Beyond?

“While the Eastern Plains are mainly dominated by grassland and small hills, Nict is a country of wild and old forests, which only give way to the big fields of farmers and meadows for their cattle. The region has more than enough water since the mountains to the north are the origin of many big rivers.

Broad and comfortable roads are connecting the villages with the border cities. It's a necessity to keep those roads in a very good state.

No sane civilian would get the idea to cross the almost impassable forests. Only experienced hunters and lumberjacks enter the dark backwoods, which reclaim cultivated land within months if nobody stops the wild vegetation from overgrowing everything.

But the reason for the peasants' fears are not the dark backwoods, nor the thick underwood. The thing that's stopping the average person from entering the forests is a certain part of the lively vegetation.

You can find the slasher vine almost everywhere in the entirety of Nict. It's an insignificant looking plant and most unfortunate victims never know what killed them. The people who are working in the forests developed a keen eye to recognize the thin vines which reach from tree to tree. In many cases just a few centimetres above the ground and hidden by high grass.

The slasher vine is completely harmless during its growth period, reaching from tree to tree, feeding from the nutrients of its host plants.

It gets only dangerous once the slasher vine reaches the end of its life and develops little capsules with seeds along its vines. Once it dies, the slasher vine starts drying up, shrinking in the process.

The vines tense and shorten while they get almost as strong as steel wire. Once these thin wires are touched even lightly, they snap, slashing at the unfortunate victim.

The force is big enough to seriously wound or maim the victim. Many found themselves without legs after taking a stroll in the forest. The lucky ones get decapitated.

The seed-pockets burst open and deliver their poisonous seeds into the victim’s wound, paralysing it  to use it as fertilizer for the new, fast growing vines.

That's the reason why all animals which live in the forests are either very resistant, armoured beings like the fire lizard. Or smart, fast and nimble creatures like the parda, the wild ancestor of the warcat.”

-Biology report II.

***Free City States of Nict, Capital***

***Azir***

“We haven't seen each other in a long time.” Clara Veit folds the fingers of her hands on top of her office table, taking a praying position. She is the director of the university and the personification of an old hag. Her hair is white and there are more wrinkles on her skin than I can count. The horns are only sad stumps on her forehead, reminders of former glory. She is a very skinny, almost starving-looking grandma.

I smile and nod. “Indeed. A long time! Though I don't know why I am here?” A teacher informed me earlier that the director requested to see me. Since I was already on my way home I decided to stop by in the director's office.

She nods. “I admit that I almost forgot about the student who bound his fellow classmates naked onto a statue.”

I draw in a deep breath. “That's a false accusation! There were never any witnesses.”

She squints her eyes. “Yeah... I am still wondering what you did to them to make them stay silent until today. Though that's not the reason why I called for you.”

“So what's the problem then?” I ask. “I haven't much time. I am a busy person.”

Clara points at Sariel, who is sitting on my lap. “That's the reason!” Her finger wanders to Zadkiel, who has a comfortable spot on my shoulders. “And that! You can't bring children to your tutoring lessons!”

I tilt my head in confusion. “Did anyone complain?” Strange, I made sure that nobody would say anything about my children. “I had to take them with me since Stella has laboratories and there was nobody available to look after them.”

The director shakes her head. “Nobody complained, but the teachers saw it and I don't allow it!” She shakes her finger at us and the twins follow her movements synchronously with their eyes.

“Fine. It won't happen again. Next time I'll give the children of the ~second princess~ to a random caretaker.” I simply have to execute more control over the campus. It seems like a few persons still don't realise that interfering with me can only end badly for them!

Clara crosses her arms in front of her chest. “See to it. There won't be another warning.”

I get up and leave through the office door in a hurry. What a waste of time. Upon exiting through the door I hear a strange hollow sound from above my shoulders and remember that Zadkiel is riding me!

Hurriedly I place Sariel on the floor. She is very displeased and her small tail displays that by moving around wildly. Taking Zadkiel from my shoulders I find a big bump developing on his forehead.

He didn't let out a single sound, but there are tears in his eyes and his chin is twitching, a sign that the great crying will start any moment now. “Don't cry, you are a strong one.” I apply a healing spell while Sariel is looking at us with an expression that can mean only one thing.

What can I say? She is right. Zadkiel could have taken care of his head.

I take Sariel under my left arm and grab Zadkiel on his clothes. “I think we should take a short-cut.” So I concentrate and teleport all of us directly into our living room at home. It was a long day and I am tired.

Upon reappearing in my house I am greeted by Stella and Ivy who are having their evening meal.

“Ah! You are back! That's good. Zadkiel needs his liver!” She stands up and approaches me, but her attempt at taking Zadkiel away from me doesn't go too well.

I never imagined that a baby's body can get that strong, but he is burying his fingers with all his might in my clothes and starts crying.

Stella pulls even stronger. “Let go, Zadkiel. Your liver is waiting. What's wrong with you? Just a month ago you didn't stick to your father like that.”

I sigh. “I can understand him. Every child who is fed stuff like that is going to hate the one who feeds him.”

Finally Zadkiel's fingers tire and Stella manages to get him off of me. I feel for you boy, but it's for your own good.

“It seems like the saying that love goes through the belly has some merit when it comes to children.” Ivy chuckles and continues eating her bread with cheese.

I deliberately ignore Zadkiel's predicament and start stuffing myself with the snacks on the table. “When I was small I thought that my mother was trying to poison me.”

Stella pulls a grimace and stops her attempts at feeding Zadkiel with a spoon. “This isn't going to change the fact that he needs to eat his share of liver.” A syringe appears from under her clothes and she starts filling it with the mashed liver. It's not a normal one, but the big version for cooking.

I continue eating while I am observing the situation. “Do you really think this will work?”

She shrugs her shoulders. “Zadkiel isn't swallowing the stuff on his own, so I have to take drastic measures.” The syringe is closed again and Zadkiel's eyes turn big and round as it is forced into his mouth. His cheeks bulge outwards like a hamster's and at least something goes down his throat.

Our happy time is interrupted by a message window popping up in my field of vision. It's from Helen and flagged important. Obviously Stella got it too, because she stops forcing the ugly white mass down Zadkiel's throat.

I open the message and start reading.

.