"Simply put, we Axol-lights are apparently a delicacy that can no longer legally be obtained due to our dwindling numbers. In fact, it is possible we are the last of our kind in the wild. There may, however, still be survivors held in captivity in one or more of the Monster Nations," Bertram shook his head as he looked out at his village.
"But our kind is still in what you might call the stone age of our race. We have only gained the ability to build our tools and shelter within the last two or three generations, but our size and taste that kept us safe when we were unevolved ferals is now our undoing,"
"Frankly speaking, you don't look all that delicious," Bree noted.
"We are not by ourselves, but when...pickled..." Bertram's mannerisms indicated he didn't understand the words meaning, "we are apparently heavenly in flavor,"
"I do not want to meet, or even see, the creature who looked at your kind and decided the best thing to do was pickle them," Bree decided instantly as she got up. Now, tell me where I might find these humans who have killed your kind." Before they could answer, the sound of the forest was interrupted by what sounded like hooves against the ground.
"Oh, what's this?" A New voice called out, gaining Bree's attention and the Terror of the Axol-lights as a hand-full of horses came to a stop before the Axol-light village, "Seems we have ourselves a lost child," The owner of the voice got off his mount. Bree frowned; while the one who had spoken had several companions on horseback, the speaker was riding on the back of a severely beaten-looking Centaur, his ears low and his eyes filled with exhaustion and hate.
"I don't think that Centaur likes carrying you around," She noted. "It's absurd he hasn't left your service; from the looks of him, he doesn't seem to be treated very well,"
"Aw, ain't that cute," The man said as he held his hands together and said in a sweet baby voice. "She's a monster Wuver," he turned to his men and smirked at them as he shook his head, "Your parents oughta be ashamed, raising a monster lover, probably why they abandoned you in these woods"
"Are you calling me a child to mock my height? I am not that short," Bree asked with sincere confusion. The Man walked forward, put one hand on his belt, and extended the other hand forward.
"I am Jacob Razzor," he declared proudly. Bree waited for him to continue, but he seemed to think his name was enough to intimidate her.
"Your Centaur looks beyond enraged with you," Bree noted. "Is he being properly fed?" The man's expression was almost comical.
"Um, excuse me, I said I am Jacob Razzor, as in son of Arlow Razzor, the head of the royal guard, serving directly beneath the mighty King Odren. Even a child should know who I am,"
"That has nothing to do with my complaint about the ethical treatment of Centaurs," Bree replied casually. Jacob sputtered and looked at his men before responding in outrage.
"Listen, you bug-eyed little snot, King Odren love's Pickled Axol-light, so how about you be a good little girl, learn your place in this world, and leave,"
"Ah, you must be the one killing them all," Bree decided, taking great offense to being called bug-eyed. "They asked me to make you stop." Jacob's reaction was to laugh, and his men joined in the conversation for the first time, although it was only to laugh with him. Bree sighed but was distracted from responding to the laughter when the Centaur finally spoke up.
"Such a foolish girl, your heart is in the right place, but you're going to get yourself killed,"
"I sincerely doubt a man who spends his time tormenting the weak can kill me," Bree shot back simply, confusing Jacob and his men.
"This girl is crazy," he said as he followed her line of sight. Little miss here thinks she's talking to my Centaur." Jacob's laughter slowly began dying when he noticed the Centaurs' ears rose at Bree's response.
"You…you responded to me?"
"Why yes, I was responding to you." The Centaur's reaction was enough to convince Jacok that Bree was indeed doing something.
"How could this be?" the Centaur demanded of her as Jacob drew his sword. "What kind of Human can understand the language of the Centaurs at such a young age?"
"Oh, I'm not a human or a child," she said sweetly, placing her hands behind her ears and pushing them forward to show them off properly. "I'm an Elf, and I am not all that young." Jacob took a step back as the look on the Centaur's face turned to one of hope.
"Please, oh creature of legends, Free me from these bonds of slavery. I will give you anything and everything for your aid,"
"I don't really want everything," Bree noted curtly. "Sounds like a hassle, and I can't break a bond that was willingly forged, but if your claim of slavery is true, then I'll try my best to help since the idea of being forced to serve someone without agreeing to it pisses me off greatly," Jacob ground his teeth before chuckling.
"What a great day it is for me," he decided. Father will be most pleased when I hand him an Elf, even if it does have bulbous eyes. I imagine he may even let me have a go at the Scarlet Knight." Jacob licked his lips, visibly lost in some disgusting daydream. Brees' only response was to change her ring to staff mode and tap the ground with it, putting a barrier up around her with the express purpose of keeping the creep from touching her.
"Appraisal," Jacob said as she held out his hand. A green Circle with a triangle in its center came to life around his hand, visibly terminating from a gem on the back of his hand. After a few moments, a female voice came out of the gem.
"Appraisal failed," The voice declared.
"Oh, I've never seen that spell before," Bree held out her hand and raised it to the Centaur. "Appraisal," she said. Nothing visible happened when she activated it, informing her that Jacob was using an item rather than a skill to activate it, but to her delight, the same female voice responded to her spell.
"Flint the Centaur, no notable titles, currently inflicted by the 4th tier Curse Soul Bind; he is bound to one Jacob Razzor." Bree smiled, but her smile only grew as Jacob laughed.
"That Barrier must be anti-magic. There's no other way she could stop my Appraisal," He decided. "A simple ploy like that won't work on me,"
"Flint the Centaur," she said, ignoring Jacob, "I shall free you of the curse binding you to Jacob Razzor, the Soul Bind will be broken" Bree smiled as the cocky look on Jacobs's face turned sower while Flint's desperation turned to tears of joy "My oh my, what seems to be the matter? Did you think a mage would put herself in an Anti-magic bubble?" Bree shook her head. "You must be a special kind of stupid,"
"You…you dare!" He turned to his men and waved his arms angrily towards Bree. "Open Fire! She's small and frail, and her flimsy barrier is nothing." On his word, his men pulled out their Bows and prepared their arrows. Bree waited for them to fire at her, continued waiting, and waited longer still after that as the men who had come to slaughter the weak barely managed to knock a single arrow.
Bree began condescendingly looking at her own wrist; the men were very disorganized, and only one arrow was fired at her in the span of almost thirty seconds; the Arrow flew through her barrier and shattered against her cheek.
"Oh dear," she said with a chuckle as more Arrows were slowly fired and either shattered against her skin or sank pitifully into the ground between her and the ones firing them. "This is quite sad. I'm afraid if I try to attack, I may accidentally kill that fool, and I'm not sure how Soul Bind works, so it might kill poor Flint," Jacob laughed as he pointed his sword at her.
"You fool, surrender now. You have no hope of beating me in this deadlock,"
"Idiot," Bree decided before turning to the Axol-lights, watching from afar. "What say you, Bertram, would you be willing to swear your loyalty to me on your soul in exchange for power?" The look Bertram returned was not the same as when she had asked him in the forest. Now being offered the chance to beat those who had taken his friends and family, he looked determined as he got onto his hands and knees, lowering his head once he was in position.