The reddish and orange colors of sunset were dying slowly along with the fading glow that faded on the horizon, showing how ravens as black as the gathering night rose in the sky, shedding their feathers and cawing as they moved away from the vicinity of dry and dead trees, resembling the bony hands of a beggar crying for mercy, stuck in the muddy blackness of a swamp almost devoid of vegetation.
The silence was palpable in the depths of the sunken meadow, empty, strangely calm, giving off a heavy aroma that overshadowed the damp, pasty smell characteristic of the forgotten nature of the swamp. Deeper, in a space where flimsy trees rose all around, lay the dismembered corpses of a caravan of soldiers, strewn across the mud like the pieces of an unfinished bloody play, ten men reduced to nothing more than organs and severed metal. , being the blazon of a webbed paw with three fingers as the only thing left to recognize them. However, not far from such a morbid portrait, hunched over one of the many unrecognizable corpses, was a figure wrapped in an old cloak, most of which was covered in mud and blood.
—The entire rib cage is in pieces... —she mumbled under her breath, using various taxidermy devices on the exposed parts of the corpse—The sternum is split into two parts... the rib cartilage, the false and floating ribs have been cut... Mhmm the cuts are deep... clean... it was a quick kill —the splash of footsteps in the mud makes its way over the chilling tranquility of the sunken forest, behind her, another figure was approaching her from the shadows of the trees, the crows that have not left watch intrigued.
—What the hell are you doing, Marcy? —the watery footsteps stop, the presence behind her speaking with a tone of disgust.
—Hello Sasha, did you find anything? —Marcy asks without being moved by the abrupt presence of her companion, ignoring her question before the concentration of her rugged task.
—No, just corpses and mud... —Sasha says in response, frowning, carefully watching how the black-haired woman was rummaging through the remains of a dead man whose name she didn't even know—What the hell are you doing? —she asks again.
—I'm looking for clues —Marcy replies simply, oblivious to Sasha's disgusted expression—You'd be surprised how much a corpse can say about what killed it.
—Ugh... I can't stand it when you do things like this —Sasha snorted in exasperation, wrinkling her nose at the nauseating smell that was beginning to invade her nostrils—How can you stand the smell?
—I have a mask —the black-haired woman turned slightly, pointing to the lower part of her face that was covered by a thick green cloth—The smell is not that strong anyway, a corpse takes an average of three to four days in stink... and these guys seem to have been dead no less than twenty-four hours... thirty at the most.
—My sense of smell is more advanced than yours... —the blonde pinched her nostrils in an attempt to cover part of the putrid aroma that apparently only she could capture—Have you discovered something useful at least?
—Not much —Marcy said, going back to her work—From the way the bodies are found, I deduce that it wasn't something human that left them in this state... —her eyes rested on the fleshy amalgamation of the organs exposed—But the strangest thing is that in addition to being dismembered... there's nothing else, they're all intact —she made a sign for Sasha to see for herself. The blonde complied with the silent request almost reluctantly, she had no problem with seeing a corpse, with her lifestyle it was something she was used to, but the smell... she could never get used to the damn smell... She couldn't help but groan as she stepped over Marcy's stooped figure, encountering the lifeless body of a grown man of average height, clad in silver armor, with the chest from the height of the heart to the pelvis open in channel, organs spilled on the floor, empty gray eyes, marked by a grimace of horror at what was the last thing he saw before he died... and as Marcy said, in addition to the large wound on his chest , everything else was intact—No bites, no missing parts, no signs of feeding on them... whatever it was it wasn't an animal or creature looking for food that attacked them...
—Wait, whatever it was? —Sasha looked away from the lifeless body, looking directly at Marcy's pensive profile—Are you saying this was done by one individual?"
—It's possible —Marcy stood up, leaving the body in its fateful rest as she threw her dirty gloves into the mud to later replace them with a new pair—Each of the bodies shows the same pattern, and the mud is very deep, so there are no footprints to find...—when she met Sasha's face once more, seriousness marked her eyes.
—To take out more than ten soldiers with such ease... it must have been something very big... —Sasha added, returning her gaze to the line of trees that surrounded them—Any theories that he was responsible?
—I have some, but… —she resurgence of splashes along with the crackle of withered vegetation, completely dropped any explanation Marcy was willing to offer. With her instincts in the air, Sasha quickly positions herself in front of her partner, using her own body as a shield while pointing her sword towards where the new sounds were in crescendo, the both women break out in a cold sweat, mentally and physically bracing themselves for whatever is closing in on their position.
—Marcy, Sasha! You have to see... —from the thick of the trees, a tangled mane of brown hair emerged noisily, fully showing the figure of a woman wrapped in mud and dry leaves, which at first glance anyone could see would take for a wandering bog spirit—This? —the woman stops her words short, looking intently at Marcy and Sasha, and how their guns are pointed directly at her person—Why are you looking at me like that?
—With a demon Anne, I almost cut your fucking head off! —Sasha whispers and yells at the same time, still unconsciously pointing her sword at her. Marcy, for her part, allows herself to breathe easy when she sees that it was only her missing adventure partner and not the creature responsible for the carnage under her feet—You can't surprise us like that! Do you realize the kind of place we're standing in?!
—Surprise you?! But if... —Anne's complaint was interrupted by a series of gasps and gasps, causing her to take a few seconds before she could continue, bringing her hands to her knees as she tried to catch her breath—B-but if I came running! I even yelled their names to alert you to my presence! —the woman explained much more composedly, fighting the mud that clung to her armor and the exposed parts of her tanned skin—Damn Sasha, if you even recognize my scent all the time!
—Girls? I think this is not the best time to... —Marcy wanted to intervene, speaking in a low but clearly exasperated tone, more like on many occasions, she was ignored.
—Well, that's… — The blonde paused for a moment, sniffing the air, catching the addition of a second nauseating scent that radiated intensely from Anne—Ugh! Where have you been?! You smell horrible!
—That's a funny story...
—I don't want to know... Augh... oh god... —even covering her nose was useless, her companions couldn't catch it for the most part, but for the lycan it was as if her nostrils were being smashed—That's why I couldn't recognize your smell, you smell like hell! —she hit the mud under her feet, nearly choking on stomach acid from emerging nausea—This whole damn place stinks like hell!
—Hey! —Obviously Anne felt very offended by that—Don't be ridiculous, I don't smell so bad! —she turned to Marcy—Right?
—No?... —she clearly wasn't following their discussion, mostly distracted by her bombastic thoughts and how Sasha was beginning to drown in her own misery.
—T-this is all... your damn fault! —Sasha cleared her throat, coming to her senses after a few seconds full of gurgling and vomiting threats, pointing at Marcy questioningly.
—My fault? —the black-haired woman blinked at the blonde's outburst, surprised by how the tables of the discussion seemed to be reversed from one moment to another—How is your overdeveloped sense of smell my fault? You were born with it.
—You were the one who took this stupid job! —the lycanthrope snapped—Why of all the jobs in the world did you choose one like this?!
—Are we really going to discuss this right now?... —Anne interjected, realizing that yelling at each other in the middle of a swamp full of corpses couldn't be the most sensible thing to do.
—YES! —but Sasha didn't seem to care.
—Could you at least lower the volume?... It's possible that the one who did all this is still hanging around here...
—Then let him show up! —Sasha's voice became much harsher, long fangs sprouted from under her lips and the golden patch of fur began to form outside her armor—I'll tear him to pieces for ruining my damn day! —blood gushed from her fingertips as her claws emerged, and with dazzling force, she snapped one of the old dry trees in half; the creak of wood and the savage growls of a beast reigned in the air for a few seconds.
The crows that were still roaming the area fled in terror, squawking, and throwing part of their black feathers into the air, but Anne and Marcy watched such a display of savagery by their partner without flinching, their faces marked by disappointment and embarrassment. They hated when Sasha would throw tantrums like this... not that they antagonized her for such behavior, she was a werewolf after all, her body was very different from a normal human, she could always perceive and feel things that they never could, she went through for too volatile mood swings from one moment to another, they understood her very well... however, they wish she could keep her composure longer.
The minutes passed very slowly when Sasha's claws on that poor tree stopped, the fur stopped growing, and his human features became dominant again.
—You finished? —Marcy asked, the woman bringing her left hand to Sasha's trembling shoulder.
—Yes... —the blond-haired woman murmured breathless—I'm sorry...
—It's okay —Marcy assured her, giving her a reassuring pat on the back—I should have considered that this would affect you too much... But we didn't have time... and if I didn't accept the mission...
—The soldiers from that fort were going to give us trouble, I know... —Sasha finished for her, wiping the sweat from her forehead—I hate doing things under threat...
—Well this is more for their safety than ours —Anne stressed, starting to drink some water from the flask she previously carried on her side—They said they wouldn't let us cross the bridge and would lock us up for crimes against the crown and blah blah blah if we didn't do this job for them —she pointed to herself and then to Sasha—But, what they don't know is that they threatened the only person whose lycanthropy is not a disease, and a daughter of the people of Siam —she took a fairly deep sip of the water—We only agreed to find they stupid caravan to avoid an unnecessary fight.
—Wow, usually I'm the one who says things like that... Aren't you supposed to be the nice one in the group? —the lycanthrope asked with an amused smile.
—I'm entitled to my ruthless moments —Anne shrugged—It was nice of me not to chop off those soldiers' heads when they started opening their damn mouths... —the poison began to seep into her words, the water already she didn't know well. Sasha and Marcy noticed this but didn't comment on it, they knew how much Anne hated soldiers.
—Werewolf, daughter of Siam... And me? I have nothing special? —it was Marcy who tried to calm the atmosphere, this was being her least favorite mission without a doubt.
—O-of course, Mar-Mar! —and miraculously it worked—It's just that Sasha and I are synonymous with strength in this team... but you...
—No offense Marbles but you're just a normal human —Anne shot Sasha a death glare—Incredibly smart, yes, but just a normal human after all...
—Sasha!
—That? I'm just being honest.
—But you could have been less hurtful!
—No no, it's okay, Sasha's right —Marcy stood between the two women—I'm just a normal human —she accentuated her words, looking Sasha straight in the eyes—A normal human who has managed to catch two legendary monsters with her intelligence and charm —she brought her hands up to Sasha's face, gently caressing her cheeks, gradually breaking the barrier of her personal space— A normal human who knows each of your weak points and where to touch to have said super powerful monsters at her feet... —the tips of her fingers reached the ears of a now reddened and paralyzed Sasha, making smooth and completely slow movements in the circumference of her ears—A normal human who is the leader of this team and will not tolerate such disrespect... —her breath hit the blonde's neck. Anne was stunned, it had been a while since the last time she saw this side of Marcy—I'll let you go... but let this be the last time, understood?
—Y-yes... —the wolf barely whispered, struggling to breathe properly, a fierce warrior, stretched out in the hands of the most dangerous human she had ever met.
—I didn't listen to you —Marcy's voice was firm and authoritative, she wasn't convinced.
—Ma'am yes ma'am, I'm very sorry ma'am, it won't happen again! —Sasha practically screamed, squaring into a firm position, sweating, and shaking, not from fear, but from something else.
—Good! —then everything returned to normal, the air no longer felt suffocating for either of them, and Marcy smiled innocently—Now that the matter is closed, Anne?
—H-huh? Y-yes? —the brown-haired woman stammered, still immersed in what had just happened.
—What was that important thing we wanted us to see? Did you find something? —Marcy asked, going back to the reason that was incumbent on them in this place.
—Something? —the woman with tousled hair blinked repeatedly, the gears of her brain began to turn, regaining her sense of the real world—Oh yes, I remember, follow me! —was the only information she gave, thinking that it was better for her companions to see for themselves than to tell them.
Without further ado, Anne walked into the thick of the bushes she had come through, closely followed by Marcy and a still dazed Sasha, who was cursing under her breath at how easily she had managed to be overpowered.
The choir of a trinity of cautious footsteps joined the resurgence of the silence of the swamp, the night was accentuated and only the sea of lights of hundreds of fireflies guided the three women in such thick darkness. It did not take them long to reach the heart of the gloomy swamp, there, the mud was no longer so prominent, overshadowed by a greater number of trees of various shapes and sizes, and a considerable increase in vegetation, such as wet grass and large phosphorescent mushrooms.
It was about five minutes into a mute walk that the group's guide stopped, leading her intrigued companions to a nearby tree, using it as a barrier to hide her presence. Before Marcy and Sasha could ask a question, Anne waved her hands, pointing them toward a hole in the now invasive vegetation, then they saw it.
A few inches away from the trio of women, was the landscape of what could only be described as a creepy sanctuary in the middle of the swamp. Bright mushrooms, bushes and trees stood around the circle, decorated by bones and decomposing bodies like streamers, whose state made it difficult to distinguish their origin. Elk, goat, and deer antlers were scattered in a strangely dark mud, accompanied by dry and withered flowers, placed in a circle that surrounded the structure that had surprised them the most, since in the center of everything, was Whatever the wagon belonging to the caravan they were looking for, the structure was intact, except for the double doors at the front, marked by strange runes that none of them had ever seen.
—I found this place while running away from a crow that wanted to peck me in the face for no reason... —Anne broke the silence, looking at her companions, who were still dumbfounded by what she had found—I tripped in the mud, and when I realized this was right in front of my eyes... I think that explains why I smell bad... maybe it's not just mud... —they remained silent, not even Sasha seemed bothered by the possible fetid aroma radiating from the place, I was stunned.
—B-but why would it bring the caravan all the way here? —Marcy managed to say when she finally reacted, muttering so low she could barely be heard.
—He only limited himself to killing the soldiers... —Sasha commented—None of these remains stink of humans...
—Did… —the three of them shared a look, a silent message for situations like this. So without saying another word, Marcy stepped forward, following the path of the antlers to the chariot, with Anne and Sasha protecting her sides, swords in hand, ready for any eventuality, to defend themself from the macabre artist of this work. horrifying.
Having a full view, Marcy could see that in the darkened interior of the carriage, an oval object lay on the padded pads of an open chest... to the naked eye, it looked like a brown egg, almost as big as her head, marked by the same incomprehensible runes that decorated the caravan doors. Uncertainty stopped the flow of air in her lungs, her curiosity told her that she should touch it to get a better view of such a strange object, however, just a few centimeters from the trip, her wrist was stopped by a sudden grip of one of Sasha's hands.
—Sasha? —the black-haired woman noticed how a growing anguish replaced the characteristic seriousness in the lycanthrope's face.
—Something isn't right... —she managed to mutter—This smell... —Sasha pushed Marcy aside, and before her companion could protest such confused behavior, the blonde woman sniffed the air near the trailer. and at the round object, her ears immediately perked up, and the blue of her eyes nearly flew out of their sockets.
—Sasha? —Anne called her this time, sharing a now worried look with Marcy, it was a fact that the wolf had discovered something, and from her reaction, it seemed that it was not good at all.
—We have to get out of here — Sasha said quickly, grabbing both of their hands, nearly carrying them into the air.
—Why? —Marcy asked.
—What did you discover? —and Anne too, they didn't like any of this.
—That thing isn't an egg... —Sasha growled suddenly, stopping her run, her instincts told her that running wouldn't do any good now, they should have escaped long before—I realized it when I smelled it... I'd recognize that scent even with my nostrils infected with lupus —her gaze fell on the trees around them, the ground shaking under her feet, something approaching.
—What do you mean it's not an egg? —anguish began to invade Anne's mind as well.
—It's... it's a seed... —the color faded from Marcy's face as she came to understand the source behind Sasha's growing concern. Suddenly, a hoarse moan was heard throughout the immensity of the swamp, the bells of the trees began to creak in symphony, one by one falling to the sides with violence, raising the mud, driving away the fireflies.
—Yes… —Sasha affirmed—A seed of a Treant…
Then, from the forested riverbank of felled trees, guttural cries emerged in a thunderous echo, and a gigantic creature appeared through the shadows. It was a bipedal being, with a thin complexion, with long and deformed limbs that made it resemble a colossal old man with deep eyes. It was neither human nor beast, it was more like a walking tree devoid of leaves, abundant in branches, with dry and rotten bark, stained a sickly green that would make mold look like the finest silk curtain in the world. His movements were strange, erratic and jerky, as if he could barely stand. However, he didn't give off an air of weakness, he gave off an air of death.
—Shit... —the three murmured in unison, the culprit of so many deaths and mystery lay in front of them, being the one who had found them first.
Instantly, that arboreal being made eye contact with the invaders of his sanctuary, the features of his face twisted in a grimace of anger, his crooked limbs reorganized, showing himself much larger than he already was. Stomping on the ground, the Treant let out a war cry that shook the flow of the wind, whipping the entire structure that covered Anne, Sasha and Marcy, throwing remains of dirt and mud at them, shaking their bodies like a whirlwind of nature.
—Anne, Sasha, formation V! —Marcy exclaimed firmly, loading her crossbow with a two-bolt round.
—Understood! —the two women said in response, and so the action began.
The Treant hit the ground with his hands, from the dirt and mud, thick and sharp roots rose, destroying part of the sanctuary of skeletons and rotting flesh, growing unevenly and uncontrollably, heading towards their victims like unpredictable snakes. But before the monstrous tree could claim victory, in the middle of the winding path of its attack, Marcy could be seen jumping into the air, her body raised a few centimeters, and she took aim. Two bolts from her crossbow flew out in a single shot, hitting right in the middle of the creature's eyes with great precision. As the Treant writhed in pain, Anne and Sasha ran forward, slashing their swords in circular and sideways motions, severing the roots that stood in their way; the fury of battle was filled with the cries of the tree being and the clash of metal against wood.
The pain and blindness only stoked the parent tree's anger, more roots spread out snaking and cutting, Anne turned 90 degrees to face Sasha as they ran, intercepting much of the roots that only destroyed themselves as they ran. impact with the powerful natural armor that was the steel skin of one of Siam's daughters. Behind her, the lycanthrope cut the roots that the other could not hold, growling at the inevitable cuts, a sharp point buried itself in her side even, but she did not stop for such a wound, maintaining her coordinated formation, reserving all her anger being that it was still far away.
It was too late when the Treant managed to react to the damage to his eyes, as at that precise moment, he was overwhelmed by even greater pain in his limbs. Anne and Sasha managed to considerably reduce the number of gigantic roots that rose above the ground, with the path free, both women slid in a synchronized way over the blind and vulnerable figure of the Treant, the blonde woman made a cut on the arm right of the monster, her sword almost broke in the attempt, but prying with her great strength, the limb shattered and was thrown through the air, severed and useless. For her part, the brown-haired woman cut into the Treant's legs in two side cuts from left to right, it was not as powerful an attack as her partner's, but it was precise and deep enough to damage what little stability the walking tree had left.
—Marcy now! — they both shouted at the same time, their blades embedded in their enemy's chest, holding back his swaying figure in favor of the last part of their strategy. The former named ran to her position, until now, she had stayed away from the heated seconds of her companions' attack and defense, mixing the purple and green contents of two vials with inquisitive care, squeezing the pressing time that had been provided.
—hold on! —she stirred the contents of both glass bottles into a single container, the colors mixing until they became a bright orange, a thick liquid that bubbled slightly, slowly warming the vial that held it—Go away! —was the only warning Marcy could shout at them as she hurled the bottle at the Treant's wounded body. Time seemed to freeze by three o'clock as the vial traveled through the air, but the belated fluctuation of their perception returned instantly, as the glass shattered and the orange liquid contacted the wood, then the contemplative silence by their eyes actions was ruined by the howling of a powerful explosion.
The only thing that could be heard now was the Treant's piercing screams as the flames devoured it.
Anne and Sasha barely had time to get away from the emerging chaos when everything started to burn; the fire spread rapidly, almost immediately consuming what little remained of the bone shrine, crashing its way through the nearby trees that lined the edges of the hidden structure. In a shadow of horror, they could see the Treant writhing against the jaws of death, the creature letting out spasmodic screams, the wood of its hide cracking in the flames; in fear and despair, he made a vain attempt to douse the flames with his one remaining hand, only to stoke even more heat, covering the remaining parts of his body with fire... He tried to get up on a second try, his legs wounds stagger, he screams, but what remains of his efforts is cut short as the fangs of flame make him collapse under his own weight... there was no way he could prevail against his natural enemy, all he has left is extend what remains of his hand towards the chariot that is far from the fire, his eyes cry, he groans, but in him everything ceases.
—Anne, Sasha! — Marcy's screams were present among the fanning of destruction, waking both women from such a depressing sight as she approached—Are you two okay?!
—You know what Marbles is! —Sasha responded to Marcy's concerns as she helped Anne to her feet again, the third having already reached her position by that point leading her friends away from the fire so they could breathe easier.
—I told you we're fine… —Anne giggled lightly as Marcy began her physicals.
—Just because you're too tough doesn't make you invincible, Anne —she said in response, eliciting a resigned groan from both of them.
—You overprotect us too much —Sasha murmured, but a groan of pain escaped her lips after a few seconds, when the end of the adrenaline reminded her of the root embedded in her side—I was liking this armor... —she hissed in pain, ripping out the source of her pain embedded deep in her flesh; blood shot out in a large open wound, and in just a few seconds it closed at high speed, leaving only a grazed line where it had been—Much better... —she groaned with pleasure; when she met Marcy's gaze again, her eyes gleamed with growing annoyance and concern—What?
—Nothing... —the woman sighed surrendered, she was too tired to argue with Sasha's carelessness, at least now—I can't believe we managed to beat a Treant so easily...
—It doesn't make sense... the Treant are too strong... —Sasha muttered, giving her a fleeting glance at the charred remains of the arboreal being.
—What the hell was doing in the middle of a swamp anyway? —Anne questioned, struggling to get the mud and ashes out of her hair—Aren't they supposed to only inhabit the groves south of Medeah? I understood that they are peaceful creatures even...
—They're only peaceful if they're not disturbed... but as always, Newtopia disturbs the peace of others with their stupidities... —Sasha answered, overwhelmed by a slight annoyance, pointing towards the wagon of the caravan that, miraculously, was still there. standing—It is possible that he had been following them... he must have manipulated these trees to enclose them...
—He looked very sick —Marcy whispered thoughtfully—He was malnourished and frail... he may not have eaten or slept for weeks only to find them...
—Damn it... if was hadn't been dying... we wouldn't be alive to talk about it...—the lycanthrope hissed.
—Now I feel bad for killing him... —Anne laid her head on Sasha's shoulder, she was tired—He was just trying to protect his offspring...
—Was it him or us, Anne... —the blonde played with the messy laughter of her afflicted companions—That wasn't willing to listen to anyone...
—If you're right...
—Why would they want a Treant seed? —Marcy asked aloud, taking the aforementioned seed between her fingers, examining it carefully.
—Weapons? Experiments? —Anne began to list—Gift for some noble fetishist? Pet for a spoiled brat? I really don't even want to know...
—But knowing them, it's sure not for something good… —Sasha agreed—That explains why they looked so desperate despite their threatening tones… —she let out a long sigh—Well… What do we do now Marcy?
—Yeah, what's the plan? —Anne and Sasha turned to the leader of their team, waiting for the course of action they should take—We're not going to give those bastards the seed, are we? —the brown-haired woman asked seriously.
—Of course not... —Marcy assured her, and that was enough to calm Anne's doubts—Mhmm, did those soldiers make us sign a contract?
—No? —Anne replied very confused, she didn't expect Marcy to ask them this type of question... after all she was the one who was in charge of the paperwork of their missions.
—You have that look in your eyes, what do you have in mind? —Sasha smiled slightly, being the first to notice Marcy's intentions.
—Did you know that the Seless Bog is home to the most dangerous nocturnal predators in all of Amphibia? —She said instead of answering, putting the seed in her bag, starting to walk out of the destroyed sanctuary; without much thought, Anne and Sasha followed her.
—What does that have to do with… —Anne understood too—Oh… yeah… I heard sunken lizards are very territorial this time of year.
—Fort Kruger is too close to their territory —Sasha gave a big laugh—They are always a problem; five to four soldiers disappear a year... How many guys were there at Fort Anne?
—Seven, the new garrison came in the caravan... —the woman raised her hand to her chin—Being destroyed, it will take a whole month for reinforcements to arrive.
—We'd better get back there as soon as possible then… —a dark tone danced in Marcy's voice—We have to talk business with our new friends…—the reigning darkness that attenuated the thickness of the swamp into which they had entered out of obligation, leaving the trees and insects as the only witnesses of their future actions, of the anonymous message that they would transmit.
The next morning, the small Kruger fort that guarded the drawbridge to the eastern woods lay silent, crowded with the lifeless bodies of the few guards protecting it, all being devoured by a pack of brown-scaled lizards, who reveled in the unexpected feast with which they had been awakened. The news attributed such a tragic event to the animals themselves that fed on the corpses or to an organized group of bandits, but there was no clue that could serve to corroborate any of those theories, all traces were hidden behind the bite marks and the missing organs. As for the seed of the Treant, a treasure coveted by the military forces of Newtopia, it was never found, its whereabouts were lost as well as that of the caravan that was to deliver it... but if you travel to the valley of roses in Medeah, there you can find a small bright shoot of multicolored leaves, which would soon become an arboreal creature, who would enjoy his days in peace and tranquility, unaware of his parent, as well as those who took him to his new home.
Well, after a while here is a new story and second part of my previous Travelers story. It was just as much fun to write as the last one, maybe I'll write more in the future.
I would like to give a little more context to this AU, I could explain it in each chapter, but as I said in its first part, this saga does not have a plot itself, only the world and the characters.
Firstly, it was developed in a medieval Amphibia, rpg, like the Lord of the Rings (the books) or The Witcher. The typical fantasy races inhabit it and a long etc (the canon races remain). The events of the canon of the series do not exist here, but if their characters to a certain extent, I still do not know if I will add them to someone other than Anne, Sasha and Marcy, the important thing is that there was a war 10 years ago, and at At the end of it, the entire continent of Amphibia was badly damaged, so many have a grudge against Newtopia, but they can't do anything about it. Our protagonists are just three travelers who go from here to there doing jobs in order to get some food and survive the consequences of a war that took away everything that mattered most to them.
Second, speaking of the protagonists:
Anne, as you could see she is not a normal human, the first part did not have it so psyched, but while writing this chapter I decided to add something special to her as well as Sasha. You see, Anne belongs to a race of humans called the son of Siam (take the name from what Thailand called itself when it was a kingdom) are characterized by having an enormous strength, and a resistance that makes them practically invincible, even a single boy has the ability to wipe out an entire army. But also, their kindness is matched by their strength, so it was their downfall, they were tricked and betrayed by the King of Newtopia, turned into slaves, reduced to the point of near extinction. Anne is one of the few Siam who walk free in Amphibia today. I think it goes without saying why he hates soldiers.
Sasha, in the world of this AU, lycanthropy is a disease that turns you into a wolf when the full moon rises, when in this form the person loses all reason, becoming a wild animal thirsty for blood and death, the more he transforms the more difficult it will be for them to return, only silver can hurt or kill them, anything else will only generate a temporary wound that will regenerate instantly. However, as I said in this story, Sasha is the only human born with lycanthropy on record, she can transform without the need of the moon, being able to control her bestial form without any problem. The mystery behind Sasha's condition is unknown.
And Marcy, well, as Sasha said, she is the normal human of the group, and although she does not have any special abilities, she is possessed of remarkable intelligence, she is not physically strong and she is very aware that she is underestimated for that, which is always She has led her to take advantage of that, of the three, Marcy is the most dangerous.
I think that would be all the context you need, I hope you liked this story, see you, have a good day.
PS: for my readers of The dark age, I am very sorry that it is taking me again to release another chapter, but I have been very busy these days with university and work that I have not had much time, if I could release the second part of Travelers was to not be inactive, I promise I'll update soon, sorry.