Red Eyed Ogre

I have moved the book - Her Brother, The Red Eyed Ogre - to a new blog on its own. The publishing schedule is up in the air as this is being written as its posted.  Here is the address.

https://the-red-eyed-ogre.blogspot.com/

Please enjoy, and post comments. If you have criticisms, and they show things that I don't see, please let me know.

Thank you in advance for reading.

Rise of the Beast King - Chapter 3 - Cornerstone

"For some reason, I feel exposed here."  Llani said and looked around fearfully.

"We're close to your old town.  That place has old memories, and shadows of death on every corner."  He turned away as she lowered her chin to her knees.  "I'll need to take care of that place eventually."  She frowned.

"Take care of?"

"They are too close to us.  They may decide we have too much, and they have too little."  She frowned and looked around.

"We have too much?"  She looked confused, which made him grin a bit.

"Food.  This whole clearing has food growing, while the forest is filled with meat.  If food was gold, we are rich."  She tilted her head.

"But only you can hunt that meat and harvest it.  No one else could run down an ironback deer, and kill it.  Or a silverback wolf."  He nodded.

"Which means they think I have weapons to do the job.  I've used them to get what we needed, but when their scouts come, I'll deal with them the same way I do the animals who hunt us."  She shivered.

"They'll hunt us?  Just like the kingdom did, huh?"  Her chin was still on her knees, like she had almost given up.  He nodded, but still smiled.

"Don't worry about them, Llani.  I take care of those who belong to me."  She looked up, then blushed and smiled a bit.

"Thanks.  What about Coral?"  He smiled softly as the girl snuggled in to her side.  She had eaten the stew and held onto Llani's side as though she was now her mother.

"She's mine too.  They'll never be able to sacrifice her like they did with you.  Which means we'll need to work hard over the next while.  Food foraging, wood for fire in the winter, and a shelter to keep the elements off us.  We'll need to do a lot this first couple of years."  He then looked around at the clearing.  The picture he had in his mind, a simple hut for the winter, grew in scope and grandeur.

"Yeah, we have a lot to do."




Llani frowned slightly.  She looked around, noticed that the fire was still burning brightly, but the sky had started to lighten.  She then noticed a few long logs off to the side.  Coral poked her side.

"Him."  She pointed to Leon off in the distance, a couple of logs on one of his shoulders, his ax in his opposite hand.  "Made fire. Went woods."  Llani hugged Coral carefully, as her skin was far too thin, and her hug might hurt her.

"Want something to eat?"  Coral looked up at her carefully, then nodded.  She hugged her gently, then looked at Leon as he approached.  "Did you want to eat soon?"  He dropped the two large logs onto the pile.

"Sure.  Be about half an hour.  I want to get a few stones for the foundation."




"Are you sure we should be doing this?"  One of the hunters asked.  He just watched as the big man carried two massive logs on one shoulder as though it was nothing.  The other hunter shrugged.

"We were told to rob this guy as he had lots of meat.  Meat means food for our families."  The first hunter nodded, but then pointed.

"Are you sure we should rob someone like that?"  He held a spear in his hand, but he watched as the tall rake thin man lifted a stone larger than themselves, put it on one shoulder, and walked away from the edge of the clearing.  The second hunter swallowed a lump in his throat as fear filled his belly.

"They never said anything about trying to take on a guy like that!  Why didn't they give us stuff to trade with?"  He lowered his eyes fearfully, and took a step back.  "I am not stupid!  If they want to trade....what do we have to trade with?  On us, I mean."

"Just these spears."

"Then let's go back before we get impaled on them!  If we ever decide to come back here, then we had better have gear to trade with him!  I'd rather take on a humpback bear then go after someone like that!"  When they turned away from the clearing, something they wished they would never encounter blocked their path.

"Oh hell, a bear.  Looks like you get your wish."  This gigantic beast had a massive head filled with long teeth, enormous paws that could shred their leather armor like it was paper, and the hump they referred to in the name of the bear was actually bony armor that lined its spine.

Before they could say anything else, cry out, or scream, blood covered their faces though it was thrown from a bucket.  A voice spoke beside them.

"Don't come back unless you have something to trade with. Make it worth my while too.  That is a lot of meat in front of you."




"Leon?  What were those voices?  It sounded like someone was dipped in boiling oil!"  He grinned.

"Just some fools who came to look around.  We have some bear meat to smoke, Llani."  She saw the carcass of a massive humpback bear being dragged on top of two long logs, not yet gutted, or skinned.

"That skin should keep us warm this winter, and the meat will keep us fed for quite a while."  She smiled, and didn't question the amount of strength necessary to take out one of those monsters.  She couldn't get her mind wrapped around one small detail.

"Um, Leon?  Where is the head?"




"I thought you guys were supposed to bring home some meat from that idiot's camp!"  The new self appointed mayor looked the two scouts over, then frowned.  "Where did all this blood come from?  Don't tell me you were able to kill him on your own."  The men shook their heads at the same time, their eyes still hollow and vacant.

"We have a message for you."  The mayor frowned at the hollowness of their voice.

"What message?"  One man took something off his back and dropped it at the mayor's feet.  He turned it over, his face then turned white.

"Don't come back unless you have something to trade with.  Make it worth his while."  They picked up the head, and slowly walked it into the town. The mayor was still frozen in shock at the entrance to the town, until a large hammer crushed his skull.

"Fools and shit rise to the top.  No longer.  I'm not making an enemy of someone who can kill an ironback deer, and a humpback bear."  He then walked to the only other store in town and explained what had happened.

"We better make it worth his while then, don't ya think?"  Deena said softly.  The blacksmith nodded firmly, then looked at the head of the bear still carried by the hunters.  "What would someone like him need?"

"The basics.  He's startin' over, from scratch, but he's no fool.  Pots, iron tools, candles for lighting, oil for lamps and lamps.  Whatever you think they might be able to use if they moved into a house but had nothing to start out with.  Get it on a cart, and I'll add things I know he'll be able to make some use of."  He lifted the large hammer in his hand.  "Someone that big will be able to swing this like its made of paper.  I'll need to make something bigger."  Deena nodded thoughtfully.

"I don't know his size, but the two girls could use some extras, I think.  That might calm him down a bit."  The smith nodded.

"Good idea.  He did take that child with him, and escorted Llani home safely.  Means he's protective."  Deena sighed softly.

"Which means the only reason we're still alive is that Llani didn't want us dead."  She looked at the bear head again, and shivered visibly.  "I can use the tongue and cheeks to make something good for a lot of people to eat.  Just need some foraged food, like potatoes, and onions to make it go further."  She looked up at the smith after she looked around her shop.  "You need to make sure you sleep tonight, father.  I assume you'll take the cart tomorrow?"  He nodded.

"So far, we're the only ones who treated him fairly, and I'm not letting you go out there."  She chuckled.

"Don't forget what those scouts said, father.   'The bear sneaked up on us.  The bear was quiet, like it was afraid of him.'"  He nodded slowly, and tiredly.  "Go get some sleep.  That's an order."




"That's a few stones, Leon?"  she asked carefully.  Coral giggled, which made him smile.  It was the first time since he met her that he heard her laugh.  It was a nice sound.

"It will take a bit of time to dig down so that the foundation is nice and sturdy and doesn't shift."  He pointed to a spot about twenty feet away.  "Do you think this spot is good?"  Llani walked over to it, looked around, and shook her head.

"Too much moss.  Probably holds water.  It might be easy to dig through, but there will probably be a lot of roots."  She looked around, and smiled.  "How about over here?  This large stone is probably pretty deep, and will make it easier to make a foundation because its already set, and its nice and flat."  He looked at the spot she pointed out, and thought for a moment.

"That was the reason I didn't choose that spot, but it should have been the reason to use it."  He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  "The cornerstone, Llani.  The cornerstone of our home."  She smiled, and blushed a bit.  Coral pulled on her sleeve.

"Home?"  She said in a low voice as though she didn't dare to believe it.

"Yes, Coral, this is our home.  Mine.  Yours.  Llani's."  Coral smiled, and snuggled into Llani's legs.  She still liked to look at Leon, and trusted him, but she was still shy.  Llani smiled brightly.

"Our home.  It's been a long time since I could say that I had a home.  A real long time."

Rise of the Beast King - Chapter 2 - Llani's Sacrifice

"What is your town like, Llani?"  The young woman walked beside him along the main road, all the while, she found her gaze frequently on his shallow cheeks, and angular jaw.  His frame looked strong, but because he was drained of almost all his fats, his body looked far too slender.  She blushed a bit when he caught her gaze turned towards him.  "Llani?"

"Oh, sorry. I was lost in thought.  My town?  Well, I guess it's like most towns around.  Because the kingdom was so oppressive, our food production was severely controlled.  They would often send people to the capital to be used as the nobility saw fit.  Extra mouths was the common things I heard ever since I was little.  That's why I was sacrificed.  An extra mouth to feed."  He frowned.

"In my own world, unless you had enough young people to replace the older generations, your workforce would slowly be eroded away. There would be no one left to take care of the elderly, and no one trained in the trades."  She nodded.

"Much of our nobility do not learn those lessons. They just point their fingers, and send people away.  I was sent to the kingdom last year."  She turned away.  "I am glad you survived.  I don't know what would have happened to me in the future, but I know what they've already done."  He laid his hand on her shoulder, and unconsciously, she flinched.  He lifted his hand as soon as she did.

"I already understand what they did."  He didn't say anything else, as he wasn't quite that kind of personality. He wasn't built to comfort people.  He was angry, a fresh seething rage quietly building within him, igniting a side that he could not quench when he was sick.

Heaven help any person who wished to do harm to this young woman.




"This isn't a town. Its a picture of hell."  He quietly whispered to himself. People looked quite haggard from lack of food, which meant they could never build enough strength to fight against the kingdom. Then someone came into view that set his teeth on edge.  "Who is that?"  She stepped a bit closer to him, which told another story.

"The governor."  Leon growled slightly.

"He doesn't look hungry in any way."  She nodded, with full understanding of what he meant.  The governor looked like one of those slimy anime villains, complete with an empty smile.  "I don't like this town, Llani.  Go to your parents house and let them know you're still alive.  I'm going to stay out of sight."  She nodded and walked quietly, but quickly to avoid attracting attention.

Leon looked around and caught sight of a place to stay out of sight.  When he sat down, he noticed someone near to where he sat down.  It was a little girl, dirty, and obviously starving.  Her cheeks looked hollow, and her eyes nearly lifeless.

"Are you still alive?"  She nodded.  He took a piece of dried meat, tore off a small piece and held it out to her.  She looked at the meat, then at him.  With weak fingers, she gingerly took the meat and put it in her mouth.  "Chew it slowly. It will soften up as you chew it."  She looked up in alarm, which caused him to turn his head.  He growled under his breath.

"I wouldn't give that girl any food. Its just a waste."  The governor spoke, which made Leon feel dirty as though his words carried the filth of his mind.  "Instead, you should sell it to me."  Leon stood up effortlessly, and made the official step backwards.  Leon's height was impressive, as were the muscle he didn't know he had.   Then Llani slipped in close to his side.  "And what are you doing here?"  The governor screamed, looking quite upset.

"I came with Leon."  Llani held onto Leon's arm, and stood behind him like she was his shadow.

"You were supposed to be sacrificed!  Just like that girl will be next week!"  Leon growled a bit louder.

"My house is empty."  She said under her breath.  "It's been empty for a long time."  Leon's mind was not bogged down with pleasantries.  He was born on Earth, in a time where neighbors stole from each other, stabbed each other in the back, or called the police for the smallest of infractions.  It was a place that could be considered a hell to those born hundreds of years earlier.  He knew what happened to her parents.

"So she has no parents then."  The governor's smile was sickening.

"Of course! They were inconvenient.  Just like hers!"  Leon didn't growl again.  He reached out, grabbed the governor by the throat and lifted him effortlessly.  "You can't do this!"  He gasped, fear oozing from every pore as Leon lifted him with only one hand.  The governor tried to play the only weapon in his arsenal. "The kingdom..."  Llani smiled, and though she was sad about her parents, she felt immense satisfaction in knowing what would soon happen. She knew what would happen as Leon didn't take any action without following it up.

"Leon destroyed the kingdom last month.  Not one member of the royal family is alive."  The governor's eyes bulged in horror.

"That's impossible!  They were invincible!"  Leon laughed.

"Until they met me."  That was all the crowd needed to hear.  "Your time is up."  Leon said with a snarl, and threw the governor at the feet of the crowd that surged forward. Rage etched their features.

"What if he's wrong?"  The governor shouted.  "What if they're lying?"  The crowd paid him no heed.  They were already starving, so whether it was a slow death, or one that was quick at the hands of the kingdom, they no longer cared.

"Llani, pick up that girl and take her to the gate. I don't want her to see this kind of thing."  Llani nodded, but turned back as she heard the governor scream. A crowd of enraged starving men and women pulled him apart, arms and legs ripped as though attached with only thread.

One thing that Leon remembered from the history books he loved to read was that a sea of people was more dangerous than a platoon of armed soldiers.  It was apparent that this world had not learned that lesson.




"Do you take skins and meat as trade? I don't have coin."  The blacksmith frowned slightly.  His shop was sparse, as the rest of the town looked to have no gold to buy goods, or even feed themselves properly.

"Depending on how fresh the meat is, and the condition of the skin."  Leon put a sample of the meat on the skin he dropped on the counter.  The blacksmith smelled it.  "This smells quite fresh."  He unrolled the skin and chewed on the meat.  "Deer?  How did you....well, it's a nice hide."

"That deer was difficult to skin. The knife was razor sharp, and barely cut it."  The blacksmith nodded.

"Of course. Those ironback deer are extremely difficult to hunt because the arrows bounce off their hides, and swords don't slash their skins.  Something to do with the iron they chew on when they grow up.  I'd like to know how you were able to hunt it, but it's obvious that you were.  We don't have much coin so trade is better."  Leon looked around the room.

"How about the ax, pickax, hoe, mattock, and the drill with a bit?"  The blacksmith looked around.

"Put a large portion of meat, and I will throw in some rope too."  Leon pulled a large shank from his pack.  The shop owner knew that rope was essential for anyone starting over, or just traveling along the empty roads from the villages and towns of this impoverished country.

"Its been dried so it wouldn't go bad quickly, but it was only cooked yesterday." The smith gathered up the tools quickly, and sighed heavily when he picked up the meat.

"If you have any other meat, would you mind trading with the store? People are starving, and we need to get some food into the system quickly, or people will start dying. With the governor dead, we'll be able to keep our food for ourselves. They'll start foraging, but the meat will help."  Leon nodded.

"I understand. I'll check their stock. We need a few things anyway."




"Why did you trade the skin and meat to them?"  Llani asked him as she walked slightly behind.  He had adjusted his long stride to let her keep up, but for some reason, it was more difficult today than yesterday.

"We needed the tools, pots, and dishes.  I can also get more rather quickly, so it isn't a problem for us."  Llani blushed a bit and smiled.  He didn't understand why as he had no knowledge of the opposite sex other than what he learned from movies, and the computer.  Leon knew that information had no impact here, so he just ignored it.

As for personal interactions, he had practically none except for female couriers, and his doctor.  Llani was real, and here because she wanted to be, not because he wanted something delivered.  This was new territory for him.

"Um, Leon?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you grow taller these last couple of days?"  He turned towards her, and looked down.

"I was going to ask if you were shorter, but that can't be it."  He looked down at himself.  "To tell the truth, I don't really know."  He looked off the road.  "Do you know of any places out there that is about a day's journey from your town, no closer to any other village, or settlement, but close to a lake? A clearing would help quite a bit."  Llani frowned slightly, and thought for a moment.

"Um, when I was a kid, I used to explore the forest, and get my parents so mad at me. There was an old merchant's path that led to a clearing.  There is a lake, but it's about half a day from there, but there is a creek to get water at."  He smiled a bit.

"That sounds perfect. The lake was for fish, but the clearing will make it easier to build a shelter."  She looked up at him.

"A shelter?  Why not the town?"  Leon turned away.

"Because there is nothing for you there, Llani. They destroyed your sense of security."  He looked down at the sleeping child in her arms and smiled softly.  "There is no way I would want her to remember what they did to her parents, and see it every day."  Llani  hugged the girl a bit.

"You want us with you?"  Leon looked confused.

"I thought that was obvious, Llani."  She grinned.

"I wasn't sure, but it sounds nice to hear.  Thank you."  To someone like Leon, that smile didn't carry any message, even if it was filled with gratitude, and a budding affection. He had no masks.  He suppressed his emotions to appear unaffected, but he couldn't wear other emotions to hide what he felt.  He also didn't want that skill.  Any person who dealt with him would understand how he felt if it became necessary to educate them.

A solitary life removed all filters.




"Is this what you meant?"  She said as they entered the clearing late in the evening.  He nodded.

"It's perfect.  Once you're set up, I'll get some wood for the fire."  He looked down at the child who was still quite weak.  "See if you can make a stew.  I'll gather some water, so just prepare the meat, and a bit of salt.  It will help her gain some weight."  Llani nodded while she hugged the child to her chest.  "You're protective of her."  She took a few seconds to answer.

"She's like me."  It was a simple statement, but undeniably true.  Both their parents were murdered, and one sacrificed to the former kingdom, while one was intended to be a sacrifice in the future.

"She is.  Right now, she's safe."  He looked around quickly, and made a few decisions about what he would do in the near and far future.  "There's food nearby.  I think some berries, sweet potato, and...sniff sniff.....yes, some salt.  Let's get you set up so I can start with food and water necessities."

Llani wasn't sure what he meant when he said that those kinds of food was nearby, but she trusted him.  Leon hadn't lied to her yet.  As soon as they camped near a large tree for a windbreak, Leon took two pails he purchased along with a pot  He returned only a few minutes later, pails full of water, and the pot had a few handfuls of berries, a few pulled root tubers she didn't recognize, and a large amount of salt in the bottom of the pot.  She picked up the root.

"What is this?"

"Sweet potato.  I only picked what we needed.  Take the knife, cut off the roots sticking out of it, the stem, and poke the skin with a few holes deep into the center.  When the fire is hot, just put the potato in the coals. It will cook and taste better that way.  I'll go get some wood now."  No sooner had he spoken, he hefted the ax in his large hand, walked away, and came back with some deadfall he just cut up.

"So fast!"  She said in surprise.

"It was already fallen over, so all I did was cut off some branches, and a few short logs for the fire tonight.  Do you know how to start the fire?"  She nodded.  "I'll leave that to you tonight then.  I'll be right back."  He took the ax with him this time as well.

Llani happily smiled, gathered some dry tree lichen and pieces of thin bark from the birch in the area.  Using an old method, she cut a small notch in a dry branch, and pierced it through without splitting it.  Then she peeled and sharpened another dry stick, and started to rotate the  stick using her hands.  With pressure and speed, the friction turned the tip to a cinder, and she used that to ignite the tinder.  She used other dried twigs to nurse that into a small flame, and kept adding dried twigs, and eventually some sticks.

"That was fast."  Leon said as he returned.  She smiled and looked up.

"Eek!"  She fell back when she saw what was over his shoulder.  "How....."

"It was prowling around, so I killed it while I went for some more wood.  It must have been hungry as it ran at me instead of trying a different angle."  She nodded.

"The silverback wolf is dangerous because they charge anyone, and everything they see.  Humpback bears, ironback deers, and well armed soldiers.  They don't care.  They will eat anything."  Leon thought for a moment.

"Yeah, it was stupid, that's for sure.  The wolves on my world were more dangerous. They would hunt, surround you, come at you from different angles, even try to trick you.  This one just ran up to me and jumped.  Perfectly still target for my ax."  She watched him take the knife and begin to gut it.  She sighed, took a second pot, put some water in it, and took the kidneys, liver and heart he cut out of it.

"The kidneys and heart will make good stew meat, while the liver would be better fried in the pan.  Its flavor is much stronger than the others, and will overpower anything in the stew.  I wonder if we'll be able to forage enough vegetables to last us through the winter."  Leon smiled and sniffed the air again.

"The forest will provide, Llani.  We'll survive."  She smiled and nodded.

The meat, the vegetables he collected, and the dishes were a glut of riches that many in her country didn't possess.  Leon had provided her more food to eat then anyone had her entire life.  Two large meals a day while they traveled, and small snacks when she was hungry.  She didn't know how he was able to tell where everything was, but whenever he inhaled the scents of the area, he found what he wanted.

Llani had never gone hungry since she met him, and that was more than enough to make her young heart start to love this powerful and scary man.

She looked at the small child beside her, gave her some berries to eat, and smiled.  Her sacrifice to the kingdom finally had meaning.

Rise of the Beast King - Chapter 1 - The Fall

"See how powerful he is! His fat fairly glistens with power!  We shall feast tonight! Throw him into the vat!" The Queen called out to her magicians.  Their black robes had once been pure white, but the fabric was stained with the corruption in their flesh.  It couldn't be helped either.

Their robes were made with the most expensive and desired fabrics, obtained from the overgrown spiders deep within the forest.  Only the silks they spun were harvested.  The silks could only be produced in that forest, and by those enormous spiders.  If they were cultivated elsewhere, there were no magical properties in the silks.

Powered only by rituals, runes, and stolen energy, the magi of her empire were corrupt to the core.  But in the Empress's eyes, they were necessary to operate the portal, and bring forth her sacrifices.

"Begin the ceremony!" Several white robed magicians, new to the capital and not yet corrupted, stepped forward, and poured their power into the runes at the base of the vat. The Queen's eyes were filled with a lust that should make any normal human cringe, but all the nobility of her realm also were filled with that greedy lust.  A lust for power.

"The vat already fills with the black liquid, Your Majesty.  The newly summoned person is being drained of his greatest power and lifeforce."  She smiled cruelly, but then frowned.

"Why does he not cry out then?"  The priest shook his head.

"We do not know. There is terror in his eyes, and it also appears to be excruciating pain buried there, but he does not utter a...." Then they heard a howl begin to build from the vat.  "Ah, finally.  That iron will of his must have broken."  The Queen smiled cruelly again.

"It has only been a month since the last sacrifice, but I have missed this sound. It is something that will keep me quite warm tonight."  She sat forward.  "Listen to him! I have never heard such torment!"  The priest nodded.

"His power must have been great. My predecessor often spoke about how it was like having your skin sanded off with salt. I still remember his eyes as he was thrown into the vat."  The lead magician smiled maliciously.  His mentor had been sacrificed because he had not been able to open the portal for longer and longer periods of time.  It had been his own suggestion that they use his mentor's lifeforce to sate their hungers until the portal could be opened again.

The curses he uttered within the vat made them all smile as they stole and ingested his vast power.  Even until this night, those curses remained, yet unfulfilled.

"This is so soothing!"  The Empress shivered and smiled at the sheer amount of agony the victim must be enduring.  She truly relished their torment.

The howls echoed throughout the throne room, and other then the Empress, the rest were shaken by those howls.  They started to feel less and less like agony, and more like an animalistic rage.

The vat slowly filled with stolen power, and the once overly fleshed form grew thin and visibly frail compared to the heavy amounts of fat that once existed on his frame.  The vat started to bubble.

"Lift him with the screen and use the scrapers to pull the sludge off his skin. Do not pull his skin with it or it will contaminate the offering!"  A priest called out to several aproned workers on the side of the room.  The magicians moved to all sides of the room, with priests between them. They were not patiently waiting even though it took only a few minutes to remove the excess and leave it in the vat.  The Queen stood up.

"Take the corpse away, for now is the feast!"




"What do we do with the body?"  A girl asked.  It was her first time on this detail. She was a commoner, and it was a job many wished to never do again.  The old man looked at the body and sighed sadly.

"We dispose of it.  To think that these people once lived lives of luxury, but were yanked away from that other world to become food for the nobility."  She frowned.

"Food?"  The old man nodded.  While he filled her in on the details, the Queen was drinking her first cup from the vat.  The other nobles were also lining up for their own share.

"The ritual strips away the strongest power the person possesses, and their accumulated lifeforce.  All that fat on his body would sustain a normal man for nearly a year. He must have had a lot of wealth to get that fat.  But look at him now. Nothing. No fats left. Just muscle."  She looked down.

"Okay, so the ritual takes away his power, but I still don't understand how it gives them his power."  He rolled his eyes.

"That liquid contains his power. They drink it. If they don't finish it, they get nothing. Because there is so much, it will be difficult for them to drink it all."  He listened quietly.  "Yeah, even the soldiers are lining up for their share."  She frowned.

"The soldiers too?"

"That's how this country is so powerful, child.  Didn't your own hometown get defeated?"  She nodded.

"Oh!"  Understanding entered her eyes.  "That is why they were so strong!"  He nodded.

"The knights, the generals, and even the soldiers take part in this feast."  He frowned.  "Although, I don't hear the normal groaning about how difficult it is to drink."




"I can't get enough of this foul stuff!"  The Queen inhaled her third cup. "Its like I can't stand the taste, but once my cup is empty...."  The priest smiled and finished his second mug.

"It is indeed unusual. I've never had a brew so powerful before.  Almost like it wants to be finished."  He watched as the last soldier held up his mug.

"The final one!"  A shout went around the room, and everyone waited for the last drop to be swallowed.

"This is it!  What we all deserve!"  The Queen felt her stomach churn as she waited for the last drop to hit his tongue.





"Sir?  His eyes!"  The old man looked down at the cart that carried the corpse.

"What....this has never happened before."  He said quietly. "He's alive!"  The man sat up, pressed on his belly, his slack arms, then stood up.  He bounced up and down a few times.  Earlier, his howl of pain could be heard throughout the castle.

Now, all that could be heard was laughter.




"What is your name?"  The girl lifted her eyes from the fire.

"Llani."  She swallowed a lump in her throat.  The man's gaze was intense, but not hostile, or lustful.

"I am Leon."  He tore into a piece of roast deer with relish and sighed happily.  "It's been many years since I could enjoy food."  The old man stayed silent.  "What is your name, old man?"

"Reina.  What did you mean about enjoying food?"  Leon wiped his mouth on the back of his hand.

"I had a disease that stole my enjoyment of life. The doctors said I should have been dead long ago, but my body craved food, so I kept living."  Reina frowned.

"A disease?"

"Yeah, it was also extremely painful. I was housebound for the last ten years, unable to move that much, or it would cause a lot of pain. I was in large amounts of pain just existing too."  He smiled and tore into the meat again.  "I don't know what they did, but I haven't felt this good since I was a kid!"

"They performed a ritual."  Leon looked at him.

"A ritual? You mean a religious healing ceremony?"  He shook his head.

"You are from another world, similar to this one, but different. Power exists in your world, so they bring your people here and steal it."  Leon looked at his meat, then back at Reina.

"Steal my power?"  Then he started to laugh.

"What is so funny?"

"The only thing I possessed was the ability to survive that disease. It was still more powerful then I was though. I was still dying.  So they only thing they stole from me was the disease, and the fat I got from being so sick for so long."  Reina looked back at the faint shadow of the castle.  There had been no activity in the castle since the howls of agony stopped a few hours ago.

"So, they are all dead then."  Leon nodded and tore another chunk of meat from the cut he held.

"Most likely.  That disease would kill anyone from my world eventually.  It was at its peak in my body when they brought me here.  If they are not dead yet, they will soon wish they were."  He smiled a large smile.  "Is there any city or town far from here where we can go?  Hunting isn't hard on this world, but I'd like to see if there are any normal jobs I can handle now that I'm healthy."  Reina scratched his chin, and looked at the young girl in front of him.

"Llani can guide you to a town quite far away from here.  They might like to know that she's alright, and since you were able to use that soldier's bow so easily, they might appreciate someone with your skills there."  Leon looked at him carefully.

"And what about you?"  Reina shrugged.

"I'm going to confirm whether or not they are dead, or dying.  If they are dying, or dead, I'll head back to my own hometown, and see if I can start over.  If they are still alive, I have to remain at my post or they will skin the inhabitants of my town alive."  Leon stopped suddenly, and bristled angrily.

"Really."  He thought for a moment.  "I'll take the first watch.  You two should get some sleep.  In the morning, we'll part ways, and you can confirm whether or not it's safe to go home."  Reina smiled, and laid down on a blanket of moss.  Llani watched Leon carefully.  "Go to sleep, Llani.  I'll be here when you wake in the morning."

Llani laid back against a log, and could not keep her eyes open any longer.  She fell asleep with the gentle eyes of a lion like man looking down on her.  She hasn't felt safe enough to do that for a long long time.




"You can go home, Reina."  Reina opened his eyes and slowly pushed himself to a seated position.  Llani also blinked and sat up.  Leon pointed to the castle.

"Its burning!"  Reina stood up.

"Its being cleansed."  He handed Llani a piece of roast deer from the shank still over the coals.  Reina looked back at Leon.

"Cleansed?"

"If what I heard while on that cart is true, all of the important people of this kingdom were there.  Nobles, officers, military commanders.  All of them.  This Kingdom is done.  Every person who participated in bringing people from my world, stealing their strength and life, then disposing of them like garbage, were dying, and are now dead."  Then Reina shivered as he saw a slight shimmer pass through Leon's eyes.  Llani looked at him carefully.

"Does that mean I can go home now?"  Leon smiled gently at her.

"Yes, now you can go home."  He looked at Reina, then stood up and picked up the bow.  "Reina, if you can dry that meat enough to let it keep long enough for your trip home, can you also do the same for Llani?"  Leon walked away from the fire.

"Where are you going?"  Reina asked carefully.

"To get another deer.  Be back in half an hour."  Leon walked into the forest with confidence in his abilities, though only twelve hours before, he was housebound, and in agony every minute of his life.  He also knew a little of what those people were after.

He crouched down, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath in through his nose.  Then he opened his eyes.  The iris was slightly almond in shape, and much larger than normal.  He began to move slowly through the underbrush, his senses leading the way.  Just like a large wildcat.




"Llani, be careful around that man."  She looked at Reina earnestly.

"Why? If he meant us harm, he could have done that while we slept."  Reina nodded.

"True, but he was able to hunt down one of our deers in less than an hour and bring it back to the fire without using the bow.  I saw no wound when he began to skin it."  She frowned.

"Really?  Then what did he use?"  She shivered at his words.

"His bare hands."  He closed his eyes.  "And now that he's finally free of the disease that would have killed him eventually, there is no telling what he'll do.  He's lived with pain and suffering the likes of which no one from our world will ever experience. There is no telling how it will have affected him."  He let out a sound of forced resignation.

"That world gave birth to a human monster, and our Queen brought him here.  May the gods help us."

The Ostyragor - Chapter 3 - The Beast

Chapter 3 – The Beast

“Who is that?” The young woman, a wealthy merchant's daughter, asked in awe. She watched as a massive man hammered in a fence post with a large mallet. Her mother nodded approvingly.

“Not sure. He's big though. Make a fine husband.” The matron, similarly attired in fine linen and cotton clothing, remarked. She couldn't understand why her lovely daughter was still not bonded to a man of means. She had a good bone structure, good health, obvious feminine charms, and came from a family of wealth. Every suitor who had ever come to call upon her quickly lost their interest.

Her father barked out a laugh, to which her mother narrowed her eyes. This time he didn't back down. His smile was almost malicious.

“That is Ta'rak.” He didn't explain what that meant, and to the daughter, it meant nothing particular.

“Ta'rak...Ta'rak, why does that name sound familiar?” His wife could remember something about that name, and his eyes remained gleeful while she tried to remember. His lovely daughter let her anger show, and her demeanor showed her father why she was still single. She was spoiled rotten.

“What do I care if you know who he is? He's strong, would make a good soldier, and could easily join the Soturi!” Her petulant whine gave way to a groan of exasperation. How could her parents not see that she wanted this man and it was their job to get him for her?

“You should know him, my dear. He was Haltija's first student.” His wife's eyes opened wide with recognition. Her daughter still had a look of boredom.

“Who's Haltija?” She rolled her eyes disrespectfully. Her mother turned her way, anger in her features, the first she's seen in a long time.

“Only the last Kalpa Mestari of Arouna Dell! You had better remember proper respect when saying his name! Do you know the trouble you could cause us should one of the Soturi hear you speak so disrespectfully?” Her daughter looked a bit confused.

“Our Kalpa Mestari? I thought Annikki was his student!” Her father nodded, a vicious smile still on his face.

“She was his last one, but she was never raised. Ta'rak was his first student, and although he could never be raised to Kalpa Mestari of Arouna Dell, he defeated Haltija.” He did not need to say what that resulted in, or the skill needed to pull off such a feat. His daughter's eyes became even more interested in the vision of muscle before her.

“Even more reason to have him as husband.” Her mother rolled her eyes while her father laughed evilly. “Why are you laughing at me?” Her whine was irritating, and most likely another one of the reasons she was not bonded.

“As a Sword Master, Kalpa Mestari, he is no doubt already bonded! Even if he wasn't, you aren't worthy!” Her mother patted her hand. “He is, my dear, above your station.” Her mother took her by the hand and pulled her away from the fence, though she turned back one last time to admire the strength the man obviously possessed.  “But you are right. He would have made a fine husband.” She said it sadly as she walked away.

“You could have been easier on her then that, Rudon.” Nongul appeared at the merchant's side, a slight smile on his lips.

“Nongul, you old goat! Ahh, you're right, but you don't know what I put up with just to please those two! I want to marry her off, but her attitude leaves a sour taste in every suitor's mouth.”

“You spoiled her too much. Told you that years ago.”

“I know, I know. What could I do? I made so much silver trading, and since my family had never seen so much coin, I ended up spoiling both of them. Now, I regret every silver spent making them happy because they never are!” Nongul chuckled. At least when he spoiled his wife, she appreciated it.

“Get the girl bonded to someone of at least average smarts, he might stick around long enough to get her out of your hair! A little reality might straighten her out.”

“Probably right. Real life has a habit of doing that. Is Ta'rak competing this year? Got some coins I wouldn't mind risking on his sword.”

“Not a chance. His wife would make him regret even trying to step into the Ring.” Rudon laughed.

“I feel for him, I really do. Too bad. He's almost a sure thing.” He looked at Ta'rak as he raised the mallet. “I think those posts regret getting in his way.” Nongul chuckled as the mallet landed and drove the post deeper into the hard packed soil.

“I feel bad for the mallet.”

* * * * *

Wild and angry eyes were burned into his mind as Ta'rak swung the mallet again and again. They always burned with passion and desire, but were quick to anger. The heat of the day, the work of setting up the Ring in its new location, and memories of her hands dancing across his chest last night drenched his back with sweat.

Ta'rak sighed and set the mallet down for a moment. He didn't want to leave his wife alone again this year, but the Hunt was a commitment he had to keep.

“Maybe next year, Nongul or A'ton will run it.” He picked up the mallet again, raised it over his shoulder, and hit the top of the post with one last strike.

Akeena was not going to make it easy for him to go this year though. When she said she would torture him, she meant it. There was no sense in fighting her pull either. Akeena curved her lips in a small smile and looked up at him from under her lashes, or swayed her hips while she walked, and he melted like snow in a frying pan over an open camp fire. Her pull was powerful, her will intense, and her desire smoked hotly whenever he was around. If Akeena deliberately set herself to force him to fall in love with her, she was well on her way to doing just that.

He needed to see her smile.

Ta'rak walked over to the table and looked at the plans again in an attempt to clear his mind of the clutter, and his wife's overpowering influence. The Ring had been pushed off the center of the village this year, off the market square, and against the wall. That didn't bother him much. They needed the room for the competitors to spread out and be able to circle each other comfortably.

New seating areas had been planned for the ones who organized the gambling. They grumbled a little, but Ta'rak reminded them that they would get to see the fighters as they entered the Ring and when they left, which gave them excellent views for the purpose of gauging who would win, and who was too injured to continue. They had to pay ten percent of what they made off the bets to Ta'rak, his personal cut, but he did no betting himself. His experience gave him an unfair advantage.

Most of the participants were already signed in, with only a few stragglers not yet present, most of whom were from Arouna Dell. Their travel held them up sometimes, so he granted them leave to show up the day the Ring's first match was scheduled for. He would hold the matches in the second half of the cycle, which allowed the markets to continue to do business with the fighters. That also allowed him to start the Hunt at the beginning of the new dark moon.

“Hitto.” He muttered a couple of times. He put down the plans and rolled the scroll back up. He had seen them dozens of times already, and the setup would not get any better.

It was time to take care of a little personal business that he had been avoiding. He walked towards the center of the square, and approached a stall he knew to be the silversmith.

“Smith, I have something for you.” The man looked up from his display case, several pieces were laid out behind the glass, showing off his skill.

“What can I do for you, this fine day?” Ta'rak placed an old parchment on the stall counter. He recognized the design after taking a quick look. The smith had been asked to create a pin for a man's wife, and paid well for the pattern. Once it had approval, he would make it for a generous fee and ship it.

“I remember this, even though it was years ago. I thought you changed your mind on it.” The silversmith squinted his eyes, and checked for any type of deception. Ta'rak shook his head.

“The Jakt Agor took my wife ten years passed. There is another who it would be perfect for, with a variation. Is the agreed upon fee still good for you?” The fee was more than generous back then, and then some today. Villagers were less likely to spend silver on jewelry, but preferred to spend it on arms for protection, or food and basic survival supplies.

“Of course. Two ounces of silver for the piece, up front,” More then enough silver for the setting and delicate work required, “a stone for the setting, and five for the work. The stone if you still have it, but if you don't, I will have to get another and that would be another five ounces.” Ta'rak nodded, put the seven ounces of silver on the counter of the stall, along with a green stone, the variation being the stone itself. His previous choice was a ruby. The jeweler whistled lightly. It was a little bit larger then he expected, but that should be easy enough to work around.

“I thought you would pay the rest when you picked up the piece, or I shipped it to you?” He wasn't likely to try and sell it on him, but that was still a large amount of trust he was placing in the smith.

“No need. I know enough people in your town that I should be able to get it shipped with little trouble. Some are here today for the competitions.” The smith looked up from the silver, his eyes showing the recognition of who he was speaking to. He nodded. There was no need for this man to fear theft from him. It was the smith who had to make sure this man got what he paid for.

“I'd say it should be ready in about a dark moon's time. That suit you?” Ta'rak nodded, pushed the silver and the stone across the counter and walked off. The smith quickly gathered up his pay and the stone to put it in his locking chest for security. Many people knew he had the chest, but what they didn't know was that he was able to drop the silver and stone into a small secret cubbyhole just beneath the chest. It was just in case the wrong person saw him with the silver. Money was hard to come by, and some people would just as soon take it from him then earn it themselves.

* * * * *

The Soturi shook his head. He was one of the most skilled fighters in his city, a relief guard to King Ky'ran himself, and that was what people tried to do. He looked at his adversary who was laid out unconscious on the ground, then looked at the body of the one who tried to put a knife in his ribs when his back was turned. He lifted his gaze to the Ring's organizer and pulled the big man's ax from the cutthroat's chest. He had heard of the man's prowess with an ax but he thought he might be able to see it in action in the Ring.

The order to strafe right had been barked out at him while he was fighting. His own training compelled him to follow the order and the ax flew past him, through the spot he occupied just a second before.

“That was quite the risk you took, firing that where I was standing. I thought you used the sword.” Ta'rak smiled only slightly. The Soturi knew who trained him. Teuvo was slightly put off by the fact that his life had just been saved and he hadn't known the attacker was there.

“Not really. I knew you were Soturi. You follow orders.” Ta'rak wiped the blood off his ax with a piece of leather before returning it to its sheath. “I tell everyone who climbs into the Ring that if they plan to cheat, plan to die. That one will be hung outside the village, unless you would prefer to do the deed yourself?” The soldier shook his head.

“He didn't show me one bit of respect in the Ring. He would have been executed in the city as well anyway, so what does it matter which method is used?” Ta'rak nodded, grabbed the man by the ankle and dragged him out of the ring. He motioned for the matches to start again, the crowds still betting on the outcomes, and the competitors lining up on each side of the venue. He turned the man over to a guard who had him taken outside the village into the forest. He would be cut down in a few hours and the body thrown deeper back into the forest. Good people were sent to their Final Rest. The rest were to be considered manure on the ground.

Ta'rak saw the soldier wandering around the village later, looking at the various stalls, sometimes stopping to admire one of the pieces, other times just walking passed. He caught sight of Ta'rak and made his way over.

“I see you are still undefeated, Soturi. How does the day find you?” The soldier grunted.

“It was a good day for fighters. Some good ones, some bad ones. The bad ones I taught them a lesson or two, the good ones I told them to make their way down to the city to enlist if they wanted to be paid for their skills.” Ta'rak smiled. The soldier in the man rarely did anything that did not benefit his King, even if it was considered free time.

“Back to the city after the competitions?” The soldier shook his head.

“No, I will be going on the Hunt this year.” The soldier did not relax against the railing, but seemed to be ready to switch into a defensive stance in the blink of an eye.

“I don't remember seeing your name on the list going out with me this year.” Ta'rak leaned against the closest rail, and even though it bent under his weight, it still held.

“I'm going as an aide to a merchant.” If there was a sneer in his tone, there was none upon his face.

“Its always good to have a skilled arm in the group. Some folks down south don't realize just how close we come to the bridge, or how close we hunt to the border.” The soldier grunted. He would keep his peace, his reputation for tight lips in Arouna Dell had been well earned. He was a man of action, not words.

Ta'rak took his leave of the soldier, noted the fact that he did not respond, and walked back to the ring to check the area for any weapons left lying around before going home. He felt jumpy for the last couple of days and couldn't put it down to any one thing, so he was exercising more caution then normal. He didn't like these feelings as it normally meant trouble.

* * * * *

Ta'rak walked around the courtyard, and found his wife just inside the doorway with a perturbed look on her face.

“You're late!” Akeena had been tempted to try and find out where her husband had gone, but she hadn't left the house alone since he took her home the night of Furlon's Final Rest. He encouraged her to go out into the village, or at least out on the steps and get some sunshine. She always just shied away from the door, and only stepped out when he was there.

“Supper is ready!” Her face cleared of her anger. She smiled seductively. “And so am I.” Her hands came out, reached around behind his neck, and pulled his face down for a kiss that turned up the temperature. When she told him she wanted him to suffer and miss her terribly while he was on the Hunt, she meant it. He hated the sense of loneliness he felt while she was not by his side, and he couldn't think straight while she was looking at him in that way. It felt like she had sewed herself to him and that to be separate from her would be painful.

Akeena walked away, looked back over her shoulder at the top of the stairs, and slipped an arm out of her dress. He heard the fabric hit the floor after she disappeared into the bathroom. For the first time since their bonding, he didn't feel guilty about his close relationship with Akeena. He didn't think of Jaana, his long dead wife, or Furlon, his best friend. He thought of his wife, and how she rubbed her skin with warm wet sand, and how the water rolled off her skin when she poured a bucket of hot water over her freshly scrubbed skin.

The groan was audible.

* * * * *

Akeena slid beneath the sleeping furs a few hours later. There was a sultry look in her eyes, and her lips had this pout that made his knees go weak. She held up the vial of rose scented oil he had just given to her as a gift. Akeena pulled the fur blanket off her back, her light brown flesh called to him. She smiled and laughed.

“Will you rub this into my back?” Her voice dripped sweetly like honey, the look in her eyes more then telling him what her intentions were.

He felt the chains that bound him to her as surely as any prisoner would. As soon as she smiled at him, touched his hand, or kissed him lightly, the burdens he carried would be as light as a feather, but when out of his reach, the chains pulled him back into that pit of loneliness that he hated.

He groaned as he took the oil. She laughed lightly again. He still did not know how anyone could make love so enjoyable, and so horrible at the same time. It took willpower to crawl out of bed in the morning, to pull himself away from her, and take his eyes off of hers. Ta'rak knew that this Hunt would be his worst one yet. Akeena promised him that.

* * * * *

Ta'rak rode high in the saddle, without a slouch and no off balance movements that would make the ride harder on himself, or the horse. His face revealed only one thing, a lack of patience. Akeena's plan had worked to perfection, and he ached with longing for his wife. He missed her scent, her smile, and her touch at night. The party had only been riding for just over two days, but it already felt like too much to bear.

The road they traveled on was not a well used one, but in spite of the lack of use, it was not overgrown with weeds. The stones were as smooth and unbroken since the time they were laid over two thousand years ago. The most gifted scholars and artisans have tried to figure out how the Fallen paved the road, and what methods their builders used but with no success. Whatever they did to the stones themselves, they could not be pried up from the area they were placed, they could not be dug out, nor could they be marked or damaged.

Ta'rak's level of patience was being tried on all sides. The merchants and nobles grumbled about the distance to the camp, and their pampered behaviors only highlighted his desire to not be on this trip. The Soturi closed up on his right, apparently with instructions.

“I have been instructed to inquire as to when we would arrive at our destination.” Ta'rak didn't hear anything in the soldier's tone, or a hint in his face of the tension that he knew was there. The soldier's white knuckled grip on his sword gave it away.

“We will be stopping in another half a day. This will be a half moon long camp, and once we're there, no one will be permitted to return to the village without permission. This close to the border is not the place for anyone to be in a small group. Remind him of that.” The soldier's grip on his sword eased and he returned to his post with no hint of a smile. His eyes did betray his amusement at giving the merchant the instructions.

Polkkypaa! No clue about where we are going and where we'll be camping! There's no inn out here, and the only one's likely to kiss their backsides will be the riivaaja before they tear a chunk of meat out of it! Patience was a commodity he wished he could buy at a market stall. He was almost out of it.

Ta'rak's thoughts continued to follow dark paths, and if not for the hardships his village would suffer should he just turn around and cancel the event, he would have done just that.

He missed having those dark eyes follow him around, and see those lips turn up in a pout. Ta'rak finally admitted it to himself.

He loved his wife.

* * * * *

“When I said to hit me, if my guard is open, you better well hit me!” Herra Kai was angry. The soldier held his jaw, a surprised look on his face.

“But sir....” He had to duck another swing.

“How am I going to learn anything if you take it easy on me? Do you spar this way with your fellow guards?”

“No sir! They'd hit me too!” The guard had to back away from the angered Herra. Ta'rak smiled as Nongul sat down beside him.

“What's he doing?” Nongul couldn't see why the noble would want to be hit.

“Learning. Watch.” The guard had to duck a few times, but as his defenses were overwhelmed by a man who didn't behave as a noble should, he went from defensive and started to attack. Lord Kai smiled as his hand was rapped with the end of the practice sword. Kai circled, tried the maneuver again, got rapped again, and lifted his sword.

“What did I do wrong? I don't think I am seeing where I'm leaving my defense open.” Ta'rak decided to help the man.

“Remember how his sword came in and flicked sideways? Watch to see where the tip of his sword ends up. If your sword grip is higher then his tip, he can flick in like that. Either step back and reset your defense, lower the angle of your sword, or lower the position. Move with him. Your job is to turn his work against him. Find his weakness.” There was a substantial improvement in his defense, but he still had weaknesses that could be exploited. The guard smiled as Kai managed to deflect his next few incoming attacks.

“You didn't let me block you, did you?” he asked. The guard backed off with a smile.

“Not a chance, Herra. If I could have rapped your hand again, I would have. You need more practice, but its better.” Kai continued to practice with the guards, earned a few more bruises, but several soldiers saluted him respectfully. He had earned that respect.

Ta'rak examined Lord Kai once again from his side of the fire. He was thinner this year, more muscled, and he noticed some bruises still fresh on his arms. He earned those sparring with his local guards. It was said that the Hunt from last year woke him up to the dangers of the wilds and he wanted to be in better shape to deal with them as he got older. It looked like he was well on his way to doing good things with his time.

The rest of the rabble just set his teeth on edge. It was not normally the word you would use to describe the wealthier members of society, but he couldn't see any good qualities, so rabble was what they were to him.

They stank of perfumes, wore linen and cotton clothes, finer furs were used to line their robes, and silver adorned just about every part of their clothes in the form of buttons and tassels. If they weren't mostly fat and balding, they would have been dressed prettier then most of the women of Harm's End.

They also made too much noise for the time of night, and drank too much wine. Not far from where they were set up, Ta'rak had downed a bear with an arrow straight through the eye. It reminded him of just how dangerous this forest could be.

“Ta'rak, there is no activity around the campsite, but I don't want to risk it around here. How many guards do you think we need for the night?” The Kantava Soturi, second in command of Arouna Dell, was as pure an example of a soldier he had come across, and he didn't see any reason to sit down yet. He wasn't asking the question because he didn't know a good number to use. It wasn't his command.

"Four guards in shifts of two hours each are the standard. One at each corner of the camp, with torches, bows and blades. They should be able to wake everyone in case something goes wrong. Assign who ever you think will do the job well.” Ta'rak closed his eyes. “Their lives may count on it." One of the herras caught his last statement and looked up.

“What do you mean that their lives may count on it?” A sneer was in his voice, as though someone would dare to say something to him. He was a herra, a leader, a ruler by birthright, albeit of a poor insignificant village, but a noble nonetheless. Ta'rak opened his eyes, and the intense expression on his face made the noble sit back a bit.

“Should any of them fall asleep in this area of the forest, a bear or wild cat could easily slip into camp and kill before the rest of the guards were awake enough to stop it. Not to mention what can creep across the bridge.” He paled at the mention of the bridge into the Jakt Agor.

“Do what you see fit then. I would like to see the morning sun, thank you.” The herra tried to make it seem like an order that he issued for their safety. Ta'rak didn't crack a smile.

"No need to warn them. They don't do their duty, they die. Same as in Arouna Dell." The Soturi didn't wonder if Ta'rak would indeed kill someone asleep at their post. He was aware that he had no problem executing someone if it became necessary.

Ta'rak sat with his back to a large tree, looked around the fire, and sighed when his eyes rested on Rodan and Nongul. They were enjoying a good mug of wine, and listening intently to Lord Kai's tale of his first Hunt. Everyone seemed to have a good time, everyone but him. He still worried about his wife.

As though he had requested the event by thinking about Akeena, an incredibly powerful wave of energy, black as coal, highlighted in blue at the edges, swept through the camp like a tidal wave. Everyone, except for Ta'rak, threw up violently, and felt as wretched as though they had a hangover. The feeling passed as quickly as it came.

Ta'rak was the only one not to vomit. He felt immense hunger as the wave passed through him.

“I think your wine has gone bad.” One of the soldiers joked after he wiped his mouth.

By mutual agreement, everyone laid off the wine for the rest of the night, just in case they had gotten into a bad barrel. Amid the cursing and swearing, the assorted nobility brushed the vomit off their clothes, and changed their soiled garments. One thing was apparent with the event though. Ta'rak was the only one to see the energy wave.

* * * * *

“Rough night?” Nongul asked. He sat down on the log next to Ta'rak. The big man looked like he hadn't slept at all during the night, even though he did not have any of the watches.

“Feels like I just closed my eyes. When she said she would make me suffer, she wasn't kidding.” Ta'rak stood up to stretch and warm up his muscles.

“My wife does the same thing to me. Get used to it. Wait until you get home! You think you're suffering now!” Nongul chuckled heartily at Ta'rak's groan. He hadn't thought about just how his wife might make his life worse, at least until now. When he returned home, he would need to spend a large amount of time catering to her, and make her feel loved again.

"The Soturi has sent out some scouts to see if they can find any tracks for the hunters to follow."

“Not what I'd have done. I wanted these soft men to learn some lessons. But.... it is a bit better method, to know where the tracks are, and allow the nobles to follow them. Never know. Might be able to cut this session short and get home earlier then expected.” That seemed to brighten Ta'rak's outlook, and he gulped his hot tea, grateful for the sweet taste he couldn't do without. Ta'rak shivered, a chill ran over his skin in spite of the warmth of the sun.

“Something feels....wrong.” He just couldn't shake the feeling he's had lately, the one of some impending disaster. The sensation was similar to an ant walking on your skin and one that he remembered well. He felt this way every time he went into battle.

"Sir!" A guard stumbled into the camp, visibly shaken, his face pale. Ta'rak could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

"Report soldier." The Soturi's eyes narrowed, and stared straight at the soldier until he drew himself up from his slouched stance and snapped a quick salute.

"Sir, there are tracks! Unlike anything I've ever seen! Huge, deep, like a boar, but ... I don't think it's a boar!" The soldier tried to tell them about the tracks, but he fumbled over his words until Ta'rak stepped up.

"Where are they?" The soldier pointed behind him.

"About two hundred yards in that direction sir! Take your weapons! The beast that made those tracks has to be absolutely monstrous!" Ta'rak picked up his ax, left behind his bow, and ran through the woods. His long strides allowed him to jump over fallen logs as sure footed as a deer running from a predator. The Soturi reached him barely winded, but nowhere near as fast.

"By the Fallen! What could have made that?" The Soturi had never had the misfortune to meet one of these creatures, but Ta'rak was all too aware of what it was. The sheer size and depth of the hoof print showed him that it was abnormally large and heavy. The tracks also seemed to amble along from the direction of the bridge, and barely missed their camp.

“Its Kirosi! From the Jakt Agor!” His face paled. Ta'rak had never fought a riivaaja from the Jakt Agor, but he knew of their destructive tendencies. Teuvo pulled his sword from its sheathe, swept his gaze back and forth, a search for movements that might give the beast away.

“Which way did it head?” Ta'rak followed the tracks for a few dozen feet. They headed south east, along the road that would eventually turn southwards, right along the front of the village of Harm's End.

“Its following the road!” He ran back to his horse as fast as he could manage. He cursed his fingers as they struggled to put the tack on his horse. He barked out orders to the guards, and told them to break camp. They were to head back to the village.

“Ta'rak, what is it?” Nongul walked up to his friend who was frantically doing up the girth strap on his horse.

“Kirosi! It might be heading to the village! I have to track it!”

“Hitto!” Nongul ran off towards Rodan to tell him the news, and cursed Mia for his treachery. “If anyone dies, I'll kill him myself!” He said under his breath. His stout legs carried him fast across the camp.

Amid the chaos, the guards tried to get everyone in some sort of order and the camp broken down. Ta'rak heard nothing. His mind played out the dance of fears and regrets.

I have to get home!

Ta'rak pulled himself up into the saddle and galloped off towards the area where he found the tracks. He slowed to a trot, kept an eye for the telltale signs of the beast, which slowed him down enough for Rodan and Nongul to catch up. They arrived at the turn in the road where Ta'rak had to dismount.

“Where is it heading?” He followed the tracks until he was certain.

“It follows the road! Its heading home!” Rodan cursed loudly. Ta'rak swung back up into the saddle of the large brown sorrel, and galloped off at a frightful pace. His fear and urgency seemed to infect the horse as it ran on.

Rodan could only stare as Ta'rak pulled away as though they stood still.

“What is that around him? Black fire?” Rodan asked.

“If you don't know, how can I? You're the Raaka!” If Rodan did not understand what was happening to Ta'rak, who did?

Ta'rak's eyes turned black, blackened pools of power flowed out of him, and surrounded the horse. The beat of the horse's hooves as it galloped echoed Ta'rak's thoughts.

Faster. Faster. FASTER!

* * * * *

The beast continued its easy lope along the road, oblivious to anything other then its hunger. It couldn't hear the normal creatures that crashed through the woods on its side of the bridge. It couldn't smell any fresh kills that told the pig it was time to fight for food. It would have to search for food, but trails often led to food. This wide trail would lead the pig to food.

Its tongue lolled about in its maw, multiple tusks stuck out from several different angles, ready to skewer and kill its victims. It was hungry.

* * * * *

“I am a councilor! If you don't want to be shoveling manure in the barns for the winter, you'll do as your told! Open the gates, and allow any visitors to come in as they please!” The guard looked uncertainly at the councilor in front of him.

“We are not to keep the gates open, sir. What if there was an attack? The Elder specifically said to keep the gates shut.” He couldn't believe this polkkypaa would open the gates like this. It was an open invitation to come in and steal or kill whoever you wanted.

“The Elder is not here. I am. Open the gates!” The guard shrugged his shoulders and obeyed, as he was supposed to. Mia walked away, and congratulated himself on the victory he had scored against the Elder. He would promote the village's openness to traders and possibly get some more silver to flow through this village. He might then be able to convince the rest of the council to throw Rodan out of the village and place him in his rightful position as his father's heir.

Ta'rak had rightly called him a polkkypaa, an old word for fool, and whatever else a person might call one whose ability to reason was questionable.

* * * * *

“I can do this. I've lived here my whole life! There's nothing to fear with our walls to protect us, is there?” The question was not meant for anyone to answer, but meant to steady her nerves.

Fear dogged her relentlessly as she stepped down off the stairs. This was the first time, since Furlon's Final Rest, that she left her new home without Ta'rak present. It made her feel exposed and frightened.

Akeena looked around the corners of the porch, took note of the pathways, the walks her husband used, then squared her shoulders and stepped into the lane. Ta'rak had encouraged her to do as she pleased, but he also pushed her to find herself again, to find her inner strength, instead of using his. He wasn't mean about it, but he was worried that she would just fall into herself and be fearful of everything for the rest of her life.

“You will be proud of me, my husband. When you come home, we will go to the inn and have a meal. That should please you.” She said it almost in a whisper, uncertain, yet hopeful. She did truly love her new husband, enjoyed his company, and the way he made her feel loved and protected. She smiled.

“I hope you miss me as much as I miss you. Oh, how I am going to enjoy tormenting you when you come home.” She smiled an evil little smile. At the same time, she knew her own hunger for Ta'rak had increased, and that would not make it easy for her to deny him for very long. Probably not much longer then it took him to get out of his clothes and into a bath.

“I miss you so much, Ta'rak! Please come home safe!” She remembered watching him practice the sword in the backyard when he didn't know she was looking. His skill astounded her, in how he moved and flowed like water, and how he relied on his speed and skill, not his strength.

He was still far away, and so close to the Jakt Agor that he would not be home for a couple of cycles yet. She missed him so much that it scared her!

* * * * *

“Its too hot out here!” The heat of the day made the guard feel like he would wilt in his bronze plate armor. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and stained his tunic. It was unseasonably warm for this time of year. Heiketa was the time of decline, when the trees began to sleep, and the local harvests were brought in. He stayed under the shade of the wall, within sight of the gate, and mourned the stupidity of those in power.

A powerful rotten stench assaulted his senses.

“Ugh, what is that smell?” The guard's face lost almost all color when he turned to face the gate.

“Ancient preserve us.” His voice barely came above a whisper. The massive boar was hideous in its ugliness, a monster with hairs so thick that they looked wooden, bony plates lined its spine for protection, huge tusks that jutted outwards at many angles, and red malicious eyes with no trace of mercy in them. It was larger then any boar he's ever laid eyes upon, and more massive then their local bears. It was a few thousand pounds of destructive force, with murder and mayhem on its mind.

The guard barely felt the tusk skewer him as it rammed through his bronze armor. He died quickly in the face of such power.

* * * * *

The blood of the guard dripped into the beast's mouth, out of his wound and down its tusks. The beast shook its head, shredded bronze plate, and opened the wound further. This was only the first of many things to kill here. Its next target walked into sight. The beast threw its kill aside to be eaten later, and pushed forward on powerful legs.

Now, its eyes were on the soft morsel coming around a corner.

* * * * *

Ta'rak rounded the corner of the road, the walls came into sight, and almost felt relief to see the walls still intact. His relief was short lived as he heard the screams from within. His heart beat faster in his chest. He reined the horse in and slid from the saddle.

He stopped dead in his tracks outside of what should be a closed gate.

“Why is this open!” He pulled his ax from the saddle. The wooden gate was undamaged, just left open and free. His eyes regained their color. His horse felt fear for the first time since the insane ride began, galloped away from the gate, and headed for anywhere but there.

Ta'rak walked through the open gate. There was blood splattered on everything in sight. He saw the guard's body, a huge hole in the middle, his armor broken through like it was cloth, and his face devoid of life.

Instincts for battle warred with his panic for Akeena's safety. His grip tightened on the ax, and his eyes darted from place to place. The path of destruction was obvious and easily followed. Wooden posts from the courtyard and the market were splintered off at the base, while the stalls were destroyed as though they were only tinder for a fire.

Ta'rak was a fighter. He took it slow, step after step, followed his instincts, and trusted in his experience to help him. His eyes fell on something behind some unbroken crates, near to the baker's shop.

“No!” Barely a whisper passed his lips, but the sight tore open the wound that would not heal, the pain that never seemed to end. Barely hidden behind the crates, he caught sight of Akeena's dress, one he knew she wore. There was blood all over the crates. He slowly moved closer, that wound now open wide, his misery there for all to see.

The monster that killed her stalked around a corner.

* * * * *

The boar walked towards the courtyard again, its belly no longer empty, and its appetite for food temporarily sated. What it desired now was more death and destruction.

The boar seemed to enjoy the screams of fear around it. The beasts of the Jakt Agor killed for pleasure as much as for food or self preservation. This boar relished the kill as much as any of its brethren.

A much larger target came into sight. It snorted, lowered its head and began to charge.

* * * * *

Ta'rak saw the beast come around the corner. A massive creature with blood stained tusks, and its red eyes fixed on him. There was no fear in him at the sight of the Kirosi beast.

There was only anger.

Ta'rak couldn't remember lifting his ax. He couldn't remember anything but the hatred in his heart for this creature, one of those that stole his love from him, his first wife, his father, and now Akeena, his new wife. He boiled over, anger at the injustice of his losses, and an insane rage at how this thing dared to kill another of his loved ones.

Power he didn't know he had began to bubble up inside him, a spring filled with energy that seethed like a hurricane. It flooded his limbs, and powered his muscles with a strength that had not been seen in over two thousand years, not since the time of the Fallen.

His eyes turned black, swirled with static in uncontrolled bursts of energy, the black aura around him grew larger and more wild by the second.

Energy poured out of him like a river that burst a dam, varied and out of control. Static discharged throughout his aura, flashed like lightning within a thundercloud, flames randomly swept out from side to side, while the wind howled around his feet and roared in anger at the beast as it charged.

* * * * *

A'ton came around the corner, the sword his friend had given him in his hands. He knew that Akeena had left the house only a few minutes earlier, but he heard the screams. Without hesitation, he picked up the sword and headed outside, all the while, Colli yelled at him to come back, tears streamed down her face.

The houseman walked with his sword at the ready, tried to keep his head while he surveyed the level of destruction he found outside the manor. A'ton tore his eyes away from the bodies, pushed himself forward, and refused to allow any level of fear to penetrate his resolve. He remembered the hours Ta'rak spent with him, how he drilled him, practiced the blade. He taught him lessons that came second nature to Ta'rak, but were a struggle for everyone else.

He needed to protect Akeena. He needed to make sure Ta'rak's last chance at happiness didn't die today. What he witnessed chilled him to the bone.

* * * * *

The power he wielded was not disciplined, and it lacked the rigid control that a Raaka exerted over his elemental abilities. If anything could be called Hajjakar, random  divine chaos, this was it.

The wind that howled at his feet picked up in strength the closer the boar got to him. Within only a brief second, it went from sweeping the dust into a focused pillar of wind and flame that rose several dozen feet into the air. Ta'rak remained with his feet planted, static flashed, and the sound was like the clap of thunder.

Everything he had, all of the energy he could grab, was focused around him. The winds caught the boar off guard, and caused it to stumble as it approached.

The boar was pushed off course. It could no longer hit its intended target with its first attack. It had to run passed.

In the brief second the Kirosi took to recognize that it could not kill its target, it felt something else. This creature felt familiar. To the denizens of the Jakt Agor, familiarity also meant danger.

With its neck exposed as it ran by, Ta'rak swung the ax with all his strength. The blade never touched flesh.

In his mind, Ta'rak pictured a blade passing through the neck of the beast. Just before the ax connected with the boar's flesh, a pure white light sheered through the beast ahead of his ax. The boar's head flew off, sliced from its body as though a razor's edge had done the job.

As clean and straight a cut a butcher would not find anywhere.

The ax continued its journey downwards, struck the flagstones in a shower of sparks and light. It was embedded up to its handle, and did not crack the stone.

* * * * *

A'ton's jaw dropped. He tried understand what he had just witnessed. Nothing in his life had prepared him for that.

The winds dissipated, the static died away, and the flames ebbed until they too disappeared.

Ta'rak caught sight of his friend, and felt relief to know that A'ton was still alive. The black aura bled away as though it was fog burned away by the sun. As soon as it was gone, Ta'rak crumpled to the ground.