All photos are taken by Bookworm Photography
Need to catch up? Read Chapter 1 here!
Read Chapter 2 pt 1 here!
Read Chapter 2 part 2 here!
Read Chapter 3 part 1 here!
Chapter 3. part 2
Sacrificial Beginnings
Castus did not expect Samuel to be particularly chatty on their journey but despite the expectation, Samuel spoke most of the way to the next village. Sharing stories and telling jokes that only he thought to be funny. Every time he would make a poor joke that Castus did not laugh at he would say the same thing “Well, I think it’s funny. You will get it later.” Castus had never known a living person who could talk so much. It was almost more exhausting than the journey.
Once they reached a tavern Samuel stopped “Who did my father say we were looking for to help us get to Silverbrook, again?” he asked.
“The Moon Crows. Why do we need guides?” Castus replied as they stepped inside.
“Well, Silverbrook is a heavily prestigious and rather prude city. They don’t like just any riff-raff coming into their pretty little realm. Especially after the, supposed, Redwood disaster. So they leave it well hidden. The Moon Crows are a group of Mercenaries, however, they help people get in. It’s much fast than waiting for approval.”
Samuel explained, he then ordered them two pints and a bowl of that day's stew.
“How do we find them exactly?” Castus asked as he sat down.
“We don’t, they find us. Supposedly you ask around a bit and eventually, they will come find you. So once we reach Little Brick village we will start asking around.”
Samuel said with a mouth full.
As they left the tavern they set back onto their journey.
With all the talking Samuel had been doing he did not once speak about what had happened back in the village. It had now been three days since they left. Castus finally interrupted Samuel’s fishing story he was telling for the second time “Do you wish to speak about your father, Sam?”
Samuel paused and then spoke “What is there to say? He knew what was going to happen. You must be important for him to do what he did. Let’s just leave it at that, shall we? But as I was saying this fish has my whole hand and I am just thinking ‘how do I get this thing off without losing my whole hand?’”
As Samuel continued his retelling Castus looked to the ground. He couldn’t shake the guilt he felt for what had happened.
When the two of them reached Little Brick they asked around for the Moon Crows and as Samuel expected, no one had any information. Samuel decided they would keep moving. “ If these Moon Crows are so good they should be able to find us on the trail.” he teased. They continued to march through the forest when Castus started to get this off feeling. Someone was closing in, he stopped to listen. Once Samuel noticed he paused in the middle of one of his stories
“What is it?” Samuel asked “We should keep moving.” he continued
“I just have this feeling that someone is near.” Castus said on guard
“Oh, I am sure it’s nothing.”
As those words left Samuels lips a group of men suddenly surrounded them, one of them on a horse raising a large club striking the two young men to the ground.
“You were saying?” Castus said, Samuel groaned and grabbed his head.
“We will make this easy on you boys, give us all your money and we won’t slit your throats!”
One of the bandits said.
“You would kill for money?” Castus said, Samuel reached to grab his purse but Castus stopped him.
The bandit got down from his horse and put himself directly in front of Castus’s face
“Aye, I have killed for money.” the bandit said with a knife to Castus’s abdomen
“Well, then that settles things.” Castus said as his eyes began to change.
The bandit leader took a few steps back, he was stunned by Castus’s sudden change in appearance.
His eyes were once more a golden flame color, hands claws, four fangs like a snake.
Samuel was also shocked by his companions new appearance
“Step back.” Castus said with a roaring voice.
The bandits all drew their blades “Kill it!” the leader shouted. “And take the boy!”
Castus then rushed the bandits, he grabbed two by the neck and threw them in opposite directions. Castus looked around to see that all of a sudden there were others fighting beside him. One was a large dark brown-skinned man, tall and built like a soldier. His hair was all thickly braided in different parts and long down to his back. He was fighting with a set of metal pipes, knocking the bandits to the ground. Beside him was a small woman, she looked human but appeared too small to be such, mid-length blond hair with a single braided strand, pink skin, and bright brown eyes. She fought in a small gown with slits up each side for mobility and bore a bow and arrows, but was fighting with rocks and a sling as her weapon. Finally, there was a hooded woman, in all black. She moved far too fast for Castus to even get a good look at her, she was rather thin as well and yet on her back she had a large two-sided ax made with a strange blue metal and waved around a large hammer made with what appeared to be the same material.
One by one the four of them took out each bandit. The small woman paused her combat for a moment and approached Samuel “We should move you to a safe location, my dear!” she said with a soft and light voice. Samuel nodded with a curious expression. She escorted Samuel to a high up tree, hitting bandits with her slingshot as she walked with almost a skip in her step and a large smile on her face. Castus could hear the large dark skinned man counting every man he hit. Samuel could hear each other the mysterious fighters laughing and teasing one another as they fought
“Hey! That one was mine!” shouted the small girl
“You should have shot faster! I was already next to him!” said the man mockingly
“Maybe I'll just hit you next time I am next to you, huh?” the girl responded
“If you two ladies are finished! I could use a hand here!” the taller woman said as she was surrounded by three wounded and very angry bandits. Finally, each bandit laid unconscious in the dirt. Samuel ran to Castus’s side “Who are you?” Samuel demanded “Awe, come now! We help you and that’s all we get? Questions?” the man said with a playful tone.
“You fight well! Who taught you?” the hooded woman asked
“No one taught me. I learned on my own.” Samuel said
The mysterious group laughed “Well, yes I can see you fight well from the trees. I was talking about your friend here.” the hooded woman said. Samuel and Castus still couldn’t quite make out her face through her hood.
“I was taught when I was very young..” Castus said hesitantly “Who are you?” he asked.
The woman removed her hood to reveal her identity. She was a Silver elf or appeared to be. She had the sharp ears, but her skin was pink instead of blue or purple like the rest of her kin. Her hair was black messy and tied back into a long braid. And her left eye was covered with a jeweled patch. The jewel was a golden rose encrusted with sapphires and swoon below it hung a small golden chain while the right eye was a bright shade of blue. She grinned with a confident smile “This small dwarf woman standing behind you is Lilith.” The small woman revealed to be Lilith curtsied with a sweet “How do you do?”
“The tall, dark and handsome man behind you is Chase.” The man smiled brightly and said “That is quite the introduction, Captain!” the elf woman laughed “I thought I would mix it up a little, was it too much?” she teased “ Not at all, Captain.” Chase laughed, turned to the men and bowed his head “Charmed!”
“And lastly, I am Fay.” the elf finished with a small bow of the head. Castus was intrigued, he had never seen a woman of such beauty “But, who are you? Why did you help us with those bandits?” Samuel asked.
“I will answer your questions momentarily, but right now I suggest we move this conversation elsewhere. Lest our friends wake up and demand a rematch.” Fay suggested
They led the two travelers to a small campsite just five miles away from their attackers. Samuel questioned whether or not the bandits would find them there. But Lilith insisted that they would be well protected near the trees. “Now that we are here. Please, answer our questions.” Castus pleaded. Fay climbed down from her lookout spot and approached the two men with a grin. She placed one hand on her hip and leaned on her large hammer with the other
“We have been following you since Little Brick when Chase heard you speaking to the locals. We decided the bandits were our perfect entrance!” She then extended her hand out to Castus
“ You asked for our names, we see you worthy of pause and know now you are not foes. For now, we are your friends and guides, the Moon Crows.”
