Burning Soul

It was a village of Beastmen. Not even a village, it was just a little settlement!

Actually, there were no homes but small shacks made up of bamboo sticks and dried hay, not built-in order they were dispersed in manner. The region was not very clean and had a little dreadful and depressing atmosphere. The bonfires were erected almost outside every shack. The weather there was quite chilly.

I required a place where I could take a rest and then again continue my journey in the morning. The moon was brimful and the sky was clear with full of scintillating stars. I increased my speed and reached the settlement. After I reached there everyone started staring at me with sceptic’s eyes. Little children ran away when l set my foot in the settlement. No one was primed to talk with me. After many trials, I assured people living there that I was not larceny or any anguish to them.

It was late in the night so I asked the elders if I could stay there for the time being. There I learned that the settlement had problems dealing with monsters nearby and that was the very reason, why everyone was petrified when I entered the settlement.

The sentinels were farther than where they needed to be and sending armed forces to guard a mere settlement? No one paid any attention to their pleas.

At first, they were a bit wary of me, I knew that Beastmen didn’t like humans much, so I didn’t press on.

I could feel gazes upon me as they were sceptic of me, so I planned to leave early in the morning.

But among all, this little one was most curious about me, she wanted to know where I came from, who was I? A traveller or an adventurer! She had all sorts of questions for me. Talking to her, I never realized when midnight came. As it was too late and she was too sleepy, I let her sleep with me, somehow even the elders approved!

I agree with you all when you say she’s adorable! But I bet you can’t imagine that cute thing when she sleeps!” Merida seemed happy for some reason,

“Hmm, won’t disagree with you there!” Yvaine nodded with a pleasant smile on her face and blinking her eyes in agreement.

“It was after everyone slept; I was not able to sleep in that ambience so I got up and sat with my legs folded on the place where I slept and started to plan about the journey I was going to make in the morning and suddenly I noticed some Mana disturbance nearby.

As Carena was sound asleep, getting up without disturbing her was a challenge.

Yet I managed to move out! With some tricks of course.”

Merida nodded her head as she talked with little sublime expressions, then she stroked her hair banks which trembled over her eyes with hands.

“As I stepped out I saw a few elders already carrying mediocre weapons, maybe they were preparing for something, like an invasion maybe! They surely had no training in handling them, the young ones had swords and spears. Definitely looked like an Invasion to me.

I decided to head back as it wasn’t something, I wanted to involve myself with. Territorial disputes ain’t something I wanted to get my hands into, and in someone else’s kingdom!”

“But you did!” Aeneas replied, narrowing his eyes and blinking it a little fast while tightening his fist.

“How could I stand still when I saw a few kids joining in the fight!

The kids in the village stepped up to save their people and put up a fight, I had to intervene!

I had to save those cute little furballs!

I decided to go and ask the elders about what is going on!

There I was told that for the past few days they were being raided by a mob of monsters, they’d just pop out of nowhere and attack villagers. They’d rob the food and stuff, they had lost over half a year worth of food and a lot of men!

The monsters they described were as tall as bears. They were covered with thick black fur. They had bright yellow beady eyes and Super, sharp teeth that hang down all the way to the ground. They had razor-sharp claws on their hands and feet. Some of them had blood-red wings which were sharp enough to cut down a full-grown tree. The monsters had a high pitched squeaky voice! If it ever wanted to say ‘roar’, it would only come out as ’reek’!”

Hearing this everyone in the room was quite afraid. Theo and Aeneas had blank expressions with their eyes pop out and mouth open.

‘Such a thing was roaming around here un-noticed!’

Merida continued, “There were a few kids who had lost their lives in the matter as well, the village was in no shape to fight back, I felt so sad for what was going on.

I decided to lend them some help, there was no time to set up some defence, so it was just head out and punch some monsters in their groin!”

“That’s rowdy!” Yvaine commented,

“Yeah! But you see, it works if it works!

So, I went and did what was best!

It was a bit strange to see a coordinated attack by monsters!”

“Hmm, as they have lesser intelligence, it’s really strange!” Aeneas commented.

“Gladly, I wasn’t low on Mana when it hit us, and wiping ‘em wasn’t a big deal.

But it intrigued me as well!

After the invasion was fought off, I gained a bit of their trust, especially the elder of the village who saw the fight!

It helped ease the tension that we had in between us when I arrived first. We talked for a while about what happened, and when it all began!

As per the elders, it all began just a while ago when they started seeing strange animals, like Demonized ones!”