CHAPTER 8

[BEFORE VYN COULD RESPOND, THE WOLFKIN CHANGED INTO A GIANT GREEN, FIERY WOLF MONSTER, SHOCKING VYN, WHO HAD NO CLUE HE COULD DO THIS.]

FARKAS: ALLOW ME TO HANDLE THESE MONSTERS.

VYN: ALRIGHT, SON, BUT DON’T OVERDO IT. I AM HERE IF YOU NEED ME.

KOBOLD: YOU GOT THIS, FARKAS; THERE ISN’T A VILLAGE TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT NOW!

FARKAS: RIGHT!

[FARKAS BEGAN TO IMMEDIATELY LEAP THROUGH THE GROUP, GIVING THEM MASSIVE BURNS.]

VYN, HAVE YOU SEEN FARKAS DO THIS BEFORE?

KOBOLD: YES, MY LORD, YOUR SON MANAGED TO STOP SOME OF THE SLAVERS FROM BEFORE WHO WERE ATTEMPTING TO HAVE THEIR WAY WITH MY DAUGHTER. LUCKILY FOR US, YOUR BOY HELD THEM OFF FOR A LONG TIME, BUT SADLY, THEIR LEADER'S ICE MAGIC WAS TOO MUCH FOR HIM.

[FLASHBACK TO THE SCENE WHERE THE YOUNG KOBOLD GIRL CAME UP TO VYN, BACK WHEN VYN’S CHILDREN WERE CAPTURED AND THEN SAVED.]

VYN'S ANGER STARTED TO SWELL UP AS THOUGH HE WAS RELIVING THE EVENTS OF WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS CHILDREN. THIS TIME, THOUGH, FARKAS ALSO BEGAN TO BECOME MUCH SCARIER, LOOKING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO A FIERY HELLHOUND THAN JUST SOME FIERY WOLF.

[FARKAS BEING THE SCARIER ONE THIS TIME, FUELED BY VYN’S EMOTIONS, HIS FIERY MAW OPENED UP, LETTING OUT ROARING FLAMES AND A DEMONIC VOICE.]

FARKAS: YOU DARED TO TOUCH MY FRIEND, AND IN A WAY SO FOUL!" YOU, WHOSE SOUL IS TAINTED CRIMSON WITH THE BLOOD YOU’VE SPILLED!

[THE WOLFKIN, NOW OVER THEIR LIMIT IN ANGER, ATTEMPTED TO BITE AT THE SLAVERS BUT WAS QUICKLY PUSHED BACK BY A BLAST OF ICE AND SNOW.]

SLAVER: BLIZZARD

[FARKAS WAS SLOWLY BEING PUSHED BACK FURTHER AND FURTHER BEFORE VYN YELLED TO HIM.]

VYN: TRY SPITTING ON THEM, FARKAS!

[FARKAS BEGAN TO SPIT LITTLE FIERY DROPLETS AT THE GROUP, WITHERING THEIR DEFENSE, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO COMPLETELY STOP THEM.]

[VYN NOW BEGAN USING HIS FLAMES TO EMPOWER THE WOLFKIN, MAKING HIM EVEN SCARIER.]

[THE HEAT WAS NOW TOO MUCH FOR THOSE AROUND THEM, CAUSING THEM TO FAINT ONE BY ONE.]

[UPON NOTICING THEY WERE HURTING THEIR PEOPLE, THE TWO SHIFTED BACK TO NORMAL AND TOOK THEM BY THEIR SIDES TO ASSIST THEM IN RECOVERING.]

THE KOBOLDS GOT UP TO THEIR FEET AND PROCEEDED TO TAKE THE WEAPONS FROM THE NOW UNCONSCIOUS HUMANOIDS. ONCE THEY WERE DONE GEARING UP, THEY TOOK SOME COLLARS THEY FOUND AND PUT THEM ON THE HUMANOIDS.

VYN, WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?

OAKLEY: WE ARE JUST MAKING SURE THEY ARE PACIFIED THE WAY THEY DID US, MY LORD.

VYN, FREE THEM THIS INSTANT! IF WE ENSLAVE THEM, THEN WE ARE NO BETTER THAN THEY ARE.

OAKLEY: AS YOU WISH, MY LORD, BUT WE CAN’T JUST LET THEM STAY HERE, CAN WE?

[VYN WITH A SCARY LOOK ON HIS FACE]

VYN, I NEVER SAID WE WOULD BE LETTING THEM LIVE. THEY OPENLY ATTACKED US IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT IN AN ATTEMPT TO SLAY US. THEREFORE, WE SHALL MAKE AN EXAMPLE OF THEM.

[THE KOBOLD PROCEEDED TO FINISH OFF THE SURVIVORS BEFORE CUTTING THEIR HEADS OFF AND CARRYING THEM.]

VYN - I KNOW IT MAY FEEL WRONG TO LET THEM OFF SO EASILY, BUT THE GOAL HERE IS TO USE THEM TO SCARE ANY WEAK-MINDED SLAVERS AWAY, LOWERING THE AMOUNT WE MUST BATTLE.

LARZ: THIS IS HONESTLY WHY YOU SCARE ME, MY LORD.

[VYN LOOKED AT HIM WITH A VERY SAD EXPRESSION.]

VYN - I TAKE NO PLEASURE IN TAKING LIVES, BUT I WOULD BE LYING IF I SAID THEY DIDN’T DESERVE IT. IF I HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THEM AND YOU, I THINK YOU JUST SAW MY ANSWER. I WILL PROTECT YOU NOW THAT MY MOTHER NO LONGER CAN.

[THE PARTY BEGAN THEIR MARCH ONCE MORE, NOW SEEMING EVEN MORE EXHAUSTED.]

[TWO DAYS HAD NOW PASSED SINCE THAT HORRIFIC NIGHT, WITH THE PARTY NOW ARRIVING AT WHAT LOOKED LIKE SEVERAL CRUMBLING STONE HUTS.]

OAKLEY: THIS WAS ONCE ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED VILLAGES OF ALL THE KOBOLDS, HAVING LEARNED TO BUILD WITH STONE.

VYN: WELL, THEN LET'S TRUST IN YOUR PEOPLE'S CRAFTSMANSHIP AND REST INSIDE ONE OF THESE OLD HUTS. I WILL STAND GUARD, OF COURSE, SEEING AS HOW I DON’T NEED SLEEP.

THE KOBOLD WHOSE CHILD FARKAS SAVED ME—I'LL STAY UP WITH YOU, MY LORD. I OWE YOUR CHILDREN AS MUCH FOR ALL THEY HAVE DONE FOR ME.

VYN: ALRIGHT, YOU STILL GOT THAT GAME FROM YESTERDAY, ALISTAIR?

ALISTAIR: YES, FATHER, IT WAS A PRETTY HUGE BOAR. ARE WE GOING TO COOK IT?

VYN: YES, GO GRAB SOME LONG WOOD SO I MAY EAT AS WELL.

[THE THREE WOLFKINS LEFT THE BOAR BEHIND AS THEY RAN AND GRABBED AS MANY HUGE STICKS AS THEY COULD.]

LATER THAT NIGHT, THE PARTY ALL SAT AROUND VYN WITH A PIECE OF MEAT ON STICKS, COOKING IT OVER HIS HEAD, WITH VYN HAVING A PIECE OF WOOD LIKE A CIGAR IN HIS MOUTH.

[AFTER EVERYONE WAS ASLEEP, KOBOLD AND VYN TALKED.]

KOBOLD - MY NAME IS HARIS, MY LORD, AND I PROMISE TO DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO REPAY YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN. WITHOUT YOU, I DON’T THINK I OR MY DAUGHTER WOULD BE ALIVE.

VYN: LOOK, YOU'RE NOW UNDER MY PROTECTION. YOU WILL NEVER OWE ME FOR THAT. IF YOU WANT TO REPAY ME, THEN CONTINUE TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF THE VILLAGE WITH ALL YOU HAVE.

HARIS: YES, MY LORD, WELL THEN I WILL GO AHEAD AND GET SOME REST SO I DON’T SLOW YOU DOWN TOMORROW, AND THANKS FOR THE WORDS OF INSPIRATION.

EVERYONE IS NOW SLEEPING. VYN SAT IN PURE SILENCE, THINKING TO HIMSELF.

[WATCHING OVER THE PARTY THROUGH HER ORB WERE THE GODDESS AND TWO WOLF SPIRITS.]

BÀS: WHAT WAS THAT BETWEEN VYN AND FARKAS?

GODDESS: WHEN FARKAS TRANSFORMED HIS SOUL, HE CREATED A SOUL BOND WITH VYN'S, MEANING THEIR POWERS FUEL ONE ANOTHER WHEN CLOSE BY.

BÀS: OH, THAT IS AMAZING TO THINK MY CHILD BECAME SO POWERFUL AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE.

BEATHE: SHUSH, HONEY, LET'S GET BACK TO WATCHING OUR CHILDREN GROW.

SEVERAL DAYS HAD NOW PASSED, AND THE PARTY EMERGED INTO A LARGE CLEARING WITH A MASSIVE STONE TOWER IN THE DISTANCE, SURROUNDED BY MANY SMALL WOODEN SHACKS AND A WOODEN SPIKED WALL. VYN WAS NOW IN HIS HUMANOID FORM.

VYN, ALRIGHT, HERE'S THE PLAN.

[AN ARROW FLEW STRAIGHT THROUGH HARIS’ THROAT, MAKING HIM DROP TO THE GROUND DEAD ON THE SPOT.]

[VYN'S EYES WIDENED IN SHOCK AT THE SIGHT OF HIS NEW FRIEND DEAD ON THE GROUND.]

[BEFORE ANYONE COULD DO ANYTHING AT ALL, THERE WAS A HAIL OF ARROWS FALLING FROM THE SKY, HITTING ALL AROUND THEM, WITH A FEW EVEN MANAGING TO GRAZE THE KOBOLD AND WOLFKIN.]

[VYN THEN USED HIS FLAMES TO PROTECT THE GROUP, INCINERATING EACH ARROW THAT MANAGED TO ENTER HIS FLAME.]

VYN: GRAB HARIS AND RETREAT. I WILL HOLD THEM OFF FOR YOU.

THE PARTY RAN BACK INTO THE WOODS AS FAST AS THEY COULD.

[AS VYN WAS BEGINNING TO TRANSFORM BACK, SEVERAL ICE SHARDS RIPPLED THROUGH HIS BODY, CAUSING TREMENDOUS DAMAGE.]

VYN: SHIT SHIT SHIT, I NEED TO RETREAT AND RETHINK THIS WHOLE ORDEAL!

[VYN, IN A PANIC, RUSHED INTO HIS TINY FORM, RUNNING INTO THE WOODS.]

[AS VYN REACHED A LITTLE DEEPER INTO THE WOODS, HE NOTICED THE ATTACK HADN’T FOLLOWED HIM, SO HE HID UNDER A TREE, "EATING" SOME TWIGS OFF A BUSH.]

VYN (INTERNALLY): FARKAS, IS EVERYONE SAFE?

FARKAS (INTERNALLY): FATHER, WE NEED YOUR HELP! MR. HARIS IS DEAD, AND WE ARE SURROUNDED BY CLOAKED FIGURES ON ALL SIDES.

[VYN, NOT HAVING FINISHED HIS MEAL, QUICKLY TOOK TO HIS HUMAN FORM AND BEGAN SPRINTING IN THE DIRECTION HIS PARTY HAD RUN EARLIER.]

GURIS - NONE OF THE SLAVERS WE HAVE SEEN HAD SUCH AN APPEARANCE. MAYBE WE SHOULD BE CAREFUL IN CASE THEY ARE THE ONES WHO IMPALED YOU WITH THAT ICE ATTACK.

VYN: RIGHT!

[VYN ARRIVED AT A SMALL CLEARING, NOTICING THE CLOAKED FIGURES NOW STANDING ALL AROUND HIS PARTY AS THEY LAY ON THE GROUND.]

[VYN, WORRIED, WENT RUSHING OUT, READY TO STRIKE.]

GAIA'S LITTLE EARS SPRUNG TO LIFE AS HE APPROACHED, AND IMMEDIATELY SHE JUMPED UP, YELLING.

GAIA, PAPA! YOU MADE IT BACK TO US!

[THIS MADE VYN FREEZE, NOT KNOWING HOW TO REACT.]

[ AS THE CLOAKED FIGURES NOTICED VYN THEY PROCEEDED TO REVEAL THEMSELVES. ]

CLOAKED LEADER: HELLO, MY LORD, I AM SHADOW.

[THE CLOAKED LEADER IS NOW REVEALED TO BE A BLACK BEASTKIN WHO HAS THE BODY OF A WOLF BUT THE SHAPE OF A HUMANOID WITH A MASSIVE SCAR DOWN HIS RIGHT EYE.]

VYN - WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?

THE CLOAKED FIGURES ALL BEGAN TO REVEAL THEMSELVES ONE BY ONE. THERE WAS A WHITE WOLF BEASTKIN, A FUZZY, TINY BEAR-LOOKING ONE WITH BROWN HAIR AND EYES, TWO RHINOS, BOTH MALE, AND LAST OF ALL, A YOUNG HUMANOID WITH VIOLET-COLORED HAIR, A TAIL, HORNS, AND LIGHT GREEN EYES.

SHADOW: THIS IS MY WIFE HOPE (NOW SHOWING THE WHITE WOLF BEASTKIN).

LITTLE FUZZY BEAR: I AM AIKIRIUS. NICE TO MEET YOU, YOUNG MAN. THESE TWO HORNHEADED BRUISER BROTHERS, BRINEHORN AND GERMCLAW, DON’T WORRY; THEY ONLY RAMPAGE WHEN THEY FEEL EXCITED OR THREATENED.

[VYN, HAVING NOTICED THEY LEFT OUT THE DIFFERENT HUMANOID IN THE BACK WHO WAS HIDING BEHIND THE GROUP,]

VYN: WHO MIGHT THE GIRL IN THE BACK BE?

[AIKIRIUS IS LOOKING ANNOYED.]

AIKIRIUS: DON’T SPEAK SO CASUALLY TO HER HIGHNESS, PRINCESS RAVEN OF THE UROUNTIS DYNASTY!

[SHADOW, NOT EXPECTING THIS REMARK, SNARLED AT THE MUCH SMALLER BEAR CREATURE BEFORE STATING]

SHADOW, YOU WILL ADDRESS THIS BEING WITH THE UTMOST RESPECT! HE IS A DIVINE BEING, A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF THE MOTHER HERSELF!

[THE GROUP, ALL EXCEPT RAVEN, PROCEEDED TO BOW AND BEG FOR FORGIVENESS.]

[VYN WAS STARTLED BY THE WORDS SHADOW LET OUT IN HIS SNARL.]

VYN - HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT? I HAVEN’T MET ANY OF YOU BEFORE, AND I SURE AS HELL DON’T WANT SPECIAL TREATMENT!

[HE BEGAN TO BOW BEFORE THE PRINCESS TO SHOW HER RESPECT, MAKING HER IMMEDIATELY GROW COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO SPEAK.]

RAVEN: PLEASE TREAT ME THE SAME AS YOU WOULD EVERYONE ELSE. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH GURIS SINCE YOU ARRIVED AND DIDN’T WANT TO BE DISRESPECTFUL TO YOU. I AM RAVEN, THE VIOLET DRAGON, AND THESE KIND BEASTKIN ADVENTURERS ARE ESCORTING ME HOME.

[THE WHOLE MOOD SOFTENED AS EVERYONE REALIZED NO ONE SOUGHT TO BE PRAISED ABOVE THE REST.]

VYN (INTERNALLY): GURIS, YOU’VE BEEN SPEAKING TO THIS DRAGON THE WHOLE TIME WE’VE BEEN HERE?

GURIS: YES, SHE SEEMED VERY FRIGHTENED UPON OVERHEARING THE THOUGHTS OF YOUR CHILDREN AND THE KOBOLD. SHE WAS WORRIED THE CHILD OF THE GODDESS WOULD BE SCARIER THAN YOU ARE. SO ONCE SHE SENSED I WAS HERE, SHE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN CONVERSATION WITH ME, AND IT WAS MOST PLEASANT.

VYN (INTERNALLY): OH, I SEE, THEN DO YOU THINK I SHOULD TRUST THESE PEOPLE?

GURIS: HONESTLY, I DO THINK THEY ARE TRUSTWORTHY, AT LEAST FROM WHAT RAVEN HAD TO SAY ABOUT THEM. A GROUP OF HUMANOIDS USED MAGIC TO SHOOT HER DOWN NEAR BEASTKIN VILLAGE IN THE NORMAL WORLD. THIS NOT ONLY REVEALED THEIR VILLAGE TO THE HUMANOIDS BUT ALSO CAUSED A BATTLE. AT THE HEAD OF THE EXCHANGE, THESE FEW GRABBED HER AND BEGAN TO RUN AWAY, LATER HEALING HER AND AGREEING TO TAKE HER HOME.

[VYN HAD BEEN DEEP IN THOUGHT, NOT EVEN REGISTERING THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM.]

GAIA TUGGED ON VYN’S LEG TO WAKE HIM UP.

GAIA, THE PRETTY DRAGON LADY, HEALED ALL OF US.

SHE THEN LOOKED SAD.

GAIA: ALL BUT HARIS... HE HAD DIED FROM THE ARROW EARLIER ON THE SPOT, AND AS WE CARRIED HIM HERE, HIS BODY VANISHED IN A SCARY BLUE FLAME.

[VYN IS NOW ALSO VERY SAD.]

VYN, I AM SO SORRY TO EVERYONE. I FAILED YOU ALL. I WAS WAY TOO COCKY TO WALK INTO THAT AMBUSH, COSTING HARIS HIS LIFE.

AIKIRIUS: MY LORD, THERE WAS NOTHING YOU COULD’VE DONE; SOMEONE MOST LIKELY WOULD’VE DIED NO MATTER WHAT YOU HAD DONE.

[VYN IN DESPAIR]

VYN: WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, AIKIRIUS? DID YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED?

[AIKIRIUS HAD HIS PAW TO HIS CHIN.]

AIKIRIUS: HONESTLY, WE HAD NOT YET REACHED YOU BY THAT POINT, BUT FOR THOSE WHO KNOW OF THE SLAVER’S TACTICS, THEY TEND TO SET MAGICAL TRAPS ALL AROUND THEIR FORTS, EXCLUDING THE ROADS, WHICH FORCE ATTACKERS TO FIGHT ON THEIR TERMS INSTEAD OF THEIR OWN.

VYN - IS THERE ANY WAY FOR US TO DISABLE THE TRAPS OR EVEN SEE THEM?

SHADOW: YOU’D NEED TO BE WELL-VERSED IN NOT ONLY TRAP DETECTION BUT ALSO MAGICAL DETECTION TO SEE THEM. OTHERWISE, YOU’D EITHER NEED TO SET THEM ALL OFF FROM A DISTANCE OR TAKE OUT THE ONE WHO SET THEM OFF.

AIKIRIUS - YES, BUT SIMPLY SETTING THEM OFF FROM A SAFE DISTANCE IS NOT SO EASY, WITH THEM NEEDING A LIVING TARGET TO BE SET OFF. THE ONLY OTHER WAY I KNOW OF IS TO TRY A MAGICAL DISPEL.

VYN - I MIGHT HAVE A WAY TO REMOVE THEM, BUT I WOULD PREFER NOT TO RISK ANYONE ELSE IN THE PROCESS, SO PLEASE STAY HERE.