“IIIIAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!” “BOY!!!” “…I KNOW…” “Let’s go!” But Arteus had no more time to ponder this. Barley had survivors. And he was going to face them, whether they liked it or not! -Later- *Heavy Breathing “Haaa…Haaaa…” “Haaa… haaa… survivors?” “Yeah… probably…” “I find it hard to believe anyone survived that back there, but there’s only one way to find out!” “Right!” A short exchange amidst the route to the pleas for help and Art and the group race to the rescue. “…” “That voice… could it have been…” Milie ponders the previous encounter with the mystery creature as her granddaughter races behind the group. --“IIIIAAAAAAHHHHH HELP!!!!! HELP!!!!”-- “CRAP!!!” “At this rate we’re not going to make it in time!’’ “Could this all have been avoided if we didn’t run into that thing?” “No that shouldn’t be my concern right now. Let’s focus on getting there…” Full of angst, Arteus laments the current predicament they find themselves in as the group storm the snow. Through the road they once came, the pleas for help seem to emanate from the opposite intersection. That would mean they would need the same amount of time to get there as Art did on his way home. “This won’t do…” The boy pondered as he looked behind him to the family that were just barely keeping up. At the current pace it would take them at least 30 minutes to get there… and if the group of people there were being attacked by a pack of arctic-wolves or Yeti then they stood no chance. But that’s only ‘IF’, Arteus’ group maintained their current pace. Travelling with Millie’s family has had Arteus on guard duty. Often having to use half or even less than half his strength to ensure they don’t lag behind whilst also keeping his senses on high alert to protect them should anything unexpected happen. Quite frankly the boy had been operating at less than fifty percent of his abilities. The longest this journey would take is an hour, as it did when he trekked home… however if he used his full strength, forget thirty minutes, it would be under ten!!! The only problem would be leaving the family alone. An old woman with bad injuries and a child no older than 12… The only upside was having Lilly there. But at grade 3 elemental prowess and third-class affinity to mana there was only so much she could do. Most of which, Art concluded, was probably limited to healing and distraction. The screaming people were doomed. That was if… Art was to not separate from the group. “…” “Tch!” Arteus grits his teeth allowing his grey hair to fall over his grimaced face when… *HUP!! BAM! *shhh The boy makes a sharp right!! Diving straight down a snowy slope and sliding the way!!! “AH... Art--“ “BOY!!!” “If we stick to the main path, we won’t get there in time!” “Am going ahead, meet me there I’ll protect them!” “And Lilly, you protect them!!!” The boy shouted as he slid. His words full of purpose. This was a command. He wasn’t asking them for permission to go ahead no… He was ordering them to allow him to. Of all their options this was the most logical way if they wanted to have any shot at saving these people. And even though they might not have tolerated Art in the past, the events of today alone were more than enough to grant him their belief. Arteus was their survivor… their protector. And now that protector was trusting to protect themselves in the short while he would be gone… He was telling ‘Lilly’, he trusted ‘her’ enough to protect her family. “…” “Tch! C’mon what are you doing!” “We’ll follow in behind him!” “RIGHT!” Millie and Lilly share a short glance at each other before following in behind Arteus! “You guys better survive this.” An anxious thought. As Arteus gains on the bottom of the slope! -Meanwhile- [Somewhere Atop Mount Kendo] “Have you found the human Barthy is looking for?” A high pitched but obnoxious sounding feminine voice poses the question to her subordinate who stands elegantly atop the once frosty tip of Mount Kendo. “No milady.” “I believe Master ‘Barthlomew’ may have led us astray with that leaked information.” “I see…” Her subordinate responds… staring deeply into the now clouded night sky of the snowy Barley. Her subordinate, a man with a well-toned figure and chiselled face that looks to be in his mid-fifty’s. With all the snow this side of the continent it goes without question for one to don their winter gear, guess somebody must have forgotten to pass that on to this man, who instead doesn’t seem to shiver at the cold at all! And that’s despite not wearing any winter clothes. Only a noble’s suit with a dark robe over it seem to suffice for him. “That’s so like Barthy... if I knew he was this witty I wouldn’t have ignored all his little meddling.” “Yes, that was rather…” “Sebastien.” “I apologize milady.” *Sighs “Well if that’s all then I guess we should move on to our next target.” The feminine voice declares boredly as the finely dressed monocled man stares over Barley when. “Just a moment milady, I did find something interesting in this little Boon though…” “Yeah? And just what exactly is that?” “A boy… Human.” “Goes by the name of Arteus.” Sebastien proclaims, the tone of his voice a mixture of fondness and respect tone. “Arteus, huh?” “Yes.” “…” “Well if you find him interesting Sebastien then I’m sure he’s something special.” “And if he is, then our paths are sure to cross again.” “Keep an eye out.” “Yes milady.” “Now… if that’s all you can return.” “We meet… in ‘Sovereign’.” “Yes milady.” And with that, the man named Sebastien reached his hand out of his robe. And from the cloak of his robe came forth his shadow. Stretching out over the steamy mountain. “…” “Gilly.” *rrrRRRUUMBLEEE!!!!! “It’s time to go.” A simple command and Sebastien’s shadow sprung out into the air and struck a bird. Enveloping it whole as it struggled. A few squeals later and the bird turned silent… whole black in colour with a large eye in the middle. From there Sebastien with the minimalist of ease leapt off the mountain top. Rising great metres above to stand atop the newly formed black orb. Seemingly growing it in size as he landed before donning the hood of his robe once more and floating away and to the north of Barley. To Sovereign. -Barley Village- [Arteus] !!!BOOOMM!!! “OUAAahh!” An arctic-wolf is sent flying. Its head contracting into its spine before everything but its head explodes. *SPLAT!!! The blood splashes around it as the head falls unaffected to the ground. “…” “They’re getting more and more predictable…” “Or am I just getting stronger?” Arteus ponders, relaxing his stance as he gazes at his hand. “Hm? More blood.” “--ah” “Th-Thank you for rescuing us you came just when things were getting dicey!” A man, burly and bolding at the top comes rushing to Art when… “What is your… ah--“ “You.” Realising who his saviour is he flinches and comes to an abrupt pause. Arts eyes are locked on the man with barely a hint of emotion Martin Brunt Wyatt. A 40 something burly man who used to run the only school in Barley Village. He, for all intents and purposes, was a good man. Committed to the cause, with a genuine care and love for the people and the children of the village who he believed were owed the future. All of them, except Arteus of course. Avarician faith dictates that Art is a cursed child… something that shouldn’t exist. And as a religious man himself, he makes no exception for the cursed regardless of if they are children or not. The belief is that the cursed can negatively influence the rest of the world and people. So, when Art’s mother had found a way to manoeuvre him into the school. The boy was isolated on the principal’s orders. Am sure to Mr Wyatt, he was doing the right thing. And protecting the future of the kingdom of Avarice. But in reality, he had given oppressed poor children a target to let out their frustrations about why they weren’t good enough, or how they suffered at home and how life was in the boonies. Arteus became a scapegoat for everything wrong in the school. And the children let out their out their frustrations on him. He did stay at the school however. Tutoring himself with work left on blackboards because teachers wouldn’t teach him and cleaning up the classroom he alone used because it had apparently been tainted by his presence. His remarkable healing made it impossible for Hanna to ever know he was bullied. And even if he wanted to tell her, seeing Hanna so happy that he was getting accepted always pushed the thought further and further away from his mind. Arteus eventually left the school just before graduation when the parents of the other children decided it wouldn’t be alright to allow a curse to contribute to society. Bad luck they said. “Martin!” “Ah… elder Millie!” “Y-You were alive.” The burly man rushes to Millie’s side, promptly ignoring Arteus’ when his travelling companions finally arrive on the scene. “TCH!” “I should be saying that to you.” Millie snaps at the man with a willy smile. “Well, ah… hu--“ “Hm?” “Oh this?” “Just a scratch, don’t worry about it.” The old woman declares, tapping her severed legs and giving Martin a snarky grin. “aaah… right.” Martin responds, eyeing the two granddaughters who carry stiffened expressions when they meet eyes with him and look away. “So?” “What are you doing out here and not at the square?” “Where is everybody?” The question, immediately creates an uncomfortable as the people that lay behind Martin, the survivors, all look away uncomfortably fidgeting about. Millie herself also only half wanting the answer and half completely wanting to turn and avoid it at all costs. “Oh… about that…” “…” “The short of it is most of us were able to survive after what you did for us but…” “But what Martin out with it…” “Well before that I believe there’s something you need to know Elder Millie…” “…well?” “It’s about the chief.” Words do hold the most power sometimes, and sometimes it doesn’t need to be a name… an insult or even a compliment… Sometimes the simple of a phrase, object or ‘title’ can inflict a whole variety of emotions… The moment the words left Mr. Martin’s mouth… the moment the word ‘chief’ left Martin’s mouth… Millie whole body had already turned cold. Her heart… still… “…” “It’s about your son... Elder Millie…” “Castrol.” As day finally turns to night in Barley, one more twist was in stall for Arteus and the group. A twist that would shape the journey to follow… And Arteus’ resolve as a result. “…” “…” -To Be Continued-