Blood Moon Chronicles Book 4 Many Faces of the MoonChapter 22
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Janet
It has been nearly seven months since we lost Davik and I still have not gotten over it. The others feel the same deep loss, though I think that Lillian has been hit the hardest. She had known him, cared for him longer than any of us. Still, the pain was as raw and deep as it had been the night he died. The love of my life gave his life to restore peace to my homeland. Each day, as we get closer to Int’samba, I wonder if that sacrifice was worth what was lost to me, the others and to the eight children he left behind.
I can easily recall his final moments as I saw them that night. The eight of us were racing towards the lookout tower where Voguel and Davik were fighting. As Davik had described to his opponent, I had indeed woken up and through the bond found out it was Baras who was our hidden adversary all along. Making sure everyone was okay, we relayed the news to the Dran, as well as the plan Voguel laid out for Davik, before heading to try and help him.
We could not use our enhanced speed and strength due to the large crowd and even Lillian was finding it difficult to weave her way through the various people walking and dancing around us. Even our combat awareness was not enough to speed our travel towards the tower. Every minute it took us to get closer was another minute my fear and desperation increased. I could sense what was going on in the fight and it was not looking good for Davik.
When the sound of glass shattering pierced the noise of celebration, everyone looked up to see Davik and Baras falling into one of the huge bonfires below. Everyone screamed, but the loudest came from us as we watched him plummet into the flames and listened to his cries of anguish. Immediately, soldiers, people and even children were rushing to get water to douse the flames. Normally, a bonfire like this would burn for days before it would finally go out. Now, you had hundreds of people rushing to try and put it out.
After a few minutes, his and Voguel’s screams ceased and I no longer felt him in the bond. I collapsed to the ground in anguish, joined by the others. People rushed over to help us and get us to a nearby table to rest. Valentia came to watch over us and made sure the stress of our pain was not having dire effects on our babies. Given the size of the bonfire, it would be futile to try and put it out. The heat would evaporate most of the water. Even if there were a way to douse the flames, it could take many hours. By that time, their bodies would be either reduced to bones or ash. We all wept and cursed Phaltina for starting all this in the first place.
Resigned to our loss, we begged our leave of the festivities and told the Dran we would be returning to our room at the inn. No one said anything as we made the long walk; we were too wrapped up in our thoughts. Since we arrived in Vishant, we shared our thoughts and feelings with one another. Shared dreamscapes became routine and gave us more time with one another. We grew stronger and more able with Davik’s influence. We became better people and the loss was devastating. We all felt emotionally diminished, but more so
because our abilities now seemed to be nearly nonexistent.
Davik had been the core of the Ostregal, the focal point from which we originated. Though Lillian and the others became bonded through me, Davik was still at the core of it all and it was his energy that fueled us. With that wellspring gone, we felt hollow and less than we were before. We could no longer speak to one another as we did through the bond and I could only pick up the most basic of emotions.
Feeling so drained, we made our way to our beds, hoping to find some comfort in our dreams but we were certain we would not find any. For the first time since we had bonded to Davik, no one slept in pairs. Even Lillian decided to sleep on the floor by the door instead of opting to change back to her human self. Sleep did not come easy to any of us, as his last moments kept replaying in our minds over and over again.
For the first time in months, we did not enter a dreamscape. Part of me wished that we would have somehow seen Davik there and that we would be given the chance to say goodbye. Even a chance to go there one last time, even if it were only to grieve together would have been welcome. Instead, my dreams were nightmares. In them, I watched Davik fall into the flames and die in agony, only for Voguel to walk out unharmed. His burnt form standing triumphantly in front of the bonfire, before lashing out at everyone.
I woke up in a cold sweat and glad that that nightmare was over. As I looked around, I could see the others were in the throes of various forms of nightmares themselves. Their bodies were jerking in response to what they were experiencing and often whines, groans and whimpers would escape their lips. I shook my head in sadness and glanced over to check on Lillian. I was shocked to see her naked human form lying on the floor. She never reverted like that, even in her sleep. I walked over and attempted to pick her up but found that I no longer had access to any of my abilities.
Upon further inspection I found that I had none of any kind. I was now as I had been before I had crossed paths with Davik. I gently woke Lillian by shaking her shoulder. I did get momentarily distracted by the swaying of her large, full breasts but refocused on my task.
“Ugh, hey ... Janet,” Lillian said with a sleepy smile. “What time is it? I thought we were not going to be getting up early?”
I smiled and said, “Sorry, love, but something big has happened and I needed to talk to you. I think that the curse has been permanently lifted. I have no abilities at all, anymore, as well as the fact I woke up to find you asleep in your human form. You never change back in your sleep, so I needed to find out if you had changed back while I had been sleeping.”
Lillian became more aware and started to get up off the floor. I watched as her eyes looked off in the distance and she attempted repeatedly to focus on something. Each time nothing happened, and I saw her become both surprised and slightly frustrated.
“I am cured,” Lillian said with a barely audible whisper. “I cannot change into a wolf, no matter how hard I try. I cannot find her inside me, nor does she answer me.”
I hugged her to me, and we cried together. It was over for good and we were all finally free. This should have been a cause for celebration. Happiness, joy, and relief should be coursing through each of us. Instead, we only felt pain, misery, and loss.
Over the next few days we waited for the fire to go out. When it finally did, there was truly little left of either of them. I collected a bag full of ash and placed it in our goods along with Celka’s. It was a somber occasion as the Dran held a memorial service for our lost love. Various people who interacted with Davik stood up to say something, though they were not his friends or loved ones. We were asked to say something, but we refused, citing that we would save that for his funeral back home.
With nothing left to do, we focused on the wagons and the coming babies. The Dran covered the cost of our stay at the inn, as well as the wagon we had commissioned. Two weeks later, the whole town stood outside to watch the moon rise. While we believed the curse was finally broken, this would be the final confirmation. We watched in silence as the moon rose past the wall of the city, casting the streets in its white glow. Cheers erupted from the entire capital. There was a feast to celebrate our freedom from the curse, but we decided to stay in.
The wagon was completed just around the time I finally gave birth a month and a half later. He was a strong and gorgeous little boy, just as his father was. I was tempted to name him after Davik, but something told me it would not be correct. Instead I named him Trent, after the friend lost in Davik’s fight with Brenson. He had his father’s eyes and hair color but had my complexion. We all wept, knowing that Davik should have been here to share this with us. Over the next month, seven more bundles of joy were welcomed into the world.
Faye had a little girl who she decided to name Violet. While her namesake had turned out to be a disturbed and angry young woman, she still had been Davik’s childhood friend and he had missed her dearly, despite what she had done. Like her namesake, this one was quick to temper and very vocal when she wanted something. She filled us all with great joy.
Cherish had a little boy we decided to call Stevan, after Davik’s father. He was quiet most of the time, but when he cooed as he looked at you with his big eyes, your heart could not help but melt. He was also a greedy eater who gladly suckled at a breast as often as he could, much like his father.
Ingrid had a little girl, who we decided to name Ivy, after Davik’s mother. Given that her mother looked a lot like Aphronia, we found her completion and hair color matched quite well. We were not sure how Ivy, the young girl we rescued from Brenson, would take it, but we were confident she would be happy to share the name.
Irenia had a girl, who we named Gwen after our friend who lost her life in this crusade for justice. Irenia had been close with her, so it seemed only fitting that she would be the one to use that name. Ingrid often played with Gwen when she could, ensuring she was never starved for attention as Gwen had been.
Kayla had a little girl who she named Celka, after our lost friend. Celka was a mentor to Kayla and we knew Davik had grown to bond with her before her death. Lillian was overjoyed to know her elder aunt’s name would live on in our family. She always had Celka with her any time she gathered or worked with herbs, hoping it would spark an interest in the little one when she got older.
Elsie had a young girl who she named Elinia, after the last friend we lost to Voguel. She was quiet but always curious and looking around when she was awake. We had a feeling she would be one to want to learn and much as she could about the world and its history.
Lastly Lillian had a little girl as well. She was named Liriana, after Lillian’s mother. We all wished we had gotten to meet her mother and thank her for raising such an amazing young woman. She looked equally as beautiful as her mother and seemed to have a wildness to her at times. We would joke that her wolf did not leave, only became one with her daughter to help make her strong and to protect her as it once did Lillian.
All of them were energetic and strong like their father. We waited two months for the babies to grow and allow us time to recuperate before heading back out on the road again. Lillian found it odd not to be a wolf anymore and she continually mentioned how much she missed it. Despite the lack of threat, we still train and hunt as we did when we traveled with Davik. He would want us to stay sharp and well fed for our babies.
We woke a few hours later at the same time, which was not surprising. We had slipped into our dreamscape and we had noticed that we would all come out of it at the same time. This occurred every time, and we emerged rested, despite what had occurred. While they had acquiesced to my request for resting, they decided to try and pull us all into their dreamscape. They had succeeded and we were pulled into an accurate facsimile of my bedroom back in Cartha. There were some differences, since the...
I awoke sometime later with Lillian and Janet still in my arms. I looked down to see that their hands were still intertwined. I wished we were done with all this, allowing me to bask in the love and tenderness of the women in my life. I was growing tired of all the darkness and death that seemed to permeate my life, despite my attempts to prevent it. Still, they are the light that has come out of that darkness and I do not think I would do anything that would have kept that from...
We arrived at the western encampment a few minutes later. I had been surprised to find the people of the capital forced to live outside the fortified area of the city. What genuinely surprised me was the number of soldiers that were camped outside the core of the city. Based on the Dran’s vanity, I would have assumed he would keep as many soldiers he could between him and any Voguel. My gut told me that these were ones he could not confirm as totally loyal to him. So, under the guise of...
“All this time,” I yelled at the top of my lungs. “All these years and it had been you all along. Janet considered you a friend! Her worst enemy and her ultimate target was hiding in plain sight the whole time.” He laughed, “Hiding in plain sight is the best way to do it, boy. I made sure after I killed my cousin to ensure I was in the shadows. Then I appointed that fool to act in my stead, using a link to send messages through. I would be able to relay information and orders for Feror to...
I felt odd in a way I could not place and tangled in a darkness I could not fully perceive. As I opened my eyes, I found myself once again within a dreamscape that was not my own. The one I shared with my ladies felt different than the one I currently found myself in. I stretched out with my senses, hoping that they would work here and what I found was peculiar. The environment was strange, with no form other than the dense forest and storm clouds above. It only seemed to stretch out for a...
We cut our way through another dozen Voguel before we reached the end of the scent trail. We turned right down a fork corridor and found an open door. My senses told me there was at least one person inside. But there could have been more. Lillian, however, confirmed that there was only one and her demeanor meant that it was our former captive. I slowly walked into the room and saw multiple cells, one of which was open. I approached the open door to find her in chains. There was a dead body on...
Aphronia walked quickly as she made her way through the dark corridors. Her cloak glided through the air as she moved quickly and purposefully through the lair, the swish of her dress caressing her legs as she made long quick strides. Her plan had not gone at all the way she hoped, but she had been able to escape with the knife and had been able to poison those bitches. She had been unsure if their threats had been genuine, but she hoped they enjoyed having their so-called cure fed to them....
With the meeting concluded, we said our goodbyes to Vestra and planned our next steps. “Well, I am not sure that went very well, but I guess that we will soon see,” I said with a sigh. Janet nodded, “It is done, the next step is figuring out where the Voguel are hiding and launching their attacks from.” “It was easier in Bardack due to the smaller number of Voguel attacks,” I said as I pondered the problem. “You have centuries of such attacks and they keep coming back. We would need to...
I felt drained as I sat on the bed and, though they were only pricks of the skin, the experience was enough to make me lightheaded. However, it was the mixing of the blood that had left me feeling drained. Lillian had said that I would feel better with some rest and left with the others to help Janet. The plan was to complete the rest of the procedure with the ladies in their respective rooms. That way they would be able to rest on their beds as the change occurred. The biggest issue would...
As I entered the back of the wagon, I fought to clear my head of the feelings her appearance was dredging up from the recesses of my mind. She looked so much like my mother had when I was young, and if felt the yearning a child has to be embraced by their mother. I had thought that she had made herself resemble my mother through manipulation, a way of adjusting my dreamscape to benefit her agenda. Now I believed that she merely used it, knowing through the dreamscapes connection that she...
“If you do not mind, Davik,” A familiar voice from behind me said, “I would not mind a plate of that delicious smelling food.” I jumped in surprise and turned to see who had just said that. To say I was shocked would have been an understatement. “What in the seven hells is going on, Lillian? You’re a Voguel?! How can you change into a wolf without a blood moon? Why have you been helping me all this time?” She laughed at the rapid succession of my questions and it was only then I realized,...
Ingrid and Cherish looked at one another and broke out laughing. That only served to anger Enton, who neither expected to see again and cause looks of confusion on the faces of the soldiers accompanying him. “Wow, this is got to be the second time, now,” Ingrid said to Cherish. “Just how stupid can these people be? First Kayla, now us, but then ... they are being led by that dolt and they do not have the abilities we have, either.” “What?!” Enton yelled in frustration. “There is no way you...
“How long has it been?” The woman before me asked softly. “You have grown into a fine young man, Davik.” My eyes narrowed, “It has been ten years, but this is not possible. You were not Voguel, nor should this be able to occur like this. I have dreamt of my mother often over the years, but you are nothing like her. So, end your mindless tricks and show me who you really are.“ The woman’s eyes twinkled, a small amount of pride appeared in her eyes and she shook her finger at me. “Ahh, ahh,...
Once we had secured our belongings and the ladies had removed their armor, we made our way downstairs. I had some trepidation as to the reactions people would have to Lillian, but I was not going to leave her alone. We assumed that we were relatively close to the lair of the Voguel, so we wanted to limit the risks. As we approached the dining hall, we could hear the murmurs of conversation emanating from the room. All conversation stopped when we entered. All of the patrons and even some of...
The group made our way upstairs and encountered Lillian and Kayla sitting in the hallway. Lillian, despite her comments to the contrary, had indeed been hungry and eaten the steak she was given. Kayla was sitting in a chair nearby between the doors to my room and the neighboring one. By the looks of it, she was just finishing her own plate of food. Kayla greeted us with a warm smile and Lillian greeted us with the wolf equivalent. “I hope you enjoyed your meal, everyone,” Janet said with a...
“You actually expect me to hand over my command to you?” Verias asked incredulously. “You have lost your mind. It no doubt explains why you have resorted to copulating with this hick.” Janet scowled, “He is no hick, Verias. He has killed more Voguel in a single encounter than even I have. I get it, Verias. You are scared. You know that he will win, and you will look weak. You can have him fight you and as many of your best men as you wish. Plus, if you win you get me, as you requested, so...
Our two-month journey back to the Vishant Capital city was uneventful. There were no attacks or distractions, but the looming threat of our enemy still hung in the air. We worked hard to prepare ourselves for what would occur in the coming days. Endless fighting drills and sparring matches. Some one on one, but now almost all were an eight-person free for all. Lillian would watch and keep track of the hits and wins. Her practice came on our hunts and she reveled in our time together then. I...
I awoke to the sensation of a naked form pressed up against me on either side. I looked and found Lillian on my left and Janet on my right. I was not sure how long I had been asleep but based on the sounds coming from the forest around us, it was close to dawn. I tried to remove myself from their embrace, but that only served to awaken both as a result. I watched as both women stretched their aching muscles and enjoyed the delightful way their breasts jiggled with each movement. I saw the...
“Do you know who it is, Lillian?” I asked as I started to put my pants on. “Could it be the innkeeper or possibly the dock master looking for us?” > I nodded to Janet and she quickly took up her nearby sword, placing it near her and out of the line of sight from the door. She then quickly put on a sleeping gown, though I never remembered her having one. Perhaps it was something that she had...
It had been nearly two months since we had left the port town of Iltha’tal and thankfully we had not run into any trouble. We had maintained the schedule of who would travel the forests and who would travel in the wagon. Of those who did travel in the wagon, the driver on duty rotated between everyone and at least one other sat to keep them company. They also kept their eyes on the forest just in case something slipped by the others. Training their skills and accessing their combat awareness...
When I had been told by Phaltina that I was going to my paradise, I did not think that she would mean being sent back to life. I awoke to find myself naked on a rocky crag not that far from the village. Just after I appeared there, Aphronia, of all people, found me. She had heard of my death, so she was shocked to find me there. She had a blanket in her pack and gave me that to allow for some semblance of modesty on our trek back to Int’samba. I asked if Janet and the others had come and gone...
I picked Lillian up and carried her out of the wagon, just as the others arrived. From the feel of her in my arms, I could feel she was breathing, but it was very shallow. They all had looks of dismay at her state and I could feel their worry that she was not showing up in our bond. Janet came over and ran her hand along the top of Lillian’s head, as a small tear fell along her cheek. She looked up at me with pain and anger in her eyes. “Janet, please have the others go locate the Voguel...
Janet and Kayla headed off to get the documents ready and sent off to the various towns, villages, and cities. The rest of us went in search of food and lodgings. Ingrid had found a possible place while we had been dealing with the Dran, so we followed her lead and soon found ourselves in front of a nice sized inn. We went inside and met with the Innkeeper who was a nice lady in her mid-thirties or forties. “Ah, Ingrid, welcome back,” the woman said with a warm smile. “I take it that this is...
“Please. Join me, Davik, I have been waiting for some time, knowing that you would eventually find your way to Retvan. We have a lot to discuss.” I turned to find Ruben’s eyes staring at me, signs of care and weariness in them, but a cold resolve behind them. He looked a bit thinner and a bit more haggard in appearance since the last time I had seen him, though he had been falling into a chasm when I saw him last. The beard, as well as the used and torn clothing, would not let anyone except...
I sent a signal through our link for the others to enter the cave, save for Irenia’s group and select soldiers from each group. They were selected to create a hidden perimeter in case of some response during our attack. Irenia would remain with her soldiers to ensure no enemy escaped our grasp. It would not do well for even one to escape, for it could be centuries or millennia before they became active again. Lillian and I took the lead followed by Faye’s group, then Ingrid’s, followed by...
I awoke with a start, the last residual emotions of the dream leaching out of me. I felt disgusted with my body each time the dreams happened, but I knew more, now. I knew the monster’s voice, as well as a bit of what he looked like. Still, to see him help murder his father while I watched through his own eyes was unsettling. The feelings of superiority, glee and even arousal were disgusting, and I felt tainted by them. I looked over and saw that Lillian was still resting, so I went and got...
I watched as dawn broke over the village. Lillian was sleeping soundly next to me, a slight snore emanating from her narrow snout. Janet and the others were soundly asleep in their beds. I had silently watched the village from the window, taking in the movement and life that pervaded it. I did not see any hint of the cloaked figure, but I had a feeling I would run into it again, in one form or another. I was worried about the struggles to come and thoughts of impending loss filled my mind....
I awoke slowly. A light throbbing of my head caused a bit of discomfort. I looked around to find myself alone in bed, daylight shining through the window. I could hear the faint sounds of birds through the glass. It was very auspicious, given the nature of events that had transpired last night. As memories filled my mind of everything that had happened, tears began to fall freely down my face. My friends, my love and her family all gone. Taken by that black monstrosity in a binge of carnage...
I woke up with a start, my hand darting to my chest, to look for the hole where the sword had pierced me. Content that there was nothing there, I tried to get up and only then did I realize that I was not alone in bed. Janet had laid down next to me and, I guess, fell asleep on my shoulder, though my jerking up in bed had roused her from her nap. “Davik?” she asked, a note of concern in her voice. “Are you okay? Was it another of those dreams again?” “Yes it was, Janet, but your suggestion...
I panicked again when I woke up from the dream, as both my arms had gone numb. When I looked at both, I saw tuffs of red hair on either shoulder or it dawned on me what had happened. The only thing I wondered was ... why? While I had been shocked at the surprise of Lillian and Janet sleeping on me, I had not realized how much I had missed the sensation. It had been nearly a year since someone was sharing my bed to fight off the tremors and, during my time away, as well as during the trip...
When I awoke, I was sometime in the evening, the sounds of the insects out on their nighttime hunts filled the air. The gentle breeze from the open window carried their sounds into my room. Hopefully, I hadn’t slept past evening meal. As I moved to get up, I realized there was a soft arm draped across my chest and a leg resting on my thighs. I looked down to see dark locks of hair draped across my chest and felt the soft rise and fall of my companion’s chest. The scent that filled my senses...
They were a few feet in front of me and both had their blades drawn. Based on their stance I could tell that they had experience with them, but they were overconfident. They lacked the discipline to treat each encounter seriously and that would ultimately prove their downfall. I drew both my sword and knife and got in a defensive stance. I had the knife facing towards the ground in my left hand and had my sword drawn in my right. Through the link, I could tell that Janet was pissed and, on...
I woke up feeling sore and dehydrated after the events of the previous evening. had continued through most of the next day and we decided that, after the attack, we would take another day before heading out to complete our trip to the capital. I wanted to stretch, but both of my arms were pinned by two beautiful women. Surprisingly it was not Janet and Lillian who were molded to my sides, but Irenia and Faye. Both were gloriously naked and pressed as deeply into my body as possible. Part of...
Lillian I left everyone in the room and made my way to the cellar of the, opening the door to find Violet, on the floor. The chains of the shackles were looped around a metal bracket on the floor, even Davik’s unique strength would not be able to pull it up. I looked down at her, memories of her sleeping after our love making filling my head and alerting me to her ruse. I walked up and planted a hard kick to her abdomen, causing her to scream in pain, as well as curse me for hitting...
Davik I could not tell how long I had been here, but my stomach was beginning to demand that I accept the food that the young girl had been bringing. True to her word, Brenson had stopped using blunt objects and began using a whip. I had to be careful as the pain of the strikes could have made me bite my tongue off, which would have been very painful, and I doubt I would have been able to grow it back. The whole time, he was asking how I was able to do the things I could, where I got my...
For the next two months of travel, extraordinarily little happened in the way of threats. Lillian and Kayla ran into a Tora two weeks into the journey. Lillian froze as fear from her last encounter with a tora flashed in her mind. We stopped the wagon nearby as the others raced to her. It took four of them to dispatch the beast and we ate well, though we were disappointed we did not have the means to preserve the rest of the meat. We did remove the hide and wrapped it to sell when we got to...
While I had seen Lillian change more than a few times now, the change happening to Violet seemed far more violent and painful. The transformation Lillian underwent happened in a matter of moments, one minute she was a human, the next she was a wolf. I had to wonder if this was what occurred during a Voguel’s first transformation as their body shifts and morphs under the manipulation of the curse. It sounded like her bones were breaking with every shift of her body, as her body repurposed...
“I have not heard that name in a very long time,” she said as the color drained from her face. “Brenson was the name of my older brother.” “Is that name common where you came from? I mean, it could have been a different Brenson that had come from your country.” “Names are a bit different back home,” she said shaking her head. “They are regional and very few are repeated outside of a family. Besides, the age fits and I will know from the books you collected, as he wrote one or more of...
I felt growing anticipation as the day grew on and we came closer to this evening’s event. It took two days to get everything prepared for what would occur tonight. After administering the cure to every one of the nobles present, as well as the acting Dran, we moved forward with our plan. The Dran planned to hold a great feast to announce Vishant’s great victory over the Voguel. The previous Dran would hold these feasts regularly during the campaign against them and everyone within the city...
“So, Davik, this is where you have been hiding? I must say it is a quaint little camp that you have here.” The voice jarred me, given that I had not seen anyone here during my quick search of the rooms. I turned to see who had said that, as the voice was familiar, but my shocked mind was having trouble figuring out who it was. I soon looked into the deep brown eyes of my love’s mother, Ilane. “I assume you are having trouble understanding my presence here,” she said, with a smile. “You are...
I awoke to the sound of a crackling fire, the smell of something cooking and the softness of a bed beneath me. I felt completely drained of energy and gingerly opened my eyes to see where I was, hoping that I had not been captured by an unseen enemy. I saw old grey stone above me and turning to look to my left, saw a form sitting in front of the fire. The person was humming a tune that I did not recognize, but it put me in a sense of ease and contentment, as it almost seemed familiar. I tried...
I did not get back to sleep right away, my mind reeling with the idea that there could be another like Brenson out there and worry of what that person could do. Lillian kept me company for as long as she could, but after an hour, she fell back into a deep sleep, her rhythmic breathing lulling me to join her. Thankfully, there were no other dreams that plagued me, not that I could remember, so I was thankful for that. When I next woke up, sunlight was creeping through the window and the...
The trip, over the next few weeks, was strained at the beginning, as the tensions were still high after what had happened with Gwen and Ethal. The other soldiers were giving me a wide berth, but they were cordial when we were around one another. They worked with Liza and Celka to see what their skill level was, what they might have an aptitude for and where they would need to improve. Given the unique nature of the beast we might face, Janet took it upon herself to train with me, though I...
“Excuse me gentlemen, is there a problem here?” We all turned to look at the source of the question, to find Jerreth standing behind the two men, arms crossed along his chest. His gaze was cool and passive as he looked from person to person. I then looked at each of the men more closely, they were holding pieces of wood, no doubt scraps laying around they felt would work as clubs. “It is none of your business darkie,” yelled one of the men, “our business is with this murderous piece of...
Janet and Lillian had been listening in on my comments through our link, so when I said I was not alone, Janet came crashing through the window that investigated the atrium. Lillian would make herself known when the time was right. We needed to keep him off guard if we were going to succeed. Seeing Janet nearby brought me a sense of relief, though I was worried about leaving Ingrid up on the second floor alone. ((Do not worry, Davik, I sent the two with me up to make sure she got to us okay...
It took me a while to return to the village, the blood moon had finally set, and the sun had already started cresting over the hillside. It had taken me a long time to get back because I had decided to bring the bodies of my kills with me. I did not want to start a panic with the villagers, so I had to make them look like more victims. It was hard to stomach, cutting into them like that, but it had to be done. If I brought them back with the injuries I gave them as wolves, there would be...
Davik //Are you sure? \\ I asked Lillian, worry in my thoughts. // Maybe you need to find the inner fire that I did to trigger my abilities and I believe that Janet was able to pull from the same source.\\
We made our way through the town and arrived at the bank just as the girls and Jerreth, were leaving. Lillian had a satchel on her shoulder, which I assumed had the money they were supposed to take out. Based on their happy expressions, things must have gone well, and it looked like Jerreth had taken the opportunity to start talking to Liza. I was glad that Janet’s choice was to be in my wagon, as it helped them spend some time together on the trip other than at meals. “Jerreth, you and Liza...
I made my way from the inn to the market east of there, where Clive had said they had been ambushed. When I arrived, there was a bustle of activity, normal for a market of this size, as well as a grouping of soldiers on the far side. I suspected that was where the attack had transpired. I weaved my way through the crowd until I arrived at the other side, where three soldiers were investigating the area. “Good afternoon gentlemen, what exactly happened here? Do you have any idea who did...
We both stood there in shock, waiting for what Violet would do next. Her face was a mixture of emotions that, for the first time since I had known her, could not read. After a few minutes of silence, she walked up and slapped her mother in the face. The force of the blow made a loud smack and her mother’s head rocked back at the force. As soon as she smacked her mother, she turned to smack me, but my reflexes caught her arm mid-swing. She looked at me with unabashed hatred and as I searched...
Jethro, You are a man of great promise, but I can give you an even greater one. The power over those around you, fed by fear and control. Why settle for being a lone soldier, when you could be greater? All you need is the vision to see a great future for you and the will to do what it takes to bring it to fruition. Understand that despite this power, you will serve me and will do so for all time. If you fail to understand that, I will not hesitate to rip your throat out, after I kill every...
Violet looked at me for a few moments, her expression never changing and said, “Davik, we need to talk.” “What would you like to talk about?” I asked, gesturing for her to come inside. “You will need to be a bit more specific.” “No, not here,” she replied with a shake of her head. “Let’s talk somewhere more private. This needs to be a talk between you and me, with no one else interfering or trying to give their own input.” I shrugged my shoulders, though I took note of her lack of reply. I...
Davik He used the whip again, demanding to know how I had gotten my abilities and what had been used. I tuned him out, thinking of other things, when a strange tickle occurred in the back of my head. Not on the skin, but deep inside, not unlike when I found the fire that triggered my abilities that first time. The tickle appeared just after a strike of the whip and after two more, it became much stronger. Instead of a tickle, I began to feel emotion, but it seemed off as if it were not my...
When I opened my eyes the sun had gone down, and the moon had begun its rise. The attacks occurred when the moon was at its highest point in the sky. I had some time; I collected my gear, and headed downstairs. The others were sitting at the table; the tension could be cut with a knife. I could see the worry on their faces; Liza and Trina were in tears. Trent and Carl were trying to calm them down, while the rest sat with hard looks on their faces. I was shocked to hear that, but looking...
The arrow went right through his Adam’s apple, all he managed was a gurgle before falling forward. The sound he made must have reached his comrades, as I heard them increase the speed of their approach. When he had hit the ground, the arrow was pushed even further through his neck, causing a spurt of blood to escape the wound. I could see that the arrow had pierced his spine, near the base of his skull. Within moments, he stopped breathing; a large puddle of blood was oozing out around him....
Even though there had been eighteen years since he had left, the smell of what lay inside had remained. The smell of decaying flesh filled the building, and I tried to control myself. Lillian had to leave, as the sight and smell were too much for her. I heard her asking for the Patron and whoever took care of the village’s dead to come to the shop immediately. The door muffled what she said next and I tried to focus. I needed to see what had happened in that room. There were two beds on the...
The next week was much of the same routine each day. Wake up and spend roughly twenty-four hours cutting logs into boards, without any sleep. The boys came after the second day and began to work with me to deal with the logs. The tough weather had come through and I did my best to protect the inside of the house. With them working together on one and me working on another, we doubled the work that could be done. Violet would visit for breakfast and lunch, while Ruben would eat dinner and help...
I put the cover over the pot, preserving the food for later, and left it to the side of the fire. I put a log on the fire and adjusted the currently burning ones to surround the new log, ensuring that it would catch and keep going while I was gone. I grabbed my satchel from off the pack, my water flask and the rabbit hide. It would prove useful if I was lucky, I might not even need to make any drying racks. Confident I had everything I needed for my quick trip, I made my way out of the cave...