The smell of fresh death was thick in the air, a mixture of blood, shit, and fear. A smell that evoked so many old memories inside Reud.
It smelt like war.
The last three thugs were lying on the floor, motionless, with their eyes fixed on the point of the blade Lilia was waving between them, surrounded by a steadily growing pool of blood pumping from the bodies of their employer and two of their companions.
Reud looked over the three in disgust. He'd seen far too many people like this, emerging from the cracks in society when they sensed a weakness they could exploit. The dregs of humanity. They were bullies, thieves, taking what they wanted and providing nothing in return. Worthless flesh and bone driven by a mind smaller than those driving Reud’s skeletons. Killing them would be easy, like stepping on a bug.
And their skeletons would provide far more value in death than they ever had in life.
Bo moved like lightning in response to his silent command. The skeleton ripped the knife from the throat of the dead thug and was on the cowering three in an instant. They barely had time to scream before the blade tore through them, blood spraying out in great arcs as the skeleton ended each one with efficient strikes. Lilia hopped back, cursing as blood splattered across her face and hair.
The struggle lasted mere moments.
Drawing mana into his body, Reud opened his soul sight, one of the key abilities granted to those with a soul affinity. Instantly, the world lost all its colour, twisting and distorting like a rough charcoal painting. The only things that stood out against the dullness were souls.
And they were brilliant.
Above the bodies of the dead, Reud could see faint wisps of light, like tattered streamers reaching up to something that had been torn away. The remains of the fetters that once bound a soul to its former body. If he wanted, he could use them to temporarily force the vacated soul back, under his control, and reanimate the corpses as zombies. Or he could take longer, craft an artificial soul, an artificial mind, and use that in its place, letting him raise the body as a skeleton instead.
A task for later, perhaps.
Looking around, Reud checked the state of the occupants of the room. The six thugs and their ringleader had no souls any more, so they were definitely dead. Everyone else was alive and well. Great lumps of shimmering light floated above each of them, chained to their bodies.
Healthy souls, one and all.
Beside him, Lilia's looked strange. It was bruised and distorted, as if trying to squeeze itself into a box that didn't quite fit. Healthy, yes, but wounded, unsurprising given the nature of the spell he'd used to bring her back. She would heal, in time. Hopefully.
And then there was him. No soul floated above his body, and no tattered fetters waved in an unseen breeze. He wasn't alive nor was he dead, but something… between. Where the fetters would have been were instead a thousand tiny threads, barely wider than a hair. They reached out from him, twisting together to form a strand of shimmering light that stretched out into the distance, far to the north below Srinaber.
And as long as his soul languished there, he'd never truly die.
“Well, so much for avoiding an incident.” Reud muttered, letting his soul sight go.
Lilia shrugged. “We’ve cut out the infection, now things can start to heal.”
She looked at the blade in her hand, inspecting it. With a grimace, she tossed it onto the closest of the bodies. Wiping the blood from her face with her sleeve, she walked around behind the table to where the young woman was huddled, having pressed herself into the corner of the room. Squatting down, she smiled at her.
“Are you alright?” She said in a soothing tone. “They’re all gone. They can’t hurt you any more.”
Standing up, she offered a hand, helping the trembling woman to her feet. The woman stared with horror between the blood covered skeleton and the fallen body of Telac, a crimson pool ringing his head like a halo.
“Is he… Is he dead?” She whispered.
Lilia stepped over and delivered a solid kick to the body, pushing it back a span, leaving a smear of blood along the floor. “Seems to be. Good riddance.”
Rachel pointed at the skeleton. “And that?”
“That’s Bo, he’s under the control of my husband, over there. I’m Lilia, and that’s Reud.” Lilia gestured at Reud.
Reud gave the woman a little wave.
“Oh. I’m Rachel…” She trailed off, before pointing at the body, her eyes narrowing. “Would you mind if I…”
Lilia stepped back. “Be my guest.”
Rachel took a step forward and delivered a kick to the body. She stepped back, then kicked it again, muttering expletives under her breath. A few more kicks later, she staggered away, her face red with exertion. Steadying herself on a table, she brushed a blonde hair that had escaped her bun from her eyes and looked at Lilia.
“Thank you, for all this. That man…” She shuddered as her eyes went distant. “I’m just glad he’s gone.”
Lilia walked up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Say nothing more about it. Seriously, don’t waste another thought on scum like him.”
Putting her arm around Rachel, Lilia guided her gently away. “Come, why don’t you sit with us.”
The door to the kitchen slammed open and the innkeeper stormed out, his face red and his eyes wild.
“W-what have you done!” He shouted. “You killed Lord Telac! Do you have any idea what you’ve… What you’ve…” Words seemed to fail him as he spluttered incoherently.
At that moment, the front door to the tavern banged open as well. An old man, dressed in expensive looking robes and a floppy hat, hobbled in, nervously stroking his black beard. He peered around the room frantically before spotting Rachel.
“Thank Idia!” He gasped, before hobbling over, arms wide. Rachel pulled herself away from Lilia and ran over to him, throwing herself into his embrace. After holding her for a few moments, he pushed her away to arm's length, looking her over.
“Are you alright? Are you hurt?” He asked.
“No, father, I’m just fine, thanks to them.” Rachel turned and gestured to Lilia and Reud.
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The man looked up at the pair and bowed his head. “Thank you for protecting my daughter. I heard about what Telac was saying, and if you weren’t here… Well, I’m just glad you stepped in.”
The innkeeper strode over. “Why are you thanking them!? They killed Lord Telac. He’s dead!”
“Telac deserved to die!” The old man shouted, making the innkeeper flinch away. Taking a deep breath, he continued in a more normal voice. “However, I do see why you are concerned. For the appointed tax collector to be killed… Duke Hosta is not going to be pleased.”
“We should banish them, to show we didn’t join in with their crimes.” The innkeeper continued, gesturing angrily at Reud and Lilia.
“You think that will matter at this point? You know the Duke’s reputation as well as I. Besides, Telac was killed by mages, so this is merely an incident between nobles.” The old man said firmly.
“But what if-”
“If you have a problem with that decision, bring it up at the meet. Until then, you would do well to remember that this is my land. If you don’t like that, you are welcome to leave.”
The innkeeper’s mouth shut with a snap, and his face went even redder. But, without a further word, he turned and stormed off.
The old man let out a sigh and turned to Reud. “I am Graham, the Mayor of this village. Who might you be?”
“My name is Reud, and this is my wife, Lilia. We’re just a couple of travelling adventurers looking for work.” Reud turned and gestured to Bo, who lifted the body of Telac up onto his boney shoulders. “Before we continue introductions, however, where is your burial ground? I’d rather not have these corpses stinking out the place we’re staying.”
Graham’s eyes went wide with horror as he took in the skeleton holding the body aloft, his mouth moving slowly but with no sound coming out.
It was Rachel who broke the silence. “I can show you the way, if you like.”
That shocked Graham out of his trance. “Wait, I don’t think that’s such a good idea-”
“I’ll be safe, these people protected me once already. Besides, you have some things to take care of.” She looked pointedly at the body hanging limp in the skeleton’s arms. “You need to decide what to do about that.”
Graham looked at the corpse and deflated. Lilia walked over and patted him on the shoulder.
“Don’t you worry, we’ll keep your daughter safe.”
Rachel began to walk out the door, stopping to check Reud and Lilia were following. Reud sent a command to Bo to follow the woman, and proceeded along behind.
Outside the tavern, a crowd of villagers had formed, all craning to see within. The low sound of muttered gossip immediately died as Rachel emerged, followed closely by Lilia. A collective gasp ran through the crowd as Bo stepped out next, his once-white bones stained red with blood, carrying the corpse slung over his shoulder.
Out of the crowd ran a young man, a poultice strapped to his cheek. He dropped to one knee dramatically in front of Rachel, throwing his arms out towards her.
“My dearest Rachel, you are unharmed! No doubt due to my valiant attempt to save you.” He waved his hands with a flourish. “I’m certain that you wish to accept the betrothal now after witnessing my bravery.”
Rachel glowered and stepped back, putting some space between the man and herself.
“Oh Farlin, do shut it.” The man looked up in shock. “You fled the moment anything difficult showed up.”
Farlin glanced around at the villagers looking on, and dropped his voice low so only Rachel, Reud, and Lilia could hear. “Be careful how you speak to me, woman. You need this alliance. Your father approached mine, remember?”
“I’ll speak to you however I damned well please.” Rachel spat back. “The only reason I even considered it was to get away from him.” She pointed at the body on Bo’s back. “As you can see, that’s no longer an issue. That makes you worthless to me.”
Farlin looked at her speechless.
Rachel continued. “It would be best if you travelled back to Aldsville immediately. You and I are not going to happen. We’re done.”
She went to step around him, but Farlin stood up, blocking her way.
“What do you mean done? You can’t just do this!”
Lilia stepped up, glaring at him. “The lady has said you’re done. Get. Out. Of. Our. Way.”
“Y-you’ll regret this. Mark my words, you’ll regret it.” Farlin said, backing up, staring at her purple eyes nervously, before turning and hurrying off, trying to save what semblance of dignity he had left.
Lilia turned to Rachel. “Shall we get going? I feel like an exhibit standing here.”
Together they walked onwards, leaving the crowd behind.
After a few minutes of silence, filled only with the sound of Bo’s bones clacking together, Rachel suddenly spoke up.
“Lilia, you’re strong.”
Lilia raised her eyebrows at that. “Uh, thanks?”
A small flush spread across Rachel’s cheeks. “I mean, you’re really good at fighting. Like… crazy good. Do you think… Do you think you could teach me?”
The words started spilling from her lips.
“I want to be strong like you, so I can protect myself next time and not have to rely on someone else to save me. I never want to feel helpless again.”
Lilia thought for a moment. “I can teach you to fight.”
“Thank you, you won’t-”
Lilia held up a hand. “But I’m a mage. Many of my techniques are only possible because I use my magic. Without that advantage, the effectiveness will be limited.”
“I understand. Still, I want to learn. Anything is better than the nothing I have right now.”
Lilia looked her over a little more, before finally nodding. “Alright, I accept. Meet me tomorrow morning outside the inn, and we can begin.”
Rachel clapped her hands in glee. “Thank you so much, I won’t let you down.”
The group reached the village gate, and passed out into the woods beyond. A wide path led away to either side.
Rachel stopped and gestured to a smaller path that disappeared deep into the forest. “That path leads straight to the grounds, you can’t miss it.” She turned to Lilia. “I’d best get back to my father now, though. See you tomorrow.”
With that, she turned and left them alone.
“Brave girl.” Lilia said, watching her go. “With a mind as resilient as that, she’ll go far.”
Reud nodded. Turning to Lilia, he let a teasing smile spread across his face. “So, you teaching. That’s an interesting choice, given the last time you-”
Lilia flushed. “Hey! I thought they’d given me mages, not mundanes. And that guy was far too arrogant for his skill level.”
“If I remember correctly, you broke both his arms, in multiple places no less. You were lucky his father didn’t press charges.”
“This time it’ll be different. I’ll be careful.” Lilia said, a smile tweaking the corners of her mouth. Then the smile vanished, replaced with a serious look. “Besides, I think she needs this.”
There wasn’t much he could say to that.
With a thought, Reud set Bo to walking once again, Lilia and himself following the skeleton down the path into the forest.
Between the trees, everything was silent, only the crunch of their passing disturbing the silence. Eventually, they reached a clearing filled with pyramidal wooden structures. A platform was suspended above each one, just over the height of a man from the ground, held up by four beams that came together in a cross. Where the beams met, the wood was carved into a stylized crescent moon, the points of the crescent fading into a chaotic swirling mess. The symbol of the goddess of death, chaos, mana, and night, Vistol.
Reud commanded Bo to toss the body onto the closest platform. There it would act as an offering to Vistol, to be devoured by her servants, the chimeras that prowled the darkness. A practice that was old, even in Reud’s time, thought to appease the goddess of the night into keeping her creatures away from those still living.
A foolish superstition, Reud knew. In his long life, he’d never seen or heard of either of the gods ever taking a direct hand in the world, and an offering to Vistol would no more keep the chimeras away from you than praying to Idia, or spinning in a circle three times or tossing salt over your shoulders. No, all the offerings did was give the chimeras an easier way to sate their terrible hungers that didn’t require breaking into a walled settlement.
Still, it saved lives, so the practise had persisted through the ages.
Turning to head back to the village, Reud came face to face with Lilia. Before he could react, she threw her arms around his neck and placed a little kiss on his cheek.
“What was that for?” Reud asked, leaning in to her.
“I just wanted you to know that I love you.” Lilia said, resting her head against his. “Thank you for bringing me back.”
Reud reached up and pulled her into a deep kiss, and time melted away in the feeling of her lips.