Alo sits in silence as the camp around him burns and the disfigured canine like beasts attack. There's that voice again from the darkness, "Alo hurry, let's get out while we can", Iris appears in front of him dimly lit by the crackling flames.
Alo lets out a hearty laugh, "Ironic isn't it, the one person who can control these beasts is having to be rescued by a damn child".
The look on Iris' face becomes one of anger "Get up now so this child can save your ass".
Alo still doesn't move "Where you're wrong is thinking I'm the one who needs saving, truth is it's you my dear and I'm the only one who can do that. Have you not noticed there are no beasts anywhere near me? That’s an innate power to all druids, we can control most any creature you can imagine my dear."
Iris goes ghost white "What are you saying Alo?”
Alo adjusts his position to better look Iris in the eyes, "I'm saying my dear Iris, these beasts are here on my command. A gift to you, a chance for you to achieve your goal. I know you have business with the commander so if you would please remove my chains so we might go pay him a visit.”
Iris leans down and removes Alo’s restraints, a tear runs down her cheek, "The commander, he...."
Alo places his hand on her shoulder "I've made sure to leave that damn commander alive, what do you say you go fetch your bow and we pay him a visit?"
Iris remains stunned unsure of what she must do, "If I go with you, what do you offer me?”
Alo smiles with a crooked grin, “ I offer that which I know you seek, vengeance against this kingdom. Vengeance against all who have wronged you and in the event you fail me I shall give you a beautiful death.”
Iris gaze hardens as she thinks of the scum concealed within this kingdom, “I’ll go with you.”
Alo smiles "I'm glad to hear that my dear, I would have hated to have your blood on my hands, you remind me of my Liv. I know you are here for the same reason as I, the one you love guides your actions."
The bodies of fallen soldiers litter the ground, their cries of terror and the howls of the beasts echo across the wasteland that was once the camp. As Alo and Iris cross the destruction the distance a single figure stands next to a burning tent surrounded by the beasts. Alo points "There, that bastard lives."
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As they approach the beasts separate just enough for them to squeeze through. The commander sees them as they approach "YOU! You fucking druid, you caused this, I know you did! I knew we should have fucking killed you when you first appeared."
With a flick of his wrist Alo’s tattoos start glowing vibrantly as he commands a beast to attack the commander taking him down to the ground .Alo laughs "Tell me, commander, what was the give away it was me? Do know however I am not the only one, dear Iris here has her own agenda with you."
The commander writhing in pain "Iris, why we've never been anything but kind to you, we treated you as one of our own, YOU FUCKING CUNT WHY WOULD YOU SIDE WITH HIM?".
Iris now sharing the same ice-cold stare as Alo "You don't even remember do you? Didn't it ever seem strange to you that I randomly showed up after you raided the witch's house?"
The commander struggling to even talk " You're the witch? You fucking bitch. Then who'd we kill, were the people there not husband and wife as we were told?"
Iris begins Pulling an arrow from her sheath and walking towards the commander "You don't seem to understand, you didn't kill a witch, you killed a herbalist. I will give it to you, your Intel was partially right, there was a husband and wife but what you didn't know, what nobody knew about, was of me. I loved her, we were happy. Her husband, my brother was protecting us, a role he happily undertook to save his little sister. This fucking kingdom, we might be the only ones hated more than the druids."
Iris digs the arrow tip into the commander's eye twisting and pulling it out then shoves a smoldering coal from the burning tent in the empty socket. Iris now almost yelling over the screams of pain from the commander "You will not die painlessly, you gave my love no such mercy, I could barely recognize her when I found her. I will make you beg for death but it will not come, not until you know true pain."
Alo watches as Iris pulls out a hunting knife and begins to scalp the commander alive. "Commander, it appears you knew nothing of what was happening in your own camp."
As Iris rips the last bit of skin holding on his scalp the commander screams in agony as he takes his last breath. Iris now beating his face "No, no, no, that wasn't enough! How dare you fucking die so easily?".
Alo places his hand on her shoulder, "Come dear, let's get out of here, we need to leave while we can"
As they begin to walk away Iris watches the beasts swarm the body of the commander next to the now dimming flame and a small sense of relief washes over her. In this moment she knows she has made up her mind. Alo has given her some of the vengeance she so craved no matter who or what he truly is she will follow him into the depths of hell even if it costs her own life.