It was a new day, and after several days of work with barely any rest, I finally had the chance to sleep in a bit. Still, I woke up early anyway, just as the sun was rising, covered only by a blanket on the floor of Eldrek’s house, right by the entrance.

I’d grown used to not sleeping in a bed, and from there, I had a direct view out the window. I let out a sigh, muttering under my breath that even on my day off, I was awake this early. It seemed my body was already used to getting up at dawn.

Judging by the silence in the house, Eldrek was still asleep. I got up, resigned to the fact that I wouldn’t get back to sleep. I headed to the washroom and, afterward, picked up my clothes with the intention of washing them at the nearby river.

As I went outside, I noticed there was already some activity in the village. Though I didn’t know everyone, I felt safer walking alone around here. The stares that used to be filled with curiosity and suspicion had changed; they didn’t feel as heavy anymore.

Just as I was about to leave the workshop area, a giant child, already towering over me by quite a bit, approached me with boundless curiosity. He started bombarding me with questions: “Why are you so skinny? Why are you shorter than everyone else?” He caught me off guard, and I barely managed to respond, “Well, you see…” before being interrupted by the kid’s mother.

A large giant woman, frowning, took him by the arm and pulled him away roughly, saying out loud that he shouldn’t talk to me. As she led him off, the kid kept asking, “But why? Is he bad?”

I stood there, watching the scene, not really offended by the mother’s comment. Rather, I felt a bit uncomfortable, like I was the one causing trouble.

I’d started to feel more at ease in the village, but that brief interaction reminded me that I still wasn’t fully accepted. I turned, ready to head to the river, when I saw a giant running toward the village in the distance. It wasn’t common to see one moving with such urgency; giants weren’t exactly agile, and the look of worry on his face made me stop in my tracks.

Intrigued, I forgot about my plans for the river and decided to follow the giant to see what was happening. When I reached the village center, I saw him gathering everyone nearby, calling for the attention of all the workers around. Giants were crowding in, some muttering in irritation. “Why a meeting so early?” one complained. “They’re pulling us away from work for this,” grumbled another. Despite the protests, a crowd quickly formed, and I stayed off to the side, trying to understand what was going on.

When I got to the center of the village, I noticed there were more giants gathered than I usually saw in one place. From a distance, I could make out the figures of Eldrek, Gronn, and old Varnak among them.

I picked up my pace, eager to find out what was happening. As I approached, I saw everyone’s attention was on the giant who’d been running from afar.

He was breathing heavily and recounting something that he clearly thought was important. He said he’d just returned from delivering a weapon to the village of the demi-humans, and while the client was examining it, they heard screams and chaotic noises coming from another part of the village.

The giant described how he and the demi-human had gone to investigate and had seen humanoid figures attacking the village. The strangest thing, he explained, was that he couldn’t identify what race these attackers were.

They were a bit far off, but he did notice they wore the typical clothes of adventurers: loose fabrics, shirts, nothing that looked like they were part of an organized army. However, what struck him most was their scaly skin, something he’d never seen before, except in lizards—hostile and intolerant creatures. But these were different.

The murmuring among the giants was constant, mixing skepticism with concern. “What does that have to do with us?” shouted one. “You pulled us away from work for this,” added another, while others just muttered impatiently among themselves.

But the giant telling the story stood firm. “This could be important. We don’t know what or who those attackers were, but they seemed dangerous and organized. If they’re attacking neighboring villages, they might come here too.”

From my spot, I watched Eldrek’s serious expression as he followed the giant’s story, thoughtful. Gronn, on the other hand, looked restless, shifting as if ready to spring into action. The discussion among the giants grew more intense, their voices overlapping one another.

“Excuse me, I’d like to say something!” I called out, raising my voice firmly. It took some effort to be heard, but a few giants stopped, looking around to find the source of the voice. Gronn stepped forward and, in a tone that silenced the crowd, said, “The human has asked to speak. His name is Darius, in case you didn’t know.” His presence seemed to calm the atmosphere just enough for them to listen to me.

I saw some of the giants’ expressions shift between curiosity and skepticism. Gronn, smiling in support, encouraged me to speak. “Go on, Darius, you wanted to say something?”

“I have some combat experience. If you’re okay with it, I could go and investigate what happened in the demi-human village. See if there’s really something to worry about.”

A heavy silence fell over the area. The giants exchanged glances, weighing whether my proposal had merit. Eldrek looked ready to intervene, but it was Varnak who broke the silence.

“We should let the human go,” Varnak said firmly. “We all know he has special abilities,” he added, referring to my magic. “He’s equipped to go and see what’s happening.”

I was surprised by Varnak’s support, as he had been one of the most skeptical about my presence in the village. Perhaps he simply saw this as an opportunity to get rid of me for good.

Eldrek finally spoke in a calm but serious tone. “Darius, are you sure you want to do this? It could be dangerous.”

“Yes, I’m sure.” I nodded confidently, though I had no idea how to get there.

Gronn chimed in with a mischievous smile. “You could take a Skarnil.”

I looked at him curiously. “What’s a Skarnil?”

Gronn let out a laugh. “It’s a transport bird. Big, strong, sturdy enough to carry even a giant. It’ll get you there fast.”

Is there really a bird strong enough to carry a giant? I thought, intrigued.

Gronn and Eldrek took me to the corral area, and there they were in the back, mixed in among other animals. We approached them, and I couldn’t help but ask, a bit worried:

“Are they dangerous?”

Gronn chuckled, nodding. “Of course they are, but these are trained. You have nothing to worry about.”

There were at least a dozen of them, imposing and majestic, their iridescent feathers shining under the sun. Now that I was closer, I could see details I hadn’t noticed before. Their feathers moved as if alive, reflecting colors that shifted from green to gold. Their eyes, a vibrant amber, watched me with curiosity, and their small twisted horns gave them a mystical appearance.

Eldrek encouraged me to get closer. “Approach with confidence, Darius. Offer your hand so it can smell you.”

I took a deep breath, trying not to show hesitation, and extended my hand to one of the creatures. One of the Skarnil moved cautiously toward me, sniffing me slowly before brushing my palm with its beak. It was an odd sensation. The texture of its beak was hard, yet there was something almost delicate in the way it touched me.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“It won’t forget you now,” Eldrek said with a reassuring smile. Then he walked off to fetch a special leather saddle and some ropes to guide the Skarnil. The saddle was crafted with care, with thick, sturdy straps designed for the creature’s massive body.

Once Eldrek finished securing it, he looked at me with a firm gaze. “Mount up with confidence, Darius. There’s nothing to worry about.”

The Skarnil was much larger than I’d imagined now that I was up close. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves, and leapt up to grab the saddle. Getting on wasn’t easy. Huffing, I finally settled onto the creature.

“Wow, it’s hard to mount this thing!” I said, with a nervous smile as I tried to get comfortable.

Gronn laughed, teasing me playfully. “That’s because it’s not made for dwarves!” he said, giving me a wink.

“Of course,” I replied, nodding with a grin.

Eldrek came over again and began explaining. “Skarnils are very intelligent, Darius. They understand language when you speak to them, and they have excellent memory. You just need to tell it where to go, first by calling its name and then giving it the command.”

Gronn gave my leg a pat and added, “This one’s name is Aeryn.” He then showed me how to use the leather reins, how to give the right commands to steer her. I listened carefully to each of his instructions until I felt comfortable handling her.

Once Gronn finished giving me all the instructions, Eldrek crossed his arms and looked at me seriously. “Be careful. If things get bad, come back immediately to inform us. Don’t take more risks than necessary.”

I nodded, wanting to show I understood the seriousness of the task. “I’ll return as soon as I can.” Then I looked at the Skarnil and, taking a breath, said aloud:

“Aeryn, take me to the village of the demi-humans.”

Aeryn let out a loud, piercing sound, like the call of an impressive bird. Suddenly, she began running at an impressive speed. She caught me off guard. I had to hold on tightly with all my strength to avoid falling.

The breeze hit my face as Aeryn glided over the ground with supernatural agility. My heart raced, trying to adjust quickly and find the right posture to stay balanced.

We passed the edge of the giants' village, and I couldn't help but yell—a mix of adrenaline and excitement escaped my lips as I smiled at the bird's speed. I noticed some of the giants turning to watch us as we sped off.

To my surprise, Aeryn kept a steady pace without stopping. It didn’t take long before we spotted the village in the distance.

“That must be the village. You’re amazing, Aeryn!” I exclaimed, full of excitement. Aeryn let out a loud sound, as if she understood my words. I instructed her to slow down as we approached the entrance to the village, and we began to move forward more slowly.

Right away, I noticed clear signs of an attack: the scene before us was wrecked. The village’s stalls were damaged, with broken structures and scattered goods everywhere. Crushed food, abandoned tools, and clothes strewn around as if pulled in a hurry. Chaos was evident in every corner.

I dismounted from Aeryn and tied her to a nearby post. In the distance, I saw a group of demi-humans gathered near what seemed to be a small square at the center of the village. I approached cautiously, trying not to startle them, and soon realized they were discussing something important.

“We can’t just sit here and do nothing; we have to act,” I heard one of them say, his voice filled with determination.

I approached one of the villagers, a tall, thin demi-human with feline features.

“Excuse me. I’m from the giants’ village. We heard about an attack here, so I came to help,” I said, trying to sound as calm as possible.

The demi-human looked at me in surprise. “To help?” he repeated, clearly incredulous. Some of the other villagers turned to look at me, their eyes reflecting a mix of doubt and curiosity.

“If there’s anything I can do to help, I will,” I replied firmly, though inside, I was also hoping this would allow me to find out more about what had happened.

The demi-humans began to urgently explain that a group of scaly creatures had suddenly appeared and attacked them aggressively. There weren’t more than a dozen of them, but they caused massive damage and took some villagers away in a cart parked at the village’s edge.

“They kidnapped people?” I asked, trying to process the situation. A bit further off, I could see several demi-human women crying, worry etched on their faces. I muttered aloud, more to myself than anyone else, “This is more concerning than I thought.”

“Has this happened before?” I asked, hoping this wasn’t a regular occurrence. A weeping villager responded desperately, “This is the first time we’ve seen anything like this. It’s never happened before.” Another demi-human added, “These things don’t happen in these lands. They caught us off guard.”

The crying woman approached me, tears streaming down her face, pleading, “Please, if you came to help us, do something. They took my son.” Other voices joined her plea. “They took my wife,” said one. “And my husband,” added another.

A group of calmer demi-humans approached, and one of them spoke firmly: “Look, human, it seems strange that you showed up out of nowhere, intending to help. But if you really will, we’re going right now to find them. If you want, you can come with us.” Without further delay, that same demi-human ordered another group with authority, “Let’s go, now!”

They took a cart, and about seven demi-humans climbed aboard. They didn’t look like warriors; I could tell by their appearances. They were just regular workers, which made sense if what they were saying was true: these lands were peaceful, and they hadn’t needed defenders for situations like this.

Without a word, I immediately ran to Aeryn. I quickly mounted her and followed the cart, easily catching up and positioning myself beside it. The attackers had left clear tracks of their escape; the cart’s wheels had dug into the dirt, making it easy to follow the trail.

I could see the fear on the demi-humans’ faces. I leaned toward the cart driver. “Hey! I’ll go ahead to see what’s up ahead. I think I can reach it first.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, worry in his voice. “Those beasts are aggressive.”

I nodded, trying to convey confidence. “Don’t worry, my friend.” I turned to Aeryn and gave her the command, “Let’s go, Aeryn, follow that trail!” The bird let out a cry that echoed around before launching forward.

We quickly surged ahead, pulling away from the cart. The wind whipped against my face as Aeryn sped down the path, and after a while, I spotted a column of smoke in the distance. As I got closer, I saw a small camp, and my heart pounded. “Could these be the creatures we’re looking for?” I thought as we approached.

From a distance, I could see several demi-humans tied up together. Noticing my arrival, some began to stir nervously, alerting me to the scaly figures around the campfire, eating without a care. Most of them were cloaked, but they all shared the same scaly appearance.

When they saw me, the creatures immediately stood up, grabbing weapons within reach. Their movements were fast and coordinated; they were ready to attack me without hesitation. I stopped in my tracks, ordering Aeryn to wait. There was no time to think; I needed to act before they organized themselves. I jumped off the bird, landing on the ground and rolling to absorb the impact, getting back on my feet in one fluid motion.

There were a dozen of them, and I was unarmed. I felt the weight of the challenge, tension in every muscle, but I had no other choice. I extended my hands and invoked my chaos magic. Energy twisted and pulsed through my fingers. The fight began before I could think of a strategy.

The creatures attacked in groups, fast and brutal. Every time one lunged at me, another prepared to follow. I knew that if they managed to surround me, I’d be finished. I needed to keep them separated, so I moved quickly, zigzagging, forcing them to react to my attacks before they could regroup.

My hands glowed with dark magic. The chaos energy flowed uncontrollably, wrapping around me like a shadowy armor. I used the magic to both defend and attack. Black bursts of energy shot out, forcing them to retreat, and when one got too close, my fist struck it straight in the chest, making it stagger. There was no room for error. Every hit had to be precise, every movement calculated. The key was to keep them disoriented, not letting them anticipate where the next blow would come from.

I could see the fear in their eyes as I hurt them. That was an advantage, and I didn’t hesitate to use it. The chaos magic ate away at their bodies like acid, devouring their flesh slowly, leaving traces of smoke and the smell of burning. The tied-up demi-humans watched the fight in desperation; I could hear the sobs of some children, the terrifying cries of those who couldn’t understand the violence they were witnessing. Others, older, tried to calm them, but fear was written on their faces.

The fight dragged on. Time seemed to distort. Finally, after what felt like hours but were only minutes, the scaly creatures lay motionless on the ground. My breathing was heavy, but the magic still coursed through me, consuming the bodies. As the skin burned away, something disturbing caught my attention: beneath the scales, there were no monsters... but human skin.

I took a step back, my mind reeling. What the hell had I done? I approached, trembling, and saw how the skin slowly peeled away, revealing human faces, almost recognizable, but twisted in agony. Their growls, once guttural and beastly, now sounded clearer, more human, as if their voices had reclaimed a part of what they were. And the longer I stared, the clearer the truth became: beneath those scales, they had always been people.

My stomach twisted. I felt horror spread through my chest like an invisible claw squeezing my heart. What had I done? I had killed a dozen humans, without even realizing what they truly were. The chaos magic continued to consume them, and I could only watch, paralyzed, as their cries of pain faded one by one, until only silence remained.

I fell to my knees, surrounded by corpses, my mind spinning with guilt. Had they been enchanted? Was it all an illusion, a trap that had forced them to attack me?

Questions hit me one after another, giving me no rest. I pressed my fists into the ground, feeling the cold dirt beneath my fingers. All I could do was face the terrifying possibility that I, unknowingly, had been the instrument of a massacre.