Lure O' War (The Old Realms)

Miko Sohei Akira

Nina Musha

Part II

-The Flesh Merchant-

The night was noisy near the lake. It reeked of sulfur and old mud. The local flora almost as dangerous as the native fauna. A monkey chuckled manically perched upside down from the branches of a eucalyptus tree and a clutch of birds chirped arguing with each other about the coming winter.

Akira had a vivid imagination and her instincts told her not to trust the frail male. There was no valid reason for it.

"This green tea is great," Alakul rustled with difficulty and Akira set her eyes on him again feeling a little silly. "What do you call it back in the Peninsula?"

"Chai," Akira replied.

"Um. You're nervous priestess," Alakul noticed and sipped tea using one of her wooden cups. "My presence is quite anodyne, I assure you."

"Why follow after me?" Akira asked standing up, as looking at the fire hurt her eyes.

"I followed the river," Alakul replied. "But my mule is slow."

"Isak's mule."

Alakul nodded and slurped some more of the warmed up green chai. "You can rest. I'll watch the fire until morning."

"I'll do it mister Alakul," Akira countered. "I'm a very light sleeper anyways."

"Isak was a cruel bastard," Alakul said after a moment of tensed silence. "Pretending to be a reformed man."

Akira pursed her mouth. "Criminals use the term reformed, mister Alakul," she noted.

"A word has no owner priestess," Alakul replied sounding sad. "Neither does a person."

Eh. Akira wondered whether she was being too harsh. "What was Isak's trade?"

Alakul finished up emptying the rest of the chai on the coals. He found a better spot to sit down, using one of the mule's bags to place his back against and closed his eyes. "Whatever folk buy, Isak would sell," he rustled, his face hidden behind the rising vapors and smoke coming from the dying campfire.

The morning came without incidents and Akira, followed by Alakul and the laden mule, reached the partially flooded Elas' Bridge, and then crossed the 'natural' land-bridge carefully. They were stopped at some point by an Abarat patrol, paid a fee and Akira reported to the Zilan guards the details of the attack, along with the people involved. The local officer informed them that either Asper or Mabbot had already apprised the Governor of the incident.

Akira visited the picturesque Abarat the next day, whilst Alakul chanced the local market to get rid of some of Isak's wares. Akira left Abarat without him but he caught up with her again a day later, near the vine wall. Akira had stood to watch the Zilan navigating it to gather grapes. Green, yellow, dark mauve and even a shade of red, the famed local grapes came in many shapes, from tiny kernel-less berries to large peach-sized monstrosities.

They journeyed together towards Serpent's Canal again, following the new road. Some parts not paved with gravel, but real granite-tiles with shaded stops and benches every ten kilometers or thereabouts. Onwards and past Quiceran's Academy compound they travelled -north of Griffin's Beak, and Akira realized this was now an archaeological site. Eight days later, after they were delayed by a sudden downpour that flooded the road and forced them to find cover, Akira spotted the massive supports of Teleniel's Bridge, now almost repaired fully, and the navy's docks at the canal's water crossing point.

Akira paid the hefty fee to have them cross in a small transport and the Marine officer revealed they could have used the bridge instead as it was open for the public. When Akira informed him that Master Voron, the Zilan architect that had finished the repairs was staying in Abarat, the sergeant had retorted gruffly that he wished Voron would stay where he was for the foreseeable future. Akira blessed the marines, offering prayers for their services.

Two days later, again under heavy rains, Akira and her companion crossed Eroshin River using the old –but fully functional stone bridge- and camped near the cliffs of the Unscaled Overhang –their side also called the Caves- south of the Hydra Marsh and the much enlarged town of Snakeville.

The next morning whilst taking the southeast turn at the Gullet, a group of very young Horselords appeared armed and boisterous. They rode past the nervous Akira, who feared an imminent attack, but the barely in their teenage years –and younger- Horselords spent their time performing crazy backflips on their saddles, ululating and boasting to impress the wary priestess. One of them asked for her blessings. Akira obliged him and when she queried on the reason, the young warrior had replied that the Serpent Canal's marines officer had messaged the local Horselord leader about her.

"Belec told us yer blessings brought the brines soldiers' great luck," the fiercely grinning young Horselord half-breed had told her. "That's Gawal, his son over there, with them stupid woman's earrings. We came from Jadefort together, but his mother died on the road. A root took her inside a big hole. I'm Mutti, son of Nimra, the lion of the great desert. He was slain near Eroshin River so I never met him. Half a day's ride from here."

Akira nodded.

"I'm certain your father found God in the afterlife. Who is Belec?"

"Kalac's second leader, he rules over Snakeville," young Mutti explained with enthusiasm. "Kalac and Tarn are away. They'll recruit many strong warriors to slain the Khan's spawn, burn their palaces, and take all their women!"

Akira grimaced. "War is not the answer to your problems Mutti," she scolded him. "And taking slaves just creates even more suffering!"

Mutti stood back on the saddle deeply perturbed. Then as if he'd figured out the reason behind Akira's protests, Mutti assured her with a boyish grin. "All the Khan's subjects are like slaves to him priestess. The women especially. They don't know the difference!"

"Perhaps Garth should build them a school," Alakul told her after the boys had galloped away like maniacs. "Although he has to get them off of their horses first."

"They need god more than they need letters, mister Alakul," Akira murmured and stared at the road ahead of them, then at the clouds over their head.

"Perhaps your god."

"Aye," Akira replied firmly.

"We could stop, wait for the weather to clear and rest the animals," Alakul suggested and Akira nodded, her eyes beholding the mist covering the massive gulf/crater to their east, a part of the volcano that had taken out an even bigger bridge they had seen a day earlier just before the Gullet.

Strange as it seemed, given the absurd size implied, the Zilan soldiers had assured them the ancient city of Goras outer borders were north of Ninthalor's Bridge.

Right where they were standing now.

"I agree," Akira replied. "But best we be prepared to leave early on the morrow."

Akira washed her arms and legs near the sheer rocks of the gulf-sized crater's shores, rubbed the skin with a soaked in fresh water towel and then wrapped the thin dressings on each leg carefully, starting from her soles and ankles. She returned near their campfire, by the side of the Imperial Road that curved following the coast, and paused to briefly listen to the nearby jungle across the hard-packed gravel.

"Your rice is ready," Alakul informed her and Akira went about concocting a bowl for herself, using some of her supplies. She also unpacked a pair of chopsticks.

The man watched her preparing the simple plate munching on several pieces of dried jerky, he had in a wrapper. "Why use both dried black peppercorn and fresh green?" Alakul asked.

"I prefer it to salt," Akira replied. "This place is rich in pepper trees and I have restocked my supplies. You want a share?"

"I'm more of a meat and vegies person, not partial to gruel plates, but I'll have a bowl," Alakul replied politely. "Can I trouble you with some beef jerky?"

"My rice will suffice," Akira said simply, preparing a second bowl for him.

"Are you certain?" Alakul probed. Akira raised her eyes to return his stare.

"First Miko Sohei of Temple, Miyashiro Ayumi, preached a girl must grow or hunt for her food," Akira explained offering a bowl of steaming, very aromatic rice, to her companion. "Had I not met you, this would have sustained me fine."

"Autarchy," Alakul noted, savoring the rice. He scooped up some with the help of his fingers, after he declined Akira's offer to use her chopsticks. "Darn. This is quite tasteful for such a simple plate. Still prefer my jerky though," the man smiled. For a frail man Alakul's teeth were in excellent condition.

"I didn't know Isak had food supplies in those bags," Akira said gobbling down her own portion with the help of the bamboo chopsticks.

"Bought some in Abarat. Traded this, for that," Alakul replied in his customary vague manner and then pursed his mouth. He left his bowl down next to where he was sitting without finishing it. "You asked about the Monarch before. The reason Horselords are living inside Wetull's borders," Alakul said and Akira nodded in between chomps. "Not many of us left to know this, but when Garth came from Eikenport, he brought them with him."

"Garth is from Eikenport?" Akira asked after gulping down her spicy rice.

"No, he isn't." Alakul replied and used a small wooden toothpick to clean his teeth. "As I said, few know of this, but Garth served under late Gideon Winfield in Rida. Gideon was of course the last Duke of Raoz."

"In what capacity?" Akira probed.

"He was tasked with defending part of the city during Prince Sahand's siege," Alakul replied. "Garth was going by a different name then, and a different title. Sir Reeves," Akira furrowed her brows and the man expounded. "Baron Reeves of Altarin close kin. You know of Altarin? Well, it's a big Barony, a part of the Duchy. The Reeves are the second most important of the old families in the Duchy, after the Winfield. I bet he still has his knight's ring or whatever the old Baron left him."

"How do you know all this?" Akira asked and Alakul breathed out, then grimaced as if something was hurting him from the inside. His mostly black eyes stared in the flames of their campfire for a long moment, shining more after the sun had gone down beyond the horizon, before he answered.

"Isak traded between Altarin and Rida," Alakul's raspy voice said. "To Sadofort and even Yin Xi-Yan, skirting the border of the Steppe and the Desert. Even solitary places have customers. Aye. Reeves story had caused quite the stir for a while. When people talk, all you need to do is stand quiet and listen."

"What happened next?"

"A city died," Alakul stared at her. "It was… illuminating."

Akira breathed out and then stood up to gather their bowls in order to clean them. "You can rest, Mister Alakul," she offered. "I'll guard the camp."

"Because you are a light sleeper, and nothing escapes you," Alakul repeated what she told him earlier in their journey. If there was a hint of sarcasm to his words, the tired Akira missed it, or the man didn't express it properly.

-

Early morning

Akira heard the iron horseshoes' clopping on the gravel and snapped awake. She blinked, her fingers wrapped around the grip of her detached blade, the Naginata could accommodate different blades on it, and her blurry eyes immediately scanned the gloomy terrain. The large road covered in shifting heavy mist and a decent breeze coming over the rocky coast from an easterly direction, blowing towards the first trees of the jungle.

Her horse neighed identifying the scent of the animals approaching as non-threatening, and the mule snorted in annoyance. Akira stood up, quickly fixing her long straight hair with the thin bronze hairpin at the top of her head in a messy bun. She had to slot a second hairpin through the mess to keep it stable.

Walking slowly, Akira stepped on the gravel road, reattaching the blade on her Naginata, although she kept the long weapon behind her back and pointing downwards in a non-threatening manner. A misconception, as one of her more devastating one-armed attacks started lifting the weapon from that position, before it turned into a two-handed combo.

Three figures, but four animals, one of them dragging a wagon. Its wheels muffled with cloth, as were their horses' hooves, but hours on the hard road had ruined whatever garment had been used, as it was caught between iron and rock.

Alakul was missing.

Eh.

The former slave once more not staying for the difficult parts.

You don't know that. His story, whilst plausible, is absent corroboration, Akira scolded herself for relaxing around him. You only saw Isak that day and Asper's band killed everyone before more could be learned, or Alakul's story challenged.

Why would he lie? Akira wondered and the first figure came out of the mist, a wiry Zilan with a hardened face and decently-armoured with a mixture of hardened-leather and plate. All of them had pretty decent armour on. Square chest plates at the very least, with vambraces and shoulder guards incorporated. The two humans were both males, a taller thin warrior and a short, stout one, carrying arming swords.

Sheathed.

"God damnit, Zon," the shorter man cursed wiping the moisture from his face. "This blasted climate is messing up with my allergies!"

"It's all this marching in the blind all evening," the tall one griped from atop his horse. "That bothers me the most chief."

"Halt your mouths, you buffoons!" The Zilan barked, spotting Akira blocking their path. "We've been made!"

"Where?" the short man grunted and blinked seeing the short-statured female with the painted face. "Rat's gonads! Where the fuck did she come from?"

"You!" The Zilan growled aggressively, stopping his horse well-away from the Naginata's reach. The two humans stopped a couple of meters behind him, and the taller man dragging the wagon's reins, had to turn around to order the sleep-walking animal to halt as well. "Is that a mule next to your horse back there?"

Akira pursed her painted mouth, but didn't answer, as the query had taken her by surprise. She had thought them common brigands roaming the Monarch's unsafe streets. The short male squinted his eyes in the poor morning light to better see her.

"Why, just look at her Sesto!" The stout man grunted opening his eyes in disbelief. "Found ourselves that elusive and wandering Cofol brothel mate! Ha!"

"Gaze at that polearm, you monkey-brained turd!" 'Zon' snapped at him. "She ain't no harlot. Austen, get your head back in the game! It's a trap!"

"Yeah, no decent woman paints her mouth like that Menlzon," Austen retorted standing back on the saddle. 'So, I stand by my original estimation."

"This isn't an ambush," Akira said and Menlzon whipped his head towards her.

"What's this accent? Where are you from wo-man?"

Akira went to answer him, but the taller man, called Sesto, pointed an arm at her visible campsite by the side of the road. "Hey, that looks like the mule, chief!"

"Let me handle this!" Menlzon barked. "Where is he?"

Akira clenched her jaw. "Be specific, if you can't be polite," she scolded the tensed Zilan.

"Huh? Are you serious?" Menlzon grunted. "Austen, get down and check the campsite!"

"Fine," the man retorted and climbed down from his horse. "But I'm telling ye, this is some weird costume play chief."

"I'm Miko Sohei Akira," she told them and moved the Naginata to block the man's path. "Stay where you are, Mister Austen."

"Ha-ha," Sesto guffawed from his spot hearing her. "She likes ye Austen!"

Austen stood back, his eyes on the giant weapon, almost twice the height of Akira. "Is there a symbolism here lass, on what manner of rod ye prefer?" He queried only half-jesting, the rest of it a threat. "Step aside, so I can check on them animals."

"Are you the law around here?" Akira queried, not intimidated. Whatever it is to happen, it will if the God of Light allows it, she thought.

"Listen ma'am… Akira," Menlzon started, with a sign for Sesto to flank the woman from the other side. "I can see you are a priestess of sorts—"

"Whoa!" Austen gasped with a greedy grin before the Zilan could finish. "I knew it! A priestess you say? Why, I always—"

"Not that kind of priestess! Don't interrupt me again!" Menlzon snapped back, all teeth and fury. "Show some blasted professionalism, you cretin!"

"We may be afflicted wit a bit of deficiency, chief," Sesto reasoned and then pointed back at the wagon that had a covered with a sheet, very strange shape on it. "Your friend Vydnisol, stands the worst though."

The dirty sheet moved, took the shape of a body and then a bandaged, deathly pale head raised slightly under the cover. A black and red swollen eye glared at Sesto's back and a hoarse, very weak voice growled.

"Shut yer whinny trap, you two-timed knave!"

Hmm.

"Let me start again. Hopefully we get this over with afore noon," Menlzon stated, grinding his teeth. "The mule in question, which was spotted in Abarat's market a couple of weeks ago, belongs to a certain dangerous individual going by the moniker 'Isak'."

"Isak was killed in Nyomel," Akira replied and took a step back to avoid getting flanked from Austen. "Got ambushed by a gang of… foul brigands."

"Right," Menlzon grunted and stared at his two partners, Sesto had dismounted and walked to stand right next to the Zilan leader, whilst Austen had paused after Akira's reply just out of the Naginata's reach. "What happened to these… unsavory brigands?"

"They were killed in turn by a group of adventurers. Ex-gladiators paid by the local governor," Akira replied. "I was present during the scrap."

"You've seen him though? Isak, he was killed?" Menlzon asked.

"I saw him dead and with a slit throat, stuffed inside a large cart like a roadkill," Akira expounded, not happy Alakul wasn't there to say the same and resolve the matter.

"Eh, it sort of explains why they stopped us at Jungle Fort," Sesto murmured. "We could have been near Taras by now, but for your idea to disembark from the ship. Cheaper route-options tend to drag out longer. Just saying it like it is, Chief. Don't shoot the messenger."

"What happened to the body?" a snarling Menlzon insisted with a curt gesture for Sesto to keep quiet.

"I believe they burned everything," Akira replied. "These people… they were flesh merchants according to the adventurers. I don't know this for certain, so I didn't want to speak ill of the violently departed. It's a sin."

The Zilan narrowed his eyes in disbelief and stared at Austen, who shrugged his shoulders. "Let my man check the mule's bags, yer holiness. It's the bags we are interested in and not the animal."

Akira nodded and allowed Austen to walk towards her extinguished campfire. She retreated also near the stout man, who immediately went to search the mule. Alakul must have put the sacks on it again, but then abandoned it when he heard them approach, Akira thought.

"Who are you working for, Mister Menlzon?" Akira probed the Zilan leader, who had approached as well.

"Heh," Sesto intervened afore the Zilan could speak. "The Boss of Bosses." Menlzon rolled his eyes, then he extended his right arm and tapped Sesto right on the mouth with the back of his hand, snapping the lanky man's head back.

"Ouch! It's a brutal job ma'am! Damn it! You've no idea what manner of shite we've had to deal wit this month alone!" Sesto protested whilst stumbling backwards and Menlzon exhaled deeply, went to speak, but Austen was heard from the mule before he could get a single word out.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"That's it chief," Austen said. "These two bags are packed with gold coins," he opened the next one and whistled. "A lot of coin."

"We'll see how it helps us down the line," Menlzon grunted and Akira went to look into the bags for herself. "Anything else?"

"A couple of sacks laden with flesh cubes and jerky," Austen replied digging inside the large saddlebags. Akira furrowed her brows and tried to see what the man had discovered. Austen gave her a wrapped package that smelled weird.

A dry, oily smell. Powdered spice and salt.

"Seasoned and dried flesh. Two gold coins a pop," Menlzon elucidated and the heavily injured Vydnisol perked up at the wagon, once again raising his head. "Sesto get some to Vyd."

Akira grimaced. "Mister Menlzon, you can't do that," she cautioned him.

"My man is injured priestess," Menlzon grunted. "I'll give him all the assistance I can provide! How about telling us how you got involved in the trade?"

"The brigands had a cart full of these… packages, they must have loaded some on the mule," Akira explained, still rattled about the discovery. Sesto had gone back to the open wagon to feed the injured Zilan laid there.

"Or the opposite happened," Menlzon retorted. "It makes sense to me. Attacking Isak, doesn't. They worked for him more likely."

"No," Akira insisted, but paused as there was a brief break in her timeline of the events. She had initially went to gather support inside the port, and finally caught up with the brigands about twenty minutes later. Maybe a bit less, but quite near that.

"Haryk and Eroan," Menlzon said and she shook her head.

"I don't know their names," Akira disclosed. "Asper didn't believe… ahm, in taking prisoners. I spoke to him about it. He should learn, if he wants to pick up this new profession."

"Ex-gladiators, a hidden pirate port and the Goras underworld. You shouldn't be mixed up in this one priestess," Menlzon said trying not to show his confusion. "Why are you?"

"Aha! This is a personal bag," Austen said from the mule. "Ayup. Eh, it's Osler's. Well, this explains the missive better."

"Another shitty job!" Sesto griped whilst feeding small pieces of dried up flesh to Vydnisol. "There's a pattern arising chief! Once, twice… we might get shafted bad!"

"Not another word!" Menlzon blasted him with a glare.

"Who is this Osler?" Akira asked now a little confused on what was going on.

"The Boss' man in Nyomel," Menlzon murmured thinking it through. "Do you two rascals think he got hold of the mule? Isak had boarded Coxswain Odgen's schooner in Fu De-Gar. Got hold of some of the cargo, hid and then mayhap attempted to lead it away, after some days?"

"What was Osler's profession?" Akira queried, remembering Mabbot telling then that Coxswain's ship had moored before the Cruel Tortuga.

"An entrepreneur, doing… business for the Boss. Keeping an eye on… things, in need of being kept under… watch," Menlzon elucidated, not really revealing anything useful.

"Are you criminals?" Akira probed and took a step back, almost touching the mule's back.

"We are the guys sent in to fix stuff, in need of urgent fixing," Menlzon grunted, then paused briefly as Vydnisol had started coughing violently probably after swallowing down the wrong pipe. Sesto started landing blows on his back repeatedly, until a misplaced half-punch took the injured Zilan out for the count. "Because stuff… have a tendency to break… in our business, priestess. Whether they are of a criminal nature, or otherwise… aye, we have no say in it."

"Does this Osler go by the name Alakul perchance?" Akira asked the distracted Zilan leader.

"What? No… that's an old word. More fitting for that old goat Archbishop Voldomir to throw about in his sermons," Menlzon rustled sounding unconvinced. "Alakul means -to evolve, it's not a name Osler would have used."

Akira wasn't aware of its exact meaning before, but to learn Menlzon had attended a religious gathering of any kind was equally unforeseen.

"An alias to make it out of Nyomel?" Austen chanced.

"I don't know," Menlzon murmured and grimaced. "You'll keep the mule priestess. Some of the coin as well for helping us out, but we'll take the rest to Jungle Fort. Head for Taras next."

"Alakul stayed with me until last night," Akira revealed still troubled by the mounting inconsistencies. "Left whilst I was still asleep."

"What was his connection to Isak?"

"Alakul told me, he was a freed slave. Claimed Isak was a bad person."

"Aha. This is a life better-suited for bad people, so he wasn't lying about that. The other stuff, I'm not as sure," Menlzon grunted.

"He didn't look dangerous."

"Is there something one must do," Austen queried all serious, afore Menlzon could reply. "In order to get the same consideration or night with a priestess in yer religion?"

Akira stared at the smirking man unsure.

"Austen that's enough," Menlzon rumbled.

"I'm just saying chief, since it's a known fact some priestesses indulge—"

"Mister Austen!" A flushed Akira hissed, her jaw quivering. "Shame on you! I'm a Priestess of Light sir!"

"Nothing noble about him. You're wasting your sirs and mister's. But Nags here apologizes," Menlzon cut in. "Alright. Get the bags on the wagon. And can someone check on whether Vyd is breathing, for crying out loud!"

"I'll come with you," Akira said, still glaring at the staring at his boots Austen 'Nags'. "First to this Jungle Fort, and then to Taras."

-

Late afternoon of the same day

The small fortified settlement named 'Jungle Fort' right at the south turn of the main road towards Morn Taras

13 kilometers from Ninthalor's Bridge east entrance ruins

And the border between the Jungle and Goras' Yew Forest

A Cofol, steering a closed wagon dragged by two mules, stood patiently outside the wide-open gates of the settlement. Flanking both sides of the paved road, it stretched nearly to the edge of the adjacent wilderness. The stubs between the trees indicated that it had been cleared up to at least twenty meters from the walls not long ago, but the jungle had reclaimed its territory. There was still some space to maneuver around the stone walls, the latter complete with wooden parapets and a tower, yet the ground was too soft for heavy vehicles.

"Why built it in the middle of the road?" Akira asked as they approached, with the soft rain coming down them in a constant drizzle. Rising vapors and a thin mist made the light scarce, but for the occasional lighting that crackled over the trees canopy and their heads.

"To gather tolls," Menlzon replied, gathering moisture from his face with a towel. "These plants are grabby priestess and there is a detachment of rangers here that like to take the occasional pot shot at those braving a shortcut. Motherfuckers rarely miss!"

"Surely not!"

"Skirting the king's taxes comes with a heavy price, but facing them plant man-eaters is way worse a fate."

Akira narrowed her eyes but the Cofol's voice interrupted her distant study of the local fauna. The heavily-painted man had turned around on his wagon's driver's seat to watch them approach.

His eyes searched the faces of Akira and her companions, before settling on the priestess uncertain. "Greetings… ma'am," the Cofol murmured. "I'm Resek Liu-Baka. An envoi from Lord Sartak of Lukela."

"There's no Lord Sartak out of Lukela," Akira replied stopping her horse. Menlzon crooked his mouth and glanced at the moist painted in gold face of Akira –up to her lower jaw and lips that were painted white and red respectively. "The vile Lord Baryal was perhaps your meaning?"

"Poor Lord Baryal is dead. The slaves turned on him," Resek retorted with disgust at the memory, now able to see the priestess better. "So is Erul-Sol's whole family. Dragged from their beds and butchered like pigs. The general is all that stands between normalcy and the deceivers."

"What in the six hells is he talking about?" Menlzon grunted.

"Arik Sartak is a Cofol general," Akira replied. "Out of Lukela. A city between Rin An-Pur and Que Ki-La."

"You're out of that backwater place, Magor. Aren't you?" Resek said and stood up on his bench to perceive them better. "Eh, I haven't seen your vinegary likes in a while."

"Listen to that painted fuck! You still haven't," Austen snapped. "I was born in Sadofort you crackpot! Better mind yer words about the priestess!"

"Come again? You sir look like a thug!" an incensed Resek protested.

"Better a thug than a poofter!" Austen growled.

"Haha!" Sesto guffawed.

"He's a slaver," Akira said soberly and the scowling Menlzon pursed his mouth.

"Right. Mister tsoo-baka—"

"Liu-Baka," an affronted Resek interrupted him.

"It means wayward horse," Akira explained. "But you made it worse. Tsoo is a funny word."

"There, you've gotten a free lesson today, Mister Resek. Now, will ye please remove your wagon so we can pass through?" Menlzon started again after a small pause.

"It's my turn," Resek told them. "I sent my men inside to find someone to talk with. It has taken Khalid and Thachus a while to sort this mess out."

"Just call the rangers," Menlzon grunted with Sesto whistling from his spot near the wagon that carried the injured Vydnisol.

"HEY!" Sesto 'Wings' barked at the silent watch-tower. "Get this fool processed, for goodness sake! His mascara is running and we normal folk are turning into sponges out here!"

"Cursed barbarians causing a scene! The rangers and soldiers are gone," a miffed Resek explained. "A local promised to get the commander for us. I sent my men inside the settlement with him."

"Gone where?" Menlzon asked and approached the Cofol's wagon to stare inside the quiet Jungle Fort's open gates.

"A patrol spotted smoke coming from the ruins some kilometers to the southeast, after the turn," Resek replied. "Went to investigate, found someone burning there. Mayhap more than one. It wasn't a suicide. The Zilan went out of the other gates to secure the area. That road heads straight for Tenebrous Castle. Apparently the king has returned and has them all edgy."

"Who told you that?" Menlzon crooked his mouth and whistled for Austen and Sesto to round the Cofol's wagon, then check on the gates more thoroughly.

"That local," Resek snapped still sounding annoyed. "I'm going through first," he told the two men austerely, a hand reaching for a scimitar sheathed on the leg-rest. "Been waiting for half an hour out in the blasted rain. This is quite insulting gentlemen!"

"What's the name of the commander?" Akira asked the Cofol slaver to defuse the situation.

"Some Zilan name or other. Ilyr… Ilfer?" Resek told her.

"He's called Nelynor," Menlzon snapped and kicked his legs to move his horse forward. On their open-air wagon, Vydnisol raised his head from under the sheet.

"No, it wasn't that. I speak pretty good Imperial. I know what I heard," Resek insisted and Austen who had reached the inside of the gates paused in alarm.

"Of course it is," Menlzon grunted and unsheathed his sword. "A local man would have known his name. The alien ruffian, who sets this up, wouldn't."

"Eh?" Resek grimaced and Sesto, standing taller than Austen he could see further down the settlement's' only street, raised his left arm in warning.

"What is it this time?" Menlzon barked, just as Akira leaped from the saddle to the rooftop of Resek's wagon, walked its length and then stared inside the settlement/fort as well.

"Dead bodies," Sesto hissed and jumped from his horse as well. "This shapes to be the plaguin' garden all over again chief!"

"Shut yer mouth!" a tensed Menlzon snapped, "Eyes open! Austen get that fucking shield out, you numskull! Vyd!"

"I'm still very injured Zon!" Vydnisol griped from the wagon.

"Argh," Menlzon grimaced, let out a deep sigh and then dismounted. "Just stay put, you fragile fuck."

Akira tossed her polearm forward and then dove after it from the wagon's wooden rooftop. She landed with an orderly cartwheel well inside the elongated fort, picking up mid-stride the Naginata that bounced off of the tiles in front of her, with Austen heading near Sesto on the other side of the road. Sesto had walked up ahead of them, near the first of the buildings facing the street and had stooped over a body sprawled down the porch's stairs, with his head pointing towards the pavement.

"Cleaved on the back of the head," Sesto informed them, as Akira cautiously opened the door to the building across the street, and peered inside. Blood was splattered across the inner corridor, and the gruesome trail led through the tight space to a back door –perhaps to a concealed yard. This area was linked to the main street with a side alley that run between the barrack-style village-fort's buildings.

Akira retreated out of the dark entrance, a thunder crackling overhead and sprinted to the edge of the porch, vaulting over the rails, just as another lighting flashed everything about them a blinding white.

"Watch that corner!" Menlzon barked behind her and Akira glanced back to see where everyone stood, at the same time as her Naginata slashed ahead, deep inside the edge of the still dark alley.

"ARRGH!" Something growled from the main street and the Nina Musha whipped her eyes forward, caught the shadow of something screaming through the air the other way, about five meters to her left.

"SPEAR!" Akira yelled, and felt the blade of the Naginata thud on something hidden in the dark to her right.

The agile female warrior pivoted towards the nearest danger and to her left -across the street, Sesto Wings stood up from examining the corpse, unluckily just in time to get skewered by the javelin. The blade striking the collar of his plate unluckily, twisting and then angling upwards to punch through the dip in his lower neck.

"FURLESS FIELD RATS!" Austen shouted, eyes ogled in deep disbelief, upon witnessing his comrade collapse with a desperate gasp of agony whilst spewing blood, just as a humanoid figure with one arm missing, sprang from the shadows towards the stressed Akira.

The long-haired human, probably a male, swung an arm at the shocked at his hideous appearance Akira and his rugged nails almost ripped her face off. Akira snapped her head right, twisting on her toes and cracked the wild-eyed creature with her staff right above the left ear.

The creature crashed on the almost adjoining building's wall –less than two meters away- and Akira's Naginata –attempting to flip over- clanged on the wall nearest to her.

"Argghle," the crazed human growled and leaped towards her in the narrows. Akira planted her right foot down, half-turned and raised her left leg high. A reaction to her earlier fail was to utilize a 'shorter weapon'. So, she dropped the leg on her opponent like a cleaver, catching him before he could reach her.

He went down to his knees with an animalistic groan, spraying gore from his severed arm, and Akira sent a knee of her own to his gnarly and frothy mouth -his teeth had been worked on with a smith's tool to turn pointy, but they shattered just the same, when her blow landed. The creature was hurled back, his head cracking on the wall violently and then it split open when he tried to move.

Blood, squashed brain matter and watery gore squirting out of the loose skin.

The creature died before collapsing on the ground with a shattered cranium.

"Ah," the tensed Akira gasped and walked out of the alley, the rain dripping down her gold-painted face and the strong gushes of wind chilling her through the damp robes.

Austen wrestled on the street with another creature and the snarling Menlzon slipped on the spilt entrails of a third he'd just gutted, only to be cleaved under the armpit by a fourth.

"Son… of a drunk hyena!" The Zilan groaned and ducked under another swing of the short cleaver. "FERALS!" He roared and stabbed his opponent through the face. The creature stumbled back taking the Zilan's blade with it, bleeding profusely down his face and neck.

Akira rushed near him, but heard another javelin incoming, so she had to halt, half-pivot around and twirl her staff-weapon in a last minute defense. Her free arm reaching to pull the injured Zilan down.

The javelin screamed over her head, ripping some of her gathered hair off her scalp and Akira's eyes turned blurry from the sharp jolt of pain that felt like a stab down her skull.

"Bloody hells!" Austen was heard, landing heavy punches and elbows in the snarling Feral's face, but failing to dislodge it from him as they rolled about in the muddy street.

"Gah," a deathly pale Menlzon grunted, trying to staunch the bleeding. "Hit… an artery. Find… the thrower priestess!"

Akira's face got distorted from a grimace, but she leaped to her feet and sprinted towards the javelin-armed half-crazed human –now out in the street, who hefted another one in his right arm.

"Ai, argh." The Feral growled, wild eyes watching the zig-zagging Nina Musha approaching fast. "Blood and water. Moist flesh… aplenty," he added and then lowered the javelin alike a spear in order to cut off Akira's advance.

Akira parried the weapon away, and sliced open the Feral's inner left thigh, but the creature moved without any panic to grab at the retreating blade. She twisted it right, severed two of his fingers but the javelin returned and stabbed her high on the left shoulder. The blade penetrating deep enough to hit the bone.

The Nina Musha cried out and twisted away, but the Feral yanked her back using the javelin as a harpoon. Which was a mistake as it dislodged the blade and freed the moving towards him Akira. She blocked the Feral's attempt to crack her head open with an elbow, and gouged one eye out of its socket with two fingers. When the Feral tried to pull away, now greatly hurt, Akira snapped the Naginata free –severing the rest of his fingers holding the blade- and then scythed him savagely across the chest, from right shoulder to left breast, in an explosion of gore. The large wound catastrophic.

"Fucking thing bit my thumb off!" Austen groaned, trying to staunch the bleeding with a piece of cloth, whilst the also injured and bleeding down her face and shoulder Akira rushed near the stooped on a knee Menlzon. The moment she touched him, the Zilan went down, his left side, down almost to his boot, drenched in blood. No more blood was coming, and the falling rain was washing it away.

Menlzon's eyes were open and stared at the angry skies, completely unperturbed by the heavy droplets, frozen in an accusing glare to the gods watching them. Akira groaned and put a hand on her own wound, her knees weakening.

God of heavens, be merciful, Akira prayed for him.

"We have a couple of expired potions in them saddlebags," a scowling Austen grunted, looking about them very worried. "These gnarly motherfuckers failed, but there might be more of them freaks hidden about! The one time you need the bloody army's assistance, them sons of bitches are away! FUCK THEM TO ALL HELLS!" He half-roared half-groaned, before he started crying.

Akira grimaced and teared one of her sleeves to make a quick bandage. She wrapped her shoulder wound as best she could quickly, ever-watching anxiously for any other Feral roaming about. That done she let out an unladylike grunt, and stood up to return towards their animals.

Another lighting revealing more killed citizens about them. Several half-eaten, or haphazardly butchered, as they had large portions of them missing. Arms, legs and even breasts and buttocks. The carnage inside the small settlement horrific. Akira counted at least thirty killed, for about nine or twelve Feral.

This happened suddenly, Akira thought limping towards the wagons, still blocking the south exit from the settlement. Without warning, they achieved total surprise and it was targeted to begin just after the rest of the soldiers had departed. The whole event an elaborate ambush to clear the village fort.

Why? There's no way these crazy creatures could think this horror on their own.

The first wagon, the one belonging to the slaver, had moved sideways blocking the view of their own. Akira rounded the wagon, trying to calm down the nervous animals and halted hearing a groan coming from the back.

"GET AWAY!" Resek cried out and Akira rushed to see what was going on. She found the injured slaver, Resek had a broken arm and a gush bleeding above his right eye, right next to the back wheel. The slaver's arm snatched by the half-naked Vydnisol, who pulled at the break as if trying to detach the dangling limb from the screaming slaver. "HELP ME SOMEBODY! GODS!"

"Get away from him!" Akira ordered placing the tip of the Naginata under the pale-skinned Zilan's chin. "Back off." She warned the snarling Vydnisol, who blinked and dropped Resek's arm.

"I was trying to help," the Zilan said, sucking at his gums. He slowly got up, looking much better than before and then blinked, before smiling in a friendly manner at a tensed Akira.

"He's lying!" Resek griped, in between groans of pain. "This crazy-eyed bastard is trying to eat my arm! Caught him in the act!"

"Mister Vydnisol," Akira hissed at the stunned at the accusation Zilan. Vydnisol had a bandage wrapped around his head, leaving one long ear flopping, and enough bandages covering his naked torso to play a male Nina Musha in the theater.

"The arm was useless," Vydnisol elucidated sounding insulted. "Leave it and you might get the rot! Then, you'll want it gone, but I won't want it!"

"Your friends are badly hurt," Akira told the ghoulish Zilan. Like really hurt... two of them are already dead. Vydnisol furrowed his bluish brows.

"Eh," he hissed and then faltered towards the wagon he'd used as a bed. "Are there more?" The Zilan asked, whilst retrieving a longbow and an exotic axe from the bed of the wagon.

"I don't think so. What are they?" Akira asked with a groan and the Zilan found a small bag. He dragged it out and then tossed it at her feet.

"Find a healing potion," he told her with another grimace. "I killed one of them that had sneaked up on this fucker," the Zilan rustled. He pointed a wiry arm at the butchered Feral that had died near the edge of the bushes, with only its legs protruding out on the street. "The other… went for the mule, but heard ye coming and run."

Ugh?

"A Feral went for the mule?" Akira queried and lifting the bag from the tiled street, she walked near the animal to check on it.

"Never said it was a Feral. He moved with a purpose and quite nimbly," Vydnisol replied, his eyes watching the drifting in and out of consciousness Resek intently. The slaver saw the Zilan's greedy stare and snapped awake with a yelp.

"Get that thing away from me! Look at him salivating!" He screamed at Akira, who had approached the mule with a deep frown, and tried to see whether anything was missing. Some of the newer bags did have the name Isak written on them, stitched on a leather label, but then on a couple of the older ones, the writing on them wasn't clear at all.

On the straps keeping them closed, another marking was carved on the dark leather with a sharp knife. Barely visible. The letter 'Z' and the symbol of the cross.

Akira felt the Zilan's foul breath on her moist neck, and Vydnisol's scent overwhelmed her nostrils. The Zilan smelled of sickness and arousal.

"It was him," Vydnisol rustled hoarsely near her ear and the tensed Akira stepped away from him. "You smell… so nice, priestess. Such…an enticing flavor."

"You have a tainted soul," Akira hissed with a glare and the Zilan shrugged his shoulders, taking a step back.

"Just famished," he told her. "If you abstain too much, you turn into those things priestess and offer your soul to the Flesh Merchant," Vydnisol elucidated and Akira gulped down, trying not to lose her composure.

I've a long road to cover, Alakul had told her, opening his arms to show them he wasn't carrying any weapons. His body fashioning the shape of a standing cross as if in a taunt.

Profit to be made in the King's cities.

I've followed the road, he had added one of those nights they had spent together. But 'my mule' is slow.

"God shine your light over this putrid foulness," Akira pleaded under her breath.

Isak was a cruel bastard, Alakul had divulged. Pretending to be a reformed man.

Many of us former Rida folk thought it was Zander Cross' disciples. Mabbot had told her back in Nyomel.

"Where is he from?" A spooked Akira asked the calmly wearing a leather shirt Vydnisol.

"Eh, nobody knows. He was one of us at one time. Trying to make a living," the Zilan stared at her apologetically. "Free souls, not agreeing with the late Queen's restrictions." The cannibal licked his lips and then gulped down, casting another glance at the injured Resek, who sensing his stare jolted awake with a grunt of panic. "Some say he fell upon an Aken and got turned into a flesh-eating zombie. Others claim, he was always one. Some even suggest, Isak might have broken free at some point or other, killed the Aken and returned to his former trade. The need… is greater than any spells. Dark or otherwise."

"You admire him?" Akira hissed, a tick ravaging her face hearing Austen's macabre laments of mourning for his slain friends.

"All creatures have a god, or hope to find one sympathetic to their needs," Vydnisol replied. "Most times than not, this god is just another creature. The Boss wants him gone. He's bad for business and can't be controlled. Menlzon and I…" he paused reading his friend's fate in Akira's face and then shook his bandaged head seeming genuinely sad. "We have tried this dance with Isak again in the distant past. Different times, same quest. Menlzon would have told you, it ain't worth the trouble going after him. And no, I've no love for the Flesh Merchant priestess. Not everyone stands as devout as yourself. Ah, best you keep it from the lads though. They are even more fragile than us."

Speak for yourself. Alakul must pay for what he did, sooner or later!

"Sesto is dead," a scowled Akira informed him.

"Um. Aye," Vydnisol acknowledged, then began to stroll deliberately towards the gates of the Jungle Fort, leaning on his longbow like a cane. "It's been a tough month. We should get going, priestess. I have to track down the devil's offspring and put an end to it."

And with that startling yet enigmatic statement, this unexpected Zilan-cannibal companion that had crossed her path, slowly walked away from the astounded Nina Musha.

-

'When they finally reached Morn Taras two days later, on the afternoon of the 24th –they had lost a day burying the slain locals and their own, after the rangers returned- Akira, Resek Liu-Baka and the two underworld enforcers, quickly realized they had all but missed the King's Feast.

Fortunately or it could be the opposite I guess, the injured quartet of newcomers entered the large castle just as Lady Lussiel chose to make her own appearance.'

First Scribe, Vulreon O' Kataer

The times of Hardir O' Fardor

-A King's Feast, 23rd to 24th of Netel Linde, 3401 IC-

Part III,

Nina Musha

*Taken from the ancient Royal Scribe's Vulreon O' Kataer, personal notes and anecdotal details gathered into an unpublished manuscript. Mostly used to illuminate parts of the much briefer and vague official record. The beefy manuscript, a private read for those allowed to visit the Queen's Room inside the Royal Library of Morn Taras. Which of course happened to be mostly the Queen herself over the years, other than the loyal scribe and a few scarce invitees.