Sachihiro

I take a good look at Frosty glowering at us before going back to drinking whatever is in his cup. I examine him and am pleasantly surprised he has no defences at all. His aura is unstable but instinctively there unlike most of the mages I’ve come across from this kingdom, a Warrior maybe? He is very recently awakened at around 40 years of age which I understand to mean he is very lucky and very talented for someone of this kingdom. I feel no speciality in him, no bloodlust or intent behind his power, just instinctive frost and hard work from a hard life prioritizing physique in his mana allocation.

Well, a bit of sharpness to his power as well but all in all if I didn’t know how rare it was I’d swear this guy awakened as some sort of labourer or artisan not a warrior like me. Frosty is full of attitude and potential but not an immediate threat to any of us, he wouldn't be able to dodge a handfull of shurakin to the face.

The sweaty barkeep brings a large jug of ale to the table whilst expertly holding a tray with empty cups on his other hand. Setting them down and a bout to say something but a look from Helen has his smile rigidly plastered on his face as he retreats but I quickly grab his arm. Frosty’s chair scraps loudly against the floor as he stands, the two guards that have been loitering outside following us throughout town take this moment to step inside, the bartender himself is fidging like a little girl about to pee himself as I stare into his eyes.

‘’Is there a problem here?’’ One of the guards says with a hand on his sword from the entrance by the doorway.

‘’You drink first,’’ I say to the bartender letting go of his arm whilst ignoring everyone else.

He gulps loudly of saliva and with shaking hands pours himself half a cup. I keep my eyes on him but I’m watching everything as my companions feign completely relaxed continence, even John has positioned himself so he can leap quickly out of his chair if things get bad. The bartender drinks quickly and I nod him away, he can’t retreat away fast enough. If I was in the mood for humour it would be funny but since I beheaded Rigs I haven’t found much to laugh about nor has anyone in the family.

The bartender assures the guards that there is no trouble while we drink silently, each of us in our own though with even Tóma having given up on making money after I scared the bartender away. I can see what she saw in him though from a purely mercantile perspective. This inn is well maintained and lovingly cared for, the furniture is aged and repaired several times but its still here so an economical mind. The place is clean compared to some of the towns this size we’ve been to and he hasn’t let his prejudices show against us because we are paying customers. The land here is rich and the air is sweet so a lot that might not grow elsewhere could probably grow here, but it seems I’ve soured Tóma’s mood for business, I smile as I think of that.

The guards find themselves a table and order.

‘’Another round,’’ I shout after Selah pours the last of the ale into her cup, the bartender comes back quickly. I nod for him to drink first which he does and I throw a silver Danari on the table that’s quickly disappeared into the folds of his apron with a bow.

‘’Something is coming,’’ comes the sending to all us from our spotter.

I stand, we all do, taking the last mouthfuls of ale as we adjust our weapons seemingly spooking the few patron in the establishment.

‘’What’s going on here now?’’ the bartender hesitantly asks from behind his counter.

‘’We’re leaving,’’ I say loudly so that the guards don’t try to bar our way. ‘’Where is the back door?’’

‘’Why would you need the back door?’’ he asks just as a loud crash that can only be the splintering of wood is heard. I feel the aura before I hear the screams but the first scream cut surprisingly short follows soon after that all encompassing aura.

Razor is out of the sheath smooth and quickly, Selah has her blades and is looking around at anyone that might be a threat which at the moment are the two guards radiating fear that are also arming themselves.

‘’You scum are invading us?’’ he spits with fear laced venom but I just shake my head in the negative. Frosty has found an axe from somewhere, I don’t know I could have missed that he was armed.

‘’Back door now!’’ Helen says pointing a dagger on the bartender while radiating killing intent, he points hastily through his curtain door. At this point the screams are loud and everywhere, the pitch of men women and children all mixed together in fear.

Move to the back door hastily but not getting each other’s way, I’m the last through keeping an eye on the wide eyes watching us with draw weapons in hand. Its through the kitchen past frightened slaves and we are out the back and moving towards the forest

‘’Can you tell what’s happening?’’Helen sends to Iki but letting us all hear.

‘’I cannot.’’ Is the curt response as we jog through the back of the heading towards the woods north of Iki’s current position.

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‘’Get back to camp, tell them to pack up and get ready to move,’’ I send to my daughter.

‘’What are we gonna do?’’ Sway asks as we reach the tree line and spread out facing the town with only John watching the forest.

‘’We are going to hang back and see what’s happening, if this attack heads towards our camp we divert it. If its opportunist trying to frame us we crush them, even with the Undine Straights only a few days away we won’t make it there if the Sandies are hunting us down. If we can help I think we should but before that we need to assess what’s going on and judge the strength of these attackers.’’

‘’It’s not our fight Sachi, we need to get out of here.’’ Aunt Helen says though I can see she wouldn’t mind a fight; that is of course until from our vantage point we get the first glimpse of the town attackers.

‘’What the fuck?’’ John says under his breathe as we all watch the scenes playing out before us.

Beastmen, it’s a beastman attack on the town. Huge bipedal beastmen that stand 3 metre tall with long arms and large sharp teeth. The protruding snout, the large build, inverted kneecaps and body covered in fur makes my first thought ‘werewolves’ as that’s almost the exact description I have of them from lessons from the Academy. But these things aren’t rabid but in fact seem to be enjoying themselves as they run people and animals alike down and in a single swipe of their paws end their screaming. Almost leisurely they swath away any form of resistance though armed only in claws and fangs they face down people wielding swords and picks with casual ease, some even taken a live.

They move with purpose and power, radiating that all encompassing aura of apex predators on the prowl and like natural predators they take only as much as they need. The screams start dying down as they retreat the way they came each of them carrying one or two people like a sack across their shoulders. Another I notice carrying a horse whilst they let the rest of the town run or hide fleeing like rats. In no time they are disappearing like shadows under the sun between the buildings and as quickly as they started the attack they are gone.

‘’What were those creatures?’’ Selah eventually asks watching a woman running towards where the figures disappeared crying ‘my baby, my baby!’

I don’t know ey, I shake my head in the negative and signal for us to get out of here.

*

Luthando

We go from the sunny pleasant atmosphere of Newb Valley to a rocky mountainous region where the air is thin and the wind almost arid as it blows my robes to and fro violently with loud snapping sounds. I take a few steps forward so as to open a path from the portal for the others to come through while surveying my surroundings with stoic curiosity. I look around with alert interest, noticing a few things of interest already but disregarding most of them as none threatening or not immediately useful though already I can tell this world will be very useful to the Family and to me personally in the long run.

"Well baby cousin, what do you think?" Luvuyo asks with a twisted happy grin placing a meaty hand on my shoulder roughly, the excitement from him is almost palpable as it comes off him in waves. I tsk annoyed but I don't step away nor do I respond to his provocative condescension, reassessing if I may have missed anything immediately obvious I again survey my surroundings specifically looking for anything that might excite the brute.

There, my senses pick up on the reptilian creature circling above us far in the skies at least 20 kilometres above casually cruising. I don't let on that I've only now spotted it as the others come through the portal look around and grinning at everything they can immediately feel with their chi. I'm almost blind in comparison but I've been working hard these past 80 years to compensate with mana, a tool many backward bantu still think inferior in their nearsightedness. The six of us stand surveying everything that will be ours to control on the Family's behalf. Luvuyo, Lukhanyo, Luyolo, Noluvuyo, Noluntu and me; the kin of Moyisi the Conqueror on our first mission to subdue our own territory. I grin as well, the excitement too much for even me to try and stay detached from the sanctity of the moment. This world is mine to cultivate!

''I take dips on the dragon!''

''What, I saw it first!'' Luvuyo protests Noluvuyo's statement and with a slight bending at the knees he shoots up into the sky in flight leaving dust and cracked rock behind.

''So easy to tease,'' Noluvuyo says with a conspirational smile, ''poor lizard.''

I snort at that and look far into the distance, ''should we wait for him?'' I ask the others though I'm already itching to explore all this and claim a large part for myself.

''No, I'll signal the Faceless to come through, we'll leave him ten.'' Noluntu says signaling the faceless slave soldiers through the portal by sticking her hand through their liquid silvery mesh.

Soon enough there are 50 Faceless assembled behind us with the sky occasionally lighting up in fire, frost and lightning as Luvuyo has his fun. There are 5 of us given mandate to claims these lands, each of us given 10 Faceless and whatever resources we carry on our person or find here to cement the Family's claim on all the lands around the portal. After which we can go claim our own territories that will later be used as bases of operations for the rest of the clan to claim the world. Lukhanyo is the oldest here by almost 800 years to the next eldest and he is just here to make sure we don't fuck up.

''You will watch the portal brother, we will tell you if we need you,'' Noluvuyo says with her sultry eyes and wondering hands touching Lukhanyo's chest whilst looking intently at him. He grunts but says nothing else, I admire his discipline.

''Luyolo you go north, Noluntu you go west, Luthando you go east and I'll take south. We meet back here in few days or if we find nothing of interest to look at right? Big brother Lukhanyo you'll start the claiming ritual won't you?'' She says flattering her lashes prettily.

''When little brother Luvuyo is done he shall begin the claiming, I will accompany Luyolo and observe.'' Lukhanyo manages to say with an air of disinterest but with how tightly controlled he is holding himself I imagine she is getting to him.

''Fine,'' she says with a pout signaling for 10 of the Faceless to follow her and shooting off the mountain in flight. Her Faceless follow in flight formation, none speaking as they head off to where the array flags indicate is the southward pull of the world. I ignore everyone signaling for another bunch of Faceless to follow and I'm off at a much more sedate pace east. The sky rumbles and I look up, looks like Luvuyo lost half his body in the exchange but the now wingless lizard is plummeting towards the ground. I'm glad he'll be staying here to start claiming the land, he's just too... uncouth to take anywhere.