Irine was on edge.
Her gaze steady on one of her many advisors who was delivering information that had become the main topic of interest. The news was beginning to send some locals into panic.
"Take me to him. I will see for myself."
"My Queen, if it is truly as strange as it is being painted it could be dangerous. Please consider sending one of your many loyal subjects-"
"No, listening to reports isn't going to help me come to a decision. I must see it for myself."
Reluctant but unwilling to disobey his Queen, the advisor nodded.
The people of Amaryllis were no strangers to seeing the Queen roaming the streets. It was normal to see her buying bread and chatting with the elderly still manning their own private stalls and businesses.
Today was an exception to that. The large dark stallion she rode moved swiftly, steadfast as passersby moved out of the way of the large beast. A small group of dark mages followed after her as the advisor lead the way to their impromptu destination.
Near their modest stone house a father and son beast tamer and tamer in training respectively were beginning to preparing for their visit to Amaris. This particular day was usually filled with light hums and jokes.
Now the two moved sluggishly, as if they were hesitant to depart. The darkness of the woods that was filled with familiarity was quickly transforming into something mysterious that put them on edge.
"Dad... do we have to?"
"You can stay behind if you wish but the colder nights are approaching. We need to refill our stocks before then so I cannot afford to miss a visit."
After a moment of thought the son shook his head.
"No, with what's happening I won't let you go out there alone."
"We have already reported the situation to the resident advisor, we must trust them to come up with an explanation and solution. Get your boots and come along."
Just as the two were preparing to disappear into the darkness of treeline, the heavy sound of horse shoes kicking up dirt caught the father's attention.
He turned only to be momentarily shocked stiff by the sudden appearance of the Queen herself surrounded by her men. The advisor was the first to slide off of his horse and approach the man.
"Beast Tamer Reys, the Queen would like to apologize for the sudden intrusion... but what you mentioned in the report you made to me..."
Irine sighed at the man's attempt to dance around the subject.
"It could possibly be a dangerous ordeal but I would like to see what you said in your report. This is not an order but a request and if you deny I ask you to kindly point us in the direction of someone willing to pick up the job."
There is a beat of silence before Reys straightens to his full height.
"These woods are my backyard, I'd be honored to offer my expertise even if they do fall short."
Irine nodded.
"Then it is decided. Let us proceed."
"It would be best to leave the animals here, just to be safe."
Irine gracefully dismounted her horse without much thought and the others followed. The group made their way into Amaris. The dense dark mana of the forest immediately settling onto their skin like a weighted blanket as they entered.
Reys led them to where he was previously, his son following his trail without so much as a misstep.
They all soon surrounded the trail of a dark beast.
"This is the print of an
No one dared to interrupt as the man lead them deeper into Amaris as they kept to the allupine's trail.
Reys points to another set of tracks that soon closes into the original they had been tailing.
"Here another male joins him which is rather strange. The Allupine males are aggressive against each other no matter the season and in general are a solitary species. While the females do take care of their young it is for a short period of time before they are abandoned in the wilderness."
As the crowd continues onwards Reys points out more tracks that joined the growing crowd. Until the hoofs roughed up the black dirt in such a large space it was impossible to miss.
"Such a large group of these creatures running together is uncommon. The closest thing I can think of is that sometimes when a high mana current forms the males may group up to chase it as they can absorb the mana but this usually ends in huge fights when the mana current dissipates."
Irine glanced up from where she was looking.
"Is that what you think happened?"
"No, this practice is only done by males and here there are a good number of female trails mixed in."
"Is it possible that other animals are in the group too or just the allupine species?"
"Their aggression extends to other creatures so the wildlife know to stay away from this area. It isn't impossible though."
Reys walked forward and points to one section of the dirt.
"It doesn't make any sense. There would be some sign of commotion and confrontation, even a few carcasses left behind considering the group was massive but here... the trail goes-"
Dead cold.
The mussed dirt goes smooth as if someone had purposely cleaned it of all evidence.
"The mana currents have also been strange... even for dark mana. I feel as though there have been more spikes than usual and they're much stronger. I can't help but think the two things are connected."
"It matches the other reports we've been getting. If someone is intentionally taking these animals it would be near impossible to move such large volatile creatures without being seen. Magic or not."
The advisor mumbled to himself, eyebrows pinched in concentration.
Reys' son spoke, blurting his thoughts out of nervousness as this was his first time seeing the Queen in person.
"The population can't take much more of this. The allupines are becoming rare and without them farmers will have a harder time meeting their quotas. They've all just disappeared into thin air."
Irine remained silent throughout the remainder of the discussion.
Disappeared huh?
- - -
Azra remained unresponsive as his father entered the room.
Matteus settled himself on a single armchair, his gaze darkening as he looked at the painting of Adaline. The memory of her now forever tainted with bitter undertones of her shorten life and his own failure.
Azra tried to remain silent, but he had to ask.
"She would have still died, long before you… before us."
"She would not have been the first, I was there for Scott's father's funeral and Ryan's and many others. We would have stayed with her, filled her life with content until her final moments. Anything would have been better than this."
"Does it get easier?"
"No, and you should never hope it does."
Azra stuffed his head into one of the many fancy pillows lining the couch. Somehow feeling too tired to cry despite the fact that he really wanted to.
"When you saved that child, how did you feel?"
Azra lifted his head and met his father's probing gaze.
For a moment right after, he was happy perhaps even proud of himself. Now, he wasn't so sure.
"I don't know."
"I don't want you thinking that what you did wasn't the right thing to do. It was very brave of you."
"I'm waiting for the but."
Matteus grinned slightly.
"But that is only ever just a portion of what we need to take into consideration before we act. I'm not asking you to sit on the sidelines if something like this happens again. I just don't want you questioning your actions like you are now. You did a good thing Azra."
Azra nodded along, allowing another moment to pass before he addressed the real root of the argument.
"Dad I… really want to go to Yelrine. I wasn't sure before but now I think it could help me a lot. Please?"
For good measure Azra widened his eyes. Giving his father the gaze that almost always got him what he wanted. Matteus laughed softy, standing up to ruffle Azra's white locks.
"Before that, Azra there is something you must know. About the people of Amaryllis and the ability you wield."
Azra frowned, something in the back of his brain slowly coming to the forefront as his father spoke.
"Does this have anything to do with what Queen Irine was telling me about during my debutante?"
Matteus' eyes narrowed into slits as he focused on his son.
"Azra, tell me exactly what she said to you."