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I didn’t know people like these existed in our world. All I’d known was the downtrodden captives that my people had become, the Invaders (who turned out to be people in machines), and the Adversary (who were also people, but killing curs).

These people were new to me. They smelt nothing like the clans or the Invaders. They smelt of wood smoke, forests and freedom.

And while they walked with apprehension, watching the treeline for danger, they were unmarred by the scars and wounds of war. I could sense their spirit, still within them, pure and unbroken.

It made me hungry.

I forced my mind on the bigger thing at hand. These people, though they weren’t captives of the Invaders, were like me. They were like our clan. They had creature-spirits waiting for them in the Glade.

They could become my servants.

I pondered what it would be like to have servants who weren’t broken by the rages of battle and servitude. What were people like when they only knew freedom and forests and wood fires?

Would they make better, more spirited beasts? Or would they be harder to control?

No matter. I knew the Chaos controlled everything in the end. Perhaps it was even controlling me right then. Just as long as the enemy knew my misery, I was content to allow it to chew away at my body and sanity.

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It probably wouldn’t be much longer.

My booted foot came down heavily on an extra loud twig. Yeah, you know that snapped branch cliche? It happened to me. Right here, right now. As I was stalking these people and wondering how their spirits would taste. What did I ever do to deserve that?

The group of people stopped, instantly on alert. They circled, the tougher ones standing on the outside, the younger ones protected within. The one at the head of the group pulled a light blade from his side.

I’d never seen such a weapon before. It was marvelous.

I decided that I simply must have it.

And them.

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“Greetings travellers,” I welcomed them as I stepped out of the treeline. I made sure that my cloak well-hid my strange fin-ears, and forced my eager stride into a more casual walk. “I apologize if I startled you.”

They looked at me as if I’d grown a second head.

Hmmm. A two-headed beast. Now that’s actually a good idea.

The man with the shiny weapon lowered it a bit, his face awash with puzzlement. His armor was in piecemeal parts, though he didn’t fully look like a warrior to my trained eyes. He wore a thick blue band around his forehead, half hidden by his strangely-colored hair. I knew enough about things to recognize a leader’s mark.

Whatever this clan was, he was the head of it.

“Greetings, friend,” he cast my salutations back at me, his voice overly friendly from the get-go. If he was being sarcastic, I couldn’t tell. “We are just passing through and mean no harm.”

“Passing through?” I gave a soft snort, motioning with both hands. “This territory? This is not a place to pass through, friend.”

I stressed the last word to let him know the ball was in his court.

“Really?” the man mused, tilting his head in a way that indicated this was a common habit of his. “That’s disappointing. And we’ve heard such good things about the freedom effort happening here, too.”

“Freedom effort?”

“Haven’t you heard? Someone… or rather… something has been clearing out the Invaders in this area,” he told me.

A smile of self-satisfaction lit my face. “Oh, yes. I’ve heard all about it.”

“I’m sure you have,” he gripped the blade just a little tighter as he added, “Bahamut.”