Visda, 13th day of Ichigatsu, year 2314
"Argh, why does it feel like I got bashed over the head without me knowing it," Thon groaned as he opened his eyes.
Katiya looked down at him with a greeting smile, his head rested comfortably on her lap. Thon sat up, shaking his head trying to fully wake up. He could tell they were sitting in the tailgate of a wagon inside a vacant barn. The twins form earlier scurried over to Thon and bowed their heads.
"Marin is sorry for using her magus on you, please don't punish big sis too," one of the girls whimpered.
"Shut it, Marin. Miriam will take the punishment as big sis," the other girl interjected.
Thon's focus returned and he looked down at the two of them shaking with fear. Their appearance was human blended with fox features, a captivating mix of both worlds. Both had a wild tangle of fiery orange hair, with a few stray strands that seemed to move on their own accord, like foxfire flickering in the breeze. Eyes, a piercing shade of yellow with vertical pupils, sparkled with mischief and curiosity, shining like bright gems reflecting light. Each girl had a fluffy tail; Marin's was bushy with a rounded tip, while Miriam's was slightly slender with a pointed tip, giving them an endearingly cute aesthetic.
Their fingers and toes were tipped with sharp, claw-like nails, and a soft, downy fur covered their arms and legs, giving them a slightly fuzzy texture. Despite their beast kin blood, the girls' faces were heart-achingly human, with high cheekbones, a small nose and a smattering of freckles across their cheeks that added to their playful, mischievous charm.
"No one is getting punish," Katiya said to calm them down.
"Ah, I think I know what happened now. That was a mind magus, no wonder I felt out of control and have a splitting headache. I'm glad you're both safe," Thon said with a little chuckle.
"Well, you actually brought back more than two new faces while you were unconscious," Neena pointed out.
A confused Thon lifted his gaze to see three other children standing behind the twins. One dragon kin boy, a nymph girl and a half dwarf boy.
"Meet Hael, Grimgold 'Grim' Edrei and Lysandra. Orphans who were kidnapped from their orphanage, unlike those two, who were taken after bandits attacked their family while on their way to Aagard to sell livestock," Katiya added.
Hael's black scales glistened like polished obsidian, reflecting the light in a subtle sheen. His eyes a bewitching emerald green that seemed to gleam with an inner intensity. His features were chiselled, sharp and angular, with high cheekbones and a strong jawline that gave away his dragonic heritage. A series of small, bony ridges ran along his spine, giving him a subtle, scaly texture that seemed to shimmer in the light. His hair was a river of black locks, with hints of blue and purple undertones that danced in shadows. Hael exuded an aura of quiet power and authority, as if he were a force to be reckoned with despite his age.
Lysandra's skin shimmered like the moon, a soft, luminous glow that seemed to emanate from within. Her hair was a mop of silver-blonde locks, with delicate, almost translucent strands that ever appeared wet. Lysandra's slender, elongated body seemed to be crafted from the finest porcelain, with subtle webbing between her fingers and toes, gave her an otherworldly beauty that was both captivating and unnerving. Her eyes were an ethereal shade of blue, like the palest mist on a summer morning. They were complimented by delicate, almost fragile features, with smooth cheekbones and a petite nose that tipped upward slightly.
Grimgold was a sturdy, compact boy with a rugged, weathered complexion. His hair was a rich, earthy brown, cut short and practical for a life of labour and adventure. Grim's features were strong and blunt, with a prominent nose and a stubborn jawline that spoke to his dwarven roots. His eyes were a deep, warm amber, with a hint of wit and humour that drew you in. He stood a slightly shorter height than human boys his age, but his broad, muscular build and imposing presence made up for it. A scattering of freckles across his cheeks and fuzz on his upper lip added a touch of whimsy to his rugged appearance.
"Can we take them with us? Who knows what would've happened to them if you hadn't saved them," Neena pleaded.
"Oh, come on, what good are kids in my company?" Thon complained.
"Why not, I'm sure they have some potential," Katiya supported.
At that moment, an hour after Thon passed out; Balikh arrived at the Borgus family estate to seek refuge. He banged on the gate in a panic and was led inside by one of the guards. The guard took him down to a sublevel under the family's manor. It appeared to be a dungeon with cells and different rooms, further along there was a large iron door. The guard knocked twice.
"Enter!" a voice from inside told him.
He opened the door and Balikh walked in. The room was a twisted sanctuary, a place where darkness reigned and depravity was indulged. The walls were adorned with tattered, crimson drapes that seemed to drink in the faint, flickering light of the candles, casting eerie shadows on the stone floor. The air was heavy with the scent of decay and corruption, a noxious miasma that clung to everything like a malignant entity. In the center of the room, a large, ornate chair sat atop a dais, its intricate carvings depicting scenes of unspeakable horror.
The chair was occupied by a figure shrouded in shadows, its presence seeming to draw the very light out of the room. To one side, a collection of twisted, sadistic instruments hung from the wall, their metal surfaces gleaming with a malevolent sheen. Chains and manacles were scattered about, some still bearing the rusty stains of previous occupants. The room seemed to be a place where the boundaries of sanity were pushed to their limits, where the innocent were preyed upon, and where the darkness within human hearts was given free rein. It was a place where terror and despair reigned supreme, a twisted playground for those who derived pleasure from the suffering of others.
"Ah Balikh, you're here in person. Have you brought me my new toys?" a man asked.
The man was dressed in a black full body rubber outfit a dominatrix would wear. In front of him was a half elf boy suspended in the air with chains, his body violated and bruised all over, tear stains running down his face. Balikh started sweating, wrapped with nerves.
"Forgive me Sir Franco, someone caused a ruckus and stole the delivery," he answered in a trembling voice.
"Dark magus. Manibus mortis, moveo res. Telekinesis," Franco hissed.
A jar full of nails levitated and opened up on its own; the nails floated out and darted at Balikh, striking him at various vital points killing him. Franco took off his outfit and put on a robe. He gave the unconscious boy a kiss on the lips and exited the room.
"Find out what happened at Balikh's shop. I want the person responsible found and my pretties returned immediately," Franco huffed at the guard standing outside the door, "And get someone to clean up the mess I felt inside."
"Understood sir," the guard replied.
Back at the barn Thon and children were enjoying some fresh buns Katiya and Neena had bought.
"Where are we right now?" Thon asked.
"A barn Taniyah's family owns on the edge of the outer ring. We asked her for a place to lay low, and she brought us here," Katiya replied.
"Good thinking, it will make it easier for us to leave the city," he commended.
"Oh man! You got yourself in some trouble didn't you!?" Neena probed.
"Yep, so for all our sakes we must leave now," Thon insisted.
Katiya and Neena helped the children onto the wagon, while Thon secured Vyz to it. It was a regular cargo wagon with a high canopy and curtain separated the driver's seat from the rear. Once they were ready Thon opened the doors and lead them out. He hopped onto the driving seat and whipped the reigns. Vyz gave a shrill roar and took off drawing the wagon.
They came up to the checkpoint at the city gates. One of the guards stopped the wagon.
"Is there a problem?" Thon inquired.
"Not at all, I just have orders to advise anyone leaving the city for Corbis, Elil and Bobin, to be wary of bandits along the mountain roads," the guard informed him.
"Oh, I see. Thank you, my company and I are actually headed in that direction," Thon replied.
The guard tipped his helmet and let them pass. They rode off travelling at full gallop for about an hour before stopping to take a break. While this happened, the guard Franco had sent returned from accomplishing his task. He approached the door to Franco's study, but before he knocked the door opened for him.
"Come in," Franco instructed.
The guard walked in, and the door closed behind him. He walked up to the large Mopani wood desk and bowed.
"What did you find out?" Franco inquired.
"Balikh's shop is fine, but his men were roughed up really bad, it required a healer," the guard reported.
"The merchandise?" Franco probed.
"Besides today's delivery, all slaves are accounted for. What am I to do now?" the guard went out.
"Nothing, I have already made the necessary arrangements. You may return to your duties," Franco said shooing the guard with his hand.
After the guard left a figure in a long cloak appeared from behind the closing door and stood in the middle of the room.
"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Franco welcomed.
"State your need of me," the figure replied in a ghostly voice.
"Someone has recently caused me quite an upset. I would like you to eliminate him and bring back five halflings he stole from me," the man relayed.
"Very well, I expect the rest of my payment when I return," the figure responded before disappearing.
"Hahahaha, whoever messed with me will rue the day they were born," Franco gloated aloud to himself.
Thon sneezed. Katiya opened the curtain to check on him.
"Did you catch a cold?" she asked.
"No, someone is probably talking about me," he replied.
"Where are we going?" Marin asked him.
"To Bobin, it's a large port city on Ebion's South shore. However, we first need to pass through a labyrinth town called Corbis to earn some coin," Thon answered.
"Why would a northerner want to go there?" Hael questioned.
"You're quite rude for a little squirt that was saved from a life of slavery," Neena remarked.
"Excuse my scale brained friend, we're grateful to you all," Grim interjected.
"Yeah, we didn't like it at the orphanage either. The human kids always pick on us halflings," Lysandra added.
"You can leave at any moment and fend for yourselves," Thon responded.
"NO!" the other four children protested.
After a quick rest they continued on for Corbis. Hours later a broken-down carriage came into view along the road, when they got to it an elderly man covered in blood jumped out from under the carriage stopping them.
"Help! Please! I know they'll come back to get me!" the elderly man screamed.
Just as he finished speaking the tall grass on either side of the road rustled. Neena and Thon instinctively jumped down and took defensive positions beside the wagon.
"Katiya! Take the reins and be ready to ride off at the first sign of trouble," Thon instructed.
"Got it!" she answered.
"Any idea what we're dealing with Neena," Thon asked.
"Give me a second," she replied.
Neena knelt down and pressed the palm of her left hand to the ground.
"Sound magus. Vox resonus, mentis oculus. Vibration read."
Her unique magical ability allows her to perceive her surroundings through the subtle vibrations that flow through the earth, and if she were to grow the power it would include water and air. By attuning herself to these vibrations, she can 'see' her environment in a way that transcends visual sight. So far she can sense the presence, magus and movement of objects, but not the size, shape or full state of living beings. Neena's connection to the vibrational frequency of her surroundings grants her a heightened sense of awareness, allowing her to navigate a certain radius. In time, she'll be able to track targets, and even predict incoming attacks.
Her magus is heightened in environments with rich textures, sounds, and smells, but can be disrupted by intense magical interference or chaotic energies. Her facial expression changed showing worry.
"Bandits!" she whispered.
Six men closed in, their cruel eyes fixed on Thon, Katiya, Neena, and the five trembling children. They already had two hostages, a woman and a girl, their clothes ripped and torn. They were being groped and pawed at by the bandits, their terrified screams carried in the open grassland. The elderly man from before appeared to have been traveling with them, he cowered on the ground, his eyes wide with fear. Their leader, a burly man with a scar above his left eyebrow, stepped forward, a sneer twisting his face.
"Hand over your women and the brats," he growled, his gaze lingering on Katiya and Neena, "Do it, and we'll let you go."
Thon's face twisted with rage, his eyes blazing with fury.
"Do you happened to know what a human's liver taste likes?" he asked with a low and menacing voice.
The leader was taken aback, his expression confused.
"Bone magus. Free form exchange."
Before he could respond, Thon charged forward, his hand shooting out like a striking snake. He plunged his hand into the bandit leader's abdomen, his fingers closing around something warm and squishy. With a swift, brutal motion, he ripped out the bandit leader's liver, the man's screams cut short as he stumbled backward and collapsed, his wide eyes rolled back with shock. The other bandits watched in horror as Thon raised the liver to his mouth and took a bite. The sound of his teeth crunching into the organ was like a crack of thunder, and the bandits' faces paled in unison.
When Thon finished eating, he looked at the bandits, his eyes glinting with a feral light.
"Who's next?" he asked, his voice dripping with menace.
The bandits scrambled backward, their fear palpable. But Thon was relentless, stalking them down one by one, his hands tearing into their bodies with a deadly precision. The open grassland was filled with the sound of screams, the crunch of bone, and the splatter of blood, as Thon hunted down his prey with a savage intensity. Marin unintentionally read this thought in Thon's mind hidden behind a dark veil. She saw it all as a vivid premonition of something to come.
However, what she witnessed was something undeniable inhuman. She jumped out from behind the curtain onto the driving seat.
"No, don't do it mister!" she shouted in a fright.
Thon gestured with his hand for her to stay back, but it was too late. One of the bandits fired of a stone bullet with his earth magus, striking Marin on her forehead head. The force of it connecting with her head sent her flying back onto the other children. Thon snapped.
"Forgive me Marin," he growled.
Next thing, Thon exacted his premeditated actions in retaliation. Everyone else watched in stunned silence, the children, initially frightened, soon watched with a mix of awe and disbelief as Thon dispatched the bandits with brutal efficiency. When the last bandit dropped, Thon's rage subsided, he ran over to check on Marin. Katiya was already in the process of healing her.
"How is she?" he asked.
"All patched up, just unconscious from the shock," Katiya replied.
"I've never seen a human move like that before," Hael remarked.
"Neither have I," Neena said.
Thon stepped back from the wagon; he was covered in blood and embarrassed by his wild outburst, so he ran off blindly into the tall grass. A great distance from the road, he came up to a stream where he knelt down and looked at his reflection in the water. While he was doing so his heart gave an audible thump, and his mind went blank for a moment.
"I see you child, and soon enough, you will see me," a voice echoed in his head.
Then Thon came back to himself and calmed down, he took a dip in the water to clean off. While he dunked his head underwater, five different figures plunged in one after another. Thon jumped out to see it was the children.
"Marin ran here to find you when she came too. The others were curious and tagged along. Now, that they've seen you're okay, they decided to go swimming," Neena called out from the riverbank.
"Wow, you're strong mister," Grim complimented.
"You guys aren't scared of me?" Thon asked.
"Nope," Marin answered.
"Not at all, I'm glad to know I'm following such a capable warrior," Hael answered.
"How could we, you're our master," Lysandra replied.
"I'm no one's master. Think of me as a guardian or something like that," Thon said.
"Can I call you big brother Thon," Miriam asked.
"Me too," Marin, Grim and Lysandra insisted.
"Do want to want," Thon responded walking out of the water to riverbank.
He passed Neena first, then Katiya, who was now tending to the woman's injuries. When Thon got back to the road, Vyz and other small scavengers were picking the bandits bones clean. There were two other bodies pinned under the carriage.
"That's my son in law Mizpah Succoth and our driver Jeff. They stood up to the bandits and were cut down for it," the elderly man said from behind Thon, "I am Cesil Jabbok. Thank you for saving my daughter, granddaughter and I."
"I did what I did for my own reasons, but your thanks are welcome nonetheless," Thon answered him.
"I have nothing on me at the moment, but I if you can escort us to Corbis, I will be sure to show you my gratitude in full. I'm quite respected there," Cesil added.
"I don't deal in handouts. A referral would be nice," Thon replied.
Cesil laughed, his mood lightened up slightly. By the time Thon got the carriage upright and he managed to retrieve the two bodies under it, the sun was slowly retiring under the horizon. They could hear everyone else making their way back.
"Mizpah!!" the woman cried out.
"Daddy!!" the girl cried out.
They both ran over to the men and fell down beside one of the bodies. Both of them sobbing rivers of tears.
"Come now you two, we can't stay out here in the dark," Cesil pleaded helping the two up to their feet.
"You'll have to put up with a tight squeeze in our wagon after we transfer your luggage. However, it beats walking," Neena informed the new travel companions.
"Wait, Miriam can help," Miriam interrupted.
She climbed on top on the driver's seat of the wagon, then closed her eyes and stretched out her hands.
"Beast tamer magus. Terra verde, vita dono, herbivorae, audite sonum. Pacem porto, manu tenera, venite ad me, sine timore fera…" she chanted under her breath.
"What is she do…?" Thon tried to ask.
"Shh, Miriam is calling for help," Marin barked at him.
"…Silva responde, voco mea, creaturae, audite vocem. Concordia cordis viniculum amaris, unitas nobis, in harmonia floris. Tamer's call," she finished.
The wind and clouds around them were stirred up. Birds hiding in the tall grass took flight in haste because they were disturbed by something approaching. Something certainly large in both size and number from the sound they caused. Everyone waited anxiously to see what it was, Vyz was particularly on guard. Then final a small herd of gruffalos emerged with clamorous bellowing, they formed circle around the group, wagon and carriage.
When Miriam opened her eyes the calmed down and stopped their fussing. They stood imposingly, with shaggy coats a deep, earthy brown that seemed to blend seamlessly into the surrounding grass. Their massive bodies were covered in thick, corded muscles, and their curved horns gleamed with a sharp, deadly sheen. A gruffalo's eyes are a piercing yellow, with a sharp, intelligent glint that belied its lumbering appearance. Despite, its size, a gruffalo moved with a swift, deliberate pace, its hooves drumming on the ground as it traverses.
Their presence was both commanding and majestic, inspiring a mix of awe and respect from those who encountered them.
"Miriam asked if any beasts nearby would pull our wagon and their carriage. The gruffalo's were kind enough to offer to help," Miriam stated.
"This was how Miriam helped Papa and Mama on the farm. I would read the animal's mind to tell if they were happy or sick," Marin explained.
Everyone marveled at what she had just done. They secured two gruffalos each to the wagon and carriage, Thon and Neena rode on one each, while the largest of the gruffalos took up the rear. After which, they were on their way to Corbis. While carrying on through the night, the ominous figure Franco spoke with was picking up Thon's trail back in Aagard. This figure was an assassin from the Ghost guild known as the 'Touch of Death', rumoured to be a woman, feared and renowned by the many.
The touch of death moved through the crowded underground market with an unnerving silence, her eyes scanning the stalls and shoppers with an intensity that bordered on the supernatural. She was a ghost indeed, a whispered rumour, a shadow that stalked the unwary. Suddenly, she had a scent, a trail that would lead her to her prey. Thon, the target, had left a faint whisper of his prescence, spots of dried blood that her trained senses picked up with ease. She followed the trail, her footsteps light on the stone alleyways, as it led her through the winding market out into a bustling city square.
Intense waves of sunlight beat down on the cobblestones, casting long shadows that seemed to writhe and twist like living things. Her gaze never wavered, her focus fixed on the trail as it guided her from the square to a barn in the outer ring to the city gates, iron portals creaking ominously in the wind. The touch of death passed through them, her eyes adjusting to the bright sunlight, and followed the trail on horseback as it wound its way along the highway. Landscapes shifted, buildings thinned out as the road stretched into the countryside. Her senses grew sharper, her awareness of her surroundings heightened as she tracked down her prey.
She could pick up on Thon's presence, a lingering echo of his mana in a roadside camp; it seemed to vibrate at its own tune through the air. A while later, she rounded a bend in the road, and came to the sight of a once gruesome scene: the faint whiff of blood, scattered bones being picked clean by scavenging birds. Her eyes narrowed, her gaze scanning the area for signs of Thon's movements. But he was long gone, vanished like the passing wind. Which only delayed her slightly; she knelt down and studied faded hoof prints and wheel marks.
Her head snapped up, her eyes locked in the direction of Corbis in the distant horizon. Thon and his companions were nearing the gates of the labyrinth town at that moment, a cloud of dust dissipating behind them like a felled spectre. The touch of death slowly stretched out a twisted, cold smile on her face. She was one step behind, but she would catch up. Death always caught up with its target.