The creature made no attack. It simply measured the girl, with its movements measured and calculated. From his angle, Jaris saw its face and realized that actual emotions were reflected in it. There was anger, but also something else. Both began pacing, neither leaving the other out of sight. Jaris moved his weight to the left, trying to get up. The image unfolding in front of him had all the makings of something deeper than a street brawl. It felt deeper. More…personal.

Before he had the time to fully comprehend what he was seeing, the creature leaped, and so did the girl. Cudgel and spear clashed mid-air, sending wild sparks all around them. Both landed back on the ground, then jumped again, their weapons striking each other with terrifying precision. Jaris had seen his fair share of duels, but this was wholly different. Both opponents could have been a match for any of the best swordsmen that the Magisterium had ever produced. A few of the girl's moves were familiar to him, but the speed at which she executed them was phenomenal.

Both fighters landed back on the ground, neither giving the other any reprieve. The hag charged again, its weapon biting the ground where the girl had stood. With a swift summersault, the girl leaped over the creature's head, landed behind, and with a single upwards motion, slashed its back. Roaring in pain, the other swung her cudgel, striking one of the debris piles, shattering it. Slightly bending her knees, she dashed forward, shifting from side to side. The end of the spear struck it under the chin, with enough force to send her reeling. And as it was flung backward, another slash struck her chest and left shoulder.

Its fall shattered what was left of the homestead. Holding her spear with both hands, the girl advanced at a normal pace now, her face focused and emotionless. The creature regained her height, but its movements were uncertain. Screeching, it dashed through the field, drawn by the lights in the distance. Alarm bells could be heard from the colony, and multiple men came running out. Confused shouts and commands filled the air.

"Spread out! Weapons locked. Eyes focused!"

Jaris wanted to yell out to them, but before he had any chance to do so, the thing bust out in full view. Time stood still, as the creature's eyes scanned its new challengers. Inhuman sounds mixed with the twang of crossbows and yells of panic exploded under the starry sky, as ten bolts found their mark, knocking the creature over.

“Spread out! Get close, then lose one more salvo. If it isn’t dead, we’ll know soon enough!”

Eight men, their crossbows cocked advanced slowly, their shadows warped and bend by the fires around them. Splitting into two groups, they halted several feet from the creature. No movement came, and Jaris held his breath.

With newfound courage, he moved from his spot, trying to get a better look, but still keeping a safe distance. Still, no movement. The men’s fingers reached for the triggers, all eight aiming for the head. Sweat poured from their faces and necks. Jaris narrowed his eyes, to the level slits. His vision became hazy, and for a split second, he imagined he saw the creature's cudgel move. Blinking again, he saw in a blurry swirl the creature's fingers tightening around the weapon.

There was no time to shout a warning. The strike found its mark, splitting the nearest man in half. With the speed of a bird, the creature rose to her full height, receiving into her chest the bolts loosed by the screaming men beneath her. Her eyes bulged, as her chest swelled, and the bolts flew out of her. None of the holes were bleeding, and Jaris saw the flesh in the pierced zones bubbling and shifting. The survivors dashed madly through the field, several of them stumbling into the spear-wielding girl. She shoved them aside with indifference, but before she could prepare for a second counterattack, the creature's weapon had found its mark.

She landed with a thud only ten feet away from him, remaining motionless. Jaris felt his heart sink. He moved slowly, knowing the outcome if he drew the creature's notice. Crouching among the stocks, he touched the unconscious girl. She looked no different from anyone her age, beyond her superb athletic physique. Her sharp chin and thin lips indicated northern heritage, though he couldn’t be sure.

“Can you hear me?” he whispered.

No reply came. He placed his hand on her chest and felt her heart beating. She was alive, but would be dead soon, and so would he. He heard rustling sounds. The creature was searching for them. The soil vibrated, and he realized that it couldn’t be more than eight feet away.

Returning his focus to the unconscious girl, he pressed hard on her chest with both palms. He noticed her neck twitch, but beyond that, no movement. His movements became all the more desperate. It was close, and given her height, it would have no problem spotting them. Gnashing his teeth, he slapped her with all his might.

At the same time, two things happened. The entity charged, drawn by the sound. The second was Jaris rolling like a log through the field. The creature struck in full force, barely missing the now fully conscious female warrior. Jaris noticed she had her spear back in hand, something that shouldn’t have been possible, since she didn’t have it when he found her. The two weapons clashed again, steel striking against hardened wood and bone. The girl eyed Jaris, in what he understood to be a thank you, then shifted her focus back to the battle. Both were now visibly exhausted, yet they managed to continue standing.

Jaris stared in awe. How much longer could this last? And more importantly, who was she? He knew he would have to make a full report of the event…assuming there was still life in him. The orchard was slowly being reduced to rubble and firewood, as trees were uprooted and fences torn by the blows. The creature delivered a double attack with both cudgel and talons, and the girl finally found the opening she wanted. Dodging the claws, she struck the creature’s weapon with the butt end of the spear, causing it to slam into the creature’s cheek, whose cream was cut short as a slash found its throat, and another the bowels.

The monstrosity collapsed, coughing and twitching. Her hands thrashed wildly in the night air, grasping the remains of the ruined trees, then collapsed remaining motionless. The girl went up to the remains, and pierced the creature’s skull with one move, then stopped. She looked as tired as any man, but before Jaris could shout out to her, she began moving up the northern road, visible for a while in the twin lights, then vanishing into the dark distance.

Jaris felt his body collapsing with exhaustion. The sounds of summer slowly came back to life, mingling with the still pervasive sounds of destruction. The feeling of death pervaded the air. Trees were torn and uprooted, making any movement a chore. And without any artificial light, he had to take every step with extra care. The moon was still up, but the Third Light had moved to the edge of the horizon, simulating a bizarre form of sunrise. Jaris moved several branches aside, climbed over a fallen plum tree, nearly slipping on the scattered fruit, and found his mark.

The creature's body lay spread on the ground, face-down. It had no semblance of life and did not move. Its entire body had been reduced to a grayish chalk texture, that crumbled at the slightest touch. Running his hand through his hair, he sat on a stump to rest, but before he could even gather his thoughts, he felt his calf grabbed.

Jumping up in surprise and terror, Jaris looked for anything that could be used as a weapon. As if tree branches are going to be of any use. he thought. He looked at the body of the creature and realized that it was in the same place. Looking carefully at where he had stood before, he noticed that the twigs and leaves were moving. With shaking hands, he removed the top layer of leaves, and a new sound reached his ears.

“H…wh…at”

He stared in disbelief. Among the green leaves, agitating his small arms and legs, was a newborn child.

*** ***

Jaris’ mouth was aghast. It felt impossible to justify what he was seeing, but there was no mistaking the reality of it. A naked baby boy, lying on his back on the bare ground, oblivious of the wrath and ruin around him. His eyes were fully open, and his small arms and legs were moving lively. The man knelled, and touched the baby’s face and chest, and a reply of babble followed. He appeared uninjured, but there was no doubt that death would claim him if left there.

Without a second thought, he removed his now dirty and sweaty shirt, and placed the infant on it, wrapping him as best he could. There was no sight of alarm, the child settling comfortably in his new wrappings.

Jaris looked at the now-closed eyes. There hadn't been any births in town lately, so looking for one of the locals was out of the question. He felt his hands shake, and for a brief moment, he almost let go of the child. Multiple thoughts came to him, but none of them made any sense. What did matter right now, was getting home, and making sure Ajutine was safe. The second problem was the stream of men that came out of the colony. The last thing he wanted was to give answers he didn't have. After all, presenting myself to anyone with a baby that came out of nowhere would be more than strange.

His feet ran as fast as they could, pushing through night and dread. He could see his home, and thankfully, it stood intact. The baby's arms touched his chest, and Jaris found a new meaning to the word smile.

“That’s right. We’re home.”

The door to the front yard was opened. Moving carefully, he entered and circled the home. There were no lights inside, but that didn't mean that there was nobody inside. If someone had decided to take advantage of the chaos for a late-night shopping trip, he would have every advantage. Clutching the baby, he couldn't even hold a weapon. He pressed the handle and found it opened. Gently opening the door, he stepped into the familiar darkness of his home. Everything was as it should be in the hallway. The kitchen was in good order, as was the guest diner.

“Ajutine? Ajutine, it’s me! If you’re here, it’s safe!”

No reply came, and Jaris fought the dread of the worst. Scanning the dark, he called out again, the only reaction being a small tug by the baby. And that made it all the worse. Was he truly cursed to lose the life he loved, now that he had found another?

"Jay?"

The voice sounded pitiful and desperate. The wardrobe door opened, and Ajutine came out, standing on trembling legs. Her pale skin stood out like a beacon, drawing the man to the inevitable safety of the harbor he loved so much. Inch by inch she came closer, desperate fingers wanting to touch his sore body,

"Jay, what happened? What was that...out there?"

"I...don't know. Something, Light above, something...It killed the troops in under a minute. Blood, so much blood!"

"Can...can you...are you hurt?"

"I've had better days. Look, can you help me to the couch? I need to...lie down. And to find something clean for him."

The woman's hands felt like pure balsam as they touched his arm. And as exhaustion finally seemed to overwhelm him, her voice reached his ears.

"Him...who?"

He had no power to give a reply. All he could muster was to lower his neck, fixing his eyes on the bundle he held in his arms. The woman opened the improvised sheet and placed her hand over her mouth.

*** ***

He told her everything. At least as much as he could recall. She listened inventively, trying to make sense of all the information she received. Jaris had placed the child on one of the couches, replacing the dirty shirt with one of his wife’s nightgowns.

“It’s…I don’t even know what to say.”

Jaris nodded in agreement. Things had gone far beyond what he was comfortable with. With one dark stroke, the life he had built over the last three weeks was becoming undone.

“So, you just…found him. On the ground.”

“You know I wouldn’t lie to you. I have no idea who he is, or who his parents are. Or even if they’re still alive.”

Ajutine let her back slide into a more comfortable position. She looked at the small bundle on the couch and felt her heart sink. Her mind was racked by the pain of loneliness, guilt, and shame of not being what a wife should be, mixed with all the other emotions that ebbed and waned over her in waves.

“You don’t just find babies on the ground, Jay. He belongs to someone. Who’s probably screaming in agony right now.”

Jaris nodded, closing his eyes. He couldn't imagine what the parent of the abandoned child felt at that very moment. And with a resentful sigh, he let his mind wander deeper into the deeper corner of his mind, the one that kept his inner preservation. And how would I know? I don't even have kids to compare.

“Assuming you’re right, what do you want to do about it? The last birth here was two months ago. He looks only days old. He wasn’t taken from any family in town. And even if someone came to claim him, how would they prove it?”

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“What about the Nezman test? Doesn’t that…”

“All that does is give a yes or no answer. And even then, it doesn’t always work.”

Ajutine looked at the now sleeping child. She didn’t dare to touch him. Feeling the joy of motherhood, then having to forsake that was more than she could bare. Leaving her family, and coming here, none of these could compare to having life in her arms, only to lose it to someone else. She moved her eyes to her husband, who nodded in understanding.

“Aren’t you going to say it?”

"You're already thinking about it, so what's the point?"

He walked to the woman and placed his hand on hers. Her head collapsed on his chest, shedding silent tears. He held her close, taking in all that he felt. He would have what he desired. They remained in that position, neither saying a word, basking in the light of the forgotten lit lantern on the floor.

“If you want to, Aji”

She went to the sleeping boy and picked him up. And a whole new understanding opened to her. She held life. The only life she could care for. The baby stared at her with piercing eyes. And in them, she saw a new beginning. Life, love, destruction, or monsters, none of that mattered. She would be able to stand in the sun, holding her precious fruit.

“You are not my own. But I will love you as if you were.”

Jaris stepped closer, placing his hand on the child’s chest.

“And so will I. In joining or separated, you are my son.” Now and always. Life joined to mine.

The infant cooed and moved his small arms, touching his new parents’ fingers. They spoke nothing, just letting it all sink in. All was new. All was as it should be.

*** ***

Morning arose Jaris from his slumber by two sounds, of which only one was familiar. The other was the incessant crying of the baby in his improvised crib on the couch. So, this is what it's like to be a father. Great new start.

His body still ached after the night's encounters, which made even the simple gestures of getting dressed a chore. Ajutine had already rushed to the baby, checking to see what needed to be done.

"Can you manage?"

"I think so. At least I've learned enough about that. Just trial and error."

With a mixture of emotions, Jaris opened the door and was relieved to find Kalis standing outside, looking as exhausted as he was. A brief moment of unspoken joy burst into a hug that seemed to last forever.

"You're...Light above, I thought you were dead!"

"Just dead with exhaustion. What can I do for you?"

"You need to come to the colony right away. Radnik called a meeting for everybody above an average worker. We need to make some decisions as to what follows next."

"What decisions can he make? We don't even know what we're up against."

"And that's why we need to keep a leveled head. Find out what happened that night, and make sure it doesn't happen again."

"What in Ered's breath is that?"

Looking past the other man's shoulders, Kalis seemed surprised by the sounds of crying that came out of the house. Jaris politely nudged him to the waiting carriage outside. There was no point in trying to explain something that he barely understood.

The colony's briefing room reeked with the smell of sweat and fear, thankfully made tolerable by the open windows. Eighteen men and four women stood crowded around a central, oval table, with Radnik at the head, gesturing wildly.

"Riders have been dispatched to Jada. In the meantime, we need to keep order here. Curfew is to start at the middle of the third segment. Both for us and mistoa. Double the patrols, and..."

"With what? We lost a third of our men last night. Until reinforcements come..."

"Make due. Reinforcements should be here in a few days. Any further aggression from the locals ends here!"

"Are you joking?"

Jaris barely realized he had spoken. And with all eyes in the room turned on him, he decided to continue.

"No local can do what we saw last night. Ask the surviving troops, ask Kalis. Heck, even ask me. We were there. Whatever it is that attacked us wasn't human. It couldn't have been."

"And we're supposed to take your word for it?"

"I was there, damn it! Right in the middle of it."

"So what did you see?" asked Radnik in a condescending tone.

"It did have human traits. But the whole wasn't human. Some sort of amalgamation of human and bird."

"So an animal?"

"Only if you think that animals can duel with weapons. This one did. It displayed all the signs of intelligence. It identified the troopers as a threat, and during the fight with that girl..."

"The what now?"

Radnik's laughter echoed in the room, though not too many paid any attention to it. Whispers and hushed talks were starting to spring up here and there.

"How do you think that thing died? Not thanks to your men. She fought that thing. It wasn't even a brawl. It was a duel. Both used weapons and were adept with them."

"And I assume you have some proof of that?"

"The proof is the remains of that thing. Out in the grove, assuming they're still there. As for the girl, I don't know what to tell you. She barely spoke to me. One thing I can say though, is she fights like nothing I've ever seen."

Silence ruled the chamber. Jaris looked around for support, but all he could see was either disbelief, despair, or at worst, anger.

"Jaris, nobody's interested in your hallucinations."

"Twenty dead men isn't a hallucination, Radnik. And neither was that thing. Right now, you need to keep your cool and not start blaming the mistoa for all of your problems. You bring regular troops here and give them free rule, you're responsible for what follows."

"Is that a threat of rebellion?" asked the mayor, his eyes now thin as daggers.

"No. Just an observation. People do have a breaking point. And if there's more of those things out there, we need to decide on a course of action."

"Like what?"

"Request access to the Magisterial Archives. This area has been under our control for half a decade. Surely they must know something."

"And you know how long that takes," replied Radnik, tapping his foot.

"I know. Until then, let's just try to not jump to any conclusions. Much less pass the blame on any group."

The room greeted the words with mixed reactions. Most were impatient, with the rest desperately looking for any safety or assurance. Radnik remained in the same defensive posture but made no further comments. Both men waited.

"Fine." he finally said, in an exhausted voice. "We do it your way."

As the room was slowly emptying, Radnik spoke again, this time only for the two of them.

"Jaris."

The man turned and felt cold inside. He understood where he stood, and what were the consequences of his words.

"Don't forget where your loyalty is."

*** ***

The sounds coming from inside his house made Jaris' blood freeze. The crying was audible from the front porch, and there was no mistaking the source.

"Jaris, what's going on in there?" asked Kalis in a perplexed tone.

The man gave no reply and opened the door in a hurry. Rushing upstairs to the bedroom, he opened the door and remained motionless.

The room looked completely ravaged, with bottles and clothing tossed all over the floor. The baby was still on the couch, wrapped in a clean, woolen shirt, screaming at the top of his lungs. But what broke Jaris was looking at Ajutine. She had collapsed on the floor, hands grasping her head in a seeming desire to block out the sound. It took her several seconds to notice her husband, and even then, all she could do was turn her head ever so gently.

"Jay, he won't stop."

Her voice sounded raspy and shredded. Jaris sat down, and with trembling hands, grasped her shoulders. Her vibrant curls were drenched in sweat and sticking to her neck.

"Are you saying he hasn't stopped since I left? Four hours ago?"

"No. I've tried everything. Nothing seems to work. I, I thought that maybe he would just wear himself out. Jay, look at him! Please, I don't know what to do!"

Shaking, Jaris got up to look at the boy. His skin was slowly turning purple, his chest heaving as if crushed by thongs. Tiny green eyes, so full of life only the other night were slowly taking the aspect of that of a cadaver. His fingers touched his body, only to find it cold. Much too cold for what should have been. Looking into the small emerald orbs, he saw his own life slowly slipping away. Three weeks. Is this all I deserve, three weeks?

"Jaris, what can I...do for you?"

Kalis stood in the doorway, too afraid to enter. He looked at the broken couple, then his eyes moved to the couch. There was nothing he could say. All that he knew was slowly slipping away, and the only one who could answer was all but ready to give up the ghost.

"What...going on here?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"No, Jaris. All I see is a family that's ready to fall apart. What I do want to know, is that", replied Kalis in a low voice, pointing to the baby.

"I found him. Last night, after the attack. Right in the middle of the field."

The response felt as stupid as it was irrelevant. He had no other explanation. And given the situation he found himself in, he doubted if it mattered.

"I don't expect you to believe me."

"Actually, after last night, I would believe you even if you told me that there's a rabbit living on the moon. Finding a baby out of nowhere is the least impossible thing I've found myself believing."

Jaris got up, his legs feeling like pillars of iron. He picked up the child, holding him close to his chest. No change came. The small body shook with tremors that seemed to rack his bones, which nearly caused the father to drop him.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? Going back to the colony. Somebody has to have an answer."

"Are you out of your mind?! What do you think they'll do when they see you coming in with a baby not your own? You've already messed up your position here. Don't give them an excuse to throw you in prison on top of everything else."

Jaris gave no reply. He simply strode past the other man as if he wasn't even there. He made his way to the door, only to feel Kalis' hand on his shoulder. Stopping dead in his tracks, he looked down at the infant. It was the only thing stopping him from retaliating.

"Jaris, don't. Please, don't."

"What do you want me to do, watch him die?"

"No. But I don't want him to live without a father either. Look, let me go there alone. Akin owes me a few favors. I'm sure he can spare a home visit. We can do some tests right here, maybe he can figure things out?"

"Can he do that?"

"With an Awlya tank, we can get readings on even the most minute details of the body. If there's anything wrong with him, that should figure it out."

"Never heard of that."

"It's Magisterial tech. Came out pretty recently. From what the men down in Jada told me, most of the colonies placed orders as soon as they were announced. We had a heck of a time with all the loan requests."

"And you can do that?" asked Jaris, a desperate twinkle in his eyes.

"Yes. Just let me get there. We'll be there by hour sixteen."

Jaris nodded with all the remaining hope that a man on the brink of collapse still had left. He looked at the trembling bundle at his chest, then decided to sit back on the couch. It was all he could do.

*** ***

Beneath the copper-looking encasing, the screams of the baby were mercifully mostly muted. The machine gave out a low-frequency hum, small particles of light occasionally being seen through the less dense parts of its surface. Three pairs of eyes watched the healer's movements, as he worked the delicate controls.

The procedure was painless. Though in this case, it was impossible to tell. Data were collected and stored on graphen plates, which could then be checked via projector. None of these things mattered to the two parents, however. All they wanted was an answer.

The device powered down, then opened silently. Inside it, the baby remained in the same state as before, his naked body convulsing on the cold surface. Ajutine picked him up, quickly wrapping him in a blanket. All eyes turned to the healer, who was finishing the final draft of the readings.

"Well?" asked Jaris with a stutter.

"Completely healthy."

Silence hung like an axe, and Jaris dreaded where it would land. This was an answer. Just not what he expected. Or needed. Ajutine's hold instinctively became tighter, as she looked with pleading eyes for any form of help.

"How can that be? HOW?"

"Medically, he's healthy. I dare say, healthier than any newborn I've ever seen. There's no physical trauma, toxins, or infections. Nothing. Perfect physical health in all aspects."

"Then why won't he stop crying?"

"Whatever it is, it's not medical. At least nothing that my equipment can detect. My only recommendation is that you take him to Jada no earlier than tomorrow. If there is a problem, they may well find what it is."

"Can he even survive the trip?"

"We can keep him in a tank until he gets there. If nothing else, we can try sleeping gas. We could at least see if he can go to sleep. From what you told me, he's been like this for at least eight hours, right?"

"Yes."

"Then we haven't much time. I'll get things ready and return them first thing in the morning. Don't give him any medicine, at least until we know for sure the problem."

"Can you help him then?" asked Jaris in a broken voice.

"I'll do my best. Just try to get some rest tonight. I need you to be ready tomorrow. Can you do that for me?"

Jaris forced himself to answer yes if only to give himself the satisfaction of a strong resolution. He looked at the child, hoping to find something he had missed. But the answers remained spitefully hidden. All he had to do was wait. And hope against all the odds that there would be answers.

Hours came and went, none of them bringing any reprieve. On their double bed, the two sat in silence, looking at the ceiling. Talking had become impossible. Any conversation, however mundane, could be interrupted by a scream that would cause them to stop.

The timegazer in their room showed only three hours left in the day. The morning seemed a distant hope, a hook that drew him ever closer to hope, only to have it cruelly taken away. It would fail. There was no doubt about it in his mind. It would fail, and his final hope to have a child would be gone. Ajutine's hand felt heavy on his chest, and for a brief terror-filled moment, he thought he had lost her too. With gentle movements, he detached himself from the embrace, got up, and went into the darkness downstairs.

He took no light. He needed none since the sounds created a sure line right to the source. In the light of the two nocturnal luminaries, the living room felt like an aquarium. The regular moonlight mixed with the greenish radiance of the Third Light, creating a bizarre dance of lines and shadows. In his arms, the baby felt light and for a brief moment, he felt like he would just lift and fly away from all his worries.

"I don't know if you can understand me, but I love you."

He stopped, not wanting to go any further. There was still time left to remain detached. If he said anything further, he would make someone else's tragedy into something very personal. Continuing to speak meant acknowledgment of hope or defeat. Looking down at the child, he saw his feet at the threshold. He understood there would be hope. And a new start. Even if it meant that the finish would be in a few days.

"I love you...my son."

He stopped again, the name lingering on his lips. A single sip of oxygen rolled out the rest of the sentence.

"My Arate. I will never leave you. I swear it. No matter who your parents are or where you came from, I swear to be your father. To raise you as my own. And to always keep you safe."

The words continued to pour out of him like a river whose banks' unseen hands had burst asunder. He wanted to speak. To shout and to be heard. The feet of his mind took the first step and were now running. And to what end, he cared not.

"I want you to smile to the very end. Please, will you smile, just once?"

No change occurred, but that didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore, except to say what he wanted before death stepped in to take his remaining joy. One thing remained, but his mind had no ideas. What could he promise to a child that could well die at any moment?

"Please, don't destroy yourself. Just let me love you for many years. Stop crying, and let me see your smile."

His thoughts remained jumbled and unclear. And from among the chaos, one single thought rose above the rest. A lone sentence that his mind yelled to the heavens, but his lips whispered.

"Stop crying, and if you do, as your father, I promise to give you the Sun in your right hand and the Moon in your left."

Silence washed over Jaris in waves, and for a brief second, he felt like he was drowning in the room's emptiness. There was silence. Silence in his mind, and the room. The baby in his arms looked at the man with clear emerald eyes, not a shred of tears on his face, his body breathing with the serenity of one who woke up from a deep slumber.

Jaris returned the stare with a soft smile. And as he did, the realization of what he had uttered hit home.