"Shit! Who's this bitch?" yells Ced.
"I don't give a damn who she is! Kill her!" yells Duncan, responding to his partner.
Like a gunslinger he moves and aims his crossbow. He fires. The bolt hits straight in the throat. But no puncture. So no blood.
"EEH?! What the hell? She's got a shield o'something?"
Stepping past Ced, what was in the middle of reloading his crossbow, Duncan swings his sword long and hard to slash at the woman.
Taking a big step forward onto the man, Nyx slams his knee hard into the man's stomach. He grabs his arm and twists it behind his back.
''Let him go! Now!" threatens Ced, drawing his crossbow again.
But Nyx pulls the man between him and the arrow, like a human shield.
"AH, Ah...don't shoot Ced!" Duncan begs, hoping his partner isn't stupid enough to shoot. "Can't get away! Like I'm pinned to a wall!!!"
'Think. Think. What do I do?'
Ced takes a chance and makes a few steps to the right to flank the girl. But Nyx is playing his game, following him and keeping the man between them.
"DAMN IT!! JUST LET US GO ALREADY!" Duncan's nervous yells at Nyx.
But that makes it worse. With a sudden...pop. "AAAAH!!!" screams the man in pain. Nyx snaped his hand.
Letting go of his hand and grabbing the man by his shirt, he slams him face first into the wagon. Blood spurts from the arch of his head as it hits the wood at an angle. Duncan falls down, unconscious.
Following, Nyx is hit in the face. Another bolt fired.
Nyx, with an irritated look on his face, raises his hand and spreads his fingers. Only a second later, a spear lands in his hand, hurtling out of the wagon.
Startled and frightened, Ced falls on his ass. "Oh oh please wait!"
But too slow. Nyx rushes at him and shoves the spear through his abdomen. Slowly, he lifts him up in the air. Slowly, blood begins to seep out through the wound. Slowly it trickles down the wood of the spear. And it begins to stain Nyx's stony skin. Absorbed by his natural ability, he feeds.
All the man can do is watch as the woman suspends him above her, letting his blood drain out in a horrid shower. All the blood dripping onto the spear and Nyx is absorbed. Then the man dies.
Dropping the body to the ground, Nyx turns to the other. The pain is gone, but I still feel hunger. He steps toward Duncan, spear on his shoulder. She plunges it through his throat all the way through.
Drawing the spear out from the wound, he grabs it with his hand and absorbs the blood. This time like the first time, back in the forest with the siblings, he feels the same euphoria. Shortly the flow stops, or rather dries up.
Leaning against the barn, he again notices the building down the road burning, making a cloud of smoke covering the sky.
They were talking of fleeing the guards. Stole the money. Burned the house after. Searching through the swordsman's pockets, he finds nothing, but his bag held a heavy pouch. Coin. I don't like the sword. Better just take the money.
The man with the crossbow was clearly holding nothing of value. Searching the body, finds nothing to take. Except a bracelet that looked somewhat valuable under his right sleeve. Rubbing his finger against it. Silver. But Nyx doesn't take it.
A simple memory, probably from long before. But I think I'll take the crossbow and the ammo.
Leaving the prey in the wagon, Nyx opens the stable door to check his horse. Unafraid, the horse is still munching on some hay. He inspects the wound. Stitched like the doctor said she will have.
He takes the horse by the harness and pulls her out the back and ties her to the wagon bar. He then pulls the two bodies inside. Where to hide them...AHA! A crate in the corner seemed pretty roomy.
--------------------------
Pulling the horse and wagon in front of the stable I see a mob of people gathered on the road, witnessing the fire.
"It's burning too hot already. Sorry, but all we can do is stop it from spreading." says a man in a leather coat. "Are you sure your daughter and husband were inside? "
A red-eyed woman sat on a bench on the corner of the road. Next to her were some nets. Greens and other vegetables. "I know they were..." Eyes puffy with tears she replied.
The man wants to say something, but changes his mind, tipping his hat and turning to address another man wearing the same clothes.
"OY!!! You pale young lady! " yells a man toward Nyx. It was Pascal. He had come out of the crowd. "It is not wise to move. The wound isn't deep, but it's still a wound."
He examined the horse, hoping the wound hadn't opened. "Wooow...it's already healing quite well..." he says after seeing that the swelling is gone and a clot is already forming along the wound. "Well....ok. It's your horse, do what you want. Oh but at least let me give you a sack of oats for the road. Ten copper or one silver, please."
Pfff...ok...sure...something for the road.
I toss a dime to the vet. "Wait here, there's a couple of them in the sty."
While waiting for Pascal I look again at the crowd... Some were carrying buckets to the men in leather, and the women stood and talked on the road, some trying to console the new widow..
Back in the wagon, Nyx grabs the bag. I'm must give back the money...But how?
"What are you thinking about?" asks Pascal, leaving a medium-sized sack in the wagon.
Making yet another solid eye contact, Nyx pulls him back inside. "Wowow I want to let you know that although you look beautiful... I'm married!"
A second later, in the corner of the stable, Nyx shows Pascal the trunk. "Yes, I use it to keep things like horseshoes and nails." Keeping his uninterested gaze on the chest, Nyx opens it, revealing the two corpses. Pascal goes from somewhat confused to instantly shocked. " You killed someone? And killed more than one?" As he panics, he trips and falls on the barn's floor.
I panic too! Hoping he won't scream and someone won't come and see us. I start miming, and miming. Stabbing and kicking. A crossbow shot. Another fight. And I point at both men and then point at the wall?
"What... what do you mean?"
Slapping myself across face with both palms... I try again...They...pointing... light...making a spark with magic...the building...pointing to the whole barn.
"Shit! Really? They started the fire?"
YEEEEEEES!
"And what you want me to do?" Pascal asks unsure.
I throw him a bag of money. "What should I do with this? Ohohoh...I'm not getting rid of anyone or anything even if you pay me." Although there's a ton of money here. Thinks the vet.
NOOOO!! I shake my head vigorously. I point at the money and then I point out the door.
"Oooh it's tavern's money!" Pascal realizes. "Want me to give it back? How?"
I shrug. I don't know how.
He looks at the purse again. "Well, not that she needs to know where they came from...I'll give them tonight."
I nod happily.
"What about them?" Pascal asks, worried about the two dead men in the box.
I point at them... then to the front door...
"In the crate?"
I nod yes. I close the crate and ask him to start lifting. Still a lot of the weight falls on me, but nothing to cry about. We place the box in the back of the wagon.
"Where to now?" asks the vet.
I just point at myself. Just me.
"Oh yeah..ok. Well, thanks for, you know.."
This time I reach out, hoping to shake hands. And he does. "See ya."
I don't think we will.
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"Please state your name."
"Hellenor. I don't have a last name."
"Hellenor, you were married to the victim in the fire, and the you were the mother of the daughter, yes?"
"Yes. I was."
"Where were you during the fire?"
"I was out shopping in the market. I picked up some spices, garlic, celery, for soups and other food we serve in our pub."
"Hellenor, before you left, did you see anything suspicious? Anyone or anything?"
"No. I left before it got crowded. I passed the time in the market and on the road."
"Hellenor, did you see a woman, a stranger passing by?"
"Eh? Why?"
"Last week, in the village below, the doctor and his family perished, along with a neighbor."
"Oh dear... so you're looking for a woman? A woman killed them and my husband and dauther?"
"I honestly don't know for sure, both cases have a fire on their end." The armored man pulls out three sheets. "On the day of the fire, a rather strange woman passed through the village. One of the market vendors was approached for information and offered a description."
The militia officer shows the woman a sketch made by one of his more talented colleagues. "Our staff drew up sketches and a list of some of the weapons she's carrying. A spear, a bag and daggers, wearing a long coat."
Hellenor's looking at the two sketches. The first a full body description. Tall, wild long hair down to her back, a somewhat vulgar top, an impressive chest and figure. Sexy. Strong. The other sketch was a clearer description of the face in color. Black hair, white face and skin, dark lips and snow-white eyes.
A vision strikes the woman. "I don't know about the girl, but the sketch of the whole thing reminds me of something. ...."
The soldier's spirit suddenly leaps invigorated. Come on, come on...be her.. He wishes.
"YES! I saw her on the road. The same top shirt. I was talking to my neighbor. We were both out shopping and I saw her pulling a wagon with the vet, Pascal?"
"Where does this Pascal live?"
"I can show you."
"Please do, yes."
---------------------------
"So boy. Have you seen this woman?" Shows the militia sketch of the girl's portrait.
"Yes."
"Where is she now?"
"I don't know. She took off when the fire was the strongest."
"What was her business with you?"
"Her horse was hurt. Those creatures that change invisible attacked her mare." Says Pascal. "I just cleaned the wound, stitched it up, and applied a pain-killer."
"How long was she here for?" the soldier demands an answer.
"My wife picked me up from church just when it was over, so at noon. She left short about two hours after."
"Did she take the horse on the road wounded?"
"Yes... I suggested she stay but... she wouldn't."
The timing and the pattern of the murders fit together. Both families were successful, a doctor and a saloonkeeper. A serial killer? If so why not also him, the vet?
"Anything else suspicious about her? How did she pay?"
"Blades. A spear, axe and a sword in the wagon."
The soldier stands up and draws his sword from its sheath, startling the vet. "Something like this?"
"Just like that. Paid with two silver coins."
Probably stolen. At least now we have a pattern. She's targeting folk with money.
"I don't know. Why do you think it was her?"
"Another murder further south. Doctor and his family were murdered and burned last week. A vendor gave a description of the woman."
That sparked a disgust in Pascal's mind. "What?"
"She was the only one in the village who could, and now we know. You see, these sabers are army standard. The doctor's son...he was one of ours. We found him at the back of the house, torn to pieces."
"She... she wasn't normal. Up close I could see more clearly. She said it was non-living. I mean different breeds have passed through here, and I know some are welcome, but she didn't seem dangerous."
"Well, son, whatever she is...she's on our black list."
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