Chapter 5: Spring of Rest

Gold Forest

Some time had passed, and the sun was beginning to set in the distance. The dying rays of sunshine illuminated the tree's as the three tired warriors walked forwards.

Granberia held onto the her shoulder, which had been shot by a crossbow. Aside from the occasional grimace, she acted like she remained unaffected.

Alma, due to the slash on her wing and the exhaustion of the battle, had taken to resting on the lamias tail as she slithered along.

The lamia still had her own crossbow wound and a slash on her chest. Nevertheless, she too remained calm and acted unaffected by her wound. Her green hair had been pulled back into a ponytail, allowing her to see more clearly.

Their journey had been in silence for a while now, which was suddenly broken when the lamia spoke. "Since we're clearly going to be together for a while, we might as well know each others names."

Alma lifted her head up, blinking at the declaration. Granberia also turned her head, having become somewhat used to the silence.

"My names Riker. Yours?"

"Granberia."

"Alma"

With introductions out of the way, they continued forwards. Eventually, Riker looked to the right and got a big smile on her face. "Ah, just what I was looking for." Slithering forwards, she went between two trees. Instead of finding even mores tree's down the path, she saw a clear pool of water big enough for the three of them at the bottom. Steam rose from it.

"It's been a while since I've seen a good hot spring." Granberia looked at her. "What's that?" She replied. Riker replied with a simple explanation. "It's a pool with hot water. It's good for relaxing." She looked around at her two companions. "We can also use it to wash the blood off of us." Granberia looked down onto herself, suddenly becoming aware of the blood she had spilled during her earlier fight.

She tried not to focus on the lives she had taken.

XXX

By now, they had hung their clothes on a nearby tree branch. Riker pulled out her spear, which she had retrieved from the archer she had killed earlier. Going up to a nearby tree, she stabbed into with her spear. Sure enough, a thick orange sap began to leak out. Grinning, she rubbed the sap onto her own wounds, just as Granberia and Alma came over to do the same.

Granberia put sap on her shoulder wound while Alma put some on her wing.

Riker immediately began heading towards the spring, Alma and Granberia following her. Lowering herself into the pool, Riker let out a content sigh, her tail spreading around in the pool. Alma dipped her feet in, her eyes widening at the hot feeling as she lowered herself into the bottom. However, she quickly grew used to it and let out a peaceful sigh of her own, her wings instinctively opening up and spreading around her. A loud smack was heard, and Alma looked to the side, seeing that she had smacked Granberia in the face by mistake. "Sorry" she said, laughing at how absurd it was. Granberia was more restrained, simply letting out a smirk as she stepped into the pool. She sat down, the steam rising and obscuring their bodies somewhat.

On her side of the hot spring, Riker held her hands out to the side of the pool. "So", she began ,"I'm guessing that you two wanna know what was happening back there?" Sitting deeper in the water, Granberia responded for the both of them quickly with "I...don't really need to know, but I am slightly interested."

Riker leaned back, her green eyebrows scrunching up in concentration.

XXX

"I'm a part of a warrior clan, one that was often hired by powerful monsters, and high ranked humans before the slaughter of Remina. We taught the arts of physical combat to all monsters interested in joining us. Nowadays, you youngsters tend to focus on the more..."Intimate" aspects of monster combat, but we still get plenty of volunteers each year. Anyways, we had plenty of strong warriors in our company. We pride ourselves on our ability to specialize in different weapon styles. I myself am quite good at the act of using the spear. One day, I was at a tournament in Grand Noah. Ever been there, kids?"

"No"

"Well, I think you guys would do well there, considering how well you fight. Not only is that city one of the few places where humans and monsters have been able to get along, it also houses a great colosseum, which is a big fighting arena. Me and my fellow soldiers were in a big free for all, alongside other visiting warriors and some native fighters, humans and monsters. It was one hell of a fight, I'll tell you that right now-

-So, after the fighting ended, I'd say everyone involved felt damn satisfied. We all had this big celebration at an Inn. We had drinks, we were talking to other warriors and discussing the fights, thumbs up all around.

Of course, one thing led to another, and a few weeks later I was pregnant. To this day, I still don't know who it was, but it probably ain't that important.

I'm still a fit fighter, but nevertheless as my pregnancy advanced, the other members of my clan advised me to eventually settle down until I gave birth. I decided that I would spend my time training members of the clan. One day, I was training some new recruits in camp at this forest.

That's when the Illias Kreuzaders came in. They've been a thorn in our sides for awhile now, ever since the slaughter at Remina. That group of knights was never really liked, even by the other humans."

"I'm guessing that the constant torturing and violent slaughters of anything heretical had something to do with that."

"So, they came charging in on horseback, a large back of tamed hounds behind them. I was five months pregnant, and most of the recruits were relatively inexperienced. That didn't stop us from giving them hell. We managed to kill six of their dogs and nine swordsmen. The real danger, however, was that gauntlet wielding guy and that Bone General. They...cut through my recruits like butter. I myself was forced to reatreat after taking a few wounds. I'm not sure if anyone else made it out, though. Hopefully they will know to meet up at our outpost outside of the forest.

So anyways, I made it out, but they caught my scent. That's where you guys come in."

XXX

"So yeah, here we are now." Riker let out a deep breath as she finished her tale. "But hey, we took out the guys responsible, so it's alright."

Granberia spoke up, her voice somewhat quiet. "We...still killed a good amount of them. That blood on our hands..." Riker look on in confusion for a few seconds before realizing the problem. "I see, death in battle takes getting used too. This must have been your first time killing." Granberia shook her head. "The first person I killed was a vampire who had been feasting on some humans. But this was different. It's one thing when I'm fighting an ugly, scary beast. It's a whole other act to slaughter some hounds who are just doing what they've been trained to do. I heard them screaming in pain while a few injured ones tried to run away. They were afraid to die...just like anyone would."

Alma spoke up too in soft voice. "That guy with the sword that I threw into those arrows...I don't think he wanted to be there at all. He even seemed sad about having too attack me." Alma looked down at her reflection in the water. Some off the blood from the battle had not washed off yet.

Riker took a deep breath. "Taking a life is not an easy choice to make. But when you fight seriously in Life or Death situation, you have to do what you have to do to survive. Making that choice...is ultimately not something that I can some up easily. You will have to decide that for yourself when you start fighting your own battles."

Silence seemed to reign for minutes as they all sat there in the hot spring. By now, the moon was out, and it's light reflected on the water.

Alma chose this moment to speak up. Gulping, she spoke. "I...lost my village too." Granberia and Riker turned to her.

"I admit, I was wondering why you were wandering around alone." Granberia said, mentally bracing herself. After all that had happened today, she had a feeling that this story would not be a happy one.

XXX

"I lived in a village in this forest. Succubus Village is what we were called. We had plenty of succubi in our village, along with humans. Some of them were happy to be there. Others...weren't. Then one day...it all went horribly wrong."

XXX

"No Alma, don't put your thumb into your fist. You'll break it if you try to punch like that." Following her mothers instruction, she let loose a punch, Knocking down six old milk cans in front of her. In the grassy area behind the house they lived in, her mother looked on in pride. She looked almost identical to her daughter, in that she looked like a fully grown version of her, except with shoulder length hair in comparison to Alma's long hair. She thought to herself, pleasantly surprised at how Alma's seemingly silly interest in martial arts was indeed bearing fruit.

"With that strength, you'll have an easy time holding cute boys down." She said, laughing while Alma blushed and looked away.

That is when disaster struck.

Suddenly, an explosion was heard in the center of the town. A massive storm of dust and smoke was sent up into the air. They were both sent to their knees, coughing and sputtering. That was when they heard the cruel, deep voice of the attacker.

"Have I gotten your attention yet?"

From that point on, everything went to hell.

XXX

Alma's mother held her daughter close as they navigated through the burning village. Smoke and flame rose into the air, blocking off what they could see and forcing them to navigate the path by looking down at the path itself. This is when they first happen upon the killer.

Hunched over a dead succubi's body, tearing noises could heard as he greedily ripped something off. Then, crunching sounds were heard as he hungrily bit into the flesh he had ripped into, blood spraying to the side of him. Alma got ready to gasp in horror, only for her mother to cover her mouth. "Don't look" she whispered, and the young succubus did so as they tried to walk around him.

Once again, things went horribly wrong. Turning his head, he saw them out of the corner of his eyes. A sadistic, bloody grin bloomed onto his apelike face as he callously threw the partially eaten corpse of his latest victim to the side. "Fresh Meat..." he whispered, his unthinkable intentions clear. Her mother held on tight as she reached for something on the ground. "Alma, when I say run..." She began. "Run!" With a tremendous roar, she let go of Alma, picking up a long glass shard on the ground as she swung it right at Wyald's face.

It shattered instantly on contact, creating only the thinnest of cuts. Wyald was clearly amused by this.

"I like you already." Grabbing her sides with both arms, he pulled her up, the fire creating a hellish backdrop as he ignored her struggles. Alma looked on, locked in place by sheer horror. Her mother turned to her, an expression of panic on her face. "Run! Run as fast as you can! Run until you can't see this village behind you anymore!" Alma snapped out of her daze. "But you-" "Just go!" Her mother shouted, loud enough to startle Alma into compliance. Ignoring the sheer, paralyzing terror she felt, Alma turned and ran as Wyald's mouth began to open wide.

As she turned the corner, she heard him bite down with a sickening crack.

It was a sound that she would never forget for as long as she lived.

XXX

Alma finally finished her story, her breathing heavy. Riker was lost in thought. "By the First!" she said, looking at her reflection in the water.

Granberia too had a look of horror on her face, wondering how she could respond to what she had just learned about her new friend. "What should I do-That's it!" She said, the solution coming to her. Walking up to Alma, she put a hand on her shoulder. Alma looked up in surprise. In the moonlight, Granberia looked wise beyond her years. "Alma, do you miss your mother? Those who lived in your village?"

"Yes" she responded softly. Granberia continued her speech. "Do you want to avenge them?"

Her hands tightened into fists. "I do."

Granberia's voice grew serious. "Then, fight! You can become a warrior like me." As Alma and Riker looked at her, Granberia kept speaking. "You've seen those human "Heroes"." She continued, disgusted at the idea of people like the Kreuzaders. "They were just mindless butchers. They don't know what it means to be a true hero, or a true Knight, no, a warrior! A warrior fights not only for the sake of it, but for so much more." By now, her voice had become louder, harder. "A true warrior fights to protect those who cannot, to save those who cannot save themselves. They fight to inspire others to do the same, to unleash their potential! To show the world that senseless cruelty and barbarity will not be allowed, not be tolerated as long as the steel in the warriors hand is held high!"

Standing up, Granberia released the large breath she had been holding. Astonished, Riker and Alma looked at her with wide eyes. At that point, Riker couldn't help herself. "...Kid, that. Was. Awesome!" Letting a large grin grow over her face, she made an offer. "Look, if you ever want to join my clan, I can show you where to find us." Granberia seemed to contemplate this, before shaking her head. "I may someday, but currently I am still training." Alma then proceed to look up to Granberia, her eyes shining with hopeful awe. "Granberia, I've always thought about becoming a fighter, but this just...proves it! Please let me meet your teacher!" She shouted, grabbing the other girl's shoulders. Granberia yelped out in surprise as they both tripped and fell into the water. Not even trying to avoid the massive splash, Riker grinned and held her arms behind her as a storm of water slammed onto her. "Kids..." She thought, laughing at how peaceful the somber day had unexpectedly become.

XXX

The Mountains of Noah

In the cold blizzard a large, dark figure walked through the snow.

With a wicked grin on his face, Wyald though about his last meal as he licked his bloodstained lips.

The man and his oxen had proven to be most welcome mid night snack, yet his belly was still not full. "Not enough screaming involved" He said aloud to himself, looking at his club. Dried blood from various species lined it, pride filling the beastman as he began to think more about where he was heading. "That merchants book was very informative. It's been a while since I sat down to read." Now that he knew more about the world around him, he wondered how he should proceed. "Those dragon things look a bit dangerous, but nothings stopping me from going full apeshit if they try to stop me. 'Sides, where I'm going, I probably wont have to worry much."

"Heh, these kitsunes sure sound like an energetic bunch. I wonder if their screams will be as exciting as their tails."

With that, Wyald turned his hellish gaze towards Yamatai Village as he continued to walk forwards, the raging storm hanging over him like a shadow.

After all, nothing in the world could stop him now.

Arrogance was always one of his major flaws.

-To Be Continued in: The Black Dog, Once More.

A/N:

I will work on the next chapter, starting on Christmas Day.

Afterwards, I will start writing a separate, Gnome based story crossing over with Dwarf Fortress. I may or may not tie it into the Black Dog.

Any feedback would be much appreciated.