I shook my head sleepily, we had been sitting here in silence for a while. After a few minutes of laying on the ground, Blade attempted to stand and charge us again, but the demirus knocked him over with its tail before he could even grab his sword, he tried to stand back up before getting growled at. He sat back down pretty quickly. The demirus's rider continued to just stare at the harpy who also continued to stay curled up on a tree branch in the treeline. Lýcos had passed out and Cobalt had wandered off to take care of his pets, which had come back. Lorra stopped crying a bit ago, and was sitting with her face dug into her arms, I still didn't understand what was wrong with her. Jeruaga had sat down next to the demirus and seemed to be feeding it.
I was sitting next to Lýcos, my tail on his arm, it stayed like that for a while before I felt his arm move and I looked to see him sitting up, rubbing his eyes. "Ugh. Well, at least I can say sleeping on grass and rocks feels better than sleeping in a tree." He said as he stood up, shaking small stones and dirt off his sweatpants. His shoulder looked ok, though there was now a scar there though. "You sure you're ok? Just making sure." I asked him, "Yes, my shoulder feels better than ever, and hell, my back doesn't hurt anymore from when I fell off that damn cliff." He responded, "I'm surprised you survived a fall from that height, but then again, you're a werewolf so that probably had something to do with it."
"Ok, that's enough of that." I heard the demirus rider say as he stood up and turned to us, he had a glowing purple feather in his hand, which I hadn't noticed before. He started walking towards us, the demirus stood and followed him almost immediately, its tail whacking Blade, who was still sitting, his head was down slightly as if he had drifted off, but he was definitely awake now. He shot up after rolling across the ground, looking around in confusion. I looked up at the frost giant in front of us as he stopped in front of us. I noticed he was the shortest one in the group, he was almost a foot shorter than Lorra.
"I guess I haven't properly introduced myself, even though I really shouldn't. I am Talo." He said as looked at me and Lýcos. "Velvs" The Demirus growled quietly. Lýcos looked at it confused. "Her name is Velvsetine," Talo said as he patted the demirus on the head. She seemed to huff at him. I realized Lýcos probably couldn't understand Dragonoid. Velvs huffed before standing upright, towering over the rest of us. Demirus are closely related to wyverns, but share more characteristics with true dragons and drakes, being they have 6 limbs, two sets of legs, and a pair of wings. Unlike true dragons and drakes, Demirus have front claws built more for grabbing and instead walk on their hind legs. Velvs had bluish-white scales across her body, four white horns protruded out of the back of her head. She had sky-blue eyes with slitted pupils.
I heard heavy footsteps come from behind us as Cobalt rejoined us. As he stopped, I started to hear a small whistling sound and looked up at Lýcos as he started whipping his head around. Talo reached towards him, which prompted him to step back and stare at Talos's hand as Talo reached into his hair, pulling out the feather Lýcos had stored there. I was surprised it was still there, as he was flying all over the place earlier. Talo placed it into his hand, and then Lýcos froze as his red eyes flashed purple for a second before going back to red, his pupils stayed purple. He looked confused for a second before he calmed down.
"This feels. . . Weird?" He said. "What?" I responded. "Nothing." He said after a few seconds. I noticed Talo looked at Cobalt before walking towards him. "Our mission was to capture or kill you specifically, though it went out of hand pretty fast. I'm generous though, we only took this job because my Father forced it on us. The harpy asked very nicely for us not to kill or take any of you, so I am willing to leave y'all alone, though we won't be able to go back empty-handed." Talo said to him. "Sir, you'll be in a lot of trouble for this, it's treason!" Blade said as he shot up. "It's not treason if they don't find out, that's why I need something to bring back as a way to keep anyone off our trail, plus those two weren't even supposed to be here so I only need something from the Bear." He said while gesturing towards me and Lýcos.
"Which, now that I think about it, you're both already someone else's bounty, News spreads fast, You're the werewolf that was hiding out in Tinferd, the Royal Guard were sent after you last night and you managed to escape," Talo said looking at Lýcos, I looked up at him shocked. "And you're the Fefinian that the group of humans we passed earlier are after if I'm correct." He said, looking at me. "You passed them? Where were they?" I asked. "They were heading toward the land bridge, probably setting up camp." He responded. "Hm, we'll crap, my original plan isn't gonna work now, I was gonna ask Cobalt to help us go through the drake valley, but now, that is impossible to do if you're planning to do what I think you're gonna do," I said.
"Wait, what's he planning to do?" Cobalt said black mist came from his mouth as he communicated with words. "He's planning to fake your death," Lorra said as she walked towards us, she still looked sad. I have vessel magic, I can clone your body with organic material, it will be almost the same, the only differences should be on an atomic level, and maybe some color as well. I need a lot of meat to do it though. Also a new staff now." She sighed. "Why does it sound like you've done this before?" I asked. "It's called a golem, more specifically a flesh golem. I've made a few rock and ice golems before, this will be my second time making one of these." She answered. She was still holding the pieces of her staff in one of her hands. They started to glow purple and flew out of her hand behind her, toward the harpy. We looked as we saw her grab them and then curl back up into a ball for a second, we heard a popping sound and then the staff flew back at Lorra.
Lorra grabbed it, and I noticed 3 things: The staff was fixed, the spot that had been snapped looked like it had been sealed with some kind of sap, and feathers were now attached to the top of the staff. "That solves one of the two problems, now where to get a large amount of flesh," Lorra said. "Do you have to recreate my whole body, can't you just do my head or something?" Cobalt asked. "Well, I could try, but it's not guaranteed to work as well. We still need meat though." She responded. "Craige Crabs might work, there's a nest nearby," I said, looking at Cobalt. "Possibly, I'd say that a few of us go check them out and try to catch one and the rest of us sit and chill here," Cobalt responded. "Why can't we use those?" Blade asked, pointing at Cobalt's pets. "I will disembowel you myself if you touch my animals," Cobalt growled.
"Who should go and who should stay?"
Lýcos asked. "Me and Shadow both know the location of the nest, so either of us can go," Cobalt said before slowly looking at me. "Are you seriously trying to be lazy right now dude?" I growled at cobalt. "Yes, you twig, now who else wants to go with him." He responded. "I'm gonna actually kill you. You know what, Wolf, you're coming with me." I said. "WHAT, WHY AM I GETTING DRAGGED INTO THIS!" Lýcos yelled. "I'm going too, Velvs, go see Jeruaga," Talo said as he turned towards Jeruaga and made a series of hand motions. Jeruaga nodded and pulled out some food for Velvs who grumpily walked over to Him. "Blade, you're coming too, Lorra, get ready for when we get back." Talo continued, "Yes sir!" They both said.
"It's not too far, so we won't need to bring any supplies. Y'all ready?" I asked. "I guess," Lýcos said. "Yes," Talo said, responding for both him and Blade. "Ok, let's go," I said as I turned and started trotting towards the top layer. I heard them behind me, mostly blade though as his armor clicked and clacked. Every once in a while I'd hear an animal or beast nearby but they left us alone so far. I did hear wing beats behind us and could hear the sound of tree branches moving so the harpy was most likely with us as well. "So are we watching out for anything specifically?" Lýcos asked.
"Craige crabs make their nests at the bottom of the cliff face of the first layer. Now while we are looking for smaller ones because they put up less of a fight, we also need to be careful of a possible Chasm Crab." I said. "What's that?!" Blade asked. "Craige Crabs are small creatures that shed their exoskeleton as they grow and around their tenth molt, they change into something else, Chasm Crabs are one of the larger things they evolved into, and also happen to stay at the nest normally when they reach adulthood," I replied. "How big exactly?" Talo asked. "Around as big as your Velvs," I said, I heard Lýcos scratch his arm nervously as I said it.
I started to slow down a bit as the trees got farther apart and we stopped when the wall was only a short walk away. We hid behind a large tree trunk, I noticed it looked like something big had knocked into it, which was what caused the tree to split and fall. There weren't many other trees close to us, and looking around the side of the trunk, I could see crabs scurrying around. "We should only need a few, I don't see a Chasm Crab or any other larger ones. Let's move" I said as I leaped out from behind the log and dove at one of the creatures. I pinned it to the ground and ripped off its claws before grabbing it in my jaws and looking at the others. Most of the crabs started fleeing into small tunnels on the side of the cliff. Talo had already secured a crab as well, taking the declawing method similar to mine. Blade just grabbed on and ignored the fact it was pinching his armor and trying to escape.
I looked around for Lýcos, and at first didn't know where he went, until I saw him chasing a very small crab behind a tree, he managed to grab it and was fighting its pincers off his hands when it made a tiny screeching sound. Suddenly Lýcos froze, and I felt the ground start to vibrate. "OH CRA-" Lýcos yelped as the ground under him lifted and he slid off the back of the giant crab. The smaller crabs were a dark gray with two black stripes running down their backs. Their pincers were black with blue markings, this though, was a chasm crab. Its shell was black with 3 red stripes running down it, its pincers were red and blue, and it was absolutely huge. Lýcos landed and rolled, throwing the crab, as it landed, it ran into a hole in the side of the cliff and escaped.
"WHAT HAPPENED TO "AROUND AS BIG AS VELVS!" THAT'S BIGGER THAN HER!" Blade yelled as he leaped behind a fallen tree, Talo following shortly after. "That'sh the biggesht one I've sheen," I said calmly, a bit muffled by the crab in my mouth. I spit out the crab, placing my paw on it to keep it from escaping. "Y'all really hiding from it?" I asked, looking at the two frost giants. "Yes, neither of us has the equipment to fight something that big." Talo said "Ok, we'll, y'all do you. WOLF, shift!" I said as I turned towards Lýcos who had only just gotten back up. "Wha-" "Now!" I said cutting his protest off. I looked at him and noticed he was looking around the ground confused for a second before growling and then he started shifting.
The crab suddenly screeched and hit Lýcos with its claw, sending him flying into the cliff. Rubble and dust fell over him as he fell from the spot he had hit in the wall. My ears caught a whistling sound and I looked up just fast enough to see the harpy fly past, a few large rocks flying behind her. She abruptly stopped above the crab as the massive rocks surrounded by a purple aura smashed into it. I saw some cracks on its shell, but it still didn't seem too affected, as it started swiping at her. I turned back to the rubble and snatched up my crab as I ran over to it, digging through it. As I started digging, I felt the dirt under my feet start to shake and I jumped back as a large rock was lifted and thrown at the crab. The crab screeched as it hit one of its legs, snapping it clean off. It turned towards us, giving off another loud screech.
I looked at Lýcos, and I noticed his form was smaller than when the Lycan had control, and his eyes were crimson red. He growled loudly at the crab as it screeched at him again. "Oi, I assume you have communication with her. Tell her to keep throwing rocks at it, and uh, you do you." I said to Lýcos. He nodded while not taking his glare off the crab. Within an instant, I watched as his leg moved barely and then he was gone. I turned towards the crab and I could see Lýcos's eyes move through the treeline and up a tree. He waited as the harpy started pulling rubble from the side of the wall and throwing it at the crab. I noticed the crack in its shell growing bigger, I guessed what they were about to do.
After a few cycles of throwing rocks, and dodging swipes, the harpy flew up to the top of the cliff and landed. At that moment, while the crab was more focused on how to get her, Lýcos jumped on its back, growling as he started slamming his fist into the already damaged portion of its shell. I heard a loud snap as he tore off the shell and then started digging into its flesh. It screeched louder than it had before and started waving its claws around frantically. It swung one of them and it hit Lýcos, sending him flying into the tree trunk we had passed earlier. He immediately launched back up as it charged him, attempting to grab him with its claw. He dodged the grab and wrapped himself around its claw, before violently pulling, ripping the crab's right claw straight off.
It screeched as it swung its other claw at him. He ducked under it, moving under its large body before suddenly pushing up with all his strength. At first, the crab didn't move, but then it went flipping forward straight onto the tree trunk. The sharp wood tore through its flesh as it was impaled through the hole in its shell. It gave off one last shrill shriek. As it died, Lýcos fell backward, thudding to the ground as his form shifted back. I walked up to him, crab still in my mouth, whacking him in the face. "You shill gotta bring shromething backk dude," I said. "Yea yea, that's what that's for," Lýcos responded tiredly pointing at the claw that was bigger than him. At that same moment, the harpy landed next to him, squeaking, as she lightly kicked his arm.
"Ok, let's go then," Lýcos said, responding to her as he stood up, grabbing the massive claw, and starting to drag it behind him. I watched as the harpy looked at the crab's lifeless corpse and flew on top of it, taking a talon full of meat. Talo and Blade both walked over to him and started to congratulate him as the three disappeared into the treeline. I turned and watched as the smaller crabs started looting back out of the holes in the wall, closing in on the corpse. Before they could do anything, I cut off one of its eyes, storing it in my tail. I then turned and sprinted to catch up with the group.
We returned to the others after some time, they all were sitting in a circle as Lorra seemed to be trying to learn as much as she could about Cobalt as she possibly could. Jeruaga had taken his helmet off for the first time since I'd seen him, and I noticed something immediately, he was absolutely handsome. Despite being knocked around by Cobalt earlier, there seemed to be not a single scratch on him, though I did see something I had guessed previously. He had his ears completely covered by a black cloth, a sign in ice giant culture that he was completely deaf. "Sho, wha happened to him?" I asked Talo while we were walking towards them.
"Jeruaga? He's my older brother. He's been Deaf for a long time. A siren attempted to take him when he was little, our dad saved him before he could make it to the water, but she got angry when she wasn't getting her way and screamed so loud that it caused permanent hearing loss for him. Our dad was hit with it too but somehow got his hearing back a couple of years later. We still don't know how, but it's guessed it was because his ears were stronger and weren't still growing." Talo explained. "Sir, are you sure we should be telling them stuff about us?" Blade asked nervously. "Blade, I have more trust in them than I do you right now, so don't test me," Talo responded.
"Oooh, good, that should be more than enough, we may even be able to make a whole body," Lorra said as we stopped next to them. "Put the meat over there." She said pointing to a small open patch of grass. Lýcos almost immediately tossed the heavy claw to the spot before flopping back to the ground. I snapped my jaw shut, killing the crab still in my mouth and dropping it next to the claw, and Blade and Talo dropped theirs in, the crabs already dead. Lastly, the harpy dropped her small piece of chasm crab into the pile and flew over to Lýcos who looked like he was about to pass out. She stood over him and started chirping.
"So, how is this gonna work?" Cobalt asked. "Well, It should look exactly like you, I just need you to stay still. After we do this though, you have to make sure that no one sees you. If they do, that may give it away immediately and you will be killed, well, unless you catch them first. Now, let's get started." Lorra said as she and Cobalt walked over to the pile, she gestured for him to stand by the pile as she started drawing two circles around both him and the pile. Then she started writing something in circles with her staff. She then started chanting something before tapping the head of her staff on Cobalt's side, and then the pile's side.
The crab meat started floating up as it slipped out of the shells and then it started swirling around and merging. Everyone was watching as it started taking a more bear-like shape. Lorra swept her staff through the bottom of the flesh side, removing all but one of the crab shells as it floated up and merged with the mass. After a few seconds after a bit, the mass floated to the ground as it finally finished taking shape. I walked over beside Lorra as I looked at Cobalt's clone. "Woah, it looks exactly like me! That's sick." Cobalt said as he went to touch it. Lorra smacked his paw with the end of her staff, stopping him. "What was that for?" He yelped
"You can't touch it till Lorra gives it its command. This one has one goal while it's created, so as long as it's fulfilling that goal, it will stay in this form." Blade said as he walked over to Lorra as well. "You are a corpse that has to pretend to be Cobalt until the demon purge ends and he's safe!" Lorra said. As she did, the clone fell to the ground, its eyes slightly open. "Cobalt, it's not an exact copy." Lorra said, "Huh? it looks like it though." I said looking up at her. "It's slightly smaller and Cobalt's fur is a bit darker than that," Lorra said as she walked over to it, leaning over it and running her hand down its back. "Not as soft as his either" she mumbled "What?" Cobalt asked, not hearing her. "Nothing" she responded
"We should start getting packed up, Cobalt, you should move further into the forest east. They may send scouts to scavenge from here. Bring your pets too, the king's scouts tend to kill everything they see. And they will probably have a member of the Covenant of Light with them." Talo said as he climbed up atop Velvs. "Question, how are y'all gonna all get back together? there's only so much a demirus can carry." I asked. Velvs looked around in distress as I pointed it out. "Simple, Lorra, blade, hop on. I'll have Jeruaga go with y'all and we will meet up at the ruins near the outskirts of GreyClaw." Talo said. "Hu- uh." I started but stopped. "Something wrong?" Talo asked. "Nope, nothing. It's fine." I replied
Talo made some hand motions to Jeruaga, who nodded in response as he snapped his fingers and his armor seemed to change and shift as an illusion covered him, making him look like an ogre. He looked at me and Lýcos and gave us a thumbs-up. I noticed I could see through the illusion, which I guessed Lýcos could too. The harpy yelped when she saw him, confused about what just happened. "See you all in a bit. You'll probably have to go through the bottom layer as it's the fastest way out." He said as the demirus lifted its wings, Lorra and Blade had climbed on behind Talo. The demirus took flight, and swooped back down, snatching up Cobalt's clone and flying North towards the ruins of the old village.
"Time to get up wolf," I said walking towards him. He sat up, running his eyes. "Huh. Illusion magic, that should work I guess." He said as I turned and walked towards Jeruaga. "Good thing most werewolves are dead or captured considering werewolves can see through illusion magic," Lýcos said as he stood up. I froze and turned to him slowly. I noticed the harpy gave him the same knowing look I was giving him. "Lýcos. What did you just say?" I asked. He looked at me and the harpy nervously. "Werewolves can see through illusions?" He said confused. "A member of the party who attacked me that we may have to get through later IS a werewolf!" I said as I started pacing. "Oh crap," Lýcos said as he looked at the harpy who had flared up her feathers and looked aggregated.
"OK, I have a plan. We keep Jeruaga out of the fight until we have dealt with her. Chances are that my sister will be there too so I'll also take care of her if I can. Harpy, take care of the werewolf, and Lýcos, you think you can keep the humans occupied until we have got the werewolf out of the fight." I asked. Lýcos and the harpy both nodded. I looked at Jeruaga and attempted Telepathy. "Can you understand me?" As I said that he jumped and looked at me turning his head confused. "Ima take that as a no then uh. . ." I continued to think about not breaking the connection. "OH, IDEA!" I thought as I closed my eyes, trying to remember as best what she looked like, as I sent images of the werewolf being able to see through the illusion, and explained the entire plan using images as best as I could.
I opened my eyes, looking at Jeruaga. He looked like he was thinking for a second before nodding and giving me a thumbs-up. "OK, now I think we are all ready. Cobalt, I bid you farewell, I'll try to come back after all this blows over." I said, breaking the telepathic link. "Goodbye to you too small fry, see you soon, and if you die, ima kill you," Cobalt said as I turned and we started to walk away. "You too Cobalt, You too." I hollered back to him as we entered the treeline and started making our way to the bottom layer. The harpy had perched herself on top of Jeruagas shoulder, and I noticed he was giving her some of the treats he was giving Velvs earlier. Lýcos looked like he was getting jealous which I found funny.
End of Chapter 5