Ethan walked towards the veil between realms, his unstrung longbow tied to his backpack. It was made for hunting, and he had his hunting robes on. His broadsword was hanging comfortably from his backpack, and his two quivers were filled with arrows tied to his sword sheath. Four robed figures stood at the veil, looking at him as he approached.
They greeted him and showed him the way, explaining that the village was just beyond the forest and the stone wall that made out the outer barrier of the hidden veil. They explained currency for this realm, and no beasts or men ever came into the forest surrounding the veil. The connection between realms would be sealed when dusk set upon the worlds. They gave him a book, and Ethan looked at the symbols that ran down row after row.
He smiled politely and bowed, thanking them for the gift. He looked back at his home. He would miss it dearly, a flashback of a girl running before him, golden hair flowing, laughter and joy as they jumped into the river. Droplets glistened in her hair, and her blue eyes were alive as she splashed him.
He had taken a chance.
If he should die in this Shoumei, he wanted her to know how he had felt about her. He didn't know if she felt the same. It was too late to turn back. The dead body was recovered and lay on a stretcher, ready to be examined.
"Alas, it is time for me to leave. Take care."
The area beyond the veil had many doors and a massive cavern with tunnels branching out. Hundreds of doors going to realms lined the walls. The door he was looking for was at the end of the cavern in a side passage that led into another cavern twice as enormous as the one he had left. The dirt floor made no sound. As he walked, he followed the footprints.
He looked back at his home realm's door, memorising its patterns for when he would return. He found the door quickly and opened it. A fresh breeze blew in his face, the scent of trees and sweet flowers. The forest lay before him as he stepped into his new home realm. The door closed, and a shimmer could be seen. The door outlined faintly if you looked right at it. Ethan inhaled the air, squatting and examining the terrain.
Ethan could see footprints leading towards the moon. Listening for a few minutes, he slowly walked towards a tall tree. He needed to find a high place out of sight. Ethan jumped into the tree, perching on a thick branch. The Skinwalker could have doubled back to kill his pursuers.
Ethan knew the chances were slim because the four soldiers returned with the counsellor's body without any issues.
The dried meat of the Shedu filled Ethan. He had slain this human-headed bull a few weeks ago and made dried meat from it for the winter. They were a nuisance most of the time, but as a hunter, they were a staple source of meat.
The dawn light broke through the forest canopy, and droplets shined like diamonds as the light caught them. A soft breeze carried the flavours of a village.
The aroma of meat, bread, and wood fires filled the air. Branches broke the silence. He could hear panting and voices in the distance, a whisp of silver hair, a glimpse of rounded breasts.
The girl was a high elf.
Ethan looked on in fascination as she hid in a bush a hundred feet away. She had a brown dress in tatters and soiled. Her ankle-high boots were caked in mud, and her legs and arms had shallow cuts from branches.
Ethan dropped down from the trees, and a shout could be heard from the direction she had come from. She ran towards Ethan's hiding place. She had no weapon or bag. Her breathing was heavy. She had dark circles under her eyes. Her tummy rumbled loudly. She held it; her lips were cracked, and her blue eyes darted around. Ethan stood behind a tree twenty feet from her.
She could only run this way.
He waited patiently.
Her pursuers moved like apes through the forest; you could hear them a mile away. The crack of a branch behind her made her bolt. Her feet thudded lightly through the leaves. Heavy, laboured breathing came closer, a muffled yelp as massive muscular arms hugged soft dirt-smeared skin.
Ethan spoke in high elf.
"Alas, stay silent, girl."
She relaxed in his hug, her breathing returning to normal. She had placed her arms around his neck, her head resting on his shoulder. Her voice was weak, her throat sounding parched, she whispered.
"Hail, thank you, stranger, for saving me."
Ethan held his water skin for her, and she drank as footsteps came closer to their hiding place. The men were discussing how they would handle her when they caught her. She was to be sold off for breeding purposes to the highest bidder. They would help the process by proving that she could be bread.
They discussed how they would break her in, as they called it. The footsteps faded as they passed their hiding spot in an old tree stump. The girl let out a soft snore; she had soft, milky, smooth skin. The men doubled back in a few minutes, not finding her footprints.
Ethan lay her on her back, covering her with his blanket and then placing branches with leaves around her, hiding her from the world. He walked in the direction of the men a few feet away from the girl, keeping her in line of sight.
Ethan snapped a twig and waited.
Soon, five men came stumbling through the trees. They looked tired, hacking at the branches like they were pests. Their eyes grew wide as they spotted Ethan, and they held their weapons at the ready.
Ethan wondered what they would do.
Men like these were rarely brave. He knew that if they saw him as one man outnumbered, would they attack or try to negotiate?