by Eden Redd
Sil approached as Will held the rabbits up. “Nice catch my Lord.”
Will smiled before looking to the four-foot tall kobold. “Thanks. Nova let them out and now we have to get them back inside.”
Sil nodded. “I went into the mine to gather the workers and inform them of the storm.”
Will nodded. “That’s why we’re here too. It feels like the storm may be a bad one. I'd rather everyone be safely inside before it begins to rain.”
The player hesitated before looking to Sil once again. “You don’t have to call me Lord.”
The kobold gave him a pleasant smile along her small snout. “Terms of respect are needed so everyone understands their place. Val taught me that.”
“Well, thank you, but again, not needed.”
Freek and Folly approached, heads bowed.
“We have informed everyone in town to seek shelter, per Lady Alucard and Lord Strange’s orders,” Freek said.
“Do a final search and get to your homes,” Will ordered.
The two kobolds nodded, stood up and walked away.
Will looked to Sil and smiled. “Want to help me gather up Nova’s bunnies?”
The kobold gave a hearty nod. The pair made their way around, gathering two more rabbits before walking towards Nova’s home. The two-story stone home stood against the gray sky. A drop fell from the heavens, splashing against Will’s cheek.
When they approached the front door, it stood slightly ajar. Will kicked it with his boot and it swung open easily. Nova appeared with a wide smile, gaze on the rabbits in Will and Sil’s arms.
“My babies!” the stalker squealed before snatching up the bunnies from Will’s arms.
Nova turned and walked in, Will and Sil following. The home was furnished with minimal furniture, but shelves with cages filled the walls. There was a scent of rabbit fur filling the comfy home. Chests lined the walls under the cage shelves.
Will didn’t realize until he saw it again just how many bunnies the Stalker had. The number of cages had doubled and half of them were full with the other half most likely still scattered around town. Nova moved to a pair of cages and put a rabbit in each one before turning and stepping to Sil. Picking up the pair of rabbits, she moved to another set of cages.
“They sometimes fight so I thought it would be better if they each had their own cage,” Nova said as she gently placed them in their respective cages.
“They, um, seem to be breeding like… rabbits,” Will snickered.
“Yes, and I hope keeping them apart will slow their breeding,” Nova smiled.
“I’ll find more of them,” Sil said before leaving.
Will lingered for a moment, watching Nova look to her rabbits with adoring eyes. He could see the joy the little creatures brought her and didn’t have the heart to tell her she had too many. One or two rabbits would have been fine, but she had dozens and clearly wasn’t sure how to take care of them since they bred so fast. The separate cage solution would only slow down the growing number of rabbits since letting them out would lead them to breed if she didn’t keep a watchful eye on them, which clearly, she wasn’t doing.
Will turned to step out and find more rabbits when Nova spoke up.
“I’m sorry I let them out. I thought they would stay close to home, but the moment the door opened, they made a run for it,” Nova sighed.
Will gave her a comforting smile. “It’s okay. You had their best interests at heart.”
Nova nodded, but remained silent.
Will stepped out of the Stalker’s home. The sky grew darker. The air vibrated with the threat of a downpour. The town had become silent, most sheltering in their homes. The electric charge in the air seemed to grow with each passing second. Not wanting to waste any more time, Will quickly made his way around homes, eyes searching for rabbits. When he saw one, he pounced on it before it had a chance to bounce away. Holding the bunny, he made a few loops around the area. Not seeing any other furry bodies and pointed ears, he made his way back to Nova’s home, rabbit in hand.
The moment he reached the door, something inside screeched.
Will’s hand shot out, taking hold of the knob and turning it. Swinging the door wide, he readied to drop the rabbit and reach for his hammer over his shoulder. Stepping in, a wet crunching sound rose up from the other side of the main room. The dark skies outside only magnified the shadows in the home. Agitated rabbits bounced and jumped in their cages. A figure was hunched in a corner, head moving slightly as the wet crunching continued.
Will approached cautiously, hand up to his hammer and the other arm holding the rabbit close. Shadows parted as a bald, green head looked up and turned. Nova stared at Will as he approached, blood covering her mouth and cheeks. A drop of dark crimson fell from her chin as her eyes were wide like a predator. In her four hands was the mangled corpse of a rabbit, blood and chunks of flesh hanging by thin strands of sinew.
“Nova?” Will asked as he stared at her.
Lightning flashed outside. Nova looked down at the gory mess in her hands and she let go, the bloody corpse falling to the floor. Tears welled up as she stared at the dead bunny by her knees.
Will put the rabbit in his arms in a cage and closed it. Moving to Nova, hands touched her arms. Nova let out a sad moan as she slowly stood to her feet. Gore covered her chest and blood stained her clothes. The rabbit on the floor melted into the ground, leaving behind a patch of rabbit leather.
Nova bowed her head, unable to look Will in the eye. “I… I don’t know what happened. I was hugging and kissing Floppy. I was telling him how beautiful he was when… I…” Nova trailed off.
Will gently pulled her with him to the kitchen. The player was silent as a tomb as he reached for a small towel. Dipping it in a nearby water basin, he moved Nova to a small table with two chairs. He sat her down and pulled a chair closer. The stalker looked on with a blank gaze as he began to clean her up, wiping away thick blood.
“He was my favorite,” Nova said with a faraway voice.
Will methodically cleaned the stalker with slow wipes. The blood had soaked into her top, but her skin came away clean with each wipe.
“He… smelled so good and he was so cute. I… don’t know why I…” Nova’s lip trembled as she couldn’t continue.
Will continued to clean her, silent and listening.
A single tear streaked down Nova’s cheek. “Am I… still dangerous?”
Will looked up and made eye contact. “No, you’re not.”
“I just killed my favorite bunny. If I can’t control myself around who I love, how can I do it around the kingdom?”
Nova’s eyes widened as she stared at Will, “How can I keep you safe if I might hurt you?”
The player put down the bloody cloth and touched her hands, running his thumbs over the back of her hands. “I trust you with my life. I knew you were important when you fought for all of us.”
Nova turned and looked at the bloody spot on the floor in the other room. “I don’t want to hurt those I love. I don’t want to be a monster again.”
Will touched her chin and gently moved her face so their eyes could meet. “You’re not a monster. I know you wouldn’t hurt me or anyone else. Maybe Floppy wanted to die to show you how much he loved you.”
Nova stared for a long second before a small smile formed. A second later, she began to giggle. Will smiled, eyeing the beautiful stalker as the tension eased. He knew deep down she wasn’t a true monster anymore, but he did see that maybe being awakened didn’t stop all of their baser instincts.
The giggling continued for a moment before it turned to sobbing. Nova leaned forward, her four arms circling Will’s waist. She buried her face in his chest and Will hugged her close. Lightning flashed again and the small pitter patter of rain falling on the roof sent a calming gloom across the area.
Will held Nova as she cried against his shoulder. He stroked her back, trying to be there as she came undone. The harsh reality of being awakened re
ared its head as Will contemplated that there would be times where they couldn’t completely fight who they were at the core of their being. It weighed on him, but he didn’t let it show, holding Nova to him so she could let it all out.
Sil stepped in from the rain, water streaking down her body and clothes wet. She held two drenched bunnies, one in each scaled arm. Oval eyes took in the bloody spot on the floor. Putting the rabbits in two empty cages, she made her way toward the sound of sobbing coming from the kitchen.
Stepping through the wide door frame, the kobold looked to Will and Nova. A bloody rag lay on the table. Will turned his head and eyed the kobold. The two spoke without saying a word, Sil backing away, but staying in the other room.
“Take all the time you need. I’m here for you,” Will said with a soothing tone as he held her.
“Thank you,” Nova cried, sorrow filling her heart and spilling out along the edges of her soul.
***
Two kobolds rushed through the rain, performing one last loop around the village. Freek led the way as Folly followed. Eyes drank in the calming serenity as they stepped through mud puddles.
“I think everyone is inside,” Folly said with annoyed hiss, the rain clearly not agreeing with him.
“We have to make sure,” Freek said as he walked with his little chest out.
“I don’t like it. I don’t like the rain,” Folly whispered.
“I know, but if anyone is still out then Lord Asher will not like it. We must do our duty!”
Folly shook his reptilian head before his foot slipped in a puddle. The kobolds limbs swung in circles before he fell face first into the mud. Freek turned to see Folly pushing up and gasping for air, mud caking his features.
“I don’t like the rain,” Folly repeated.
Freek grinned before reaching down and helping his friend to his feet. “I will make a fire at home. We will warm up and eat.”
“I like mutton. I want mutton,” Folly said as he wiped away mud from his face.
Freek nodded. “There will be mutton. Lord Strange gave me a bottle of wine as a reward for showing bravery against the hydra. We shall drink and eat.”
Folly let a smile slip before he slipped again. This time, Freek caught him by the arm and helped the clumsy kobold regain his balance.
“One last look around and we can go home,” Freek smiled in the rain.
The two kobolds nodded to each other before they made their last round. When they reached the center of town, a loud bang vibrated from the main gate. The two kobolds looked to the main gate; iron doors locked. Another bang reached their ears and a voice called out.
“We seek shelter!” the unfamiliar voice shouted from the other side.
Freek looked to Folly, “Go find Lord Strange and tell him there is someone at the main gate.”
“No, I won’t leave you. They could be dangerous,” Folly shook his head.
“I will speak to them, but you must get Lord Strange. I won’t let them in. I’ll be on top of the wall.”
Folly looked to the kobold with concern when Freek made a small growl. “Okay! Okay! I will get Lord Strange.”
Folly turned and walked off as Freek eyed the iron gate. Making his way closer, he climbed a set of stairs to the side and was soon on top of the wall. The kobold made his way over and peered over the edge.
A man and two women stood in the rain. The man wore a gray armor with gold edges. A hammer hung at his belt. Freek thought it looked a little like Lord Asher’s hammer, but much smaller. The kobold turned his attention to the two women, one at each side of the man. One of them had green skin, long black hair and a white lock running from her temple to the end of her hair. Her skin was odd to the kobold as she had lines crisscrossing what he could see of her body and metal bolts in her neck. The other woman was elven. The kobold remembered seeing elves before from his savage past, but this elf was different. Her skin was tanned and she had long, dirty-blonde hair tied back into a ponytail. She wore blue clothing and wraps spun around her arms and shins. She was barefoot unlike her two companions. Her ears were longer than any elf he had remembered by three inches.
The man with dark hair looked up and gave a bright smile. “Hello! We were travelling and were caught in the rain storm. Can we come in so we can dry off, maybe barter for a meal?”
Freek looked down with suspicious eyes. “We don’t take outsiders. Please leave.”
The man kept his smile as he spoke again, “I understand we are strangers. We just want to get out of the rain for the night. Does this place belong to you?”
Freek shook his head. “This kingdom belongs to my Lord. We do not take visitors. Leave.”
The man lowered his head and looked to the green skinned woman. She nodded and stepped closer to the iron door. Freek saw her approach, turned and raced down the stairs. Reaching the ground floor, he moved to the door to make sure it was locked. Metal groaned as something pushed against it from the other side. Freek eyed it before moving to the chain to make sure it was locked into place. The moment his hands touched the metal, energy blasted along, striking his body. The kobold barely grunted before his body was hurled back and he splashed into the mud, senses dazzled.
The man watched as the green skinned woman stepped back, energy arcing along her hands. Turning his attention to the elf, she stepped closer to the thick iron doors. Pulling back a fist, she focused at the thin line were the two doors met. Taking a small breath, she threw a punch. Her hand hit the door and power blasted out. The thick iron doors blasted to the sides and nearly off their hinges.
Freek barely lifted his head to see the three people step in through the now open gate. The man in gray and gold armor stepped closer, an amused grin on his lips as he looked down on the struggling kobold.
“My name is Thorrin Rivers. Now that we are formally introduced, where is your lord so we can have a little chat?”
Six
The sound of groaning metal filtered in through the rain, causing Nova’s head to snap up and stare into Will’s wide eyes. Sil appeared at the doorway, a look of concern on the kobold’s features. Will and Nova stood up and marched to the doorway. The player took hold of his iron hammer and unsheathed it from over his shoulder. Leading the way, Sil and Nova followed as they walked through Nova’s home and out the front door.
The rain fell at a steady pace as boots stepped onto mud. Down the street to the left, Val and Morgan moved at a hurried pace. Will, Nova, and Sil rushed toward them and when they were about to meet at the main road, Folly ran in, his chest heaving and oval eyes wide.
“Intruders at the front gate,” the kobold managed before gasping for more air.
“Get to safety,” Will said as he turned his attention at the four-way intersection and seeing several figures standing at the now open gate and a kobold on his back.
“I can’t leave Freek! I have to go back!” Folly huffed before standing straighter, spear in hand.
Will looked to the kobold and gave a slight head nod.
Val looked down the street to the intruders, “I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
Will lifted his hammer to rest on his shoulder, hard eyes on the people down the muddy street. “Stay together and remember to support each other when this gets ugly.”
The group marched forward, all eyes on the three people at the entrance.
The man in gold and gray armor took a step closer, eyes on the approaching group. Lifting his boot, he placed it on Freek’s chest and pushed down slightly, causing the kobold to grunt and grab at the man’s ankle. Try as he might, the kobold didn’t have the strength to push the boot off. Glancing to the side, he saw that his spear was out of reach.
Will led the way until he slowed to a halt, twenty feet away from the man in light armor. The green-skinned woman was to his right while the blonde, tall elf was to his left. Val faced the green skinned woman while Morgan faced the elf. Folly stood alongside Nova and Sil, holding his spear and looking to Freek as he struggled t
o breath with the boot on his chest.
The man kept a pleasant smile as he gazed upon Will. “I was just introducing myself. Thorrin Rivers. To my right is Bridget Stein and to my left is Faye Riverwood. We were just speaking with your little kobold here about getting out of the rain and staying here for the night. He was a little rude so we let ourselves in.”
“He’s right. You’re not welcome here. Walk out before you’re thrown out,” Will seethed, eyes never blinking.
Thorrin looked down at the kobold and then back to Will. “Not very welcoming since we only needed to get out of the storm. Night will be here soon and no one should be out after dark.”
Val eyed the green-skinned woman with stitches along places were skin was exposed. A faint memory tickled the back of her mind. The woman with black hair and a white lock of hair stared indifferently, but Val couldn’t shake the feeling she had seen her before.
Faye stood in a relaxed stance; her arms crossed. She gave Morgan the once over and didn’t seem too concerned.
“Guests are welcomed, you are not. Bashing your way in doesn’t seem like something a guest would do,” Will said with an edge.
Thorrin gave a slight head nod and let out a small sigh. “You’re right. I’m not very good with lying since the truth will set you free. Myself and my friends came here to talk with the Monster Lord. It would seem you have caused a stir with our benefactor and they would like to give you this chance to hand over any Idols you may have.”
Rain fell from the heavens as hearts began to beat faster. The air took on a current and fingers twitched. A threatening gloom took root as all involved looked each other over in mild contempt.
Will gave a sarcastic wide smile, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Thorrin nodded, his face taking on a grim edge. “Cyndi told us you were a little hard headed. I can see she was right. Before we negotiate, what did you say to her to cause her to strike out on her own?”
Will remained focused, “Nothing worth remembering. She tried to take an Idol and paid for it. I doubt anything I say will bring closure. Go back to your benefactor and never come back.”