With Rex group of four in the middle, surrounded by the hunters as if they were captured and being escorted, the gate opened soon after they were in front of them. Rex smiled lightly, and seeing that unlike Diana, who was calm for the most part, Mary was quite nervous right now, so to relax the girl, he nudged Diana lightly and shen the mother looked at him, he pointed with his head lightly towards the daughter, and soon, the girl was pulled close to her mother, as Diana whispered a few words of encouragement and ensurance. Rex couldnt help but smile lightly at how Diana reassured her daugher that there was nothing in outside of the deep floors that could possibly threaten their safety as long as Rex was by their side, and that it was their enemies who should be trembling, like the hunters surrounding them were, not the other way around. That did calm the younger Svergi lady down and even made her giggle a little. Vivian just quietly stood by Rex side, enjoying the new experience and going along with the flow.
Now, with the gate open, the large group entered the walled village, revealing its inside to Rex. A simple one story buildings were scattered around a rather simple network of dirt roads. In the center, a rather large square could be seen some five hundred meters away, a distance that was as far as hands reach for Rex extremely sharp vision, that could basicly zoom in more than a few killometers if needed by now. An ability that remained rarely used by him due to the confined spaces of the dungeons and the relatively short range of his ussual preys reach. In the square he could see multiple stalls operated by some svergi- local vendors most likely. He could see also a small elevation in one side of the walled vilage with a two storry large wooden building.
"Thats the meeting hall, as well as the home of the Chief." Explained Diana once she noticed Rex gaze focused in the dirrection of her former home.
"Does the wise women live there aswell? Seeing as how she should be a part of the decision making with her wisdom and advices." Rex asked another important question.
"Kind of. Do you see the building next to it? The one with the small totems near the entrance?" Diana asked
"Yes. Didnt know your people had eyesight so sharp." Rex answered slightly suprised by her ability to see the small knee high mini totems around the entrance.
"We dont." she lightly chuckled " From what I know, our sight is no better than that of humans, its just that I have visited her home so many times, I still remember that front as if I was standing there right now, every detail engraved in my memory."
"Ow, I hear a nostalgic longing in your voice. Should we visit her first then?" Rex asked, clearly more interested in ensuring his women were happy and not left wanting, that to rush with his objectives.
"Well, I doubt we can reach the spirit world and come back in a quick few moments without actually dying, so lets not try that." She looked towards her daughter then to Rex "Our life is just now entering a new stage filled with hope and warmth, I would prefer to not lose it so soon." then understanding that a small explanation was in order, she did just that as the group was slowly advancing towards the chiefs hall, gathering more and more of the villagers of their tribe along the way. Everyone was curious what would happen to the duo of mother and daughter since they fled the new chiefs hands, even if said man had no right to demand them. He was quite greedy and arrogant and would stoop quite low to achieve his own desires, as evidenced by the poisoning of the old chief before he was challenged, and the sheer disregard the man had for the traditions of the tribe. He could only maintain his postion because his few brothers were some of the most powerfull men in the village and their family had great support.
"Reiha, the previous wise woman was like a grandmother to me." Diana started "Ever since I was a little lass I would visit her home whenever I could, to listen to the wisdom she would share, the stories and tales of our history were breathtaking and willed with both adventures and wisdom beyond my understanding at the time. I will not deny that I also loved the meat pies she would bake often and share with me whenever I visited." she smiled remembering those moments "I later learned she baked them precisely because she new how much I liked them. So, the place was likea second home to me, and even when I grew up, was married to the chief, and were awating Mary's birth I would continue to visit her."
"Grangran." A light sniff was heard from Dianas side. her daughter stifling a few of her tears remembering the woman as well.
"Most of our greatest moments were experienced in her presence, and Mary took it especially hard when she passed five years ago. As you can see, see still tears up from the loss, but thats just how life is. No one can escape the jaws of time." She then lightly smiled "Thankfully , we still have decades of happiness before us, so there is no point of being all gloom and doom."
"Milenias and more." Rex corrected her.
"Come again?" Diana asked in confusion, not understanding Rex words.
"Did you not know? Earth grade food and above basicly stops ones aging beyond their prime, and even slowly recovers ones body to said prime state as long as it is being consumed regularily." Vivian smiled as she explained.
"...."
"Yes, dear sister. Our man here is so greedy and selfish he will never let us go." she giggled at her own joke, clearlyu satisfied with her jab towards her master and lover. Then, to ensure she recieved no retaliation from Rex she quickly glued herself to one of his hands, pressing her sizable breasts into it, so Rex could feel them even through her rather thck coat she was now wearing. It was quite cold outside after all. With the knowledge that she will not lose her mother anytime soon, a worry Mary was harboring ever since her grangran passed away and with the rising tension of the village before their escape, she was now as cheerfull as her mother remembered the girl before Reihas passing. Yet another debt she had incured that she doubted she could ever repay to her husband.
'All I can do is stand by his side and support whatever he decides to do.' She thought to herself as they closed in to the chiefs hall. Most of the village gathered behind them, curious about what is going to happen.
As they were closing in, one of the two men standing at the door rushed inside the moment he noticed Diana and Mary- clearly to inform thei chief. A suspion of Rex that proved correct as they soon heard loud laughter as three men, all around the height of two and a half meters walked out. The middle man was laughing hard.He had a scar of three claws on his left cheek, big bushy black beard, and cleanly shaved head. Visible bulging muscles and tribal marking on his shoulders.
"Look at that brothers. The bitch did not escape after all. I changed my mind though. I no longer want you." He grinned "Once I am done with you, everyone will get their chance to have a taste of you. But dont you worry, I will keep your girl. She can still be taught to obey her betters." Then he looked at the hunters surrounding Rex group, as if he had not even noticed Rex and Vivian who was clinging to his arm.
"You did good. Your chief will remember your contribution, and reward you apropriatly. Now. get no your knees bicth and crawl here, unless you want me to be rought on your girl."
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As the chief was going on his powertrip, totaly disregarding the presence of two strangers, his caution and shrewdness apparently dulled by the taste of power, his two brother by his sides however were on full guard. They noticed th strange akwardness of the hunters surrounding Rex group as well as the downright relaxed expression of all three women within the group. But before they could say anything to their brother, and after he had ordered Diana to craw to him, the woman in question laughed. Her laughter was loud and and unstifled, and once she stoped, she asked in a clear and loud voice
"Have you got so drunk on power that your brain was scrambled? It this how low you have fallen? Trully, I was expecting more from the leech who schemed his way to the seat of a chief."
"YOU BITCH!" the chief screamed, a vein bulging in his forehead "YOU WILL BE BEGGING FORE DEATH ONCE I AM DONE WITH YOU! DRAG HER HERE!"
"Silence." A single and simple word, spoken in everyday conversations volume, yet hear by all, that was followed by a pressure that forced everyone present but Rex and his women to fall on their knees interupted the rage induced tirade of the chief, and in that silence, the outsider man spoke.
"Continue, he will behave now."
Diana looked at Rex, smiling at her man as she noticed an embers of rage within his unique eyes. He was clearly holding himself back from starting his own punishment of the fool who insulted his woman, so she did not hesitate and proceeded with their task at hand.
The village, like all other had runes inscribed around its perimeter, ensuring that the temperature within the walls was only a few degrees below zero, and some of the greater tribes, who had settled near great mines and rivers even had zones where they could do a limited amount of farming. And due to their mixed blood and life here, walking around the village in nothing more than trousers and leather type bra was common among the younger girls who were trying to attract the best of the men among the village. She took of her coat, revealing a simple shirt with rather large neck area, revealing her necklace and she spoke.
"As the people can see" she glanced at Rex, who slightly lessened the pressure he was exuding, allowing everyone to raise their heads, looking at Diana "I have taken a husband, and brought him here to "
"Ahhh!" a loud gasp interrupted Diana, and everyone looked at the origin of the voice. There, their gazes fell upon the new wise woman of their tribe. She was a simple looking Svergi femal aroound the age of fourty, sent here after the passing of their last one. The girl was born here, then once it was learned she had tallents for shamanic magic, she was sent off to the conclave of elements, where all the shamans were trained. Every generation a few talanted girls from each tribe was sent there, to be trained in shaman arts and to come back once their training is complete or the current wise woman dies, Each tribe had to have their spiritual leader, who would guide the chieftain and ensure they dont forget the wisdom of their forefathers.
With the full attentin on her, she not only kept her slumped position, but with a bit of effort she kowtowed in th direction of Rex and his companions.
"Im-m s-sorry y-your e-exelency." she shivered in pure fear and terror. How could she not. She recognized that the necklace Diana was wearing was made exclusively from monsters of the deep floors. And she, as someone who had graduated from shamans conclave knew what monsters teeth were decorating her necklace. That outsider was death incarnate if he could get his hands on not only one set of such teeth, but two. Especially since they had not heard of any monstrously large raid groups delving deep into their dungeon.
Diana sighed. "Calm down Kara and wait untill I am done talking." Of course Kara would freak out, how could she not. That woman was the epitome of legend fanatic. Diana had spent quite a bit of time getting to know the new wise woman of their tribe after Reihas passing. Both to see who would try and walk in her guardians shoes as well as part of her duty as the main wife of the chief. kara could spend hours talking about legends and the smallest of the details surrounding them. Of course she could piece together the origin beasts of her marital necklace, of course she would go ballistic in the presence of a demigod. A title reserved for men who could fell Apexus beast. Adn he apparently had slain two, by what Kara could have seen. Diana just hoped her friend would not pass out when she sees Maries necklace as well.
"As I was saying. I have brought my husband here, since he has deemed our people worthy enough for his plans. As my husband, he challenges this tribe for the title of a Warcaller."
Her words caused another wave of shock, one that was lesser than upon Rex suppression, purely because the heavy pressure was still around, stifling the possbile commotion. Then Diana smiled as she looked at the chief whose eyes were bulghing even more as his power drunk state had vanished in the air like it had never been there in the first place, perfectly understanding that was to come, and even then, her next words made surpassed anything he had expected.
"And his firts order of business?" she looked back at Rex with expectant eyes
"To skin the dumb cunt alive."
With that said, Rex moved towards the current chief, his steps like thunderclaps in a deathly silent night. Once he was in front of the chief, he man tried to speak, but was slammed into the ground by increased pressure.
"How pathetic, you are not even S class." Rex spoke in a cold voice, then glanced at Diana and Mary
"What about those two?" he pointed to chiefs brothers, then seeing Diana look towards Kara, he did the same and asked.
"Wise woman, what does your tradition say?"
His question raised caused Dianas smile, and with that Kara raised her head, quickly scrambling throught her knowledge of their laws and traditions, looking for an answer that would satisfy the demigod, even though she did not know what the man trully wanted. With his power alone he could undoubtedly anihilate their entire village without even breaking a sweat, and she did not doubt Diana and Mary would not say a single word against his action, if that were to happen.
"As the siblings of the chief, whom I believe you are about to end, yes" and with Rex nod, confirming her gueses, she continiued "they are honor bound to take part of the Warcallers rite. If you so desire, thats where you can end their lives."
"Fine, later it is then, whatever I decide." With those words, he released everyone but the chief from his pressure.
"This is what happens to those who insult my wifes." he spoke, and with raw mana constructs he hung the trembling chief in the air, and forming countless knives he started to slowly and methodically skin the offender alive. Each knife cut a solid layer of skin, causing a searing pain to the chief, eliciting a miserable cream from the man, again and again. The smaller children had been taken away trom tehsquare by their mothers, only leaving a small part of the hunters and warriors here, witnesing the brutal end of their tyrant leader. There was a glint of fear and terror regarding the raw and unbridled savagery of their likely Warcaller, a glint of respect for the lenghts to which he would go for his woman, and bevilderment of the mans power and proficiency in wielding his skills. A few hours later, the last few dying gruffs came from their now expired chief, ending both his reign and life in the most gruelsome fashion.
Rex willed his mana, burning the skin and corpse of the ex chief, leaving nothing behind and moved next to the three women waiting besides Kara, the wise woman of their tribe. Mary had not looked at the scene past the first few moments, not one for such bloody acts, while the other three women had watched it all happen.
"Its over." Rex said in light and caring voice as he placed his hand on Mary's head and gently caressed it.
"You can turn around" he added and Mary looked out from her mothers embrace, light few tears marring her face.
"What did you cry about?" Rex asked, not seeing a reason for her to cry.
Sniff. Mary tried to colect herself a bit, then as she looked at Rex, guilt in her voice she answered.
"It hurts having you do such things for us. I dont want you to sacrifice yourself for us. You are kind and nice already. We cant ask for more."
"Why not?" Rex asked her back "Are you not mine? I can make the world burn for you girls. I will become the demon for whom, people, on moonlit nights, sacrifce their daughters, wifes, mothers and children to, just to live a few days longer. All without a second thought, if that is what it takes to protect my girls."
"DONT." Mary quickly exlaimed, then hid her face once again in her mothers bosom in embarasment.
"Are you not sweet." Rex smiled as he kept getly caressing the girls head. 'Just how much did you spoil your daughter Diana. She is already a full grown woman.' He thought, looking at the mother in question with a raised eyebrow and light smile on his face, recieveing the same expression in return.