The sunset – all days have a beginning and an end, no matter what happens, no matter what tragedies or celebration might befall those who’re on this earth, this phenomenon would never change, at least not for the millions of years that still lay ahead.
The refugees had stopped for a small rest. Some wanted to eat, to have something to drink, and some needed to relieve themselves. All of that was to be done behind a thick wall of conjured stone. But to even witness it, one would first have to spot the dome of magical darkness; Eve’s camouflage spell hid the reinforced camp from the rest of the world. She, Freia, and Ellen were put in charge of guarding it, while the others…
Keyaruga stood aside, witnessing the extravaganza of brutal wildness clashing against Setsuna, carrying the gilded egg on his back. She battled a monster, a weird and creepy horned freak with the body of a boar, a human-like head (which looked much more like a clay parody of one) and the front legs of a horse. The world’s ambient mana produced many such creatures, much of them were rather normal-looking, but this… Calamity, as it read in the view of the jade eye, looked like a hand-made chimera of some mad sorcerer.
“Ghh! Ha!” Setsuna yelled, mutilating the massive behemoth with her claws of ice. Each blow of hers shred through the monstrosity’s flesh, bleeding white bile out of the monster. She danced around, masterfully avoiding each and every blow the wrathful monster could send at her in an acrobatic flurry of dodges. Each flip she combined with a slash. Blessed by Caladrius, her frozen gauntlets easily pierced the thick skin of the pinkish hairless abomination. In a war of attrition, it stood no chance.
That’s when another of its abilities would be revealed – It could ‘blink’ over small distances, leaving nothing but bluish rifts in its wake. Once it’s activated, there’s nothing you can do – the monster just teleports inside your body, blasting it from the inside with its gargantuan mass.
“No, you don’t!” The hero snarled, shooting the abomination with a beam of light. He wasn’t just standing around, instead monitoring the fight through his new power. The Carved eye, how he called the purple cross, granted by the divine bird, allowed him to see two seconds into the future, and since nothing was set in stone, he could glance at a few variations at the same time. Well, this time everything ended in the same horrific manner for the ice-wolf girl, and so…
“GRROUMNGHUGO-O-O!!!” When the piercing light punched through this aberration of nature, it bellowed an enormously gruesome shriek of rage and pain. It lost focus, allowing Setsuna to get closer to its head. The she-wolf plunged toward the monstrosity and slashed its twisted neck. And she did so in style – it was finally mortally injured when copious amounts of blood spilled from the monster’s insides.
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“You’ve gotten faster, stronger.” The man admitted, looking at his companion, brutally finishing the poor beastie off by sticking her armored hand inside the flesh just to break its neck from the inside. It cracked, and everything was over. “I like what I see, Setsuna.”
“Uh-huh. It’s thanks to my new powers.” The huntress happily replied, getting ready to butcher the revolting carcass. The Hero of Healing just happened to have a spare cart standing not so far from them, in which he’d pull the meat toward the camp.
As for the ice warrior, she now had a level of fifty-nine, while Keyaruga enjoyed a mark of seventy now. An impressive result, seeing as the gray-haired girl could now stand toe-to-toe even with a hero. What was the most impressive, though…
“You’ve seen what happened to Ellen. It took her a whole day to even get used to walking around after the surge of strength Caladrius gave her. You, on the other hand… Let’s just say, I never expected such battle prowess from you, Setsuna.”
“Uh-uh, I’d be dead if not for you.” The wolf girl admitted, shaking her cute head with the ears pressed against it. It was interesting how this cutie preserved that gorgeousness of hers, even while doing something as gruesome as butchering a forest mutant.
“How could you tell?” The red-haired lad asked, placing carved chunks of meat (after a little blood draining and cleansing, of course) on the cart. The thing she killed weighed at least half a ton, so the food would be plentiful for the time being.
“Intuition.” Setsuna revealed, getting rid of the lungs and stinking stomach, just as morbidly twisted, as the rest of the chimera. The huntress masterfully cut the meat from the bones with nothing more than her claws, sharp enough to act like an excellent knife.
“Not really surprising for a genius like you. Your senses and agility are just superb.” The man praised the girl, helping her with his keen reddish saber.
“Uh-huh…” The ice warrior mumbled in reply, focusing on the task at hand, rather than flustering at the compliment. Something wasn’t right. Keyaruga never saw Setsuna this depressed, and it saddened him as well. “Is there something on your mind?”
“Nothing, it’s alright.” She answered without even trying to hide her displeasure or, rather, the girl thought that maintaining her neutral expression would be just enough.
“Well, I don’t believe you.” The healer uttered, masterfully carving the last slices of flesh from the dead abomination. It didn’t look particularly appetizing, but at least its meat wasn’t that different from anything else. “You know, I’m worried about you, Setsuna, and I don’t want you to hide anything from me.”
“What’s the point? You’ve got everything you want now, even a child.” The she-wolf lamented, kneeling above the reddish skeleton of the monstrosity; at least three hundred kilograms of meat now rested in their cart, waiting to get delivered to the camp. And so, she had nothing to do anymore other than to dispel her claws, letting them melt along with the fat, blood, bile, and gruesome viscera.
“The point is…” The lad began, crouching right next to the she-wolf. First thing first, he washed her hands. Water pumped from his palms, which were shining with sorcerous sigils, but magic aside, he simply wanted to offer her a human touch. “…I really care for you. Ellen says it’s my weakness, and I could treat it as such. You know, I could get rid of my empathy, and that would be that. But I don’t want to. I want to feel and sympathize, so now I sense your distress.” Keyaruga deadpanned, still holding the girl’s arms, even if they were as clean and can be, even if there was no sorcery to see and feel anymore. “I want to help you, Nayuta, just like you’ve helped me.”
And as he spoke. The man remained right where he was; ready to stay there as long as he needed, he gently put his palm on the huntress’ shoulder. There was nobody to hear them, and so, he addressed the girl with her true name.
“Keyaruga… I…” It wasn’t easy for her, all those contradictory emotions, loyalty clashing against what her very soul wished for – it metaphorically speaking, tore Setsuna apart from the inside, making her chest severely ache. To do nothing would ensure the status-quo, nothing would change, and there would be nothing to worry about. Yet… “I’m feeling sad, and lonely.” To say these few words, Setsuna needed all of her bravery and might. It was literally harder than facing the dangerous monstrosity and defeating it in a battle.
“What… about Ellen?” The hero asked of the girl, trying to not be too persistent. Everyone had their highs and lows, and now it was the turn of the she-wolf.
“It’s… not the same. I want you. And you’re with Eve.” The huntress admitted what’s been bothering her all this time. The oppressive solitude she felt couldn’t just be healed by pairing her with someone else, and although spending time with the princess had its merits, the ice warrior craved someone different. And yet, she understood how much the black-winged lady needed him right now, but that didn’t make it any easier.
“Setsuna… Listen, you’re precious to me, no matter what. I won’t abandon you.” The healer promised softly. He wasn’t the type to loudly declare his love, but someone who’d support the ones he was close to, no matter what.
“Um…” Setsuna growled, rising back onto her bestial feet. When Keyaruga rose as well, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him for a kiss, a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one. “Then fuck me, right here.” She demanded with a blushing, yet aggressively seductive expression. There was only one thing to do now.
“Bend down.” The lad demanded, unfastening his belt to reveal his penis. It wasn’t erected enough to show its full glory, but a few strokes got the work done, all while Setsuna herself leaned on the nearest tree, wagging her tail and pulling down the white sheet that served her as an underwear. She was jealous of Eve, Ellen stole her exclusive morning duty, feeling abandoned; the huntress had suffered in silence, but not anymore. “We don’t have much time, so no foreplay this time.”
“Uh-huh…” The girl nodded, enticing the man with the majestic sway of her hips. “A-a-ah!” Setsuna gasped, as the lad thrust his manhood into her up to his balls with a single thrust. Keyaruga grasped her fit butt, the rippling muscles underneath the girl’s pale skin were just as enticing as the warm wetness of her narrow vagina – even without any preparation, the huntress could easily take the man’s cock. “Agh! A-ahh!!!” She yelled and moaned, swaying her hips and wagging that tail of hers.
“Ugh…” Keyaruga felt it – the suppressed lust, the passion, the fervor – they burned like raging fire, threatening to scourge everything and everyone. “A-a?!” The hero felt it first – Setsuna, unhappy with how slow he was, pushed him aside, stood up… and jumped onto the lad, bringing him to the ground, pressing against his chest with her hands, recklessly collapsing onto his penis.
“Keyaru…” First of all, the she-wolf was a predator, a dangerous and an aggressive type. Her humanity was always there too, but even that temporarily fell to the onslaught of her bestial urge to mate. “A-a-ah! Keyaru-u!” It wasn’t just a slip of tongue, the girl, jumping on his dick, called upon his true name with a vicious grin on her face.
“He-he-he-heh! I know, Nayuta!” The lad sneered, grabbing his companion’s butt with a juicy slap. “I’m here for you.”
Setsuna had the most loyalty among the man’s companions, and since none of them would betray him anyway, that spoke a lot for her conviction. But such devotion had its cost, and now, lying on the ground and pounding the wolf-girl hard and fast, with a maniacal grin on their faces, Keyaruga was paying this price.
…
Eight days – this was how long it took to reach the walls of Dantoma, and oh boy, was it a pretty ride. The entire day the man marched forward, while looking around to make sure nothing ambushes him, his girls, or their charges, babysitting those thirty-two (thirty-three, apparently, one women got pregnant) people, and four more – Keyaruga wanted nothing more than to end this already.
The heroes are often romanticized, their feats are turned into legends, and their personalities are washed away by the images they make for themselves. The healer got everything a historic figure like him would want: a clear goal, power, money, an entire arsenal of equipment, a harem… The latter was a little problematic, though.
Each morning, he was sucked off by Ellen and Setsuna, every afternoon the she-wolf would take him for a hunt, where they would have some crazy sex, just the two of them, over their fallen prey. It was still fine for the hero while they were dealing were monsters, but one time they butchered an enemy scout and made love while the body was still cooling, and another day they did it, surrounded by the corpses of murderous geese! Yes, these woods were just that dangerous!
After the daily outing, though, it was just more walking and keeping everyone safe. Not bad, not terrible, especially when it came to the evening encampment, when everywhere they stayed turned into a small citadel of enchanted stone. It didn’t save everyone from sleeping on blanketed ground, but at least Freia’s fortifications were safe and sturdy.
Mayala would always bother Keyaruga each time he was around, Ellen experimented with new and dangerous diseases, testing them mostly on herself, just to feed them later to her patron (oh, was she disappointed to find out her power didn’t agonize her, like it did to others), Freia would simply stick around the hero, annoying him just enough to get a rough retaliation each time it was her turn to kneel before him, and Eve… Well, ever since the tragedy at Visou, she mostly spent her time studying magic with the elder princess, and politics with the younger one. And how could all of them reinforce their bond other than with sex? Oh yeah, the five of them had sex, lots and lots of it.
It wasn’t too bad, in all honesty. Even with all the insects and parasites around, Keyaruga had a lot of fun just walking around and witnessing new things. It’s just that he hated being responsible for others, even caring for his girls left a toll on his paranoid mind, and leading an entire commune…
Get used to that, man. If you’re up for a usurpation, that’s what you’ll get soon enough, but ten times worse. Or better. Can’t care for every subject, when they’re millions of them.
“Turna, turna! (Daddy, daddy!) Nanue karu? (What’s that?)” Right as the man was about to sigh and get back to monitoring the vicinity with his jade eye, the girl, riding on his shoulders, cheerfully yelled while pointing across the massive ravine with a raging river on its bottom.
“Karu… (This…) Mayala pora arua musnak. (…is your new home, Mayala)” Keyaruga spoke, standing on the edge of a gully. There was a long bridge, and across it everyone could see a fortress. An impregnable-looking stronghold on the edge of gargantuan cliff that looked nothing like Keyaruga imagined it would. Simply the scale of the ‘settlement’ already betrayed its nature as a great city with at least fifty thousand or so in population, and its great ramparts clearly showed that Dantoma was not like some village amidst the fields, but a regional center of trade, art, craft, and governance.
“Pff, ‘settlement’ my ass! That’s the best bastion I’ve ever seen!” Ellen exclaimed, looking around. She could certainly spot a whole lot of eyes, looking at the black-winged vagabonds. To even approach the gates, they had to pass a massive bridge, full of traders, adventurers, prowlers, and even a circus troupe. All that time they’ve been avoiding major roads, and now they were finally back to civilization.
“They’re watching.” Setsuna pointed out, unmistakably recognizing a few highly-trained sentries among the bystanders. There were quite a few of these: panthers, goats, toads, horse-men, deer, but what’s drawn the huntress attention the most were… “Rabbits.”
“Rabbits, huh? I guess, we’re in the right place, then.” Freia uttered with a smile. While others marveled at the beauty of the stone walls and towers, she already picked a few spells to ruin them for the worst-case scenario.
“Don’t drop your guard.” The healer urged, placing Mayala next to him, so that her mother would take her away. The child complained a bit, but even a single look at the man’s troubled face was enough for her to understand how little he wanted to play with her now. “These aren’t rabbits, they’re hares.” He said cautiously, as if it was supposed to somehow scare the rest.
“Ehm, Keyaruga, what’s even the difference exactly?” Eve asked dumbfounded. The queen-to-be just walked in the front, she was sure that the only reason they were still safe, and nobody claimed a reward or two for a kokuyoku was because of the multiple patrols guarding the peace.
“Rabbits have short ears and rounder bodies, they’re pretty much domesticated, and you can keep them as cattle. Hares… Well, those are bigger, their ears are massive, and they eat everything, from grass and carrion to shit, and even their own kids. Ugh, awful creatures, especially when you try to raise crop, and they just come to munch it all.” The former farmer declared with clear signs of revulsion. It seemed, like only the language barrier spared him the trouble of being called out for his slurs, but knowing the truth about their leader didn’t really help Keyaruga with his bias. He could swear Ellen was giggling at him right now.
“Ushigma denue (who’re you all)? Nezah Dantoma shia kane (what’s your business in Dantoma)?” And it certainly didn’t get any better, when a tired-looking guardsman among the star… hares stopped their little column for a check.
“Shall I?” The hero offered help in handling this to his white-haired companion. Just one touch – and the guardsman would become their docile marionette.
“No. I’ll handle this.” And having said such, the Me-ua kahul stepped forward for negotiations. This would be the first true test of Eve’s charisma and her ability to persuade others. And she…
…
“Alright, I’ll admit, you nailed it.” …succeeded. Not only had she gotten a few houses for their little winged commune, but the whole party now was to meet with the man himself. Very soon they’d meet with Carol, so the hero had only one thing to say. “You’ve really handled it well.”
“I couldn’t have handled it without you, Keyaruga. I’ll never forget what you’ve done for me… for us all.” The lady in red paid tribute to the red-eyed man, placing a faint smile on his face. She sat next to him on the top of the citadel in the center of the city, waiting on a bench before the traitor would be ready to properly meet them, since he was such a busy hare, and all.
“Hey there! We’ve also helped!” The Apostle of Caladrius exclaimed like the small child she looked like. Seeing the all-knowing queen sulk like a maiden amused her so much, the younger princess could bully her for the whole of eternity.
“Don’t disturb their cuddling, Elly.” Fortunately, though, Freia was also there to suppress her sibling’s attitude. After all… “She’s just too precious to do that.” …the sorceress had her own ideas of how to fluster the kokuyoku princess.
“I hear you! Please, shut up!” The white-haired woman snarled at the sisters, but that only made their glee even worse. Better to ignore them completely, it seemed. “I bet you’ll miss Mayala.” So instead of putting up with the princesses, the tanned girl attempted to bother Keyaruga a little.
“Not really. But, I know I’ve known them for two weeks, if something happens to her or her mother here, I’ll raze this whole place to the ground.” The man promised, noticing a slight grin of mockery on the lips of a nearby guardswoman.
“Dantoma is big, and there are many ma-zok here.” Setsuna pointed out. It’s not like she had any doubts in the hero, but even he wouldn’t find it that easy.
“What else did you expect from the heart of the opposition?” Eve mused, addressing the she-wolf.
“To get crushed.” The ice warrior answered in her usual phlegmatic manner.
“Now that you shouldn’t worry about.” Suddenly, a door had opened, and a middle-aged hare-gentleman with a monocle emerged from it to greet the party. It was Carol himself, and he spoke near-perfect Phasian. Everyone got tense, finally meeting the betrayer. Everyone that is, besides Eve and Keyaruga. “Kokuyoku have received four homes, and we’ll build five more for them shortly. As for Hakuo, you can rest assured; his forces cannot breach these walls, however much they try. We’ve got enough troops and resources to drive his marauders out.” The man with an annoyingly-looking short mustache proudly declared, sitting behind his desk. Although his remark was meant to be soothing, it was filled with lies. Even if Dantoma was a powerful fortification, it stood no chance against a full-scale invasion from the sky. Ellen held a smug grin on her face, since there was too little this place could do to counterpose Flare, mounted on a gryphon’s back, and the current Me-ua had an entire tribe of dragon-mounted troops.
“Thank you for having us, Carol-murnaz (Lord Carol).” Eve stood up and said this graciously, yet her words were merely a ceremonial formality. Keyaruga rose as well. First things first, he offered his arm for a handshake, knowing all too well, how uncommon this gesture was here.
“I must thank you for stopping by.” Just as the healer predicted, the hare-man refused his hand, instead placing his palm on his chest while bowing to the two of them. Did he just dismiss the hero completely? Oh, that was good. “Come on, have a seat.” Carol invited the future queen to take the sofa before him, and so she did. “It’s been some time since we’ve last met. You have changed a lot since then, my fair princess.”
“You’re too kind, Carol-murnaz.” Eve responded with just as hypocritical of a smile as her host. This man leaked every bit of info he could to Kinacrith, and so, he couldn’t be trusted. Not this time, not like she did before. “We’ve come here to strike a deal with you.”
“Certainly, your people are already being given an accommodation here, as well as our guarantee of safety.” The long-eared warlord spoke, rhythmically tapping against the table. One-two, one-two, one-two-three. It clearly meant something, since one of the guards just went out.
“No words would be enough to express my gratitude for you and your people.” The queen-to-be said almost unemotionally. How could she show any amiability to a traitor?
“That was nothing. Our alliance with your people still holds on, and I would be ashamed to look at your late mother’s face if I were to reject you now.” Carol responded, making Keyaruga, unwilling to sit down, as he was playing the role of Eve’s knight, ready to strike down everyone who dares to endanger his suzerain.
His awareness came especially in handy when the guardswoman, who sneered at the lad’s ambitions, returned with a plate of two cups of tea. Oh, how the man hated those!
“Please, drink. This will restore your strength.” The hare-man offered, tinkering with his monocular. At first, Keyaruga took a cup, he smelled it – nothing, he tasted it – nothing. Whatever the iuei saraga put in it – it didn’t work on him. But he still had his jade eye – this little present of the star nymph allowed him to spot… the serum of truth. Which was actually just a relaxant, which would merely cloud one’s awareness. Either way, the man simply bit though his lip and drained one drop of his blood, making sure it’d neutralize any effects and restore Eve’s focus, instead of literally popping her head, for example.
“That… is kind of you.” The lady in red spoke, taking a cup from the hero’s hand. It was common for a lady of her scale to have a taster, who’d be the first to spot the venom, and so Carol could say nothing in opposition. He did seem rather troubled, though. “But we’re not here to hide.” And much more so, when the Me-ua kahul was finally read to speak about her goals.
“Please, don’t be so shy. We know about your power, and we know of what happened to the Gramgrim. Caladrius’ grace is with you, I see.” The elder of the ‘rabbits’ tribe (Tarenago had no distinction between those two sub-species) spoke, rather pleased to see he wasn’t called out for poisoning, as the lad just chugged the entire cup in a single gulp.
“W-what? No, how could I-?” Eve played an act of innocent ignorance, and that looked rather convincing coming from her in all honesty. All Keyaruga could do for her was to maintain his apathetic expression.
“You’re wise to keep silent about this power, but no kokuyoku can grow horns without his blessing.” The hare-man said, feeling rather proud of himself for this insight.
“Caladrius is a woman, and I’m carrying her egg.” The hero revealed, pointing at the treasure, strapped to his back.
“And… you are?” Only now Carol properly recognized the lad’s existence as something more than Eve’s henchman.
“Keyaruga. I’m Eve’s knight, and these girls are her courtiers.” The healer introduced himself, simply holding his left hand on top of his saber’s crude handle, really unassuming compared to its reddish blade. “I was the one to battle with Gramgrim. And I won.” The man admitted in a deliberately ambiguous manner. Could a hero defeat the entire brigade all on his own? Definitely, but to come to this conclusion, one must realize who he was dealing with, and judging from the traitor’s disregard, he didn’t.
“That is strange company to keep.” The first of the ‘rabbits’ mused, stretching his arms. A sign of carelessness? Or outright disdain? One could certainly win a one-on-one battle with a southern tribesman, but to slay hundreds? No… “Still, my data suggests otherwise. Caladrius is with you, and you’ve destroyed Gramgrim with her power, Eve-maran.” Carol admitted, unimpressed with Keyaruga’s boasting. He just knew of limitations of a human.
“Ha, alright-alright. I did. I really did.” The future queen played at frustration from being chased into a corner. She even took a sip of the cured tea to imitate distress. “Anyway, now we’re seeking vengeance.” Eve spat through her teeth, slamming the cup against the table. This blow wasn’t strong enough to fracture the porcelain, but clearly mighty enough to sprinkle the liquid around. Was it a farce? Or the true emotion of hers, concerning the tragedy of Visou and Carol’s treachery? One could only guess.
“That is… inspiring.” The hare-man uttered, silently urging a guardsman to bring a towel. He had only two warriors there, a man and a woman, and both were elites, hardly a match for any of the party, but still. “We’re always glad to have you on our side.”
“Thank you for agreeing to give refuge to the black wings. Your help won’t be forgotten.” The healer pronounced, trying to sound regal. Not like he had a lot of success, but that was fine. Carol had to think of him as a muscle-head, playing a knight.
“The pleasure is mine Keyaruga-ugal (Sir Keyaruga). My name is Carol, Carol of the star rabbits.” Only now did this bastard think it was appropriate to properly introduce himself, which the lad couldn’t fail to notice.
“You’re a hare, Carol. Not a rabbit.” The former farmer pointed out with a reserved smile on his face. That was for the scorn he gave him.
“Ha-ha-ha-ha-hah! A good joke, indeed.” The leader of iuel saraga chuckled, yet there was no true amusement in his faked laugh, just a formality.
“Carol-murnaz, how did you know about Caladrius?” Eve wondered, knowing all too well he upheld a double-sided connection to Kinacrith.
“That is easy to answer. Your graceful bird is a legendary god, and when the fiercest battalion of Kinacrith had vanished in Visou, while trying to attack it, I would guess there was only one answer as to how that happened.” The long-eared chieftain replied rather carelessly. For him, this tragedy was but a skirmish on the outskirts of his domain. But for Eve…
“They weren’t ‘trying to attack it’! They razed it, burned it, murdered my people, and even danced on their bones! How dare you tone down this tragedy, Carol?!” Saying this, the white-haired woman felt like she’d lost any semblance of control, that she was being pulled inside a vortex of terrible emotions, that’d lead her to saying something unreasonable for the current situation. “You!..” As she descended into this pit of traumatic reflexes, though, Keyaruga simply put his palm on her shoulder and gave his lover a potion of violet hue – this would calm her nerves. In the meantime…
“I’m sorry; my suzerain’s wounds are still too fresh.” The hero spoke, resisting the urge to pat the lady’s head, as she calmly drank his remedy. Something he and Ellen brewed together for the suffering black-wings. They even resolved the possible addiction issue by combining their expertise. Still, this wasn’t about wonders of alchemy. “Let’s cut the formalities a ‘hare’ short, Carol. Now that Eve’s past that trial, we want to kill Hakuo and raise the new Me-ua to the throne. The Reese dynasty will once again rule over Tenanulic.” The red-eyed man declared, dramatically clenching a fist on his chest. It should’ve been enough to dispel any worries within the long-eared governor, but it didn’t.
“That… seems quite possible indeed, with your current strength.” He still pretended to be involved with the overthrow plot, but small actions, like tapping against the table, or tinkering with his monocle betrayed Carol’s anxiety. “Yet, to so easily overpower the strongest of threats… I do not believe such might can be given out unchecked. There must be a price to pay for that, to be sure.” Oh, that was it! The very thing the man was placed here for. Certainly, his only function was to get any useful info about the true opposition and leak it to Hakuo. This wasn’t an exception.
“Yes, indeed. There are conditions to call upon Caladrius, Carol-murnaz.” Eve, pale and distressed, replied with a slightly gravelly voice. The betrayer never even bothered to apologize for the lack of empathy, and now he wished to know her weaknesses? Fine!
“I knew it. And what are they?” For a moment, the ‘rabbit’s’ excitement got better of him, and that was a serious mistake.
“Why’re you asking?” Keyaruga asked with all due seriousness. This man never even bothered to sooth his lady’s grudge, so he didn’t deserve a respectful tone.
“Oh, Keyaruga-ugal, to strike Kinacrith means to take it whole, or be taken by it. No other option, and when we do, I wish to be ready for what’s to come. Logistics, supply lines, troops – I cannot provide that without knowing the entire picture beforehand.” Although true, this reasoning really smelled more like a quickly made up excuse, rather than a serious argument. Much too ambitions for what’s still to come.
“The moon and stars – Caladrius drains her power from them. The only way to use it is to wait until the stars align properly. That… would be one month later.” The lady in red spoke an obvious lie. She simply needed time, and giving herself three weeks to hone her magic and gather true allies seemed like a good deal to her anyway.
“Norpaga (september)…” Carol mused, now tapping against his own temple. This gave him time, and a lot of uncertainty along with that. The state of ignorance was never what you’d call a power, and so, only one thing could be done about it. “Are there any weaknesses to contrast Caladrius’ strength?” The leader of the iuel saraga wondered assumingly. He seemed to believe that the serum worked, and that would be his downfall.
“Yeah! She’s a bitch!” Ellen exclaimed, raising her arm, like a prudent student, always ready to present an answer without even being asked. It made her look rather childish, but this remark was to be used to the fullest.
“She’s right. Caladrius is fickle, so if she doesn’t answer the call, it can’t be helped.” Eve said with a sad smile. That was truth, and it was worth revealing. In the end, this notion played in their favor anyway.
“And, as if that’s not bad enough, you can only eat one apple to protect yourself from her poison for an entire day.” And if the current deception wasn’t good enough, Keyaruga added one more piece of disinformation there. It was literally the first thing that came to the former holder of an orchard’s mind, and seeing Carol’s eyes widen just enough for his monocle to fall on the floor was worth more than anything to the lad. “Apples are fruits of life, so those who ate it were unharmed. It didn’t save them from me, though.” The hero added, shrugging his shoulders. Right now, he had to gather every last bit of his willpower to not laugh like a madman.
“That’s… fascinating.” The hare-man marveled at the new ‘discovery’. So much so, that he got ready to finish the audience. “Eve-maran, Keyaruga-ugal, it’s getting late, and you deserve some rest. Caryl!” The long-haired traitor yelled, summoning a boy from behind a door. This youngster looked awfully distressed, making the party wonder, just what kind of job this fellow was doing. “This is Caryl, he’ll accompany you to your new mansion.”
“A-ah… Youmela. (Nice to meet you.)” The kid spoke, getting all flustered standing next to four beautiful ladies. So much so, that Keyaruga had to drag him away toward the door, trying to figure out how could one blush so much just by being next to a woman.
“We’ll meet again. Your strength will greatly help us in overthrowing Hakuo.” It was those words, that Eve spoke exiting the office. Indeed, the traitor had a lot of uses, even if the most probable of them was to parade his head as a warning.
I saw it… This was the head that Panakea showed me.
“Rot.” The she-wolf quietly murmured. For that stench is what she smelled coming off of Carol.

Hello everyone,
I wanted to share with you all of my social outposts, with MY ratings and comments about it, so depending on your level, you can choose which one you wanna play, although all of my outposts are considered as brutal. From all streamers/players that played my outposts, they all said that I have a very unique kind of building (though I suck at exterior architecture, but I promise you this is different inside). All of my maps are speedrunnable, so feel free to try it!
If you don't want to read anything and play any of my outposts randomly, feel free to type Twitch.KarEssMoua to find all my maps.
DISCLAIMER: None of my maps are mazes / killboxes / death alleys
Hope you will have fun! :)

Difficulty : Normal

1) Badger Lee is a short map, perfect for beginners to discover some tricks and how to use your environment. It's also my first prestige 10 map that I built during the beta.
Speedrun difficulty : Easy
Nice
2) District Heights is even shorter than Badger Lee and can focus on high pressure if you are a fast player. However, running it slow will also be a challenge for new players.
Speedrun difficulty : Easy
https://preview.redd.it/somznsj9si4b1.png?width=424&format=png&auto=webp&s=2168271903b18926cc1de8aabb5a0e9258d07f35

Difficulty : Challenging

1. Swans Island is a small map with more or less the same length as Badger Lee. It includes more sneaky traps and play with the environment more than the two previous ones. It is a map that I made with my viewers. A challenging map for beginners, where veterans might find this map surprising but generaly easy.

Speedrun difficulty : Easy
https://preview.redd.it/pjzh7gqkti4b1.png?width=424&format=png&auto=webp&s=ca01728eb6a5affa91b88e2325e6416c2d3f168c
2) Rhinebeck did more kills than I expected and exceeded my expectations. It's a mix of two playstyles, which I won't spoil so you can discover it by yourself.
Speedrun difficulty : Easy to medium
https://preview.redd.it/63ojbor5ui4b1.png?width=418&format=png&auto=webp&s=10cd5bd9b34f54028d3bab1472a523078e766e5f
3) Osage City is a challenging map for beginners and medium players, that will require your focus during the whole run. More focus on mental pressure, you will have to deal with traps waiting for you at any corner.
Speedrun difficulty : Easy to medium
https://preview.redd.it/y2hax2i6vi4b1.png?width=418&format=png&auto=webp&s=6ec68db00015e980d551790607152a10dbc6a21b
4) Citrus County is a map with a spicy entry that can be a real challenge for new players. More focused on action with sneaky traps and the use of the grappling, enjoy a map where you can use your environment to protect yourself or jump into the fight and slay everything in sight! Also, you might different paths!
Speedrun difficulty : Easy to medium
https://preview.redd.it/pgvps6p1wi4b1.png?width=420&format=png&auto=webp&s=945df040a76d177cd6e2f756ad0fe9e7c40bab1e

Difficulty : Hard

1. Mower County, Osage City' sister, pushes the concept of mental pressure further, pushing you to make a mistake. If you are a new player, I would recommend to play Osage City before jumping in Mower County.

Speedrun difficulty : Medium to Challenging
https://preview.redd.it/cvkvsrt2xi4b1.png?width=423&format=png&auto=webp&s=2326a08e6f3da618edd342c1333e363f1b9baf19
2) Howells is a messy map (if you already played some of my other maps, you know what I mean), and intends to confuse you in a packed environment. You might be surprised how you can die in this one. The lack of raids has been due to the MM issues we had before.
Speedrun difficulty : Challenging
https://preview.redd.it/rtdzbr8uxi4b1.png?width=424&format=png&auto=webp&s=d1d61d3aa13a8ff9106d82a25c87c418ddcd3d31
3) High Hill is going to mess up a bit with you. Mixing all the previous combinations, I tested out a new way to build. I'm not gonna lie, I struggled a bit to build this map, but the outcome has been pretty satisfying! The lack of raids has been due to the MM issues we had before.
Speedrun difficulty : Hard
https://preview.redd.it/8s5an76ryi4b1.png?width=421&format=png&auto=webp&s=6c36eb43f047061e0fe68f776f2ed0ffe6d12491

Difficulty : Extreme

1. Twin Peaks, Grand Lake Stream's little sister is going to confuse you and bully you for a bit. Get ready to be lost into madness and get shot at from any direction.

Speedrun difficulty : Hard to Very Hard
https://preview.redd.it/io7keazczi4b1.png?width=425&format=png&auto=webp&s=05e09d842ff5600d8228144fd59620690771381c
2) Hannibal is brutal. There is no other words. Going slow or going fast, this map is going to give you hard times and will press you to the limit, using a high mental pressure combined with deadly traps. Only one misstep and you are gone. Definitely not recommend for new players, or only if you would like Hell as a tutorial.
Speedrun difficulty : Extreme
https://preview.redd.it/5r0ud4510j4b1.png?width=421&format=png&auto=webp&s=07d1c873e6c1378c161eb48fd7f502c5b2795e31
3) Grand Lake Stream is an old map that I built during the beta and reworking with time. With an initial 15,7 kill ratio (lowered by social unfortunately), this map counts more than 2 000 kills (official + social). Grand Lake Stream made it tough for a lot of raiders, hoping to get to the genmat and leave this madness behind them. If you wanna dive into an unique kind of madness, this is your way to go. Grand Lake Stream is going to offer you the challenge you need, most of the time. This is also a nostalgic map that I cherish way more than any others.
Speedrun difficulty : Very Hard to Extreme
https://preview.redd.it/q37z6opz1j4b1.png?width=441&format=png&auto=webp&s=7f0c36c9fbee6f1563eb0d565f6ab91262a4ee5c
Thanks for reading, HF!

​
THE PARTRIDGE SPIRIT
An Algonquin Legend
​
One red autumn, two brothers went on a hunting expedition for their tribe.
They come to the source of the Penobscott river and there they stayed all winter.
They had no woman with them to do all the tasks that make a hunter thankful.
So most of the daily tasks fell upon the younger brother who said to his older brother,
"I wish there were a woman in our wigwam to mend and cook, to sew and clean for us."
"Well, our mother and sisters are at home, brother.
We must do the best we can," replied the older brother.
By the time spring came around, their snowshoes were broken and their moccasins were full of holes.
One day, when the snow was still hard and icy, the younger brother came home to find that the wigwam was clean and tidy!
A fire was burning and there was hot water already boiling in the pot.
He said nothing to his brother, but the next day, he returned home early in order to spy on the wigwam.
In the light of the dying sun, he saw a beautiful maiden step through the woods and busy herself about the household tasks.
She was smaller and more delicate than any woman he had ever seen.
He stepped into the wigwam and greeted her, "Thank you, maiden, for the work you've been doing.
It's very hard for hunters to be alone during the harsh winter."
She replied, "Your brother is coming.
I am frightened of him.
But I will see you tomorrow if you come home early."
With that, she slipped away.
The young hunter said nothing to his brother, but the next day he crept home early and there was the maiden again. Together they played in the snow like children.
Just before the sun went down, the young hunter begged her, "Please stay with me forever.
My heart was never so happy as now."
The maiden frowned. "Speak to your brother tonight.
Tell him everything.
Maybe I will stay and serve you both, for I can make snowshoes and moccasins, and build canoes."
With that, she slipped away.
When the elder brother came home, he listened eagerly to his young brother, then said,
"It seems that we have been lucky!
I would be very glad to have a woman help us and care for our camp."
The next morning, the maiden came again.
Behind her she pulled a toboggan piled high with hand - sewn garments and finely worked weapons.
She greeted both the brothers, who exclaimed at the beauty of the clothes and weapons.
"I too am a hunter," was all she would say and she set to work.
The rest of the snowbound spring passed quickly.
The maiden cared for the hunters, sewing, mending and making herself useful in ways that they both quickly took for granted.
They also seemed to be particularly lucky in their hunting. They soon had many furs and were ready to return to their tribe.
When the snow began to thaw, the brothers returned home by canoe down the Penobscott river.
When they were halfway down the river the maiden began to look pale and faint.
"Stop!" she called out to the hunters. I can go no further."
They sculled to the bank and set her down.
Now although they didn't know it, the maiden had sent out her soul back to the wigwam where they had lived all winter. "Leave me here," she begged.
"Say nothing about me to your father, for he would have nothing but scorn for me."
The younger brother was heartbroken.
"But I want you to stay with me forever!"
He did not realize that the maiden could not come with him because she wasn't a human being at all, but one of the forest spirits.
"It cannot be," replied the maiden.
"You must leave me here."
The two brothers returned to their village.
When they unpacked the canoe and their family saw the heap of fine furs that they had brought back with them, there was great rejoicing.
During the celebrations, the elder brother could not keep quiet about how their luck had changed.
He boasted about the strange maiden who had helped them in the depths of the winter.
His father trembled and grew very angry.
"All my life I have feared this very thing.
My sons, that was no ordinary woman!
You have been in the presence of a ghost, a forest spirit, a trickster of the snows!
She is a Mikumwess, a witch that can do great harm to human beings."
The elder brother thought to himself,
"She may have put a spell upon me.
What a fool I've been, not to see it!"
However, the younger brother thought, "Maybe there's something in what father says.
Maybe she is a forest spirit.
But I didn't feel I was in danger at any time.
She was my dearest friend, and I wanted her to be my wife." But he was young and was more inclined to listen to his father's fears than to the wisdom of his own heart.
The father made such a fuss about the maiden being a Mikumwess that the elder brother made a decision.
"Come, brother!" he said one day. "Let's go hunting."
Taking some special arrows that were said to be good against witches, the elder brother began to track the maiden.
The younger brother didn't know what they were hunting. Suddenly, the elder brother caught sight of the maiden bathing in the stream and drew his bow.
At the same time, his brother saw her and started to call and wave to her, but too late!
The elder brother's arrow had already flown.
Where the maiden had been swimming was now a confusion of water and feathers.
Then they both saw her rise in the shape of a partridge into the sky.
The younger brother's heart was very heavy and he walked silently away.
As he was sitting sadly in a birch clearing, a partridge landed at his feet and changed into the maiden.
He threw himself at her feet and cried, "Forgive me! I didn't know what my brother intended!
I never meant to hunt you, my dearest one!"
"Do not blame yourself," said the maiden.
"I know everything.
It was not your father's fault either, for he spoke from fear and ignorance.
The past is forgotten already.
I promise you that the best is yet to come."
And together they played in the woods, as once they had played in the snows, forgetting their sorrows.
When the crows flew home to their nests, the young hunter said, I must return."
The maiden answered, "When you want to see me, come to the woods and I will be here.
But, remember, do not marry anyone!
Your father has a girl in mind and will speak of marriage soon." And she told him what his father would say, word for word.
He listened carefully, but was not surprised by her words.
He knew for certain that she was, indeed, a forest spirit, but he was not afraid.
They kissed gently under the birch trees.
"Remember," she reminded him, "if you marry,
You will surely die!"
When the young man went home that night, his father spoke, just as the maiden said he would.
"My son, I have found a wife for you and the wedding will be this week."
The young hunter nodded and said, "So be it!"
The young bride was brought from her family's wigwam and the wedding feast began.
For four days everyone danced and ate and told stories.
But on the last day, the young bridegroom began to feel ill.
His family laid him upon a white bearskin, but he grew worse and worse.
They tried all kinds of remedies to heal him.
But the young hunter's soul yearned for the partridge maiden and as he lay dying, his soul flew out of his body searching for her.
At the moment he found her, his soul finally left his body, and they ran together through the woods, never to be parted again.
When his sorrowful family brought the bride to where the young hunter lay, they found that he was already dead.
But his face was calm and happy,
for he had found his true bride at last