The Red Lands

The grey line of morality

Dyna sat on a log outside the research shed while watching the stars twinkling above. Tonight would indeed be recorded as a special night.

Inside the room, a pot of boiling water bubbled over a crackling fire. The flickering light landed on the face of the nearby crouching boy. Chu watched as water dripped from the loose bowl-like lid into a wooden jug. Satisfied, he stood beside the fire.

"How much is a dose?"

Lucy stretched her hand over the wooden table and held up a wooden cup. Looking towards the scarlet-skinned lady, she received a confirmatory nod.

"Ishara said one of these cups is enough. Any more doesn't provide additional benefits."

Chu inhaled a sharp breath and then released it slowly. His black eyes roamed over the man tied blindfolded to the wall. His companions waited securely in the butcher shed, just outside the walls. Knowing they prospered as bandits with blood on their hands didn't make this any easier. Somewhere inside him, a piece of humanity whispered that he stepped into hell.

Balling his fingers into a fist. He lifted the jug of water and toiled towards the table. Collecting the cup from Lucy, he first poured it to the knife-mark etched about three-quarters of the way full. Pulling the candle closer while grumbling about glass and windows, Chu poured the water into an empty jug.

"Alright, Lucy, fill me up to the mark with the concoction. Let's see what this Mark of Initiation looks like."

Following his instructions, Lucy handed the cup to Ishara, who dished out a fruity-smelling amber liquid from the resting cauldron. Confirming the meniscus touched the mark, Lucy carefully poured the liquid into the previously empty jug.

"This is the best we can do at the moment. Luckily, we began the crude process to refine distilled water a few days ago. Miki, mix and pour out one cup from the jug. Place it over the paper labeled half concentration. When you're finished, add another measured mug of water to the jug. This will be our quarter concentration."

Chu said while stepping to the side for the girls to act. From interacting with Ishara during his training sessions, he surmised the Hakkim possessed hardiness that surpassed humans. Maybe it could be explained by her having denser bones and muscles, or maybe it is related to the magic flowing within her body. Whatever the case, gulping down a potion brewed specifically for a Hakkim spelled bad news.

"We'll begin with the half concentration first. Ishara will help me, so can you guys step outside until I call you?"

Chu said.

"I want to stay."

"Same here. I know why you want us to leave, but you shouldn't worry about it. Didn't you take us as companions? We also walk the same path you do."

Ming said as he expanded on Miki's previous reply. They had seen some of the good and bad in this world. Walking within the grey border separating the two didn't unsettle their ethics. Chu felt as if a knot loosened around his heart on hearing his willing accomplices. The weight of embarking on an illicit act truly lessened when you had friends.

Chu stepped towards the bearded, blindfolded man.

"The garrison in Karst has condemned you to death. What say you?"

"Wat...water, please..."

The man croaked from between his parched lips. The lack of water had him caring less about the previous conversations. For more than a day, the precious liquid had been scarcer than gold. On the journey from Karst, they had eaten their bellies full of gruel and even drank ale. Although fettered, the journey fattened them so much so that they even jeered and belittled their keepers.

Only when they arrived at this farm did they taste hell. The long-haired brunette furnished a beating as a recompense for their taunts on the road. A blonde devil and a raven-haired aggressor polished off any thoughts of provocation. Water then nearly disappeared from their diet.

"Don't you realize you are on trial? Luckily, the heavens are on your side today. Ming, hand me a mug of tea. Make sure this is the only cup he gets today!"

Chu cursed while handing over the mug to the blindfolded man. He then placed it into the begging palms tied together. Running his coarse fingers to feel and grip the mug, the man cautiously drifted the precious liquid to his mouth. The tantalizing aroma wafted into his nostrils as he first sipped and then guzzled down the extravagant commodity.

Witnessing his ploy take effect, Chu sighed and sat on the bench.

"How long does it take to work?"

"Ishara said it requires one night where the warrior must harness the willpower of the heavens. Such is the mark of initiation..."

Miki informed while sitting poised like a CEO sharing common knowledge with a greenhorn.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Chu raised an eyebrow and twitched one corner of his lip.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?"

"Why are you asking me? She is the one who said it. Jeez, Chu, sometimes I think Ming is rubbing off on you."

The dark-haired girl responded while looking down at him from her perch.

In the middle of devising a retort, a spine-chilling scream filled the room. It hardly died when another one spread across the farm. Miki jumped from the bench while shouting out instructions.

"Lucy, hold him down before he twitches and breaks his neck. Ming! Wrap a scarf so he doesn't wake the village. Careful of his bite."

With Ishara helping them, they tied the unconscious, writhing man to the ground. Chu departed for a short time to inform Dyna and the approaching crowd of the situation. Having a quick-thinking companion provided him the leeway to handle other matters. The replies after his explanation, however, left him a little bewildered.

"Well, as long as you have it under control. If you need help, I'm with Father and Clod in the barn. But please keep it down, we are discussing something important."

Pine said while hastening to return.

"I and Rugol just exited the west gate to visit the goblins. I came running when I heard the screams. You scared the life out of me. My Sersen power zipped me back quickly. I'll rush over to the lumber campsite. I'm sure they are worried."

Toll added.

"I don't know why you didn't conduct these unknown experiments of yours during the daylight. Are you planning on waking the children?"

Stavia scowled while pulling a shawl across her shoulders. She had run from the dorm as the representative since they did not hear any warning gongs. Shaking her head, she plodded towards the sleeping quarters to deliver the news. Chu looked at the departing crowd and then turned to the redhead standing guard.

"Why do I feel like I can kill the emperor inside this shed and nobody would bat an eye?"

Casting a glance at the green-eyed girl, shrugging her shoulders, he bent his head. Mumbling, he creaked the door open and then entered. The screams which interrupted his explanations outside had ceased. On the ground, foam bubbled from the open mouth of a listless face. The eyes of the man rolled over to expose the eerie whites.

Sporadic spurts of twitching occurred as the lag between them increased. With a long rasping breath, worse than an eighty-year-old smoker, the chest rose and dropped while a blackened tongue lolled out from the open mouth. The four children gazed down at the now dead corpse and then looked towards each other and Ishara.

Ming broke the silence.

"So... should I bring the next one in?"

Lucy raised her sky-blue eyes towards him and blinked.

"Bring another scarf when you're coming. We don't want to wake the nearby village."

Miki nodded while adding,

"Spin a fib that we're under attack when you collect him. That should ease their minds from the screaming."

"..."

"Thugs... I'm raising a bunch of thugs..."

***

The restrained man shifted his feeble body to ease the uncomfortable posture on the hard ground. Jumbled whispers entered his ears, but his parched throat impeded his assimilation. Blinking his eyes, the dark cloth restricted his vision. A welcome smell sifted between his nose hairs as footsteps sounded closer.

"Have some tea. A wolf from the forest mauled one of our companions while out hunting. The poor man lost his right hand but managed to escape."

Gentle words greeted him, as they also provided assurance to the origins of the terrible screams from before. It also raised his hopes of being released. When having to face a troublesome foe, humans possessed a tendency to band together.

The fingers of the tied hands touched onto a warm and round surface. Holding the mug, the curly-haired man shakily brought it to his nose and sniffed. The wafting vapors confirmed the liquid matched the faint aroma from earlier.

Sipping the concoction between his cracked lips, the touch of liquid sparked his thirst. Moments later, he had guzzled the entire contents. Refreshed, he wondered if he should raise the blindfold from his eyes. Since the voice of the girl mentioned danger, now would be an ideal time to state some demands.

"Before you say anything more, you should loosen these bonds. Asking for help requires... Ah, what?"

The man grasped his throat between his clasped palms and then moved his hands to his chest. Coughing, he stuttered,

"Poison... you bitch, you poisoned me...argh!"

His accusations seem to fall on deaf ears since the gentle voice never bothered to reply but issued a command.

"Ming, tie the scarf across his mouth and then help Lucy."

This time, only a faint muffled scream escaped beyond the wooden walls. Outside, the head of a large wolf rose while its ears pricked up. A small hand patted its snout as the head subsided between its outstretched front paws.

***

The dark horizon in the east slowly turned grey. Standing in the eastern tower, Worth yawned at witnessing the sight. Manning the morning shift made it doubly hard for someone in his position. This morning, Clod requested him to survey and picket out two equally large fields south of the windmill. Since Pine wanted him to complete the markings for the future western stone wall today, he had no choice but to begin early.

Thankfully, a giant of a blacksmith offered to bail him out of watch duty sooner than normal. This would provide him enough time to grab a meal and head out. With the little Boss around, he could wander freely without fear around the nearby grasslands. The creaking on the ladder informed him that a weighty presence drew near.

"Worths, you can head out now. I informed Jim you're switching early with me. I swear, Dareck was last night's leader on shift because I saw Jim head out yesterday to the forest."

"Is that why you're late? I told you to relieve me before dawn. Today I have lots of work to do, Tapper."

Worths complained to the scar-faced hulk standing beside him in the tower. The sooner he began his work, the earlier he would finish. He hoped to complete today's task by evening so he could have a good night's rest.

"Stop complaining, you, skinny busybody. Only you and Clod feel you have candles in your eyes to begin working outside before the sun rises. Since we began picketing the Industrial Complex, I suggested you should find another helper. You have too much of a tiresome job."

The red-bearded blacksmith said. When he had the spare time, he assisted this wiry companion of his, but now the clanging of iron never ceased. Worths gathered his crossbow and sword and walked to the ladder.

"Everyone is busy with their own tasks, for me to find a steady assistant. Little Mike is helping me today, so he can help in measuring using the knotted ropes. While he handles one side, I can plot the corners using the groma to square the fields. The Boss says we can each select ten assistants when he brings in more help for the project. I honestly can't wait."

Tapper nodded in agreement. By the time their fortress was complete, he would have enough merit to earn the title of at least a Master Blacksmith. The brawny man anticipated the day of having his own apprentices. His bushy brows came together while frowning.

"By the way, where is the Boss? Last night, an ungodly scream woke me up. While I donned my armor, Ms. Stavia passed along the word that everything was fine. Just the Boss conducting some experiment..."