The road was ill maintained, this was apparent with the jostling of the wagon we rode. So rough that I feared we would crack a wheel and have to repair it before we travel further. So far this has not been an issue. The Councilman who I was traveling with was of course napping in the back of the wagon forcing me to steer this thing. Without further talking he took me to the wagon and told me to lead the horses while he slept. His only instructions were to go to the southern boundaries edge following this terrible kept road. We have been traveling for a few hours now, already getting well past lunch. Still had not ate anything since yesterday morning, but still we rode. I was too invested and intrigued in what this old man would show me. What did he mean by Transmutation? Best not to dwell on it. Everything I can imagine will most likely be wrong. What did he mean my brother Tarvan was not off to get himself killed on purpose? I was still confused why in the world he would cover up the deaths of his family. It just made no sense even with everything Councilman Jorgonzilrye informed me on. I still don't understand how information can be dangerous to the village. If it was truly dangerous in the ways that has been described, why would anyone want to leave? People would not want to risk their children for no reason at all.
Mid thought I saw the boundary stones coming to view, large rocks that have been shaped in many different ways; circular, angular, and of course many irregularly shaped. These stones after being shaped had been stacked as though they could be easily toppled over. This was just an illusion, when I was a child, I had tried to push them over to no success. They were solid and immovable. On some of them there were designs carved into them. No actual meaning or rhyme to them, purely for decoration purposes that has been worn through age. The road stops at a barracks, one of many that is placed at the boundaries edge for the Boundary Guard to stay in. For months at a time, they have to be here away from their families before they are able to return. It is not allowed for family or friends to visit the barracks without proper authorization. I have always been curious what was inside them, but always was wary of the rules so I never done so. The building was smaller than I imagined, I was told that up to 50 guard can sleep there a night. I have no idea how they would fit that many people into a single story, half again size of a normal house. The place was all wooden, no, well maintained and no signs of vegetation around it. The grass was dead, dirt and mud were the garden.
Mid thought I had a voice call out to me, "Halt, stay where you are and state your name." This voice was louder than I thought could be managed by someone. It was a thundering voice but higher in pitch.
"I have no name, I am uhh-" my brain froze.
"What is your business." Now I am able to put a face to the name, it was a red headed fellow with lots of freckles. I could see them even from this distance of nearly thirty meters. His voice, still so loud as if he was yelling in my ear.
"Traveling with Councilman Jorgonzilrye, I-"
"Pull up." Without a second glance he walked away and rounded the corner of the barracks. Unable to see him anymore I got the horses moving again as he commanded. Looking over my shoulder Councilman Jorgonzilrye had not budged an inch.
Once I got to the barracks I was introduced to a different person. A tall woman, I only would come to her shoulders. She was beautiful, long onyx colored hair that was well kept. She had no dirt or grime about her. She also had extremely light blue eyes that seemed as though they could see through me. She gave off an aura of confidence and self-awareness that made me feel small. She reminded me of Brother Tarvan. With the feeling of inadequacy, I tried to keep out of my voice I asked, "Is this far enough?" gesturing towards the wagon.
The woman nodded then spoke. "Honorable Jorgonzilrye, it is great to see you. How may I be of assistance today? At this time only the on duties are here at the moment, the rest are…" she looked my way "Away checking the boundary." It was impressive she could see the old man, but she looked right at the spot in wood of the wagon that led to his position. It was almost as if she could see through it.
"Ahh, Ans, it is good to see you again." Sitting up in the wagon he looked over the edge now, barely though. "Anything in particular they are hunting?"
With his comment she widened her eyes in surprise. "Oh, nothing worth consequence, just the usual." Her eyes would shift to me as she spoke clearly trying to choose her words.
"Beg for my forgiveness, this is the sister of Tarvan. I am going to be taking her in as a potential. You can be open. Now what are they hunting and where?"
Her demeanor changed drastically, in fact she looked angry. She had not that reach her voice though and she spoke. "They are at column 94. They are hunting a category 3." Her words however were stiff and without emotion.
"Thank you, take care of the horses we shall travel by foot." Councilman Jorgonzilrye hopped out of the wagon without a second glance at Ans. At a very fast walk he started off beyond the boundary. "Come along, we must move quickly for the show." For a man who looked to be over 70 years old, he moved as a man a fraction of that.
"Yes Councilman Jorgonzilrye." Hopping off in pursuit I didn't even bother handing Ans the reigns out of fear of being alone with her. She scared me. Why does everything scare me? Before I could ponder further the old man spoke again.
"We got a mile ahead of us through some woods and such before we get to the boundary."
"Did we not just pass the boundary?"
"Oh that, no that is just a dummy boundary. If someone passes it, they get into trouble but the-, did you not see the second boundary when you went out last night?" I shook my head; it was dark, and I was moving fast. "Oh, well the boundary up here is where safety of our zone ends. The one we just left is so we can intervene before they risk going out further. We make them drink a concoction to sell the illusion of them being poisoned. It will give them a terrible time, vomiting, dehydration fuzziness in the head. The likes, this is to sell further that the air is toxic without proper treatment and care." All these secrets, it was starting to get annoying how much the villagers don't know.
"Why? It does not make sense still. Why lie to them?" I nearly tripped as I asked.
"Due time, now no more of that. You shall see why in a few." With a nod, he began to jog. Well, he jogged, I was nearly at a dead sprint. Each step he took, I had to take three. It has always been known that those in the Border Patrol were large. Both men and women were, and it was never really understood why. It has been broadly known that they kept the boundary safe and maintained to keep the air within tolerable for the average person. They also acted a policing force within the village, but under a Lawman's control.
A few minutes later and we arrived at a clearing with a very large stack of stones. Three times the size of the ones at the dummy boundary. On this one it had a sign hanging on it with the number 94. The stone almost hummed, and the carvings on it were not worn at all with age. The opposite of the dummy boundary. "This way child, keep quiet and stay close to me. Closer, grab my belt loop if you must but that is how close I need you to be out here." I never liked being in someone's personal space let alone mine. To avoid being forced to grab his belt I got as close as possible, our hips would bump into each other when he stopped to step over a log or change in directions as he stared at the ground.
"What are you looking at?" Trying to control my breathing, my voice sounded airy to me as if I did not know how to breath.
"Shhh, quiet girl." He snapped. So far, he has not spoken with such force to me. So, I decided to stay quiet, and just followed. Only a minute passed, then I heard it. The same high-pitched gurgle that I heard last night. Trembling I inched closer to the old man. This was ridiculous, how can this man protect me from that? I had not gotten a good look but from what I managed to see; it was unnatural.
As we got closer to the noise, other noises became apparent. These were normal human voices, but also scrambling of feet and the hooting and hollering as if there was a tavern brawl about. Walking through the last of the shrubbery not only did I see the creature that would forever haunt me in my dreams, but I also saw people. People who have been twisted, changed and deformed. Arms bent in weird angles, ears elongated, eyes glowing. One man had a claw like arm. The one who was most twisted of all, fighting the devilish dark creature, was Cal.