Kraid blinked his eyes, momentarily blinded by the bright explosion of light that erupted from the darkened stone. The shockwave rippled in all directions, yet strangely, the mortals on the ground remained unharmed. Alec, however, bore the brunt of the blast, his body battered and bruised from the acid and the blunt force. The others, though shaken, remained on their feet.
With a mix of fear and willpower, Alec slowly pulled himself up and cautiously approached the lifeless body of the grey-skinned monster. He checked and double-checked, ensuring that the creature was truly dead. Relief washed over him as he confirmed it.
Exhausted, Alec slumped over, the weight of his spent energy apparent in his posture. In a display of elemental mastery, he dissolved his current form, leaving Kraid and the two humans who watched nearby in awe.
Alec's heart stone, freed from its protective shell, glowed blue and pulled smaller stones towards himself, drawing upon the smooth pebbles of the shallow stream. Within moments, the stones clicked together, moulding into a tiny, yet crude figure and made its way towards the two humans one hop at a time.
"Alec," the stone figure declared, addressing the man. "I am named Alec."
The man scratched the back of his head, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips. "Ah, hi. I guess."
A brief moment of silence passed as Ellie and Charles exchanged incredulous glances. Charles silently mouthed the words, "Karn's stone," his eyes widening with sudden understanding. Ellie's surprise was palpable as she beheld the stone, now animated and speaking.
Pleasantries were exchanged in quick succession, and they wasted no time in making their way back to the main encampment. Together, they laboured diligently, cleaning up the aftermath of the Swine’s sudden attack. Kraid watched with wonder as the water Elementlet, now fully formed, took on the likeness of Ellie. It mirrored her appearance, even down to the clothes she wore, yet its liquid surface allowed Kraid to peer through and glimpse the tear-drop centre guarded by a green gem within.
With precise care, the water creature gracefully moved through the crowd, its gaze filled with compassion and wonder, evoking gasps of astonishment when it first laid its watery hands over Ellie's wounds, healing them after some effort, then move on to help others. Concentrating deeply, the creature seemed to work miracles, gradually healing all the injured over the course of a few dozen minutes. Its face, though made of water, displayed kindness and care, wordlessly conveying its deep concern for those in need.
Every single member of the Swine hunting party had been cut down. Their unexpected arrival causing Kraid to peer about, wondering if this was just a rogue party or a scout sent for a specific reason. He looked sharply towards the diminutive Alec who was chatting with the two humans when he the thought enter his mind. This dark creature was purposely sent as a searching party.
And there was only one thing he could think of that would elicit such a party.
He made his way towards the stone who was telling the two humans of Karn’s current mission having just informed them of the battle of the beach. Their faces were set in stunned awe at the mention of the pivotal role their best friend had been a part of.
“Alec,” Kraid said with an air of urgency.
He was about to voice his concern when a flutter of wings above alerted him to a murder of creatures he had not seen in a long while. The farmers, already tense from the recent attack, flinched as a group of black birds swooped down and landed around the camp. They kept a respectful distance, neither approaching by foot nor wing, standing with their weapons stowed but ready.
Kraid signalled, and Alec bounced on his shoulder as he strode out of the encampment towards the tallest man in black. His yellow eyes examined Kraid with an air of indifference, devoid of happiness or hatred. The two humans followed Kraid, while another older man observed the exchange from a distance.
With a short nod, the tall man began, "Well met, Exile."
Kraid returned the bow as the other Kraven observed silently.
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"Well met," Kraid repeated. "I take it you are here to investigate the burst of power you just felt?"
The tall Kraven nodded, his expression remaining unchanged. "It’s in the interest of all people to investigate such dark energies when they appear."
Kraid nodded in understanding. Alec clicked, demanding the attention of the tall man. The first semblance of emotion registered on the man's face as he gave the Elementlet a deep bow.
"Master Elementlet, may you forgive my rudeness," he said, a sparkle of respect briefly flickering in his eyes before vanishing.
"No need," Alec responded. "The dark energy you just felt was from a creature called a Reaper."
Alec pointed his rocky hand towards the two humans behind him. "These two come from a place torn apart by creatures just like that one. They can attest to the wicked power such a monster can unleash."
The tall man twisted his head, unsure of the severity of the claim. Charles stepped forward and began, "those things eat everything and reproduce faster than you can kill them. Within a year, they killed billions of people."
The revelation sent shockwaves through the crowd of Kraven. He studied the human's face but felt no trickery within the man’s words.
"If that’s the case, then you’ve all averted a great evil. But still, why would it be out here?" the tall man asked.
Alec sighed, a conflict evident in his eyes as he seemed to have an idea that troubled him.
"They are after the Book of the Known," Kraid spoke.
Gasps filled the air from the silent Kraven.
"It's back?"
Kraid nodded, and a female Kraven stepped forward, her voice filled with urgency. "Then what the girl Said’s true?”
Kraid and Alec anxiously looked up at the woman.
“We found a girl. A few hours ago, and she said that the Book of the Known was stolen."
Kraven and Alec exchanged desperate glances. Alec inquired, "Stolen? What does this girl look like?"
"She has semi-blonde hair, young… Pretty," said the tall Kraven.
"Damn!" Alec swore. “She unharmed? Where’s the rest of her party?”
The female Kraven looked alarmed. “She was alone and collapsed soon after we arrived.”
Determination filled the tall man's eyes as he pointed towards some of his Kraven underlings. "Call for the mounts. We will need..." He counted the assembled humans. "...two..."
"Three," a voice interjected. An old man slowly made his way into view, looking frail but filled with determination. "Three," he repeated.
The tall Kraven examined him for a moment, then nodded. "So be it, call for three."
It only took a second for three of the Kraven to comply as three flew into the sky, disappearing over the horizon. Soon, the old man disappeared back to the camp only to reappear with a middle-aged woman, both carrying travel bags.
"Why are you going as well?" she asked.
He shook his head, signalling her not to question him further in front of the others. She sighed with exasperation; longing etched on her features.
"How are we getting to the beach village, then?" she asked as a broad man trailed behind with third pack.
"I've left you a map," he began. “Arthur knows most of the details. Follow his lead.”
The broad man nodded in grim determination.
The tall Kraven glanced at Kraid, understanding passing between them. Moving closer to avoid being overheard, he whispered into Kraid's ears. "It's best you take these humans with their wagons through the pass. My father would never allow you to step foot near our home."
Kraid sighed, his understanding evident, and nodded. "I'll take them," he said, defeated, and placed Alec on Charles's shoulders. “They’ll need someone to look after them in any case.”
A screech in the distance signalled the arrival of their mounts, which had been resting nearby under the forest canopy. Kraid recognised the beasts well, having raised a few when he was just a boy.
"What's that sound?" Charles asked. "Weren't they just getting horses?"
The tall man grinned. "We dwell among the treetops, with feathers for warmth. Why would we burden ourselves with hoofed beasts?"
Charles eyed him sceptically. "You could've just said you don't like ponies."
The tall Kraven rolled his eyes and turned to the incoming animals.
The humans collectively gasped as heavy thuds heralded the approach of dark figures in the distance.
The majestic beasts ran tall on powerful hind legs, their frames both strong and sleek. Covered in silky, obsidian-coloured feathers that shimmered with an iridescent sheen, they commanded over the plain with an air of elegance.
As they drew nearer, the creatures revealed their long, slender necks adorned with dark plumes of feathers, resembling a regal crown. Their curved, pointed beaks were perfectly designed for stripping leaves and fruits from the lush foliage of the forest and their azure eyes gleamed with intelligence.
"Is... Is that a dinosaur?" Charles stammered, while Ellie clutched his waist for reassurance.
His eyes were drawn to their remarkable front claws, extending a few feet from their hands. Despite their intimidating appearance, Kraid knew these beasts carried themselves with surprising tenderness.
The three creatures gracefully approached the group, gliding across the plain before coming to a halt in front of them.
"They're around ten feet tall," Charles said in awe.
Kraid chuckled. "These are just juveniles."
Gasps escaped the humans' lips as three small black figures slid off the sides of the beasts, landing on the ground soundlessly. The three feathered dinosaurs then kneeled close to the ground and positioned themselves for their new riders.