s face, his eyebrows scrunched together. ¡°Anrix swords. You said good and well, these are as good as our old ones so¡ª¡± ¡°Mouse,¡± Taiga put a couple fingers to his brow, rubbing them. He only did this when he was annoyed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Infantile Anrix swords? These could take years to fully grow.¡± Taiga sighed, picking one up and sliding his hand across it¡¯s wooden blade. ¡°But they¡¯re Anrix swords,¡± Mouse countered. ¡°And months to a year to show a metal blade.¡± ¡°But they¡¯re Anrix swords.¡± Mouse pointed out, in case Taiga missed it. ¡°What are we going to fight with until then? And considering the rarity of Anrix swords, not just anyone can have these. If we¡¯re trying to lay low as normal humans on a journey¡ª¡± ¡°But they¡¯re Anrix swords.¡± Taiga paused, shooting a glare at Mouse. He shrugged in response. The queen forcibly took their grown, matured Anrix swords and likely handed them off to nobles who supported her to decorate their mansions with. The witch had no right. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Witch? That wasn¡¯t the right word. Bitch. The queen was a bitch. Stealing a couple Anrix swords in exchange for the ones she took was only fair. He¡¯d never get back the magic sword he¡¯d honed into a dense metal capable of knocking the head of an enemy clean off. Its weight made it near impossible for a human to lift, and its damage devastating. Its touch drove lava into the flimsy flesh of humans. Ah, the memories. ¡°I know you¡¯re pissed she took your sword, too,¡± Mouse mumbled, ¡°it¡¯s only fair.¡± Taiga sighed, ¡°fine. Did you at least grab a few metal swords for the interim?¡± ¡°The what?¡± ¡°Until these grow their metal.¡± Mouse did not. He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not like we actually need to fight and Guardian Spirits.¡± ¡°The mission¡ª¡± ¡°The Guardians aren¡¯t corrupting. That¡¯s impossible. That bitch is lying. She probably just wants to chase us out.¡± Mouse¡¯s voice rose more than he expected. He bit his lip, quieting. ¡°I hope that¡¯s the case.¡± Taiga¡¯s gentle tone eased Mouse¡¯s shoulders. ¡°But we need to be prepared for anything, right?¡± Mouse looked away. Taiga said nothing a moment, before calming his tone more, ¡°A lot of lives, not just humans, are at risk if something made the Guardians sick. We have to do anything we can, alright?¡± Mouse slid his thumb over the wood of his sword. ¡°Yeah, fine.¡± ¡°You are ready, I take it?¡± The woman¡¯s voice irked Mouse. The queen. He whirled around to see the figure pull back the cloth of the wagon. Her silver hair, gems embedded above her brow and below her lips, the furs draped loosely over thin skin. Her cloak made of the finest of silks shined slightly in the light before daybreak. A tight smile met his gaze. He returned it with a frown and slid his Anrix sword behind the crate he sat on. ¡°We are, your majesty. I apologize,¡± Taiga focused her to himself, making a bow, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect your presence.¡± ¡°I wanted to ensure your departure from the grounds was left unnoticed.¡± Mouse scoffed. As if the line of guards behind her and her overpriced cloak wasn¡¯t the most suspicious thing here. Taiga smiled, unwavering from what his real thoughts must¡¯ve been. ¡°We are ever so thankful for your grace. We are ready to depart whenever the driver completes his deliveries. Our plan is to head east once we leave the capital city.¡± Taiga spoke with enough countenance to join the royal courts, though Mouse knew he¡¯d hate it. ¡°Hmm, I see,¡± the queen hummed the words, reaching into her cloak. She revealed a wooden box, stained with care and age. The queen held it carefully in her hand, pulling the latch free and opening it with the other. Inside displayed two necklaces, gold chains spun into a rope and dangling a caged purple gem. Only the centermost of the gem laid bare from imprisonment. ¡°A gift. From the treasury of my ancestors. Do take great care of them.¡± She eased the box forward, prompting Taiga to accept it. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t understand, your majesty.¡± Taiga stumbled the words out, hesitant to take the gift, despite it already placed in his hands. ¡°Gems which negate corruption. As your journey will lead you into the depths of such dark magics, it is only fair I give you a way to defend in such terrain.¡± Mouse hated the flowery way she spoke. What did she even mean, ¡®negate corruption¡¯. He¡¯d never heard of such rocks, and according to Taiga¡¯s expression, neither had he. ¡°They will protect you from corruption. They may not be powerful enough to negate all effects. But they will keep their wearer alive. And I believe for this mission, that is vital.¡± No shit, staying alive was important. He huffed, though settled his breath as Taiga shot him another glare. Fine, he¡¯d behave himself. It¡¯s not like either of them could die of corruption anyways. If these rocks were so valuable, she should¡¯ve kept them for herself. Taiga made another bow, pulling the box to himself. ¡°We appreciate your generosity and care.¡± Content, the queen nodded with a satisfied smile. ¡°Be safe, stay strong, and remember; the people of Lanria are the highest priority.¡± She closed the cloth, and stepped back. Her voice carried her last words, ¡°your sacrifice is engraved in my heart.¡± ¡°Sacrifice?¡± Mouse jumped up. What the fuck did that mean? ¡°She means being exiled. Since the mission is taboo. Relax.¡± Taiga kicked Mouse¡¯s boot, his eyes drawing from Mouse to his seat. Mouse breathed out his annoyance, and slumped back onto his crate. ¡°You two ready?¡± A man from the other end of the wagon called out. The driver¡¯s seat creaked as the man loaded onto it. ¡°We¡¯re good to go,¡± Taiga called. He handed Mouse one of the necklaces. Lowering his voice, he added, ¡°just wear it for now? Having extra protection won¡¯t hurt.¡± After a click of his tongue, Mouse took it, and shoved it into his pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll put it on later.¡± The cart jolted, and the wheels crackled the pebbles beneath it as the cart started forward. They¡¯d hide here until they were safe outside the walls of Pall. Once the capital was out of sight, Taiga and he would journey straight to Leryn Forest, and to the Guardian Spirit who raised him. Wait a little longer. I¡¯ll see you soon, Pnendua. Chapter 3 - Taiga They would trek to Leryn Forest, which lay north of Lanria territory and stretched west across the continent.Though it would take considerable time to get there, ensuring the safety of Mouse¡¯s only family was worth it. While Mouse said nothing, his silence told his worries. Mouse sipped his tea, his eyes following Taiga drop into the stool adjacent to his. The tavern was abuzz with chatter, and alcohol passed around the tables behind them despite the hour of the day. A woman twisted behind Taiga, her boots heavy on the wooden floor as she made her way up the stairs and to the inn. Taiga set the cloth in his hands down across the table and flattened it out, revealing a simple map of Lanria While the map didn¡¯t detail specifics, most large cities, landmarks, and territorial divides were marked. He picked up the lantern from the table, and set it down on the map, near a newly inked marking. ¡°The guards haven¡¯t noticed a rise in corruption in the area, but did confirm a Guardian Spirit sighting. The most recent report came out a few days ago, so they should still be nearby.¡± Taiga watched Mouse in the dim light, who sipped without a word. A group near their table erupted in laughter, and one of the women fell back out of her stool, catching herself against Mouse¡¯s back. He whipped around, and smacked her off. The table wobbled, and Taiga lifted Mouse¡¯s mug before it tumbled off their table in the scuffle. ¡°Hey, what the fuck, man?¡± the woman slurred at Mouse. A waitress set her tray down and helped the woman to her feet. Taiga handed the mug back to him, and Mouse wrapped his hands around it. His demeanor softened with another sip of his tea. ¡°Piss off,¡± Mouse snarled without a glance in their direction. The woman got back to her feet, mumbled curses under her breath, and sat back down at her table. Mouse sipped on his drink again, unfazed and eyeing the map. ¡°I see your manners have improved,¡± Taiga commented after a moment of watching the other group give up on rousing another reaction from Mouse and moving on. ¡°Yeah?¡± Mouse blinked at him, finishing off his mug and setting it beside a couple of cleared plates. A small pile of rabbit bones rustled slightly when the mug clacked against the plate they sat upon. ¡°No.¡± Taiga gazed back at the map, where he¡¯d marked a black dot just to the west of the small mercenary-filled town they currently resided in. Without support from Lanria or their queen, they¡¯d managed to travel North from the capital. After they¡¯d been expelled of their equipment, armor, and weapons, it took two weeks to arrive where they currently rented a room at. Since their journey north was a long one, there was no harm in stopping to check on the Guardians they passed along the way. ¡°We should try talking to the Guardian since you can communicate with them,¡± Taiga checked to see if Mouse¡¯s eyes were on him, ¡°see if they¡¯ve noticed any changes, or might know more than humans do in regards to the spread of corruption.¡± ¡°Grhaanfjes.¡± The word tumbled out of Mouse¡¯s mouth in a guttural tone Taiga didn¡¯t know Mouse was capable of. ¡°Um¡­ what?¡± Taiga paused. Mouse slid a finger atop the black dot on Taiga¡¯s map. ¡°The Guardian¡¯s name. Graanfjes,¡± again Mouse¡¯s voice shifted into scrapes and guttural sounds and cuts beyond Taiga¡¯s comprehension. ¡°It sounds better speaking from your mind, since it¡¯s more a sound than a name.¡± ¡°Ah, is that so.¡± Mouse nodded. ¡°They¡¯re all connected mentally, so if any Guardians are actually corrupting, they should all be aware.¡± Mouse had been a child when Taiga found him living with the Guardian whose territory ranged southeast of Leryn Forest¡¯s border, in land overtaken by the spreading corruption. Taiga, a child then himself, had wandered into the corruption zone to escape his pursuers.They¡¯d made the trip to visit the Guardian when they could, although a few years had passed since their last visit. The officials and royal court called on Mouse several times over their years of knighthood to communicate with the Guardians on behalf of Lanria. This ability was one of the reasons the queen and three commanders of the knights tolerated any ¡®shenanigans¡¯ he and Mouse found themselves in. And why the queen tolerated Mouse¡¯s lack of absolute servility. Even when Taiga shot down a messenger hawk for a snack, or when Mouse challenged the new recruits to an insect-eating contest which resulted in the need for about a dozen of them to be seen by the court pharmacists for several days, they¡¯d gone free of punishment. There¡¯d also been the time Taiga and Mouse decided on an impromptu bonfire, which raised the fire alarm of the northwestern watchtower, calling for the mobilization of several knight squads that thought Lanria¡¯s walls were breached by a surprise attack. The more Taiga considered, the more he realized just how much ¡®grace¡¯, as her majesty put it, they¡¯d received. ¡°Confirming the queen¡¯s suspicions comes first. If the Guardian Spirits are aware of anything, this should help us figure out how to proceed.¡± Taiga dropped a hand to his hip, feeling the rough edges of his weapon. A prick of annoyance seeped through him as his eyes drifted to the wooden sword strapped to his hip in place of the magical Anrix sword he¡¯d honed over years of battles and experiences. While Taiga appreciated Mouse¡¯s attempt to replace their lost Anrix swords with new ones, infantile Anrix swords could take a decade to flourish, and nearly a year of battles to show steel. Until then, he and Mouse were left with wooden swords no more harmful than toys. Taiga marked it the last time he would trust Mouse¡¯s judgment. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Taiga sighed and returned back to the task at hand. ¡°We should also ask the Guardian why they¡¯ve wandered south of their territory.¡± Mouse nodded, and Taiga continued, ¡°the knights of the town are watching the Guardian from afar. I¡¯ve made it clear to them that Guardians are whimsical, and to not follow¡ª¡± A tremor shook through the tavern and sent Taiga falling back. The table tumbled over him, and Taiga shot his hands in front of him, catching the tabletop before it smashed into his stomach. Mouse jerked to his feet, eyes alert swiveling in every direction. Around them, bewilderment and fright spread across the patrons. The last echo of laughter overtaken by cries of pain and confusion. Another tremor sent Taiga back to the ground as he scrambled to get his bearings. He grabbed their bags, tossing them over his shoulder. Mouse steadied himself, his head whirling to the back of the building before yelling over dozens of frenzied patrons, ¡°get down!¡± Taiga managed to his feet, and knelt down just before an explosion reverberated through the tavern. The group of mercenaries once seated behind Mouse struggled around them, trying to to help other patrons out from fallen tables and debris. A waitress huddled underneath the bar towards the back of the tavern. Glasses and mugs spilled around her, shattering at her feet. Alcohol splashed from broken barrels, and soaked through her dress. Mouse stood frozen, eyes focused on the back of the building as another boom sounded, closer, shaking the building and shattering windows on both sides of the room. Several screams rang out as shelves toppled on top of them, and people struggled to stay on their feet. ¡°Get away from the back wall!¡± Taiga screamed, barely audible over the cries encircling him. The waitress caught eye-contact with him, but remained motionless underneath the bar. He lunged forward, running to her, but a yank from behind pulled him back. Mouse kept hold of Taiga¡¯s arm without shifting his gaze, and before Taiga could speak, another explosion threw them off their feet. Taiga¡¯s back smashed against a broken window frame, and sent shocks through his limbs. They froze up as he slid to the ground. Taiga forced his eyes open despite the debris burning them, just in time to catch a large black tail coated in bright pink, orange, and purple quills slither out of a gaping hole of the building. What once had a full bar and a staircase in the back leading to a small inn above them, was now a pile of fallen wood fragments, broken bricks, and glass shards enveloped in a cloud of brown and orange dust. The orange grew stronger, bursting through the cloud of debris and bloomed towards them in a viscous fog. Beside him, Mouse pulled himself to his hands, bloodied from window fragments. The world spun around him, and though Mouse said something to him, no sound fell upon Taiga¡¯s ears. After a few moments, screams flooded through, and the roars of fire and crashing debris came from all around them. Somewhere in the distance, the town¡¯s belltower rang unevenly. To the left of Taiga, an older man struggled to his knees. Taiga forced his legs beneath him, swaying as his vision blurred and refocused. He stumbled to the man, and pulled him up. The man shook beneath him, wet sopping between Taiga¡¯s fingers. The man¡¯s arm slipped from him, and Taiga caught him before he fell. ¡°Get out of here,¡± Taiga coughed, scanning around them for anyone else he could help. One of the mercenaries shook a fallen comrade, a raspy voice begging them to move, but to no avail. A woman screamed to the right, crawling across the ground holding a small plush dog to her chest, browned from dust. Few people stirred, and Taiga found himself wandering back to Mouse, who still focused somewhere beyond the building, barely on his knees. ¡°They¡¯re screaming,¡± his voice broke, reaching for Taiga¡¯s offered hand. ¡°I know, everyone¡¯s hurt.¡± Taiga put his weight into helping Mouse up. Mouse shook his head. ¡°The Guardian Spirit,¡± he coughed, ¡°Grhaanfjes is screaming.¡± Mouse scanned around them before his head jerked back up. ¡°They stopped.¡± Another boom sent them reeling against the wall to keep them standing. More screams echoed from afar. Orange fog pummeled over them, rushing around their legs and moving past them, like water freed of a dam. Taiga¡¯s legs felt aflame, sizzled in lightning. Voices screamed around them, shrill and desperate. He burned. Anywhere the fog touched, a thousand hot needles pierced his flesh. And just as the pain came, it melted to numbness. He shook, sweat breaking across him and his strength sapping. The fog spread across them, taking life with it, expanding and flowing through the window and onwards. Then silence, each voice dying out one by one. ¡°It¡¯s dense corruption.¡± Taiga¡¯s legs prickled, weakly fighting his nerves for dominance. Mouse¡¯s ears focused elsewhere, something unknown to Taiga dragging his attention away. Taiga stumbled to the door, the corrupting fog clawing at him and dragging him down. His boots fell heavy against the cobbled road. The old man he¡¯d tried to help lay collapsed to the ground only a few meters away. His vision blurred as the Guardian roared, and hollowed bells scratched at his ears. Why? Why did the Guardian appear here? And now? Why would they wander so far into human territory? It made no sense. Another roar echoed through the fog, curling into an almost metallic purr swept around them. Taiga¡¯s knees buzzed as the corruption seeped deeper. But this much, he could bear. He stilled himself, straining to see further than two meters ahead. Fog surrounded him, and despite the tremors in his ears, he focused on sounds beyond it. The orange glow and crackles of fire spread around them. The bell still rang somewhere in the distance. Mouse came up beside him, hand on the hilt of his wooden sword. They locked eyes for a moment. What were their options right now? Even if they could fight and kill a Guardian Spirit, what could they do without any weapons? ¡°Why did they wander from their territory?¡± Mouse muttered, his head swiveling around at even the smallest sound in the fog. ¡°Why are they attacking?¡± ¡°Mouse, can you¡ª¡± Taiga clawed his words from the corruption¡¯s hold, but Mouse spun around to him, eyes wide in confusion. ¡°Their voice is gone! There¡¯s nothing!¡± As Mouse spoke, a shadow loomed through the fog. A thud, and claws slithered out from the orange haze. A shadow nearly ten meters in height loomed towards them. Black feathers tipped in bright colors snaked from a veil of smoke, a white mask leading the way. Black slits in the mask peered down at them, pink blood oozing from a crack down the center of it, staining their fur and feathers. The Guardian¡¯s head lurched back, and Mouse grabbed hold of Taiga¡¯s arm. In an instant, what once was a peaceful Guardian twisted its head around and thrusted forward, jerking to a halt a dozen centimeters from them, and screamed. Chapter 4 - Mouse The curdled purr of a crazed beast seared shivers across Mouse¡¯s neck and spine. It spoke to him in a gurgled tongue Mouse couldn¡¯t comprehend. The words held no meaning except of a darkness and pain not in existence. ¡°Why are you here? Go back to your home!¡± Mouse strained, his voice clawed from his throat. But the beast, far from the Guardian Spirit it once was, no longer understood him, as he couldn¡¯t understand it. ¡°Please, go back¡­¡± Mouse pulled himself to his feet, struggling in a fog of corruption leaking from beneath the beast¡¯s bloodied claws and black feathers. He wobbled only for a few moments before catching himself against a burning house. But the fire wasn¡¯t a concern, the inhabitants either long dead or lucky enough to have fled. Mouse slid his wooden sword from its holder, swinging it lightly between his fingers. ¡°Go back, or I will force you to.¡± But not even he believed in his own words. For who would dare to kill a creature far older than humans, and one tasked with healing the world from the very corruption now seeping from it. ¡°You are knight¡¯s of Lanria, are you not?¡± ¡°Mouse!¡± Taiga ran to him just as quills of the beast¡¯s tail shot out from the fog. They missed, and he jumped beside Mouse, his wooden sword drawn and raised. Before Mouse reacted, the long, quilled, and feathered tail of the beast slammed against the thin piece of wood with a force stronger than Taiga¡¯s guard. The impact knocked Taiga off his feet and crushed him into Mouse, pinning them both against the crumbed stone wall of the burning house. They dropped inward, debris coating them. ¡°Not by choice.¡± Mouse¡¯s eyes blinked open nearly as fast as his body hauled itself off the smoldering planks and house bits. His hand caught, and made him hesitate. Shifting his weight, he tried yanking his sword and hand out of fallen bricks and stone. Just beyond his sword, Taiga lay sprawled out on stones festered in flames. His eyes asleep, his body unresponsive to the flames. But the smell of burning wood and flesh filled Mouse in fresh terror. ¡°Taiga!¡± Mouse yelled over the roar of the beast and growing fire. A puff of black smoke enveloped his face, and as he shouted Taiga¡¯s name again, the smoke choked him and singed his eyes shut. Gritting his teeth through the pain, he yanked on his wooden sword. ¡°While we are your knights, Your Majesty, we will dare to ask why you¡¯d have us commit such forbidden atrocities?¡± The beast did not wait for their recovery, and the roof shook and crumbled as three bright orange claws sunk into the ceiling and dragged it downward. Stone and wood crashed over Taiga¡¯s body. Mouse threw up his free arm over his head, letting a large beam of wood crack into his arm. Mouse yelled out, using all his strength in a final pull of his sword. It swung free of the stone, its wood aflame and burning the thing to ash. With the deepest burn already sinking into a center crack, Mouse clashed it against the wall, in a meager attempt to put out the flames. ¡°Taiga!¡± He screamed again, his voice and throat cracking and burning on the embers he breathed in. Pulling his own leg out of its encasing stone, Mouse climbed over a pile of burning rubble and latched onto Taiga¡¯s arm. ¡°Taiga!¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. The beast roared, deep and barely audible, yet with a pressure drumming against his ears, and shattering his focus. His body lost strength and he fell to his knees. His eyes fluttered shut a few times before his mind managed composure again. Small flames burned away at his tunic. Mouse slammed down on his chest, smothering it with his hand, ignoring his own skin sizzling beneath it. Then, he yanked Taiga off the debris, and hauled him from the ground. Mouse¡¯s limbs trembled with every sound, touch, movement, and Taiga¡¯s added weight nearly buckled his knees. ¡°Come on, Taiga! Wake up!¡± Heaving Taiga further onto his back, Mouse scooped his legs into his arms and made a quick break for the door. But the beast awaited them. Just beyond the doorway, Mouse froze in his steps, his eyes trailing up to the beast¡¯s broken mask, bright pink liquid oozing from the deep, shattered crack, breaking the mask in two. Beyond the mask, only darkness lay, a tunnel to the nothingness before the Abyss. His body numbed, and his feet melted beneath him. ¡°You would have us wander through the corrupted lands, slaughtering the Guardian Spirits?¡± ¡°I would.¡± His knees buckled onto the ground, and Taiga slid from his back. To the left of them, Taiga¡¯s sword lay only meters away, but too far out of reach. The beast gurgled in front of him, its face swiveling around him towards Taiga. It''s great neck of thick feathers and purple and blue furs and spines tickled Mouse¡¯s arm. The beast¡¯s heavy foot stepped closer and past him, three claws digging into the grass half a meter from Mouse¡¯s leg. Its muscled neck arched back, head hovering a meter over Taiga, turning like an owl, watching him. In a meager attempt to pull the beast¡¯s attention away, with his burnt sword in his right hand, Mouse raised his arm over his head. Its head swiveled around faster than Mouse¡¯s eyes could process, and the gaping hole of its face screeched the echoes of dying souls centimeters from his face. Burning drops of ooze flicked across his face and neck, spit mixed with decaying flesh strewn over his cheeks and chin. The screech stiffened Mouse¡¯s nerves and rang his ears, acid sapping his will and he slumped to the ground. ¡°The Guardians that once purified the land are now rotting the earth and spreading corruption in their wake. I suspect a sickness of a sort, some internal cause for such a change in a number of them.¡± ¡°Liar!¡± But it was no lie. His sword slipped from his hands, and he fell towards the beast, his body succumbing as his mind did. The clever beast drew out his claws and scooped them towards Mouse as he fell. From behind, an arm wrapped around his chest and pulled Mouse back just as the claws clashed together in a sheer slice of a sound. ¡°Hold on.¡± Taiga¡¯s voice; like rain against a window. As Mouse¡¯s eyes slid shut, his half burnt sword flew past his head and beyond the beast. It clacked against the base of the bell tower. The beast whirled around at the small noise, its head cocking up and down, swiveling in every direction for the source. Not finding it, the beast scurried away, screeching again. The end of its great tail smacked across Mouse¡¯s chest painfully, but Taiga¡¯s hand clasped over his mouth, muffling any sound he may have made. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Taiga released Mouse carefully, keeping him from falling, before silently and cautiously stepping towards his sword a short distance away. Just beginning to fade into the mist, Taiga carefully picked up his sword, glancing over it once before turning back towards Mouse. Behind him, the snaking tail of the beast slithered by. ¡°Taiga!¡± Mouse yelled out, broken and strained. The fast pounds to the right of Mouse made him spin around, the beast sprinting towards him, pink sludge freely spilling from its face, ruffled feathers and fur puffed around it. It screeched again as it came upon him, stunning Mouse in his place. Its mouth rushed towards him in less than a blink. From beyond them, Taiga jumped onto the beast¡¯s back, and grabbed at the feathers to heave himself up to the base of the neck. Taiga raised the burnt sword up above his head, before slamming the point down. Pink blood gushed from the fresh wound. The beast screamed an echo of shattering thunder and swung away from Taiga. But Taiga held tight on his grip, the sword deeply entrenched within the beast. The beast smashed its head into a burning house, and Taiga yanked down on the sword, dragging it through its neck with as much strength as he could muster. Blood splashed over Taiga, and smoke sizzled off bare flesh, but Taiga held steady. The screams of the beast withered as its strength did, and it swung itself around once more, trying to throw Taiga off. But failing and weakened, it collapsed against the bell tower, sliding down against it, unmoving. Chapter 5 - Taiga Taiga wobbled a moment, his eyes sliding closed a few times, before the weariness began retreating. Mouse pulled himself up slowly, his eyes refusing to find the Spirit¡¯s body. While no words exchanged between them, a heavy weight hung in the air. The house still burned behind Mouse, blending into the fire and smoke of the lit or crumbled buildings around them. The flames danced from the Guardian¡¯s wrath, burning in delight at Taiga¡¯s hesitance to approach. Spotting his own sword several meters away from the fire, Taiga dragged his heavy feet to it, picking it up off the ground. The acidic burns on his arms and face cooled, almost wet. He touched his arm, glancing over it to see the damage, only for the burns to have vanished. In their place, clear water dripped down his arm in its place. He spun around. Where the pink blood seeped into the grass and burned it away, and where the large dark body laid encased in orange corruption, white powder trickled down through the dissipating fog. It landed lightly on the body of the slain Guardian. In only a matter of moments, a thin veil encompassed the Guardian¡¯s great body. Mouse looked up to it, inching towards the head. He reached a hand to it before Taiga thought to warn against it. Mouse drew his hand away quickly, then blinked at his fingertips. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ snow?¡± He turned to Taiga, eyes a mixture of tears and confusion. Taiga forced himself towards it, blinking his vision clear and studying the small, sparkling crystals. He pressed a hand gently to it, the chill of it sending a shiver through him. His fingers left their print in the snow, the edges melted only where he¡¯d touched. As the beast succumbed to the white of the snow, its body melded and it, itself, became snow as well. They stood, watching its descent into something beyond their world. ¡°Mouse, do Spirits turn to snow¡­ when they die?¡± He¡¯d never heard of such a thing. ¡°How would I know? I¡¯ve never seen a Guardian die.¡± Taiga scanned over Mouse. Aside from a few gashes, light burns on his forearms, he appeared unharmed. His face and neck dripped with water, soot, and dirt. Taiga felt the singe of burns on his arms, but it was bearable. When they rested for the night, he¡¯d check the scope of damage. Taiga walked past him and picked up Mouse¡¯s sword from the snowpile. An arrow rolled off. The shaft broke into three pieces. He¡¯d grabbed it when he¡¯d reached for the sword, and used its point to reinforce the sword¡¯s tip enough to pierce the beast¡¯s body. If it hadn¡¯t been there, Taiga doubted the sword would have been able to puncture through such tough skin. He turned back to Mouse, handing him the burnt sword. ¡°It may be burned, but it will still become a fine blade.¡± Mouse hesitated, but accepted it back. He was oddly quiet, for someone known on the battlefield for never shutting up. Mouse¡¯ lingered near the Guardian, his eyes unfocused but with intent. ¡°You didn¡¯t kill them.¡± Taiga stuffed his own sword back into its strap on his hip. ¡°And you don¡¯t have to kill any of them. Got it?¡± Mouse blinked up at him, his mouth parting if only slightly. As his eyes focused on him and he opened his mouth to speak, Taiga cut him off, ¡°they¡¯re your family. That¡¯s why we accepted the mission, right? So no one else killed the Guardians? So we find a way to save them?¡± Mouse drew back, almost shrinking. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Mouse¡¯s voice felt afar, quieter than a whimper. ¡°I couldn¡¯t¡­¡± Taiga stepped forward, swinging his arm around his neck and pulling him close. ¡°I¡¯ll kill them if there¡¯s no other option. So just come save me when I need it. Okay?¡± Mouse nodded into Taiga¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I want to protect them.¡± Mouse mumbled, barely audible. Taiga patted him gently, glancing over his shoulder at the quickly melting snow now that the corruption dispersed. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ll find a way. We¡¯ll do everything we can. But if they attack like this¡­¡± Then he¡¯d kill them. That much needed no voicing. ¡°But we can¡¯t ignore their corruption until then either.¡± Mouse nodded in agreement and pulled off Taiga. Taiga paused him, hand firm on his shoulder a moment and studying Mouse¡¯s eyes shifting to a shade of purple and his hair stiffening. Tears threatened to spill, held back only by grit. ¡°Calm down. We¡¯ll figure it out.¡± Taiga spoke softly, his hand cupping the nape of Mouse¡¯s neck. Mouse nodded again, eyes purpling back towards their usual brown. ¡°Calm down.¡± He studied Mouse¡¯s eyes and hair, watching for any further irregularities. Only when assured Mouse wouldn¡¯t change further, did he let go. Mouse quietly looked at his sword, touching the burned edges gently. When his eyes wandered back to the snowpile, Mouse knelt down beside it, placed a hand gently on it, and closed his eyes. Around them, the orange fog had dissipated as quickly as it came. And only upon it clearing, did Taiga understand the scope of the travesty. Bodies laid strewn about, where they¡¯d collapsed in the rush of corruption. Taiga slogged towards a woman surprisingly not far from where they¡¯d fought the Guardian. A quick check for breathing and warmth confirmed her death. He doubted any were alive, considering the immense effect the corruption took even on himself, but it was worth checking one by one, at least for his conscience. As Taiga stood, a dark blur shifted near him. He glanced around, igniting his focus and pushing exhaustion back. A creature of black thistles stood a few meters away, having just turned the corner of a building towards him. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Taiga froze, and he and the creature eyed each other for a moment. Standing nearly two meters or so high, its legs that of a dog¡¯s and its arms thin and long, trailing to the ground effortlessly. Its hands were shrouded in black sleeves of skin. Blue eyes glowed from what Taiga assumed was its head. A thin blue-gray mist rose up around it, enveloping the creature. Both startled to see one another, neither moved, waiting for the first move to be made. Suddenly it screamed, flinging its arms into the air, and hopped towards Taiga in lumpy steps. Taiga swung his sword through his fingers, realigning it into position to fight. His arms trembled, still partially numb from the corruption. ¡°Mouse! Demon!¡± Taiga managed, before standing his ground. The demon didn''t so much as flinch, propelling itself off a stack of fallen stone from the building and flung high into the air, quickly crashing towards him. Taiga jumped back, and whirled around to see Mouse racing around a burning house and cornering the demon between the two of them. He raised his burnt sword up as the demon slashed its long arms down on him, pushing one hand against the handle of the sword and the other against the wooden blade to guard. But the strength of the demon crashed heavily against Mouse, and pushed him back on unstable ground. Mouse flicked his sword forward, and the demon jumped back. Taiga swung out, slashing the short sword against the back of the demon''s neck. If the blade were metal, it may have beheaded the demon. But with wood, the creature did nothing more than stumble forward, turning back to look at him as if Taiga bumped into him. The demon swung a single arm out, and Taiga scraped up enough speed to block with his sword. But again, the demon''s strength outweighed Taiga''s, and the force shoved him into a building, the blow hitting hard against him and coughing the air from his lungs. Taiga''s legs crumbled beneath him for only a moment, but the demon crashed down against him again, and Taiga rolled out of harm''s way, sending himself tumbling to the ground. Mouse jumped in front of Taiga as the demon launched towards him again. He swung towards the demon, the edge of the wooden blade slicing into the demon''s thin stomach, and pushing it back. It tripped over debris, stumbling back. But the demon raised its arm up, catching itself on a broken lamppost above them, and pulled itself up effortlessly. It cocked its head at them, and Taiga and Mouse were left staring up at it. Taiga¡¯s legs folded, and dropped him to the ground. He slammed his fist against his thigh, barely feeling either impact. His legs and arms prickled from the corruption, any sensation fleeting in and out. Mouse defensively stepped in front of Taiga. ¡°Can you run?¡± Mouse asked quietly, his eyes not leaving the demon. Mouse¡¯s breath caught and heaved. The thistles on the demon stiffened, and began clacking and sliding together, creating a sort of chatter. Then from all around them, more clacks and chatter. ¡°It¡¯s calling for help.¡± Mouse turned carefully, and pulled on Taiga¡¯s arm. Taiga pushed up on his legs, and managed to stand. ¡°To the left, behind us. I don¡¯t hear anything,¡± Taiga muttered, his legs at war with his will. The demon readied itself, arching its back, thistles standing up. ¡°Got it. Ready?¡± Mouse steeled for an attack. ¡°Go.¡± In unison, they took off, Taiga pounding his feet into the ground with every stride. Mouse ran just slightly ahead, not releasing Taiga¡¯s arm. He let himself be pulled along, floating on numb legs and heavy drowsiness. To the sides, black creatures jumped out of crevices and from behind debris and ran at them. They were smaller than the other one, but their numbers too daunting to attempt. The demons¡¯ short legs could only carry them so far, and the two of them outpaced them. Taiga and Mouse pushed on, running past burning buildings. His vision blurred between flames and rubble, but Mouse guided their path. After a few minutes, Mouse jerked to the right, yanking Taiga along with him. The burning faded around them. Trees broke between the buildings and debris. But Mouse didn¡¯t waver, even when Taiga¡¯s legs stumbled and tried to drag them both down. By the time Mouse slowed to a walk, only trees surrounded them on a worn path they¡¯d taken into town a few days prior. ¡°Mouse, we have to go back. There could be survivors.¡± Even as he said it, Taiga wobbled to a tree, and slid down against it. Mouse looked back down the path they came, then looked at Taiga. He said nothing, kneeling down in front of Taiga and looking him over. Truthfully, Taiga could barely move his legs. Going back was beyond his ability for the moment. He bit down, pushing guilt back. ¡°The stationed knights will take care of it.¡± Mouse¡¯s eyes drew to a dangling gem on Taiga¡¯s neck. ¡°Are you sure these necklaces protect against corruption?¡± He tapped the purple rock. Mouse¡¯s breathing calmed. Taiga¡¯s limbs still prickled, but he could feel his nerves coming back. He stared at his own necklace, but no magic made itself apparent. ¡°That¡¯s what the queen told us.¡± Taiga sighed. A wind swayed the overhead trees, and Taiga listened to them, closing his eyes. Queen Nolara¡¯s farewell had been unexpected, to say the least. And a gift of sacred protection on top of that? ¡°And you trust her?¡± Mouse clacked his fingertips against the gemstone, making it sway. ¡°Of course not.¡± It was nothing if not suspicious. ¡°But at this point, I don¡¯t have any proof otherwise, or any reason to suspect she has ulterior motives.¡± A few birds chirped gleefully overhead. They chittered as a calm breeze blew against the branches of the tree. How could such disaster strike, and yet a short distance away the trees and birds went about as usual. Mouse eyed Taiga for a while, ¡°we¡¯ll continue north, right? To Leryn Forest?¡± He spoke softly, unlike Mouse¡¯s usual assertiveness. The Guardian Grhaanfjes lacked the usual disposition of any other Guardian Spirit he¡¯d ever met. Twisted and broken into a beast by an overwhelming surge of corrupted magics. The calm, indifferent ancient beings of nature roamed the lands since before the rise of humans. They remained neutral in conflicts and wars, and continued to purify the lands of the corrupted, whether naturally or otherwise. The queen had been truthful of this corrupting sickness at least. And for Mouse, whose family were these benevolent gods of the earth¡­ Taiga stomped a foot. The impact on the sole of his foot began overpowering the prickling and numbness enough for them to move. He stood. A few stings of cuts and burns made themselves known, but nothing of concern for now. He looked up and closed his eyes, the light filtering between the tree leaves swayed back and forth across his eyelids. The figure of the great northern Guardian Spirit, bearing over him, filled between the light. The white mask of the Guardian turned slowly, and when they spoke, their voice came not from a mouth, but rather spilled into Taiga¡¯s mind, ¡°child of the forest, why have you ventured from the trees with only blood and death lingering from your blade and body?" Taiga opened his eyes, and the memory faded. ¡°Onward, to Leryn Forest.¡± Chapter 6 - Mouse Mouse kicked a small rock, and watched it clack down the cobblestone road. It shined, pausing Mouse. He knelt down and picked it up, rolling it in his hand. The rock split, revealing a slew of blacks and whites webbed together. It fractured, reflecting light off its endless sides. Smiling, he stood and pocketed it. ¡°Are you okay? I saw you on the ground just now.¡± An unfamiliar voice called out from behind him. Mouse turned, seeing two men looking at him. One stood tall, maybe thirties, and the other average, younger. Both of them wore badges with the town name on their tunics, listed as town guards. Mouse tensed, his hand automatically sliding down to his hip. Disappointed in the nothingness there, he recalled leaving his Anrix sword at the inn with Taiga. The taller one stepped closer, cocking his head a little at Mouse, ¡°sir?¡± Taiga warned him to not draw attention to himself, and to stay out of sight of any law enforcement. And yet two walked up to him? How annoying. ¡°What!¡± He snapped. The guard paused, scrunching his eyebrows together. ¡°I just wanted to make sure you were feeling okay, that¡¯s all.¡± Mouse weighed Taiga¡¯s words for a moment. He could kill them. It would ensure they didn¡¯t follow him or report them to anyone. Yes, this would work well. Mouse flexed his fingers, taking a step towards them. Taiga wouldn¡¯t have to know. It¡¯s fine. No one would know. There were plenty of humans. What¡¯s two less? A young child¡¯s giggle caught in Mouse¡¯s ear, followed by a young boy and girl running out of a bakery. The average guard turned and waved at them. The children ran up to the guard, and the three started chatting about something unimportant. Humans loved to talk. ¡°Sir, are you okay? Do you need help?¡± The taller guard looked Mouse up and down, and stepped left, between he and the children. His hand didn¡¯t fall to his weapon, but rested on his hip, in easy reach. ¡°I¡¯m fine, thanks for asking. Just found a rock on the road I liked.¡± Mouse turned, walking off. He waited for pursuant footsteps, but instead heard both guards talk to the children. Mouse shrugged the encounter off, and followed the road for another minute or so, before pulling off and walking alongside the inn he and Taiga had checked into the night prior. He hopped up beside a large oak, grabbed hold of a thick low-lying branch, and pulled himself up. A small sack he¡¯d tied to his belt earlier caught on a branch. He untied it and held it as he climbed higher in the tree. Once he stood even with the eve of the first floor, he jumped to it, and climbed up the balcony above. Using the crowning of the balcony door, he hauled himself across and up to the eve of the second floor, and on level with the third floor. With the window still ajar, exactly how he¡¯d left it, he slid it further open. His sack of goodies in one hand, he heaved himself over the windowsill and back into the room he and Taiga rented for the night. ¡°Hey, welcome back,¡± Taiga said without looking up from the small, wooden table he sat at. He scribbled something in a small book, with a few sizes of coins in little piles scattered about. Taiga paused writing and glanced up at him, and then to the small sack he held. ¡°You got breakfast?¡± Mouse nodded, and poured out the contents of the bag on the table, messing up Taiga¡¯s piles of coins. He didn¡¯t seem to mind. Mouse displayed the contents proudly. Two berry muffins, a rabbit, four peaches, and two biscuit crackers. He¡¯d thought ahead and made sure they¡¯d have something to eat on the road. Taiga sighed, his chin dropping into his palm, and looked at Mouse. ¡°I didn¡¯t give you enough money for muffins or peaches.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Mouse smiled, slightly giddy from the anticipation of sweet berries from the muffin. He had to remind himself, be patient. Taiga would finish talking soon, then he could eat. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°And the rabbit, did you hunt it?¡± Mouse nodded, ¡°down the path we came yesterday.¡± Taiga rubbed his eyebrows, and closed his eyes. ¡°How did you get the muffins and peaches?¡± ¡°I took them.¡± ¡°So, you stole them.¡± Mouse shrugged. Taiga stared at him a moment, then grabbed a biscuit and took a bite. Mouse took this as the ¡®okay¡¯ to eat, and slid into the empty chair across from Taiga, grabbing a muffin. He bit into it, and the sweetness of the berries burst into his mouth. Worth the wait. Light glistened from the table, and he paused mid-chew as his eyes drew to the table. A purple gem, unremarkable in Mouse¡¯s opinion, fastened to a gold chain laid behind the coins. Annoyance pricked at the sight of it. ¡°You¡¯re still thinking about that thing?¡± The berries soured in his mouth. ¡°We¡¯ve talked about this.¡± ¡°Yeah, and?¡± Mouse huffed, blinking back the image of the queen at their covered cart as they readied to be smuggled from the castle during the early light. He still debated whether it was arrogance or ignorance that brought her to them that morning. Mouse doubted some measly purple rock could contain such magic. Though he supposed anything was possible. ¡°It¡¯s a leash.¡± Taiga¡¯s eyes met his. He lowered his pen. ¡°We know the corruption is real, the Guardian Spirits are sick, and they¡¯re attacking humans. Everything that¡¯s happened is exactly as the queen said.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need any protection.¡± Mouse clicked his tongue, glancing out the window as a breeze blew against the oak. ¡°Wear it for show.¡± Taiga softened his tone. ¡°At least pretend. It¡¯ll be problematic if anyone notices the corruption doesn¡¯t affect you.¡± As Mouse munched, Taiga returned to his piles and scribbles, ¡°we¡¯ll be out of money soon.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we just keep camping outside and taking what we need?¡± They¡¯d slept outside the few nights since¡­ Grhaanfjes death. They¡¯d only stayed at an inn due to overnight rain. Mouse looked at the hand he¡¯d touched to the snow covering the Grhaanfjes¡¯s body. His fingertips still recalled the cold of death beginning to blanket the Guardian. He¡¯d tried listening for Grhaanfjes¡¯s voice once more, but only silence replied. Whatever corrupted Grhaanfjes did so in such a way, it severed the Guardian Spirit¡¯s connection to each other. But to corrupt a Guardian to the point of attracting and breeding demons should be impossible. Guardian¡¯s naturally consumed an abundance of corruption while releasing purity. So, what could cause this? Was it preventable? What could they do to save his family? ¡°We¡¯ll need money to get around. Some towns have fees for travelers. And food aside, it¡¯ll be autumn soon. We¡¯ll need lodging for much of late autumn and winter.¡± Taiga took another bite of his biscuit, counting a pile of coins while stacking them. Mouse chewed slowly, savoring his berry-filled goodness. ¡°There were mercenaries at the tavern.¡± ¡°Okay, and?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we do that for money?¡± Mouse shrugged, stuffing the rest of his delicious treat into his mouth, and reaching for a biscuit. Taiga paused after swallowing, ¡°you want to take mercenary jobs? It¡¯ll take longer to travel north if we¡¯re making detours.¡± Mouse considered. Leryn Forest was top priority. Veering from that wasn¡¯t an option. ¡°Can¡¯t we take jobs heading north? So we can do them on the way?¡± ¡°We can try. We can join and see how it goes. We can stay at guild-affiliated inns along the way, which would save on costs.¡± Taiga returned back to his scribbles, tapping the side of his thumb on the map while he thought on it. ¡°It would also give us an easy way to gather information, while limiting our interactions with Lanria¡¯s knights as much as possible.¡± Taiga bit his lip, weighing invisible pros and cons in his head, as he always did before making a decision. Mouse nibbled on his biscuit, wishing he¡¯d stolen another muffin over buying the stale, slightly bitter garbage he currently had in his mouth. Plus, it would have saved money. A win-win for both he and Taiga. Next time. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s give it a shot.¡± Taiga picked up a few coin piles and dropped them into a small pouch, making space to see the map better. ¡°We¡¯ll head east,¡± he touched a small dot with his index finger, and slid it to the right and stopped on another small dot, ¡°there¡¯s a mercenary guild center here. We can get registered there before moving north.¡± Mouse nodded, putting the disgusting waste of money down, and picking up the second muffin. Taiga watched him bite into it. He chuckled and shook his head slightly, clearing the table and packing up the map and food. Mouse checked around them, leaving nothing behind, and shut the inn door on their way out. Chapter 7 - Mouse Ducked behind a tree, Mouse peered around just enough to get a glimpse of the road. A young girl held a small toy sword. She looked in every direction, sometimes forcefully enough to knock herself off balance. The girl would barely catch herself, before smiling again and wandering a few meters in another direction to start her search anew. ¡°Outsider, outsider, where are you?¡± She sang, cupping a hand around her mouth. Mouse put a hand to the side of his mouth, faced to the left, and called out, ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± before darting behind a bush. The girl spun towards the direction of his voice, and ran to the tree Mouse called from behind. She stomped her foot when no one was there, her blond ringlets bouncing around her. Mouse snuck behind the bush, inching to the right. A boy tiptoed up next to him, giggling. ¡°Outsider, outsider, where are you?¡± The girl called again, running back into the road for a better vantage point. Mouse and the boy both called out, ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± A few other small calls scattered about repeated the same words, ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± Mouse saw a girl hiding behind a shop on the other side of the street, muffling her laughs. The blond girl turned, and ran after a voice to the left. Mouse and the boy shifted towards the right. A small yelp, and the girl appeared with another boy in hand, ¡°I¡¯ve caught the outsider!¡± Mouse and the boy stood from their hiding place. A few other kids popped up from their spots, some older or younger. A young woman and a gruffer man stood from the opposite side of the road. Mouse followed the boy out to the road where the girl and captured boy were. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Taiga leaned against the wall of a bakery. He waved him over, and Mouse left the group. From behind him, the kids shot playful insults, ¡±arrest the outsider,¡± ¡°punish the criminal!¡± ¡°Having fun?¡± Taiga asked, looking Mouse up and down. Mouse glanced down at his clothes; a couple of grass stains on his knees, a few leaves and a crumbled tunic. Nothing concerning. Mouse nodded, his smile widening. Taiga let out a laugh, and put out a hand with a small package in it. Yellow cloth tied together with red ribbon hiding its small contents. ¡°From one of the fathers,¡± he nodded towards the kids, ¡°as thanks for entertaining them.¡± Mouse untied it, and the corners of the cloth fell open. Three cookies with sprinkled sugar sat in the palm of Taiga¡¯s hand. Promptly, Mouse took the package, and the warmth of the fresh cookies sunk beneath the cloth and into his palm. He picked up the top one with the ends of his fingers, and the cookie¡¯s freshness nearly folded the cookie on itself. Mouse scooped it into his mouth before it fell apart. The sweetness of the sugary top nearly melted in his mouth. He savored it, taking his time chewing. Taiga let him finish the first cookie before pointing behind him. Adjacent to the bakery, a wide road lay beyond them. ¡°I found where we can register for the mercenary guild.¡± Taiga turned, leading the way. Mouse spent most of the walk focused on his remaining two cookies. At one point, Taiga pulled on his tunic to keep Mouse from following the wrong person when someone walked between them. ¡°Mouse, we¡¯re farmers, got it?¡± Taiga watched him. Mouse nodded, slipping the last sliver of cookie in his mouth. ¡°Human farmers. From the West. Our village was raided in the battles with Monx.¡± He waited again, and Mouse nodded again. They pulled over to the side of the road. Taiga hesitated, watching him. He seemed to decide something within himself, then walked through a large archway leading into a shaded sitting area. Mouse glanced ahead for the first time since Taiga led the way. But now he paused, taking in the boisterous laughter and overlapping conversations around him. Lines of tables sat ahead of him, a little less than half of the benches filled with groups of people. No one paid them any heed, and Mouse followed Taiga a step closer than when they walked the wide road. Many people carried weapons openly on them, although some kept them closer to their persons than others. Beyond the tables, a wooden staircase leading to the next floor stood in the center. To each side, counters with signage and workers littered the back walls. The smell of grilled meat wafted from the other end of the hall, where most of the people flocked. ¡°Over there, see it?¡± Mouse followed Taiga¡¯s direction, towards an empty counter with a sign above it reading ¡®registration¡¯. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Laughter broke out at a table near them, and Mouse flinched at the loudness of it. The noise echoed through his ears. His focus shifted to a man nearly falling out of his seat from laughter. His companion laughed while pouring more drink into his friend¡¯s cup. A tap to his arm made Mouse whirl back towards Taiga, who watched him closely. ¡°Are you sure about being mercenaries? We¡¯ll have to come to loud places like this occasionally, and work with others.¡± The chattering of people around him drew Mouse¡¯s attention back towards the tables. He forced his eyes to Taiga, trying to pull his words back into focus. The gazes around him burned into his back, until finally Mouse turned and shot a glare in every direction. But no one watched them. So who was it? Where were they? Was anyone even watching him? ¡°Mouse,¡± Taiga lowered his voice, calm and gentle. ¡°I can do it,¡± Mouse finally muttered. Taiga didn¡¯t seem convinced, but after a moment he turned and began towards the registration counter. Mouse followed Taiga closely, desperately pushing the laughter to the back of his mind. As they approached the counter, a woman sat back down in the chair, and looked up at them. She took a glance at each of them, and grabbed two papers from the side of her desk without looking. ¡°Registering?¡± She looked to Taiga and set the two sheets down in front of her, ¡°are either of you literate?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Taiga replied, and the woman turned the papers around to face him. He glanced over the sheet, and slid both towards himself. Seeing him take both papers, the woman handed him a pen. Mouse could read enough to get by, but he didn¡¯t mind. The thought of filling out paperwork annoyed him anyways. While Taiga set to work scribbling on the papers, the woman studied him, and then Mouse. She then pulled a sheet of paper from a folder, and wrote something in at the top. She then looked to Mouse. ¡°Are you wanting to register together?¡± She waited, and Mouse stared back at her. Clearly they did, why would she even ask something so obvious. ¡°Yes, we will,¡± Taiga replied when the silence between them lingered. She wrote something down. ¡°Registering together means both of your earnings will be combined, and can be picked up by either of you. This isn¡¯t recommended unless¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re brothers,¡± Mouse blurted. The woman lingered her stare at him, then on Taiga. Taiga paused writing, and turned to Mouse, his eyes asking why. Mouse shrugged. She annoyed him. The woman glanced back between them, then as if needing verification, ¡°brothers¡­?¡± ¡°Friends, we grew up as brothers, though.¡± Taiga twisted the lie into a half-truth, returning to his writing. ¡°I see,¡± she glanced back at her paper, ¡°do you have your identification papers?¡± Taiga seemed to expect this, because he pulled his and Mouse¡¯s passbooks and identifications out without question, and handed them to her. She accepted them, opened them, and looked them over. ¡°And your reason for joining?¡± She didn¡¯t look up at them, but glanced between documents and writing on her paper. Did their reason matter? Mouse sighed, a prick of annoyance falling off him. But Taiga spoke before Mouse. ¡°We¡¯ve had a rough patch. We escaped from the west after our plantation got hit in a raid. We¡¯re trying to find work while we head north.¡± Her eyes flicked to him. ¡°The west? Sorry about that, I didn¡¯t notice your accent.¡± The woman blinked away, scribbling back onto her paper. ¡°Yeah? Good to hear, I¡¯ve been working on it.¡± Taiga smiled. Mouse watched as they made eye contact, she smiled sheepishly and Taiga returned it, overly genuine. Lies spilled from him like truth. Mouse assumed this was why Queen Nolara was so fond of him; Taiga could please anyone. ¡°Do either of you have any fighting experience?¡± She waited for Taiga to finish the first page of writing before asking. ¡°A bit, we¡¯ve had to fight off our fair share of demons from the fields on occasion, and defend from Monx bandits.¡± She nodded, accepting Taiga¡¯s words and jotting down his answer. ¡°We have jobs made for fighters and for civilians, you just need to be able to defend yourselves when needed. So that¡¯s acceptable.¡± Taiga shot Mouse a satisfactory glance, then he switched papers and started filling out the second page. Mouse looked around them, watching the people mingle about, the workers taking care of their jobs, money exchanging between hands. The woman asked Taiga a few more questions while they both handled the paperwork and licensing. ¡°We do require new recruits to accompany veteran mercenaries on their first job. To let them get a feel for the work and process. Is this acceptable?¡± Mouse spun around, breathing in, ready to refute. But Taiga cut him off with a ¡°no problem,¡± before eyeing him, right? Mouse bit his tongue back, nodding and wishing he hadn¡¯t eaten his cookies so quickly. The woman took Taiga¡¯s papers when he¡¯d finished, and put her own paper over it. ¡°If you can wait around for a little while, I¡¯ll have your papers processed and, if approved, I will give you licenses. At that point, the Missions Master will organize who you two will accompany for your first mission. You¡¯ll need three stamps of approval; mine, the master of the hall¡¯s,¡± she pointed above her towards the second floor, ¡°and one by a guild commissioner after a successful completion of a mission with a recommendation by an established mercenary, ideally the one you completed your trial mission with.¡± Taiga nodded, and with that, she turned from them and left through a back door to her small station. Taiga wandered towards the eatery on the other side of the hall, but Mouse lingered, watching the woman come around the back of the tavern, and walk up the stairs. Even as he took his first steps to follow Taiga, Mouse considered the weight of those three papers. With their approval, they could gather intel about the Guardians and could access information that may contain a cure for them. It was also an easy way to earn money for their travels. If they were rejected¡­ well, Mouse¡¯s sword could fix that. Chapter 8 - Taiga As Mouse watched the worker make her way around the counter and up the stairs with their paperwork, Mouse¡¯s hand slid to the hilt of his wooden sword, and his eyes narrowed. Taiga watched his body language shift into what he called ¡®attack mode¡¯, and smacked him lightly on the back. ¡°Absolutely not.¡± Taiga watched him shift his weight, his shoulders relax, eyes back on him. Taiga sighed, ¡°there¡¯s no reason our application will be refused. They need any recruit they can get now that quarrels with Monx have increased.¡± Mouse took a final glance back towards the stairs, but the worker disappeared down the hall. Turning away, Taiga followed the scent of meat and spices. They had enough money for one meal, right? He quickly ran through some simple calculations while his feet pulled him closer to the vendor set up on the other end of the hall. A sign to the right of the vendor read ¡®discounts for guild members¡¯. Taiga paused, re-reading the sign a few more times before the weight of savings overpowered his cravings for grilled meat. Mouse was close behind him, glancing around him to see why he¡¯d stopped. After a moment, he whispered, ¡°want me to grab some?¡± Mouse left their funds to Taiga, so by ¡®grab¡¯, he meant ¡®steal¡¯. Morally, Taiga should lecture him. This, he knew. But the tantalizing smell made his morals waver. ¡°Only if we get rejected.¡± Mouse nodded, accepting Taiga¡¯s words as an order. He¡¯d always been like this, ever since Taiga met him when they were young. Back then, Mouse resembled a duckling, following Taiga around wherever he¡¯d go. Instead of eating, Taiga watched a couple playing a game of chess. There were several onlookers, and with each move made, someone would put down more coins in typical betting fashion. Taiga never learned the rules of the game, but he enjoyed watching their expressions change, studying the board, before confidently moving pieces around. A few knights routinely played on night watch when he¡¯d been stationed at the west¡¯s wall. ¡°She¡¯s back,¡± Mouse nudged him with an elbow. Taiga turned as the worker approached them. ¡°If you¡¯ll follow me back to the counter,¡± she was already on her way. Taiga and Mouse followed behind her. Without glancing at them, she put their passbooks and identification papers back onto the counter, along with two smaller papers. They beared seals from an official of a sort, and two stamps of approval. ¡°Keep these with you at all times. These licenses will serve as passes through checkpoints and will provide discounts at affiliated inns and taverns. They also give you access to the Grand Pall Library in the Capital City, Pall. You will also be allowed to request audiences with specific people of prominence. For further on that, you can hear more over there,¡± she opened her hand towards another counter a few meters away with a sign stating ¡®services¡¯. ¡°For listings and current available jobs,¡± she opened her hand towards the left, ¡°you can check the bulletin board and talk with the Missions Master for jobs available and to accept or decline them.¡± Glancing towards the bulletin board, Taiga realized Mouse already wandered off. The worker cleared her throat, waited for Taiga to look back to her, before continuing. ¡°Since this will be your trial mission, the Missions Master will prepare a group for you and your¡­ friend to join. After your first mission is completed, you¡¯ll be granted the final stamp on your license which will give you access to select missions going forward.¡± Taiga nodded, and thanked her for her time. The worker hesitated a moment, before bowing and leaving. He found Mouse just outside the archway, leaning against a pillar and watching a few birds chirp on the ground a short distance away. He knelt down, broke pieces of his uneaten biscuit, and sprinkled them near the birds. They cautiously inched towards the crumbs. As Taiga approached, the birds glanced at him, watching him for a long moment. He smiled at them, and put a hand on Mouse¡¯s head, ruffling his hair a little. The birds glanced between them before confidently approaching in range of the crumbs. Mouse puffed up his cheeks a bit while Taiga tousled his hair. ¡°I wanted to see if they¡¯d come to me on their own. Without your influence,¡± he whined, but his eyes eagerly watched the small finches. ¡°Next time I¡¯ll leave you be then,¡± Taiga lied. Mouse would be disappointed if they fled. The only reason a wild bird or animal came as close as it did now was due to Taiga¡¯s lingering magic and influence from being around Mouse so often. If he hadn¡¯t, they¡¯d likely have taken flight the moment Mouse drew near. Afterall, Mouse was not one to attract the living to him. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°She said we can talk to the Missions Master for our first job.¡± Taiga rested a hand above the hilt of his sword. Mouse grumbled something about not wanting to work with strangers, and Taiga responded by messing his hair up some more. ¡°Would you like to wait here while I go figure out the details?¡± After a few long moments, Mouse nodded. Looking up at Taiga, he added ¡°I can grab us some food.¡± ¡°With money,¡± Taiga reached into a small pouch he kept in his slung over bag. He pulled out a few coins, sorting out two small silver coins with square cutouts in the center. ¡°Wait for him to give you some change back. Don¡¯t just leave after you get the food this time.¡± Mouse rolled his eyes, but nodded. He held out his hand, and Taiga gave him the coins. ¡°Don¡¯t lose the money this time? Please?¡± Mouse simply waved off his concern as he stood. The birds didn¡¯t flinch, and instead pecked at their snack. Taiga was sure they¡¯d have at least a little more savings in their pocket if Mouse paid a little more attention. But well, he never had and Taiga didn¡¯t expect him to change anytime soon. While Mouse could count money to a degree, he didn¡¯t see the point of human societies'' reliance on small pieces of metal. And therefore, lacked attention towards it. Taiga lingered with the finches while Mouse wandered back into the hall. ¡°Be good to him when he comes back, yeah?¡± He spoke softly, leaning down towards the small birds. One of them cocked their head before pecking at another crumb. Taiga let out a small laugh. As if some birds would listen to him just because he asked. Back in the hall, he eyed the mission board. A few small town requests for guarding from bandits, supply runs, exterminating pests. They were about as Taiga expected. Most towns were issued knights and guards based on population size. So if a town didn¡¯t meet the minimum needed, it was hard to request for stationed guards or knights. Personally, Taiga wondered if people only became of value when their towns could be taxed for a specific threshold. Suddenly they were worth protecting. It made mercenaries vital to the kingdom¡¯s prosperity, despite most official knight¡¯s views on the matter. A poster with a drawing of a woman on it caught Taiga¡¯s eye. The woman seemed a little older than himself, glasses balanced on her large nose. The listing stated a bounty for capture, and the order placed by the Gale Order, a squad Taiga knew stationed in the capital. They usually dealt in information, gossip, and rumors, with direct contact to Queen Nolara. ¡°See something you like?¡± A large bear of a man came up beside him, smelling delightfully of filth, ash, and beer. His cheeks rosen, he watched Taiga until he made eye contact. ¡°Ahh, sorry. I¡¯m a new mercenary. I¡¯m just¡­ surprised to see an order from the knights, I suppose. Are these posters for wanted criminals?¡± Taiga softened his voice and loosened his stance. ¡°Oh, fresh meat, eh?¡± The man laughed, slapping his broad chest with a thickened hand. ¡°Some of these are criminals. Some of them aren¡¯t. If they¡¯ve got the money to pay, then near anyone can get a poster up.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that¡­ illegal?¡± Taiga lowered his voice to a whisper for the last word. ¡°What, this a knight or something?¡± Another man came up between them, smacking the bear man lightly. This person had thick red hair, knotted into a bun. He was younger, and eyed Taiga narrowly. ¡°Nah, he¡¯s a recruit,¡± The bear man replied before turning back to Taiga, ¡°kid, if you want to be a mercenary, you better get used to not doing everything by the law.¡± ¡°Take this guy for example,¡± The red-haired friend tapped his knuckles against another poster, ¡°commissioned by the guy¡¯s neighbor. Turns out, he¡¯s a murderer.¡± ¡°What?¡± Taiga took a step back, a bit shocked. ¡°Of goats,¡± The bear man amended, nodding joyfully with his eyes closed. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Yeah, but of his neighbor¡¯s goats! So the neighbor commissioned a wanted poster for the guy.¡± ¡°I see.¡± He looked over and saw the Missions Master free. ¡°Well, thank you for the information. I need to speak with the Missions Master now, so¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, yeah you¡¯re new, right? Have you had your trial run yet?¡± The red-haired man asked. ¡°Ah, not yet. I was just about to check on it¡ª¡± ¡°Perfect! We can take you for a spin!¡± The red-haired cackled, already making his way over to the Mission Master¡¯s counter. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not just me. My friend and I joined together, so we¡¯re going to see about finding a mission we can both join.¡± ¡°No problem there, we can take the two of you.¡± The bear man turned and waved towards the Missions Master, ¡°you hear that Ali? We¡¯ll take the recruits, so you¡¯ll compensate us, right?¡± The bear man moved over to the window, and started talking details with Ali. Taiga wasn¡¯t sure when he¡¯d agreed to this, but he didn¡¯t mind going along with it. If he appeared a push-over, he¡¯d blend in as a human farmer better. Mouse was the problem. ¡°No one likes taking on the recruits, but Ali clears our bar tab when we agree to it.¡± The red-haired man flashed Taiga a toothy smile, and swung an arm over Taiga¡¯s shoulders, ¡°it¡¯s a win-win, right?¡± Pushy, interrupting, no physical boundaries, drunk, loud laughter, unhygienic¡­ Taiga laughed with the man, knowing full well they were everything Mouse hated. Chapter 9 - Mouse ¡°I hate them.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Taiga took a meat skewer from Mouse. His nose singed from the spice alone, but Taiga eagerly took a bite. ¡°If you knew, then you wouldn¡¯t have grouped us all together.¡± Mouse snapped a bit more than he¡¯d intended. ¡°No, I knew. But we¡¯re playing the role of human farmers. Why would we push back on working together with a group willing to show us the ropes of being a mercenary?¡± ¡°Because I hate them.¡± Taiga sighed, taking another large bite. Mouse eyed him. The smell of white pepper, ginger, and garlic overwhelmed that slab of rabbit, but Taiga seemed unfazed. Mouse had asked the shopkeeper for the spiciest skewer he sold. He¡¯d delivered. ¡°Mouse, it¡¯s one mission.¡± Taiga smiled and waved ahead of them. The two men Taiga had met, along with their two other companions, walked a short ways ahead of them. They¡¯d taken to the road several hours prior, but Mouse refused to get closer. The group they joined owned horses, but left them in the stable at the guild hall due to Mouse and Taiga not having any. Instead, they brought a single horse with them, using it as a pack mule more than anything else. Mouse wanted to touch the horse¡¯s mane, but the mercenaries never left its side, acting as its guards. Walking, the mission¡¯s region would take three days to reach, and then three days back. How Mouse would endure was beyond him. But since Taiga already agreed to it while Mouse grabbed food, he¡¯d put up with it. He walked with eyes to the ground, off to the right of the path frequented by carriages and travelers. According to the man with red hair, Mellagin, if Mouse remembered correctly, ever since Monx invaded a few years ago, a lot of displaced people traveled the road they were on. Between Monx to the west, and the corrupted lands spreading to the north and northwest, many people took on more nomadic lifestyles, finding temporary jobs or farm work where they could. Occasionally small groups of travelers would pass by, and Mouse even caught sight of the rich blue of doctor¡¯s garbs once. A black stone caught Mouse¡¯s attention, and he drifted from the path to look closer. The rough, chalky exterior struggled to contain its ebony insides. He picked it up, weighing it in his hand with a few gentle tosses. ¡°Find something?¡± Taiga called. He walked on, pocketing the finished skewer, but his head turned in Mouse¡¯s direction. Mouse took a few quick steps back towards him, holding out his findings. ¡°A new rock. Look, the inside is pretty, right?¡± He brushed a finger over the shined edges. Taiga looked it over, nodding, ¡°it¡¯s a deep color, very rich. Want to add it to the collection?¡± He opened his slung over bag and pulled out a tan leather sack. It jangled as it moved, and opened to reveal the small stones, pebbles, and other goodies Mouse found over the last few years. He placed it carefully into the bag, and Taiga held it out patiently for him. ¡°It looks cool, right? You like it?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Taiga replied, smiling. Mouse, satisfied with this answer, turned back towards the side of the road for any more surprise finds. After a bit, the woman of the group walked towards them. She was nice enough, older, and a veteran soldier from over a decade ago. Her gray-streaked hair was pulled back into a ponytail and aside from the age lines on her face and hands, she could easily look in her thirties. Out of the four mercenaries, Mouse tolerated her the easiest. She called herself Hela or something. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re gonna go over the details of the mission. You two should listen in, see how we do things.¡± Hela called, hands on her hips. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Mouse opened his mouth, to ask why they should bother, but Taiga jumped in, ¡°sure, sounds great. Thanks for including us.¡± He side-eyed Mouse. Stifling a tinge of annoyance, he shut his mouth. Up ahead, the three other members of the group had pulled over. The larger man with a broad chest and short puffy hair pulled the horse¡¯s reins gently to the side of the road. Mouse breathed deep. Don¡¯t snap at them, don¡¯t yell at them¡­ what else did Taiga warn him about? Not threatening them? Something like that. ¡°We usually go over this on the way, but since you two are new, we figure it¡¯s best to go over in a bit more depth.¡± Mellagin sat against a large rock. ¡°Mallegin, you got the map?¡± The larger man asked. Mouse noted the corrected name. He nodded, rolling it out on the ground in front of them. Taiga knelt down to peer at it, so Mouse followed suit. Beside him, the larger man plopped down on the ground, groaning and rolling a bit. He bumped into Mouse, before catching himself, and Mouse pushed the rising tension and heat back down, gritting his teeth and focusing on the map all to keep from blowing up. Don¡¯t snap at him. The stench of stale beer saturated the air and overtook what little remained of Mouse¡¯s tolerance. When the man hiccupped and burped a waft of fatty meats and cheap alcohol, Mouse jumped to his feet. Four sets of eyes turned to him, and their stares raised the tension in his chest only further. ¡°Mouse, gotta pee? You did drink a lot of water earlier.¡± Taiga¡¯s tone softened his anxiety a bit. Mouse focused his attention to him, who glanced at him and nodded towards the trees just a bit further off the path. ¡°I¡¯ll catch you up on anything you miss.¡± He managed to nod before his legs carried him away from the group. When he reached the first tree, he pulled himself behind it. He breathed a few times, exhaling any putrid breath left in him from that guy. Then, he touched his arm where that disgusting human had touched, and rubbed at the spot until his nerves calmed. He¡¯d kill that human. He could, easily enough. He could come up behind him, cup his hand under the man¡¯s chin¡ª He shook the thoughts off. Taiga wouldn¡¯t approve. He breathed until he steadied as Taiga had told him. His muscles relaxed, and his mind cleared. He just needed to put up with it. Such a simple thing, and yet so daunting a task. But once this mission was over, they¡¯d be free and could earn money while traveling north. Then he could check on the Guardian Spirit of Leryn Forest. He could keep them safe while he and Taiga figured out the cause of corruption. This was just a step towards that goal. He just needed to put up with it. That¡¯s all. He could do this much. Laughter bellowed from behind the tree, and he could hear Taiga¡¯s voice among it. Another deep breath before Mouse dragged himself back towards the group. Taiga had moved beside the larger man, leaving the space to the left of him free and with no one on the other side. Mouse knelt down beside Taiga, who was busy smiling and chuckling. They caught each other¡¯s glances, before Taiga returned to conversation. ¡°So once we reach Applegate, we¡¯ll meet up with one of the guards in town to know the last location of our Target, Remy.¡± Taiga told him, pointing to a small labeled dot on the map. ¡°She¡¯s an outsider from Monx. Supposedly, she¡¯s gathering information and sending it back to Monx.¡± Hela added, shaking her head and sighing. ¡°A spy?¡± Mouse ventured, studying the map and mentally measuring the distance from their current location to the dot. If they had a horse, maybe the trip would¡¯ve only taken two days. Mallegin nodded, ¡°seems so,¡± he had a long, thin pipe in his mouth, took it between fingers and blew out a smoke circle. ¡°Those that came in contact with her say she¡¯s spreading propaganda. Maybe trying to weaken Lanria¡¯s morale from within. Spreading lies to confuse people. The Gale Order commissioned for her live capture and for her to be handed over to the guild¡¯s commissioner. They¡¯ll take her from there.¡± The youngest of the four companions, a gruff man in mid-twenties and the closest to Taiga and Mouse¡¯s age, held up the wanted poster for the woman in question. It was a drawing in ink, so details such as eye and hair color were written in the description. But Mouse noted her larger nose and spectacles hanging low on it. He repeated the name in his head, ¡®Remy¡¯. ¡°Do we have a specific plan in mind for capture?¡± Taiga asked no one in particular. ¡°Mmm,¡± Hela considered, ¡°According to the information we have, she doesn¡¯t have any sort of physical prowess and no military training. Although a good spy could fake it. I¡¯d suggest we observe first, and approach her based on what we see. I think luring her into a trap would be easiest, but we¡¯ll adapt based on what we see.¡± ¡°With six of us, it should go fairly smooth.¡± The gruff younger man added, rolling the poster back up and stuffing it into his bag. He and Mallegin spoke softly to each other for a few moments. Taiga¡¯s focus lingered on the map. After a few moments, Mouse followed his line of sight, trying to figure out what he saw. Still unsure, he asked. Taiga looked around the group, making sure no eyes were on them. He took their own map out of his bag, and unfolded part of it. He tapped a finger to an inked purple star. ¡°We¡¯ll be at the edge of a Guardian¡¯s territory in Applegate.¡± Chapter 10 - Taiga As the evening grew darker, Taiga walked through the open door of a great library. Applegate was apparently known for its college and collection of literature. At least, according to Mallegin. He walked quietly, nodding a short bow to the librarian carrying a stack of books, then retreated towards the center of the main hall. Sitting at one of the long tables was a woman in her late twenties to early thirties, with dark blond hair, glasses balanced upon her pronounced nose, dressed in red and green garbs. He confirmed her as their target; the outsider Remy. He turned, nodding back towards the door open ajar, and beyond it a shadow shifted out of sight. Taiga turned towards the shelves, glancing at their signage. He took a peak at the outsider. Engrossed by whatever she scribbled in a notebook, it was unlikely she noticed him. According to a local guard, she¡¯d sat there most of the day. With the large number of open books scattered around her, Taiga assumed accuracy from the statement. Walking down an aisle of bookshelves, his eyes lingered on every patron, seeing if any, like him, were observing her or in her companionship. But after a good while of grazing the books and everyone minding their own, he grew more sure the outsider was, indeed, alone. But more assurance couldn¡¯t hurt. He picked a few books off the shelf, and made his way quietly to the table. He decided on his placement across from her and down a couple seats. A few other people sat at different parts of the table, and she didn¡¯t even note his presence. He cracked open one of the books, his eyes finding the title for the first time. ¡®The Love Triangle of the Mistress and the Wife¡¯. He paused, before glancing at the other titles; ¡®Her Heroic Wolf¡¯, and finally ¡®Only His Brother in Bed¡¯. Taiga glanced back to the shelf he¡¯d picked these from, and read the signage for romance. Well, it didn¡¯t matter. He shifted and caught the outsider¡¯s eyes on him. He paused, and she broke eye contact, staring at his books of choice, before returning to her writing. If Taiga had any pride, it might have been crushed right then. But instead, he could use this. ¡°What, you don¡¯t ever want to read a¡­ good romance?¡± The outsider looked up at him, ¡°no, not really.¡± He considered it a fair statement. Around them, no person looked towards him, or even tensed at his approach towards her. She had no allies here. ¡°And you think your books are more interesting?¡± He took a gander at the books, the titles ranging from discussions on ancient magics to utilizations on magical properties. Few humans could use magic, and those that could had blood carried down unsoiled generation after generation. And while magic could be used from the earth and beings around them, it wasn¡¯t exactly an easy field of study. He wondered if this was some sort of information gathering for Monx, although he didn¡¯t know enough of the field to be sure. His eyes fell to the book closest to her, and to the notebooks she transcribed to. He smiled a bit, recognizing the characters scribbled on the page. With no allies here, he could proceed to her capture. ¡°A word of caution, if you plan to infiltrate an enemy kingdom again.¡± She froze. ¡°Unless you are a member of the Royal Scholarly Academy, no citizen of Lanria can read the Old Anu language, much less write it.¡± Her eyes jerked to his, wide and still. Her arms and hands tensed, and she slowly set her pen down. After a few moments, she calmed herself, looking down at her book and scribbles. She cleared her throat. ¡°Why does this library have books in Old Anu if no one can read it?¡± She tried to maintain her tone, but the trembles in her voice and the rising tension in her posture gave herself away. ¡°For scribes and students to practice. But they wear identifying sashes over their robes.¡± He remained calm, relaxed his tone, and picked up one of his books. He weighed it in his hands between them, glancing around them. No one noticed their conversation, but Mallegin and Hela both stood near the door. He caught her following his gaze to his companions. ¡°I¡¯m not a spy.¡± She worked to keep her voice even. ¡°But you are from Monx.¡± Hesitantly, she nodded. ¡°And that in and of itself is a crime in times of war. Whether you are a spy or not is outside of our job requirements.¡± ¡°What happens now?¡± He watched her a moment, looking her over for anything protruding from her clothes. He didn¡¯t see any hints of hidden weapons, and she carried none openly on her person. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°We¡¯ll quietly get up, and join my friends over there without arousing these people¡¯s attention. Sound good?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a fighter,¡± she stammered. ¡°I didn¡¯t say you were,¡± Taiga replied. He picked up his books, giving her time to pack her notebook and pen, and stand. She followed him silently. When they reached the counter, Taiga set his books down and bowed his head to the librarian. She reciprocated, and accepted the books. The outsider eyed Mallegin as they neared. ¡°Remy Heathelworth?¡± Mallegin smiled at them. Hela approached, a hand hanging loose beside her sword. The outsider nodded. ¡°You¡¯re wanted under suspicion of infiltration and allegations of spying and spreading propaganda. You will be handed over to the Gale Order for questioning.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a spy,¡± Remy insisted, loud enough for two people to glance over at them. Mallegin ushered her out, and Hela pushed her out the door and down the steps. ¡°That¡¯s for the Gale Order to decide. Not us.¡± Hela pulled Remy¡¯s hands in front of her, and bound them in thick rope. Remy flinched, but said nothing more. Mallegin turned towards Taiga, smiling and chuckling, ¡°good job, newbie! Captured the outsider without raising any suspicions or causing trouble. I¡¯d say you¡¯re a natural at this.¡± Taiga accepted the praise, although his years of experience as a knight kept him from feeling as proud as Mallegin seemed to expect. ¡°But I haven¡¯t done anything!¡± Remy snapped, and pulled back on the ropes. ¡°You¡¯ve been reported multiple times for spreading falsehoods and fear.¡± Hela held her grip tight. ¡°Where¡¯s your evidence?¡± ¡°Is that how you do things in Monx? Why do we need to provide evidence of your wrongdoing? You will need to provide evidence otherwise.¡± Remy stammered a bit, glancing at Taiga before looking down and saying nothing. Seeing how easily she resigned herself, Taiga knew Mouse would leap at the news that their time with this mercenary group was quickly coming to an end. He searched around them, and only saw the four mercenaries . ¡°Where¡¯s Mouse?¡± He asked no one in particular. Hela glanced up, took one sweep around, and shrugged, ¡°your friend wandered a bit. I thought he stayed close, but I suppose not.¡± Taiga stepped away from the group as they dealt with the outsider. The last bit of sunlight still lingered, but not enough to see easily into the growing shadows. ¡°Mouse?¡± No answer. He glanced back at the group, seeing them all distracted with the arrest. Quickly, Taiga dipped into the shadows of a tree, and placed a hand upon its bark. The tree rustled at his touch, its branches bending to his presence. ¡°Have you seen my companion?¡± Taiga whispered ever so gently, part to be left unseen by the mercenaries, and part to placate the surprised oak. Taiga pulsed a gentle warmth from his fingertips, echoing into the oak, and vibrated between the cracks of the bark. His fingers sunk it, bark growing from his hand and joining with the tree. When the oak allowed the magic to flow through its roots, the earth, insects, plants, and nearby trees all took up Taiga¡¯s request. They spread out, and pulsed back once Mouse was found. ¡°Thank you,¡± Taiga replied, pulling his magic back, and the bark that melded his fingertips to the tree retreated back within him. He flexed his fingers, making sure no bark remained upon them. He hadn¡¯t used his magic in a while, not since they¡¯d left Lanria¡¯s knighthood. They posed as humans now, and while his kind were not prosecuted, living as a human in Lanria was far simpler. The grass brushed against his boots as he moved further from the library, and into the shadows. The blades tickled him forward, guiding him further into the woods. No birds chirped, but the crickets sang to him in their stead, and he followed their music until they hushed. From beyond the trees, water lapped against rocks, and light reflecting off the surface of a small lake glittered across the trees and scattered the shadows. A silhouette stood near the lake¡¯s edge, partially covered in shadow, light flickered off curled, scraggly brown hair. ¡°Mouse,¡± Taiga called as he made out his face¡¯s outline in the faint moonlight. ¡°You found me?¡± He didn¡¯t look towards Taiga, distracted by something out over the lake. ¡°The trees did.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Taiga made his way closer, pushing past shrubs and over overgrown roots. Mouse snapped attention to the left, but Taiga heard nothing. He followed his sight, but other than the glimmers across the water, nothing moved. ¡°What is it?¡± He asked when Mouse turned another direction. ¡°I heard Mafgnesn speak.¡± Mouse¡¯s voice cracked and shifted as he said the name. Taiga assumed he referred to the Guardian Spirit near Applegate. ¡°But I hear nothing now.¡± ¡°Here? There hasn¡¯t been a sighting anywhere near here in eight years, I checked when we arrived this morning.¡± He shook his head, ¡°not here, but their voice carried.¡± Taiga paused, watching Mouse shift another direction. ¡°Could they be out of range then? What did they say?¡± ¡°I could only hear one word from them before they cut out,¡± Mouse turned back to Taiga, and for the first time Taiga could see the worry etched into his furrowed brow and stern eyes, ¡°why.¡± Chapter 11 - Mouse What Mouse didn¡¯t tell Taiga - or rather didn¡¯t know how to convey - was the burst of clicks melded in between the scraping of metal and gurgled cries of agony. It grew and whispered, leading him through the trees. A child¡¯s laughter beckoned him to the lake, and the crushing of trees sapped his attention. There was no ¡®why¡¯, but the word cried, bound amongst the screeching and winds blowing against the trees. And just as the word came to him, silence was left in its wake. And in answer, Mouse¡¯s feet began towards the water. Taiga¡¯s voice had shaken him from the Guardian¡¯s enrapture. ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± Taiga knelt down beside him, the campfire¡¯s light flickering over his dark face. Mouse broke his gaze with the flames, and glanced around them. The mercenaries all slept a short distance away. The outsider sat close enough for the flame¡¯s light to flicker against her, as she stared out across the field. She did it often, and sat patiently without a fuss. Mouse¡¯s instinct told him she waited for something, but Mouse couldn¡¯t guess as to what. They were about halfway into their nightshift, watching over the outsider. The local guild commissioner was in a town just to the east of Applegate, and while they¡¯d started the journeys the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, they decided to rest and make the rest of the trek at sun up. It meant one more day with the mercenaries, then they¡¯d be free. Since they were near a Guardian¡¯s territory, Taiga decided they¡¯d return to Applegate after the handover instead of returning to the guild hall. It meant two days less with those disgusting mercenaries. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Looking forward to freedom.¡± Mouse poked the flames with his stick. Taiga smiled and stood. Taiga¡¯s hand slid over the top of his head, ruffling his hair. Mouse let him, ignoring his curls falling over his eyes. When Taiga finished, Mouse swept his hair back and out of his face. ¡°Hey,¡± the outsider half whispered to them. Mouse turned just enough to keep her in view. Her hands were tied together in her lap, with the lead tied to a stake near Taiga. ¡°You two seem more reasonable. Would¡ª¡± ¡°You mean naive, right?¡± Taiga replied cooley. She paused, pursing her lips in thought. ¡°No, I meant reasonable,¡± her voice lost some of its confidence. Mouse heard an ¡®mhmm¡¯ from Taiga. ¡°Look, aren¡¯t you at least curious about what I was researching?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Taiga replied. ¡°I¡¯m not a spy! Believe me.¡± ¡°I believe you¡¯ve said that four times now.¡± The outsider, what was her name, Rami, paused, her shoulders dropping. After a minute or so, she decided on a new tactic. ¡°There¡¯s something wrong. I¡¯ve studied the magics and how they flow in the world. And there¡¯s something wrong.¡± Mouse remembered the outsider had been reported for spreading falsities and fear amongst the people. But it was about magic? It was unexpected, to say the least. ¡°The balance of different magics is off! I am from Monx, I admit. But only to assess the imbalance of magics.¡± She turned her whole body towards them now, her green-brown eyes steady, and Mouse couldn¡¯t sense a hint of lie. He ventured, ¡°what do you mean, imbalance?¡± Her eyes lit up. ¡°My bag! In my bag, there¡¯s a red bound notebook. I can show you!¡± She rose to her knees, patting the space in front of her. Her excitement annoyed Mouse, but his curiosity won. ¡°Mouse?¡± Taiga bumped his arm gently with his. He spoke softly, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The Guardian Spirits,¡± he murmured in reply. ¡°Corruption due to an imbalance?¡± Taiga weighed this a moment. He turned, and took a few steps towards her bag, keeping the campfire in his line of sight.. He flicked the top open and drew back the drawstring. After rummaging a moment, he pulled out a red, leather-bound book. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Yesssss, that¡¯s it!¡± Rami exclaimed. She hopped on her knees a bit, beckoning them over. Her excitement made Taiga frown. ¡°Stop being so suspicious.¡± He handed the book to Mouse. He accepted it, and flipped it open. Inside, scribbles written in pen lined tightly across the pages. Sometimes, poorly drawn diagrams and pictures broke the monotonous script. Mouse took a moment to read over a page he flipped to, but between the messy penmanship, curled characters, and complex jargon, Mouse could only manage to read a few words; ¡°the,¡± ¡°and,¡± ¡°if.¡± His literacy wasn¡¯t the highest, he knew. Taiga had taught him when they were younger, but it was never a skill he¡¯d excelled at. But this? He doubted even Taiga could read it. He flipped through a few more pages before giving up. He handed it back to Taiga, whose brow raised as he turned the pages. ¡°Do you¡­ write your notes in a foreign language?¡± Taiga asked after a minute. ¡°It¡¯s in Anish and Western Monx.¡± The continental language for Anu? Mouse had doubts, since even he could read that. And while he couldn¡¯t read the Monx language or dialects, Taiga could. ¡°Tell me about the imbalance part,¡± Mouse took the book from Taiga and put it down in front of Rami. The woman watched him place her book down and sit across from her on the grass. Taiga remained standing, but peered over Mouse while keeping watch on the fire and snoozing mercenaries. ¡°Okay, look. This world is made up of a lot of magics, right? Sirens, Shifters, even the Demons and the Ganakri all have their own kinds of magic.¡± ¡°I know this,¡± Mouse huffed. What was the point if she stated the obvious. ¡°Yeah, but all their magics are sourced from the earth, the world. And mixtures of corruption and pure magics permeate everything, everywhere. Even those different magics are made up of varying mixes of these two main magics. Got it?¡± This wasn¡¯t something Mouse knew specifically, but if it was true, it wasn¡¯t a surprise. He glanced up at Taiga, who watched around them. When Mouse caught eye contact with Taiga, he nodded, confirming the woman¡¯s statement. ¡°Oh? I¡¯m surprised a mercenary out in the boonies would know that.¡± The woman smiled, looking over the rims of her glasses Taiga. ¡°I know enough,¡± was all Taiga replied. ¡°Get to the part about the imbalance.¡± Mouse didn¡¯t have much patience, but what he did have disappeared quicky. ¡°Okaaaaay,¡± she rolled her eyes, ¡°well the balance between pure and corrupt magics? It¡¯s off.¡± ¡°What do you mean, off?¡± Taiga asked, folding his arms over his chest. Rami smiled, as if he¡¯d taken the bait. ¡°The famine in Monx, the droughts in Sashume. They aren¡¯t normal. Lanria probably has issues too, although if there is, they aren¡¯t telling.¡± The corruption of the Guardians came to mind. ¡°There is something, isn¡¯t there?¡± The woman¡¯s smile widened at him, and she scooted closer to him. ¡°No,¡± Mouse lied. Her eyes lingered on him. ¡°Yes, but none of your business.¡± He bit his lip. How Taiga could lie so easily stumped him. ¡°Is that why you snuck into Lanria? To find some perceived weakness?¡± Taiga redirected the conversation with ease. ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not a spy.¡± ¡°So you just wandered into Lanria looking for a weakness due to a supposed imbalance.¡± She sighed, ¡°No, I¡¯m looking for what¡¯s causing the imbalance. It¡¯s well known how advanced Lanria¡¯s research into magic is. I thought I might find some clues. I don¡¯t even know which magic is spinning out of control, or what¡¯s causing the breakdown of magics. But it¡¯s wide-spread, meaning it¡¯s been an issue for a while now. Things will only get worse unless the balance is restored.¡± Mouse caught Taiga looking at him, and they held eye contact long enough for them to confirm each other¡¯s thoughts. Whatever the imbalance is, it¡¯s causing the Guardians to corrupt. So they needed to find this source. ¡°Soooooo,¡± Rami cleared her throat, ¡°I have more information I can share with you. I just need you to¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± Taiga cut her off. ¡°You¡¯re not even listening to me.¡± ¡°You want us to let you go in exchange for more information, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only fair.¡± ¡°And you¡¯ve been keeping watch and trying to distract us this whole time. Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t noticed.¡± Taiga looked out towards the field she¡¯d been watching nonstop. Mouse saw her eyes wander, her lips pursed in annoyance. He took another peak at the journal. He picked it up and turned a page. A horrible illustration of a demon was scribbled into the bottom of the page. Extended arms, teeth protruding from its mouth, liquid seeping from the holes where eyes should be. He¡¯d seen many of these in his years as a knight, and most recently after the Guardian¡¯s death. In the margins, he managed to make out the words ¡°disgusting¡± and ¡°putrid stench.¡± An arrow pointed towards it, and his eyes followed it up. Between the scribbles of writing, he made out ¡°reasons for existence?¡± He¡¯d seen enough. He closed the book. Chapter 12 - Taiga He looked out, towards the field the outsider watched most of the night. She¡¯d seemed to await something, so Taiga spent the night on high alert. Nothing ever appeared. Now, with scattered homes and farms blocking the view, even if someone did come to save her, it would be too late. While Mallegin discussed something with the guild commissioner, Poppy, sober for once, handed the outsider over to a couple of town guards. They seemed young, inexperienced. Likely on loan to the guild as needed. Mouse and Taiga stood a short distance away while the veterans handled the details. Taiga handed their passbooks and mercenary guild licenses to Mallegin when asked, and accepted them back once stamped. He rotated the license in the light, watching it glimmer with fresh ink. He checked Mouse¡¯s license, stamped as well, then folded them into his leather protector, and stowed them away into his pack. Mouse sat crouched a couple meters away, further behind Taiga as if he worked as some sort of barrier between Mouse and the mercenaries. His eyes followed a line of ants, dutifully taking bits of feld fruit back to their queen. ¡°You about ready to go? We¡¯ll head back to Applegate, while Mal and them head back south for their horses. So we¡¯ll be going our separate ways from here.¡± Taiga took a couple steps closer to him. Mouse nodded in reply. ¡°I heard that if you mess up the path a line of ants take, the rest of the ants will get lost,¡± he murmured, ¡°what do they do then?¡± ¡°Where did you hear that?¡± Taiga didn¡¯t bother to wonder where his mind wandered to. ¡°From a couple of kids.¡± Taiga paused, glancing back towards the mercenaries who were finishing up. The guards began to take the outsider away. ¡°Ants will usually find the path again. If they can¡¯t, they¡¯ll go back the way they came.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Mouse watched a little longer, ¡°I want to go to Leryn Forest.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°We need to get there soon.¡± ¡°We will.¡± ¡°I need to save Pnendua.¡± ¡°Above anything else.¡± Taiga knew Pnendua as the name of the Guardian Spirit who raised Mouse. His answer seemed to placate Mouse for now, but his tension steadily increased after the night Taiga found him by the lake. Even more so after the outsider told them about the magic imbalance. Mouse fiddled blades of grass between his fingers, silent. His back curved, shoulder tense and drawn forward. Even if they rode horses, they were a long way from Leryn forest. Without, it easily amounted to a few months of travel. By then, the temperatures would begin to sink as late fall set in, and eventually winter. They¡¯d need to find lodging, and potentially pass up furthering their journey late into the night like they could in summer. Their journey had definitely started at an inconvenient time of year. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s everything, boys. You two sure about heading further north? There ain¡¯t a whole lot out there.¡± Poppy cocked his head at them. He had an arm on the strap of his sack. Behind him, two of his companions waited by their horse. ¡°Thanks, but we¡¯re good. We have a friend up north we¡¯re wanting to visit.¡± Taiga put on his smile for them. Poppy and Mallegin looked at each other, before Mallegin held out his hand. ¡°Take it, as thanks for helping with this mission. And good luck to your future.¡± Taiga put out his hand, and Mallegin placed two tin coins with a gold ring and hollowed, circular center - two hundred daud - in his hand. Enough for a night in an inn and food expenses for a few days. ¡°Are¡­ you sure?¡± Taiga asked, already closing his fingers around the coins, ¡°we weren¡¯t expecting payment for our trial mission.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°It¡¯s fine! You pulled more than your share, it¡¯s only fair. Besides, we¡¯re getting our tabs cleared with the guild for this. That¡¯s payment enough,¡± He laughed. Then, he calmed, eyes glancing beyond Taiga. He stepped forward, lowering his voice, ¡°about your friend¡­ a lot of jobs are easier in groups. If he can¡¯t handle people, he¡¯s not going to do well as a mercenary.¡± Of course they noticed Mouse¡¯s distance from them, but Taiga was surprised they mentioned it as a warning. He kept his smile on his face, and slid the coins into his money pouch. ¡°No need to worry. The adjustment from the border in the west has just taken a toll on him.¡± Poppy blinked, ¡°you two are from the west? We didn¡¯t realize.¡± An expected reaction. ¡°Ah, I apologize if my concern was out of place. We were just a bit¡­¡± Mallegin trailed off a bit, ¡°worried.¡± Taiga chuckled a bit, ¡°it¡¯s fine.¡± They were good people. ¡°But we¡¯ve got to get going. We¡¯re heading back towards Applegate.¡± Mallegin backed up, whispering something to Poppy. He likely didn¡¯t think Taiga could hear him, but he made out ¡®I need a drink after this¡¯. Taiga smothered another laugh. They waved each other off, and Hela called out from behind them, ¡°let¡¯s dine if we meet again!¡± Taiga nodded, gave a final wave, and turned back to Mouse. He stood a little further away, leaning against a tree. Although only four days, their time together felt incredibly long. Maybe they¡¯d find an inn tonight, get a good rest before setting off on the next leg of their journey. Despite near full nights of sleep, exhaustion weighed Taiga down. Mouse smiled, leaping up and taking several giddy steps towards him. ¡°We¡¯re free?¡± Mouse¡¯s tone leapt. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re free.¡± Taiga readjusted his pack, crossing the strap over his head for more security. ¡°Good! I was struggling to not kick them.¡± ¡°That would have caused issues, yes. Thanks for holding back.¡± Mouse lit up at the appreciation. He nodded, hopping up beside him and a few steps ahead. They walked along the main road. The sun hung high enough in the sky for peddlers and shops to set up, and a few people mingled around stalls and storefronts. Early enough for he and Mouse to walk with ease before a majority of the residents took to the streets. If they could get out of town before mid-morning, they¡¯d likely make it to Applegate by the day¡¯s end. Mouse hummed a children¡¯s song, snacking on a peach Taiga hadn¡¯t given him money for. When they reached an outcropping of farms, Taiga checked the sun, and knew they¡¯d definitely make it to Applegate. A few farmers looked up at them, nodding in a short bow, which Taiga returned. Behind them, somewhere in the distance, a bell¡¯s echo broke the singing of birds. The farmers paused their work, looking out towards the sound. After about ten seconds, another bell sounded, closer this time. Then another off to their right. ¡°What is that?¡± Taiga asked a farmer, recalling the belltower when they fought Grhaanfjes. Something in him ran cold, his body tensing with each ring. ¡°Warning bells,¡± a farmer muttered, putting his tool down and putting his hands to his eyes, blocking the sun to get a better look out ahead of them. Another bell rang, closer to them, then another to the left. In town, most of the townsfolk came to a standstill, looking out, trying to find the cause of the bells. ¡°Never heard them go off before,¡± another farmer added, putting their tools in the belt. ¡°It means evacuate, right?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we safe here? On the outskirts?¡± The farmers looked to each other, a little fear and mostly confusion spreading between them. Taiga listened, but only heard the murmurs of the farmers and the bells. But Mouse yanked his sleeve, his head cocking slightly to listen further. ¡°We should check.¡± ¡°Y¡¯all need to get as far away as you can,¡± Taiga tightened his pack to him, and the two of them took off back into town, ¡°stay away until the bells stop!¡± Mouse took off ahead of him, his eyes focused not on the confused residents, but something further out. Taiga stayed on his heels, although he couldn¡¯t match Mouse¡¯s pace even if he tried. Taiga didn¡¯t catch sight of a single town guard or knight around, most likely already dealing with the disturbance. ¡°Everyone needs to evacuate until the bells stop ringing!¡± Taiga yelled. Only after being told directly what to do, did people start rushing around. He repeated his message through halted breaths, sucking in air and exalting the words any time he could. It caught up to him, his lungs overworking, but he propelled his feet forward nonetheless. Further into town, fewer people were in sight. A guard caught sight of them, running over to them and telling them to leave. Taiga held back, though Mouse took off without him. Taiga watched the path he took as he paused to talk to the guard. ¡°We¡¯re mercenaries. What¡¯s going on?¡± The guard paused, nodding. ¡°We¡¯ll take any help we can get. We¡¯re under attack.¡± ¡°By?¡± Taiga had figured as much. He kept his eyes on Mouse, running further ahead. ¡°We don¡¯t know. It looks like demons. The knights stationed are fighting them now, but we¡¯re greatly outnumbered. And massive amounts of corruption are making its way towards town.¡± ¡°Okay, got it.¡± Taiga took off, chasing after his last glimpse of Mouse. ¡°Wait! The corruption is overwhelming! That way is dangerous!¡± The guard called after him. Taiga ignored the warning. He knew just how dangerous it was. Chapter 13 - Mouse Warning: Self-harm There looked to be about a half dozen guards scattered about the fields to the western side of town. And while they shouted to each other, it was distanced, blocked, muffled by the thunderous buzz looming over his mind. Mouse¡¯s legs crawled, dragged under soaked sand, though when he looked down, nothing hindered him. His breath waned, gurgled out through bubbles in water, drowning him despite running on dry land. Someone ran in front of him, yelling, but the voice held nothing. The buzz flooded him, dragging him down beneath the waves that didn¡¯t exist. Taiga was beside him now, saying something to the man and making him leave. Taiga spoke to him in thunders he couldn¡¯t interpret. Mouse saw the concern in his furrowed brow, his eyes looking him over. He said something again, and when Mouse replied, the words escaped him through bubbles, replaced with the weight of water in his throat. It swelled, bursting from the seams of Mouse¡¯s skin and dripping down his neck. Mouse pushed his fingers into the holes, tearing into them. His nails bit into the skin and refused to let go, scraping it down. And the water spilled from his ripped flesh. He tried to breathe, but the water pounded further down his throat. It drained through him, slipping out through the rips in his throat, and back through his mouth to drown him again. He dug into the meat of his neck, yanking it apart and letting more water fall from it. Taiga grabbed his arms, yelling at him, but his words were bubbles, popping in the endless water Mouse fought from succumbing to. He thrashed from Taiga, but he held steady. Why? Why would Taiga drown him? Mouse refused. He pulled away from him, crying to Taiga to stop killing him. He wrangled free as Taiga¡¯s fingers slipped in the water, and stumbled away from him. What Taiga was wet with, though, was not water. But red. Blood soaked his fingers, even as Taiga came at him again. But no wounds bled from him. Taiga clamped his hands over Mouse¡¯s ears, drawing his face close to his own. He breathed as Mouse choked. Steadying his eyes, Taiga mouthed the word, ¡°stop.¡± The blood dripped from Taiga¡¯s hand, and down Mouse¡¯s face. How could blood drip when he was submerged in water? He panicked, wiping the water off him and realizing he too, had blood on him. Taiga¡¯s hands tightened, and refocused Mouse¡¯s eyes back to his, ¡°calm down,¡± he mouthed. Why? Why would he be calm? He couldn¡¯t breathe, and he didn¡¯t know where the blood came from and¡ª ¡°Calm down,¡± Taiga mouthed again. Mouse closed his eyes, and fear prickled over him. But the longer he closed them, the more the water dripped from him. He swallowed his breath, though desperate to breathe. Taiga¡¯s hands held over his ears, warm, melting away the water from him. It drained through the holes in this throat. And although he feared drowning more, he took a breath in. And as he did, he freed himself from the sand sinking him and the water dragging him closer to death. ¡°Calm down.¡± The words reached his ears, and he opened his eyes. Taiga watched him, eyes dark and steady. The buzz still held steady, and Mouse waded in its depths, but he breathed again. ¡°I got it,¡± Mouse managed, and realized where the blood came from. His throat stung with every word he spoke. He touched it gently, feeling the wounds. They weren¡¯t severe, and while the tender flesh contorted around jagged rips he¡¯d made, they were shallow enough. His skin already began weaving itself back together. Taiga held, but after a few more seconds, let go. He relaxed, and Taiga¡¯s eyes fluttered shut a few times. ¡°Good.¡± Mouse stepped back, mist flowing between his legs. Around them, a few collapsed villagers littered the field, but the knights and guards seemed to have retreated at some point. ¡°How long¡ª¡± his voice broke, raw and numb. ¡°They fled about five minutes ago. Several demons made it to the town, so they¡¯re working on securing it and getting villagers evacuated.¡± His mind wandered back to the water, the sand consuming him, the inescapable death¡­ ¡°They drowned.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°What?¡± Taiga pulled a cloth from his pack, and wrapped it around Mouse¡¯s neck. It stung for only a moment. ¡°The guardian. I think it drowned.¡± Taiga blinked at him, ¡°They spoke to you again?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It didn¡¯t make sense. From Mouse¡¯s memories, they shouldn¡¯t be capable of drowning in water. He closed his eyes, the buzz swimming around the water he waded in. He opened his eyes, and the swirl of corruption streamed around them, slow moving, like a sludge. Taiga must¡¯ve been numb by now. But nonetheless, he tied the cloth around his neck. ¡°I think it drowned in corruption.¡± Taiga paused before releasing him. ¡°So the scholar woman was right. There is an imbalance. I don¡¯t understand. The land here is balanced.¡± He paused, ¡°well, it was.¡± A wave washed over Mouse, water streaming against him into a river. He turned, and the buzz gurgled into foam around him. It stung where it clung, sizzling even though he knew nothing was there. ¡°It¡¯s coming,¡± he pushed through the waters, Taiga beside him, as a rush of corrupted fog flooded around them. He struggled against the wave, pushing his feet down to keep himself stable. Taiga flinched in the corruption. How much longer could Taiga hold out? From deep in the mist, a shadow loomed. Its stomps rumbled the ground, a breath heavy with taint bellowed towards them. Taiga pulled out his wooden sword, his back arched, stance widened. The water slowed Mouse as he pulled a foot back, steadying himself. His own sword in hand, drenched and sopping between his fingers. The sword¡¯s burnt edges looked ready to crack with a single strike. But he¡¯d have to make due, for death was the only other outcome. He caught Taiga stealing a glance at him before he stepped a couple meters in front of him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Mouse snapped, though even his exhaustion nipped his words. ¡°You¡¯re pale and shaking,¡± Taiga replied calmly, though Mouse doubted how calm he actually felt. ¡°And you¡¯re injured.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± His voice gave away his lie. He looked down at himself, the water risen to his thighs. ¡°Are you?¡± Taiga didn¡¯t wait for an answer. From the mist, a roar reverberated, shivering even the tall grasses in the field. A quilled tail marked in the colors of a sunset slithered from the fog, between the grasses. Taiga leapt away from it, and Mouse followed with his sword raised. But he slogged through the water, and the tail, unhindered, struck at him, a snake in nature, and quills struck his flesh. Acid sizzled his leg, and Mouse let out a scream, gurgled through water again. He jerked away, but his strength failed him. Taiga pounced on the tail, slamming his sword¡¯s point through the thick of it. It recoiled, splitting around the wood. The quills shimmied into two separated tails. They arched back, and before Taiga could react, they launched at Mouse. He jumped away, but he slowed in the water, and the tails reached him without fail. Each wrapped around his ankles, and in an instant, he was yanked from his feet, and dragged past Taiga. Mouse wrested a leg free, thrashing against the quills, despite the pain. The tails joined together around his captured leg, strengthened. Free from the water, he pulled up to the tail holding his leg, and sunk his teeth between the scales and fur. Cracks of the quills muffled the roar of the beast only slightly, its thunder shattering his focus. Mouse¡¯s eyes blurred, and he squeezed them shut, clenching his teeth harder around the beast¡¯s flesh. It thrashed, whipping its tail at a dizzying speed, and pounding Mouse into a stone building. The stone crumbled from the impact, and his body jolted against it. His strength fled him, his vision red before darkening. As his mind blanked, the tail jerked him out, whipping his body into the air and suspending him there. Mouse begged his eyes to open, and they slitted at his request. Blurry though his vision remained, the mask of the beast hovered less than a meter from him, motionless. It¡¯s eyes of void peering through him. Pink ooze dripped over the edges of its eyeholes. It cried, though Guardians were incapable. Hunched back, it let out a scream, booming past him as he dangled in its grasp. Wet dripped from Mouse¡¯s face to his swinging arms. The beast held him tight, hung from his leg and without mercy. He urged his limp arms to his call, but they refused to answer. The beast cocked its head at him, swiveling back and forth, around him. Below him, mist swirled and plumed from the once Guardian. If he could get his leg free, could he survive the five or so meter drop? With his mangled limbs? Every breath he took tore at his lungs, and the taste of blood dripped between his teeth. His body ached, sleep draped over it, and he fought just to keep his mind focused for even one more second. His eyelids closed. But as they did, the beast let out a snarled cry, and the tail whipped him around, letting go, and he fell to the ground, caught gently by the grasses of the field. They slowed him, letting him tumble gracefully across them and stop upon a pillow of reeds. Mouse forced his eyes open, searching for the beast. It thrashed in the haze of corruption. Its feathers ruffled and jerked out of place, it tripped over itself before slamming its masked face against the ground. Again and again, it smashed. But it let out another cry, and wringed its neck upward. Taiga stood atop it, one foot wedged between its fur and mask, and the other balanced on the side of the mask. He pulled his sword out from between the mask and beast, before ramming it back down. The beast¡¯s cry curled Mouse¡¯s ears, but Taiga didn¡¯t flinch. He yanked the sword to the side, prying the mask from the beast. Steam escaped the opening chasm. The beast recoiled, using its tail to swipe over its face, and knocking Taiga off. He plummeted to the ground, but before he made impact, the tail came down upon him, quills furled, and impaled Taiga through the stomach. Chapter 14 - Taiga ¡°Taiga, do you see it?¡± The elder smiled, her eyes squinted into half-moons. She awaited an answer, and he looked down to her muddied fingers loosely around a small sprouted plant. The plant stalk stood only as tall as the fruit it would one day bare. A green swirl of magic drew up its stem from the earth, extending through its leaves and dispersing into the air. ¡°I see it.¡± He nodded, and the elder returned the nod. ¡°Our purpose is to find these pockets of balanced land, and grant life back to them. If the land is left dead for too long, it becomes easy for evil to take root instead. Do you understand?¡± He nodded again. His eyes trailed around them, finding the adults whispering to the land, the hunters hauling the day¡¯s catch into camp, the children playing amongst the tree roots and mosses of the forest. A tug at his heart startled him. Why was he here? He¡¯d been here before as a child, though he couldn¡¯t quite remember when. A wind rose the hushes of the dried grasses into chorus. The leaves danced, broken free from their branch, and twirled around them upon their descent. A hat of straw blew off an adult¡¯s head. Laughter, and he ran after it. ¡°Taiga, are you paying attention?¡± The elder¡¯s patience kept her smile in place, and he nodded to her again. ¡°When did it last rain here?¡± He asked, looking out towards the pale field and wilted blooms. ¡°It hasn¡¯t. We¡¯re here to restore the balance, remember? Once it has, the rains will return. Taiga, with balance, even the most stubborn of trees and weakest of flowers can thrive. And with that, they will heed your call.¡± The elder swirled her aged, thin hand around the sapling. It responded to her, its leaves stretching up towards her fingers, and when its height halted this progress, its stem grew. Small, fragile vines reached for her, and wrapped around the elder¡¯s fingertips. All the while, a gentle green magic urged it forth, giving it the strength beyond what the young plant could accomplish alone. ¡°This is why, Taiga, it is vital to recognize different magics. Too much of a single magic will wear the earth down.¡± He knew this already. This is why the Guardian Spirits¡ª ¡°Do you think I can do this one day too?¡± He asked, watching the elder¡¯s nails thicken, darkening into the hardened bark of a tree. The vines held tight over this bark, and the elder¡¯s magic flowed through her and into these little vines, feeding them. The bark spread over her fingers, to her knuckles. But the elder paid it no heed, her eyes watching the plant grow under her own power. Taiga too, put his small hand out towards the plant, and mustered any magic he could. It trickled towards a leaf, though it dispersed before reaching its destination. ¡°Elder Maymary, we have visitors requesting an audience.¡± He and the elder turned around. A young man squatted behind them, dressed in the yellows of leadership. Taiga recognized him as the elder¡¯s apprentice. Beyond them, an older man clad in armor peered around the camp before turning towards their direction. The apprentice made eye contact with Taiga, and he smiled a bit before placing a hand on Taiga¡¯s head and ruffling his hair. ¡°Hey young one, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll only borrow her for a bit.¡± But his tone gave away his lies and concern. The visitor wasn¡¯t welcome. The elder let out an annoyed sigh, before standing. ¡°I¡¯ve already told them no. How persistent.¡± She muttered, the lines around her mouth curled in displeasure. No, this wasn¡¯t good. His hand gripped the elder¡¯s robe, but when he opened his mouth, no words came to him. She paused, turning back towards Taiga. A smile spread over her again as she laid a hand over his head. ¡°Oh my child, it¡¯s quite alright. The lesson will continue. Patience.¡± She turned, hardened her posture, and followed her apprentice to the man. Every step she took, quickened Taiga¡¯s heart. It pounded within him, fighting for something he didn¡¯t understand. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. The voice of another adult behind him made his attention shift. He turned, and the man who¡¯d lost his hat came stumbling back through the grasses. ¡°There¡¯s a huge group of mercenaries across the field. They¡¯re camped out in the woods.¡± ¡°What? You sure?¡± ¡°I caught a reflection off armor. Looked a bit closer and saw a bunch of people over there. The grass said there were a lot of them. And the grasses never lie.¡± Taiga¡¯s heart stilled. Across the fields, trees shadowed any intruders. He listened to the wisps of the grasses, and touched his hand to a few tall stalks. But their whispers were foreign to him. That¡¯s right, he couldn¡¯t communicate well with the earth yet. Yet? ¡°Maybe they¡¯re handling a job nearby?¡± One of the adults added, though more likely to calm their nerves than to serve as a real possibility. Someone left to go ask if any of the hunters knew more. They wouldn¡¯t. The elder never returned to their lesson. As the oranges of the sky retreated beyond the horizon to the west, a calm returned to the people. The visitor departed, and although a few of the hunters stayed on alert at the elder¡¯s request, night came as it always did. A consistent end no matter what chaos the day brought. Taiga loved the night. Crickets and cicadas sang between the trees of the forest and the grasses of the field, and the wind carried their song to the stars. In return, the stars danced across the sky, and the adults told their stories of old to the young. What awoke Taiga was not the heat of flames nor the warnings of the trees. It was the screams of his people that tore him from slumber and peace. He and the other children sat upon their furs and blankets, confused, afraid. Orange light flickered across their tent¡¯s cloth, and the shadows of violence and strangers stilled them. What was it that caused them to move¡­ a hunter coming to hurry them out? No, the silver of a sword glistening in the light of fire as it tore into the children¡¯s hut¡­ that¡¯s right. The girl to his right screamed, and it startled Taiga into action. He jumped to his feet as two men in armor climbed into their hut, their swords drawn and already bloodied. A young boy, half Taiga¡¯s age, froze beneath the sword, and red dripped from the sword¡¯s tip to the child¡¯s stomach. ¡°There¡¯s more than I expected.¡± One growled, taking a step towards them as the children huddled to the back of the hut. Taiga pushed his back against a wooden beam. He didn¡¯t shake, but the hollow of his chest made him weak. ¡°What? Only eight kids? I thought there¡¯d be more.¡± The other man let out a laugh that would haunt Taiga for years to come. A girl older than Taiga pulled a younger child into her arms beside him. A tear streamed down her cheek, though her face betrayed no fear. She had chosen the path of a hunter not long ago, her quick wit and reflexes earning herself a spot amongst the tribe quickly. ¡°Taiga, can you pull that beam down?¡± She whispered. He pulled his arms behind him, pushing on the beam. The adults were supposed to fix it weeks ago, but its wiggle sparked the smallest of hopes within him. He looked at her, not daring to nod. She understood. ¡°At half distance,¡± she hid her face in the shadows as the men took a step closer. Her grip on the child in her arms tightened. Taiga eased his arms around the beam, clasping his hands around it. One of the youngest gripped onto his leg, screaming. The wet of her tears and snot soaked his skin, and he hushed her gently. The other children pushed into he and the girl, and with every step the men made towards them, fear bloomed viciously within them. When the men were half across the tent, Taiga yanked the beam behind them. He pulled up on it, ignoring the splinters digging into his flesh. Once it jerked up, he ripped it to the left, and pulled half the tent¡¯s cloth roof out of place. It fluttered over them, and the men, realizing what he did, ran at them. The children screamed, and Taiga threw the beam overhead, aiming directly between the men and them. The cloth fluttered off them and the men stumbled over the obstacles. Free from the tent, it took no less than a glance to realize the chaos ensuing around them. Screams echoed through the flames. Burning trees and grasses surrounded them. The darkness of night shadowed the danger looming behind clouds of smoke and turmoil. Bodies of his people littered the ground; a babe crushed under its mother¡¯s weight, a hunter pinned to a tree with a blade from a felled enemy, scattered embers of the cookfire lit the clothes of dead harvesters. An arrow flew into the neck of a mercenary, and a hunter ran to the Taiga and children. ¡°Run into the forest! The trees will give you sanctuary!¡± He snapped at them, turning and kicking the head of one of the cloth covered mercenaries. The girl nodded, grabbing the hands of two children, and running towards the burning trees. Taiga picked the youngest up, saddling her in his arms, and helping another young child wrap their arms around his neck. He heaved them up, and ushered the rest to follow after the girl. They took off running, not daring to look back as the hunter let out a cry, and a thud behind them rattled Taiga¡¯s nerves. The children cried out, running between burning trees they¡¯d played upon only hours ago. The agony of snapping branches, burning leaves, and crumbling ash screamed to him, begging for his help. But what could he do? How could he help? How could he even save himself? Ahead of him, the girl ground to a halt. Nearly running into her, Taiga stumbled under the weight of the children. ¡°Alika! We have to keep running!¡± He yelled, his breath burning from ash and smoke. He¡¯d forgotten her name¡­ Right, it was Alika. Her shoulders drooped, and as she wobbled to turn towards him, blood blossomed from her chest, an arrow sticking through her heart. Chapter 15 - Taiga The young boy holding Alika¡¯s hand was the first to scream. Taiga¡¯s own voice followed, her name echoing from his throat. He ran to her, but his spine spiked, and he yanked on the hand of the little boy, ripping him from her, as another arrow flew past the child¡¯s head. ¡°The order is none alive. Don¡¯t let them escape.¡± The voice boomed beyond the trees, amongst the flames and crackling wood. Behind him, the children screamed. Taiga whirled around, and though shrouded by smoke, made out a line of mercenaries, clad in silver and red. Muffled by the chaos around them, the yells of terror and death rooted him in place. ¡°Yes sir.¡± Every voice near in sync, their boots thumping closer. ¡°Taiga¡ª¡± another boy, a couple years younger than himself, huddled against him, holding a younger girl¡¯s hand so tight her fingers ran white. She stood lifeless, her eyes wide and dry, Alika¡¯s body reflecting in them. He set the two children in his arms down, though they fought to stay. When they whined, he hushed them. ¡°Get ready to run.¡± ¡°Where?¡± A girl shook, her hands gripping his tunic. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t¡­¡± He glanced around them, frantic. Anything. Anywhere. Just something¡­ A chance for them to escape. A crack from above drew him to a tree, only a few meters away lit in flames. A major branch parted, barely hanging by the grace of another tree. Moments¡­ they had moments before the branch would fall. ¡°Past the trees, there,¡± He bent down to them, hushed just enough to be heard over the flames and boots. ¡°If we can make it to the corrupted lands, they can¡¯t follow us, understand?¡± The children huddled around him, fingers clawing at him, whines slipping between brave faces. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he soothed, ¡°the forest will protect us.¡± Taiga dug his feet down, pushing scraped together magic through his toes and through the grass. Save us. When the scorching branch began to give way, catching on a smaller branch, he urged the children forward. He pushed them on, staying on their heels as mercenaries dove towards them. ¡°Run, and don¡¯t look back!¡± He hollered, and the children took off between the trees and over the roots. This was their forest, and they knew the grooves of the earth better than anyone. But they were children nonetheless. A mercenary lunged for Taiga, and he twisted around, his tunic snagging on the mercenary¡¯s glove. Taiga ripped back, tearing his tunic just before the mercenary yanked hard. He whipped free, and fled beneath the crumbling trees. As his foot stomped past, the flaming branch broke free, dropping its century old weight between he and the mercenaries. The fire had spread far around them, and while it would delay the mercenaries, Taiga knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough. ¡°Keep running! Hide amongst the trees!¡± He slammed his feet down into the earth, steadied himself, and swung around. He¡¯d hold them off, if only for a few more moments. How¡­ had he planned on escaping this? He couldn¡¯t recall. Maybe there never was a plan to escape at all. A mercenary stepped out of the smoke and flames, sword in hand. Dark eyes glistened in oranges and yellows. He remembered them. The lack of emotion burning through those eyes would startle him awake at night for years. That, and the silver of his sword stained in the reds of his people. ¡°That¡¯s enough now, don¡¯t ya think?¡± The gruff gurgle of his voice curled the hair on Taiga¡¯s head. The man swung out, his blade slicing the air between them without the slightest of sounds. He recoiled, swinging back towards Taiga. The man paused a moment, and Taiga stepped back, finding a root and shifting further away. The glint of metal slashed at him again. The tip of silver sliced across Taiga¡¯s stomach, and the stinging of split flesh made him cry out. His hand fell to the wound, pressing against it. The touch hurt more, but he smothered the blood as he did his voice. The man didn¡¯t react, but swung down at him again. Taiga tumbled to the right, and the man tripped on the root as he strode forward. Taiga stepped back, hugging his wound. The man repositioned, turning towards Taiga again, but as he moved, the handle of a small blade revealed itself from beneath his cloak. As the sword slashed towards Taiga again, he darted close, grabbing the handle of the sword and yanking it from its sheath. Before the man reacted, Taiga drove the blade directly between the plates of his armor, and deep into the soft under his arm. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The man let out a beast of a roar, pulling away, but Taiga held tight. The man yanked back, but Taiga moved forward to him, and in desperation, used all his strength to twist the knife and dig it deeper into the man. The man screamed, whirled around and smacked Taiga across the face. But he kept his grip, even as the man pounded fists onto him. Each blow blackened Taiga¡¯s vision, wavering his strength. Though he knew letting go would mean death, his fingers couldn¡¯t keep their hold, loosening. ¡°Let go of me! This fucker! Get him off me!¡± His voice choked, hot blood and saliva dripped over Taiga¡¯s arms and face. Another mercenary unsheathed their sword as they ran towards him. Taiga tightened his grip once more, and yanked to the left. The man let out a final cry as the meat of his chest and the cracking of bones split. The knife ripped free, the release in force sending Taiga to the ground. He scrambled to his feet as another sword slashed down into the dirt he lay in. Then, digging his toes into the earth, Taiga launched forward, the bark and broken branches splintering his feet. Silver flew just over him as he ducked down. He hardened his legs, then propelled forward, digging his blade under the chest plate of another mercenary. The mercenary stumbled a grunt before dropping over him. Taiga lurched back, taking a breath for the first time in what felt an eternity. Enemy blood soaked him, boiling him in the heat and flames growing ever closer. The silver of his sword gone, his hand trembled. He¡¯d held a knife only once, in the kitchen, with carrots as his prey. But now as smoke choked the air, embers flickered over his hair and burned the world around him, and as the boots of mercenaries drew ever closer, this stained silver was his only ally. His legs moved before his mind ordered, and carried him through the once familiar trees, after the kids he¡¯d helped escape, and towards freedom, if they could reach the corrupt lands of the south west. Help us, please! His breath hitched with every stride, muscles aching, his throat scorched, Taiga ran. The mercenaries drew on him, and though he knew the forest¡¯s maze, their legs were longer and quicker than his. Beyond the smoke and burning trees, metal reflected from ahead of him. He slowed, before catching sight of tunics littering the ground beneath the metal¡¯s feet. He counted six of them, too young to know death, and too old to be spared of it. The children he¡¯d bought time for lay slain across the roots of the trees, against the softness of the earth, and left to lie in the dying grasses hidden from flames. His breath fled him as he found the boy he¡¯d carried, tears strewn down their still face. Blood soaked around him, drawing towards Taiga. The metal ahead of him stepped forward, and between them and his pursuers, Taiga had nowhere left to run. ¡°One left? How many of ours died, nine? We¡¯ll be compensated with every head lost, on both sides, so count them together,¡± someone behind him murmured. Nine. For all the lives of his people, they only lost nine. Though rage flooded him, it escaped him in a laugh. But of course, his people weren¡¯t fighters. They were the balance. They had no need to fight. His fingers tightened over the leather handle of his short sword before turning. Several dozen mercenaries stood within the trees, and with at least another dozen ahead of his path, there was no life here. ¡°Just kill the kid, the smoke¡¯s gettin¡¯ thick,¡± an aged voice made apparent the leader. The man turned, waving them off. Several men moved with him, though more than not stayed behind. ¡°Got it,¡± a woman stepped forward, sword in hand. Two others followed beside her. Taiga steadied his stance. The urge to scream at them nearly overwhelmed him. But what would it do? Not even a shred of emotion made itself known amongst them, for his people or their own. He stepped back, bringing his short sword in front of himself, ready to defend. His fingers trembled, a reflection of his heart as it failed to steel itself. The woman took another step forward, and he hopped back. The crunch of a tree drew all their attention away. Two centuries old, a once grand tree, crumbled in the fire that burned it and crashed down over him. Taiga tried to flee, but too late, and the great weight of it crushed him beneath its great weight. His breath fled him in a scream, and little returned to him. The burning of the flames dug through his tunic in moments, shredding his skin and boiling his blood from him. He screamed again, though no air or sound came out. His legs sizzled, and he squirmed them, flinging them around in any way he could to break free of the searing pain driving up his legs, through his spine, and down his arms. He struggled to keep his breath within him, his voice creeping through even the slightest of breaths. A boot of metal stopped just short of his head, and through tears and agony, the blurry figure of the woman stood over him. She spoke something to her comrade he couldn¡¯t make out. She waved a signal at the others before walking off. ¡°Wait! Please!¡± his voice came out less than a whisper, a rasp from desperation. The pain overwhelming his mind. He tried to push up, but his back only seared against the burning tree. He¡¯d burn alive like this. He¡¯d die here, as ash and bone. He dug his feet into the ground, pushing forward. He slid maybe a centimeter before his body gave out. His legs burned and melted. He remembered this. His legs and back were scarred. He wriggled to his side, looking down at his bare legs. They already had scars from these burns. If he already had these wounds then¡­ Why was he here? The roar of the beast drowned the fire, the smoke, the crumbling of the trees, his screams and his pain. He lay on the grass, his stomach and back barkening, bridging over the wound caused by the once Guardian Spirit. ¡°Stop this now!¡± Mouse stood between Taiga and the beast a short distance away, his charred wooden sword in hand. He smacked a lunge of the beast¡¯s tail to the side. Taiga pushed up on his palms, shock reverberating through him. His legs bared no feeling left in them, and his hands tingled. How long had the corruption ate at him while he was caught in the beast¡¯s dreams? But he wasn¡¯t the child from that day. He pulled his legs under him, dragging his wooden sword beneath him and using it to pull himself to his feet. While his stomach crawled with the gray and brown bark of his people, he drew bark through his hand, wrapping his sword in it. Vines sprouted around the bark, curling and hardening into a cone at the sword¡¯s tip. Thorns rippled across the vines, sharpening at his call. He breathed, and the bark of his sword shivered in response. He dragged its tip across the grasses, pulling earthly bound magic through it as he stepped towards the beast. Chapter 16 - Taiga Taiga stumbled forward a few steps, focusing his energy through his sword. Magic trickled through its vines, crawling and tightening into a seamless embrace at the sword¡¯s point. The grasses swayed around, reaching to the vines and lending any magic they mustered. They whispered across themselves, beckoning their help towards Taiga. One of his legs caved, and he caught his hand on Mouse¡¯s shoulder to keep himself steady. Mouse swung around, catching him. His fingers curled around Taiga¡¯s tunic. ¡°You¡¯re okay? How is it?¡± Mouse¡¯s soft tone betrayed any strength he kept himself propped with. His fingers trembled, blood caked between his nails. His breaths uneven, halted, then gasped. Taiga pulled Mouse behind himself, leaning off him only to shift weight to his sword before his strength fled him. ¡°The wound is fine,¡± he touched a hand to the bark etched over his stomach. He blinked, and the blood and flames of the illusion clawed at him. ¡°This Guardian was one of dreams?¡± ¡°I think so. I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never¡ª¡± he cut himself off. Then, he breathed again, and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve never been twisted this way by a Guardian Spirit.¡± Taiga¡¯s eyes lingered on his friend. Mouse¡¯s nails dug deep into his own arm, his eyes darting around them, fear veiling scraped together courage and calm. When his eyes met Taiga¡¯s, his brow furrowed together, almost a plea, ¡°I keep drowning.¡± ¡°Stay in the grasses.¡± Taiga waited for a nod from Mouse, then lifted off his sword. His stomach jolted, and his strength melted. He stuck the tip cone of vines ahead of him, into the ground, and pulled himself further forward. A rumble drew from the beast. Its mask swiveled back and forth, the slits of its eyes spinning from side to side, watching him take every slow step toward it. From behind its great, bellowed body of feathers, the tail of the beast arched back. The quills were a blur in purples, oranges, and greens as it flung towards him. Taiga pulled magic from beneath him, feeling it slip between the stitches of his leather boots, through his muscles and tightened his legs unto bark. Though the corruption numbed much of him, the magic gave him bearing and control again. When the tail whipped towards him, he let it come at him before swerving to the left. He stumbled a bit, but the tail slammed against the ground beside him. Before the beast yanked it back, Taiga drew his sword up, and in an instant, drove the thorned tip through the tail. Its quills shivered before the beast cried out. A split pushed away from his sword, the quills and feathers dividing themselves. ¡°No, we¡¯re done with the splitting.¡± At his command, the grasses grew, throwing themselves along the length of the tail, holding it in place. The beast roared again, screaming and swinging a great claw at it. The grasses held steady, for even a Guardian held no sway over them. The beast arched up, pink ooze dripping beneath the mask as it swiveled towards him. An arm rose from within its feathered body, claws of oranges, blues, and yellows stood out from its black body. It lashed towards him, grappling with the ground as he jumped out of the way and atop the grounded tail. It growled, watching him a moment. He pulled his sword free of the tail, pink burning the vines. But the tip held intact. As the beast launched towards him again, he whirled away from it. The claws dug into its own tail, bursting with pink blood. The mask didn¡¯t notice, its empty eye slits locked on Taiga. Again, it launched at him, a third arm extending from its body. But as Taiga leapt away, another arm shot towards him, out of the side of the one embedded in its own tail. Then another, and another weaving towards him and pushing him further back. His stomach twisted in pain with each movement, but he couldn¡¯t afford it even a thought. The speed of the arms picked up, overlapping each other, fighting amongst themselves for his capture. He spun away from them, skidding the tip of his sword across the soil and grasses, plucking even the slightest of magic from them. He honed the edge of the blade, trying to run back towards the body of the beast. Between the arms, one caught a claw on a newly emerged one, slowing its speed. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. He took the opportunity, darting for the body, using the last of his strength to pull at much magic from the soil as he could, before leaping onto its back. He clutched at the quills and feathers, yanking himself up. An arm reached at him from where he climbed. It snatched at his legs, and he pulled back, kicking a pink claw away. Another arm from below him slid from the beast¡¯s back, and lunged at him. Taiga let go of the quills, dropping within the clutches of the arm, stabbed his sword through the center of its disfigured hand, and once freed, jumped onto the other arm just above him, hanging onto its claw. Before the claw could react, he swung off it, grabbing the quills near the top ridge of its back, and digging his feet in. He scrambled up it as another arm appeared. As his feet hit solid ground atop its back, he turned his attention forward. Standing less than a meter ahead, the mask faced him, bleeding pink, hovered from its twisted elongated neck. The base of the neck should have been on the other side of its body, yet it extended from its body farther than Taiga anticipated. The white of the mask watched him, the slits unmoving as much as the instilled grin. He froze, his breath catching within him. A hum buzzed his ears. Echoes of children¡¯s scream and the blazes of fire surged over him and his vision blurred. Alika stood ahead of him, fire roaring ahead of them. He called her name, and she stumbled around, revealing an arrow through her heart. A child screamed, and he trembled as mercenaries lined the trees. He grabbed a child¡¯s hand, and squeezed it. The fire choked him, burning his throat. How could they escape? Where could they go? Something. Anything. His grip on the child tightened. The other children huddled around him. A branch crackled to the left. They could escape that way, run to the corrupted zones. It wouldn''t work. He¡¯d tried this before. A mercenary stepped forward, and though his mouth moved, his words fell silent to him. He¡¯d seen this before. He looked down to the child he squeezed the hand of; no expression. He gripped tighter, but still her face remained lifeless. Because it wasn¡¯t a child at all. He held in his left hand; a sword. He stepped beyond Alika¡¯s fallen body, towards the mercenary. He yelled something at Taiga, though Taiga didn¡¯t listen. The man swung a sword at him, and Taiga stepped to the right, letting the man fall forward. Taiga raised his own sword, and swung down. When it made contact with the mercenary, he drew upon the magics he¡¯d pulled from the earth. Bark crawled over his skin, melding with his flesh and the hilt of his wooden sword. He pushed all magic within him into his blade, swinging down and slicing through the mercenary like a hot knife to butter. His vision cleared as a thump woke him. His hands stung, his breath heavy, his body weighed that of a horse. He looked down, the neck of the great beast still hanging in the air, despite its decapitated head rolling off its back. ¡°Living through it once was quite enough,¡± Taiga spat. The body dropped, the neck plopping down and sliding off. He steadied himself as the great beast stilled onto the ground. He took a deep breath, feeling his stomach with his hands. As peace fell over his shoulders, a shattering scream howled from below. Taiga whirled around, spotting Mouse on the ground, hands pounding against his head. Taiga slid off the back of the beast, landing roughly on his feet. ¡°Mouse!¡± He ran to him huddled on the ground. Mouse gritted his teeth, but whimpers still escaped him. His fisted hands pounded against the sides of his head. Taiga pulled his hands back. Mouse yanked them away, but Taiga held steady. ¡°Mouse, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Taiga whirled around, checking the body behind him, but white speckles of snow began appearing over the slain Guardian. If it wasn¡¯t a trick of the mind from the Guardian Spirit, what was it then? Mouse screamed again. His bloodied throat trembled in anguish, and his hands clasped around chunks of his hair, pulling it as much as Taiga¡¯s grip allowed. ¡°What¡¯s wr¡ª¡± From behind Taiga, a fast-paced clicking froze him. He turned slowly, facing a creature standing near two meters tall, black fur trailing over a face twice the width of his own, and four times the length. Its mouth sagged to the ground, drool spilling between teeth as long as Taiga¡¯s fingers. To each side of the mouth, long arms dragged along the ground. Beady green eyes shined at him from above its mouth. ¡°A Howler.¡± His breath caught as he spoke. The creature breathed in, held it a moment, before belching a roar that shook Taiga purely with force. It reverberated through the air, slamming against Taiga and Mouse. The air blasted past them, flinging acidic saliva across Taiga¡¯s face, and imploding his ears. It dazed him, corruption pouring through him with each vibration of the roar. Taiga gripped Mouse¡¯s arms, yanked him up, and pulled onward as he pounded his feet into the ground. They ran. Mouse¡¯s eyes squeezed shut and one fist still clutched his hair. He seethed agony, even as Taiga dragged him through the grass and back towards the town wall. Chapter 17 - Taiga The bellow lasted two minutes. Long enough for Taiga to sprint around the town¡¯s crumbled wall, and plaster themselves against it. Taiga¡¯s heart pounded, a drum revealing themselves in the silence left by the Howler. Mouse crumpled to the ground, stifling whimpers and tears. ¡°Mouse, what¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s going on?¡± He hushed his own voice, keeping any feigned calm he could muster. His eyes darted around them before settling on Mouse, then checked the surroundings again. Another roar shook him, and Taiga gripped the stone wall to keep steady. Metallic clicks cackled around them, and he closed his eyes, listening for the closest one. Towards the town, maybe a couple dozen meters away. He paused, studying the direction, steadying his breath, and ignoring the ache in his stomach. When no demon made itself known, he turned back to Mouse. ¡°Mouse, talk to me. What is it?¡± Taiga touched him gently, rubbing his shoulder. ¡°I can¡¯t help you unless you talk to me.¡± He spoke just loud enough to be heard over Mouse¡¯s whimpers. ¡°It,¡± Mouse gritted his teeth, seething against something Taiga couldn¡¯t see, ¡°it hurts.¡± ¡°What hurts? Your head?¡± He soothed the best he could, darting his attention around them. From beyond an abandoned guard post, black talons clawed into the tiled roof, pulling itself up. Its black wiry head cocked back and forth, clicking with every movement. It watched them from its perch, as Taiga eyed back. He held his wooden sword tight in his hand, vines retracted and the battered handle splintering his palm. Magic seeped from him, exhaustion overwhelming. ¡°We gotta go,¡± he nudged Mouse. He opened his dark eyes for a moment, trying to follow Taiga¡¯s line of sight, but squeezed them shut before finding the demon. ¡°Please¡­¡± Mouse mumbled, ¡°stop it, please.¡± Taiga caught the glint of a purple haze steam from Mouse¡¯s arms, leaking from the concealment he usually held such tight control over. Taiga¡¯s feet froze, watching the purple magic linger over his friend. He forced his hand to relax, keeping a mental note of the demon, and knelt beside Mouse. He touched Mouse¡¯s fingers pulling at his hair and slamming his knuckles against his head. Taiga spoke a forced calm, restraining any note of panic or rush, partly for Mouse but also for himself. If he couldn¡¯t stay calm, then how could he hope Mouse would? ¡°Mouse, listen to me,¡± Taiga paused, taking a deep breath and listening to the clicks encircling them slowly. ¡°We have to move.¡± Another roar sounded somewhere in the distance, from within the town. More demons were arriving. Though a few bodies lay about, it seemed most civilians managed to escape. At least, Taiga hoped so. He couldn¡¯t afford to think otherwise right then. A small crumble, and fragments of stone fell onto Taiga¡¯s shoulder. He spun around, gripping his sword and swinging it in front of him. Atop the wall, a demon sat, its claws digging into the capstone and cracking the outer layer. Shivers shot through him, freezing him for only a moment. It clicked, chattering its teeth together in a string of notes. Taiga steadied his feet, sliding a boot around Mouse, and digging them into the ground. The demon slid its legs beneath it, bouncing up and down while its arms gripped the side of the wall, slowly inching closer to him. Taiga drew upon the earth beneath him, though little responded. The corruption had plenty of time to soak into the soil now, and he¡¯d garnered as much life left from it for the Guardian. He rooted himself, spreading bark from his stomach, up his chest, shoulders, and down his arms. As the demon on the wall lurched back, the grass hissed from behind. He whirled around, slamming the pommel of his sword into the jaw of the demon from the guard post. The jaw cracked on impact, and spines of the demon snapped against Taiga¡¯s bark. He winced at the few that bit through, before spinning to the right and flinging the demon into the grass. He slid his right foot back, tossed his sword to his left hand, and slashed horizontally over Mouse, the wooden edge meeting the soft belly of the demon as it leapt from the wall. Blue splattered over his sword and arm as he followed through, clasping the sword¡¯s grip with both hands and smacking it away. It flew back, spinning a few times in the air before landing all fours on the roof of a house. Taiga turned back to the demon in the grass, yanking the green magic from beneath him, and beckoning the grass¡¯s submission. The blades grew in length, snatching around the demons arms and legs, pulling it to the ground. The demon struggled, screaming a scrape of metal as it fought, but he surged magic through the ground, coursing through every leaf and root. The grass leapt at the demon, and forced it beneath them. Taiga spun back towards the demon on the roof, sword in his left hand, positioned in front of him. The demon crawled to the side, dropping to the cobblestone, studying him. He readied himself, but as it prepared to leapt, instead, the demon lifted onto its back legs, raised its head high into the air, hung its head back, and opened its mouth. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. The demon barked from deep within its throat. A croak like the ticking of a watch, gurgling spit into foam that poured over its mouth and plopping onto the ground. It called to the others. And in response, a chaotic chorus of clicks sung through the stilling air. ¡°Shut up,¡± Mouse hollered. Taiga whirled back towards him, still hunched on the ground, but eyes focused, teeth seething. ¡°Mouse, we¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± He screamed, rage shaking his voice. Mouse¡¯s gaze burned beyond Taiga, not even noticing his presence. ¡°Mouse,¡± Taiga snapped, catching sight of several black heads appearing around buildings and around the wall, ¡°we can¡¯t stay here.¡± Pulling himself to trembling feet, Mouse brushed past Taiga. He stumbled, catching himself on a broken lamppost, before wobbling to the demon calling to the others. Taiga stayed on him, calling his name and keeping track of eight demons watching them eagerly. ¡°Mouse, listen to me!¡± But before Taiga could grab him, Mouse jerked a hand out towards the demon, gripping its thin neck between his fingers, and slamming it into the ground. The creature squealed beneath him, likely from shock. Mouse pulled the demon up again, before bashing its head into the cobblestone. Blue specks of blood splattered over his face. Taiga grabbed Mouse¡¯s arm, but not before Mouse managed to pull up on the demon and pound it back into the ground. ¡°Mouse, stop!¡± He ignored Taiga, getting a better grip on the demon, and slamming it down over and over. Blood pooled around their boots, scattered drops staining their clothes. Despite Taiga¡¯s calls, Mouse¡¯s attention never pulled away, even after the demon lay still in its own blood. Purple magic steamed from Mouse¡¯s arms, and as it leaked, Taiga tensed. He grabbed hold of Mouse, cupping a hand over each ear and forcing his face towards his. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Mouse blinked at him, ¡°I told them to shut up.¡± ¡°Yeah, I think they got it.¡± Taiga let out a held breath. He held his grip on him, ¡°calm down.¡± Mouse nodded, closing his eyes and winced. He muffled a groan, dropping his arms and leaning into Taiga. Taiga let him, resting a hand on his back, and nesting his chin atop Mouse¡¯s head. ¡°Calm down.¡± Taiga eyed several demons, slowly nearing them. Though most of them kept their distance, seeing one trapped in the grass and the other¡¯s head bashed in, a few braver ones crept closer, clicking and ducking out of sight. He couldn¡¯t fight them all, not with a wooden sword and Mouse in his arms. The demons seemed to stay off the soil, or at least avoided it as much as they could. The demon he¡¯d trapped was abandoned, left to struggle against a futile escape. ¡°Mouse, you hear me?¡± He waited for Mouse to groan in response. ¡°We¡¯re going to run. I need you to get yourself up and lean on me, okay?¡± ¡°They¡¯re screaming,¡± Mouse whined after a few moments. Taiga hesitated, but measuring the distance to the only visible demon at four meters, he gritted his teeth and stood, pulling Mouse with him. Mouse¡¯s legs caved a moment. Taiga caught him, and placed one of his arms over himself, ¡°We¡¯re running.¡± ¡°I heard,¡± Mouse nipped at him, clicking his tongue and gripping the shoulder of Taiga¡¯s tunic. Clutching the belt strapped to Mouse¡¯s waist, Taiga shifted part of his friend¡¯s weight to himself, and took a few wobbly steps. Though much of the thickest corruption had ceased after killing the Guardian Spirit, what lingered still slowed his reactions slightly. Without Mouse, he could manage, but with? He said nothing, focused his feet in front of him, and kept to the soil and grass. Once he felt steady, Taiga picked up the pace. Mouse¡¯s feet matched with his, though they stumbled and gave way without Taiga¡¯s support. A demon slithered from behind rubble, running towards them. He sidestepped, pulling Mouse further from the demon than himself. He watched it, as it jerked to a halt at the edge of the cobblestoned road. It¡¯s glowing blue eyes looked to the grass, before back at him, clicking annoyed. It stopped its feet a few times before letting out a growl of deep grinding metal. Taiga ran, begging the grass to grow around them. As Mouse¡¯s boots dragged behind his, blades of grass pushed him forward, and stretched towards the sun, a threat to any demon that dared approach. He ran past a house, and down an overgrown alley between buildings and the town¡¯s wall. His breath hitched and his legs trembled, but Taiga pounded his legs into the ground nonetheless, further from the swarm of clicking and out of the faint mist of orange. When he was sure no demon watched from nearby, he slunk into an abandoned shop. The interior was simple, decorated with wood carvings and tools. Setting Mouse down behind the counter, he surveyed the small room. Silence welcomed him, calming his nerves and inviting exhaustion. He checked the back, locking the door and barricading it with a cabinet. He enjoyed the light from the window, but shut the curtains just to be safe. In the front, he pulled a stool from the counter and shifted it under the front door. No curtains hung over the storefront window, so he made due with sliding a table on its side and placing it up front. Stairs leading up were already locked. He left it be, considering it an escape route if all else failed. ¡°Taiga?¡± Mouse muttered, his voice strained and spent. He hurried back after one last glance around and slid down beside Mouse. ¡°Hey, shhh, we¡¯ve got to stay quiet.¡± Mouse leaned into him. Taiga caught his head, positioned himself next to him, and propped Mouse¡¯s head on his shoulder. Mouse leaned into him more, groaning and squeezing his fingers around Taiga¡¯s arm. Soft clicks grew in the silence, filling the air. Shadows moved across the covered windows. A few scratches made Taiga draw Mouse closer. Purple magic wafted from Mouse¡¯s skin, condensing and intertwining as he pushed back the pain. It didn¡¯t harm Taiga, but with every groan, and every pulse of magic, the clicks grew outside. ¡°Mouse, calm down.¡± He hushed him as soothing as he could manage. He kept a hand on his sword, tense and ready to launch if needed. ¡°Calm.¡± ¡°It hurts. They¡¯re screaming.¡± His voice cracked. ¡°I know,¡± he rubbed Mouse¡¯s back gently, his voice nothing more than a gentle whisper. He didn¡¯t know, but he could find out later. ¡°Just calm down. Focus on my voice. Breathe.¡± He repeated the words, until the magic calmed, the clicks grew distant, and Mouse fell asleep. Chapter 18 - Mouse A bird. Mouse watched it shift its beady eyes from side to side. But the bird didn¡¯t see him from where he knelt behind a dresser resting beneath the windowsill. He shifted his weight to his feet, readying them. He bounced slightly, shifting his weight from one leg to the other as he watched it. He could eat it. Or capture it. Both? Probably both. But he¡¯d eaten a peach a short bit ago, and didn¡¯t feel like bird. Mouse tenderly slid a hand to the top of the dresser, palm outstretched like Taiga showed him. In it, a prize Taiga had brought him the day before from a stall in the market; grain. The bird froze, beady eyes watching the hand. He stopped, keeping himself as still as possible. The bird hopped through the open window, paused, then hopped closer. His heart sped up, and he ventured an inch forward. The bird took flight, and just as he thought his chances were gone, the bird landed back at the sill. He waited, holding his breath until the bird ventured back towards the grain. This time, he stayed still, remembering Taiga¡¯s reminder to stay patient. Fine, he¡¯d give it a try. Minutes passed, and the bird only cocked its head in every direction possible. Then, it leapt forward again. Another hop, landing on the dresser. At long last, the bird hopped into his hand, and picked a grain up in its mouth. The excitement filled Mouse to the brim, bursting at the seams through trembles and a smile spreading over his face. The bird¡¯s eyes cocked to his, and he froze again. ¡°Hi,¡± he whispered, before it took off with the grain, speeding away like a thief. He kept his eyes focused on it, until the bird disappeared into a tree. ¡°Feeling better?¡± Taiga came up behind him with a towel in hand, ruffling it over his wet hair. He¡¯d left at sun up to take a bath on the first floor of the inn. Mouse nodded. ¡°The voices are gone.¡± Taiga paused, lingering his gaze on him, before grabbing his tunic off the bed. Mouse turned back towards the open window. He hopped over the dresser, and hung his legs out over the sill. He fanned out his toes, letting the breeze pass through them. Out on the street, the voices of a few stall owners called out to passing customers. He watched an old man pause at a vegetable stand, pointing at a couple. A few children ran beneath the trees on the opposite side of the street. Two held wooden swords, and one laughed ahead of them. A mother scolded her daughter outside the inn. Something about her dirtied dress. Mouse lost interest. He paused, realizing his hand started scratching his throat again. Turning behind him, Taiga hadn¡¯t noticed. Good, since he grew tired of being lectured. A boom a short distance away startled him. A few groans of the street vendors, and yells about toppled wine barrels from a cart. Nothing important. Three days¡­ that was how long it took for the screams and cries wreaking chaos within him to silence. When he awoke after the Guardian was slain, he rested upon pillows and nestled into quilts and blankets at the inn. Taiga asked him about the demons, but he recalled nothing of them. What he instead remembered were the howls of agony and pain every Guardian Spirit felt at the loss of Mafgnesn, echoing through the fallen Guardian, and rattling him. The connection between the Guardians was something Mouse didn¡¯t understand well. They were all the same entity, but not. Severing the life of one¡­ he wondered if it was akin to cutting off a sense, such as smell or sight. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the case, but maybe the devastation could be similar to what he would feel. Or maybe he was wrong, and it was closer to losing someone most dear and precious. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. For him, that would be Taiga. Mouse shook the thought from himself, as he did with the screams still echoing through remnants and memories within him. The pain was not something he knew how to bear. So instead, he watched the humans outside, milding about like the insects they were. ¡°What do you think of getting a horse?¡± Taiga broke a building annoyance. ¡°I thought we couldn¡¯t¡­ What, afford? We couldn¡¯t afford one?¡± Mouse eagerly spun back towards him, who sat upon the bed and read through their finance book. Mouse saw no point in this action, but Taiga seemed to enjoy tracking their money. ¡°We can¡¯t. I didn¡¯t say ¡®buy¡¯.¡± He liked where this conversation was going. ¡°I saw a guy a few minutes ago walking two. We can jump him and¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± Mouse paused. Well, if they weren¡¯t going to steal them, what was the point. ¡°Are we¡­ not getting a horse then?¡± ¡°We are. But not from a normal working person. A few men in the baths were talking about upcoming auctions. Just south of here is a huge auction house, specialized in animals. There¡¯s a well-known stable which supplies different sorts of horses to auction for the wealthy nobility.¡± He closed the booklet, sliding it into a pouch of his bag. Mouse grinned. ¡°So we¡¯ll get one from there?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the plan.¡± Mouse thought for a moment. A horse would be great, but something else came to mind. His smile widened. ¡°They sell all sorts of animals at this auction?¡± Taiga visibly paused. Stiffly, he replied, ¡°yes. Where is this going?¡± ¡°So, they¡¯ll have linlao there?¡± He missed the big feathered beasts of the warfront. Large enough to carry two men while dressed in armor, they never wavered in the face of war, graceful in the way they slithered through a sea of violence. Half-bird and half-salamander, linlao were one of the few creatures undeterred by his presence. ¡°I thought you wanted a horse?¡± Taiga crossed his arms over his chest, not awaiting a response. ¡°I could snoop around. See what we find. If the auction is as big as rumor says, they¡¯ll surely have at least a few for sale.¡± ¡°Yes! A linlao!¡± Mouse twirled around, grabbing his socks and pulling them onto his feet. ¡°Okay but,¡± Taiga halted his excitement, ¡°if we¡¯re going for a linlao, there are some rules. We¡¯ll only get one in common markings. A finch, dove, blackbird. Got it? Common markings not easily traced, mild mannered, and young.¡± ¡°Young?¡± Mouse made sense on the first two, but did age matter? ¡°If the linlao is already bonded and loyal to an owner, it¡¯ll be a lot harder to steal, right?¡± Mouse supposed this was true. ¡°We¡¯ll look for one intended for fieldwork. Lazy, calm, and less likely to be searched for. If we steal one with unique colors, markings, or physique, the more likely it¡¯s desired by the wealthy and therefore of higher value. They¡¯ll be less willing to overlook one missing. Understand?¡± Mouse nodded, pulling boots on and stuffing a couple peaches he¡¯d snagged earlier into his bag. He scooped the bag onto his back, and readied. They¡¯d finally have a mount. A horse would have been great, but a linlao? Mouse nearly trembled in anticipation. ¡°Mouse, do you hear me?¡± ¡°Whaaaaat?¡± He whined. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Common markings. Mild mannered. Young. Agreed?¡± He nodded again, scanning the room for anything left behind. He picked a water flask from the side table and strung its handle over the strap, knotting it in place. Taiga rolled his sweater up and stuffed it into the side of his bag, though he kept his sight on Mouse. ¡°Mouse.¡± ¡°Agreed! Common, mild, young.¡± Taiga eyed him a moment, before slinging his bag onto his back, and followed him out the door. ¡°Fine. To the auction house. Don¡¯t make me regret this.¡± Running down the stairs, Mouse chose to ignore that last sentence. The innkeeper eyed him as he tumbled through, visibly relaxing when she saw Taiga. She smiled at him, wiping her hands dry on a towel stuffed into her waistband. ¡°Your companion awoke, I see. Leaving?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for everything,¡± Taiga replied, handing her a few coins. The woman counted them while turning away. ¡°Safe travels.¡± She made a short bow to him. Taiga returned it, following Mouse out the door. Chapter 19 - Mouse The auction house performed three auctions a week on the regular. There were also special event auctions for the wealthy and festivals, though those weren¡¯t important for Mouse or Taiga¡¯s goal. Mouse¡¯s focus rested solely on finding a linlao, and as they entered the estate grounds, he kept his eyes peeled for the creatures. A crash drew their attention. Beneath a tent a dozen meters away, a lumbering creature of fur ripped from its handlers, falling against several crates. It flailed, and several people ran to help, pulling on its reins and calming the creature. Subdued, it whined, and Mouse turned from it. Taiga walked on, and Mouse took several quick steps to catch up. Ahead of them, a mansion grand enough to hold events for nobility alit with activity. Staff and workers ran about, handling things Mouse didn¡¯t care about. Most frequented the entrance to the mansion, though signs for the auction led to the right of it. ¡°There¡¯s another auction this evening. Invitation only for higher bid items,¡± Taiga commented. ¡°We¡¯re not going to that one?¡± Taiga shook his head. ¡°Of course not. We¡¯re looking for a working linlao, remember? Not one bred for flashy colors and display. The morning auction is open to anyone, according to this,¡± he waved a leaflet someone handed him at the gate, ¡°and focuses on more common animals, for farmwork and the like.¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡± Mouse peered through the open side gate into the mansion, catching the sight of a long, pink tongue slithering from between the bars of a crate. He smiled, ¡°found one,¡± and trotted off. Taiga latched onto his arm and pulled him back. ¡°Did we not discuss this.¡± ¡°I just want to look.¡± Taiga sighed, releasing him. He pinched the space between his brow a moment before speaking. ¡°The plan is for me to distract the handlers, while you snag one. Agreed?¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± His eyes didn¡¯t waver from the pink tongue. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Those are probably for tonight¡¯s auction. So no. The last thing we need is to anger a bunch of rich people and be charged with theft for some exotic, special linlao.¡± Mouse had seen those sorts of linlao only once, when he¡¯d tagged along with Taiga as an escort for a foreign emissary. If he recalled correctly, it was some sort of rich people flower viewing party. Taiga had told him that it was really a place to show off their prizes and rebalance the social stature of the nobility, or something. He¡¯d seen proud, independent linlao of various colors trotted around with women of status sitting upon them. They held parasols and fans in their hands, while handlers kept the linlao in line. Disgusting. Keeping ornate beasts beneath them while they wore silks and fineries atop must have given them a sense of superiority. Taiga would likely be angry if he broke all of them free. He supposed they might get in trouble. Which would then prevent them from getting to Leryn Forest. And he wouldn¡¯t be able to make sure Pnendua was safe. It frustrated him, but Taiga was right. He needed to stay focused. He refrained. When tents and seating came into view around the side of the mansion, Mouse pulled back and let Taiga go ahead. He glanced around at the common folk scattered about. Most had found a seat beneath a large tent, though a few mingled about, speaking in loud and familial tones. They dressed in oversized, worn-down tunics from working the fields. At the back of the tent, a large wooden platform stood with a ramp. There was no podium as Mouse expected, but a table with signs and cards strewn about. Taiga strode past them and the tent, and Mouse followed behind with a lag, growing the space between them. He tensed as a group of men laughed boisterously near him, and Mouse hurried forward to get away from them. Beyond the tent, groups of cattle and horses were handled by workers. A few cases and stacked boxes blocked most of the attendees view from the animals. A guard stood nearby, casually glancing from box to case. To the left, closer to the mansion, several large, metal crates stood. Each crate ran three meters long and nearly as high, fitted on wheeled carts to carry them across the field. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Taiga waved to the guard closest to the crates, walking up to him and saying something. Mouse trailed around the back of the crates at leisure, peering into them and catching glimpses of large, feathered creatures curled into the back of their prisons. ¡°I¡¯m sure this is the right place, though. I¡¯ve got a mission for this estate.¡± Taiga flashed the guard his mercenary license. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back and get in trouble because I didn¡¯t follow through making sure there¡¯s a job or not. Can you show me to the owner? I¡¯d rather make sure, than to go back and regret it.¡± Mouse glanced back towards the mansion, catching sight of that pink tongue through the open gateway. Sure, these linlao would be good companions, but, well, a peek at those wouldn¡¯t hurt, right? He veered away from the farm working linlao. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t want to lose this job over a mistake either. I¡¯ll show you the way.¡± The guard nodded, waving his hand forward and beckoning Taiga with it. Mouse crouched down, darting towards the mansion after checking for any wandering eyes. When he reached a line of hedges nestled against the main building, he looked back towards the crated linlao. He made eye contact with Taiga, who followed the guard towards the tent. Taiga¡¯s eyes widened, then narrowed at him. Ah, he was probably worried Mouse would get them in trouble. But Mouse remembered the plan; common markings, mild-mannered, and young. Mouse shot an arm up to him, giving him a thumbs up and a smile, to ease any worries. He had this under control. Taiga¡¯s mouth dropped at him. Then he stumbled, caught himself, and turned back to the guard who said something to him. Now that he and Taiga were on the same page, Mouse scurried through the gate, and hid behind a couple boxes. He peered around the room just enough to make sure no one saw him. But luck must¡¯ve been on his side, because not a single person walked about. He smiled again, crouching behind a wooden case while inching towards the metal cells he¡¯d seen the tongue before. The tongue stuck through the cells again, shooting across the walkway, and to a cloth sack hanging from a post. The tongue prodded the bottom, wriggling between the fibers, and pulling at the small hole. The tongue slung back between the metal bars, before darting back to the bag. Mouse crept to the bag, loosening the knot on it just enough to sneak a look inside. Thousands of mealworms squirmed within. A small tap drew his eyes beneath the bag, where a couple mealworms freed themselves through the hole. The tongue shot at them, snagging the worms and yanking them back into the shadows of the cage. ¡°You want these?¡± Mouse checked around them once more before stepping into the walkway, and came up against the cage. Within, a beast several meters in length easily two meters in height stood. It was feathered heavily along its spine, plumage spreading along its sides and replaced by silk, almost velvety skin on its underbelly. A hard shell shown from the darkness, beakened lips over a wide, salamander face. Large, black eyes peered at him from the sides of its head. Its attention on Mouse, it arched its back forward, reaching nearly three meters in height, despite the cage¡¯s limitations. Black feathers glistened in the light, speckled in whites and a sheen of purples and greens from oiled feathers. A Starling. He grinned. Taiga would surely be pleased. ¡°Hey there. You hungry?¡± Its black eyes borrowed into his, trying to interpret his tone. It seemed to accept him as a non-threat, its eyes swiveling back to the bag and easing to the cage¡¯s bars. Mouse untied the bag from its post, dropping it into his arm. He reached in, grabbing a small handful of mealworms. They wriggled in his grasp as he pulled them out. He unfurled his fingers in front of the cage, and the linlao struck its tongue at him, snatching most of them up and munching on them. ¡°I¡¯ll give you more if you come with me.¡± Mouse unlatched the door easily, snapping a chain and pulling it free from the door. He took one more glance around. Out the door, the sounds of the auctioneer introducing himself echoed. They wouldn¡¯t even notice them slipping away. He slid the door open slowly to avoid creaking of the old metal, and grabbed the linlao¡¯s lead hooked inside the cage. The rope loosely pulled against the linlao¡¯s neck, though the linlao didn¡¯t notice. It stuck its face into the bag of mealworms, gobbling a mouthful before Mouse pulled it back. ¡°Hey, come on. We¡¯ve got to be sneaky, okay?¡± The linlao glanced at him, before moving for the bag again. ¡°No, come on!¡± Mouse shoved the nose of the linlao back. He wrapped the lead around his arm, held out another handful of mealworms, and led the creature out. A whine from another cell caught his attention. Bright blues showed in the light before disappearing further into the cell. He bit back pity as the Starling dove for the bag again. ¡°Hey, you¡¯ll get more, come on,¡± He whispered to it, pulling the tie on the sack to shrink the opening so only his hand fit through. He grabbed another small handful, and backed through the gate and behind the hedges. The great beast followed without reservation, licking up a mealworm that fell from his hand. They slipped past the hedges, around the back of the estate, and towards an orchard. Nearly everyone in sight was engrossed in the auction, and not one noticed them before they disappeared into the trees of the woods beyond the property. Chapter 20 - Taiga While Taiga appreciated that their new companion, indeed, was a linlao of common markings, mild-mannered, and seemed to be two to three years of age, it didn¡¯t change the fact that Mouse had 1, not followed the plan. And 2, stolen a linlao meant for the evening auction for the wealthy. A Starling was uncommon, a jack of all trades used in a variety of ways. So her presence beside a few mercenaries would go fairly unnoticed. But why would a simple Starling be intended for an auction of the wealthy? Taiga¡¯s best guess; she would have been auctioned to a wealthy merchant group. On one hand, this meant she¡¯d have fetched a decent price, and her disappearance noted and reported. On the other¡­ well, at least she was common enough that with some proper registration, they¡¯d be overlooked. The problem was, they had no registration. In haste, Taiga scribbled a letter to a contact from his knightly days for some forgeries. They set their goal for Winolin, known for its high mercenary presence and therefore, a sort of protection if anything stirred up about a recent Starling linlao disappearance. He¡¯d written to his contact to mail the registration papers to the guild hall there. So as long as everything went smoothly until then, they were in the clear. Sweet Bun, affectionately named by Mouse, nuzzled against Taiga¡¯s back, nibbling at the collar of his tunic. Her beak clipped against his skin, though it didn¡¯t bother him. Mouse took the opportunity to reach a hand out towards her, but the creature yanked back, and swatted at his hand with her beak. She puffed up, and looked at him with a look Taiga could only describe as annoyance. ¡°I gave her so many mealworms, and she still treats me like this,¡± Mouse pouted, puffing his cheeks a bit. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s what happens when you mess around with her too much and try riding her without permission. We¡¯re new to her, it¡¯ll take time.¡± But even as Taiga said this, Sweet Bun set her chin on Taiga¡¯s shoulder, rubbing into his neck and making begging chirps for his attention. He touched her beak for a few moments, before fixing the collar she chewed, and continuing on. ¡°Yeah, real convincing.¡± Mouse chided, which Sweet Bun seemed to notice. She narrowed her eyes at him, and gave him a gruff chirp in reply. ¡°I¡¯ll win her over eventually.¡± ¡°With what? You already tried food.¡± ¡°With my commitment?¡± He shrugged, nodding to himself. Taiga laughed, which earned another smile from Mouse. The detour they took met at a dirt road a few kilometers out of town. They walked it, heading almost directly east. The third largest city in Lanria, Winolin, sat against a river running from the eastern mountains through the snaking corrupted lands. Taiga could nearly smell the spices from the road, despite being nearly three hundred kilometers away. In all likelihood, the fields upwind cultivated various ginger, and it was harvesting season. The air began to cool as autumn threatened. Taiga already wore his cape as the evenings drew a chill. He hoped the weather held until they¡¯d reach Winolin in a week''s time. There, Taiga and Mouse could find a job or two to fatten their wallets and hopefully garner some information about the Guardians corrupting and if anyone knew about the imbalance of magic. Though humans weren¡¯t exactly skilled in this knowledge, Lanria was the most advanced kingdom on the continent in this matter. Plus, the guild might be doing their own independent studies on it. At least, that was Taiga¡¯s hope. In all honesty, he wasn¡¯t sure. But he had noticed Mouse stopped talking about hurrying to see Pnendua ever since Mafgnesn¡¯s death and the screams in him died down. Maybe if they could find some sort of information to help stop the Guardian¡¯s from corrupting¡­ but at this point, he wasn¡¯t even sure what kind of information that was. A cure? For what illness? He flexed his fingers, trying to forcefully relax them. He didn¡¯t appreciate walking around blindly. Queen Nolara had really sent them on a suicide mission. Taiga dabbled with that thought more often than he liked. But really, all they were buying was time. And this time came at the cost of the Guardian¡¯s lives. Their lives, which protected the soil and earth from corrupting beyond habitability for life. ¡°Heyyyyy,¡± Mouse whispered, inching his hand towards Sweet Bun¡¯s feathered mane. He¡¯d have had better luck not announcing his attempt, or so Taiga assumed. And by the way Sweet Bun squinted her eyes at him, he assumed correctly. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Sweet Bun studied Mouse¡¯s hand hovering closer to her, before lunging her head out and snapping her beak down on it. Mouse yanked back, whipping his arm behind him. He frowned, shaking the pain out of his hand. ¡°She got my fingers.¡± ¡°Well, I suppose she¡¯ll help you get better reflexes, huh?¡± Mouse¡¯s frown turned to him, ¡°I am getting better, aren¡¯t I?¡± He was surprisingly positive, despite the annoyed bite in his tone. Taiga chuckled, shaking his head. A chilled breeze pulled past, and he huddled his arms under his cape. Taiga¡¯s nose wrinkled at the cold, before picking up the distinct scent of cooking meat. He glanced out towards the road ahead of him, spotting a thin stream of white smoke trickling into the sky. From the map he¡¯d copied at the inn, there shouldn¡¯t have been any villages nearby. ¡°Mouse, travelers.¡± He turned, catching his friend making another attempt at the linlao¡¯s patience. ¡°She¡¯s never going to like you if you keep doing that.¡± Mouse withdrew, looking out towards the road. ¡°Let¡¯s ambush them?¡± Taiga stopped in his tracks. ¡°Okay, wait, what? Why?¡± He sighed when Mouse shrugged. ¡°Why do you immediately resort to violence?¡± ¡°But we can steal their money that way. You said we were running low again.¡± ¡°I did,¡± Taiga pinched the bridge of his nose, ¡°but I meant we could find a job. Not steal.¡± Mouse shrugged again, ¡°what¡¯s the difference?¡± Taiga took a moment, breathed in deeply, and exhaled all the things he wanted to say. He opened his mouth, closed it, then repeated his breath to get the rest of it out. ¡°Alright. No. I meant, we can see if they¡¯re okay. It¡¯s midmorning. Resting on the side of the road at this time isn¡¯t normal.¡± They walked a few peaceful moments in silence, before Mouse spoke again. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re going to ambush us? Then we can steal from them, right?¡± Sweet Bun eyed Taiga, shifting to Mouse, then back to Taiga before grunting. He assumed it was linlao for ¡®why is this fool with us¡¯. At the moment, he wasn¡¯t sure why either. He considered Mouse¡¯s question nonetheless. ¡°Sure.¡± Mouse smiled, and made some sort of giddy laugh. A smile crept over Taiga¡¯s face. Mouse stepped ahead, keeping a few paces in front of Taiga and Sweet Bun. He tightened his pack, skipping a few steps, and poking his head up as high as he could, as if it would give him some new vantage point. As they drew closer, Taiga reminded him of their agreement, and Mouse slowed his pace when he caught sight of a bunch of normal travelers sitting around a fire. He begrudgingly fell behind Taiga, unsure of these strangers now that he knew they weren¡¯t criminals he could profit from. ¡°Y¡¯all doing okay?¡± Taiga asked, plastering a concerned smile on his face as Mouse ducked behind him with Sweet Bun. She huffed beside him. ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± An older man stood to greet them, making a short bow which Taiga returned. ¡°Are you two headed to Winolin? I¡¯d recommend against it.¡± ¡°Something going on?¡± He tried to sound casual, though his interest perked. ¡°Well, a small group of travelers came through a few days ago, saying to be wary because they spotted a few demons on their way.¡± The man trailed off a bit, sighing and turning to a few other members. Taiga paused, studying him for a moment. Though he sensed no lies, demons in fertile land? Sure, to the northeast lay a zone of corruption, but venturing this far wasn¡¯t common. ¡°Demons? Out here?¡± Mouse poked his head out from behind Taiga. ¡°We weren¡¯t sure either. I¡¯ve only seen them once or twice all my life.¡± The man paused, ¡°we¡¯re merchants, just trying to get to Winolin.¡± ¡°Wait, go back to the part about demons,¡± Mouse huffed. ¡°Eh? Umm, well, I don¡¯t know¡ª¡± ¡°Ignore him. You need to get to Winolin? We¡¯re heading there.¡± Taiga nudged his friend back. ¡°We¡¯re mercenaries. If you¡¯d prefer, we can escort you there.¡± From behind him, Mouse yanked back on the collar of his tunic, ¡°why?¡± he whispered, while whining, into Taiga¡¯s ear. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a lot easier to get the full picture about the demons if they like us. Don¡¯t you think? And it¡¯s easier to hide Sweet Bun,¡± he gestured to a sleeping Finch linlao behind a cart, ¡°if there¡¯s another she can blend in with.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t like them.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know. But I can do the talking. Besides, making sure they get to Winolin safe is a good thing to do. You know what I mean, ex-knight?¡± Mouse puffed his cheeks out, narrowing his eyes at Taiga, ¡°making sure they¡¯re safe is a good thing,¡± he mumbled in agreement. Taiga smiled and nodded. ¡°Would you? Oh, that would be fantastic!¡± A woman from behind the old man stood, hurrying to them. Her gait thumped the ground, though it went unnoticed beneath her booming voice. ¡°Look, we can¡¯t pay you. But we have good food.¡± Mouse, who had ducked back behind him at her thunderous presence, raised his head over Taiga¡¯s shoulder, ¡°food? Do you have peaches?¡± The woman eyed him a moment, before a laugh belted from her, ¡°bundles of them!¡± Chapter 21 - Mouse ¡°I love them.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Mouse bit into a fresh peach in his left hand. He had another in his right, with a few chunks already missing. He swung his feet out the back of the wagon they sat in. Sweet Bun slithered a few meters away, cautious of the brown Finch linlao and the two children riding him. ¡°She said they have sweet breads and weird camel things, whatever that is.¡± ¡°Caramel.¡± Taiga shrugged, ¡°not sure what that is, though. Something from Monx or Sashume maybe?¡± ¡°These people are the best.¡± Mouse took another bite from the peach on his right. It was sweeter than the left one, though less juicy. ¡°And you¡¯ve dealt with demons before, you said?¡± A man dressed in finery came up next to them riding a tan, well-tempered horse. It even let Mouse pet its mane before they started moving. It was such a nice horse, despite the human looking like he belonged in the annoying courts of Lanria¡¯s capital. ¡°A few times. There¡¯s been some outbreaks,¡± Taiga nodded, ¡°out at Hase,¡± where they killed the first Guardian Spirit Grhaanfjes, ¡°and Leonold, near Applegate.¡± Where Mafgnesn had invaded Mouse¡¯s mind. The man processed this with a simple, ¡°ah.¡± ¡°Oh those were bad, I heard. Remember, love, about what that fur trader said?¡± The loud woman rode up beside him. ¡°He said they¡¯ll have to rebuild from scratch. You were there, huh? You¡¯re some of the lucky ones.¡± Mouse paused. Lucky? What was lucky? The deaths of hundreds of humans? The loss of two of the most ancient beings that treaded their earth? That protected their lands, and homes, and ways of life? As heat settled over him, Taiga squeezed his leg. Though a smile showed on his face, the tightness in his grip melted Mouse¡¯s anger. Taiga, more than anyone, hated ¡®luck¡¯. He said that the ignorant use the term luck when they don''t want to know the truth. Taiga had been called ¡®lucky¡¯ many times growing up, and even more in knighthood upon discovering who he was. The last of the Ganakri. The last Child of the Forest. There had been no luck that day. ¡°We really were, weren¡¯t we?¡± Taiga laughed, shaking Mouse from his thoughts. ¡°We saw our fair share of action, but we can only thank the stars for keeping the corruption from us.¡± ¡°Right? When I heard what happened¡­¡± Mouse listened no further. Taiga still squeezed his leg. He said nothing until midday, and Mouse took the break to walk out any stiffness. He wandered to Sweet Bun, flashing her the friendliest smile he knew how to muster. She stomped her foot and puffed air at him. He paused, but stayed ready for any sign of acceptance. When she snapped her beak in threat, he slunk away. ¡°Here,¡± Taiga held out a small cloth pinched between his fingers with something nestled within. He held his palm out, and Taiga gently placed it down. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Mouse unfolded a corner of the cloth covering the contents, confused at the weird brown cubes inside. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Caramel, apparently.¡± He shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t care for it. I think you will, though.¡± He picked a cube up, surprised at its slight gooeyness, and put his tongue to it. A heavy sweetness surged from the tip of his tongue, across it, and spread through his mouth. He pulled away as it zapped him. ¡°It¡¯s so sweet!¡± He plopped it onto his tongue, trembling slightly as the caramel melted itself. ¡°Kind of like honey.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s too strong for me. You can have them all.¡± Taiga smiled at him, chuckling a moment. ¡°It¡¯s a Sashume sweet, apparently. They got some down south at the port and have been giving out samples to regional nobles to test the waters.¡± When they began moving again, Taiga opted to walk, and Mouse leapt off the wagon to join him. A kid jumped from the driver¡¯s seat to the back, digging through a bag to find himself a piece of bread. He plopped down and chewed while watching them. ¡°Hughe,¡± Taiga called to the old man Mouse guessed was the leader of them. ¡°You mentioned seeing demons before. Is this common? We¡¯re from the west, but thought demons stayed in corrupted zones.¡± The old man nodded, touching his beard a moment, ¡°I grew up hearing them in folklore. Bedtime stories to scare us kids away from areas devoid of life. You know, where the plants die and whatnot?¡± He shooed his hand at something Mouse couldn¡¯t see. ¡°It really wasn¡¯t until a few years or so ago that I saw one in the flesh,¡± he flicked his walking stick towards Taiga, alarming Mouse before he realized it was simply for dramatic effect. Humans and their confusing ways. ¡°From afar, of course. A very safe distance away. Some mercenaries like yourselves took care of it.¡± ¡°Nothing until a few years ago?¡± Taiga delved for more specifics. The loud woman nodded, ¡°Never! And it was weird at first. Demons existing? It really shook a lot of us.¡± Mouse gazed at her, vaguely curious as to why she spoke so loudly. Taiga wasn¡¯t loud, and people heard him just fine. But she¡¯d given him fruit and caramels, so he shrugged off his annoyance. Instead, he just walked on the opposite side of Taiga, occasionally checking the ground for any nice looking rocks. ¡°I know a few people who stopped their travels altogether,¡± a different woman added, walking ahead of them. She slowed to keep pace with them. ¡°They found a nice place to set up shop, and do all their trade from there.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of this.¡± Taiga replied seriously, ¡°even in the capital, Pall, there¡¯s no talk of this.¡± This was true. Demons weren¡¯t some creature roaming the plains like animals. They existed through the over abundance of corruption or purity, though the former was far more common. And without that over abundance, demons couldn¡¯t maintain their forms long before slinking back to the shadows of the Beyond, of the so-called demon realm. If demons were suddenly free to wander as they pleased in Lanria, Pall and the royal courts would be in uproar. At the very least, knights would be dispatched to investigate the claims, whether true or false. But they, as knights, never heard of this. ¡°Sounds about right. From what we¡¯ve seen, no official Lanrian investigation has looked into it.¡± The woman added, ¡°nothing from the queen, the nobles, or anybody.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Mouse ventured, and caught Taiga glancing at him. The woman looked at the old man, who shrugged before he spoke. ¡°We hear more than most, because we¡¯re traveling merchants. It¡¯s our business. A lot of people would tell you that¡¯s why Pall doesn¡¯t know. Word hasn¡¯t reached them yet.¡± Mouse didn¡¯t quite get it. Maybe he wasn¡¯t the best at learning stuff, but it didn¡¯t make sense to him. How could this go on for years, and somehow no nobles have told any officials who in turn would inform the courts? He at least knew one thing; the royal courts loved gossip. The local nobles would send word, and officials would spill to their bribers. This is how the courts worked, from what Taiga had shown him. After a long pause, Taiga spoke. ¡°Who¡¯s cleaning up?¡± The old man smiled, ¡°I like you. You¡¯re a thinker.¡± Apparently Mouse wasn¡¯t, because he still didn¡¯t get it. The woman who had slowed for the conversation now broke away and returned to her place. The loud woman and her husband started their own conversation, whispering to each other. Taiga¡¯s face hardened. ¡°The mercenaries.¡± He grinned, showing a few gaping holes where teeth once were. Taiga stared down the old man a moment, before making a few small nods and turning to Mouse. He said nothing, instead taking a deep breath. Mouse tugged at Taiga¡¯s sleeve, but only received a small smile in response. Whatever it was he didn¡¯t understand, Taiga did. Chapter 22 - Taiga The shining metal armor stained in the reds of his people would never leave him. Nor did Taiga want it to. The flickers of orange flashing over cold eyes and stern faces were forever ingrained in him. It wasn¡¯t until years later, when his memory cleared, that Taiga recalled Elder Maymary¡¯s meeting. Or that she had met with a knight of Lanria, not a mercenary. While their attackers were certainly of the latter, it was of no coincidence a knight visited them earlier in the day. Maybe it was because they didn¡¯t think there would be any survivors, or maybe it was arrogance which led them to bear their real armor and emblems that day. If they hadn¡¯t though, Taiga likely wouldn¡¯t have made the connection now. Mercenaries are loyal to those who pay, no matter the emblem they wear. While he could be sure it wasn¡¯t the same mercenaries who harmed his people, as Taiga had seen to that years ago, the crown did enjoy using all tools at her disposal. Afterall, he and Mouse were proof of that. ¡°But why?¡± Mouse stabbed a stick into the dirt, drawing a line, which he¡¯d repeated for the last few minutes. ¡°I don¡¯t get the why.¡± Taiga shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. Maybe panic? Mass exodus? Either way, Queen Nolara knew there was an imbalance in the magics, and she didn¡¯t tell us. That¡¯s the only thing explaining the rise in demon sightings.¡± They kept their voices low enough for the campfire between them and the snoozing merchants to drown them out. He¡¯d waited until they¡¯d all taken rest to their blankets and pillows before speaking of it to Mouse. ¡°Not surprising, considering it¡¯s her, but it is frustrating.¡± Taiga sighed. ¡°So she uses the mercenaries to keep the demons under control, and also to make sure none of the locals get word out?¡± Mouse scratched his head, closed his eyes and contemplated. At least, Taiga thought he was. Sweet Bun hummed quietly in her sleep. She spent most of the afternoon harassing Mouse. Linlao were known to be playful, but she seemed to take joy in messing with him specifically. Taiga wondered about such a personality, but he had bigger things to consider. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. My guess is she¡¯s using the Gale Order to keep the nobles quiet, and the mercenaries to keep things contained.¡± ¡°To what end?¡± Mouse went back to stabbing the ground with his stick. ¡°Us. Killing the Guardians or finding a way to stop their corruption. Or until she finds a way, maybe. It¡¯s likely the imbalance in magics is the cause. But finding the source is the problem.¡± ¡°She¡¯s buying time.¡± Mouse¡¯s stick snapped, and he clicked his tongue at the piece in his hand. ¡°We are, too.¡± Taiga shrugged when Mouse looked at him, ¡°buying time until we can find a way to save the Guardians.¡± Something more was amiss, though he didn¡¯t tell Mouse. Something about it, maybe it was too sneaky, too similar to how the Ganakri had been massacred, or just his own bias¡­ but something told him there was more at play here. They just didn¡¯t know what yet. He let the music of the crickets and crackles of the fire fill the silence between them. He¡¯d missed this; the peace before things got complicated. ¡°Taiga.¡± The quiet in Mouse¡¯s voice made him give full attention. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t visit Pnendua yet.¡± Taiga paused, looking over at his friend who refused to look his way. He let the fire crackle, controlled in its small fire pit, surrounded by stones and dirt. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°If we go now, and can¡¯t save them¡­¡± ¡°Okay.¡± he repeated, gentle as Mouse¡¯s voice grew more agitated. ¡°I could tell,¡± his voice broke, ¡°when Mafgnesn twisted me all up, and all the voices of all the Guardians flowed through them and into me. They don¡¯t know, Taiga. They don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening or why.¡± He¡¯d made an effort to not ask. Mouse would tell him when he was ready. And though he told him now, Taiga still wasn¡¯t sure Mouse was ready. The hints and subtleties until now were enough for him to have made a few guesses. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can help them right now. I want to go see them. But if we go and they¡¯re already¡­ I can¡¯t.¡± His voice trailed off, and Taiga moved beside him, kneeling down and grabbing the broken piece of stick from the dirt. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out, okay? We¡¯ll go when you¡¯re ready, whether that¡¯s now, or later.¡± When Taiga closed his eyes, he could still recall the child-sized Mouse huddled into the furs and feathers of the towering Guardian Spirit whom he called family. He put an arm over Mouse¡¯s shoulders, and knocked their heads together. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out.¡± As Mouse leaned into him, a blueish-white light caught Taiga¡¯s sight, and he turned to see something glow gently on his hip. He pulled Mouse back a bit, catching his attention, and pointed to his side. ¡°Your sword.¡± Taiga waited for him to pull it out of his belt. He did, and they marveled at the slight glow for a second. Then, remembering where they were, Taiga scanned the camp. A few snores and sleeping faces calmed him. He paused, waiting in silence a moment, studying any movement. Once sure none of them awoke, Taiga turned back to Mouse. ¡°It¡¯s water,¡± Mouse whispered, eyes reflecting the ripples pouring from the sword. What started as wood had begun to shift into metal. The entire core turned solid, small waves of blue magic using the metal as its shore. ¡°Why water?¡± Taiga asked. The Anrix sword Mouse cultivated in knighthood had bulked due to his force, and burned his enemies at the touch of molten obsidian. Water felt so much more, well, gentle. ¡°From the Guardian? Mafgnesn? They showed me their death, and in turn it drowned me. I couldn¡¯t escape the water.¡± He shrugged, though his voice drew quiet. At a small thought, Taiga looked closely at it, turning the sword over. Down the core, which was metal on the other side, pink solidified ooze had hollowed the center and melded itself in its place. The blood of the Guardians. Mouse said nothing, his eyes gently caressing it. He touched a finger to it, running it up and down the length of the sword. At the base, a snowflake of pink ooze, like a gem, embedded itself. The edges and tip were wood, the sword still in its growth phase. Yet both of them could tell what form the sword began shaping itself into. Mouse¡¯s ties and love for the Guardian Spirits, and the pain from their deaths, etched from his memories, took form in a way that would never leave the lost behind. ¡°I¡¯m happy with this.¡± He nodded to himself, and brought the pommel, still wood, to his forehead. He tapped his head against it gently, whispering ¡°thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be careful with it now, right?¡± Taiga asked after giving him time to put the sword down, pat it, and breathe. ¡°Now that the Anrix sword is starting to grow, people will be after it.¡± Mouse nodded, cocking his head to the side, ¡°what about yours?¡± Taiga held up his wooden, flimsy toy. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Slow again?¡± Mouse cracked a smile, taking a moment to glance at Sweet Bun. She snoozed peacefully despite their talk. ¡°As expected.¡± After receiving his first Anrix sword when they became knights, it took close to eight months before it showed any changes. The captain had begun wondering if his sword was a dud at the time, with plans to replace it. Taiga smiled at the thought. This one would likely be the same way. Though he hoped it wouldn¡¯t take quite as long this time. He wasn¡¯t sure he could survive many more fights with a piece of wood. Especially now with demons running amok. Once the sun rose, Jonha and her husband served a warm bowl of soup for breakfast while she laughed and joked. Mouse shrunk behind him when she came near. ¡°She gave you caramels. You still don¡¯t like her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s too loud. Why are humans so noisy,¡± Mouse muttered back when Jonha was out of earshot. After they started on the road again, Mouse took to running a short ways ahead, finding trees or rocks to climb up and survey the road. Though most of the area was farmland, clusters of trees and small hills made it difficult to see enough to respond quickly in case of emergencies. At midday, Taiga took to checking ahead until Mouse begged for the position back. Apparently Jonha wasn¡¯t the only loud human of the group, in his opinion. Taiga relented without fuss, and fell to the back of the group. One of the kids, Taiga didn¡¯t catch her name, ran around him with a wooden bird carving in her hand. Her height and hair color reminded him of Alika, though nothing beyond that did. She teased a younger boy, and they twirled around him as they played. He didn¡¯t mind it, even if he wasn¡¯t a huge fan of children in general. Mouse knew how to play with kids, while Taiga usually refrained from joining them. A man from the driver¡¯s seat of a carriage called for the girl, and she ran off, leaving the boy and Taiga alone. ¡°Do you want to play?¡± The boy of maybe six or so asked, displaying wood carvings of an ox and horse. ¡°Not overly.¡± Taiga eyed him as his arms drooped, though the boy said nothing. After a few seconds, he shook the rejection off, and spun around him again. Maybe he shouldn¡¯t have switched positions with Mouse after all. A breeze rushed over them, and one of the merchants cried out, chasing after her headscarf. Another merchant laughed, almost drowning out the whispers of the grass. He caught their warning, stretching over the dirt road to him. ¡°Demons! Call Mouse back!¡± He whirled around, pulling his wooden sword out, and stepping forward as the merchants squealed in confusion. They pulled away from him, and he heard one of the men yelling Mouse¡¯s name from further ahead of them. No demons stood on the path behind them, so he hopped to the ridge beyond the road to the right, where the grasses warning originated from. A few steps over a hill, he spotted blurred beasts moving across the field. He counted six at a glance, dancing between a few scattered trees. Though they were slow at the start, two blue eyes found him, and cackled to the others. They darted towards him, sliding through the tall grasses with ease. He readied himself, steadied his feet. ¡°How many?¡± Mouse ran up beside him, sword already in hand. ¡°Six. Mouse, I can¡¯t use the grasses. Not with them so close.¡± He turned, nodding to the merchants. Two of the more muscled merchants stood in front of their more vulnerable companions, though they looked uneasy themselves. Brave, at least. Mouse locked eyes with Taiga, ¡°got it,¡± then bolted forward. Chapter 23 - Mouse Oh, when was the last time he got to go wild? He flung himself in front of the enemies. The closest demons to him, one with a horn growing from its nose, and the other with elongated arms carrying the weight of its body, lunged at him without a thought. These demons were smaller, maybe a meter in height. A smile spread over his face. He could take these. He swung out, turning his sword flat, and smashing it across the face of the large armed demon. As the other one snarled a series of clicks at him, he spun around, grabbing its horn in one hand, and yanking to the left. The body of the demon ragdolled at the force, and Mouse took the opportunity to slam it against the ground. Another demon jumped at him, but Taiga hurled his wooden sword against it, tossing it off course and into the field a couple meters away. While Taiga pinned it down against the grass, Mouse stomped on the horn demon¡¯s head. It gurgled clicks, and he raised his boot before stomping again, this time shifting his full weight into it. Blue splattered against the grass and his boot. A few dying clicks whined, its small arms struggling in the grass before both slowed to a stop. The demon with long arms recoiled from the hit, and launched at him. Its claws sunk into his back, and a burning pain caved his knees. ¡°Mouse!¡± Taiga called as he grunted. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Mouse caught himself before hitting the ground, bringing a leg forward and suspending his weight between his thighs. He reached back, but the demon twisted around, avoiding his hands. Mouse bit down through more burns as it shifted. Unable to reach it, he pounded his back against the ground, rolled off, spun around, and struck the wooden tip of his sword through the demon¡¯s throat. ¡°Why are they here? There¡¯s no corruption.¡± Taiga brought up his sword, blocking a demon as it jumped at him, ¡°and aside from a few trees, they¡¯re out in the open!¡± The merchants had been truthful. The demon caught onto Taiga¡¯s sword, sinking its claws into the wood and splintering it before he swung it back, knocking the demon off. Mouse darted towards him, but a large shadow drew him back, and he whirled around. Less than a dozen centimeters from him, a demon stood, reaching nearly two meters in height, with emptied eyes observing him, unmoving. It breathed, opening a slit across its body, and blue steam drafted from it like an uncovered oven left to burn. ¡°Um, well, hi.¡± He froze in place, testing to see if it would react to words. It remained still, without a single strand of fur moving. If not for its breath, Mouse would have considered it a statue. ¡°Mouse!¡± Taiga hollered, smacking a demon off him and running towards him, ¡°it¡¯s a Howler! Although he wasn¡¯t sure what that was, by the name, Mouse could hazard a guess. He backed off, but not before the creature¡¯s jaw dropped to the bottom of its long body, and a thunder bellowed from it. Vibrations shook him, melting strength from his arms and legs, pounding against his ears and drowning all other sound. His knees hit the ground. His vision blurred beyond use, and a long ring replaced the fumbled flood in his ears. A shadow moved in front of him, though he couldn''t tell what it was. Another demon? He raised his sword to it, though his arm never moved. His mind hazed. Thoughts clouded by shadows and pulsating tremors. Blurs moved around him, and as thunder crashed through him, pounding him to the ground, it shredded the only thoughts he mustered. It calmed, and the thuds of Taiga¡¯s boots in front of him startled his senses alert. ¡°Move!¡± The shout from Taiga brought him back into focus. Mouse forced his knees under him, grabbing his sword off the ground. ¡°On your left,¡± he breathed, pulling the handle to his stomach, point out, and rushed forward. The blunt edge slammed into the Howler¡¯s mouth, scratching against teeth. It hit flesh, and Mouse dug his feet down, forcing the sword forward despite resistance. The demon slammed its mouth shut. It struggled over the wood and metal, but refused to let up. Taiga jammed his arm into the mouth, keeping it open even a little. The demon¡¯s teeth crushed into his arm, and though Taiga made no sound, blood spilled, slopping to the ground. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Mouse pulled back, but Taiga glared at him, ¡°kill it!¡± Taiga gritted his teeth, and his arm hardened, thick bark forming over broken flesh. The bark shot upward, piercing through the Howler¡¯s upper jaw and forcing it upward. The demon roared through broken teeth and tried ripping back. Taiga held his ground, and Mouse used the extra space to charge forward. He punctured the back of the Howler¡¯s throat, ground his feet, and twisted, cleaving through the demon¡¯s esophagus. ¡°Back.¡± Waiting for the cue, Taiga retreated, hurtling out of the way as Mouse tore through the demon, slicing between the jaws and out through the side of its head. The force, once freed, whirled him off his feet, and Mouse stumbled before catching himself. ¡°Fuck those.¡± He only had a moment to make sure the damn thing dropped before another demon¡¯s croaking clicks grabbed his attention. They turned, spotting a demon looking over its four dead brethren, and two others a few meters away. The demon furthest back cocked its head back, with gurgled bubbles rising out of it. ¡°I thought there were six?¡± He asked, double-counting as he was known for mistakes. ¡°There were. The Howler wasn¡¯t here when we arrived.¡± Taiga stood, cradling his arm and testing weight on it. ¡°And how did you decap it with a plank of wood?¡± He said nothing. Mouse hadn¡¯t noticed the Howler until it was already upon him. Which, for his senses, was near impossible. He looked back at the Howler, checking it once more for movement. ¡°I don¡¯t like those,¡± he murmured, then turned back towards the croaking one, ¡°what¡¯s it doing?¡± Taiga shrugged, ¡°calling for help, I think.¡± Mouse readied his blue splattered sword, ¡°You think??¡± he exasperated. ¡°There¡¯s more coming?¡± ¡°Relax,¡± Taiga shook his head, ¡°there are no more. Either it¡¯s bluffing, or its friend¡¯s are ignoring the call.¡± He paused, lowering his sword slightly, watching two of the three clicking, jutting their heads around. ¡°You sure?¡± Taiga let out half a laugh, ¡°we¡¯re in my domain,¡± he waved around them with his uninjured arm, across the fields and woods, ¡°and the grass never lies.¡± Mouse turned back to the three demons. The one in the back closed its mouth, standing tall on its hind legs, jerking around them, looking for, what Mouse assumed, were its allies. He smiled. ¡°So, this is it? Just these three?¡± A giddiness he hadn¡¯t felt in a while filled him, and his grin widened. Taiga glanced at him, then the demons, and sighed, ¡°First, you can have two of them. Second, don¡¯t scare the merchants.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± With permission, Mouse leapt forward, swinging his sword down between the trio, and making one jump out of the way and isolate itself. One for Taiga. Energy surged through his arms and legs as he pounded between the demons, making his two lurch back. One rebounded, leaping back at him in a surprise attack. Mouse clasped two hands on his sword, and batted it against the demon¡¯s thin body. It cried out in a series of clicks, almost animal-like. He twisted his body, swinging the sword around him, and tossed the demon off. The black, quilled body flew, he¡¯d say at least ten meters, before flinging across the ground like skipping stones. ¡°Did you see that distance!¡± He laughed. Definitely a new record. ¡°Six meters.¡± Taiga sidestepped his demon, smacked it with his barked arm, then roundhouse kicked it. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It flew about six meters. Not a record.¡± ¡°It was more!¡± Mouse shouted back, turning to the last demon. At some point, it puffed its quills out, and began running towards him. ¡°Max of six meters.¡± Several quills dug into him as he raised his arms to block. Mouse kicked it back, and it took the opportunity to run. He paused, watching it a moment, confused. His arm sizzled and burned. He took hold of two quills, and ripped them out, groaning. He grabbed hold of another two and yanked. With one more, he jogged after the escaping demon. He tore the last quill out, ignored the burn, and pounded his boots into the ground. The demons were smaller than others he¡¯d seen before. And they were certainly weaker than those attracted to the deaths of the Guardian Spirits. He wasn¡¯t sure if it would work, but he saw no point in not trying. He slipped a boot off and heaved it over his head. It flew, smashing against the ground about a meter to the left of the demon. ¡°Damn it!¡± He gave chase again, grabbing his boot as he passed. He decided he¡¯d try once more. Mouse pulled his arm back, whirled around, and used the momentum to fling the boot straighter and faster. The demon dropped as the boot hit squarely in its back. Laughing, Mouse ran up to it. It tried to scramble away, but Mouse stomped down on its back. ¡°See, I like y¡¯all. I don¡¯t get in trouble for killing you. So thanks.¡± The demon made a last few clicks, before Mouse pressed down on its throat, and it caved in. A squeal, then blue pooled beneath it. ¡°So, do you remember the part where I said, don¡¯t scare the merchants?¡± Taiga crossed his arms, half to cover his injury, and shifted his weight. ¡°Yeah?¡± Mouse slid his boot back on. The claw marks on his back and the punctures from the quills were already a memory, healed without a trace. Taiga nodded his head to the side, where the entire merchant group, in full view, still huddled on the side of the road. Mouse turned, realizing at some point they¡¯d ran past the hill, and were again even with the road. ¡°Well, I uh,¡± he stammered, a dozen pairs of wide and frightened eyes on him, ¡°I followed the first part.¡± He nodded, clearing his throat when that didn¡¯t seem to appease the merchants or Taiga. His friend sighed, walking over to him, ¡°you okay? Laughing was a bit over the top.¡± He considered before shrugging. ¡°Just de-stressing, I think.¡± Chapter 24 - Taiga When the first sight of a looming city appeared on the horizon, the merchants as well as Taiga and Mouse began to relax. Some, because Mouse terrified them, others because the threat of demons was over. Of course, no one ever said this to their faces, but the subtleties weren¡¯t so subtle. After seeing Mouse chase down a demon trying to flee him, and crush its throat with sheer strength¡­ Well, Taiga appreciated they still wanted protection to Winolin. Mouse smiled more, now that Jonha and the other merchants were noticeably less chipper. He didn¡¯t seem to realize the impact he had on humans, though Taiga left it be. Instead, the remaining four days'' walk went generally well. Mouse took to keeping an eye out up ahead, and Taiga hung back to chat with the merchants. ¡°I see it! It¡¯s huge! Bigger than Pall?¡± Mouse hopped down from the carriage¡¯s tarp covering. ¡°The capital is the biggest city in Lanria. Winolin is supposedly the¡­ third largest?¡± Taiga asked to no one in particular. ¡°Yep, the port city of Haasundra is the second largest.¡± Jonha replied, smiling. This is how communication worked now. Mouse would say something, and Taiga would relay it in a way someone felt comfortable answering. Everyone was happy. Or at least, they tried not to show otherwise. As they approached, the grass roughed into dirt. They passed several groups in the last day or so, and one small family had joined them just a few hours ago. They¡¯d ridden most of the way from a town a couple days south of Winolin. Maybe because they hadn¡¯t seen Mouse¡¯s method of murder, they let their two children play with him. A child ran up to him as he came off the tarp, hands open and out in front of him. When he reached Mouse, he held his prize up over his head for inspection. ¡°I found another rock! What do you think of this one?¡± The boy giggled as Mouse took it. ¡°Hmm, pretty good. See this line here?¡± He knelt down for the kid to see, ¡°this means it¡¯s got a nice secret inside it. If you can break it open, you¡¯ll find the secret.¡± The boy made an ¡®O¡¯ shape with his mouth, before tottering off to tell his parents, whom were only a couple meters away and heard the whole thing. Hughe watched the boy uneasily until he made it back to his parents. Taiga admired Hughe¡¯s efforts to warn the small family to not let the children near Mouse, as he overpowered the demons with such ¡®ferocity¡¯. Which, the father responded to with absolute delight in knowing these two mercenaries could keep his family safe. At least Hughe tried. As they walked, Sweet Bun trotted to a mound inlaid into the ground. Taiga walked to her, setting a gentle hand on her feathers and peered around her. Red broken bricks laid atop each other in a pile. Ahead of them stood more piles, some stacked into what may have once been walls. The brick remnants of past buildings lay as skeletons in a graveyard of what once was. Many bricks were faded, and the bare foundation lay scattered around, building in number as they got closer to Winolin. ¡°What are these?¡± Mouse skipped over to one, peering around a column. ¡°I¡¯m wondering as well. I¡¯ve never been here before.¡± Taiga added. Conversation flow, after all. ¡°Winolin used to be larger than it is today. Well, at least more sprawling. When the rise in demons started, there would be occasional attacks. Back when they first appeared, and we were all woefully unprepared, small isolated areas, like these homes and such, got hit hard.¡± Hughe coughed, bowing to a small passing memorial. Taiga, along with the other merchants and the family, also bowed before moving on. ¡°Is it not a problem anymore?¡± Taiga asked once a few moments of silence passed. Hughe shook his head, ¡°well, yes and no. Winolin built a wall a few years ago. The city itself has been safe since, though the wall does see some action.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot of mercenaries in Winolin. I thought you two were headed there originally because they have a sizable establishment in Winolin.¡± Jonha¡¯s husband added. Taiga never learned his name, since Jonha always referred to him as ¡®love¡¯ or ¡®dear¡¯. ¡°Makes sense, if they¡¯re taking care of the demon issue.¡± Taiga nodded to this information. This meant he was right to make Winolin their next stop. A lot of mercenaries means a lot of information. And even more, a large and established guild meant more resources, more investigations, and more sway in town. In these uncertain times and lacking support from the capital, Winolin lived off the mercenaries here, and their presence vital to surviving. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. A few teenagers ran past. Taiga turned, kicked up dust shrouding a wagon coming up the trail behind them. An oxen of a sort pulled their wagon, ridden by a young girl. Confidence emanated from her, while several adults walked alongside. She kept control of her animal as they hurried past their larger, slower group. Ahead, once the dust from the wagon settled, a group of people stood. Though more gathered near what Taiga assumed was the gate, at least a hundred more people stood in a jumbled line, thinning out the further back it went. Beyond them, a tan wall stretched to either side. Armed guards stood atop the wall, a few walking it and glancing down at the people as they went. A few uniformed men stationed by the gate looked out at them, maybe on the watch for anything suspicious. ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡± Mouse hopped beside Taiga, having scurried away the moment he spotted so many people. ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s a line.¡± He narrowed his eyes at Taiga, likely unenthused by the response. ¡°Yeah, I can tell. But why?¡± Then, a little quieter, ¡°I hate humans and their lines.¡± Taiga laughed, ¡°when have you ever stood in a line? Haven¡¯t I always done that for you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He sank his head down, watching the people as they approached. ¡°But I still hate them. Why can¡¯t we just go through? What is this nonsense for, anyways.¡± Ignoring him, Taiga turned to Hughe, ¡°what is the line for? Do they limit the number of people allowed in?¡± Hughe nodded, ¡°in a way. Winolin became a safe haven, of a sort, after they built the wall. Not just for demons, mind you, but for anything. Crops fail? Go to Winolin. House burned down? Go to Winolin. Want your kids to have a chance at education? You get the idea.¡± ¡°There¡¯s too many people. Get it? So, they set this checkpoint up, oh, maybe a year or so ago, to limit not the number¡­ but the type of people allowed in.¡± Jonha sighed. ¡°Type?¡± The word soured on Taiga¡¯s tongue. She nodded. ¡°If a person has a skillset they can live off of, they¡¯re allowed in. The check itself is pretty loose and most people get in with simple registration and inspection. But a person can be removed from Winolin if they don¡¯t prove their worth over time.¡± ¡°Us merchants,¡± her husband started, ¡°who come and go with goods and money have no problem getting in. But say, a farmer? Unless they¡¯re coming and going to sell their crops, there¡¯s not a whole lot of jobs they can undertake in a city landscape.¡± ¡°And¡­ if said farmer is injured,¡± Taiga¡¯s tone hardened, ¡°and they¡¯re looking for a new way of life?¡± Jonha shrugged, ¡°you see the problem.¡± ¡°And why there¡¯s a long line.¡± Taiga¡¯s eyes followed a mother carrying her child, dressed in the garments of outside work, as they hurried passed to join with an elderly couple sitting beneath a tree. They smiled as the woman approached, waving at the line and talking in rushed tones before moving into it. He understood the rule, and why it existed. Not a perfect system by any means, and one that sorely forgot the purpose of such systems in the first place. But one that protected those it could. They joined the line in silence. Though they took their time lining up, they didn¡¯t stay last in line for more than a few minutes. Taiga briefly wondered where all these people came from, but in the end it didn¡¯t really matter. Mouse bounced around, eventually settling beneath a tree he spotted a bird flying into. He didn¡¯t so much as shut his eyes before something plopped upon the top of his head. He raised a hand to it, before leaping back and cursing. ¡°It shit on me!¡± He called to Taiga accusingly. He shrugged, ¡°what do you want me to do about it?¡± A few birds, Blue Jays from the looks of their feathers, flew out. They swatted over him, doing fly-bys and clawing at his head. He yelled out, more surprised than anything, running to Taiga. ¡°Why??¡± Mouse huddled behind Taiga. It didn¡¯t take more than a single glance from Taiga for the birds to take flight back to the tree. ¡°They probably have a nest there, and you disturbed them.¡± Taiga grabbed a cloth from his bag. Mouse bent down, and Taiga cleaned his hair. Mouse whined the entire ten seconds it took to clean. He didn¡¯t have any cuts or marks left by the birds, other than his curls being a little more tangled than usual. ¡°And what are we going to Winolin for today?¡± To the other side of the carriage, a uniformed man asked. He leaned against the carriage to get a better look at the whole group. ¡°Merchants. And these two,¡± Hughe motioned to Taiga and Mouse, ¡°are mercenaries.¡± The man blinked at them, ¡°do you two have licenses?¡± Taiga reached into his bag, shuffling around for a moment before his hands found the leather folder. He pulled it out, opened it, and flashed the contents to the man with both licenses in easy view. The man nodded and waved them forward, ¡°come on through, mercenaries don¡¯t need to wait in line.¡± Before Taiga could speak, Mouse leapt forward, squeezing between the man and the carriage. ¡°Taiga, let¡¯s go!¡± Despite the urging, he took a few moments to bow and thank the merchants for their time, help, food, and company. They returned their thanks, even though a few of the merchants were already sighing breaths of relief while looking at Mouse. Sweet Bun followed behind him, never leaving his side for more than a few minutes. She shook off any fatigue before nibbling at his collar. When he finished his goodbyes and walked around the carriage with Sweet Bun, Mouse grabbed his arm, yanking him forward and towards the gates of Winolin. Chapter 25 - Taiga After he and Mouse flashed their licenses to another uniform closer to the gate, they were let in with ease. Taiga didn¡¯t recognize the uniform, but from their behavior and duties, he assumed they were city guards. Maybe they¡¯d been hired directly by the city instead of outsourced from Pall; he wasn¡¯t sure. Either way, they led them through the wide gate, past people stopped and speaking with another guard. A few eyes met his, all probably wondering why they were let through, while they stood half a day hoping for admittance. If Mouse noticed, he didn¡¯t care. Instead, he focused ahead. He pointed to something beyond Taiga¡¯s vision. He stepped forward to get a better view. ¡°Look at all the lights!¡± He laughed while pointing, and Taiga followed his gaze beyond the wall. Hanging across the sky, dancing from the inner side of the wall to the buildings across the open marketplace, to the buildings ahead and back, were lines of little magical lights. By the gentle teal haze they gave off, the lights were likely charged stones shining across a rope. But together with dozens of lines, they appeared almost as stars despite the daylight. ¡°They¡¯re beautiful.¡± He nodded while Mouse gazed at them. The guard turned from them, heading back towards the gate. Taiga called out to him, catching his attention before it refocused elsewhere. ¡°Where¡¯s the mercenary hall?¡± ¡°Follow straight down the market, you¡¯ll see some signs when you reach the library. Winolin is built in a grid, so it should be easy to find.¡± ¡°Hey, Pall doesn¡¯t have anything like those,¡± Mouse interrupted, pulling on Taiga¡¯s tunic. Taiga thanked the guard and turned to his friend. ¡°I heard the mountains have a couple silver mines. This is probably how Winolin displayed their wealth in trade and industry.¡± Winolin, afterall, became successful as a mining town originally. The lush land and plentiful rivers only helped it grow. Though Mouse cared little for logistical talk, so Taiga kept it to himself. ¡°Fruit!¡± Mouse ran ahead, dodging a dog and their owner with a swift whirl, and hopping to a halt at a peddler stand. ¡°Taiga, can we buy some?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the merchants give you a few peaches?¡± ¡°I ate them a while ago.¡± This insinuated Mouse didn¡¯t steal any from them. And while Taiga should have been proud, part of him wished he had, since they, in fact, could not afford to buy any. ¡°You don¡¯t have any¡­ stashed away for safe keeping?¡± He asked after catching up, lowering his voice so the vendor didn¡¯t overhear. ¡°You said we had to be good to them.¡± Taiga barely recalled saying something of the sort. He rubbed his brow, peeking at the stand. ¡°How much are the apples?¡± Mouse shrugged, and the old woman gazing at them from above her book looked them up and down. Autumn must¡¯ve set in late this year, since the stand had a bushel of early harvested golden apples. ¡°Six per. Or ten for two.¡± Ten daud. The apple harvest only just began, and Mouse looked forward to them all year. And it was his favorite snack. He rubbed his brow again, ignoring Mouse¡¯s pleading eyes or the woman¡¯s judging ones. ¡°Pick two.¡± Taiga caved, reaching into his bag for his wallet. He paid the lady in ten copper colored coins. He bowed his thanks, though she seemed too preoccupied sniffing the coins to return it. ¡°Why can¡¯t you like biscuits more than apples?¡± Taiga sighed, stashing the wallet before Mouse found something else to spend money on. He shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re boring. And four for the price of two is great, right?¡± Mouse grinned, letting Taiga peek into his own pack, revealing four golden orbs rolling between his blanket and head scarf. Taiga considered saying something, but the woman¡¯s snooty attitude led him to care less than usual. He opted to ignore the theft and looked ahead. Vendors lined the streets, though they were broken into groups to give space for storefronts and roads. They walked casually, and Taiga occasionally glanced at the stalls, catching a wide variety of goods for sale. Some things, like the wooden toys and leatherbound jewelry, he¡¯d seen commonly sold in Pall. Unique items, such as the charged silver or hair decorations were new. A few women passed them wearing intricate little shiny things in their hair, and he noted the popularity here. He¡¯d seen such fashions in Pall years prior, though it revolved mostly in the courts. Grilled meats coated in sugared spices coaxed him to spend more money, and Taiga refrained, keeping his eyes ahead with the hopes the guild hall would have something to suffice instead. If not, after the next job, he¡¯d come and get a stick of it. At the library, a grand building hard to miss with its sweeping colored canopies and dyed cloths moving with the breeze over open-aired windows and entrances, he checked for signs for the mercenary hall. To the left, and they wandered down another few rows of shops, enticing smells, and occasionally loud crowds of people going about the day-to-days. Mouse stuck close to him, grabbing his tunic whenever someone came close to bumping him. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Sweet Bun drew a few eyes. Most people saw linlao around, even if it wasn¡¯t frequent. Nonetheless, they were rare enough to draw some attention. Taiga considered their theft at the auction, and just hoped no one would recognize her until they received registration papers for her. She took onlooking attention with ease, sticking to Taiga¡¯s side and carefully putting her feet between bustling people. Her thick tail stayed near her legs, to keep from knocking anything over. Vibrantly dyed cloths flowed above them in near unison, occasionally shading the roads and them as Taiga, Mouse, and Sweet Bun navigated the roads. The boisterous laughter pouring from nearby inns and taverns led them closer, and followed the sign for the guild stable. They dropped Sweet Bun off with an uneasy looking stablehand. On the other side of the stable, towered the guildhall. ¡°Woah,¡± was all Mouse said as they stared out at the multi-floored building, each floor sinking into the next with spacious patios and balconies. Large arches with large linen tarps invited them in. High-ceilings allowed views to the upper floors where a few people lounged in chairs around the railing. Wooden pillars decorated in wolf carvings, the symbol of the mercenary guild, supported the building, carrying the weight over at least a hundred years and thousands of passing tenants. ¡°Ya¡¯ll need somethin¡¯?¡± A man sitting at a table asked. His companions laughed behind him, though Taiga was unsure why. Mouse wrinkled his nose at him and turned away. Taiga watched Mouse walk away, before forcing a smile and turning back to the man. ¡°We just got into town. Where do we check in?¡± ¡°Oooooh, fresh mercs!¡± A woman from across the man¡¯s table gasped at them, standing and leaning over the table towards them. ¡°Over there,¡± she pointed down a wide corridor, never breaking eye contact with him, ¡°when ya finish, come sit with us!¡± He smiled wider, ¡°thanks so much.¡± Mouse followed behind him until they were in the quieter hallway, where he stepped beside him. ¡°I hate them.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to sit with them.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t.¡± Once assured, Mouse nodded and bounced a step ahead. At an opening to a large room, Taiga made his way to a table labeled check in while pulling out their documents again. An older man stood from his chair as they approached, holding out his hand which Taiga placed the licenses into. ¡°We¡¯re checking¡ª¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± The old man sat back in his chair, adjusted his glasses, and cut Taiga off. Taiga smiled again, smacking Mouse gently as he heated up and opened his mouth to say something likely to get them kicked out. ¡°Do you two need a room?¡± He scribbled their names into a large, worn logbook. ¡°Yeah, we will.¡± ¡°Of course you do,¡± the old man sighed with more than a hint of annoyance in his tone. Mouse trembled beside him, and when Taiga glanced over, saw his eyes wide and face cocked upward, looking down at the old man much like how he looked at ants after being bitten. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Taiga shot at him in hushed voices. ¡°But he¡¯s rude!¡± Mouse attempted a quiet tone, but failed. The old man, however, didn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°Okay, but is what you want to say going to help us at all?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to say anything.¡± So Mouse planned on hitting him. Taiga breathed, pressing his palm to Mouse¡¯s chest. ¡°Calm down. It¡¯s not worth it.¡± ¡°It is to me.¡± Mouse huffed, lowering his shoulders and relaxing despite his words. ¡°But not to us, ri¡ª¡± ¡°I have you checked into the guild hall,¡± The old man cut in, and slid a key across the table, ¡°room 308. When you check out of the guildhall, just return the key.¡± Mouse breathed in, his chest swelling. Taiga grabbed the key, thanked the man, and pulled Mouse¡¯s arm out of the room and back down the hall. Mouse, to his credit, let himself be pulled along, and Taiga felt his arm relaxing in his fingers with every step they took. ¡°We¡¯ll drop off our bags, then grab food.¡± Taiga hoped the extra few minutes would cool off any remaining frustration in Mouse, as well as give his back a break. Back in the main hall, they headed up the wooden staircase, which broke into an around-the-hall balcony with plenty of seating, both at tables and floor rugs and pillows. A few were occupied, though the closest ones weren¡¯t. Once on their floor, Mouse followed slowly, gazing over the railing and watching the people below. There were fewer spaces occupied, mostly on the far side of the floor. At their door, Taiga unlocked it, and Mouse burst through, always first to inspect new lodgings. ¡°Two beds?¡± Mouse whipped around to Taiga. ¡°He didn¡¯t ask.¡± He stared at the bed a moment, shrugged, and tossed his pack onto the left most one. Taiga dropped his at the foot of the bed after fishing their wallet out, and followed Mouse back out of the room. Down the stairs, Taiga ordered himself a stick of grilled rabbit with a bowl of rice, since he could order that free once a day while at the hall, according to the sign. Mouse drew back at the strong ginger smell, and the cook laughed, telling him to wait while he cooked up an unglazed stick. Taiga walked out onto the spacious patio, finding a rug and a few pillows underneath a tree. He sat, enjoying the song of a Tree Sparrow sitting on the eve of the archway into the great hall. A cloth overhang rumbled in the hard breeze, before settling. ¡°Look, he even gave me a piece of this weird fruit.¡± Mouse plopped down beside him, ripping a chunk of the meat off the stick with a hard yank. He raised up his bowl, a handful of red, soft berries rolling over the mound of rice. ¡°Some sort of¡­ Actually looks like a raspberry.¡± Taiga leaned over, picking one up and turning it in his hand. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen these in years.¡± Mouse shrugged, plopping one in his mouth. ¡°They¡¯re good! He said they grow at the foot of the mountains.¡± Taiga nibbled on it, eating a piece of gingered rabbit at the same time to see what the combinations of flavors were like. The ginger overpowered, but the tartness from the berry added a little something. He popped the rest of the berry in his mouth with another bite of rabbit. ¡°I¡¯m thinking,¡± Taiga swallowed, ¡°we take a mission to check out this demon problem.¡± Mouse scooped rice into his spoon, pausing before putting it in his mouth, ¡°didn¡¯t we see some on the way here?¡± Taiga nodded, ¡°but I want to see how much of a problem this is here. And gather more information from the mercs fighting them everyday.¡± Mouse cocked his head to the side, chewing and thinking. Taiga continued, ¡°there was no corruption out in those fields. Logic says there¡¯s no way they should have been able to live out there. Those demons were weak, but a Howler? What was something like that doing out there?¡± ¡°So the reason for the imbalance might be around here? The one corrupting the Guardians.¡± Mouse nodded, putting his bowl and spoon down a moment, ¡°Find the reason, save the Guardians?¡± Taiga smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s hope so.¡± Chapter 26 - Mouse ¡°So, we find the heart of the demon.¡± Mouse raised his hands straight in front of him, trying to process this new information. ¡°Uh huh.¡± ¡°We bring it back to the guild commissioner.¡± He moved his hands to the left. Taiga nodded. ¡°And we get the reward?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Mouse didn¡¯t see why they needed to do this extra step. Why couldn¡¯t they just find and kill the demon, go back, and get paid? ¡°The heart is used for medicine. They grind it up and use it as a salve to treat corruption burns.¡± ¡°So the mission isn¡¯t to kill the demon, it¡¯s to get a demon heart?¡± Why didn¡¯t the mission just say that? Maybe it did, and he didn¡¯t read that part. He thought it was perfect, and had left it up to Taiga to sign up for it. ¡°Well, it¡¯s both. They need the demon killed, and the heart is a way to prove that kill. And it has another, extremely valuable use.¡± ¡°Are we getting paid for the value of the heart?¡± Taiga paused, bit his lip, and sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I guess the guild¡¯s gotta make money somehow.¡± ¡°But they get paid to post missions, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°And we¡¯re getting free room and board. It¡¯s a fair enough trade.¡± Taiga waved him off. Mouse didn¡¯t understand. Weren¡¯t they always in need of money? Isn¡¯t this why he couldn¡¯t buy more apples on their way out of town? He sighed, cracking his neck. He should have checked those demons for hearts back when they were protecting the merchants. But neither of them knew about it back then. He wondered if that was why he saw the loud woman¡¯s husband sneaking to the bodies after they were all dead. How annoying. They passed through the gate of Winolin, and he ignored the line of people waiting to get in. The commissioner said they just needed to walk right to the gate, show their license, and walk in on their way back. He looked forward to all the humans watching them skip the line. It would be splendid. Taiga paused ahead of him, so Mouse took the opportunity to sneak an apple from his pack. He bit into it while Taiga unfolded his map, checking the sun, then looked back to his map. ¡°The commissioner said this mission isn¡¯t too far north. So let¡¯s head down this road,¡± he pointed towards the end of the line, ¡°then head to the right at a path. I remember seeing one yesterday on our way into town.¡± Mouse shrugged, ¡°sure.¡± Taiga turned to him while he refolded his map. ¡°Let¡¯s hope we don¡¯t get lost.¡± Sure enough, not more than a hundred meters down the road, a small dirt path led in between the fields. They followed it until it tapered off, and continued through the grassy fields. Around them, the ruins of old homes and buildings dotted the landscape. Mouse peeked into one as they passed, though only the remains of charred wood and fallen roof tiles lay nestled in the cozy brick framework. ¡°Looks like a fire took these,¡± he added after checking another building on their way. Taiga nodded, ¡°uncontrolled fire only leaves carnage in its wake. And fire under control should never be trusted.¡± Mouse made no reply and instead hopped off the brick and back beside Taiga. He stepped forward, looking over Taiga¡¯s face and trying to read it. But Taiga noticed, turning to him and flashing him an awkward smile before pushing Mouse¡¯s face away with his hand. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°I¡¯m fine, stop worrying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried.¡± He turned away, though he drew his eyes back towards Taiga¡¯s. He laughed, ¡°then what do you call all this?¡± Taiga paused, looking ahead of them. Mouse followed his gaze, only seeing the greens of the grass flowing in the gentle breeze. But as he opened his mouth to speak, rustling caught his ear. He whirled around, inching to one of the dilapidated buildings, freezing at every rustle. ¡°The demon.¡± Mouse waved Taiga over, who still looked out further ahead. ¡°There¡¯s more beyond this hill.¡± ¡°How many?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Taiga snipped, ¡°grass can¡¯t count.¡± Mouse snuck to a pillar of the building, the rustling growing as he neared. He pulled his half-metal sword out, carrying it like an extension of his arm. He pressed his back to the pillar, silencing his breaths and steps. The rustle quieted, a crick on splintered wood, a ¡®ssss¡¯ sound of scales sliding over the brick. A click, then another. A few more, and he knew its location. Coming closer, around the pillar. Mouse looked up, finding grooves in the stone to heave himself up, and pulling his weight over the edge of where the roof once stood. Below, the long talons of a demon appeared from the edge of the pillar, clacking over the side he¡¯d sat by. Continuous clicks sounded in a stream of noise, and Mouse moved back from his perch. From holes in a shattered piece of roof, he barely made out the black scales before it slithered around the pillar. He measured it at least a meter and a half in length; far larger than those they¡¯d seen in the fields before. Taiga had drawn his sword, though his eyes still focused ahead of them. Mouse couldn¡¯t see anything from his vantage point other than more ruins, and kept his focus on the current threat. Taiga could worry about whatever lay ahead of them. He glanced below him to where the demon had slithered to, but all he found was grass and charred wood. No demon. He stilled, listening for any sign of it, but nothing. How could he have lost it? His senses were above a human¡¯s, and above Taiga¡¯s unless they were in his domain like now. If his ears couldn¡¯t pick it up, he¡¯d use his eyes. He stood atop his pillar, gazing around below him and upon the fragments of roof still in place, though no looming shadows made themselves known. The clicks gave itself away. Directly below him, the demon slithered up the pillar, its legs latched to the brick. Its tongue shot at him, wrapping itself around his leg, and dragging him down. He yanked away, trying to get it off, but the tongue, like sap, refused to separate. He¡¯d checked beneath him. He¡¯d looked anywhere the demon could have been, and it had not been there. And yet¡ª He smacked the wooden edge of his sword against the tongue, but it only bounced off. His skin burned as the demon¡¯s saliva soaked through his pants, and he gritted his teeth before trying a new tactic. Mouse grabbed the tongue between his leg and the demon¡¯s mouth, and jerked up. His hand sizzled as the tongue slipped between his fingers. He clenched harder, digging his nails into the soft under-tongue, and tore it from the demon¡¯s mouth with all his strength. The demon resisted, its talons embedded too deeply into the brick to be moved. But the tongue ripped, the thick muscles snapping apart as he pulled, and blue blood gushed between snagged flesh. It unhitched itself, taking a swipe at Mouse in a desperate attempt to free the remainder of its tongue, but Mouse would not relent. He twirled the loosened tongue around his wrist, tightening his hold, and swung his sword down in the split muscles. A whack and splurt, and the parted tongue hung free in his hand. He huffed, biting back as the acid made its way further into his flesh. The demon screamed, or it would if the blood didn¡¯t gurgle in its throat as it struggled off the pillar to spill the blood from itself. He hopped down beside it, letting out a breath and ripping the tongue from his arm. ¡°Not sure what you expected to accomplish with that, but I assume you failed?¡± He chuckled at the demon as it clawed across the grass in a meager attempt to escape him. ¡°You done?¡± Taiga eyed him for a short distance away, sword still in hand. He raised an eyebrow as his eyes glided over the demon, to Mouse, then to the tongue on the ground. ¡°Almost.¡± Mouse smiled, wiping a speck of demon blood off his chin that began burning. The demon croaked, a call of clicks and screeches. It crawled from them, and Mouse took a few steps to keep up with it. He blinked from Taiga, back to the demon, watching it choke on its own blood. ¡°What about the other demons?¡± He asked when he lost interest. Taiga shook his head, ¡°the grass can¡¯t keep track of them when they aren¡¯t directly on it. They¡¯re somewhere out that way.¡± He pointed out where he¡¯d been watching since the warning. ¡°Let¡¯s kill this one and¡ª¡± In less than a moment, the demon turned, made eye contact, and vanished. Before Mouse could react, Taiga spun around, grabbed his arm and yanked behind him. The demon, once ahead and bleeding out, now appeared behind them, tongue intact, ripping into Taiga¡¯s arm. Chapter 27 - Taiga Bark jutted from broken skin, a wall to keep from any more damage. It forced the demon¡¯s talons out of his flesh while protecting himself from losing blood. Taiga funneled magic through him, shaping it into needles which drove from his arm in the form of thorns. The thorns wrapped over the talons and drove between the demon¡¯s knuckles. They cracked as he forced them apart, ripping the joints from their sockets. He drove magic through him, beckoning the grasses support, which they showed by driving sharpened blades through the demon¡¯s feet. It yelped, scrambling back and releasing Taiga, who accepted the retreat gratefully. He grabbed his arm, pulling it to him and checking the damage. Mouse flung around Taiga, swinging his sword and making the demon click in an almost hiss while backing off some more. ¡°Taiga, let me see.¡± Mouse grimaced at the blood. The pain dulled, though that was only thanks to his armor¡¯s emergency reaction. Or adrenaline. Maybe both. How it disappeared, and reappeared unharmed went beyond anything he understood about demons or magic. From his knowledge, though it was limited, he didn¡¯t know anything possible of that. Mouse stepped forward, attacking the demon while Taiga¡¯s arm fixed itself. He turned, searching on the grass for the tongue, and found it limp and flattening some of the longer stalks of wild grass. It was at least half a meter in length, and blue steam rose from the torn ends. He studied it a moment, catching sight of lighter blue magic fragments rising as well. They were small, scattered bits of broken magic dissipating into the air. He turned, watching similar blue magic rise from the demon Mouse fought. This demon¡¯s magic would be the same, but the tongue may not if it somehow healed in the moment it was invisible. Mouse smacked the demon as it paced around him, licking its damaged talons. The magic of the renewed tongue matched that of the demon. He looked back to the limp piece on the grass. Something was different, but what was it? How could the demon heal so quickly? The demon took off, fleeing after Mouse stabbed his sword in between its injured knuckles. It clicked, yelping as it fled from them. Then, again, it vanished. It reappeared a dozen meters ahead as Mouse gave chase. And again, the demon healed its wounds. Or¡­ Taiga turned back to the tongue, then to the blood spilled from the demon¡¯s feet. The shattered magic rose in a higher density than that of the tongue¡¯s. Taiga¡¯s heart froze. The demon didn¡¯t heal. ¡°Mouse!¡± Taiga hollered, catching sight of his friend further ahead, chasing the demon. ¡°Mouse!!¡± He sprinted off, barreling down a small decline. He called again, but Mouse continued onward, attacking the demon at any opportunity while running further through the field. Over the top of a hill, Taiga barely made out the roof of an abandoned barn. The demon headed straight for it, with Mouse in tow. He yelled Mouse¡¯s name again to no avail, and pushed his feet beneath him, whispering to the grasses to help him fly. The wind pressed against Taiga¡¯s back, the grasses pushing him forward with any momentum they could muster. Deep magic clung to the soles of his boots as he passed, splashing with every step and soaking back into the earth. What made impact swam through the threads of his boots, between stretched socks, and to his feet, surging him on. He pulled the magic up, through his left shoulder and to the tips of his fingers. ¡°Mouse!¡± He watched as his friend passed through the entrance of the dilapidated barn. ¡°I know you can hear me!¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. He cursed under his breath, running the last stretch to the barn. He pulled bark over his arm, melding it into the pummel of his sword, over the base, and down to the tip. He sharpened it with ebbs of magic, slowing as he caught sight of Mouse in the barn. Mouse stood, with only the light pouring through broken roof tiles and crumbling brick. Taiga took a quick glance around, but even the grasses already told him there were no demons there. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you knew there was a trap?¡± Mouse chuckled, ¡°Is that why you called me?¡± Taiga paused, ¡°no. I was going to tell you each blink was a different demon.¡± Mouse¡¯s head leaned back, ¡°ah. Well, uh, it¡¯s also a trap.¡± Taiga followed his gaze, yanking it back down as dozens of blue eyes stared back at them from the rafters. ¡°An ambush?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think they were smart enough for that. But I¡¯d say so.¡± Mouse tightened his grip on his sword, the ripples on it reflecting the light from the broken roof. ¡°Not sure what they¡¯re waiting for.¡± Taiga looked down, only a few paces from the barn¡¯s entrance. ¡°For me, most likely.¡± Mouse laughed, ¡°so, ready then?¡± He ventured another glance up. One demon about a meter in height, the same that led Mouse to the barn. The rest, he¡¯d guess five or six of them, were smaller, much like the ones they¡¯d fought with the merchants. He breathed, then stepped into the barn as the demons descended upon the two of them. ¡°Just so you know Mouse, I really wish I had a metal sword right now.¡± Taiga pierced the edge of his sword through the soft belly of a demon as if fell atop him. ¡°Are you still on about that?¡± Mouse continued laughing, swinging wildly and catching a demon by the blunt edge of his sword and flinging it into stone. ¡°They¡¯ll grow!¡± ¡°When? Before I die? Or just before I get both arms chewed off?¡± He bickered back, stiffening his arm, melding it to the sword, and rolling out from another demon. ¡°Ideally before then,¡± Mouse tapered off, hopping onto the demon and slamming it into the ground. ¡°Ideally?¡± Taiga sighed, cleaning off another demon which took to the tactic of biting into his armored sword. When the larger of the demons dropped from the rafters, Mouse took to jumping on its back. Taiga managed the smaller demons, to keep at least distractions off Mouse as he wrangled the larger demon. These were still small compared to those summoned at a Guardians death, but it would be folly to underestimate them. Afterall, it only took one demon for things to end badly. At the fall of the larger demon, the remaining two smaller demons took flight, fleeing out the back of the barn and towards the woods. Mouse took to following them, but Taiga yanked on the back of his tunic. ¡°Are you sane? We are not following them after they led us into a trap.¡± ¡°Ah. Yeah, okay. That makes sense.¡± Mouse nodded with reason, his eyes following the two demons as they escaped into the trees. ¡°Where are they going?¡± ¡°Probably back to the Beyond.¡± Taiga took a moment to sweep the area around them. The barn had likely seen better days, yet it was a perfect place to ambush. And ambushes required plans, which lower demons simply couldn¡¯t make. The larger one, maybe, but unlikely by its inability to counter anything Mouse threw at it. So something else. He didn¡¯t know. But the Beyond was a bigger problem now anyways. ¡°The¡­ Beyond?¡± Mouse stared at him, his eyes dropping any hint of play they held throughout the fight. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°The demon you tore the tongue out of? How it disappeared, then reappeared all healed?¡± Taiga sighed, wandering to the closest fallen demon, and inspecting it. ¡°Demons can¡¯t do that. At least not from my knowledge. Definitely can¡¯t heal itself. And that¡¯s because it didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Taiga,¡± Mouse whined, ¡°I¡¯m not smart enough for this right now.¡± ¡°The magics of all demons are the same at first glance. But if I look closely, I can see the subtle differences in the way the magic flows and breaks. The tongue you tore out, and the blood from the demon that reappeared are different. They were different demons.¡± Mouse stared at him, looked to the larger demon he¡¯d pursued into the barn, then back to Taiga. ¡°So this one?¡± ¡°Is not the same demon as the other two,¡± Taiga nodded. ¡°So next, how did the other demon completely disappear? And another one show up in its place?¡± Mouse put up his hand, ¡°no. The only entrance to the Beyond is in Monx.¡± ¡°Mouse¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± he snapped, then recoiled at his tone. ¡°There are no other entrances to the Beyond.¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about a rip. Something small, that leaks just enough corruption allowing minor demons to linger in the plains, but not enough to ruin life. Something I wouldn¡¯t pick up.¡± Taiga put his hand to the chest of the dead demon as it melted into the ground, leaving a small blue, unpolished stone on the rubble floor. Mouse¡¯s jaw set, his eyes preoccupied and unsure. Taiga calmed his voice, ¡°It¡¯s likely caused by the magic imbalance. Once something messes up, chaos erupts. Which means we can fix it.¡± His eyes locked onto Taiga¡¯s, ¡°how?¡± Taiga weighed his head from side to side, ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. But we¡¯ll find out.¡± Chapter 28 - Taiga Mouse dropped the pouch of blue stones on the guild commissioners desk. ¡°We got extra, so we get paid extra, right?¡± His mood hadn¡¯t lifted since the barn, and his patience ran thin. The commissioner side-eyed them, the bag, and folded his newspaper. He set it on the counter before looking them over again. ¡°We took out a job to hunt a demon spotted outside the wall,¡± Taiga handed him their licenses, which he took and began shuffling through a book. ¡°I¡¯ve got you down for one demon. Return the heart for¡­ 1,200 daud. Correct?¡± He didn¡¯t look up to confirm, but reached for the bag. Mouse slammed his hand over the pouch before the commissioner could check it. ¡°More than one demon. Five hearts. We¡¯re getting paid for all of them.¡± The commissioner looked from him to Taiga, ¡°I see why you usually do the paperwork. What the fuck is wrong with your partner?¡± Taiga rubbed his brow, pinching his nose between his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if we can sell the rest of the hearts through you, or if we should sell them elsewhere.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t we sell them¡ª¡± ¡°Mouse,¡± Taiga interrupted, picking up their returned licenses off the counter, ¡°we haven¡¯t gotten our free meal yet, can you grab them?¡± Mouse eyed the commissioner, before snatching the licenses from Taiga. ¡°Let¡¯s eat with Sweet Bun today,¡± he murmured before walking off. Plastering on a smile, Taiga turned back to the commissioner, who steadily watched Mouse. ¡°It¡¯s been a long day. More than we bargained for.¡± ¡°Uh huh,¡± the commissioner took the pouch, opening it and pouring the contents onto the counter. ¡°Five hearts. Damn, you two took them alone? Yeah, I¡¯d be grouchy, too.¡± The commissioner leaned back, scratching his belly and reaching to the left and beneath the desk. ¡°I¡¯d be dead, actually.¡± He shuffled around for a moment, before Taiga heard a loud thump, and the man returned to the desk rubbing his head. ¡°We have a, uh, a contract with the city hospital for demon hearts,¡± he placed a leaflet on the table, ¡°they offer 700 daud per piece. You might be able to find a better deal if you shop around at private practices and whatnot. But this is a pretty solid price.¡± Taiga turned the leaflet towards himself, reading the bare basics of what appeared to be a contract with the guildhall. He nodded. ¡°That¡¯ll work. Do we sell them through you or¡­¡± The commissioner nodded, turning back to his book and scribbling a new line down for four additional hearts sold. ¡°700 for four hearts comes to 2,800. Plus the mission reward for 1,200, totalling 4,000 even.¡± He shuffled around a moment after Taiga nodded, reaching beyond Taiga¡¯s line of sight, and calling ¡°do you want all in thousands?¡± ¡°Two, the rest in silvers, if possible.¡± Taiga called over the counter, waiting to see the commissioner nod from somewhere in his office. When he returned, he slid two gold coins to him, and Taiga picked them up, checking the hexagonal hole in the center of them. When the commissioner finished counting, he slid eighteen tin coins with a gold lined circular hole in the center, followed by twenty slightly smaller tin coins marked with square holes in them. ¡°... and 4,000. Looks good,¡± Taiga finished counting, sliding the coins into his otherwise near empty pouch. He¡¯d only had a few copper coins left on him, and the added weight made him smile. ¡°Sign for me,¡± the commissioner turned his masterbook toward him, and a pen. Taiga took it, checking the lines for compensation, and signing once he verified its accuracy. ¡°Thanks,¡± Taiga bowed slightly, and after making sure the commissioner needed nothing more from him, turned away. ¡°Done?¡± Mouse asked, holding two bowls and standing a short distance away. ¡°Let¡¯s eat now?¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. By his smile and rocking on his heels, Taiga made a guess. ¡°The cook gave you some extra fruit again?¡± Mouse nodded, showing his teeth as his grin widened, ¡°raspberries.¡± Taiga took a bowl as Mouse held it out for him, and led the way out of the great hall and towards the stables. He rounded the archway into the stables, spinning around a hunched down stablehand. When the boy, maybe twelve or so, saw them, he leapt up. ¡°Ah, are you taking her out for the day?¡± He asked, running up to them. ¡°No, we¡¯re here just to share a snack with her.¡± Taiga smiled at him while Mouse pushed past and hurried to the stalls. The stablehand¡¯s shoulder stooped with his expression. ¡°Is that so¡­¡± He rocked onto his heels, glancing over Taiga. Considering the boy didn¡¯t move out of the way, and his cautious glances, Taiga figured he had something more to say. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Ah, if you¡¯re asking,¡± he started, though he hadn¡¯t moved from the spot until Taiga did, ¡°your girl broke from her stall yesterday. She tore the gate off its hinges and damaged the beams a bit while doing so.¡± Taiga forced the smile to remain on his face. ¡°She did what?¡± How much would that cost? ¡°I assume you haven¡¯t had her long? She doesn¡¯t like being stalled, it seems. She got aggressive when we tried reining her back into another stall. Which, ehm, she also damaged a bit.¡± Taiga put a finger to his brow, massaging it. He closed his eyes a moment. THey¡¯d need to go demon hunting for more hearts, it seemed.¡°We¡¯ll pay for the damages, of course.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not all,¡± the stablehand trailed off, sneaking a glance at him. Dear stars above. She would put them in debt, it seemed. ¡°Speak freely,¡± he mustered calm, if only for the stablehand. ¡°We found her in the storeroom. She¡¯d already eaten through a crate of worms and ripped into the sacks of grain for the horses. The manager said it cost them about a week of feed.¡± The smile slipped. ¡°And,¡± the boy paused. How much more could there be? ¡°She also found the roast duck the manager planned to use for his wife¡¯s birthday. He was quite angry.¡± They were doomed. ¡°I will cover everything. Once the costs and damages are calculated, please send a bill through the mercenary hall, where we¡¯re staying. And,¡± Taiga paused, glancing at Mouse who busied himself trying to open the stall door, ¡°I will also give a formal apology to the manager.¡± The stablehand perked up at the last bit, a smile of relief spreading over him, ¡°oh, he will be very happy to hear of this. I¡¯ll let him know. He was planning to file a complaint to the guild hall if nothing was done.¡± Maybe they should flee during the night. Taiga returned a plastered smile to his face. ¡°Of course, we¡¯d never leave anything we owe unpaid.¡± They would be as poor as they were only an hour ago. He¡¯d wanted a farm linlao. A peaceful linlao. One with a mellow temperament and mild personality. Common markings and poor breeding. Accustomed to stalling and basic feed. But no. Mouse had to have the one that caught his eye. He had to break into the mansion and steal a linlao of worth. A glutton who would clearly eat them out of every daud they made. One with enough markings that required forged registration. The stablehand bowed as Taiga did, and scampered off to his duties. Turning back towards the stalls, Mouse giggled as Sweet Bun allowed a single pat from him, while he distracted her with a handful of grain he likely stole. He sighed. Taiga walked over to Mouse and Sweet Bun, remembering the rice and gingered meat in his hand. At least the food was free. ¡°She¡¯s going to cost us, just in food and damages.¡± Taiga sighed, slumping down against the stall door with his bowl. ¡°Ya know, you sigh a lot lately,¡± Mouse plopped down beside him, grinning at Sweet Bun. ¡°I wonder why.¡± He side-eyed Mouse. ¡°I do wonder, which is why I mention it.¡± Mouse picked up his spoon, pushing meat to the side of his bowl and scooping rice into it. ¡°Where are the berries?¡± Taiga noted the unglazed meat and sauced rice, but no red raspberries like before. ¡°I ate them already,¡± he shrugged. So the berries were indeed the reason his mood shifted so quickly. ¡°Did you get money for the hearts?¡± ¡°Yeah, for a good enough price.¡± Taiga scooped rice and a piece of meat, he thought it was lamb today, in his mouth. ¡°We¡¯re okay on money for a while.¡± Until he got the bill, anyways. They¡¯d have to take another mission before it came through. ¡°So,¡± Mouse paused, ¡°we can go shopping?¡± Taiga laughed, ¡°for what?¡± ¡°Is that a yes?¡± ¡°We can, but I¡¯m curious what you need.¡± Mouse shrugged, ¡°nothing in particular. I just want to see the marketplace more.¡± Taiga watched him take a biscuit from his bag and reach it over their heads for Sweet Bun. She looked it over before accepting it from him. Mouse smiled, watching her chew. ¡°We can see if there¡¯s any linlao supplies we can find. Like a saddle or tack. Maybe a feedbag.¡± Taiga picked a slice of lamb up and dropped it on his tongue. Mouse¡¯s eyes lit up at the suggestion, ¡°yesssssss,¡± and he scooped more rice into his mouth, urging Taiga to hurry. Chapter 29 - Mouse They waited until morning, at Taiga¡¯s suggestion, to visit the marketplace. The cool breeze made Taiga wear his cape and draw his sleeves down from their normal resting place at his elbows. Mouse didn¡¯t need to take such precautions since he always ran hot, and galloped ahead a few paces. A few people mingled about, looking over some goods brought in by localized farmers. Nearby, a shop opened their storefront for business, but they sold books, which was of no interest to Mouse. Nearby, the warm smell of something baking drew him to a stall, steam billowing from it. On the counter, a woman placed several purple lumps into a basket, their innards cut open to reveal an orange mush. ¡°Sweet potatoes. You want one?¡± Taiga pulled up beside him, already opening their money pouch. ¡°Are they¡­ sweet?¡± They may have been called sweet, but he came to realize not all ¡®sweet¡¯ things were, in fact, sweet. This was absolute lunacy in his opinion, and very human-like. Misleading people with things like ¡®sweet basil¡¯ or ¡®sweet pepper¡¯, neither of which held a drop of sweetness. ¡°We¡¯ll take two,¡± Taiga nodded to the woman behind the counter, who¡¯d eyed them from her roasting coals. He took a couple silver colored coins out, putting them on the counter. In return, she handed them two sweet potatoes and a few copper coins. Taiga wrapped each potato loosely in cloth, and handed one to Mouse, ¡°give it a try. They¡¯re hot.¡± Then, he stepped to the side of the counter, scooping sesame seeds into the opened potato. Mouse decided to do the same, dumping an uneven amount unfortunately down the center of it. He watched Taiga take a bite, and followed suit, immediately tasting the gentle yet savory sweetness that warmed his mouth. Grinning, he took another bite. Taiga watched him, chuckling, ¡°like it?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± A couple of children ran behind him, making him turn and watching them run with bags of newspapers. They called out the price, and that it was the last day to buy it before a new paper released. Taiga paid for a paper, folding it into his bag without glancing at it. Mouse munched on his potato, wandering past a few more stalls. He was glad Taiga recommended the morning, when fewer people were out and about. His eyes wandered to the lights above their heads. ¡°Hey Taiga, can we buy one of those?¡± ¡°You want¡­ a string of charged silver? Why?¡± Taiga followed his line of sight, raising an eyebrow. ¡°No, just one rock. We could put it in a necklace for Sweet Bun.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯d appreciate our generosity in the way you imagine.¡± Taiga scratched his head, his eyes turning back to the vendor stalls. ¡°Yeah? But if she glows, we¡¯ll always be able to find her. And she¡¯d look so pretty.¡± ¡°When have we not been able to find her? Besides, we¡¯ll just need to follow the trail of ravaged food if anything happens.¡± Mouse said nothing, shrugging off Taiga and watching the lights twinkle as he passed beneath them. He took another bite, near choking from the amount of sesame seeds he inhaled. He enjoyed their crunch, but they were not worth choking on. If he got a sweet potato in the future, he¡¯d leave it plain. To the right of him, Taiga made an exchange, and Mouse trotted over to get a better look. He held a clasp with five chains dangling from it, with a latch at the bottom of each. Taiga glanced at him as he approached, ¡°an actual wallet, now that we¡¯ve got more than two types of coins.¡± He slid the thing into his money pouch, ¡°I¡¯ll organize it back in our room.¡± ¡°How about a hat?¡± Mouse asked, his eyes drawn to a stall a ways down. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°For yourself?¡± Taiga followed his line of sight. ¡°For Sweet Bun.¡± Taiga let out a laugh, ¡°you want to try wrangling a hat onto her? Sure.¡± He handed Mouse a few coins, who took it and ran ahead, swerving around a kid selling papers and an older woman making her way across the plaza as it opened up. He slowed to the hat stall, looking around for anything Sweet Bun would look good in. Mouse¡¯s eyes landed on a pink sun hat with a ring of fabric flowers lining the brim. Just in case something better might change his mind, he grazed over the other hats. But no, the pink sun hat would fit Sweet Bun beautifully. ¡°Something catch your eye, sir?¡± A stubby man asked, stepping away from another stall selling hair ribbons. ¡°This one.¡± Mouse pointed at the pink sun hat. ¡°Oh my, for a lovely girl, perhaps?¡± Any joy in Mouse¡¯s mood drained away. ¡°You annoy me.¡± The stubby man recoiled, ¡°eh, sir?¡± ¡°Why does it matter to you what I want it for?¡± Mouse snapped, checking the tag for it, and counting the coins. While the stubby man fiddled with his words, Mouse gave him enough coins for the hat, took it, and walked away. He should have stolen it. Taiga stood a short distance away, talking with someone Mouse didn¡¯t recognize. He waited at a safe distance, rolling a few copper coins in his hand. When the man walked away, Taiga waved him over. ¡°You bought this for Sweet Bun?¡± ¡°It suits her well, right?¡± He unfolded the brim and touched the flowers. ¡°Can you make a strap on this for her?¡± Taiga nodded, touching the fabric gingerly. ¡°We¡¯ll need to cut our trip short. The northern side of the wall is having some issues. They¡¯ve asked for help from all available mercenaries.¡± ¡°Demons?¡± Mouse asked, turning back towards the guildhall. Taiga shook his head, ¡°not sure, just that there¡¯s a disturbance.¡± After dropping the hat off, and joining a few other mercenaries heading that way, Mouse stuck close to Taiga. They hadn¡¯t wandered to the northern part of town yet, and he used the time to attach his sword belt to his waist while still keeping up. Black smoke billowed overhead, streaming from beyond the wall. Taiga slowed his pace as they approached and the stench of burning flesh waffed from the open gate. ¡°This isn¡¯t a disturbance or ¡®some issues¡¯.¡± Taiga murmured to him as they drew back from the other mercenaries. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He called out to a man dressed in a guard¡¯s uniform, soot covering half his tunic. ¡°It¡¯s demons. I don¡¯t know, I was up there,¡± the man pointed to the top of the wall, where a few people shouted, running back and forth. ¡°I didn¡¯t see it start, but suddenly there were flames, and people screaming. The people at the checkpoint scattered and¡ª¡± ¡°There¡¯s a checkpoint here?¡± Taiga snapped, ¡°where are the civilians?¡± The man just shook his head, and Taiga cursed, pushing past him and heading towards the gate. Beyond them, people ran back and forth, the mercenaries they arrived with all rushing out the front. ¡°Taiga, wait!¡± Mouse grabbed his arm. ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening yet! What if it¡¯s another¡ª¡± From outside the gate, a boom shook the ground, and yells erupted. Red and orange fire plumed across the road beyond. Taiga yelled something to him, but another boom sent them crumbling to the ground. Mouse reached for him, keeping his balance better than Taiga could. He let the earth rattle beneath him, filtering out the screams and yells of people. No stomps, no unison, no Guardian. ¡°It¡¯s not a Guardian attack.¡± Mouse pulled Taiga beside him. ¡°We¡¯ve got to get the people to safety.¡± Taiga¡¯s head swiveled around them at every scream, shout, or holler. People ran around them, women clutched their babes, fathers carried children to safety. Goats ran amok, their ropes unbound from their shepherd. Taiga ripped from his grasp, directing people towards the inner part of the city. ¡°Taiga, I¡¯m going to find out what¡¯s going on.¡± Mouse waited for Taiga to look his way and nod before darting forward into the chaos. Another boom, shouts and screams, and a body flung down a meter from him. Mouse ran to her, uniformed as a guard, but her eyes too lifeless for help. He followed where she came from, running up the stairs and to the battlements. The wall itself took decent damage. Likely made for weak defense, chunks of stone crumbled while others blasted apart during the explosion. He jumped around it, peering over the side of the battlement. Dark shadows scattered amongst the fleeing people and defensive mercenaries. Demons attacked anyone in their path, dragging them within their group to devour. A few mercenaries lunged at a demon as it got hold of a man, fending the demon off until the man scrambled away. Another boom to the right sent everyone to their knees. Mouse ran across the top of the gate, straining to see through the cloud of dust and smoke as three demons sat upon a wagon of fireworks. ¡°They got a hold of explosives?¡± Mouse breathed. Explosives, groups of more than a dozen demons, attacking a city in broad daylight¡­ no matter if there was a rip to the Beyond here or not, this was far too advanced, far too quickly. Chapter 30 - Taiga ¡°They have explosives,¡± Mouse huffed, running up to Taiga as he helped a family find somewhere to rest and have their child treated for a head injury. ¡°What? The demons?¡± Taiga lowered his voice as the family glanced at him nervously, ¡°how do the demons have explosives?¡± ¡°Looks like they stole a wagon of fireworks.¡± ¡°Stole?¡± Taiga shook his head, ¡°demons don¡¯t steal.¡± ¡°Well, these do. There¡¯s over a dozen of them over there, and they¡¯re keeping formation while the mercs attack them.¡± Taiga stared at him, ¡°they¡¯re organized?¡± Mouse nodded. ¡°If they create enough chaos and havoc, they¡¯ll poison the land here.¡± ¡°They¡¯re trying to corrupt the land and create a home base on human territory.¡± Taiga looked out towards the gate, as a few people filed in and mercenaries left. One attack on human soil wouldn¡¯t be enough. But continuous attacks, seeds of fear and with doubt already created in the minds of people¡­ He felt the green magic beneath him, stabilized for now. But if enough humans fell into agony, it could taint the land. He¡¯d seen it in the west as the war raged on. The ground died, and drought and disease were common. Farmers from peace became bandits, and lovers turned to murder. Once an area plunged into corruption, it was near impossible to reverse. Especially without the Ganakri or Guardian Spirits to manage the lands and balance. ¡°First, we get the civilians to safety,¡± Taiga spoke as they walked to the gate. Mouse nodded. ¡°Then, support the mercenaries until the demons die or flee. Got it?¡± He nodded again, ¡°And be ready for plan adjustments? I remember war,¡± he smiled. At least one of them was confident. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Mouse dashed ahead of him, swerving gracefully around the chaos and through dust and smoke unhindered. Taiga sprinted at full speed just to keep him in sight. When his friend disappeared through the gate and into a cloud of smoke, Taiga drew his sword. Once again, he wished the sword was metal. Beyond the smoke, Mouse clashed with a demon, smacking it back while a woman helped an elderly woman into the gate. A guard stopped them, telling them to get back, making Taiga whirl around. ¡°Are you insane? We need to get these people to safety, now,¡± he snapped, ushering the women back towards the gate. ¡°I have orders. Unless they qualify to pass the checkpoint¡ª¡± ¡°Qualify?¡± His voice pitched as his anger spiked. ¡°And what qualifies someone to be safe? Their usefulness? No. Safety resides within the walls. So they go in.¡± He left no room for debate, and as the guard pushed forward to prevent the women from entering, Taiga stepped between them. Behind the guard, several people huddled near the gate, likely denied entry already. ¡°They are entering illegally! You have no¡ª¡± Taiga whacked him against the side of his head, letting him crumble to the ground. The guard dropped unconscious, and Taiga looked to a young couple huddled in the chaos. ¡°Drag him with you on your way in.¡± The two men nodded, stumbling to the guard and heaving him on their shoulders. Taiga watched the people run through the gate, ensuring no other obstruction stopped them from reaching safety. The worst thing in a battle could be a single idiot. Mouse struck down the demon he fought. A small thing with an easily damageable neck. And Mouse did enjoy breaking those. Another demon took its place as the other one fell, and he grimaced as a young boy screamed while dragged between the demons. Taiga ran forward, whirling behind Mouse as he held the demon back. He darted between two other demons, twisted over the boy, dropped down, and high kicked the demon. It flung back, and Taiga took the split moment before the demons reacted to grab the child, heave him over his shoulder, and dash back to Mouse.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. A demon grabbed hold of his leg, digging its claws into his flesh. Mouse tore past the demon he fought and slammed his sword into the one gripping Taiga. The demon yanked free, and Taiga lurched forward from the release, catching himself on a stumble, and bolted past the group of demons with the child in tow. He dropped the child by his mother, before running back to Mouse fending off three demons alone. He smacked one across the head with his sword, though the thing only fell to the ground, quickly recovering. It turned its attention to Taiga, lunging its claws at him. Taiga dodged easily enough, but another demon jumped onto his back, grabbing at his tunic and pulling him back. He whipped around, trying to get at the demon, though his reach was limited. Instead, he slid his sword behind his head, down his back, and flicked upward. The demon yanked off, and it receded a couple meters away from him. Fire roared as another firecracker cackled at the gate. A woman screamed, a demon launching from a cart and slamming her into the ground. It gripped her hair, pulling her head back. Taiga tried running to her, but the two demons blocked his path, and threatened any move he made. Mouse jumped between them, ¡°go,¡± and slashed his sword in front of the creatures in warning. He kept the three demons at bay as Taiga fled. When he reached the woman, he swung his sword at the demon. It noticed him, and leapt back, landing softly on the wheel of the wagon. He knelt to the woman as she lay on the ground, ¡°can you get up?¡± Tears streamed down her sooted face. She shook her bloodied head, a tangled mess of hair caught on her dress. ¡°Okay, hold on,¡± he soothed. A crackle boomed beside them. He flinched, jerking up towards the demons on the wagon only a few meters from them. The one on the wheel watched him, cocking its head to the side and clicking. The woman cried out, and he dropped back down beside her, ¡°I¡¯m going to get you to the gate, I¡¯ll help you up.¡± He kept his eyes on the demon, pulling the woman¡¯s arm off the ground as she struggled to her elbows, and lifted it over his shoulder. She stumbled, her body dropping. He caught her, and though it unbalanced him, he pulled her more onto him, carrying her weight. The demon hopped from the wheel, crawling to them. Taiga tensed, trying to balance the woman while swinging his sword between them and the demon, ¡°back!¡± But it took its chances, inching towards them. Taiga pulled the woman back in step with himself. She clung to him, whimpering. Her blood soaked through his cape and tunic, and her grip struggled on his shoulder. He kept one arm wrapped around her waist, holding her up against him while the demon seemed to calculate its chances. ¡°I said back!¡± he snapped. In reality, he couldn¡¯t hold the woman up and fend off the demon. Instead he poured focus into standing his ground, puffing his chest, and vocalizing his strength, ¡°back!¡± A plume of smoke drew between them, and he used the precious moments to yank magic from beneath the dirt road. He drew the deep roots of the trees through the gravel, strangling around the demon¡¯s ankles. They pulled it into the earth, crushing its legs with force and pressure against solid ground. It shrieked from within the smoke. Taiga turned, hobbling away with the woman. Once they reached the gate, he handed her off to a mercenary focused on helping civilians to safety. The woman muttered ¡°thank you¡± through her delirium, even after he¡¯d headed back out of the gate. Mouse, far ahead now, had joined with a few other mercenaries as they tried to break through the encircled demons. Fire roared and paraded over the voices of those in need. Another boom, closeby, and stone rained down on him. He raised his arm over his head to protect himself. A chunk of rock smashed into his arm, and he gritted at the pain. Blood dripped down his arm, but he ignored it, keeping his arm raised while scanning the area. A mercenary dropped a few meters away from him, a rock tumbling away as he fell. The demons on the wagon took their opportunity, a dish laid out before them at a feast. The mercenary wobbled to his feet, but the demons were upon him. He yelled out, swinging his sword at them, pushing one back. Another mercenary, a woman, ran up to him, wrapping her arms around a demon and ripping it from the man¡¯s face. She tossed it as another attempted to jump at her. Frantic, she swung at them in warning, but the man struggled as another demon bit at his ear. He screamed. Taiga ran to them, sliding his sword between the man¡¯s nape and the demon¡¯s belly, and used all his strength to swing outward, snapping the demon from its hold and tossing it away. The demon flipped in the air, landing on all fours and sliding to a halt a short distance away. ¡°Get him through the gate!¡± Taiga yelled, pointing his sword at the demon, ¡°I¡¯ll cover you.¡± ¡°Are you crazy? There¡¯s three of them!¡± The woman snapped, her eyes flicking between the man and the demons. ¡°I can hold them off while you get inside,¡± he¡¯d use magic if he found himself in dire need, ¡°I didn¡¯t say I¡¯d kill them all.¡± The woman hesitated, but as the man struggled, dropping to a knee, she tensed, and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll come back. So hold on.¡± Taiga shook his head, ¡°we need everyone to get through the gates. Get the message to the other mercs.¡± She pulled her partner¡¯s arm over her, ¡°we can take them!¡± Of course, if this was a normal circumstance, he¡¯d agree with her. But organized demons? The unknowns were too high. ¡°Minimal lives lost needs to be the priority! Getting everyone through the gate comes first. We¡¯ll figure out the demons after!¡± She stared at him a long moment, clicked her tongue, nodded, and hurried off with her partner, leaving Taiga to face three demons alone. Chapter 31 - Mouse ¡°We need to get everyone beyond the wall! Civilians and mercenaries!¡± A woman came up behind them, wielding a sword in hand, blood drenching half her tunic and pants. Her eyes jerked from demon to demon, joining beside Mouse as they fought off several more. ¡°Orders?¡± A merc to the right of Mouse called out. ¡°No, some guy said to get everyone to safety.¡± She nodded to Taiga who hurried a couple of kids beyond the grasp of a demon. He knocked the demon away before the smoke blocked Mouse¡¯s view. ¡°What, we¡¯re taking orders from some new guy?¡± Another woman shouted, a bloodied scratch running from the bottom of her ear to her chin. Someone grumbled, ¡°sounds awfully upright.¡± Mouse looked at them, lowering his sword, ¡°I will abandon anyone disagreeing with my partner¡¯s order.¡± Four pairs of eyes swiveled to him. He¡¯d taken down three demons himself, pulled two off the man beside him, and had kept the demons at bay as more encircled the older grumbler. He¡¯d also been the one to break the demon¡¯s formation, making them scramble and giving the mercenaries the break they needed to peacefully talk right then. Maybe that¡¯d been a mistake. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s your partner?¡± The man beside him chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m on board. Lives come first, sure. Got it.¡± ¡°What?! You think we need¡ª¡± the woman slammed her hand over the grumbler¡¯s mouth. ¡°Behind the wall. Understood, boss.¡± She glared at the grumbler until they seemed to come to a silent understanding. The grumbler nodded. ¡°Good.¡± Mouse¡¯s tone allowed no disobedience. The mercs nodded their response. He turned back to the woman who spoke to Taiga, ¡°those people,¡± he waved his sword in the direction of a group of civilians, ¡°get them past the gate. Look for injured or those unable to get to the city by themselves, and get them there.¡± She nodded, and ran off. Mouse turned back to the others, ¡°we¡¯ll push the demons back. Then we¡ª¡± Beyond them, fire exploded by Taiga, flames engulfing around him. Mouse charged forward, rushing around the mercenaries and ripping away as one tried to grab him. He pushed forward, slamming each boot into the ground and pushing closer. ¡°Taiga!¡± As smoke cleared, Taiga stood encircled. His arms guarded him, as he backed away from the flames. Two demons hovered nearby, a meter or so away, just out of a sword¡¯s reach. His eyes darted around him, unfocused even as threats loomed right in front of him. A demon from the wagon held a flaming branch from a nearby burning tree, cocking its head at Taiga. It hopped down, walking bipedally towards him, and waved the branch around. Taiga leapt back, his arms still in guard position. The demon cocked its head at him, waving the branch again. Taiga backed up, his eyes following the dancing flames. Mouse¡¯s chest sank, It smiled, clicking to its friends. It knew. Mouse leapt over the thinnest spread of fire, bringing his sword down upon the demon. It dodged, and as he landed, Mouse pivoted around, swinging his sword out towards it and forcing it back. Mouse stepped in front of Taiga, sword at the ready. The demon crouched back, looking him up and down, hissing with its clicks. ¡°Taiga, you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± He snapped, breathless, his eyes still on the demon. When his eyes shifted to Mouse, he blinked a couple times, his shoulders dropping with his arms, ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°Did you get burned?¡± ¡°Not enough to scar.¡± Mouse watched Taiga for a few moments as his friend¡¯s breath settled, his eyes avoiding to linger on the flames. When Mouse turned back to the demon, it had backed off, though a friend joined it with a firecracker in hand. The pieces of shit knew exactly how to set Taiga off. They watched, and they learned. If Mouse hadn¡¯t seen Taiga at that moment, what would have happened? Even if it was all a coincidence, if nothing else, the demons knew how to piss Mouse off. He dashed towards the demons, a few steps bringing him to the closest one. He whipped around himself, slicing his sword through the mouth of the demon. Before it recoiled, he grabbed its neck with his free hand, jammed it against the ground, and squeezed.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Its claws prickled at his flesh as it tried to find leverage. He put down his sword to grab the dropped burning branch, raised it over the demon¡¯s head, and stabbed down through its mouth and piercing its throat. The demon squealed as much as it could with his hand still clasped around its neck. It sizzled. He leaned down over it, ¡°you think just because you learned a little, you could do whatever you want?¡± He dug the branch deeper into its mouth, smelling the burning scales and feathers as the fire mangled it from within. ¡°Not so smart, are ya?¡± He picked his sword up as he stood, leaving the branch lodged deep in its throat. He glanced at the demon holding the firecracker. Its eyes shifted from its companion to Mouse, before turning and running back to the wagon where their numbers defended them. Another demon on the wagon rocked its head back, letting out a gurgled series of jutted clicks. A call for help. ¡°Mouse.¡± Taiga gazed beyond the fire and smoke. Mouse stepped towards him, looking out towards the north. The sun hung high in the sky, and though the smoke created a haze over the field and road, the outline of creatures on the horizon turned him cold. ¡°Are those all demons?¡± He watched as the mass made individual movements. A rough estimate of twenty or so more demons approached. Taiga nodded, ¡°we need to get behind the wall, now.¡± Mouse spun around, six, seven, eight civilians still scattered about. Five downed mercenaries, three downed civilians, and seven mercenaries still fighting. There were eight demons still standing where they fought. By the demon¡¯s movements, they had a few minutes at most. ¡°Get behind the gate!¡± Taiga hollered, running against the wall, as far from the fire as he could. A few heads turned to him, confused. ¡°More incoming!¡± Mouse ran between the bouts of fire, to the mercenaries he¡¯d left fighting. ¡°More demons are coming. Everyone behind the gate. We¡¯re closing the gate, they outnumber us.¡± He pointed out to the line of dark shadows moving through the smoke. The merc closest to him paled. ¡°Got it, boss.¡± ¡°Get to the civilians!¡± The woman yelled, smacking the back of the grumbly merc and waving orders to a couple other mercs. ¡°Behind the gate!¡± Another mercenary echoed Taiga¡¯s command. Civilians scrambled their belongings into their arms, taking their chances with the one or two demons around them, for they would not live if they did not. Taiga carried a child in his arms, the boy bloodied and crying, rushing two women from a cluster of trees to the road. They ran to the gate, and he handed off the child before hurrying to a mercenary collapsed to the ground. A demon scurried towards a man trying for the gate, and Mouse swatted it back, fending it off though his eyes focused on the shadows. The demons closed in, their figures becoming distinctive, separate. ¡°We won¡¯t make it in time,¡± a mercenary ran up to him, watching the scenery as he did. ¡°You¡¯ve been here a while, right?¡± Mouse turned, looking over the wall and battlements. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Do you have arrows?¡± He turned to the woman, hardened from battle. She nodded. ¡°Got it. We still need to buy time until we can get everyone through and the gate shut.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have the time. Tell the others.¡± He searched for Taiga in the chaos. Crouched to the ground, he heaved a young, injured mercenary onto his back. Mouse jogged to him, checking the surroundings for any demons, though they seemed to step back until their allies descended upon them. ¡°Can you handle another fight?¡± Mouse looked him over; a few scratches and claw marks. Blood soaked his shoulder, though it didn¡¯t seem to be his. Blackened, charred flesh speckled his arms. Taiga nodded, ¡°you have a plan?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll buy them time,¡± he pointed towards the battlements, ¡°arrows.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± He adjusted the weight of the unconscious mercenary on him, before running him to the gate. He spoke with a mercenary there and they brought a stretcher for the man. Mouse turned back towards the road, gripping his sword in hand and ignoring two mercs running past him as the group of demons rushed over the road. They barreled over abandoned carts, scouring the land as they approached. The last of the civilians and mercenaries hurried through the gate. He laughed, there was no way he could defeat this many, even if all of them were small. The eight or so remaining demons from the first wave joined the new groups. They clicked to each other, though Mouse wondered how they could understand anything in the sea of clicks overpowering even the roars of flames and crackles of trees. When a few clashed against him, he smashed his sword across the belly of one, sending it back before whirling around and dragging the tip through the dirt and tossing it into the eyes of another just long enough to confuse it before ramming his body against it. The thing sprawled onto the ground, and though it scrambled up, Mouse stabbed his sword through its leg. It screeched in clicks, and another demon lunged at him. He drove his elbow into its face. Another demon clawed into his back, and before Mouse could wrangle it off, the demon beneath him stuck its talons into his stomach. The pain stunned him in place, and it clicked to its friends. He coughed, as if to try to reject the talons embedded in his stomach, but they did not abide. Though his body numbed, he mustered his remaining strength to rip them from his stomach. He stumbled. ¡°The gate is shut. We need to buy time¡­¡± Taiga swung his sword at a demon readying to launch at Mouse. ¡°Mouse? What happened??¡± Taiga smacked the demon with bloodied talons back, and pulled Mouse to him. Mouse grimaced at the movement. ¡°It¡¯ll heal.¡± Taiga¡¯s shoulders sank as his eyes fell upon the wounds. ¡°Stay behind me while it does.¡± He pushed himself ahead of Mouse, fending off the demons as they encircled them. ¡°We don¡¯t exactly have that luxury.¡± He gritted through the burning in his stomach, the talon¡¯s acid corroding anything they touched. He swung out at a demon approaching him from the left. ¡°How long until the arrows?¡± Taiga knocked another demon away, turned, and slashed at another one. Mouse shrugged, pain melting away as the corrosive finished searing anything in its reach. His fingers gingerly grazed over his stomach. ¡°Anytime now.¡± ¡°No, now.¡± Taiga¡¯s voice shook, drawing Mouse¡¯s attention. Ahead of them, a line of demons held burning branches and torches. The demon holding a firecracker stood ahead of them, clicking, and lighting it. ¡°We need the arrows now.¡± Chapter 32 - Taiga The fires of Leryn Forest ached his back in the searing wind, nipping at the scarred edges and reminding him of the nightmares he struggled to escape. His hands trembled, ignoring his demand they stop. His heart quickened, turning him breathless despite longing for air free of cinders and smoke. He gripped the wooden pummel of his sword. Magic latched to the grains of it, pulling from him in the earth¡¯s effort to protect him. To pass through him and change into something stronger. But he pressed the magic back within him. They had to be humans. He¡¯d already risked getting discovered earlier. Twice could ruin them. He forced his eyes to the demons, passing fire between them. One pushed forward, and his flinch confirmed their excitement. They clicked and hopped in place. ¡°I should have killed both of them when I had the chance,¡± Mouse spat, rising up beside him. The flesh over his stomach stitched back together, smoothed over and leaving only his bloodied, torn tunic as evidence. ¡°Too late now,¡± Taiga forced his voice even. The first demon lunging at him, fire in hand, was grounded by Mouse, who slammed his arm against it, and twisted its head around in an instant. ¡°No mercy,¡± he growled at the demons more as a show of anger than force. One in the center cocked its head at him, its thistles clicking something. The demon with the firecracker turned, swiveling its head as it listened. It tossed the firecracker between Mouse¡¯s legs, and it slid to Taiga. It fired off, sending sparks and embers flashing over him. He seized up, his body freezing as the embers shot towards him. Children¡¯s screams echoed in the flames as it melted his flesh and pinned him beneath its wrath. A shriek escaped him. He cut it off as the fear pulsed through him. Mouse knocked the firecracker back towards the demons. Taiga¡¯s eyes followed the lights as it slid. The demon watched him, clicking orders. The demons launched at them. They swiveled around the one issuing orders and studying him. Fire blazed around him, the heat burning him before it even touched. He backed off, struggling to get his feet to even take a step back. The ground fell away beneath him, dropping his breath and mind from him. He burned that day in Leryn Forest. He smelled the burning of wood and flesh of his people. It boiled him alive, his bark kindling. ¡°Get back!¡± The words fell from him before he¡¯d realized, and his sword swiped across a demon as it ran at him. As demons stumbled over themselves towards him, Mouse charged through them, obliterating any within reach.Taiga followed him, side-stepping from the fire, and pushing them back as he could. Mouse covered him, and Taiga took on any he couldn¡¯t handle. He swallowed any screams threatening to escape him, hunkered his boots into the ground with magic, and hid his trembles. The demon giving orders walked calmly towards Taiga, holding another flaming branch. But Mouse jumped between them, and Taiga twisted around him, batting his sword at a demon lunging at his back. ¡°Taiga, stay behind me,¡± Mouse arched down, steadying himself. Taiga looked over his shoulder, past Mouse, to see the demons aligned and oil from the wagon spilling at their feet. Mouse stepped back, pushing Taiga with him to stay out of reach of the oil. The demon in the center cocked his head at them, clicked three times, and lowered his branch towards the oil. Taiga seized, ¡°No,¡± swung his arm over Mouse¡¯s head, and bound the soil to his will. He yanked the magic from beneath him, and whipped it forward, waving across the area as his hand moved. Vines ripped from deep in the earth, strapping around every demon¡¯s leg and talon. They strangled every limb they could reach. The soil split around the oil, draining it at the center demon¡¯s feet and lunging a root upward, wrapping around the branch before it reached the ground. Every demon stood stunned, leashed to the earth. A single movement caused the vines and roots to tighten. In that single moment, not a single click sounded from the demons. The leading demon widened its blue glowing eyes at him. Its head rotated unnaturally around until its eyes were at the bottom of its head. It frowned, sharpened teeth spread into a torturous smile. Taiga dropped back, his knees collapsing on him in their trembles. Mouse whirled to him, kneeling down, his hands clasping tight over each shoulder. ¡°Taiga, call them back! Call the vines back!¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Mouse spun around, jerking his head up to the battlements. ¡°Taiga, call your magic back! Now!¡± From above them, arrows rained down upon the demons, at last. Their shadows drew him to slumber. His eyes gazed at a panicked Mouse. Ah, his magic. Right. He stripped his magic from the demons, beckoning it back to where it belonged. A cloud of dust and smoke plumed across the road and field as arrows pounded against the ground and the demons with no way to escape. When the dust settled and the vines vanished, demons lay wasted, with four escaping down the road. One of the demons paused their flight, turning back towards them once out of range of the arrows, and stared at Taiga. It clicked twice and backed up without breaking its gaze, before fleeing with the others. Three breaths. Four. Five. Taiga blinked, and Mouse¡¯s eyes came into view. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Mouse said nothing, glancing over him before grabbing one of Taiga¡¯s arms and inspecting it. A grimace, then checked his other arm. Taiga let him, if only because the warmth emanating from his hand calmed his nerves, settling his tremors ever so slightly. Taiga touched the gravel beneath him, running his fingers over a few rough-edged pebbles. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I asked too much of you,¡± he hushed his voice. His fingertips shook as he pressed them to the earth, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Thank you for protecting me.¡± Mouse rose, his attention shifting only a moment before kneeling back down to Taiga, ¡°can you stand?¡± His voice was off; deeper, unusually calm. Taiga nodded, accepting Mouse¡¯s outstretched hand. The warmth stilled his tremors. When Taiga brushed himself off, if only to do something, Mouse did not release his hand. Taiga looked to him, to see Mouse¡¯s eyes unwavering from his. ¡°Mouse?" "The gate''s open." His eyes flicked to the opening, a few mercenaries cautiously stepping out to examine the damage and head count. "Yeah, I wanted to check on the man I¡ª" Mouse pulled him along as he turned towards the gate. "You can do that later." He pulled Taiga through. His hand clasped his tightly, although Taiga was sure if he pulled away, Mouse would let him. He didn''t. Instead, he silently followed Mouse past tents being propped, medics running from person to person, and the crying of adults and children alike. A woman came up to him, calling Mouse''s name and snapping his attention. She glanced at Taiga and smiled, "good call on the evacuation. Woulda been a lot worse without you." "We''ll be back in a bit. We both took damage and are gonna rest for a while." Mouse''s tone refused to hide his annoyance. "Sure, yeah. We''re all planning to get patched up and rest. Tomorrow, we''re celebrating in the hall," she laughed, "make sure y''all join. Got it?" Mouse pulled past her, and Taiga turned, smiling in his stead. "We will." "Mouse, we''ve talked about walking off from conversations." Taiga spoke just to fill the guilt of the cries around him. Mouse ignored him. "They like you, ya know." Silence hung between them as Mouse pulled him through the streets, and into the guildhall. It was a buzz with people, both civilians and mercenaries alike. No one took notice of them as they ascended the stairs and stepped into room 308. Mouse tossed his bag to the left most bed, and took Taiga¡¯s into his hands when he removed it from himself. Mouse plopped down on the unmade bed, unclasping the bag and rummaging through it a moment. Then he removed a tin canister and white bandaging. ¡°I can do it myself,¡± Taiga sighed. But with a single look from Mouse, even without a single word spoken, Taiga sat across from him. Once he sat, Mouse took a white cloth from the bag, and poured a small bit of water on the cloth. He folded it over, and spread the water over the surface of the cloth. When satisfied, he took Taiga¡¯s left arm in hand, and dabbed over the speckled charred wood and skin. Taiga ignored them until now, and the cool wet touch seared the wounds. He flinched, but Mouse held strong, pressing the cloth to the wounds. When the initial pain passed, Taiga watched Mouse¡¯s gentle movements. Unlike his usual self, his movements were efficient and careful. He looked over every burn, cleaning them as he could. When he began to clean the right arm, Taiga didn¡¯t flinch. His hands shook still, and it annoyed Taiga. He handled any transgression with grace, a smile, and patience. But in this fight, his own incompetence had held Mouse back. The blood on Mouse¡¯s tunic was evidence of that. If he¡¯d been better, calmer, maybe more focused, then he could have backed him up better. Been there to stop the damage from being done. Taiga grimaced at the burns. Flesh singed and black, the wood beneath it nothing to the wrath of fire. Red blood and scorched skin. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Mouse paused, their eyes meeting for a long moment, before he reached for the tin and unscrewed the led. A sweetened green cream, a salve Taiga made for these exact purposes, stiff in its thickness. Mouse took two fingers to it, swiped some onto them, and pressed a finger to Taiga¡¯s arm. The immediate cooling effect made him tense, if only for a moment. Mouse rubbed the cream in gently, before moving onto the next and leaving a liberal amount over each wound. The silence hung in the air a while and tangled frustrations simmered over. Taiga yanked away, "I said I''m fine!" Mouse let him, putting the salve down. "I didn''t say you weren''t." If he could just get his fingers to stop shaking. If he''d been able to react better in battle. If the fire¡­ The salve soothed, and Mouse calmed. When Taiga shut his eyes, the demon and its fire danced around him. When he opened his eyes, Mouse touched him with tenderness, the room silent aside from a bird¡¯s call at the window. Frustration pulled him back. If he could just¡ª Mouse bumped his forehead to Taiga¡¯s. He said nothing for a few moments but then quietly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t protect you better.¡± Taiga wanted to reply, but his mind drew blank. His eyes fluttered closed, and pressed his head against Mouse¡¯s. His throat knotted, his chest hurting. His arms stung, his head, even breathing fought against him as something more bubbled to the surface. Mouse¡¯s hand caressed over the side of Taiga¡¯s face, guiding his forehead to Mouse¡¯s shoulder. His fingers ran over the back of his neck. Taiga¡¯s fingers found the cloth of Mouse¡¯s tunic, and only then did his tears start to fall. Chapter 33 - Mouse ¡°So here¡¯s the thing,¡± the man slapped his lips together, a piece of food falling from them in, what Mouse could only assume, the most disgusting way possible. ¡°Demons, see, don¡¯t do that shit.¡± Taiga¡¯s foot tapped his, and drew Mouse¡¯s eyes to him. Taiga pointed at his mouth, smiling. Ah. Mouse wiped his mouth, realizing it had contorted into a look some humans found insulting when directed towards them. ¡°Do what?¡± A younger man asked. He looked younger than himself or Taiga. ¡°Think.¡± The man tapped his temple with a thick finger. He belched a laugh before dropping a thick slab of lamb into his mouth. ¡°They don¡¯t think,¡± he slobbered the words and meat together in his mouth. Mouse briefly made peace with angering Taiga by killing the man. But Taiga tapped his foot again, and stared at him. He knew. Mouse clicked his tongue, swallowing the fantasy and his disgust. ¡°Demons aren¡¯t idiots,¡± Mouse barked instead to release some of the anger. The corner of Taiga¡¯s mouth curled. He approved of the addition to the conversation. Taiga continued the thought, ¡°they can display some level of thought. They hunt together, communicate with each other, and can find the vulnerable target within a group.¡± ¡°So they¡¯re the same as animals,¡± the man nodded lazily, ¡°is what you¡¯re sayin¡¯.¡± The woman who invited them to the meal, cleared her throat after gulping down a cup of juice. She was tall, well-built, and fierce on the field. The choice of juice surprised Mouse, but she winked at him, whispering how she went too far once while drunk and swore off the stuff since. ¡°No, he¡¯s saying they¡¯re not dumb.¡± She slammed her ceramic cup down with a ferocity differing from her tone, ¡°But they ain¡¯t ever been this smart, see, and that¡¯s the problem.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Taiga nodded, ¡°banding together and attacking a city is beyond what they¡¯re capable of. Has this happened before?¡± The younger man thought for a moment. ¡°Well, yeah. But also no. What I¡¯ve seen before now was disorganized. The demons may fight together, but only independently. It was easy to pick them off one by one.¡± ¡°But these ones weren¡¯t,¡± the man slurped another piece of meat into his mouth. Taiga sat diagonally from him, and Mouse sat on the other side of Taiga. Despite the distance though, the man grated on him. ¡°They stayed in a tight circle, dragging prey in to share.¡± ¡°They also challenged,¡± Taiga added. Mouse thought back to the demon he¡¯d killed. The one wielding fire. And they couldn¡¯t forget the demon issuing orders. ¡°For a small demon, one seemed oddly in charge of the others.¡± Mouse sipped his mug of tea. His tongue recoiled at the bitterness. He grabbed the cup and spoon of sugar in the middle of the table, and dropped two spoonfuls in. He mixed it, tasting it every few moments to check its taste. ¡°Ahhh, the one with the four eyes?¡± Another mercenary sat down beside Mouse, nodding to the other mercs. Mouse scooted towards Taiga a bit. ¡°Four?¡± Mouse recalled only two on the thing, blue and glowing before it turned its head upside down. The younger man nodded, ¡°normal demons can¡¯t flip their heads around like that. The ones that can have two more camouflaged eyes on the bottom of its head.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not sure why. Our best guess is that those eyes see differently than the normal ones.¡± The woman added. ¡°And we¡¯re sure those types of demons aren¡¯t leaders of any sort?¡± Taiga considered the information, glancing around Mouse to the new guy. Another woman, quieter and smaller than the other, shook her head. ¡°We¡¯ve seen them before. They act like all the others.¡± Taiga sighed, ¡°So let me get this straight. The demons usually act as animals, for simplicity¡¯s sake. But now they¡¯re showing a higher range of intelligence, with some even showing leadership, even as minor demons.¡± A few nods, and he continued, ¡°They¡¯re taking on greater risks, even attacking a larger town. They¡¯re using militaristic strategies and formations to increase their chances of success and damage output.¡± ¡°Milita-what? The man blinked, glancing from Taiga, to the buffer woman, to the younger man. Taiga ignored him, ¡°And do we know why? Or have any theories at all that could substantiate such changes?¡± ¡°Subst-what?¡± The man murmured the question this time, grabbing another piece of meat and nibbling on it when no one answered. ¡°You mean what can cause such changes?¡± The man beside Mouse thought about it, before replying, ¡°Well, the last few months, there¡¯s been a large uptick in demon sightings.¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Months?¡± Mouse turned to him, ¡°we heard there¡¯s been more for a few years now.¡± The quieter woman nodded, ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. The last few years there¡¯s been more occurrences. But in the last few months, the number of incidents related to demons has increased a lot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why there weren¡¯t as many mercenaries in town to take care of the attack yesterday. A lot of us were commissioned to other towns or are handling requests for help.¡± The younger man scooped rice into his mouth. ¡°So,¡± Mouse thought on it before speaking further. ¡°The demons attacked the city when a majority of the fighting force wasn¡¯t here to defend it?¡± The younger man considered, and nodded, ¡°well, yeah.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t think,¡± Taiga¡¯s tone turned solemn, ¡°that was by design?¡± A few of the mercenaries laughed, ¡°they¡¯re still just demons, you know.¡± Mouse thought back to the demon with fire, and how they knew to use it against Taiga. They learned too fast to consider it simply as a coincidence. He opened his mouth to speak, but Taiga tapped his foot again and shook his head. Mouse leaned over, ¡°why not?¡± ¡°Because we¡¯re not sure yet, and honestly that¡¯s frightening. Look at them.¡± Taiga nodded to the mercenaries. The younger man and the man who sat beside Mouse chuckled nervously, their eyes full of unspoken concern. The quieter woman, too, only laughed when the two other mercenaries looked in her direction. ¡°They¡¯re aware. They just don¡¯t want to be. So leave it alone.¡± Mouse peered into his mug, swirling the tea a moment. Taiga was right, as always. He¡¯d leave it be. He drank down the rest of the tea. Any further conversation from the mercenaries didn¡¯t focus on the demons or the attack. ¡°Want to go now?¡± He murmured to Taiga, who nodded. He excused them while Mouse rose, bringing his and Taiga¡¯s cups to the dish bin near the kitchen. Taiga met him by the archway, and he waved at the mercenaries as they left. He was silent as they walked north, passing by a few makeshift tents setup from the day before¡¯s attack. ¡°You sure you want to do this?¡± Mouse fell back a few steps, hoping it would make Taiga stop. It didn¡¯t, and he kept up a few paces behind while Taiga nodded. ¡°They said it¡¯s pretty bad.¡± In the early morning, upon returning from the stables to check on and feed Sweet Bun, a woman dressed in the blues of medicine and doctors waited for them in the guildhall. The guild commissioner recognized Taiga and had called him over. A man he¡¯d saved during the demon attack had little time left. He was asleep when the doctor visited them, but Taiga agreed to visit him upon finishing their conversation with the mercenaries. Mouse disagreed with the decision, but Taiga wouldn¡¯t heed such complaints. So instead, he took to sulking behind him as they walked towards the gate. There, a larger tent stood amongst the rubble and chaos from yesterday. Taiga led the way, ducking through the tent¡¯s cloth flap. Upon entering, the stench of infected and burned flesh made Mouse¡¯s nose wrinkle. Vomit and puss stopped his feet at the entrance. The cries and groans of agony swept over him. A man on the cot closest to him had his leg near severed. A single flap of flesh secured the knee and below to him. His voice of crackled breaths begged the doctor hovering beside him to not take his leg from him. Without his leg, he could not return to the fields. Taiga told Mouse to wait outside, his eyes unaffected by the scene around them. Mouse shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ll wait here.¡± Swallowing nausea, not wanting to add to the stench already plastered to him, Mouse stepped to the side of the door flap to make way for a kid carrying a bowl of water and a cloth. Taiga strode in, his eyes focused ahead and unwavering despite the cries around him. Third row from the end, he turned and slowed down. He approached the woman beside a cot, the same woman who found them that morning. They spoke for a moment, before she stepped back and let him pass. The doctor¡¯s eyes found Mouse, and she made her way over to him. He considered walking out to avoid dealing with her, but he stayed in case Taiga needed him. She wore a thin smile as she approached, one Mouse did not return. ¡°You don¡¯t want to see him?¡± Her voice grated his nerves. ¡°I don¡¯t know him,¡± he replied curtly. She over exaggerated her nod. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have very long. An hour at most.¡± ¡°Hope less than that.¡± She spun around to him, her eyes flashing predictable anger. ¡°How could you say such a thing?¡± He only glared back. ¡°Because you¡¯re a bitch who went and found the person who happened to save him in hopes at least someone would visit him before he died. And Taiga will stay beside him until he¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s so wrong with¡ª¡± ¡°Because he¡¯ll stay by his side until he¡¯s dead. Are you deaf?¡± They stared each other down, Mouse flexing his hands to release the heat rising through him. She huffed, ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with making sure he has someone by his side as he dies.¡± ¡°You piece of shit. You only care about some guy who¡¯s gonna drop dead any minute,¡± he watched her visibly redden and puff up her chest, ¡°and not about the person you¡¯ve asked to sit by the side of a dying man who will have to carry that with him for the rest of his life.¡± She paused, and this time spoke a little more humbly, ¡°no one forced him.¡± ¡°You did. By asking. You guilted him into staying beside a burned mercenary he hardly knows. What, did you want him to regret saving the damn guy?¡± He spat. ¡°You have no empathy¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the only one.¡± Her hands shook as she squeezed them into fists. Then, she swung one out, pushing the door flap open, ¡°get out.¡± ¡°No.¡± he shrugged, ¡°someone needs to be here for him when he finishes. And considering you¡¯re the one that made him go through it, I¡¯d say you¡¯re not exactly¡­¡± he thought on it a moment, ¡°qualified.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not welcome here,¡± she snapped. ¡°And?¡± He let out a laugh at her idiocy, ¡°what are you going to do? I don¡¯t think a single person in this whole damn town except Taiga can make me move. You certainly can¡¯t.¡± She swallowed, and walked out. She cursed under her breath until he was well out of earshot, which, of course, made him smile. At least he got to ruin someone¡¯s day for Taiga¡¯s sake. He waited until Taiga found him, only after the man passed. Chapter 34 - Taiga Carved arches held the wooden ceiling over them, the center broken into six glass skylights. Each leg of the six arches separated the baths, with wooden walkways running between them. The water drew sleep to him, the scent of pine reminding him of Leryn¡¯s great trees near the ancestral grove. He¡¯d been only twice in his life before the fall of his people. He closed his eyes, tuning out the sound of a few men laughing in another bath. When he opened them, he spotted a bird soaring far overhead. He rested his head back on the bath¡¯s crown, the wood beneath him warm and gentle. ¡°Taiga.¡± He lifted his head back up, chuckling as Mouse swam by. He popped his head out of the water. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Just tired.¡± He smiled. ¡°Didn¡¯t sleep well.¡± Mouse blinked a few times, wiping water from his eyes and contemplating. No one else bathed in the same bath as them. It was early enough for most people to still be sleeping, though Taiga hadn¡¯t slept much since the attack nearly a week ago now. ¡°Let¡¯s wait before taking another mission.¡± Mouse dipped his mouth beneath the water and blew bubbles. He raised it up just enough to keep talking, ¡°can we have a break?¡± Taiga thought the last two days were a break, though he¡¯d gone to help with wall management and clean-up in the afternoons. But maybe Mouse needed a few full days off. He nodded, ¡°alright. A break it is then.¡± Mouse stood, a smile spreading over his face, ¡°yessssss!¡± He laughed, dipping back into the water, ¡°let¡¯s bring Sweet Bun.¡± That reminded him, he needed to apologize to the stable owner. They hadn¡¯t received the bill for the damages Sweet Bun had caused, but an apology was still in order. He only hoped Sweet Bun wouldn¡¯t incur any more damages before then. He sighed, sinking down further into the water. Did they need a linlao? Was she really worth it? His eyes followed Mouse as he smiled at the thought of spending more time with her. Taiga supposed she was. He wanted to learn more about the kind of attacks the demons had begun doing in the surrounding areas, but it could wait. There was no immediate rush to figure it out, except to save the Guardian Spirits. But as of then, there was no deadline or any news of another Guardian going on a rampage. He¡¯d checked the newspapers every time a new edition printed. When they¡¯d finished their baths, he dried Mouse¡¯s hair and fixed it. If left the way Mouse usually did, his curls turned into a knotted mess. For years now, anytime Mouse¡¯s hair got washed, he¡¯d work on it. It was more manageable when wet. He tightened the two braids on the right side of Mouse¡¯s head. After, they wandered to the great hall where Mouse got a free apple from the morning shift cook who took sweet to him, then picked up a couple bowls of rice with grilled river fish as their free meal of the day. Mouse spotted leftovers from donations a restaurant brought in, and snagged a couple muffins. They ate on a rug outside. The morning crisp but warm, the dew beginning to dry on the grass. Birds sang carefree in the tree overhead. Mouse munched on the apple, while Taiga closed his eyes again, leaning back against the tree. The tingle of soft magics reached to him from within the tree; an offering so gentle and kind. He breathed, allowing tense knots from his shoulders to unravel, freeing from him. He was¡­ so very tired. ¡°Taiga?¡± He lifted his head and blinked at Mouse. He¡¯d eaten his bowl, both muffins, and the apple Ms. Gella had given him. ¡°Did I fall asleep?¡± He shook the drowsiness from his eyes. Mouse paused, nodded, and kept his eyes on him. ¡°Want to go back to the room?¡± Taiga put his hands over his eyes, pressing into them and rubbing back. ¡°No.¡± He scooped a few spoonfuls of rice and fish into his mouth before handing the rest to Mouse. He forced himself to his feet, stretched, and let the light filter through the leaves and into his face for a long moment. ¡°You¡¯re already finished?¡± Mouse inspected the bowl with half a frown. Taiga nodded, ¡°not hungry.¡± The thought of more food made him sick. The food itself tasted good, but it sat uneasily in him. ¡°You only had an apple yesterday.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll eat more later.¡± Mouse stared into the bowl, dissatisfied. Taiga smiled, ¡°let¡¯s go to the market after spending time with Sweet Bun. I heard the southern streets have a night market tonight. They sell more food than they do during the day.¡± His eyes flitted to Taiga, ¡°you gonna find something to eat there?¡± Taiga nodded, ¡°yeah. I heard a few mercenaries talking about the good sweets they have there, too.¡± Mouse¡¯s eyes lit, a smile growing over him. ¡°Alright.¡± He shoveled the rest of Taiga¡¯s bowl into his mouth, and stacked them as he stood. ¡°You have to find something there though.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Taiga nodded, if only to appease him. Mouse skipped back to the counter, where Ms. Gella called to him. He said a short hello and thanks for his apple, before returning to Taiga waiting for him by the archway to the street. He walked ahead of Taiga a few steps, and passed by the stablehand as he bee-lined for Sweet Bun¡¯s stall. Taiga bowed in Mouse¡¯s stead to the boy. He returned it, but as Taiga turned inward, the stablehand stopped him. ¡°The owner is in, if you, uh, need him.¡± The boy was sheepish in his speech. He took his hat from his head, wrinkling it between his fingers. His eyes followed the straw on the ground and lingered on Taiga¡¯s boots. ¡°Good, I¡¯ll see him.¡± Taiga smiled. Relief flooded over the boy¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Where is he?¡± The stablehand pointed down past the stalls, walking ahead. ¡°This way.¡± ¡°Mouse, stay with Sweet Bun.¡± Taiga waited for a nod from Mouse before following the boy. Past the couple dozen stalls, through a hall and up the stairs to what seemed more like a loft than anything else, crates stacked along the wall. A man dressed in trousers, a worn work shirt, and riding boots hovered over a couple crates. He peeked down into one to his left, before returning to scribble something into a book. ¡°Master, the linlao¡¯s owner is here.¡± The boy kept his head low, squeezing his hat in his fists. The man turned, and Taiga recognized him coming in and out of the guildhall occasionally. ¡°Ah, yeah, you. How are you?¡± The stable owner put his pen behind his ear, stuffing a hand into his pocket and wrangling a crumbled paper out. He flattened it against the side of a crate and waved Taiga over. ¡°I¡¯m well, thank you.¡± He stepped forward and watched the stablehand hurrying out before continuing. ¡°I wanted to express my deepest apologies for the damages my linlao caused.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Ruined plans with my wife,¡± he spoke gruffly, before waving off an afterthought, ¡°and ate through quite a costly amount of food.¡± ¡°I cannot apologize enough,¡± Taiga bowed deep, holding it as he spoke. ¡°She¡¯s new to us, and we were unaware of her¡­ appetite and dislike for stalls.¡± ¡°No matter.¡± The owner sighed, sinking into the chair behind his desk. ¡°I heard you agreed to pay, correct?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Taiga raised his head. He nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll feed her a bit more. I expect you to supplement between meals for her. We also moved her to a larger stall, and will give her more field time. This is in hopes she¡¯ll settle. Any further damages will, again, be on you to cover. Agreed?¡± Surprisingly reasonable. He agreed. ¡°Don¡¯t cause any more damage,¡± the man grunted. Taiga considered a promise, but Sweet Bun would likely break it in his stead, so he declined. He bowed once more and thanked him for his leniency. When the owner returned to his papers, Taiga led himself out and back down the stairs. Mouse led Sweet Bun out of the stable behind him. She chirped, nipping at his fingers. When he lurched back, Taiga could make out a distinct laugh from her, despite its disguise in a sweet song. She truly enjoyed causing mischief. How in the world did they end up with a linlao like this. Oh that¡¯s right; he¡¯d left it up to Mouse. ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t trust your judgment anymore.¡± Taiga shook his head and stuffed his hands into his pockets. Mouse looked at him from over his shoulder, ¡°hmm?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± He dismissed the thought, glancing at the signs at the closest crossroad. ¡°A mercenary said there was a park area with some woods to the southwest of town. Used for hunting in the summer and early fall for the local nobles. Should be a peaceful area.¡± Mouse made an attempt to pet Sweet Bun¡¯s feathers, but she spotted him. She shot him a glare and stomped hard over his foot. He slipped his boot out just before getting crushed, and puffed his cheeks. ¡°Humans and their hunts,¡± Mouse scoffed, ¡°is it safe?¡± Taiga nodded, ¡°hunting season is over. The mercenary said it¡¯s open to civilians again.¡± They checked the signs as they walked. Sweet Bun fell back to walk beside Taiga, despite Mouse¡¯s pleas for her to stay beside him. Taiga met her dark eyes, pressing his fingertips lightly to her speckled feathers. She puffed them, leaning into his hand for more attention. ¡°Oh, so now you want to behave, huh?¡± He chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll give you more combings if you stop acting like a lunatic in the stables.¡± Her head flicked with intense listening, though he doubted she absorbed a single thing he said. Linalo were intelligent creatures. So she should¡¯ve understood damaging the stall door was wrong. All he could hope for at this point was for her to not do it again. ¡°This way, I think.¡± Taiga pointed to the left at a crossroads, eyeing trees arching over scattered houses and buildings. Mouse led the way. Sweet Bun followed Taiga, her new reins falling loosely over her neck. She nuzzled Taiga¡¯s arm, and he patted her beak. Off the path and past a stream and families picnicking, a lake sat nestled between the unwavering trees and gentle grasses. The surface reflected a rippled mirror of the trees from the far side. ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s fish in here,¡± Mouse laughed, walking out to the water¡¯s edge. Taiga studied the water''s edge. Small bodies moved just beneath the surface. ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s fish in it.¡± Mouse looked out over the water for a few moments while Taiga found a tree to sit beneath. He slid down, resting his back against its bark. Cool to the touch, but the tenderness of the magic within it sent a wave of calm over him. He closed his eyes, letting the breeze on the trees and lake lull him. Laughter made him glance over. A smile spread wide over Mouse¡¯s face made Taiga return it. Sweet Bun sipped on the lake¡¯s water, shooting glares at Mouse sitting a meter away. He waited, albeit impatiently, for her to cave. She didn¡¯t. Taiga¡®s eyes followed them for a few moments, before he pressed into the tree, whispering sweet hums through it. A calmness and a trust only that of a Ganakri could provide pulsed from his back, into the tree, and through its roots. It took a minute or two before the first began to appear; small chipmunks of the forest, coming to inspect the magic he sent. Paws climbed over his pant leg, and their beady eyes met Taiga¡¯s. He nodded towards Mouse. Uneasily, they glanced between Mouse and Taiga. A rabbit, braver than the others, hopped forward cautiously. It looked at him, waiting for Taiga to smile, before it hopped around him. ¡°Mouse,¡± he called gently. His friend turned, spotting the creature and freezing. ¡°A rabbit,¡± his voice softer than a whisper. A grin spread wide over Mouse¡¯s face. As quietly and calmly as Taiga had ever seen him, Mouse crept to the edge of a sunken rock, and knelt down. The rabbit waited for him to stop, before creeping towards him. Emboldened, the chipmunks followed suit. Mouse silenced his laughs, holding out his hand and letting the rabbit sniff him. His eyes met Taiga¡¯s, and he smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Anytime.¡± Chapter 35 - Mouse The woman darted between the crowd, weaving around people and ducking beneath anything in her path. She must¡¯ve been of the streets. If it wasn¡¯t for Mouse¡¯s tenacity, short temper, and stubbornness, she may have lost him. Instead, he barrelled after her without restraint. He held no qualms of rushing down the crowded street. He leapt over a half wall, charged through a group of people, swung around a couple kids, and sprinted after her. ¡°Mouse! Let it go!¡± Taiga yelled from somewhere behind him. No. As if he¡¯d let a thief go after pick-pocketing him. The woman¡¯s coat trailed behind her, flapping like a beacon. He grinned. He couldn¡¯t wait to make her regret stealing from him. Because how dare she. People called out around him, dodging out of the way after being whirled around already by the woman. An older woman, upon seeing him in pursuit, purposefully stomped into his way. ¡°Leave the lass be.¡± She wielded her pan as poorly as she did her sense of judgment. He ducked beneath her swing, pivoted his foot around her, and rocketed himself forward. He gained on the thief. As she came in reach, he pounded his feet into the cobblestone hard, and propelled himself to her heels. He reached out, snatching the bottom of her coat in his hand, and yanked back on her. The woman spun free of the coat, glancing over her shoulder at him with a look of utter regret. He smiled wider. Even she knew she couldn¡¯t outrun him. He let out a laugh, tuning out Taiga¡¯s calls echoing from somewhere behind him. ¡°Stealing from me was the stupidest thing you could do today.¡± Each word rolled off every breath and laugh. A man stepped across the path with a donkey, and he whirled around them. The woman was gone.To the left, rapid footsteps. The smile returned to his face. He slammed a boot into the ground, twisted to the left, and raced down a narrow but empty alley. With no one blocking his path, Mouse¡¯s boots flew him forward. He made short work of the alley, and she cleared it with him only a pace behind her. Her eyes shifted to the right just past the edge of the alley, and he swung his arm out as her body turned. His fingers clasped around her shirt. He slid his feet around her, and spun her into his hold before flinging her to the side of the street. He slowed and hopped to a halt. The woman crashed into a market stall hard enough to crack the wooden countertop. Her leg smashed the support beam holding up the fabric tarp overhead. He laughed, walking through the settling dust and debris. ¡°Thanks for the run, I enjoyed it.¡± The woman struggled to her knees and Mouse took joy in seeing her hand tremble. He couldn¡¯t recall the last time someone managed to swipe something from him successfully. And while he¡¯d hoped for a bigger chase, this much pleased him. ¡°You psycho,¡± she coughed, her dark eyes fierce and raging. ¡°You called?¡± His teeth showed in his smile as he kicked a broken piece of wood out of his way and knelt down in front of her. He held out his hand in front of her, ¡°now, if you would?¡± A whoosh of wind rushed behind him, and he ducked as a plank of wood veered past. He spun around. An older woman towered over him, bringing the wooden plank back into hitting position. ¡°You scoundrel!¡± Her voice shook as she brought the wood back over his head. The thief scrambled to her hands and knees and crawled away. He grabbed her leg, letting the wooden plank smash over his head. He didn¡¯t shift even as the wood splintered into his hair. The older woman flinched when his eyes turned to her. She recoiled, then steeled herself, ¡°look what you did to my stall!¡± He turned back to the thief, his fingers tightening around her ankle. ¡°You hear that? You broke her stall.¡± ¡°Leave that woman alone!¡± The old woman grabbed another plank, waving it between he and the thief. ¡°Guards! Someone, call the guards!¡± Maybe he should kill both of them. He grabbed the plank with his free hand, ripping it from the old woman. She yelped, jumping back from him before returning to her facade of bravery.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Oh, good.¡± Mouse eyed the thief as she watched him beneath her furrowed brow. ¡°The guards are coming.¡± She clicked her tongue, failing to rip away from his grasp. She fumbled around, reaching into her pocket. The woman bared her teeth, throwing a handkerchief and its contents at him. It hit him in the face, and he caught it, clutching tight enough to keep the falling pastries within but not crumbled. ¡°It wasn¡¯t even worth it.¡± She spat at him, ¡°who even chases someone and throws them into a wall over cookies?¡± ¡°Me.¡± Mouse smiled the more she grimaced. From above him, a hand slammed down atop his head, fingers tight over his scalp. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± He looked up before quickly glancing away from Taiga¡¯s glare. ¡°Ah. So you found me,¡± he coughed a couple laughs, ¡°that¡¯s, uh, good.¡± ¡°And do you have a reasonable explanation for the absolute lunacy that is this situation?¡± Taiga¡¯s tone left little to the imagination of how annoyed he was. ¡°Ah. Well, no. Not one you¡¯ll approve of.¡± Taiga let out a sigh, letting his anger trickle away. Or at least, Mouse hoped that¡¯s what he was doing. The thief wriggled in Mouse¡¯s grasp. ¡°Let go of me already. You already got your stuff back.¡± She flipped around them, looking down the street and around people gathered and looking at them in interest. ¡°Despite how small your gains were,¡± Taiga walked next to Mouse, his eyes iced in his glare at her, ¡°I¡¯m not in the habit of letting go of thieves.¡± Taiga turned to the older woman, still clutching her piece of wood, ¡°if you hit my partner with that again, you will regret it. Understood?¡± He left no room for questions. The tone reminded Mouse of when Taiga headed squads at the western border. It was one of which allowed no rebuttal. ¡°That being said,¡± Taiga turned his attention back to Mouse, who flashed him a shy smile. Taiga let out a laugh, ¡°please tell me you aren¡¯t the one who broke this woman¡¯s vegetable stall?¡± ¡°Would you prefer the truth or¡ª¡± ¡°So you are.¡± ¡°Technically, it was the thief.¡± ¡°Who you threw into the stall?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Mouse nodded. Taiga rubbed the bridge of his nose. The people around them began dispersing when nothing exciting happened further. The thief made another tug at her leg, but Mouse kept hold. ¡°We¡¯ll turn the thief into the guards.¡± Taiga scratched his head, looking over the damage before turning to the old woman. ¡°Would you prefer payment for the stall or¡­¡± The old woman, realizing Taiga gave her a choice in his trailed off comment, puffed up her chest and frowned. ¡°Money won¡¯t fix this! I¡¯m turning him into the guards.¡± A smile spread over Taiga¡¯s face, the kind Mouse recognized. It meant he was annoyed. ¡°What will the guards do? The woman stole from us. He pursued, and in an unfortunate turn of events, your stall was accidentally damaged.¡± ¡°I know it wasn¡¯t an accident!¡± ¡°Can you prove it?¡± Taiga asked cooly. ¡°Because if you can¡¯t, the guards won¡¯t be likely to believe anything you say afterwards. And, well, I¡¯m trying to help you here. At least if you work with me, we¡¯re willing to find some sort of compensation. If you don¡¯t, and start trying to tell lies to the guards¡ª¡± ¡°They¡¯re not lies.¡± The old woman blinked at Taiga. ¡°Well, I say they are. And that¡¯s what I¡¯ll tell the guards. Like I said, do you have proof my partner broke your stall through malicious intent?¡± He took a step towards her, his head rocking to one side, ¡°wasn¡¯t it, in fact, an accident? And it was the thief who did the damage, was it not?¡± The old woman looked away from Taiga, to her stall, the damaged vegetables sprawled about, the people mingling about but unwilling to step in for her, and finally, to Mouse. ¡°Not only that,¡± Taiga picked a piece of splintered wood from Mouse¡¯s hair, ¡°you attacked my friend unprovoked. I¡¯m sure calling the guards, really, will only hurt you in the end. Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Well that¡­¡± the woman fumbled her words, ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± She stammered, her eyebrows wrinkling together. ¡°So,¡± Taiga continued after waiting for his imposed situation to set in, ¡°did you want payment for your stall? After all, I do feel bad about the whole situation.¡± Mouse smiled, leaning against Taiga¡¯s leg. The thief¡¯s mouth slacked, glancing between Taiga and the old woman. He took the moment to stuff a cookie into his mouth before pocketing the remainder. ¡°B-but money isn¡¯t going to fix my stall. I¡­ I need help fixing it.¡± The old woman lowered her tone, much more submissive this time. Mouse let out a laugh. As if that was their problem. ¡°Well,¡± Taiga glanced down at him, his shoulders softened, ¡°we can take the salvageable pieces of your stall back to your home, replace what¡¯s damaged, and fix it up there. Would that help?¡± What? ¡°Wait, wait, wait. Why?¡± Mouse tugged on Taiga¡¯s pant leg. ¡°Because. We¡¯re nice, good people.¡± Taiga leaned down by his ear, ¡°and because you could have handled her without breaking the stall.¡± The old woman took a few long breaths, studying Taiga and her stall. ¡°I get it already. No guards. Instead, all of you will help me. I think that¡¯s fair.¡± Mouse¡¯s eyes fell to the thief. All of them? ¡°Hey, don¡¯t push¡ª¡± Taiga slammed a hand over his mouth, ¡°of course. And if you need help with anything else, let me know.¡± The old woman hesitated, mumbling an unsure ¡°mm-hmm.¡± ¡°This turned out well,¡± Taiga turned to the thief, who¡¯s mouth twisted in annoyance at him, ¡°you help out, and no guards. Awfully lenient of us, don¡¯t you think?¡± Chapter 36 - Taiga ¡°I don¡¯t see why we have to help,¡± Mouse pursed his lips. That, paired with his furrowed brow resembled a pouting child. Taiga shook his head with a sigh. ¡°Because it doesn¡¯t hurt you to learn to respect other people and their property.¡± Taiga slid a few shingles to the side, picking the most intact one and placing it over a wooden beam. ¡°And I¡¯m tired of paying for damages you and Sweet Bun keep making. We¡¯ll be in debt at this rate.¡± He and Mouse had finished repairing the stall before lunch. Situated to the south of the city, a small village of farms and fields lay against the wall. The land and space were limited, passed down from generation to generation and well established enough to have been kept within the city wall. Not many people came out this far, and the young had turned to the city for better opportunities. The overgrown garden and dilapidated farmhouse were left to ruin without the hands of the young and sturdy to keep them in shape. Since they were already out there, Taiga didn¡¯t mind fixing the roof or clearing the weeds, and volunteered themselves for the afternoon. ¡°We could¡¯ve gotten away with it. She was scared of getting in trouble with what you said.¡± Mouse handed him another decent looking shingle from his ladder leaning against the old woman¡¯s roof. ¡°Oh, please. I only did that because she hit you. She deserved a little scare.¡± He strung rope through a latch on the shingles, tying it off and hammering it into the grooves of other singles. They fit like puzzle pieces, though age and wear on them made hammering them back into place necessary. An elderly man watched them from a bench beneath a tree. The loss of his teeth left a permanent smile on his face. The thief trudged past him, lugging a wheelbarrow of weeds to the compost pile. Apparently, the old woman recognized the thief. She¡¯d hit Mouse out of some misguided concern for the woman¡¯s wellbeing. The thief¡¯s temper lost her several jobs since arriving in Winolin a few months prior. If it wasn¡¯t for her older sibling and their stable job, she¡¯d have been kicked out of Winolin by now. ¡°Hey, I could use some help pulling up some broken fencing.¡± The old woman smiled, waddling between swollen feet and arms overfilled with sundried sheets. ¡°Mouse.¡± Taiga nodded towards the woman. He clicked his tongue. ¡°Why do I gotta help?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m repairing the roof, and Nena,¡± Taiga waved a hand towards the thief, ¡°is tending to the garden.¡± Mouse watched Taiga as he placed down another shingle. He tied the shingle off, and positioned it against the grooves of the one beneath it. Before he brought the hammer down on it, Mouse let out an over dramatic sigh. ¡°Fine.¡± Taiga paused, eyeing Mouse as he stomped over to the old woman. They talked a moment before he sighed again, and continued down the road to the broken fence line surrounding the property. He returned to his work, raising the hammer up and pounding it down on the shingle with just enough strength to wedge it into place rather than break it. He checked it for any loose spots and, upon satisfaction, double checked its knot. ¡°You know, you do good work despite the circumstances.¡± The old woman beamed at him from below. He¡¯d thought she¡¯d retreated back into the house. He set the hammer down, brushing his pants of dust and leaves. ¡°I¡¯m not in the habit of deciding something half-heartedly. And well, despite what I said earlier,¡± he cleared his throat, ¡°it wouldn¡¯t be right to leave you without a way to make a living.¡± The old woman¡¯s smile widened, ¡°with all the help, it¡¯ll put us in a good position for winter. I appreciate it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have any help out here?¡± He asked. A few older folk had wandered past to survey the visitors shortly after they arrived. The woman shook her head. A red curl fell from her headscarf. ¡°My son only visits occasionally. He lives in the northern part of town, but he said he can¡¯t be bothered to come out here.¡± They weren¡¯t far from town, but the hustle and bustle of town life felt a world away to the spacious fields and small buildings dotting small water canals built long ago. It was a quieter life, simpler than most wanted. A slowness that allowed minds to wonder what more they could find.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my family¡¯s prominence once upon a time, I¡¯m sure my land would''ve been taken over by one of those farmers out there.¡± She pointed out towards the western wall. ¡°Prominence?¡± Taiga picked up a few shingles in his hand, turning them over in his hand and revealing their unpainted, rough, ceramic underbellies. A crack drew across one, and he set it aside with the other unusables. The old woman nodded. ¡°Back when Winolin was young, and mining in the mountains was under development, my family put down stakes here and helped provide food for the miners.¡± ¡°Impressive.¡± He tied a new shingle and lined it up. ¡°All the farming families here banded together back then.¡± She waved her arms around them, ¡°that¡¯s why, when the wall was built, it was built around us.¡± He hammered at the shingle while the old woman let herself get lost in her thoughts. Her smile shrank, eyes downcasted, ¡°now all the farms out there compete to be the best and take the little land we have left here. Trying to replace us.¡± Taiga glanced across the roof, checking once more for any gaps before sitting and dropping his hammer beside him. ¡°Competition breeds success for few, and failure for the rest.¡± ¡°Where¡¯d you hear that?¡± She put her hands on her hips, rocking her head to the side and watching him with a half smile. ¡°A knight.¡± It was his former captain, to be exact. They¡¯d passed through a Monx border village ravaged by hunger and famine. The only survivor had watched his own children starve while he snuck away with food scraps left behind by passing soldiers. ¡°Can you just disappear??¡± Taiga glanced up, finding Mouse knelt by pieces of broken fencing he¡¯d pulled up. The thief, Nena, stood on the other side of the fence, an arm pointing at him. Her face was scrunched up, eyes furrowed together at him. ¡°All you did was cause more problems! Finish weeding the bed yourself!¡± He slid off the roof, landing softly on his feet beside the old woman. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He called, walking over. Mouse met his eyes before tugging on a broken post and ripping it from the ground. Nena backed up a step as Taiga approached, before digging in her heels and turning to him. ¡°I¡¯m sick of this! I have more important things to¡ª¡± A plank of wood conked her on the head, bouncing off with a thud. The force knocked Nena over, and she caught herself before landing on her knees. She shook the shock off, glaring at Mouse. Mouse, on the other hand, blinked unbothered at Taiga. ¡°She said I needed to go tend the field in her place.¡± ¡°And your response?¡± ¡°¡®Piss off¡¯, were my exact words.¡± He smiled, nodding to himself. ¡°And this,¡± Taiga turned to Nena, ¡°led you to tell my partner to ¡®disappear¡¯? I suppose I don¡¯t need to tell you how unacceptable telling someone to disappear is?¡± In case his calm, purposely restrained tone didn¡¯t convey his simmered anger, he made sure his glare did. Nena looked away before stomping back towards the garden. He didn¡¯t shift his eyes from her until she bent back over the ground, ripping another weed up. ¡°How do you make people hate you so much?¡± Taiga sighed, picking up the plank of wood from the ground and inspecting it. It weighed little, and likely didn¡¯t hurt when it hit her. Still, throwing things at people was not exactly the best way to handle things. Mouse shrugged. Taiga walked over to him, ruffling his hair and then fixing it before it tangled. He hinted a smile from where he crouched, untangling rope from the fencepost. ¡°Don¡¯t disappear,¡± Taiga muttered, quiet enough just for Mouse to hear. He smiled wider, ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Hey, Taiga?¡± The old woman called from the road. A man stood next to her, waving at them. Taiga recognized the man as one of the mercenaries from the guildhall. He¡¯d fought with Mouse during the demon attack. Mouse stood up beside him, no recognition reflecting in his eyes. He walked over, treading carefully around any remaining crops. Mouse followed him, stepping beside him and stuffing his hands into his pockets. ¡°You have dirt on your hands.¡± Mouse blinked at him, ¡°so?¡± ¡°So, now the dirt is in your pockets.¡± Taiga watched him remove his hands, look at them, rub them against the side of his pants, then stick them back into his pockets. ¡°Better?¡± Mouse¡¯s smile eased Taiga¡¯s gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll clean them later.¡± As they approached the old woman and mercenary, Nena sat on the bench with the elderly man, once again trying to get out of work. The mercenary greeted them, and Taiga did a short bow in return. ¡°I thought it was you two on the street before.¡± The mercenary smiled, ignoring Mouse¡¯s lack of greeting. So, they¡¯d been seen in that debacle. ¡°Did you need something?¡± Taiga redirected the question, which the mercenary nodded to. ¡°Yeah, we got a request from the mining community to the east. It¡¯s a couple day¡¯s ride from here. They asked for any mercs we could spare.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the request?¡± Taiga weighed the idea with pleasure. Considering the pending bill for Sweet Bun¡¯s damages, they could use a little more cushion for their funds. The mercenary shrugged. ¡°It was¡­. Vague. Just a basic request for help. It wasn¡¯t marked urgent or anything. You two up for it? We know your skills are solid, so wanted to extend the offer to ya.¡± Taiga met Mouse¡¯s eyes, and they nodded to each other. ¡°When do we leave?¡± The mercenary smiled. ¡°At first sun up.¡± Chapter 37 - Taiga Sweet Bun trotted quietly in her approach to Mouse. He looked out towards the rice fields, mindlessly watching a couple people bent down amongst their stalks. Sweet Bun¡¯s feathered tail whipped, catching Mouse¡¯s attention, to her dismay. He spun around, grinning from ear to ear, spreading his arms open to her. Sweet Bun¡¯s head reeled back, her eyes bouncing between each of his outstretched hands. He took a step towards her, and she chirped in annoyance before turning away from him and running the short distance to Taiga instead. Mouse visibly shrunk. ¡°What did you expect? That she¡¯ll jump into your arms, making a complete personality shift to a loving companion?¡± Taiga ignored her nuzzles into his shoulder. ¡°I can hope.¡± Each word Mouse spoke increasingly dampened in spirit. He fell back to walk beside Taiga. As he did, Sweet Bun jerked her neck around Taiga and pecked Mouse¡¯s head. He jumped back, which pleased Sweet Bun greatly. A few short chirps translated to laughs, and Taiga shook his head at their nonsense. ¡°Didn¡¯t you pack some treats for her?¡± At the reminder, Mouse dug through his bag. After a few moments he pulled a grape bunch from his pack. A few fell off in the scuffle, which he picked out of his bag and plopped in his mouth. As Mouse approached Sweet Bun with such mouth-watering treats, Taiga picked up his pace. The black haired mercenary walked a short ways ahead with a couple other mercenaries he recognized from the celebratory meal after the battle. He joined them, ignoring the chirps and laughs behind him. ¡°Did you hear any word about the sort of help needed?¡± The black haired mercenary turned to him, shaking his head. He stepped to the side, giving Taiga space to join their stride. ¡°We sent a messenger overnight, but they didn¡¯t respond back before we left.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, something¡¯s weird about this!¡± A tall, muscled woman pointed a long finger at the man before turning to Taiga. ¡°I¡¯m Telania, by the way. That there is Ku,¡± she waved towards the black haired mercenary before patting another man on his shoulder, ¡°and this is Field.¡± It was the first time Taiga saw Field sober, and nearly didn¡¯t recognize him with a combed beard. He nodded to them. ¡°Taiga, and that¡¯s Mouse.¡± ¡°Yeah, we knew your name. Your friend there calls you it all the time. But by how he calls us ¡®hey¡¯, and ¡®beard¡¯,¡± she tapped Field again, ¡°we realized you probably didn¡¯t know our names.¡± Taiga¡¯s face heated a bit, and he apologized. Mouse once spent three years calling another knight in their squad by the color of his socks. He¡¯d told Taiga he saw no point in remembering unimportant humans. ¡°He struggles with names.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no worry, we shoulda introduced ourselves sooner.¡± ¡°So,¡± Taiga cleared his throat, ¡°what¡¯s weird about the messenger?¡± Telania mused for a long moment. ¡°About the one Winolin sent. It¡¯s a two day¡¯s walk to the Bearthatch area. So for a speedy messenger on a horse, they shoulda arrived with more details on the job by now.¡± ¡°Not if he took a rest along the way,¡± Ku pointed out, his eyes lazily watching the clouds over their heads.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Okay fine. But we¡¯ve been walking for hours now.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°We still haven¡¯t passed the messenger.¡± They talked over each other a moment with unimportant nonsense. Taiga looked out over the road ahead of them, the mountains barely visible beyond the horizon. ¡°Could the messenger have chosen a different path to Winolin?¡± Ku stopped bickering with Field and looked at Taiga, ¡°see, that¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. This isn¡¯t the most direct path to Bearthatch. If the messenger took a break, then cut through the woods,¡± he drew a line with his finger across a huddled bunch of trees past a field of rice to the right, ¡°he could pass us by and we¡¯d never know.¡± ¡°On a horse? Through a field of rice and mud after hilly woods?¡± Telania laughed in disbelief, ¡°let¡¯s see you drive a horse in the middle of the night through that.¡± ¡°All I¡¯m saying is, it¡¯s possible.¡± Ku side-eyed her, before returning to watch the clouds. ¡°Besides, maybe there was some confusion with the mission. Might take time to sort out and would¡¯ve delayed the messenger. ¡°Confusion? Beyond the information you requested?¡± Taiga looked over his shoulder, catching Sweet Bun bite at Mouse¡¯s head. He yelped before Taiga turned his attention back to the issue at hand. ¡°The mission just said Bearthatch, right?¡± Field grumbled, taking a bite out of some sort of biscuit. Ku nodded. ¡°Is that wrong?¡± Taiga asked. He didn¡¯t know the region well enough to make judgement. ¡°The Bearthatch mountains are mostly devoid of people, aside from the few tribes living on the mountains themselves. At the foot of the mountains, there¡¯s a cluster of mining towns and villages. The whole region is referred to as Bearthatch.¡± Taiga considered it a moment. If the whole region was the location of the mission, he could see the trouble. ¡°So we don¡¯t know exactly which town or village needs help?¡± Field nodded. ¡°Or, more importantly, who¡¯s responsible for paying out.¡± ¡°So what exactly did the mission request?¡± Maybe they agreed to this mission a little too hastily. ¡°Mimi!¡± Field called out ahead of them. The shyer woman of the group who seemed more focused on their horses than the conversation turned around. ¡° You got the mission sheet?¡± She nodded, pulling a rolled up paper from a pouch on the horse¡¯s tack. She handed it to Field, who passed it to Taiga. He unrolled it, revealing a hastily written letter marked with ink splotches and accidental markings. Simply stated, it requested a large amount of help dispatched to Bearthatch to handle a sudden occurrence. Compensation at the guildhall¡¯s standard rate would be paid out. Nothing else of substance was added to the request. To Taiga, who¡¯d served the court and her royal knighthood, it seemed, well, inadequate. ¡°Is this¡­ normal?¡± He handed it back to Mimi. ¡°I mean, there¡¯s a huge lack of information on it. I¡¯m surprised it was offered as an official mission at all.¡± Field gave him an odd look up and down. ¡°It was addressed directly to the hall master. She vouched for it.¡± So someone in Bearthatch had connections to the guild master. Fair enough. ¡°The person who delivered the message didn¡¯t know anything else?¡± Ku and Telania made eye-contact, holding it long enough to concern Taiga. ¡°It was sent by bird. Which, before you ask, is common.¡± Something in Ku¡¯s voice sobered. A request for multiple mercenaries. Payment unspecified. Employer unspecified. Location unspecified. Request through a bird messenger resulting in no further details. Mission approved by the guild hall master despite the missing information. All this, not even a full week after the demon¡¯s launched an unprecedented attack on the wall of Winolin. Though he couldn¡¯t specify what exactly bothered him, the unknown was becoming more common. Taiga didn¡¯t appreciate it. Screaming, Mouse ran out ahead of them, crossing the road before tripping. Sweet Bun was on him, biting down into his tunic and dragging him back off the road. ¡°It was only grapes! Why do you hate meeee!¡± Taiga paused, the idiocy breaking the somber atmosphere in an instant. Ku and Telania broke into laughter, Field shook his head with a sigh before biting back into his biscuit. ¡°You, uh, consider getting a better tempered linlao?¡± ¡°It crossed my mind.¡± Unfortunately, her damages made it impossible to save enough to replace her. And well, despite how she treated him, Mouse adored her. Chapter 38 - Mouse He drew his hand over thick claw marks engraved into the wooden beam of an abandoned building. The roof, once supported by two porch beams, collapsed in on itself opposite where Mouse stood. Taiga stopped beside him, his eyes dark, staring at the broken pillar and mangled remains of the other. Scattered glass freed from its frame cracked as Taiga stepped over it. He leaned over the empty window frame, his body cast into the shadows beyond Mouse¡¯s sight. ¡°Was it like this last time y¡¯all passed through?¡± Taiga called once he¡¯d retreated from the window. Field shook his head, mouth quivering slightly. ¡°I fancied the inn owner. He was a lovely man.¡± Around them, six buildings stood in a semi-circle. They were sprawled out fairly to give each other space, but close enough to be easily seen from the road only a few dozen meters away. Even as they approached from afar, the rest stop had been far too quiet. Alarmed, Ku and Telania had rushed off first. By the time Mouse and Taiga got there, they confirmed not a single soul was left in the place. No bodies lingered hope in their minds, though Mouse saw no point in keeping such luxuries. He stepped through the doorway, stilling himself to watch for any form of movement from within the shadows. But only the dust floating through sun streaks moved. Barstools were tipped, a few tables placed to the side while two others appeared knocked over at some point. Bottles of alcohol still lined the back shelves, and glass mugs and ceramic cups littered the countertop. Torn curtains were drawn over the west facing windows, though the eastern facing ones were hung back. His steps creaked the floorboards as he stepped inside. Through the window, he spotted Mimi and Ku inspecting the building to the left. ¡°Mouse?¡± He ignored Taiga¡¯s call, stepping behind the counter. The cash register rang an order at 384 daud. A wadded up scarf lay on the ground, red stained deep into one side of it. Taiga followed his line of sight, and neither of them said anything for a moment. There was nothing to say, other than the obvious. A curtain hung over the entryway to the back room, and Mouse peeked around it, only to find the backdoor opened ajar. Taiga wandered to the stairs, climbing them as Mouse checked out the back door. He wasn¡¯t gone for more than a minute before rushing back down the stairs. ¡°We need to leave.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mouse turned to him. Taiga¡¯s face had paled, eyes dark and stern on his. ¡°The magic is messed up here.¡± Taiga grabbed his arm, pulling him out of the tavern and back into the light. He released him, though he took a few more steps away. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Mouse looked back to the inn, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. Taiga stepped close to him, checking around for eavesdroppers. ¡°The magic is corrupting. Upstairs,¡± he lowered his voice, ¡°death lingered. The magics in the air were disturbed by whatever happened here.¡± He grabbed tight on Mouse¡¯s arm, ¡°do not enter any of these buildings again. Understand?¡± The sternness in his voice made Mouse nod. He couldn¡¯t see the flow of magic like Taiga, but he¡¯d never seen him react this way to it either. Taiga pulled a headscarf from his pack, wrapping it over Mouse¡¯s head. ¡°Taiga, was it demons?¡± Taiga¡¯s hand froze, before wrapping the scarf over Mouse¡¯s shoulder and sighing. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe when they failed at Winolin, they headed here. It¡¯s been a few days at most since this place was attacked.¡± ¡°You hot or something?¡± Field eyed them a short distance away. Mouse watched Taiga tack a smile on before turning, ¡°the sun¡¯s a bit bright, is all.¡± Mouse¡¯s eyes fell to Taiga¡¯s fingers, clutching the cloth of the scarf tight enough for the threads in the fabric to stretch. He touched his fingers to Taiga¡¯s, grabbing his attention, and tapping them lightly. ¡°The demons aren¡¯t here now. Do you think they failed?¡± He¡¯d pushed the attack on Winolin to the back of his mind. Taiga had always been better at figuring stuff like this out and, more than anything, he didn¡¯t want to think about demons becoming intelligent enough to follow plans and orders.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He still doubted there was a rip to the Beyond somewhere in northeastern Lanria¡ª No. He¡¯d ignored it. He hid behind words of impossibility. He followed precedent and grounded knowledge. He focused on what he wanted to; the Guardian Spirits. A tear at the seam of the demon realm would be disastrous in ways no one could predict. Intelligent demons slipping through the cracks meant so much more was wrong with the Guardians and the land than he could fix. Mouse swallowed not just his prickling fear, but also a deep chasm of¡ª ¡°It¡¯ll be okay,¡± Taiga whispered to him. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how yet, but it will. So calm down.¡± ¡°I am calm.¡± Taiga watched him. ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± ¡°Well, do you have any idea on how to fix this?¡± He caught himself snapping, and backed off. This had all been an impossible task from the start. Ever since Queen Nolara stuck them with that damn mission¡­ fucking he and Taiga along with it. Everything had gotten messed up ever since then. ¡°That human queen gave us an impossible task. And she knew it, too.¡± Taiga blinked at him, before checking around them. ¡°She has no way of knowing how serious the situation is.¡± ¡°Why are you defending her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m staying level headed.¡± Taiga lowered his voice. ¡°The queen said it herself that she didn¡¯t know why the Guardians were corrupting.¡± ¡°She knew demons were appearing here. She blocked that information from reaching the capital. Why? And why wouldn¡¯t she tell us? She¡¯s not stupid enough to think they weren¡¯t connected.¡± Mouse breathed deep, trying to keep his temper in check. He¡¯d pushed and pushed and pushed it off. And for what? A rest station in the middle of nowhere was attacked and the land left to corrupt. And if the land here was so vulnerable, then what about Pnendua? Taiga and Mouse were trying to figure out a way to save them. But they hadn¡¯t yet, and who really knew if there would be a way. What if Pnendua was already corrupt? Already wasting away in a land far from him, while they focused on the demons and imbalance. While the queen kept important information from them, and then ordered them to slaughter his family. The queen would pay for Pnendua¡¯s death with her own. ¡°Okay, stop.¡± Taiga placed his hands over Mouse¡¯s ears, his fingers sliding between his curls. ¡°Calm down.¡± ¡°If something happens to Pnendua because we can¡¯t figure this out¡ª¡± Taiga shushed him gently. ¡°Nothing¡¯s happened.¡± ¡°Not that we know.¡± His voice bubbled out of him, every word drawing fear and anger into each breath. ¡°Okay, so what do you want to do?¡± Taiga kept enough calm for the two of them. His fingers and palms kept Mouse¡¯s eyes focused on him. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He paused. He did know. ¡°I want to save Pnendua from corrupting.¡± Taiga nodded, ¡°and our best chance is to figure out what caused the initial imbalance in magic. If we can restore it, the magics will calm. And if we can¡¯t then,¡± he brought his head forward, tapping his forehead against Mouse¡¯s. Mouse¡¯s eyes fluttered closed, letting the coolness of Taiga¡¯s skin settle his nerves. ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll work to repair any damage done.¡± Mouse backed off, blinking at him. Taiga seemed to expect his reaction, his smile unwavering. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°The best option we have, isn¡¯t it? The Ganakri are beings of balance. We restore life to the deadlands once the magics there stabilize.¡± Taiga shrugged, ¡°it makes sense that I¡¯ll do it in the stead of my people, right?¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°It has a chance to save Pnendua.¡± Taiga turned towards Sweet Bun, who munched on grass beside the road. Mouse closed his mouth. The undertaking of such a responsibility was not something Taiga could manage alone. Something so monumental would surely only work as a last resort. Still, at least they had the option. ¡°You sure?¡± His voice broke. Taiga stayed away from the Ganakri¡¯s lifestyle for many reasons. Mouse didn¡¯t know them all, for he never ventured to ask. But he knew the decision was not easy for him. Taiga nodded. ¡°Calm now?¡± A yell jolted them to attention. Taiga looked Mouse over once more before turning to the sound. Mouse stepped past him, listening to continued screams from a building on the far end. Field jogged over to the building, his hand reaching for his sword. Telania stepped into the building with her weapon drawn as Mouse and Taiga approached. Before they arrived, Ku stumbled out of the building, coughing and yelling. ¡°Don¡¯t go in there!¡± He sputtered, before pulling himself to the grass and vomiting. ¡°What happened?¡± Taiga jogged to him, patting Ku¡¯s back between heaves. Mimi uncapped a waterskin, kneeling down and giving it to him. He took a swig, swished it in his mouth, and spat it out. She mumbled something to him, which he nodded to before she got up and went to fetch something more from their horse. ¡°What happened?¡± Taiga asked more sternly this time. Mouse hung a few steps back. He checked for Telania, who heeded Ku¡¯s words and stayed out of the building. She walked over, sheathing her sword. ¡°It¡¯s bad. Mangled. I haven¡¯t seen anything like that before.¡± Ku¡¯s voice shook, fingers trembling as he struggled to gulp down more water. ¡°There¡¯s at least seven or eight of them mauled up there.¡± ¡°Was,¡± Field cleared his throat, ¡°was the inn owner there?¡± Ku shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t get what I¡¯m saying. There were no people. There were only pieces.¡± Chapter 39 - Taiga It took Taiga and Telania several hours to bind the remains into sheets. While they did, Field, Mouse, and Mimi prepared a bonfire. Once night fell, they lit the fire and burned all body parts they could find. One of them, the arm of a child, still clutched a small torn doll. Taiga burned the doll with the remains. Field sobbed through their simple ceremony. Mimi and Taiga took charge of the remains and, as the only two with knowledge of rituals for those passed, spent the early part of the night whispering to the fire in hopes the stars would accept those passed on, even if only part of their bodies could be sent to them. When the fire died itself out, Mimi spent time finding the remaining bones and burying them out by a willow tree down by a small creek. For centuries, willow trees were thought to use their long sweeping branches to pluck any remaining bits of the soul from the fragmented bones and release it to the stars. So even though the willow stood a short ways from their place of death, it was a respectful gesture to those with a brutal end. While they did, the rest rummaged for passbooks and identification papers. Taiga planned to persuade the mercenaries to keep moving through the night, in case the demons returned, but found he had no need to. No one wanted to stay even a moment longer. Once the people at the rest station were laid to rest, the six of them, their two horses, and Sweet Bun continued on. ¡°After this and the attack on Winolin, I¡¯m sure of it,¡± Field started, ¡°it¡¯s a shifter.¡± ¡°What? What makes you say such a thing?¡± Ku scratched his head, nibbling on a biscuit Mimi had given him. After having walked in silence for an hour or so, Taiga had hoped they could have a solid talk while exploring theories. Though, he thought those theories would be backed by actual evidence rather than random conjectures of the unknown. ¡°Think about Winolin. Demons don¡¯t plan. They¡¯re too stupid for that. And trying to raid a whole city?¡± Field let out a haughty laugh. ¡°There¡¯s no way they coulda thought of something like that.¡± Taiga hadn¡¯t shared he and Mouse¡¯s conclusion that the demons likely lured a large amount of mercenaries out of the city, leaving it¡¯s defenses weak for the attack. That alone would have caused immense chaos. Because, like Field said, it was impossible for simplistic demons to have the intelligence to do something like that. ¡°No. No way,¡± Telania dismissed Field with a shake of her head, ¡°if there was a shifter in these parts, a bounty woulda been plastered on every building.¡± ¡°But a shifter would explain everything.¡± Field raised his arms out, gesturing around them. ¡°How so?¡± Taiga asked, noticing Mouse¡¯s interest. ¡°Shifters can change their form. They can look like demons, blend in with them. What if a shifter manipulated the demons into attacking Winolin. When that failed, they attacked the rest station.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Ku contemplated, nodding slightly. ¡°They¡¯re unpredictable, lurk in the shadows, and are heavily self-motivated.¡± ¡°Have,¡± Mimi hesitated, ¡°have you met one, Ku?¡± Ku shook his head vehemently. ¡°Of course not! I¡¯m only saying, it¡¯s in their nature.¡± ¡°Nature?¡± Taiga held back a laugh, and his tone was taken more seriously instead. Ku continued, ¡°just like it¡¯s in a siren¡¯s nature to stay to the ocean¡¯s depths and the giant¡¯s will always ignore anyone in need, it¡¯s in shifter¡¯s nature to cause trouble.¡± Mouse said nothing beside him, though his fingers clenched around Sweet Bun¡¯s lead. She didn¡¯t appreciate it, however, and snapped at him. He released it without a fight, and hunkered to Taiga. ¡°One¡¯s nature doesn¡¯t dictate everything,¡± Mouse nearly snarled the words, whipping away from any eyes falling to him. He grabbed Taiga¡¯s tunic, hiding behind him. ¡°But come on, a shifter? Hah, they lie, scheme, and wreak havoc for pleasure.¡± Field snapped his biscuit loud, tossing half into his mouth. ¡°They¡¯re forbidden from entering Lanria. Unless one got in by underground tunnels¡­ I mean, they can¡¯t exactly waltz through the border.¡± Telania sighed, patting her horse when it whinied. ¡°But they¡¯re the only thing that makes sense. How else do you explain all this? Winolin? The rest station? We¡¯ve been under siege by demons for years. Either smarter ones are getting through, or someone¡¯s making them dance.¡± The demon wielding fire against Taiga came to mine. Its blue eyes had followed him even as they retreated. Field was right, something was driving the demons to attack. And it would only be a matter of time before they acted again. ¡°Taiga,¡± Mouse tugged at him. ¡°What do you think? A shifter?¡± Taiga dropped a few paces back. Sweet Bun slowed when she realized. She nearly chirped before realizing they were still walking, just slower. Mouse matched pace with him, eyes jumping around them in case one of the mercenaries wanted to engage in further conversation. ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± Taiga shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± ¡°The demon that gave out orders in the attack was a demon and nothing more. Its magics blended too closely with those around it.¡± He couldn¡¯t announce that, of course. Humans wouldn¡¯t overlook the talk of magics. ¡°And I¡¯ve met a shifter before. The flow of their magic is entirely different.¡± Mouse furrowed his brow at him, ¡°you have?¡± ¡°Ganakri are a safe haven for all. A shifter stayed with my people for a time.¡± He spoke softly. Taiga could still recall the gentle yellows swirling around every movement the shifter made. He took the form of a falcon during most of his stay, until he felt it safe enough to descend into human form. Cautious yet adventurous would be how their magics felt to Taiga. It flowed gently, but overpowered once comfortable. The shifter used to tell stories of his adventures in the sky, though Taiga could no longer recall them. The mercenaries chatted to each other for a short while about their theories and ideas. Taiga found little credibility in them. Most were closer to folklore and ghost stories than anything tangible. They took a break early in the morning. Taiga and Mouse took the first shift, each of them getting four to five hours of sleep before the sun rose. As they packed up to keep moving, Telania sat on a rock, contemplating the wide expanse around them. ¡°You know, not a single person has passed us the entire time we¡¯ve walked this road.¡± No one said anything for a long time afterwards. As the sky turned to various shades of reds and purples, and light poured over the mountains, the outline of the first village came into view. Chapter 40 - Mouse The looming mountains shadowed the village even after they¡¯d arrived at it. As burned remnants of buildings and destroyed homes stood ahead of them, no one spoke. They stood upon the road, gazing past the burned remains of a village. Mouse stepped forward first, searching for any sign of life. But as none came forward, he ventured closer. Footsteps behind him followed, and the distinct light steps with deep impressions of Taiga followed behind him closely. Mouse turned to face him, seeing the drained and crushed expression on him that made Mouse¡¯s heart hurt. He didn¡¯t feel for humans the way Taiga did. No one took shock to the sight, and one by one, they neared the ruins of the village. Mouse climbed over a broken wall of the first house, peering in for any survivors. His ears told him there were none, and though he and Taiga knew the odds, it stopped neither of them from making sure. ¡°We¡¯ll fan out. There¡¯s another village to the southeast. I¡¯ll head there.¡± Field pointed out towards the mountains before moving on. Ku and Telania walked slowly, checking within each home they passed as they headed north. Mimi stayed with them, keeping the horses close to her as she followed a path into the heart of the village. Taiga jogged ahead of Mouse, looking through the shattered window. Mouse followed him. The arm of a woman stuck out from beneath a chunk of collapsed roof. He pulled Taiga back, ripping him away from the scene with force if he had to. ¡°The grass feels nothing here.¡± The words tumbled from Taiga like a forbidden whisper. ¡°We can still check.¡± Mouse said, only to comfort Taiga. His friend nodded, sucking in a deep breath. He pushed past Mouse, and checked in another fallen building. Mouse did not pursue him, and instead looked to the charred pillars that once kept the house standing. He grazed his fingers over the cracked grains, where they turned to ash and fire before succumbing under its own weight. Brick and stone crumbled under dense impact, some split and damaged from more than a small fall. At another house, a father lay curled with a young girl in his arms. They were untouched, aside from their eternal sleep. The people here were not devoured by demons. Yet the damage to the homes was wrought by an unnatural force. Every house and ruin he inspected yielded the same result; dead bodies, some looking as if they¡¯d collapsed under the destruction of whatever swept through while others looked like they¡¯d laid down to sleep. For hours he and Taiga searched in what felt like an unending silence. Loss hung heavy in the air as broken hope fell over them in a gentle mist. It enveloped around them, keeping the magnitude of destruction at bay within the clouds. The echoes of a voice hit Mouse before the words. He jerked around, spotting Ku and Telania running at them at full speed. When Telania yelled this time, he heard the words. ¡°Run!¡± Mouse hopped down from the rock pile he¡¯d been standing on, and whipped around, searching for Taiga. Several houses ahead and to the west, he knelt down over a body. Mouse darted to him, weaving between fallen brick and debris. ¡°Taiga, Telania and Ku.¡± Once he had his attention, he pointed out to where the two ran towards them. As their figures emerged further from a sweeping mist, shadows tailed after them. Mouse pulled himself up to the roof of a once-awning. The appearance of three large black shadows clawed after the mercenaries. ¡°Demons! Taiga, they¡¯re not small fry.¡± He hopped down, and drew his sword. Taiga led forward, stopping in what was once likely the marketplace of the village. ¡°Just run!¡± Ku yelled at them, waving his arms around. ¡°There¡¯s more coming.¡± ¡°What?¡± Beyond the mercenaries and three demons, Mouse could make out anything further from the mist. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere we can run to, we can take three.¡± Taiga unsheathed his sword beside him. As Ku and Telania sprinted past, a demon, over two meters in length, scurried after them. Mouse waited for Ku to clear him before pivoting around and slashing across the top of its furred head.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. The demon squealed in surprise, reeling back and scrambling to check itself. Blue blood dripped from one eye, and its talons gingerly checked the damage. Mouse readied himself, stepping one foot back and the other one solidly beneath him, stable in his stance. The demon clicked continuously, almost hissing with its fangs bared. A long, thin tongue arched away from him. Talons clacked against cobblestone and gravel, digging in where it could before lifting to take another step. It circled him, and Mouse side-stepped in the opposing direction. ¡°You want to take all three? Are you serious?¡± Ku¡¯s voice peeked, breaking a bit at the end. Behind Mouse, a yelping cry made him turn. Taiga¡¯s sword crushing deeply into another demon¡¯s paw. The demon was a different sort than the one Mouse fought; resembling closer to that of a large dog. Each click it made screeched into the next. ¡°Better to take care of these here.¡± Taiga pulled his sword back out, grunting with the force. ¡°Before more close in.¡± Telania clicked her tongue before steadying herself between Mouse and Taiga, ¡°it¡¯s not these little ones I¡¯m worried about.¡± Little? These demons were normal sized. The ones that attacked Winolin were minor, holding power only in their numbers. But these were full-sized, grown through the chaos they fed from. The demon lunged at him, which Mouse whirled around. He sent his boot hard into its stomach, sending it back and clicking in ragged breaths. He took the moment, running at it and shoving the point of his sword across its back. He had no time to think about what Telania meant. In the flesh of the demon split by his metal tip, ruffles of spines sprung out of it. A spine nicked him. The burning of its acid stripped his arm of its strength. He caught his sword with his right arm before it fell, swinging it in front of him and fending off the demon as it flicked its tongue at him. He knocked the tongue away, but it recoiled and whipped at him. It flicked his left arm again, and any remaining strength melted from it. A burning split sizzled through him. Mouse swatted the tongue away, but his reaction slowed, and the tongue managed to strike his right shoulder. The burn bled through his tunic in an instant. His strength drained at a single touch. The sword dropped out of his hand. He tried pulling his fingers to him, but they refused any response. The demon cocked its head at him, clicking, its eyes flitting from arm to arm as they dangled. ¡°You piece of shit,¡± his voice strained as more of his energy evaporated from him, replaced by acid. The tongue whipped at him again, first his left leg, then his right. When Mouse dropped to his knees, the demon watched him a moment before approaching. It was cautious, in a way that annoyed Mouse. But the anger was fleeting, much like the breaths he could barely keep in him. ¡°Mouse!¡± Taiga¡¯s voice called to him from behind, followed by thuds and clicks of another demon. Before him, the demon came closer, its head lowered to be on par with Mouse¡¯s. Every movement it made sent a series of clicks with an underlay of deeper, more throatal beats. ¡°Don¡¯t click at me, it¡¯s annoying.¡± Mouse spat. Even as he tried, no strength pooled into him. And it knew. It stopped a dozen centimeters from his face, raising its lips and revealing a smile of knives. The stench of rotting flesh plumed over his face. He forced down a gag, The knives open, its pink tongue slithering around them. Do something. Anything. Move. Mouse slammed his head down over the demon¡¯s. He pulled back, then bashed his head down again with every remaining fiber of strength. Any semblance of pain was banished from his mind. Before it could recoil, he needed to finish it off. The demon growled, but he did not hold back. Again, he reeled back, then pounded his head into the demon¡¯s until it caved beneath the pressure. It struggled to get its feet beneath it, its remaining eye dazed and unfocused. He leveled his head, before bringing it down again. When the last whimper escaped the demon and it collapsed to the ground, he let up. His head throbbed more with each pulse and breath. His ears rang, and when Taiga¡¯s hand slid into his shoulder, relief flooded him. ¡°--re you ¡ª ¡­g.¡± Mouse studied Taiga¡¯s lips, not that it helped. The ringing died down as his eyes refocused. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you okay? You¡¯re bleeding.¡± Taiga leaned down in front of him, his fingers moist when they touched his forehead. ¡°How¡¯re you feeling?¡± ¡°Getting there.¡± Mouse clenched his fists, stronger with each flex. ¡°You,¡± Telania looked at them, mouth slacked, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did you just smash it to death? With your head?¡± Mouse glanced from Telania to the demon laying dead behind her with Ku and Mimi. His own demon lay in a bloody pool, reds and blues mixed into purple. He nodded. Taiga pressed a wadded cloth to Mouse¡¯s head, dabbing at it gingerly. ¡°Do you hear that?¡± Taiga looked away, rising. He struggled to his feet, biting through any remaining pain and weakness in his legs. He looked in the same direction as Taiga, but made nothing out beyond the mist. A breeze drew past them, and Taiga¡¯s eyes fluttered for a moment. Then, at full attention, Taiga grabbed his sword from a slain demon¡¯s body. ¡°What is it?¡± Ku asked, nervously, stepping over the demon and holding a cloth to his bleeding arm. ¡°Can¡¯t you hear it?¡± Taiga whispered. Ku and Telania shook their heads. Mouse listened. Once the breeze calmed, the subtle sound of crying carried through the mist. Chapter 41 - Taiga When Field returned, the six of them followed the sound of crying into the mist. They stepped cautiously, letting the view ahead of them clear before moving forward. They passed the first village, and upon entering the second cluster of homes, orange mist blanketed the ground. ¡°This is where we stopped.¡± Ku pointed to the left, then at the corruption seeping their way. ¡°The demons made us out here, and we ran. There¡¯s no way we can get anywhere near¡ª¡± The clicks started small, growing into a wave of choruses that washed over them. Nearly a hundred pairs of blue, glowing eyes appeared around them in a semicircle. Taiga¡¯s breath stopped, and Mouse grabbed his arm beside him. ¡°Well, I see why you ran.¡± Taiga forced a laugh. Telania shook her head, backing away. ¡°Those weren¡¯t here before.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s about time to run.¡± Field backed away. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll let us?¡± Mimi asked, bringing out two daggers from her belt. Before Field chanced an answer, the eyes descended upon them. Droves of demons squeaked and clicked as they fell over each other. Field and Ku took flight, while Telania held her ground, yelling something none of them could hear. ¡°Taiga!¡± Mouse grabbed his arm, yanking him to the side before several demons barrelled over them. He pulled his feet beneath him, pounding them into the ground just to keep up with Mouse. His friend held tight to him, whipping past a ruined house and sprinting away from a pack of demons hot in pursuit. ¡°The others!¡± Taiga called through bated breaths. Mouse whipped around, looking behind them for only a moment before focusing forward. ¡°They¡¯ll figure something out.¡± Their boots pounded through orange corruption and shocks spiked through Taiga¡¯s legs. He bit down, focusing on keeping up with Mouse¡¯s stride as he was pulled through the fog. Each step stabbed upon thousands of needles into him, stiffening his limbs and slowing his pace. The demons struggled to keep up with Mouse¡¯s speed, several giving up and turning back, though Taiga debated if that was good or not. If these demons headed for the horses or the mercenaries instead, then he¡¯d never forgive himself. Sweet Bun could handle herself, the others may not. As the clicks drew distant, the whimpers of crying filled their focus. The sobs were deep and loud, coming from every direction. When Mouse slowed and finally released him, Taiga looked in every direction for the source of the crying. ¡°What is that?¡± Mouse asked, his voice lacking any of its usual potency. Taiga closed his eyes, taking several steps to the left as the vibrations rippled over the grass. Mouse followed with light steps. Their boots crunched over gravel and echoed, disturbing the sobs. The grass whispered from afar, carrying with it the source of the tears. Taiga kept his eyes shut, taking each step with care. The tears dripped with a thud, silenced as much as its voice. Muffled agony awaiting its release. ¡°Taiga.¡± Mouse grabbed his arm, ripping him from the trance and yanking him back. ¡°What?¡± He snapped before following Mouse¡¯s line of sight ahead of him. A shadow loomed in the orange fog. The jagged, tall outline balled up and rocking. When Taiga took a step towards it, a raindrop splattered onto his face. He drew his gaze upward, and though the fog made it impossible to see clearly, he had no trouble making out the rain as it pelted down ahead of him.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. A step back, and the rain vanished. Taiga looked forward, only to see orange corruption flow around him. But another step forward brought the rain back with it. More sobs erupted from the shadow, pounding louder. Each cry drove him further down, dragging Taiga into the sorrows it felt. ¡°Was,¡± Mouse paused, his breath leaving him. When he retook it, he turned to Taiga. ¡°Was there a Guardian in this area?¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Taiga spun back to the shadow. He looked over the outlined figure, seeing the tufts of fur broken by quills and feathers jutting out of it. ¡°No, there¡¯s no Guardian in this region. There hasn¡¯t been for decades.¡± ¡°So why are they here then?¡± Mouse hurried past him, and Taiga took pursuit. The rain slammed against him, harder, heavier, weighing him into the ground. Like arrows in their strength, each drop of rain pounded into him, drumming in his ears and blurring his eyes. Mouse shielded over his head, the rain so heavy now their vision obscured more than an arms length ahead. Taiga stayed close on his heels, yelling for him to wait, but the sound lost within the rain, even to himself. It thundered around them, each cry vibrating through him in deep, low hums. The rain bent them low, struggling to stay upright in such flooded force. Mouse dropped to a knee ahead of him, and Taiga reached out, grabbed his arm and helped him up, even as his own boots slid in the gathering water. ¡°Taiga,¡± Mouse sputtered water from his mouth, ¡°it¡¯s a Guardian. They haven¡¯t fully corrupted.¡± He pointed ahead of him, the black fur drenched in rain. The creature towered a dozen meters high at least, their legs and arms folded into itself. Talons shielded the white, ceramic mask. ¡°How do you know they¡¯re not corrupted?¡± Taiga pulled at him, but Mouse pushed away, stumbling as the rain pounded over them both. He caught himself with his hands, moving forward only through brute force. Another sob boomed through Taiga, reverberating to the core of his being and shaking him in its grasp. His hands trembled as they reached for Mouse again, each raindrop stabbing him with its dull blade. The pain bruised, and he bit through it as he pursued his friend. Mouse touched his hands to the Guardian, looking up at it despite the rain. He said something to it, though Taiga couldn¡¯t make out the words. When the Guardian didn¡¯t respond, Mouse pressed his hands to them, sinking into the damp furs. The length of his arms draped in fur, only his shoulders remaining. ¡°It¡¯s me, do you hear me?¡± Taiga made out Mouse¡¯s words through the rain. ¡°What¡¯s happened? Why are you crying?¡± His voice lowered, gentle. Taiga could make out nothing further. Mouse closed his eyes, though the Guardian did not respond. Another sob shocked Taiga¡¯s corrupting legs, and sent him scrambling to his hands. He dropped into standing water, the fog burning around his forearms where it could reach. They trembled into numbness. He yanked them from the water and shook them off in the rain. The pain re-emerged; a small relief. To the right, a shadow moved. From the rain, a long, quilled tail slithered across the ground. Taiga barely registered it before he ran to Mouse. When his friend was in reach, he grabbed his arm, yanked it from the furs, and pulled Mouse behind him. In the same moment, Taiga swung his wooden sword from its sheath. He clashed it against the tail as it whipped at him. He bared his teeth, digging the sword into the gravel to add resistance. ¡°Taiga, don¡¯t!¡± The voice faltered him as he forced the tail back, smacking it with the side of his weapon. ¡°What do you mean, don¡¯t?¡± Taiga called, pushing himself and Mouse back as the tail recoiled. ¡°You¡¯d be in two right now if I didn¡¯t react in time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t attack them! They¡¯re not corrupted!¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Taiga waved at the orange fog around them. ¡°Unless you really think those higher level demons summoned themselves and killed all the people in these villages?¡± ¡°I,¡± Mouse stammered, ¡°I don¡¯t know. But the Guardian isn¡¯t attacking, only defending. That¡¯s proof enough. It¡¯s trying to resist.¡± Taiga bit his lip as Mouse¡¯s eyes frantically searched him. There were too many unknowns to dismiss. But Mouse pleaded him nonetheless. ¡°Fine. What do you want to do?¡± ¡°Let me try reaching them. If I can speak to them, maybe I can help them calm down.¡± The tail disappeared into the fog. Taiga gritted his teeth, ¡°fine.¡± He didn¡¯t want to kill it either, but if it really did cause all the deaths in the Bearthatch villages, the Guardian was far too gone to save. Nonetheless, Mouse could try. Mouse stepped towards it despite the rain pounding over them relentlessly. Taiga watched the fog around them as they crept forward. Through the continual drumming of rain and the deep vibration of sobs, another sound made Taiga freeze. From above the Guardian, metallic clicks joined the chorus. Chapter 42 - Mouse Demons descended over them; hail in an already overwhelming storm. The rain crashed around them, and sobs thundered beneath. The metallic clicks were so easily overlooked. How could they hear it, until it was already upon them? Several black shadows wriggled over the Guardian, descending and inserting themselves between the Guardian and them. Mouse drew his sword, slashing at one as it ventured too close. When the Guardian cried out, the agony of a thousand thunders shattered his head, breaking apart his vision and throwing his balance into disarray. He stumbled, and when a demon lurched towards him, Taiga tackled it, tossing it to the side and rolling to his feet. Two demons ran at him, but Mouse knocked them back, fending off their claws and teeth through sheer force. Another thunder shook his core, and stiffened his bones, sending him crumbling to the ground. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Mouse shot his sword up, flinging its edge into a demon¡¯s jaw as it jumped at him. ¡°I can¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying!¡± Another boom cracked his eardrum, paralyzing his legs and dropping him into the pooling water. The rain beat over his back, lulling him deeper into the water. Pain burned his shoulder, searing flesh. He cried out, ripping away from a demon as it sank its teeth into him. Blood splashed into the water, sizzling with acid. Taiga swung at the demon, spinning between him and it, backing up and looking over at the damage. ¡°You good?¡± Taiga shouted over the rain. Mouse managed a nod, breathing the pain out and struggling to his feet. As Mouse opened his mouth to tell him he was fine, a roar trembled his nerves, freezing them and sending him back to the ground. ¡°Just give me a minute, I¡¯m trying to understand!¡± He yelled through bated breaths. ¡°Help me understand what¡¯s wrong,¡± he mumbled as he pulled his shaky legs beneath him. Heat drooled from his ears, and he dabbed them, the hot red sliding through his fingers. His head spun, vision stitched together out of order. Tears fell from the sky, reflecting his pain and struggle in them. He stood though his body wore him down. His fingers gripped his sword, blood washing from them as quickly as it came. Taiga pulled back, his face splashed with blue. ¡°Mouse, it¡¯s too far gone.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t even tried yet.¡± His voice strained, throat raw. He swallowed back the taste of metal. ¡°Mouse, it¡ª¡± ¡°They just need help!¡± He bashed his sword against a demon¡¯s arm, sloshing through the rising water. He swung his sword back to the demon, the metal tip slicing through its belly. Entrails spilled as it screamed in clicks barely heard over the rain and cries. Taiga made eye contact with him, and Mouse stared him down for four, five, six breaths. ¡°Fine.¡± Taiga agreed, turning to push another demon back. ¡°I¡¯ll hold them back for now.¡± Mouse nodded, pulling himself forward until he got the momentum to run to the Guardian. He pushed his arms into the furs again, feeling the warmth burning from beneath the thick coat. ¡°Please, hear me.¡± Mouse closed his eyes. The constant drum of the rain pulled away, and the warmth of the sun pooled in him. He held onto this warmth, letting it rapture his heart and flow through him. Another sob stripped him of the heat, splashing the drenches of fear and frost into him. He shivered, and the rain pounded against him again. ¡°Please, hear me.¡± His arms trembled, wanting to return back to his side. Furs shook with each cry, quills the length of his person quivered between the hair, touching him. A large paw shielded over their face. Blues, oranges, and pinks hid its white face. Mouse grasped the tufts of fur in his hand, using the quills for footholds, and pulled himself up the side of the Guardian. Rain plastered against his face, his fingers hurt, his mind disoriented. But he couldn¡¯t give up on this. ¡°Hear me.¡± He used the words as a mantra, pulling himself closer to the Guardian¡¯s face. He climbed over its arm, steadying his feet in it.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Talons barred his way to their face, so slid around, clutching the hair to keep his weak limbs from caving in. At the crown of their head, he petted them, hushing their whimpers. He reached his hands down to their flesh, ¡°hear me.¡± He closed his eyes, letting the warmth in his palms spread up his arms and through his chest. He focused on it, a sun at its rise as it peaked to welcome the field to the day. The wind whispered with it the secrets of the ancients long past, whirling him around and toppeling him over. The words were meaningless to him, much like butterflies following the flow of music. They bent and swayed in the sun¡¯s warmth. Ah, the Guardian¡¯s name was Ttafaschu. The light of the day. ¡°Why¡­ are you here?¡± Mouse whispered. The furs of the Guardian draped over his back, protecting him from the rain. ¡°Your home is to the south, my friend. Do you remember me?¡± No memories laid within their mind, and Mouse¡¯s heart dropped from him. Instead, as he opened his eyes, the fur of the Guardian tightened around him. It gripped his ankles and wrists. It pulled him off and flicked him away. But Mouse held fast, clenching around the fur on his right arm. The fur shot ice through his veins, and he dropped, tumbling into a cavern of ice and agony. The cries echoed through the chamber, trembling him and the ice around him. Thunderous tears splashed into the cave, turning quick to waterfalls, pooling around his legs and filling the chasm. He grabbed hold of a shelf of ice, but it crumbled under his touch, melting from his fire and warmth. He touched the wall of the cavern, and it turned to slush in his grasp. Further and further it melted, until he was freed and could scream. ¡°You have to tell me what¡¯s wrong!¡± He swished his sword in front of them, ignoring the rain pelleting against him again. ¡°You cannot trap me in your prisms and force me away!¡± The Guardian sniffled, the dark eyes of their mask peeking between talons. Mouse bared his teeth, taking another step towards the Guardian. ¡°I will help you! So don¡¯t fight me!¡± Their claws lowered from their face. Mouse kept still, and the white mask descended before him. The Guardian uncurled, looking at him. Their fur flared, quills spreading, feathers ruffled. A silence fell between the clatter of the rain. Then, the mask pulled back, splitting around the seam and dripping pink blood. The bottom of the mask opened, revealing the eternity of the Abyss within. A roar howled from the Guardian. Mouse¡¯s mind shattered into the screams of infinite terrors, ripping through his skull and forcing ice between his teeth. The force dropped him to the ground. He sucked in his breath, choking on the heavy rain that found him instead. A great arm of the Guardian raised up before smashing against him, tossing him like a doll. Soft gentle grasses caught him, stringing around his arms and legs until he hit something hard, jerking him to a halt. ¡°You hurt?¡± Taiga reached his arms over him, checking him over quickly. Something hot and moist dripped on Mouse¡¯s cheek, drawing his attention upwards. Taiga hovered over him, blood covering his brow and chin. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Mouse reached up, touching Taiga¡¯s chin. Wood protruded covering any wound made. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got it.¡± Though the fog was thick, he could make out the grass strapped around several demons. Their arms and legs were bound and most on their stomachs, unmoving aside from their clicking growls and glowing eyes. ¡°Mouse, it¡¯s gone. The Guardian isn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know that. I just need to try something different.¡± ¡°Mouse¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s all,¡± he spat, pulling himself forward and back onto his feet. ¡°You hear that?¡± Mouse waved to the Guardian, raising his voice over the rain. ¡°I will save you!¡± The Guardian watched him, turning itself around on all fours. Pink blood spilled over the mask¡¯s eyeholes. Mouse took a shaky step towards them, but the Guardian recoiled. After watching him a few more moments, the Guardian lurched back and howled again. The rain split around the force of the howl, driving back into Mouse and Taiga. Mouse shielded himself, the rain icing into crystals and piercing his forearm, like needles in a tapestry. He bore the pain, digging his boots down to keep from being pushed back. ¡°I will save you!¡± Mouse yelled again. The Guardian swung his tail out, and Taiga yanked Mouse back, summoning grass in front of them and letting it take the brunt of the attack. They were knocked back, and Mouse tumbled and rolled back onto his feet. The Guardian turned, running from them with another howling sob. Mouse took chase, leaping over a demon. The demon¡¯s bindings loosened, and it clawed at Mouse, but he jerked back, avoiding the talons. ¡°Mouse!¡± Taiga kicked the demon¡¯s head and forced the grass tight beneath him. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ they¡¯re out of control. You can¡¯t reason with them!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got to try!¡± The orange fog trailed after the Guardian, blooming and bellowing from it with every step it took. He bit through the trembles in his legs and chest, breathing in and through the corruption without hindrance. Taiga called out from behind him, ¡°We have to stop them now! Pull the Guardian back!¡± ¡°What?¡± Mouse slowed, spinning back towards him. When Taiga ran up, he picked his pace up, staying beside him. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°they¡¯re headed straight for the mercenaries. If corruption this pure touches them¡ª¡± ¡°They¡¯ll die instantly.¡± Mouse picked up his pace, running after the Guardian and further into the fog. Chapter 43 - Taiga Mouse darted ahead of him, calling to the Guardian. Taiga pulled up on his magic, gritting as the grasses around the demons snapped and broke. He yanked the magic back to himself, laying it beneath him like whips. The magic sunk beneath the road, melting between the gravel and stone. It awoke the dormant roots, traveling across and running underneath them. He breathed into it, sharing his magic through the air. It dripped from him in a gentle smoke, sinking and mixing with any life it could find. The rain followed the Guardian. His boots splashed through the standing water already disturbed by Mouse. Corruption buzzed his fingers and toes the most. They¡¯d gone numb before his elbows and knees felt the static. Instead, he focused on the magic through his palms, funneling through fingertips. The roots danced for him. They grew, swayed, and dug deeper at his request. He begged them, and they raised their stems. The grass and ivy stretched through the gravel, bending and twisting around any stone too heavy to lift. A wild strawberry bloomed its outshoots, like arms, and criss-crossed ahead of him. The ivy wrapped around the strong runners, contracting and compressing into strong rope. Taiga reached down in his stride, gripping the woven cord and snapping it forward. As the rope grew in a wave of force, the roots drew up, stripping from the ground and lurching forward. The rope slid through his fingers, stretching further behind him and tightening. ¡°Reach,¡± he whispered in bated breath. The Guardian ran, and the tether latched onto its legs and arms. When impact hit, Taiga stomped his boots into a halt and yanked back, drawing any slack in the rope into the earth. The Guardian cried out as it swaddled them. They sobbed through a roar, tripping over the cord and stumbling to the ground. The impact shook the earth. The rain pounded, drowning the howl the Guardian made as every pull and yank made the rope tighten further. ¡°Stop!¡± Mouse ran to the Guardian, his voice breaking. Taiga let him go, sliding himself to a halt. Lingering magic whispered to him before he released it back into the ground. Ripping through gravel and cobblestone drained him, and his numbing legs cracked in pain with every step. Mouse pressed his hands into the Guardian¡¯s fur, running around their great body and stroking them gently. His eyes were soft with the Guardian, rare in his love for them. Taiga hung back. If Mouse could break through to them, it was worth patience. Sobs shook the Guardian¡¯s great body. Orange corruption flooded from beneath the fur and feathers. The rain slapped the orange back, forcing it up over the surface of the flooded road. A light flashed, and Mouse was thrown back a dozen meters. His body ragdolled, and Taiga sprinted to him, yanking the grasses up. The knuckles in his fingers snapped back, and he gritted at the pain, pulling at the roots and forcing ivy to puff. It raised and caught Mouse, rolling him to a gentle landing. Despite the numbing of his fingers, his hands seized up and split. The strength in his legs folded. Taiga held his split fingers close to himself, cradling them until the pain calmed. When he dared a look, broken fragments of bark rose over his fingertips. ¡°Bear it,¡± he groaned as he flexed them. He focused ahead, towards Mouse pulling himself up and pressing fingers gingerly to his head. The Guardian roared, wriggling on the ground. The ropes snapped, and it struggled free. It howled, squirming to their feet. The mask swiveled towards Mouse, opening its great mouth and screaming again with such force even buried roots trembled. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Pink blood spilled from their mask, sobbing and hiccuping. Mouse rose, took a few steps towards it before stumbling. The Guardian flinched, but upon seeing Mouse fall, their demeanor shifted. The mask rose up, looking over Mouse. Before Taiga could react, the beast struck towards him. It dashed towards Mouse, tripping over its own limbs, faster and faster to him. Taiga sprinted, ¡°Mouse!¡± But he could not outpace a beast. It reached him in moments and pounced over him, talons drawn. The fog dispersed around the movement, and Mouse rolled to the side, just out of immediate reach of the beast. It swatted its tail at him, catching Mouse on its quills and flinging him further into the fog. Taiga yelled out at full volume, catching its attention. The beast¡¯s mask swiveled around, and it paused to look him over. When it began towards him, Taiga gripped the magics in his hands, slammed it down, and rolled it towards the beast. The road rippled as the roots shot ahead of him. ¡°Help me,¡± he yanked the magic up, and vines ripped from the gravel, joining with the broken rope, ¡°just once more.¡± The vines wrapped around the beast, stopping it dead in its tracks a few meters from him. His magic split down his wrists, breaking skin apart as the bark pierced through. Trembling, thankful for once for the numbing corruption, Taiga stumbled forward. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Mouse darted between he and the beast. ¡°They¡¯re not lost.¡± ¡°It would have killed you.¡± Taiga pulled back, resting a shaky hand to his sword hilt. ¡°I can save them.¡± ¡°How??¡± Taiga bit his lip, forcing calm over him. ¡°Look around, Mouse. The corruption is spreading. It¡¯s in agony.¡± The tremor in Mouse¡¯s chin silenced Taiga. Behind him, pink dripped from empty eyeholes, soft cries melting into the fog. Neither of them said anything, only the drum of the rain whimpered between them. Pain dulled beneath the numbness. The bright green glow of split magic dripped from his wooden fingertips, thick and sparkling. It dripped to the ground, soaking back into the earth he borrowed it from. Mouse¡¯s eyes lingered on the glow. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll heal.¡± Taiga tried curling his lips into a smile, but from the look Mouse showed, he failed. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Mouse turned back to the Guardian, taking several quick steps to them. He kneeled over the mask, caressing the top of it. His mouth moved, but Taiga couldn¡¯t make out the words over the pounding rain. Maybe it was because of the chaos their approach went unnoticed. By the time the clicking was audible, their glowing blue eyes showed through the fog. Taiga¡¯s chest deflated at the sight of them. ¡°Mouse, we gotta go.¡± ¡°What?¡± Mouse turned, freezing at the line of blue eyes in the fog. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hold them for long after stretching the roots to the Guardian.¡± He used his bark to find the handle of his sword, pulling it from his belt. A thunderous roar boomed behind him. It shook the rain and earth, sending Taiga and Mouse, as well as the demons, to the water. Taiga dropped his sword in the stumble, and he fished for it in the rain, feeling nothing unless his bark panged. Something caught on his thumb, and he clasped around the pommel. ¡°No, stop!¡± Mouse¡¯s voice made Taiga whirl around. The beast broke free of its restraints, twisting around and swiping at Mouse, who dodged. The demons remained in the fog, and cursing, Taiga ran back to Mouse, pulling him back as the beast regained its footing. It roared into the sky, growling and shying away from them. The clicks came up behind them, watching. Taiga turned back to them, swinging his sword in front of them. Wading a few paces towards them. ¡°Stay back!¡± Taiga snapped at them. A demon stepped a pace away. They wouldn¡¯t move on them with the husk of a Guardian there. Thuds and splashes made him spin back around to the beast. Mouse climbed its leg, and it thrashed. The mask elongated, nipping at him as if he were a flea. Taiga raced forward, sloshing enough for the beast to notice, but it took no heed of him this time. Mouse lost his hold, slipping. The mouth of the beast grabbed hold of him, and he cried out as he was yanked back. Taiga called out, yelling at the beast, but he held no interest anymore. Gripping his sword, he drove the remnants of magic into his sword. When he drew close, he spun around, propelling a thorned blade at the leg of the beast. It pierced, and the creature yelped. Mouse dropped from his mouth, landing roughly into the water. Taiga ran to him, pulling his head from the water as he blinked his eyes open. The beast sobbed, flinching away from them. It¡¯s head jerked around, something beyond the mist drawing its attention. Without another look, it sprinted away, and towards the mercenaries.