A silence was constructed around the now burned and dilapidated tribe as the bodies of rixis young and old were left to rot. The stench of the massacre crawled out for miles, and a wandering group came across the scene.
It was a group of 6 with 4 males and 2 female rixis with 1 little blue tagging along as they explored and learned. They didn't expect to come across this mess, and the little blue investigated while his rixis allies watched for any enemies. This group was nomads who didn't belong to a tribe or clan and stayed together for protection and more.
So this group operates differently to most others, and there was dozens of these groups wandering around in between tribes.
Most tribes were okay with these groups, and they bartered with each other for different things from the biomes they roamed.
But not all the tribes or clans felt the same about these groups, so it was always tense when meeting a new group on both sides. Some tribes had good reason to be worried as they had been attacked at night by groups in the shadows.
Luckily, our little band of misfits knew of a small colony of blues who got together to research and flourish in the safety of their rixis guards. So the group did some investigating and quickly found that most of those killed had slash marks on their throats and stomachs. Shockingly, some of the strongest rixis in the tribe like the elders and leader, were killed with crude weapons.
They realised this because the little blue in their group came from the Sand Strider tribe and was using his knowledge of weapons to barter with for material and tents. They didn't really need food as the rixis could find plenty of prey and vegetables for them.
Anyway, from looking at the slashes and stabs, it was clear it was made by a short and thick blade. From the surroundings near the body, they were ambushed, off guard, and outnumbered a dishonourable death given by a coward in the rixis eyes.
Now the blue didn't see this the same way, and if he had to kill someone, he would do the same thing, but that would stay in his head as his rixis friends wouldn't like it much. So now he had to wonder why the higher-ups were assassinated, but the rest were mauled by a monster.
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His only conclusion as he rested on the leg of a rixis even though he was a grown adult was that this was a coordinated attack. By a group who wished to do some type of trial or experiment with a monster for whatever reason.
The group packed up and left after burying the dead and performing a quick ritual to them in hopes they stayed calm in death. Then, they moved to the colony of blues, and it took them 3 days to get their in the dead of night.
Unlike normal tribes and clans, these blues colonies had much more protection and vegetation along with a dozen young rixis from the nearby tribe protecting the group. This was the deals they had with the colony giving knowledge, and the young rixis got to learn to gaurd and fight but also learn from the blues.
This colony had large wooden spiked walls tied tightly with fibre string and held up by wood and rocks. While also being positioned next to large boulders, which brought some natural defence. While 8 jackrixis watched and walked around the wall, keeping an eye out for anything coming close.
Once the group was spotted, the guards started to move but calmed down when seeing the little blue at the front of the group waving at them. The gate was pushed open, and the group was allowed in, and the rixis went back to guarding while the nomads joined them to talk. While the groups blue was surrounded by 12 other blues who wonder who showed up.
They all went to a large cave in the middle of the colony and soon learned what happened at the tribe and got to pondering. One small piece of information not told to the rixis was the barely noticeable use of dark magic.
It was clear that when they got to the tribe the blood had already dried, and the fires were now ash, but the darkness magic still lingered in soke of the victims wounds. The blue didn't want to mention magic as it would complicate the matter. It may lead to unnecessary action and deaths as a lot of rixis had a healthy distrust of magic.
Obviously, they saw some magic in a different light, so nature magic they loved and were fine with and encouraged. But fire and darkness magic they weren't too fond of but could understand the part they played.
When tribes or groups started to war as of the current period, it was because of either religion,magic, or clans. As it was early in the jackrixis existence, resources were plentiful in all areas, and land was currently endless. So most problems came from the beliefs they held like a god or clan tradition, or it would be what type of magic they would use.
Tribes with no blues had very limited magic understanding and skill, so whatever they found easier to do or was better for them, they would do. This was extremely dangerous as they were walking into the abyss without relasing its arms were wrapped around them.
Elders, even with their wisdom, may start to go down a path of blood or death magic even if they start with water. This Wass why affinity and knowledge were important as without them, you could stray towards powerful but manipulative magic that isn't for the weak stone ages rixis.
So, at this moment in time, magical experimentation wad some what stunted with the most progress coming from the blues. But they knew more than anyone the dangers of magic and treated it with the respect it deserved.
As the night turned to day, the nomad group went on their journey once more to the next tribe to give them the news. The colony blue group discussed the appearance of dark magic at the massacre and what it may represent.