Pressing close to the wall, Rye watched the white stallions running about questioning aimlessly around. They were obviously looking for something, and it seemed to be important.
“Crow is it clear yet to move without being stepped on?”
Peering around the corner, he gave her the thumbs up. “No sign of crazed lvines running around. I think it’s safe.”
“Whew...” Rye wiped away her invisible sweat. “Good, cause all I want to find right now, is the leader of the village... I think he may know why certain things have been happening here in Echofalls.”
“Rye mind if I ask... why are you and Grey in Echofalls?”
Rye grinned small as she slowed her pace. “There had been some strange happens in Echofalls lately. As you seen in the forest it was half dead... the reason for that is some strange plague. It is referred to as ‘darkness’ or something along those lines. In basic terms, we have a bad guy out there somewhere causing crap to happen and I was sent here to clean it up... Grey just tagged along.” Crow returned the grin.
“Any clues who is behind the evil?” Crow asked as there seemed to be some weird memories behind this question.
Rye shrugged. “None—” Her eyes turned towards him as she seemed too serious, “We had just got here a couple days before when you ran into us, so basically I know as much as you do.”
“Oh,” Crow seemed distant at the moment. Poking him slightly, Rye returned to her cheery self as she glanced towards a gray stallion tracking his way to them, “Mmm, looks like we have company.”
“That it does.” Rye gestured to the left so they could get out of the way. The stallion followed there movements.
“Pardon me Miss and Sir, but have you two heard of anyone here called guardian?” Crow glanced towards Rye as she return the favor.
“Depends on who wants to know?” Rye smirked smugly.
The stallion didn’t seem to mind her smug nature at the moment, but was slightly getting a bit impatient. “The lord of Sidri would like to know, Miss. All I would like to know is if you have seen or heard of the person.”
Crow nudged her to just get on with it. They were out to find the leader, this just meant less work. Raising her hand Rye rolled her eyes. “I’m right in front of you... Guardian Hunter—” the stallion grinned. “—at your service.”
“Ah finally. If you two wouldn’t mind, please come with me. The lord would like to meet and discuss some issues with you, Mistress Hunter.” The stallion curtsy some as Rye automatically rolled her eyes again.
“Yah lets be off.” Holding an open palm towards the road, Rye mocked the stallion behinds his back as she copied his curtsy. Hitting her quickly, the stallion was looking over his shoulder as he barely caught her.
“You’re going to get into trouble soon Rye.” Crow warned. Rye grinned at the idea. “I do not want to know why you are smiling like that.”
“You are right, you don’t want to know.” Rye agreed simply, circling her hands behind her back Rye held her grin as he was beginning to get an odd feeling, that he had met this leader before... but when and where?
________
They trekked halfway across the town as Markku seen one of his many scouts bringing back a young woman and a young man. Keira was busying herself with odd jobs around the tavern, before the late night rush came in. Erinna was out once again, faltering after another young stallion, as it seemed she was destined to date every one of them. He didn’t dare interfere with her strange life, as he knew the issues she dealt with was something Keira could handle better than he could. If it came to army tactics or soldier training, he knew what he was talking about, otherwise the women stuff he was clueless.
Cajin bent down for a brief moment to show his respect to him with the bow as he quickly got back up and exited the tavern. The woman was a ecchial as she had a strong scent of forest and moss, but the male seemed distant as he let the shadows of the dark clothed him. But there was a familiar scent to the boy.
“Are you the lord of Sidri?” the woman questioned promptly as she curved a hand down into her pocket. He nodded to her question as the woman seemed slightly relieved. “Good because I have a couple questions for you too, Lord.”
“You’re the guardian of Vena?”
She grinned darkly. “Obviously.” Markku seen Keira skitter about less and less as she was becoming more interested in this ‘guardian’. “Names Ryden Hunter.”
“Pleasure Mistress Hunter, I suppose you know why I have requested you here?” Markku quizzed.
“Perhaps, could it be with the deal about the darkness?”
“Aye, I had received a strange black wax sealed letter from the Echowinds temple, warning me about your arrival, along with any other surrounding town or city.” Markku adjusted his stood. “Take a seat Mistress Hunter.” Ryden drawled close to a chair as she placed a hand on the back.
“Well Lord, what do you know about the darkness?”
“Please Mistress, called me Markku, and I’m afraid I do not know much about it. Other than it is controlled by some strange demoil in the reaches of Syrian.” Markku turned an eye towards the shadowed man. “He is currently in the city of Sypharian and seems to be able to control a wide variety of beings. Otherwise, I know nothing.”
“Well that’s better than nothing Markku, but how do you know this?”
He grinned sadly as she was eager to know about this. “I traveled briefly with a young hevanarchon...” Her ears perked to an ultimate high, but he choice not to pay any heed to it. “Ternlei was his name, and it was about a while ago that we were attacked. Unfortunately it was a unnecessary battle.”
“How so?”
Markku recalled the event. Ternlei stood before his brother as he refused to draw his weapon. He had already made it clear that he wouldn’t hurt his brother... no matter what. He respected his boundaries of not killing him, but he had wished somehow that he had changed his mind, and then perhaps they would have been able to gain more knowledge of this sly demon. “Markku?”
“Oh yes, sorry Mistress Hunter.” Markku cleared his throat as he began his thoughts once again. “As I said the battle was unnecessary but it ensued anyways. I on the other hand was not allowed to interfere. I had to respect that as Ternlei was against his own flesh and blood.” Markku knitted his eyebrows together in hate and disgrace. “His own brother attacked him. Ternlei had tried to reason with him, but his brother seemed to hear nothing. You could see the anger and hate welling up inside the boy as he glared murderously towards Ternlei.”
The lad in the dark was muttering something under his breath as Mistress Hunter seemed to pay no heed to him. “The battle started and ended in a spark. The boy drew a crossbow as Ternlei just froze. He didn’t move before to dodge the attack, he just simply let it hit him. The strangest and creepiest thing about Ternlei was he just smiled... he smiled to his traitorous brother and that was it!”
“Whoa... what do you think made the brother do it?”
Markku shrugged. “I don’t know but I swear if I find that young man, I will show no mercy to him.” Mistress Hunter nodded. “Curse that Kross child.”
Her ears perked once again as it was a quick look towards the male. “Did you say Kross?” the male finally spoke as he sounded unsure about his question.
“Yes, that little monger name was Destyn Kross... I’ll never forget that name. I said I’d try and avenge for a fallen comrade and I will keep my promise.”
Mistress Hunter fell out of her chair as the male seemed to seep deeper into a corner. “Mistress Hunter are you alright?” Markku singled for Keira to turn up the oil lamp, to give off more light.
“I’m.... I’m.... unsure?” Mistress Hunter reached up to grab on the table as it shook from her. “Did... did.... no I couldn’t have?”
“Rye can we get out of here?” the man asked in a pleading voice. Turning an eye up to the seeable lad, he rose to his vast height in a flash. His sights were wide as he peered up to him. “Too... late...”
“I thought I recognized your scent.” Markku stepped towards him as he was ready to dodge any attack he could throw. He seen different shades of red as his mind whirled with the memory again and again. “Never have I seen anyone so cowardly yet powerful in one small being. You killed your own flesh and blood!”
“I did nothing of the sort!” Destyn snapped slightly as he inched his way away from him. “I don’t have any siblings that I remember.”
“You can’t lie! I remember you and I will take you out Destyn.” Markku growled low and deep as Destyn quickly side swipe past his grasp.
“I never did anything... I can’t remember doing anything like that, so it wasn’t me!” Destyn pounced across the tables as Mistress Hunter stood off to the left, just in a complete daze.
Keira was behind the bar as she was crying out warnings not to wreck up the place, but at the moment that was far from anything he cared about. This little monster had some links to the demon and he was going to find out what they were and then hang him.
“Markku if you lay a hand on him, I will be sorry to say I’ll have to condemn you.” Mistress Hunter’s voice came loud and clear as he stopped his rampage after Destyn.
Having himself in a corner up near the roof, his hands were nearly dug into the wooden walls, just trying to keep himself up and way from his grasp.
“Mistress Hunter, you have a murder on your hands... you can not allow him to run around freely!”
Her eyes opened to bare the bright green in her sights as she wasn’t in the mood to make and deals or here any excuses. “Leave him be. It is obvious you have the wrong hevanarchon.” Destyn remained in the corner as he was rapidly thanking the good spirits. “You do not know if this demon is able to create clones of others. It could be possible that the Destyn you seen was a copy and was able to will the nature to kill his brother. It’s obvious this Destyn doesn’t remember and if you lay a hand on him, I’ll be sorry to say...” Her eyes darkened. “I’ll have to make your wife a widow.”
“Markku please stop,” Keira begged.
Glaring up towards Destyn he was not ready to come down as the huge dark red eyes were watching him very carefully. “If it had not been for Mistress Hunter, I would have killed you Destyn.” Markku wanted to make that very clear as he was far than happy to have spared his life. Mistress Hunter smiled grimly as all ears within the tavern perked to a high as high pitch screams and howls outside, began to flood in. Listening carefully to the screams they slowly began to form into the words ‘rouge demon’