By the time the sun rose on the fifth day, we were already on our way down, but this time we didn’t stop for the day to rest. I tried asking Izusa what was going on. Even in her wolf form, she could hear and understand anything I said, but Izusa just ignored me and maintained her pace.
Around midday, Izusa climbed a particularly large hill and came to a stop. She shifted back to her human form and let me down.
“I never thought you were going to stop,” I whined. “So, what’s for lunch today? Let me guess, more raw meat.” Every day, after we stopped, Izusa would run off for a few minutes to hunt the single meal of the day. Regardless of whether it was rabbit, boar, or deer, the meat might as well be the same. The beastwoman ate it raw and refused to prepare anything special for my more delicate palette. She’d always just tear off a leg and thrust it in front of my face as I struggled to extend my mouth to grab a bite. So, it wasn’t surprising that I thought this day would be the same as the rest, but it wasn’t.
Izusa pulled a knife from her hip and used it to cut my bonds. Glorious relief spread to my wrists and ankles. They were finally free of the tight ropes cutting into them, filling me with an ecstasy only matched by the feeling in my back, shoulders, and various other joints in my body, as I was able to move for the first time in days.
“Inventory.” I summoned the clear blue grid filled with icons representing all the different items I’d stored in the space defying storage only available to those who’d travelled from another world. I quickly selected the first weapon I saw. Out rolled out a tiny yet sharp scalpel meant for carving sculptures. It wasn’t the best weapon or even a good one, but I didn’t necessarily need that. I raised the scalpel to my throat.
“Go ahead, that will not help get away,” said Izusa, nodding a fraction of an inch toward the sculpting blade before turning to look out in the direction we’d been headed before we stopped. There, in the distance, in a flat valley cleared of trees, I saw a dozen small billows of smoke emanating from a large cluster of buildings.
I knew exactly what it was the moment I saw it. It was a beastmen city. Izusa had no more need for the bonds because my primary means of escape would no longer work. Even if I killed myself, it would only delay the inevitable. After a week, I would resurrect in the middle of the city below, only this time around, Izusa would be there ready and waiting. Only this time around, maybe Izusa wouldn’t give me the ounce of freedom I now enjoyed. Maybe, she’d keep me bound for good. I returned the scalpel to my inventory. Although I hadn’t completely given up on escape, I knew that this was not the way or time.
“Come on,” said Izusa as she started down the hill, towards the city. “It has been a long day and want dinner and sleep.”
“And you’re not going to carry me all the way there,” I said, already moving in the same direction. “You know we could be there faster if you did.”
‘Wow, a few days riding and you already forgot how to use your own feet,’ said Mai. ‘You should really get an idea of how she feels.’
Mai vanished from next to me and reappeared straddling my shoulders. I couldn’t feel her, but I could see her long blue legs sticking out in front of either side of my head.
I tried to shake Mai off, but such attempts completely failed. I couldn’t really touch Mai because she wasn’t really there. All it did was make Mai pretend to struggle to hang on by grabbing my head, with her fingertips half covering my eyes.
‘See, you can’t even put up with it for more than a few seconds and you don’t have to even bear my weight. Weightwatchers can’t touch this fabulous figure,’ said Mai as she hopped off my shoulders.
“Am not letting ride into town,” said Izusa. “Am not a human beast of burden. We might have enough difficulty passing through without drawing such attention.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, hurrying my pace so I could match distance with the beastwoman’s longer stride.
“Never mind,” Izusa sighed. “Just keep mouth shut and remember are still prisoner.”
I was seriously tempted to disobey that order. She had been the one to knock me over the head and drag me across the country, and that was just so far. All signs indicated Izusa had much greater plans for me, yet I still couldn’t help but decide to go along with her advice. As bad as it might be, Izusa seemed to need me alive. Not all beastmen would feel the same.
We walked towards the city. As we went, Izusa gave me the general rundown of the place. It was called Dewpoint; it was the southernmost city of the Othal Confederation. As the name would suggest, the beastmen nation was really a lose conglomeration of a dozen or so city-states, each populated by a clan bearing the same name as the city. A single elected leader, a clan chief, ran each clan. For the most part the clans acted independently, often having minor skirmishes with neighboring clans over the best hunting grounds, but periodically, especially during times of crisis, all the clan chiefs would meet and operate as a collective. One such meeting initiated the invasion of Xebrya.
As we neared, we diverted a bit east, where the remnants of the Othan joint forces were encamped. Izusa reminded me to keep my head down as we entered the glum settlement. While I had played a prominent role in their loss at Crystalpeak, several days on the road had left my face gaunt and my clothing in tatters. It was unlikely I’d be recognized.
“What took so long?” yelled a young brunette beastwoman as she ran up to Izusa. The beastwoman had to be the smallest of her kind I had yet to see, despite standing half a head above me. The beastwoman carried herself in a flippant and flighty manner that was an ill fit for the standard mold of a battle-hardened warrior I’d placed on all of her kind. Even her clothing was quite different, instead of hard metal or leather armor, she wore a loose fitting hooded cloth robe that was so big on her the oversized neck hole couldn’t help but reveal a substantial amount of cleavage.
“Was a handful,” said Izusa, nodding to me. “But know why had to do it, Talia.”
“Know,” Talia agreed. “But the rest do not.”
“There was no time then and now that am back will attend to it shortly. Has anything of significance happened while was gone?” Izusa asked.
“We have settled in smoothly. The only issue is from higher up. After left, were asked after by Dragontail. Did not take it well when learned were absent from post. Am not sure how well will take it when learns have returned,” said Talia.
“Doubt will, or if does doubt it will matter. Do not plan on staying more than a day or two to rest and resupply,” said Izusa.
“What is the rush?” asked Talia. “It is too late in the season to use the human right away. There is plenty of time.”
“Will not feel safe until he is in Doraga. Given recent events, do not think it is safe to remain here for long. Do not think it is safe for any human so near our troops,” said Izusa.
I did my best to follow the conversation but was having a hard time. In small amounts, I found beastmen grammar quaint but now that the frequency of its use was picking up, I found it annoying that the interface didn’t correct it. I quietly mentioned this to Mai.
‘The Othan language lacks many personal pronouns like I, you, he, or she. They’re all implied based on context. The interface can’t translate it since there is nothing there to translate. If you want, I could add them in,’ Mai cautiously suggested. We still weren’t on the best of terms since she’d puppeted me and she was doing her best to avoid similar topics.
I took a moment to think on it. “Okay, just don’t be too liberal with your translation,” I agreed. I didn’t like knowing the dialogue was being adjusted, but it was more important that I be able to follow what was going on.
“So I just get to wait here while you get to have all the fun,” Talia pouted. Mai’s adjustments took effect immediately and made things much easier.
“No, your time here has ended. I need you to deliver news of success in capturing the human crafter to my father,” said Izusa.
“If that is what you need, I w
ill leave at first light,” said Talia. Most beastmen were nocturnal as was favored by the fiercest beastforms who held the highest positions in their society. However, a few still favored the daytime like Talia with her diurnal hawk form. Often these few were used to maintain daylight sentry duties while the remainder slept away the day. Talia was currently serving in such a role, as the majority of the warriors slept in the surrounding tents.
“Good, for now I need…” Izusa began before a trio of identically black garbed beastmen interrupted her.
“Izusa Wolfclaw, I see you have returned,” the beastman in the center sneered. He hadn’t included her rank.
“Clearly, I have,” said Izusa.
“Come with us now. There is a standing order to arrest you for desertion,” said the beastman.
“By whose order?” Izusa sighed, probably more out of annoyance than exhaustion, as she hadn’t sounded that way when she spoke with Talia.
“Gensel Dragontail, of course,” said the beastman soldier.
“Gensel? Do you not mean Corsel?” asked Izusa.
“No Gensel,” insisted the beastman soldier. “He was promoted after Gensel Beehoof died on the battlefield.” All beastmen were warriors and commanders fought alongside the soldiers they commanded.
“Alright,” Izusa nodded. “Take me to Dragontail so we can sort this out.”
“No, deserter, you know the rules. You are to be taken to the stocks so that your shame can be displayed for all to see while the higher ups determine your punishment at their convenience,” said the beastman soldier.
“I am no deserter, I was acting under orders. Now take me to Dragontail,” said Izusa.
One of the trio slapped a shackle on one of Izusa’s wrists then bent it around her back before reaching for the other arm.
“It is the middle of the day. The Gensel is asleep and cannot be disturbed. You will just have to wait and…”
Izusa’s muscles flexed. Her shackled arm returned to its initial position, dragging her would be captor along with it. She then kneed the beastman in the groin. This wasn’t considered a dishonorable move to the beastmen. A warrior should take any advantage he or she could get.
The beastman fell to the ground and relinquished the other end of the shackles. Izusa stomped on the beastman’s chest and kept her foot there as she made sure all three of them paid close attention.
“Take me to Dragontail,” Izusa repeated. “I am a Capsain of the 23rd battalion and you will do as I tell you.”
The trio shook a little, their confident swagger long gone as things didn’t turn out as expected. Izusa removed her boot from the one on the ground, allowing him to return to his feet and to his place beside the other two.
“I know what you are thinking,” Izusa continued. “You thought this task was going to be easy, that I would just come quietly and accept my fate, but now you have a problem. Technically, until my case has been decided I out rank you. You must do as I say. But if you take me to Dragontail, you fear his wrath if his precious sleep is disturbed. Do your job and listen to an order. If your commander can not understand that he does not deserve command.”
The three beastmen warriors all straightened up to that.
“Now, take me to Dragontail.”
“Yes ma’am,” the three said in unison.
“Clean him up. Then see to it that the human gets some food and a place to sleep,” Izusa told Talia before turning to leave with the black garbed trio.
“Understood,” said Talia, bringing two fingers to her right temple in a salute before leading me away.
Izusa withheld her anger. She was tired, hadn’t eaten in a full day, and she smelled something awful, even by the standards of her limited human form’s senses.
Izusa wished she smelled of dirt and sweat, such things were not only expected but admired for what they were, signs of hard work and dedication. However, another odor overpowered Izusa’s sweat. The foul stench of piss and shit suffused the back of her armor, a constant reminder of the lengths she had to go to ensure the human craftsman didn’t escape again.
She didn’t want to think about how bad it was for the Othans in beastforms with a particularly keen sense of smell, but fortunately, there were relatively few in camp in such a state. The human form was the only one all Othans shared so while in camp it was the one they tended to keep to.
After a few minutes, the trio led Izusa to a large elaborate tent, easily big enough to hold an entire squad, though it belonged to one.
Izusa waited outside with two of the beastmen, while the third entered the tent. It wasn’t long before Izusa could hear angry yells and the clang of thrown metal despite the tent’s thick fur coverings. After another moment, the newly minted Gensel Irving Dragontail emerged from the tent in his full resplendent gear in perfect condition despite having been through a devastating battle only a week before.
“Izusa Wolfclaw,” said Dragontail, inserting as much venom as he could as he could. “You have disturbed my sleep; you know this is only adding to your crimes.”
“So it is a crime now to disturb your precious sleep?” said Izusa.
“It is a crime to endanger your fellow warriors. If a commander does not get his rest, he risks making mistakes on the battlefield, mistakes that cost lives,” said Dragontail.
“Come on Dragontail. You know there is not going to be any battles anytime soon, not after the blunders of last week,” said Izusa.
“That’s Gensel Dragontail,” Dragontail seethed. “You know, after all the trouble you are in, I would have thought you would want to be on my good side. But you refuse to show even the slightest bit of diplomacy.”
“No, I think I will be straightforward. You are an ass, I am just glad I am free to tell you that now,” said Izusa.
“I suppose you are right. Now that you are about to be designated one of the Fallen, you are free to say whatever you want,” said Dragontail. “Guards take her to the stocks to await her trial, take a few liberties and pay her back for disturbing me while you are at it.”
“No, I am free to say whatever I want because I no longer fall under your command,” said Izusa as she reached into a pocket concealed under an armored hip and pulled out a small folded bit of paper.
“What is this nonsense,” said Dragontail accepting the paper and unfolding it.
“Clan chief of Doraga gave me a special mission. His orders supersede yours,” said Izusa as Dragontail scanned the note. Izusa’s father was the chief of her clan, Doraga. They had planned this mission ahead of time and he had prepared this note ahead of time to get her out of trouble, at least in an official sense.
“It does not say what this mission is,” said Dragontail as he looked up from the brief note.
“No, it does not. Nor does it need to. A clan chief’s order is paramount amongst his people,” said Izusa. The current military force amassed in Dewpoint was a collective of all the various clans and although the joint forces were commanded by a few gensels selected by a vote amongst the clan chiefs, the individual chiefs still held dominion over the actions of their own people.
Dragontail turned to the other three soldiers, wishing they weren’t there so he could try something, but in the end, Dragontail’s desire to maintain his flawless reputation won out. “You are quite right,” Dragontail sneered. “A chief’s order does hold precedence. You are free to go about your business.”
“Thanks. Do not worry, I will leave tomorrow and I doubt I will be coming back,” said Izusa as she left. ‘If everything works out, there will not be a need for the joint forces much longer.’
“Here, you can use this to clean yourself up,” said Talia as she pulled a large metal bucket of water off the fire and tossed a towel into it. While Izusa was away, Talia had followed her orders and taken me to a corner to clean myself up. I was between two large tents and with much of the camp sleeping, I didn’t see anyone else, but it was still in the open air and had far less privacy than I was accustomed to.
“I’m supposed to do it right here?” I asked.
“Where else?” Talia grinned.
“With you right there?” I said.
“Why not? You are a prisoner you know, the Capsain would want me to keep an eye on you,” Talia raised a suggestive eyebrow. “Would it make you more comfortable if I took my clothes off too?” Talia asked as she squirmed inside her loose fitting shift, somehow revealing even more cleavage.
“No, that’s okay,” I said, quickly accepting the bucket and turning away.
‘Ahh. Isaac, are you blushing?’ said Mai, appearing right in front of me, her eyes briefly meeting mine before turning downward. ‘I guess that’s not all you’re trying to hide.’
Talia laughed at my reaction. “I always forget how particular you humans are about such things,” she said between surprisingly girlish giggles. “Very well. If it makes you feel better, I will turn around. It’s not as if anyone would want to see you as you are now, having been stewed in your own juices.”
I glanced over my shoulder and saw that the beastwoman had done as she said she would. She was still close by, around a dozen feet away, but she’d turned around.
I took off all my clothes, taking my time trying to avoid touching the most polluted bits, but it was a lost cause. Everything was a disgusting mess. I tossed my clothes on the fire as I went; they were too far gone to be saved even if I had the slightest interest to.
Then I set about cleaning myself off. The warm water felt delightful on my skin, but in the cool fall air, the feeling was fleeting so I finished the job quickly.
“Well, that’s much better isn’t it,” said Talia. She was right. I felt better, but it’d be several days before I’d fully recover. The skin all around my nether regions was red and irritated.
The Ice Lands Page 4