-Break-

One week later

A week earlier Charles had said words that had raised the resolve of Dónal. But unbeknownst to him such words would have a horrible effect on others who he holds close.

Location: Íogair grassland

Φ As I carry my seeds over to the beastkin who are collecting them, I let out a sigh and say, “That goddamned beastkin are e

I hear a very familiar scream, so I run towards it.

On the ground in front of me, Statilia lays on the floor clutching her cheek. She stares up at a beastkin who is standing over her like he just hit her.

Running towards her, I say, “What happened?” But before Statilia can respond I am kicked down by the same beastkin.

Standing over me, he says, “If you want to skip the line so fast I can give you a beating instead!”

He starts to kick me on the floor, and a familiar feeling comes back to me, the feeling of fear that I had lost towards the beastkin. But with that fear, rage comes with it causing me to scowl at the beastkin.

“What’s that look for human? I need to teach both of you some respect.”

Hits Nero on the floor, and seeing this Statilia says, “I am sorry, I don’t know what I did to offend you but please forgive me.”

The beastkin hits Statilia again then says, “It is that goddamn look you keep giving me as if you are staring at an equal. YOU’ RE A HUMAN, YOU ARE BELOW ME! But since you have both forgotten that I will have to remind you both.”

The beastkin hits the both of them until another beastkin comes and stops him from killing them.

-Break-

Location: Campsite

Sitting in Sandra’s room Pluso uses some bandages to rap me up. But as she raps me, I say, “Oww.”

“I know it hurts but please bear with it.”

Looking at Sandra, I say, “Thank you for allowing me to use your baby supplies to bandage myself up.”

Holding Jupio, she says, “Well you did help me deliver this little one, so take this as a gift from her.”

Behind us, Mariana walks into the room, so I ask, “How is Statilla?”

“She is still unconscious.”

“Where the wounds she got that much worse than mine.”

“Well you are stronger than her, so it is to be expected,” Pluso says.

Mariana responds, “That’s not it. The issue is that it seems this event was quite a mental blow for her. She has only recently arrived at the plantation and everything has been rather nice, so I guess this event was a rather big shock to her mind.”

“I should’ve don-.”

Mariana stops me by placing her fingers on my lips, then says, “You should have done nothing. Because if you went any further for her you could have sustained some permanent injuries.”

Moving my head till I am facing the ground, I say, “I know that but what am I supposed to do, just bear with this.”

Mariana says, “What you’re feeling isn’t wrong, but don’t forget about our plan. For that we are going to need to be in the best shape we can be in so don’t cause a mess.”

Seeing her face so up close to mine, I remember the words she said to me, and then I started to move away at full speed to another corner of the room. Then on the other side of the room, I start to feel my body ache

Pluso confused by the situation unfolding in front of himself asks, “Nero are you alright.”

“I am fine.”

“But you seem jittery and panic like you're about to be set ablaze!”’

“I AM FINE!”

Nero’s shouting causes Jupio to start crying. Sandra gives Nero an angered look, then says, “SHHH or I will make you.”

Frighten, I calm down and say, “Yes Mam!”

The baby cries even louder, causing Sandra to scowl at Nero and him to whisper, “Yes mam.”

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As Sandra calms down Jupio, Edward in a corner says, “Not that you guys are done with the entertainment, can we finally talk about the issue at hand? The ridiculous increase in the amount of Beastkin all around.”

“I don’t know what is happening. Dónal would never be able to get all of the beastkin to follow him, not a wimp like him.”

“But regardless of what you think Nero the wimp has done just that. Most of the beastkin are working, but the big issue is that they are incredibly violent and are taking out their anger on us.”

“I don’t know what happened to cause this change. But all we can do is hope those bastards will eventually calm down.”

“What bastards!” I hear an unfamiliar voice say.

Turning around, I see that a beastkin I standing in front of the entrance to Sandra’s hut.

Everyone in the room upon realizing what is going on have frightened expressions, but before any of them can react Nero is grabbed and thrown out of the room by the beastkin.

As Nero catches his breath he looks around and sees a whole group of beastkin outside the hut.

Edward runs out and bows down, then says “Please forgive him for his stupidity, he is just a child.”

The beastkin turns around and kicks Edward in the face, then says, “Who are you to tell me anything? Now fuck off and go back to your hut, and that goes for the rest of you, unless your multiply like the bugs you are, you all better be in your huts. Now boys take them away.”

His beastkin starts to grab and move everyone away, but Sandra stepping out of the hut says, “That man is my husband.”

He looks at her then looks at Pluso, and says, “If you want to lie don’t make it so blatant. This ugly fucker couldn’t even get a monkey to be his bride.” Then he hits Pluso directly in the stomach.

Pluso screams as he falls down, but then looks up towards Sandra and the baby, then says, “I am not lying.”

“Who said you could take back?” He continues to beat Pluso on the ground and as he does everyone screams for him, but they are all being forced away.

Sandra seeing this grabs the beastkin, and says, “He isn’t lying just look at my child's hair, they both have the same colour.”

“Who the hell gave you permission to touch me,” The beastkin says as he turns and swings at Sandra.

“MOVE!” I scream witness this.

Many in the area close their eyes as they are fearful at what they are about to witness but two people, Pluso and Nero eyes are transfixed on what is going on.

The beastkin hand comes towards Sandra's face, but moments before it hits her it is grabbed out of the sky by Charles.

“Charles,” I say looking at him holding the beastkin arm in front of Sandra.

Charles looking at the beastkin, says, “What were you about to do to Sandra?”

“What’s it to you,” The beastkin says as it tries to break free from Charles's grip. “What the hell why can’t I get my hand loose.”

Charles says, “What were you about to do to Sandra?” Then tightens his grip causing the beastkin to scream in pain.

“You think you can hurt me you human,” The beastkin says as it prepares to punch Charles with its other fist.

But then Charles grabs that fist and bends the arms he was already holding onto, which causes the beastkin to let out a horrible scream of pain.

The other beastkin in the area turn and head towards Charles with the exception being the one in front of me.

They attack him but effortlessly he dodges then strikes at their arms or leg, breaking them with each hit.

As all of his allies lie on the floor in pain, the beastkin in front of me backs up slowly and then says, “Are you really human?”

“No I am a caterpillar,” Charles says so tastelessly that it comes across like a joke.

Furry starts to build in the beastkin in front of me, so much that I can taste it. Then he lunges at Charles, saying, “You insignificant human!”

Charles simply steps out of the way, and as the beastkin passes through where he is standing, Charles quickly taps him in the jab knocking him out.

Charles turns his head and looks around, then he points at me and asks, “Good job?”

With a smile, I say, “Good job.”

One of the beastkin who just had their arms broken, says, “Just you wait we will come back with more frien-.”

Before he can finish his sentence Charles knocks him on the head making him pass out. Then he does the same to the rest of the beastkin.

I have been hit by Charles before, so I know how much it hurts. Even though I despise these bastards a part of me feels sort of sorry for them.

Charles with a smile, says, “I am done.”

Mariana responds, “Don’t you think we are going to get in more trouble now that you have beaten them up.”

Charles pauses for a moment then says, “You’re right!” Then he picks up all of their bodies and says, “I will go talk to Dónal.”

With that, Charles walks off and as he does Edward says, “What the hell was that? I knew he was sort of strong but that was ridiculous.”

“He has gotten stronger as he has grown nothing is wrong with that.”

“Nero don’t you think that we might be able to use thi-.”

“Not a chance. Charles might be strong but I guarantee putting any faith in that option will only lead you to getting hurt.”

“Why?”

“Because he can’t k-.”

-Break-

The next day

Location: Campsite

As most of us are gathered in and around Sandra's hut, Edward says, “Yesterday Charles said that Dónal will make sure. No beastkin will be watching our campsite and instead, it will be Merarks. But that as we have seen today it only makes the harassment worse during work.”

Nora says, “Quite a few of us got beaten during work today.”

Rolo says, “And they have been keeping a keen eye on us, which causes a giant problem. If they keep this up we won’t be able to escape.”

Pluso says, “We may even need to put off this whole operation.”

I say, “But now that they are targeting us the longer we stay, the worse shape we will be in.”

Sandra says, “But if we run now, I am sure that beastkin will chase us down with all of their might. Out of nothing but anger.”

Mariana then says, “Nero I agree we should postpone it.”

“But Mariana.”

“Let me finish. I am saying we should postpone it till around the time when we start to flood the moat around the castle. That will be such a big operation that most of the beastkin will have to be there to make sure everything goes well.”

“I see, but isn’t that around the time of Samhain, it is still far away.”

“Isn’t that good for us?”

Realizing what she is saying, I say, “I understand. The beastkin tends to become lax around that time, so it will just make it easier for us to escape. Mariana is right we should go with this.”

Edward says, “So our depart date is set,” With a happy yet worried expression

Throughout the room, many others say what they are feeling.

“It doesn’t feel real.”

“We are actually going to leave.”

“We will finally get to shower when we want and eat when we want.”

“Our children don’t have to grow up here.”

“We no longer have to deal with those bastards.”

“I hope all those bastards get punished.”

Laughing, I say, “Most if not all of them are probably going to be executed for this blunder even that bastard Dónal.”

“What do you mean Nero,” I hear Charles's voice say.

Turning around, I see Charles in the front of the hut’s entrance. “Nero, what do you mean that Dónal is going to be executed?”