Chapter 12
The Call of the Wild
Lupo slowly closed the wooden opening of his cabin as his wife had embraced him he let out a deep and comforting sigh. "Were your days weary without your guard dog, my love?" He smirked. His wife rolled her eyes, glided her hand from Lupo's shoulders, then his neck, too chin, cupping her hands on his burly cheeks feeling the bristles of his beard. She mocked "Only for a time" she lets go turning to the wooden cupboard and grabbing a small glass. "But our trees whisper of your return. So I no longer worried" Lupo walks behind her placing his hands on her hips and kissing the top of her head lightly "Of course, I can never stray away from your wicked sorcery" He chuckles. His wife pours a strong but smooth smelling whiskey into the glass. She turns holding the glass in one hand and leaning onto the cupboard with her backside as Lupo places his hand parallel to her sides leaning in staring into her vivid lavender eyes. To her she is a simple house wife. Simple being a understatement. Her sorcery rivals the top branches of the academies far south of here. Her long ebony hair tied up in a slight messy bun to show off her shoulders her dress made of light leather and fine cloth. She raises the glass and swirls it a bit to elude Lupo's gaze.
Lupo smiles and looks to the glass then back to her as he reaches for it and she raises it away as if to chase. She turns her head and slowly presses the glass to her lips and takes a sip. She then lowers the glass raising an eyebrow as Lupo chuckles and takes the glass from her hand then takes a bigger sip than she did. "You of all people know better to underestimate a mans wife when she wants to now where her husband resides." She plucks a bit of the woodchips from his shirt and gives him a small but subtle stern look "Did you finish with chopping the wood? We have plenty of it. Always doing more then what is needed of you my love." He sighs but retains his small smug of a smile "Always exceed in your abilities for-"
His wife cuts in "For if you can, do more." she rolls her eyes once more "Still holding to the tenants of your family?" She laughs "You Acherons sure do love your code" Lupo wraps an arm around his wife pulling her close for a brief moment. "Coming from Mrs. Acheron herself. You're now apart of this family too my beloved." She scoffs playfully "Now your sounding like your father." Lupo takes another swig of the whiskey he places it on the cupboard top and places his hand onto the wrap of his wifes messy bun and plucks out the needle letting her ebony hair flow down. He parts the left side of her hair behind her ear "If I'm so like my father he would be oh so very disappointed when I do this" giving her a kiss pushing her body more on top of the shelf and lifting her leg to his hip.
A horn is heard in the distance its feint but the sound is long and drawn out the sound of it gurgles and roars of a deep low tone as it echoes through the air and both lupo and his wife's pointed ears pick up the sound as they both groan in annoyance leading to his wife laughing through her teeth. "Next time hunter boy" She says in a seductive low tone as she pushes him playfully away and walks towards their chambers to change. Lupo turns having his back face the cupboard an his eyes watching his wife walk into their room he folds his bottom lip inwards covering his teeth, shaking his head and letting out a sigh as he looks down at the ground then to the chambers lastly looking up at the ceiling "My Goddess" He stands and gathers his gear and prepares for The Call.
The Acheron Call is familiar to most. Some say it's a warning to whatever caused the sound to be heard. The Acherons are a band of hunters though not as ordinary as you would seem. Yes, they hunt the usual game and wildlife to keep their population down but their main occupation is a bit more too it then that. For they are monster hunters to the core. Seeking out anything that causes a disturbance to the natural balance of this world of paradise, the monster hunter family are skilled in multiple forms of hunting, combatives, and most newly acquired, sorcery.
Lupo and his wife dawn the cloaks of the family shrouding their faces. Though not for it to be hidden it is like a uniform to them an act of mysteriousness and intimidation so that when and if they face what they discover they will not live to remember there faces only the sigil of the Acheron on their hoods and back. After a hint of time, Lupo's wife transports them to the epicenter of the horn call. Another shrouded figure stands holding the horn. With large shoulders but only standing roughly five feet and three quarters tall. His white beard Showing through the darkness of the cowl. He turns to face the pair. Lupo walks towards the man and outstretched his hand clasping the others wrist while the man does to same to Lupo's.
"We have been summoned my nephew." his voice is rough, having a deep bass of tone. Vibrating the air slightly with a gravel. Lupo nods, "Bjorn..." Bjorn looks to Lupo's wife giving her a nod and she nods back in acknowledgment. "A farmer's den of walkers were disturbed and abducted. A scuffle ensued it seems and one of his prized ones was killed. The others seem to be whisked away in mid air" Bjorn walks to the den and crouching at the entrance pointing at the many walkers prints and stomp marks. He then pointed yonder at distance not to far showing a deceased walker who seemed to have fallen from a great height.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Lupo stares at the tracks. Equirex Walkers are stubborn but brave 4 legged beast. Used to pull carriages and farm equipment alike. Looking at them from the front would intimidate anyone they come across to the untrained for there antlers give off a large but shovel like scoop in front of them designed to make their face bigger than what it seems and having it shaped too look like a skull bearing teeth to ward off a attacker if it perceives it as a threat. They are used by farmers to plow fields or to shave bark off trees. There skin is impervious to heat and cold alike, which makes them ideal for anything such as knocking down burning trees or shoveling snow to bare the grass. Lupo ponders for a moment, the scuffle was short and deliberate. Nothing from the tracks seems to show blood or magical residue. Whatever took them was either fairly strong or there were multiple of them. As he analyzes the tracks he is taken out his trance like state by his wife as she says his name and points to the dirt near the Deceased Walker. Lupo blinks and sees what makes out to be boot prints and the signs of the area around the walker flatten like a gust of powerful wind pushed them down.
Bjorn looks to Lupo. "The prints are from the owner who discovered the body however he specifically stated that the area was not tampered with. I made sure of it as well. What do you think my boy?" Lupo stands and rubs his chin. "No matter how I see it I don't see it as being a Gryphon or Manticore... they don't usually run in packs unless they are young and typically the young aren't strong enough to carry full size walkers like these." Lupo points to the dirt scuffle "They seem to have been drag out by force then when one was spooked the rest followed in the exchanged. Whatever or whoever it was couldn't tame the biggest of the bunch and was dropped most likely still fighting as they tried flying away." Lupo points at the opening then follows the trajectory of the deceased one showing that it unknown assailants were flying northern to the mountains it seems. "There, they went North past the peaks. To far for us to travel their on foot." He looks to Bjorn "We need permission from Emilia to cross that domain. And you know how those dragons are. Best not step on their tails if we know what's good for us." Bjorn grumbles but sighs "Damn Moonshines and their laws, fine, I will see too it we get that approval. head to the manor for preparations and inform your father. My brother might have an idea of what we might be up against." Bjorn throws a satchel at Lupo and he catches it with one hand. "Don't put any alcohol in there only the essentials"
Lupo smirks and then looks to his wife she nods and stands next to him as a sigil envelopes the ground and a bubble like aura envelops both of them and in a flash they vanish leaving only light particles flickering and dissipating in the air. Bjorn places a hand on the body of the once prized Walker then stands and turns his cloak fluttering in the wind as he heads towards the central hub of this land, Nocturnia.
As the couple arrived at the Acheron Manor, Lupo turned to his wife and gave her a look she blinked and then she came to the realization of what he is staring at her for "Do not fret I won't cause any trouble my dear." He sighs hoping and praying this would be an easy affair as they gather their supplies.
Family members bustle around the manor some dawning formal and the cloaked attire fashioning the crest. A skull like embroidery with a circular symbol adorned on the forehead separated into 4 sections. As his wife gathers the supplies he heads to the main foyer section to seek his father. Who sits in a chair talking to a guest he wears a heavy leather set of armor and a large black cloak with the family crest rested solely on center of his breast plate. His hair long and dark black, chiseled jawline and broad physique. His eyes rise to meet his sons the slightly glowing blue eyes like a wolf's pierce any he views inadequate. Fitting, for lupo as he knows all too well that his father has high standards. He raises his hand at his guest and bids them away as his son approaches him.
"Report." His voice posh but gravelly, deep and serene. Lupo clears his throat the silence in the air is toxicating before he speaks. " Father, unknown creature or creatures abducted several Watchers East of here. Killing the prized one in the process. Death was from vast heights... No conclusion, ruling out Gryphon and Manticore teen packs. Last location is presumed heading to the Northern Peaks, we are gaining permission to pursue by Lady Emilia Moonshine" His father leans back the leather squeaking slightly as he ponders. "Good good. I assume my brother is heading down to Nocturnia. Knowing those blasted Dragons it's going to be a hefty sum to get papers to travel that far. Oh how they love their rocks." The man then eyes his sons and sniffs the air a bit. "She is here isn't she," He lowers his tone "I can smell her on you. That half elf sorceress better not be snooping on our belongings" He sneers and starts to stand but Lupo raises his hand before his father fully got up. " My Wife.... is here, but only gathering the supplies that we need for the contract Father. Do not worry she told me she won't cause trouble on the grounds and you have my word on that." His father repositions himself in his seat and shoos his son's hand away "So be it" Lupo continues "Uncle said you might have more insight on maybe what this creature could be. It's powerful, the wingspan alone most nearly resembles a gryphons force by the take off alone but for a gryphon to exert that much force its prints would be visible in the ground but this one did not leave any"
His father leans back and looks away for a moment after a brief pause he answers "I'll look into this, The Codex will provide me answers. See to it that you and your wife leave my manor at once. You've taken enough of my time boy." He waves his son off and looks to the other guest to continue his previous conversation. Lupo sides steps, slightly nods his head and returns back outside to meet with his wife who has packed three of the Acherons finest walkers with rations and gear. He slows his pace and stares at her and all the gear she stowed onto the walkers with disbelief raising his hands then lowering them hitting his hips "what happen to not causing trouble..." She then hops onto one of walkers and pets its side "You said gather what we need and trekking those mountains are their specialty. Relax, they will be returned once our mission is over. Now come on." She clicks her tongue twice and hits the in-between of the walkers belly and hind legs it sputters air out its many nostrils and starts to walk out of the manor. Lupo clasped the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger and sighs, grabs the saddle of his Walker and hops up following his wife out of the manor while leading another walker with some more cargo. Lupo knew she would be a handful and that's what he loves about her.