When I knew we would find soldiers from the Sacred Army, I knew I would be angry at them. But seeing in plain view what was happening to the vulpin was sickening. Willow, the woman vulpin on the castle, did say she did not want her family to go through this. Although I still believe they were traitors I was only allowed to live because of their children, and I could see why. I would only wish this type of ordeal to someone I hated because of something they did, not just a bad person, someone who did something so horrible that they cannot be forgiven by any means. Most certainly not for innocent villagers who only want to live in peace.
The fields were tended by the vulpin while being observed directly by the soldiers, weapons in full display while making sure they were working. They were turned into slaves in their town, probably by order of Balor or someone over them.
Inside the village soldiers were standing post, making sure they worked. Even the children were subject to punishments and forced labor by the Sacred Army, being put into chains and made to do jobs their bodies could not do.
The night was starting to fall on us when we arrived at the edge of the town. I kept my distance while Violet went inside, trying to stay sneaking to scout the place. Even from my position, I could see some stuff.
"No! no!" I managed to hear a yell coming from one of the fields.
A vulpin was on the ground, crawling backward, attempting to gain distance from a soldier that was looming over him. I could not see his face, but the soldier seemed to be angry about something. The other vulpin looked in their direction, while other members of the Sacred Army were observing with amused expressions.
"SHUT UP!" yelled the soldier and landed a hit on the vulpin's face. Then another, and another. He brutalizes the poor man with his punches for a few seconds, he was wearing metal gauntlets that turned red with every hit.
Once he is done, he cleans his nose with the sleeve of his outfit and gets straight. I am sure he killed the vulpin. All I could do was stare at the situation while holding myself back, pressing my fingers into the bark of a tree. Why would anyone do something like that? What did the Vulpin do? His gauntlets took a dark crimson color.
"Anyone else?!" Yelled the soldier, even from the distance, I could hear his anger.
No one answered and the vulpins quickly went back to work. I clenched my teeth. I could not see the faction details of the soldier's face, but I did notice something: his armor was different, bigger shoulders and the tabard was more decorated. That means he is above the other soldiers… I better keep that in mind.
Moments later, Violet returned, and she gave me information from the inside. She appeared from within a shadow of a tree and approached me with her usual playful smile. Slowly informed me about how many soldiers she saw, where they were, and where it was safer to enter.
"And I think I found one of the children you were talking about, Maple" she explained to me when she returned.
I was surprised when I saw her disappear in the shadows casted by the low sun. It seems she managed to go inside without being seen thanks to a skill she called [Shadow Walk], which made her blend with them.
[Skill [Shadow Walk] acquired!]
I got it, for some reason. This happened the same last time I saw her use [Fang] for the first time. For some reason I can learn skills she uses in front of me, but it only has happened with her. I have seen Dara, Nayleth, and Kali use skills and I did not learn them, only from Violet. I need to figure out what is the condition that is making me learn from her and no one else.
"How do you know?" I asked.
"She is like you described… and I do remember some of the smells you had when I met you" she explained with her hands on her back. She seemed more serious than usual, which was a good change ", and she has one of them. She does not smell like you, but that is probably because of the time that has passed. I found her alone in a house, crying. She did not see me."
That might make sense. If she is like the description of Maple and has a smell Violet picked up from me, then it must be her. The question was where Raynard was, I hope he was not taken far away.
But right now, I will focus on taking Maple Safe out of the village. Because I knew where she was, I needed to make her the current priority before I go out hunting for her brother's location, and chances are she knows something about where he is. I can only imagine what sort of hell they are going through.
"We are going in at midnight," I said, wanting to make the best chances of infiltration and extraction. "and I will need your help, help me find her" If we both use the [Shadow Walk] skill, we might be able to stay hidden through
Violet nodded, a smile formed on her face once more.
"By the way, there is something you might want to know," She said and paused, I could notice her smile turn into a smirk "I detected another smell, but I still don't know where it was. Someone we both know."
"What? Who?" I asked with curiosity in my voice. Who was it? Someone we both know, causing her to smirk. It was a terrifying look as if something primal on her woke up when she mentioned this unknown person. I gulped some saliva, trying to hold my fear.
"A certain human soldier" Violet then pointed at me, and I felt my heart skip a beat ", the one that took your life a few months ago"