"Hello, Daemon!" Zaphira said as she approached the group, "What's the news?"
They were walking on the road outside the city walls, on their way to Daemon's friend's farm. Zaphira had met up with them as promised; she was busy getting her things ready before embarking on the journey.
Daemon smiled, "Got the Ranger." he said pointing at Invidia, "You're ready now?"
Zaphira nodded as she patted her small satchel, "Yep." She said, "I'm all set to go."
Daemon noticed a rapier strapped to her side, "Whoa, you use a sword?" He asked, "That makes three of us already."
"Oh this is just a last resort." Zaphira drew her rapier, "I'm not the best at it. If for some reason, I can't use magic, I'll use this."
She assumed a fencing stance and began thrusting the rapier in the air in quick speed, showing decent form.
Lydia clapped, "That's not bad~!" She praised cheerfully
"Thanks." Zaphira said as she sheathed the blade, "I can tell you're good, girl. That sword you got is quality made."
Daemon raised his eyebrow, "You know blades?"
"I may be a mage, but my father was a black-smith." She said, "My mom was a strong swordswoman, she taught me a couple of moves. I learned Magic all on my own, though."
Invidia walked up to the front, holding the reigns to the white horse.
"There is no time to waste." She said as she looked at Daemon, "Let us go to your friend's farm at once."
Daemon said nothing as he looked at her. Zaphira placed her hand on her hip as she looked at the horse.
"Damn, what a crazy Polymorphic curse this one has." She whistled, "Friend of yours?"
Invidia looked at her, "You were able to tell?" She asked
"Yea, I'm a Mage." Zaphira said walking up to the horse, "A strong curse, this one is. And by the scent of it...a few months? Who did this to her?"
Invidia narrowed her eyes, "That is none of your concern."
Azael walked up to them, "Invidia's friend is going to stay at a horse farm while she joins us on the job." He said, "Daemon promised to help her."
Daemon crossed his arms as they spoke, there was something on his mind while this was transpiring.
"Unless you can undo this." Invidia asked Zaphira
The tiefling shook her head, "Nope." She said, "This is one strong druid curse. It'll take another powerful druid to undo this."
Invidia frowned, "Curses." She muttered, "Nobody is of use."
Daemon smiled, "Ya know…." He said, "For an elf, you're pretty young and inexperienced. A veteran Elven Ranger would've taken her to the Underwood Grove."
"What's that?" Lydia asked
Invidia scowled, "How about you keep quiet, boy." She growled
"Boy, she says." Daemon said as he walked past them, "You're what? 40? 45? Pretty green for an Elf, barely out of your diapers."
"Listen here-" Invidia started before being cut off by the horse's neighing
Azael smiled, "I suppose she's getting impatient." He said, "Maybe we should keep moving."
Daemon was already walking ahead of them, "Hurry up." He called, "We ain't got all day."
*****************
"This is a lot of land…." Azael noted
"Yea…." Lydia agreed
They were on the horse farm, walking down the road from the entrance. They saw the main house up ahead.
Invidia looked around the fenced fields and noticed there weren't any horses around.
"There's no horses here." She ssid
"No shit." Daemon said, "I can obviously tell."
"Why is it a horse farm then?" She asked with a scowl
Zaphira chuckled, "Could be my intuition but maybe it's cause they're….somewhere else?" She said sarcastically
Invidia was going to speak but held herself back, giving off a serious frown as she held on the horse's reigns.
As they approached, they heard a loud bang and jumped up as a projectile struck a post near them, shattering the top of it completely. All but Daemon who was unfazed.
"Ah!" Lydia yelled in surprise as she drew her sword, "What was that?!"
Azael and Invidia readied their stances, Invidia drew her bow that was on her back and nocked an arrow on it in a swift motion.
It was only Zaphira and Daemon that did not react.
"That was interesting." Zaphira whistled as she looked at the shattered post, "Was that black powder? And a bit of magic?"
Daemon scowled, "Mordecai, you stupid fuck! It's me!!" He yelled
On the porch of the house, a young man with green hair stood carrying a strange weapon. It appeared to be a crossbow without the bow, a long metallic tube attacked to the top instead. There was a glowing gem on the back where the butt of the weapon was.
The young man jumped off the porch, "Hey, Daemon! You stupid asshole!" He said as he scowled, "What'cha doing with people? You never have company, you anti-social loner!"
Daemon shrugged, "I got a Party now."
The young man was short and skinny, wearing nothing but ripped pants. He had no shirt on not was he wearing shoes, he did however, have some sort of strange googles on his head.
He walked over to the group as he noticed the horse, "What the hell is this?" He said as he leaned the weapon on his shoulder, "A Polymorphed Horse?"
"You could tell?" Invidia asked as she relaxed the hold on her bow, "How?"
Mordecai spat on the ground as he gave her a serious look, "Ain't no horse that could fool me, Elf." He said, "I can tell by looking at this one a mile away, she's polymorphed. And she's also an Elf. The unusual shine, the glitter effect in her hair, the faint magical aura, and the audacity in her eyes. Ya know, they say Unicorns are ancient Polymorphed Elves."
Lydia leaned in with Daemon, "Who is this?" She asked
"Guys, meet Mordecai." He said gesturing at him, "His Dad and Him own the Farm. Best bred horses in Drahan, they supply the royal army with supply and war horses and some of the Royal Family's personal steeds were bred by Mordecai himself."
"Damn straight." Mordecai nodded, "The King and Queen themselves came to pick them out, they know my babies are pristine. And...What in the godamn shit-biscuits!!!!"
He crouched down and lifted the Horse's back leg, looking at the hooves with an angry frown.
"What?" Invidia asked, "What's wrong?"
He looked up at her, "You trimmed these?" He asked
Invidia nodded, "Y-Yes. I've trimmed horse hooves before, I am-"
"A fucking amateur, that's what you fucking are!!" Mordecai cut her off, "This is terrible fucking work, I'll be damned if I let this horse graze with mine with hooves like these!! Fuck!! Now I gotta deal with this! Daemon! Get my shit, I'm taking her to the back now."
Daemon chuckled, "If you say so." He said
"Wait." Invidia said, "How can I trust that you'll take care of her?"
Mordecai stood up and leaned in towards her face, "Do you not know who the fuck I am, Elf? I'm fucking Mordecai Silver-Hoof, bitch. Third generation Horse Breeder. Them ears for show? Did you not hear Daemon say my horses are the best?"
Invidia glared at him, "Watch your tone…." She started
"I don't give a fuck." Mordecai backed up, "Daemon, I'm putting a hole in this bitch and taking the Horse to the back myself if she don't shut up."
Daemon shook his head when Invidia looked at him; silently tell her to keep quiet.
"Is that what they call a rifle?" Zaphira spoke up as she walked over to Mordecai
"Oh." Mordecai said, "Yea."
"Mordecai is a talented artificer." Daemon said, "He's good at Horses and great in making shit like that."
Mordecai looked at Daemon, "You want me to take care of this horse, I take it?"
Daemon nodded, "yea, keep her at an isolated barn where your overzealous boys don't see her." He said, "We're going to the Hightowers and-"
"I don't give a fuck." Mordecai said, "And don't tell me what to do. I ain't isolating her and I ain't letting my boys near her either. A horse like this needs socializing with other horses and it's pretty taboo to crossbreed Polymorphed horses, ya fucking idiot."
Invidia narrowed her eyes but said no words. Mordecai then took the reigns from her hands and walked past Daemon as the horse followed.
Daemon looked at him, "Can I count on you?"
"Yup." Mordecai said
Daemon smiled, "Awesome." He said,
"Thanks Morty."