Realm of Monsters

…In the southern hills of Dusk Valley… The Cairn Tribe’s Encampment…

Chieftain Marek Helene trained inside his wide tent. His shifting from one combat stance to another was silent save for the quiet grunts of exertion every now and then. After 20 minutes of training a thin coat of sweat covered his olive skin. 

In his hands, he held the black orichalcum spear from a forgotten age. Each swing and each thrust sent a shiver down his arms, the power of the spear ebbing into him ever so slowly and painfully. 

“Your movements have finally become smooth. You’re no longer stiff. I’d say you almost seem like a natural,” Dawn noted from the corner of the tent.

Marek paused in his familiar routine, stabbed the black spear into the ground, and took a breather. He glanced over at the mysterious and beautiful hybrid woman sitting so calmly on a wooden chest, her legs crossed as if meditating. Her dark purple eyes studied him just the same.

“You know, this is a lot harder than it looks,” Marek said with a mild frown.

“I know,” Dawn said without missing a beat. “But you are the only one of us capable of wielding that spear. And we are running out of time. You must master the weapon before long.”

Marek nodded in understanding, “Every day it becomes a little easier to hold. And yet every single time I hold the spear I feel a cold pain ebb into my arms. It’s strange, to be so cold yet feel as if you’re burning at the same time.”

“The pain won’t lessen, but your pain tolerance will increase with time,” she said sympathetically. “The fact that you can hold the spear for as long as you can means that the weapon is beginning to finally accept you.”

“I hope so,” he sighed.

“Soon the spear will whisper its name to you, Marek. And you must be ready when that time comes. You will have one chance to stop Crow. Do not miss it.”

“I won’t,” he said resolutely.

The tent’s flaps flung open and Vaughn strode in, his grey cloak in tatters and covered in grime and dust. “Lord Marek, we need to speak—”

“Vaughn, you’re back!” Dawn shouted in relief and ran over to her twin.

“Sister, I’ve missed you,” Vaughn whispered and hugged her tight. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead on hers.

“So have I,” she mumbled with a tearful smile.

Marek watched in stunned silence. He had never seen either of the stoic siblings display such levels of emotions before. He suddenly found himself missing his family terribly, though he tried to hide the pain from his blue eyes.

Marek cleared his tight throat, “How was the mission?”

At Marek’s words, Vaughn opened his eyes, and gently stepped away from his sister. He glanced pointedly at the black spear standing upright on the ground and frowned, but he held his tongue, “...The mission was successful, my lord.”

“How many did we lose?” Marek asked grimly.

“Most. Once we left Undergrowth’s borders Lady Thorn’s armies chased us down until we escaped Glimmer Grove Forest altogether. Only a few dozen of us got out by the end,” Vaughn said calmly as if reading a mere scouting report.

“Hundreds of our people dead… and for what?” Marek clenched his teeth.

“Crow’s plan worked,” Vaughn said.

Marek looked up in surprise, “What? What did you say?”

“The ladies and lords of Undergrowth have become bloodthirsty after the attack on their city. Several small Undergrowth regiments have already broken off and attacked innocent Valley Tribes. This new circumstance, coupled with the armies of House Veres, Glaz, and Goldelm prowling Dusk Valley, well, let’s just say that the people of the Valley are desperate and in pain… and their leaders have responded.”

“What are you trying to say exactly?” Marek asked in a hopeful tone.

“I’m saying that the esteemed Adder Tribe has finally been forced to act. Their chieftain has called upon a ‘Meeting of the Dawn.’ Every single chieftain is to gather for the summit.”

“When?” Marek asked keenly.

“In two days time, my lord,” Vaughn said.

“This is your chance, Marek,” Dawn said. “With all the chieftains gathered you will have a chance to petition our cause. For the first time since the founding of the Valley Tribes, the Keepers of the Dawn’s armies could be united under a single cause. If done right, you may find yourself at the head of the largest army in all the Ebon Realm.”

“And if done wrong you may find your head on a spike,” Vaughn said. “You will need a plan if you hope to convince the stubborn chieftains.”

“So,” Dawn looked at her chieftain expectantly, “What will it be, my lord?”

Marek closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After a long moment, he opened his eyes and stared at the orichalcum spear standing next to him; the weapon practically shook with power. He glanced at the twin arch-mages and smiled ruefully, “What are we waiting for?”

~~~

… The Great House of Katag’s Villa, Undergrowth… 

The storm’s wrath had slowed to a quiet drizzle as morning came. The gardens were empty. The flower beds had been flattened by the night’s winds and pelting rain. The trees, with their green leaves, stood tall in the grey dawn. One tree stood out amidst the rest of the small grove. Branches grew out from the bottom half of the trunk in a thick weaved pattern, forming a half-dome. Underneath the branches lay two sleeping beauties.

The first was a woman, with scarlet-red skin and shoulder-length black hair as dark as midnight. She was short for an orc, a little over five feet and a half, far shorter than her mother or father. Though no one doubted her parentage. She had a long jaw and narrow cheeks like her father, but her amber eyes were her mother’s, through and through.

Yet Tauri hated whenever a would-be suitor compared her to her mother. In many ways she was different. Her mother, Evelyn, was an elegant, tall beauty, with long slender legs, a comely waist, and a bosom so large that there was hardly a man who could keep his eyes away.

Compared to Evelyn, Tauri seemed small. Her breasts were modest and she did not stride above the others in a room. But where her mother’s legs were long and slender, Tauri’s were wide and shapely, and her bottom was curvaceous. There was not a man nor woman in the upper social circles who had not heard of the beautiful daughter of Lord Krall.

The second beauty was a young man of twenty. While other men might have been called handsome, rugged, lanky, or even simply ugly, the only word that seemed appropriate to any who laid eyes on the young man was beautiful. Though, he would have most likely mauled any who dared.

His face was small and his features were as soft as a woman’s. There was no stubble, not even a whisker of hair on his cheeks. His skin was a soft blue that in some lighting held hints of teal. His hair was a pale grey and shined like silver under the moonlight. But it was his eyes that gave pause to any who saw them. Irises of lilac and pupils like slivers of obsidian that seemed so clear yet held a depth so endless that many had lost themselves staring.

The azure beauty sat on the wet grass, his knees wide. His back rested on the tree’s wide trunk as he slept soundlessly. The scarlet beauty lay on her side, curled between his legs, her body pressed against his chest, and her head resting on his shoulder. Their hair fell over each other in a silky tangle of black and white.

The guard who came upon them stared in admiration, it was as if he was seeing a painting fashioned by a master artist of old. And so a great sense of anxiety filled his being when his obligations called upon him to awaken the sleeping beauties.

“Ahem,” the guard coughed.

Stryg’s eyes immediately flickered open; his lips slightly apart, showing the tiny glint of his small but sharp fangs. His arms unconsciously held Tauri tighter, but she did not wake.

“U-um, good morning, Lord Aspirant,” the guard wrung his hands awkwardly and looked everywhere but at the couple.

“What is it?” Stryg asked in a cold voice.

And at the sound of his familiar voice, Tauri's eyes opened in a daze. She yawned slowly and stretched her legs and back like a cat, still nestled in the goblin’s arms.

“~Shtryyyg?~” Tauri mumbled. “~What are you doing in my bed?~”

“I’m sorry to bother you both, but your team is looking for you, Lord Aspirant. Your match is starting soon,” the guard said.

Tauri’s eyes widened at the unfamiliar orc’s voice, “This isn’t my bed… Where am I?” She looked around in disbelief.

Stryg smiled lopsidedly, “Funny story, I think we fell asleep—”

“—Oh shit!” Tauri screamed and jumped to her feet. She turned to the guard, “Has anyone else seen us?”

“Uh, n-no, I don’t think so,” the guard shook his head anxiously.

“Then no one will hear about this either, do you understand me?” Tauri glared at him.

The guard blanched, “B-but, I’m sworn to your lord father and lady mother, I cannot in good conscience say nothing to them—”

“I swear if you tell anyone what you saw today you will regret it,” Tauri snarled.

“Is he a problem?” Stryg asked nonchalantly. 

“Of course, he’s a problem! No one can know what happened!” Tauri yelled angrily.

“No one can know that you and I fell asleep talking?” Stryg cocked his head to the side.

“Ugh, you don’t get it! You don’t understand what this looks like! What people might think!” Tauri said.

“If he’s such a threat do you want me to just kill him?” Stryg glanced at the guard.

The guard took a step back and laughed fearfully, “On second thought, I saw nothing! Nothing at all! Who are you two? I don’t even know! Hehe… I, uh,” he swallowed hard, “I’m, uh, gonna go patrol over there, because clearly there was nothing over here, just some trees and flowers. Yes, just some trees and flowers.”

The guard turned around and marched off, his eyes focused straight ahead, without looking back once.

Tauri smirked, “I’m not gonna lie, that was a pretty good bluff.”

“What bluff?” Stryg looked at her curiously.

Tauri narrowed her eyes, “The one about killing him.”

“Oh.”

“…You were bluffing, right? Right?”

“Um, yes…?”

Tauri pinched her nose bridge and clenched her eyes shut, “Gods help me…”

“Sooo… good morning, I guess?”

“No, not good morning,” Tauri glared at him, “Last night was not good. It was a mistake. It can’t happen again, understood?”

“Um, no…?”

Tauri rolled her eyes, “I don’t have time for your bullshit today. I’m gonna go get changed, you should do the same. Try not to be late for your match. And don’t tell anyone what happened last night or this morning!”

She walked off into the rain with a heavy angry stride. 

Stryg watched her go, his eyes staring at her back all the way. A small part of his mind whispered that he had to fight Sylvie today and suddenly the burning desire in the pit of his chest was smothered out.

Stryg sighed, “Right…”