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Introduction:

Noah and Valia are called to action.

Across the Plains

The day of Noah and Valia’s departure had arrived, but they were delayed due to the weather. A tumultuous summer storm, perhaps the last of the season, was bathing Sylphtoria with warm, heavy drops. Up in the palace, Noah and Elisandra sat in a window, she leaning against him with his arms around her. Elisandra once spoke of her love for summer storms, so they decided to enjoy it.

They gazed out across the forest canopy, swaying in the mighty gale, and listened to the thumping rain and the roaring thunder, with the occasional flash of lightning arcing in the distance. Valia was absent, giving them this moment to enjoy by themselves, Elisandra cherishing Noah’s warm embrace and Noah savoring her sweet scent.

“Did you know that while a baby develops in the womb, it can clearly hear its mother’s heart beating? That sound is ingrained in us before we even know what it is,” said Noah.

“Really?”

“It’s true. I remember you saying that the sound of rain made you feel like you were back in the womb, and you were right. Listen to those drops, the gentle, steady pattering. So simple, but so comforting. It’s more than just falling water, the sound itself is elemental, powerful. It’s the sound of life, of dry earth turning into lush soil from which greenery blooms. It cleanses, it nourishes, it energizes, it defines. In space, people don’t listen to music, they prefer to listen to recordings of rain, because that’s what makes them feel at home.”

“That’s beautiful,” Elisandra hummed. She then slid her hands down onto Noah’s, which were rested on her belly. “Rain, that is what our child will be named. It works for both a boy or a girl. Like you said, rain is what makes this world home.”

“I love it.”

Elisandra looked up at him. “And I love you,” she said before their lips met, and light filled the sky.

Once the storm ended, Noah and Valia set off from Sylphtoria, riding northeast towards Handent and Welindar. Their horses had been pampered by the elves, now fat and sleek, and the exercise was doing them good. Valia was more cheerful than usual, for while she and the queen had grown close, she once again had Noah all to herself.

Unfortunately, they were not alone. While the Anorvan Forest was free of knights and bounty hunters, there was no shortage of elves drawn by the smell of a human slithering through their domain. The two had several arrows, swords, and spears pointed at them throughout their journey, and it took a lot of talking to get the pointy-eared interlopers to let them pass. Noah’s mantle, marking him as an honored ally to the queen and a Sylphtorian lord, didn’t always convince the elves. He was accused of wearing a fake or being a thief more than once.

It took over a week to finally break free of the Anorvan Forest and arrive at the Petosic Steppes. These grasslands stretched across the north, broken up by thickets and hills like islands in an ocean of green. Noah and Valia could see the far corners of the horizon beneath the clear sky, no longer hidden by the ancient trees.

“Handent, home of the beastman tribes. It’s been an age and a half since I was here last. Behind us, the spirits of nature dance among the trees, but here, they float upon the wind like clouds,” said Valia.

“There, that tower in the distance. The knights are waiting for us,” Noah said, pointing ahead to an unnatural shape protruding from the horizon. “Hold on, there is something I want to try.”

Noah revealed a small mirror created using alchemy, and while looking at his reflection, he brushed his hand across his right eye, activating his cloning magic. His face immediately changed as if he was twice his original age. His clone magic had evolved thanks to Kisara Island, and he could now recreate his past lives. Of his countless reincarnations across the multiverse, there were several repeats, reliving the same body more than once with minimal difference between timelines. The illusory mask he now wore was the adult version of his current body, reached during previous lifetimes.

Noah examined his reflection for accuracy, scrutinizing the threads of mana forming a thin beard on his face. “What do you think?

“Why are you switching your appearance? Don’t tell me you’re paranoid about letting them see your real face.”

“It’s an experiment on human nature,” he said, now with a deeper voice. “From my experience, having a young body like this one has advantages and drawbacks. It makes it easier to garner sympathy, forgiveness, and mercy, but it means my warnings, threats, and advice aren’t taken seriously either. A mature appearance enhances my charisma, and makes me appear more believable.”

“You’re just going to be constantly hiding your real appearance around everyone?”

Noah put the mirror away and donned his wide-brimmed hat. Though his current aged appearance was just an illusion, his real face could still get sunburned out here in the plains.

“My appearance doesn’t personally matter. Bodies are merely vessels. This adult face you currently see is from another life I’ve lived, and is as real as the young face you’re used to. Besides, I’d say I look pretty handsome.”

“Granted, but how long can you keep your magic active like that?”

“Now that I can focus my illusions on individual body parts, the mana cost is very affordable. If it’s just my face, I may be able to do it continuously without needing rest.”

“Very well, go ahead. This should be interesting.”

“And if being older doesn’t work, I can always go in the opposite direction.” The illusion changed, and his face became that of an infant, stretched across his adult-sized head. He turned to Valia, flashing her a toothless smile and babbling like a baby would, causing her to burst into laughter.

“That is truly horrifying. Please, don’t ever do it again.”

Noah readjusted the illusion back to his middle-aged appearance. “Oh, I’m going to do it again. You won’t know when, and you won’t know where, but it will be perfect.”

They ushered their horses forward and rode across the grassy plains, with their approach to the tower revealing its true face. It was the remains of a dwarven fortress built centuries ago in a time of war with the elves. Time and battle had turned it into a skeleton of bricks, but enough of the tower remained upright to serve as a landmark, and the winds of the plains could not topple it.

The area around the tower was raised and rocky, hence its location, but a path led up to the fortress. As Noah and Valia approached, however, they came across something unpleasant. A slain beast was stuck on a pike as a warning to others of its kind, but it was no ordinary creature. It appeared to be some kind of fox, the size of a St. Bernard, and horribly mutated. Its claws and fangs were overgrown, and a third eye had grown out of the left socket. Despite being left out, not a single fly dared feed on the carcass.

“Halt! Identify yourselves!” a soldier yelled from a high crag.

“I am Noah, the Wandering Spirit!”

“Valia Zodiac, the Sword Goddess! We’re here answering Prince Lupin’s summons!”

The soldier paused. “Remain where you are!”

He then blew a horn and produced three deep calls. Noah and Valia looked at the tower, seeing some movement. The two of them were on guard, ready for any sign of attack. Though Noah had a probationary exoneration, it was hard to predict how these strangers would act without the prince himself around, not to mention that Valia was also a fugitive. Soon enough, a knight approached on horseback. From the quality of his armor and the emblem on his shoulder, he appeared to be silver-ranked and had a face that Noah recognized.

“Welcome, Sir Noah, Lady Valia. I am Sir Reynolds, envoy of His Highness, Prince Lupin. Along with delivering the prince’s message, my men and I are here to escort you to Welindar. Wait, I was told you would be younger.”

“I am indeed Noah. You’d be surprised how young I can pass for by just shaving, young enough to even get into the Knight Academy. Anyway, I am here to answer the prince’s summons. My apologies for making you wait. I had business in Sylphtoria that could not be left unfinished.”

“Well, the men will be happy that we can finally depart. Please, come with me to the base.”

They followed Reynolds to the fortress, now seeing its true dilapidation. The tower was still standing, but every building was in ruins, serving only to provide cover from the wind. Still, the troops were making do with what they had. The caved-in stables had been repaired to once more shelter the horses, the well looked to be functioning, and there was even a clothesline with shirts and garments hanging to dry. Most of the work had gone into repairing walls and shoring up defenses to keep monsters like the fox out.

“How many troops do you have with you?” Noah asked.

“I am the only knight, and there are eight soldiers under my command.”

“One knight and eight soldiers to deliver a message from Prince Lupin to the Sylphtorian queen? Are his forces really stretched so thin?” Valia asked.

“Indeed they are. The armies that conquered Welindar are now scattered to maintain peace and order, leaving us with fewer and fewer assets each day. Were it not for the unholy beasts prowling the wild, I’d be lucky to have even four men with me. The situation has surely grown even worse since we departed.”

“How many of those disfigured monsters have you encountered?”

“Too many. We put up that fox, hoping it would ward them off, but these things are worse than rabid. Every night, they come prowling around. They have no fear, they feel pain but shrug off their wounds, and they kill whatever crosses their path, often without bothering to eat. I left Welindar with ten men and lost two to those abominations.”

They entered the tower, where the soldiers were camping out anywhere that was dry and offered cover. These men ranged from their late teens to their late fifties, had no prospects beyond the military, couldn’t use magic, or were restricted to the most minor, elementary spells. At the moment, they were all alert and standing ready, reacting to the horn and the strangers’ arrival like dogs hearing the slam of a car door. It was clear that, next to the monsters, boredom was their greatest enemy. They had been entertaining themselves with games of dice and cards, maintaining their equipment, and Noah even spotted an unfinished wooden carving someone had whittled.

“Men, Sir Noah and Lady Valia have arrived. Gather your things; we’re moving out,” Reynolds ordered.

The soldiers’ reaction to the order was mixed. Some were lamenting the loss of what was the closest they’d get to a vacation, others were glad to see an end to their boredom, and the rest were fearful of going back out into the plains, forsaking the safety of the tower.

As the men packed up their things and prepared to depart, Reynolds turned to Noah. “I was told that you are an important key to ending this madness. Is it true?”

“I will do whatever I can to help, but I won’t know how until I get to Welindar.”

Noah, Valia, and their escorts set off from the wrecked fortress, riding deeper into the plains. Their group was large enough to ward off any predators, both canine and feline, but Noah could often see them on the crests of hills, watching their group pass by. That night, they set up camp in a small ravine, lowering them out of the prairie winds and concealing their campfire. Summer was ending, and though the days were still hot, the nights were honing their chill.

Dinner was some wild rabbits, and everyone gathered around the fire to eat. As the soldiers talked and laughed amongst each other, they were clearly on edge. Even by elf standards, Valia was exceptionally beautiful, and her presence made the men antsy. Noah watched with amusement as instinct overtook them, and they began vying for her attention like animals performing mating dances. They verbally butted heads, trying to take over the conversation no matter the subject, and weren’t subtle when they found opportunities to brag. The youngest soldier sat up straight and deepened his voice, while the oldest soldier tried to appear worldly and intelligent.

Eventually, though, Noah’s presence was acknowledged. “Sir Noah, what’s your story?” one soldier asked. “We’ve been hearing your name all the way out here in Handent.”

“Well, first of all, the rumors are true. I’ll even take credit for things that are wrong. Long story short, I got into a feud with Prince Seraph and Prince Galvin, and it got ugly. I was forced to flee Uther, but Prince Lupin, who I have assisted in the past, is offering me a pardon in exchange for my services in this fight.”

“You’re supposed to be some kind of expert on these monsters, right?” another soldier asked.

“I have experience in these fields.”

“Like how?”

Noah pulled out a piece of string and began looping it around his fingers. “I spent my early years in an orphanage, having been dropped off on the front step as a baby. It was not, shall we say, a loving establishment. When I was a child, I and several others were moved to a different facility, or rather, we had been sold off. The place we went to was made of sterile white halls and rooms, matching our clothes. The food and beds were better, but this place was like a prison, and we children were the prisoners.”

He continued fiddling with the string, playing Cat’s Cradle.

“We were told it was a special school, and would test our cognitive and physical abilities daily, but I understood what they were doing from the very start. We had been gathered to be used as subjects for experimentation. They would expose us to different drugs, stimuli, and challenges to see how we reacted, but were careful with the administration, doing their best to keep the children from snapping under the pressure. They would turn tests into games, and reward us with toys and treats.”

Around and around the string went, forming complex shapes and figures.

“The worst, most painful tests, were disguised as punishments for failure and misbehavior. I remember one such room where I was strapped to a cold steel table with my head locked into position, and my eyelids and mouth forced open, letting them drill my teeth, send tubes up into my sinuses, and stick needles into my tear ducts to inject me with various serums. There were always needles stabbing me everywhere, shooting me full of who-knows-what, or used to administer electric shocks. Oh, that’s right, you don’t know… have any of you been exposed to thunder magic? Imagine that power running through your body continuously.

Often, a kid would disappear, and we were told they had been adopted or moved to a different school, but clearly it just meant they had died from the experiments.”

He pulled his hands apart, tightening the string around his fingers, and stared into the campfire through the net, like the wire mesh windows throughout the facility. All the soldiers stared at him with pale faces, having lost all sense of levity. Valia placed her hand on Noah’s knee, her eyes full of sorrow, and then she pulled it away as a cruel smirk crossed Noah’s face.

“I could have escaped if I wanted to, but that would have been boring. I decided to stay and perform experiments of my own. The whole facility and the people running it were my toy box. I took my time to study their security and learn how to move around undetected. I observed the orderlies and administrators, gathering intel and exploiting their weaknesses, and whenever the time felt right, I’d give them a little poke and watch them spin their wheels, sometimes by dosing them with the drugs they were giving the kids and see what would happen.

I remember there was this one neurotic woman, a total control freak. I would sneak into her office at night, move things around, destroy her data, and sometimes leave an unpleasant smell lingering. I did it over a long period, remaining subtle. If I did too much, she’d realize someone was jerking her around. I had to use the lightest touch, slowly making her doubt herself and soon questioning her own sanity. I kept pushing her closer to the edge, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of dementia. Eventually, her fingers were wrapped in bandages because she kept chewing her nails, and there were bald spots from her ripping out her hair during panic attacks. I remember the sound of her scream when she finally snapped. Ah, so satisfying.

There was an administrator who performed many of the tests, and I often sabotaged his equipment. Every time he tried to do something, a tool or machine would break down, turning each little step into a long ordeal, and the frustration would build. With everything going wrong, he started yelling at his coworkers, accusing others of being careless with his cherished tech. Eventually, he started a fistfight with an orderly, got his face smashed into a window, and lost both of his eyes.

Oh, yeah, speaking of orderlies, there was one who was having marital problems. These people weren’t supposed to have personal conversations with the test subjects, but he let it slip once, and while playing the role of the innocent, curious child, I would coax him to go on. Over time, he’d tell me about his wife and home life, and I’d start sowing doubts and venomous thoughts, making him think they were his own. Then, he just disappeared and never came back to work. From what I gathered, he had killed his wife and then himself.

Eventually, the order came down that the facility was to be purged, and all of the test subjects killed. Armed men came in and started slaughtering the kids and the lower staff. Fortunately, I got my hands on a knife, and after slitting a few throats, I worked my way up to the head manager’s office.

It took some cutting to get him to talk, but he spilled everything. We were one part of an experimental program in which the test data was used to create super soldiers. I was familiar with such methods, and I expect the monsters roaming these lands to be made through similar techniques. I killed him, escaped, and leaked all the data I could get my hands on to the public.

Anyway, that’s just a tiny part of my accumulated knowledge in this field. My expertise runs quite a bit deeper. So, any questions?” There were none. Everyone was staring at him with gaunt expressions. The first half of his story was dark enough, and several men had been ready to offer words of sympathy for his hardship, but when they saw that cruel smirk and sadistic gleam in Noah’s eyes, all their instincts told them that he was someone to be feared.

“I suppose, then, I’ll ask some of my own. Sir Reynolds, if I remember correctly, you were at the basilisk gala. I believe Prince Lupin said that you were the first to attack it while everyone was paralyzed with fear. Is that correct?”

“It is,” the knight said hesitantly, as though waiting for Noah to place a curse upon him.

“And by that silver emblem on your chest plate, it appears you received a promotion. Was that for the basilisk, or ten years of service?”

“The basilisk.”

“If Prince Lupin sent you to find me, then that means he must have a great deal of trust in you.”

“I’m his left-hand man.”

“Is his right-hand man a gold-rank knight?”

“No, he isn’t, sorry to disappoint. Prince Lupin originally had two gold knights with him when he conquered Welindar, but both have already been killed. We’ve been taking heavy losses since those abominations appeared.”

“Tell me everything that has been going on. Tell me about the fiends.”

Reynolds swallowed the lump in his throat. “The earliest ones appeared in the spring before we had taken Welindar. They were wild animals with distorted bodies and monstrous appearances, attacking everything in sight. We chalked it up to a disease, some kind of rabies. After the city was won and Prince Lupin took control, there were bigger things to worry about.

Welindar had withstood Uther’s assault for years, and many residents weren’t ready to give up the fight simply because a new flag was over their heads. From the ashes of Welindar’s military, a rebellion grew, sabotaging us wherever and whenever they could. Throughout the summer and fall, they attacked supply lines, interrupted communications with Colbrand, kidnapped soldiers, incited riots in the streets, and did whatever they could to weaken our hold on the city.

We managed to regain control over the winter. Then, when spring arrived, something had changed. Huge, hulking abominations began appearing in the city and across the countryside. These disgusting, mindless fiends brought untold slaughter to both soldier and beastman alike. Our weapons and spells could break bone and tear flesh just as their claws and fangs could do to us, but we could not counter their deranged fury and unstoppable drive. How do you fight a monster that will trample over its own entrails to rip out your throat? It didn’t take long to realize many of these monsters had originally been beastmen.

Despite their power, it seemed like they died on their own accord more often than not. Most of the more giant fiends we encountered in the wild were already dead, showing no wounds, and their bodies were so disfigured that you’d wonder how they ever lived for even a day. That was when we discovered the source of this evil. Each of these monsters had parasites attached to their bodies, these huge leeches that seemed to transform their hosts into bloodthirsty demons. The knights and soldiers believed it was some kind of pestilence, like locusts, but Prince Lupin had another idea. He claimed that these creatures were being made with purpose like a blacksmith makes a sword or an alchemist makes a potion.

The insurgents were quick to weaponize it, and as time went on, both the parasites and their hosts underwent further changes, becoming more stable and robust. Now, they can transform back and forth at will without losing their minds. Since then, they’ve wreaked havoc on our forces, slaughtering soldiers in broad daylight. At least they have enough sanity not to go killing innocents. We’ve been trying to track down the source of these parasites, but even if we manage to take a host alive, getting answers out of them isn’t easy.

We discovered that they were weak against holy magic, but as soon as it seemed like we were turning the tide, they learned to immediately target all of our paladins. Now, we have just a handful of healers left. Prince Lupin has been trying to get ahold of his brother and Sir Tarnas, but they can’t be found. All of our weapons are imbued with holy enchantments, inflicting some added damage, but not nearly enough. Elemental weapons only work correctly in the hands of a compatible magic user.

Anyway, not too long ago, we raided a building and found some kind of workshop hidden in the cellar, where parasites were being cultivated. It was just one piece of a larger network, but the tools, notes, and setup were like nothing we had ever seen before. That’s when Prince Lupin sent me to find you.”

“Interesting. I have a feeling the setup you found isn’t wholly different from scenes in my past. Tell me something, were their parasites growing in cylindrical tanks full of fluid?”

The question surprised Reynolds. “Yes, how did you know?”

“Because there’s ALWAYS something growing in a cylindrical tank. It’s what separates the scientists from the mad scientists. I think I can help you guys out. In his letter, Prince Lupin said that he believes these monsters are a sign that the Profane have returned. Do you share that belief?”

“I’m not sure. I just hope he’s wrong.”

“What are the Profane?” one soldier asked. “I’ve heard them mentioned a few times in my life, but no one ever goes into detail.”

“I’ve been researching them lately, and the stories paint a vivid picture. Long ago, a demon named Zyrga tried to drown the world in blood and darkness, but was vanquished by the Enochians. The records don't say whether destroying the body would have some kind of grave consequence or if it was simply impossible, but the Enochians took the dead demon and sealed it, hoping it would never be found. Eventually, though, everything gets found.

Though the demon was slain, its power was reborn in new vessels. They were the Profane, a cult born in reverence to a fallen god. They inherited its power and will to devour and corrupt all life. They multiplied, not through procreation, but by infecting others with their venom, sharing their unholy power. In his letter, Prince Lupin referred to the monsters we’re fighting as ‘fiends,’ a subspecies of the Profane. They are those who manifest their corruption with grotesque transformations.

Led by Somerset, the Mad Elf King, the armies of the Profane spread, feasting upon the flesh and blood of the innocent, defiling every temple and grave, and poisoning the soil beneath their feet. The people that weren’t eaten were transformed, ensuring a steady source of new members. The power they wielded vanquished armies, razed nations, and turned heroes into bloody splatters. Just as it took the combined strength of the Enochians to slay Zyrga, so too did the races of the world unite to wipe out this evil.

Ever since the end of the war, people in all corners of the world continue to tell stories of night raids, investigating bumps in the night and finding a loved one being preyed upon in bed by a Profane intruder. Upon discovery, these predators flee into the dark, leaving behind a body drained of blood or missing chunks of flesh. For centuries, that’s all they were: stories, tall tales passed around by anxious folk, afraid of their own shadows.

However, it seems the Profane are resilient and making their grand return to power. At the basilisk gala, I warned the prince that the beast you fought was the result of someone’s handiwork, and something worse was on the horizon. It seems that I was right. Hopefully, they’ll provide a good show.”

They resumed their travel the next day, heading exponentially closer to a horizon forever beyond their reach. The soldiers were quiet, left spooked by Noah’s story. He was just glad Valia wasn’t looking at him the way they were. She strived to support him, to try and soothe his scars, and to not criticize the sins of his past.

It was near midday when she finally raised her hand. “Whoa! Stop!” The group halted, everyone looking at her as she put her hands to her ears, trying to catch the faint sound.

“What is it?” Noah asked.

“Battle. I hear several men, and… roars, snarls. I think they’re fighting the fiends. Noah,” she said as she turned to him.

He sighed. “Ugh, you want to save them, don’t you?”

“Time to wake up your sleeping conscience.”

“My men and I have orders to get you two to Welindar. I’m not jeopardizing their lives or the mission!” Reynolds shouted.

“Every monster we kill now is one we won’t have to kill later, if it doesn’t kill us, and I’m not one for procrastination. As a gold-rank knight, I won’t order you to assist. You can either follow me or wait here.”

Valia snapped her reins and sent her horse galloping towards the source of the noise. Noah shrugged and went after her, leaving the knight and soldiers behind. As Valia raced ahead, the sounds of battle became ever clearer. Dissatisfied with her horse, she leaped off the saddle and ran. “Zodiac: Udan!” A silver magic circle appeared beneath her, and mana surged through her body. She raced across the fields, running so fast she was a blur.

She arrived at the scene where several warriors were fighting for their lives. They were members of the horse tribe, centaurs numbering less than a dozen, and had been cornered in a ravine. Their enemies were several mutated beastmen, varying in the animals they embodied, but all sharing the hulking forms granted to them by the parasites clinging to their bodies. Their bloated muscles, though deformed and asymmetrical, gave them incredible power. Along with claws, horns, and fangs, they were armed with weapons and chains and wore clothing.

The centaurs ran around with what space they had, shooting arrows from all angles to bring down their enemies. The arrows struck with pinpoint aim, but though they buried themselves deep in flesh and muscle, the behemoths seemed more annoyed than incapacitated. One fiend, having the head of a coyote with long jaws like an alligator, charged towards a centaur, moving with terrifying speed. He tackled the archer, knocking him through the air and crashing into a cliff face.

Another centaur attacked, slashing the fiend across the chest with his sword. The centaurs carried not just bows but scimitars with handles as long as the blades, allowing them to fight up close with sword techniques and at medium range with spear tactics. The sharpness of the blade was unquestionable, carving deep into the tissue, but though blood poured from the wound, it was soon replaced with noxious pus as the flesh knitted itself back together.

“Annoying fly!” the fiend growled before backhanding the man across the face, nearly snapping his neck from the force of impact and knocking him out cold.

The fiend then put a shackle around his victim’s neck, with his cohorts doing the same, beating the centaurs until they couldn’t fight back, then chaining them up. They dragged their half-dead captives with them while they fought, unhindered by the weight. As he turned around, three centaurs attacked at once and stabbed him through the chest with their blades.

Roaring in pain and anger, the fiend opened his jaws wide, exposing two pairs of long, sharp fangs like a staple remover. He grabbed the centaur directly before him and bit into his neck. The lower fangs, hollow, like syringes, pierced the man’s Jugular and began draining him of blood. The other two centaurs pulled back, watching in horror as the demon rendered their friend into a pail, shriveled corpse, only for his head to fall off his shoulders, courtesy of Valia.

She jumped into battle, moving at super speed. She zipped around the fiends, staying in their blind spots while slashing at them so fast that her sword was almost invisible. Upon crossing the battlefield, she paused, waiting for her sliced foes to drop to the ground. To her shock, she was nearly trampled when one of the fiends, one she had cut more than five times, charged her like a mad bull. The fiend had traits of a deer, but his antlers were twisted and sharp, looking like a mass of knives. He struck a cliff, lodging his antlers in the clay and rock, and Valia sliced his head off. Behind the slain fiend, his cohorts were recovering from their wounds.

“So, I need to cut a little deeper, huh? Very well,” said Valia.

One fiend with the head of a canine leaped towards her, wielding a broadsword. She nimbly dodged the blade, but rather than counter, she was forced to jump back to avoid his snapping jaws. Another fiend, covered in scales, swung at her with an iron staff, prompting her to raise her sword. “Zodiac: Badtha!”

She struck the staff with a sundering strike, causing the metal pole to snap like an icicle. Behind her, the canine fiend swung at her, and she intercepted with another slash that broke his sword at the hilt. Undeterred by their destroyed weapons, both men attacked from opposite directions with long claws. She slipped out from between them, slashing them both in the process, but though blood poured from their wounds, they barely even staggered.

Before she could deliver another strike, Valia was forced to retreat as a winged fiend attacked. Whatever bird this man once embodied, its visage was horribly corrupted, giving him ugly, gnarled feathers. He pursued her, swinging one of the chains he and his cohorts used to capture the centaurs.

She avoided the feral strikes, and when he pulled back his arm, she closed in and stabbed him through the heart. Though his wings went slack and he vomited blood, he grabbed her sword, refusing to let her pull it free. The man, his upper and lower jaws grotesquely shaped into a deformed beak, tried to peck her face. She pulled out a dagger and slashed him across the eyes to blind him, then on the wrist to make him let go of her sword so she could pull free and retreat.

As soon as she was away, a fiend with a long tail and hide of bloody fur attacked. He was wielding a sword, and unlike the canine, his technique was unhindered by his mutation. His movements were rapid and precise, creating a wall of swings and jabs with Valia on the defense. His incredible physical strength almost overwhelmed her every time she blocked, and her elven grace met its match against his unholy speed. She tried to circumvent his onslaught, but he wasn’t letting her out of sight, and even when she managed to wound him, his pain tolerance allowed him to counterattack fiercely. It was no wonder Prince Lupin and his men were struggling against these monsters.

About to activate her magic, Valia heard a thunderclap going off somewhere in the distance, and the fiend in front of her stumbled. Something had shot past her faster than any arrow, so fast that Valia’s elf senses could only detect it after the fact. Another crack rang out, and something struck the fiend in the chest, prompting him to instinctively cover the wound with his hand. However, there was no discernable injury or impact to his flesh. More projectiles struck the fiend in the head and chest, but though they didn’t appear to be damaging him, he still flinched and jerked in surprise, feeling something that wasn’t there.

“Noah,” Valia said with a small smile. “Zodiac: Teez!” Trusting her instincts, Valia activated her magic and enhanced her cutting power, wrapping her sword in mana. She then attacked the distracted fiends, beheading him with ease.

Off in the distance, Noah watched her fight, not with his spyglass but with a scope. He was holding an illusory sniper rifle, a weapon he was intimately familiar with from past lives. Though it was utterly intangible, his body remembered its weight and feel in his hands as though he was holding true metal instead of just air.

Like the rifle, the scope was an illusion, but it showed him the same view a material scope would produce. Staring through it, he focused on one of the fiends and pulled the intangible trigger. The sound of a gunshot echoed out as a bullet, made of mana, was propelled from the end of the barrel and crossed the open air before hitting one of the fiends in the side of the head.

Despite the illusory bullet’s lack of mass, it still drew a strong reaction from his targets whenever they landed, because though it had no effect on the physical body, it did affect the soul. Noah had tested this power on himself during experiments, and rather than cause pain, each impact produced a splash in his consciousness. Powerful ripples moved through his mana from the point of impact, bouncing back and forth in his body, not unlike the shockwave of a real bullet tearing through flesh. It shattered his focus and left him dazed, with his soldier instincts telling him he had just been shot despite the absence of a wound.

Even the fiends, drunk on power and madness, felt like someone had stepped on their graves every time a bullet struck them, and their subconscious would scream that they had been wounded. They’d look down to check, expecting to see spurting blood pouring from a hole in their body, and in that moment of distraction, Valia separated head from neck.

Once the battle ended, he rode over with her horse in tow. Before arriving, he dismounted and walked the rest of the way. From what he had read in Sylphtoria, speaking to a member of the horse tribe while on horseback was a great insult. He reached the scene of battle, where Valia was helping tend to the wounded. The centaurs accepted her help gratefully, but when Noah appeared, they retrieved their weapons.

“Stop where you are!” the group leader shouted, aiming his bow at Noah’s heart.

He and his fellow warriors were garbed in various forms of armor, from leather to plate mail, and wore pack saddles on their equine backs to let them carry whatever they needed. They all had dark hair, beige skin tones, narrow eyes, and horse ears to match their lower bodies. Like their leader, the other centaurs readied their weapons to fight once more, several repeating the order in another language.

“I come in peace.”

“Relax, he’s with me,” said Valia.

“Elves are rare in these parts, but humans? All too common. Are you from Uther?”

“We both are,” said Valia, pushing his bow away from Noah’s direction. “Where we come from does not matter. What matters is that we are here, having just saved your lives.”

“And why would the pawns of Uther do that?”

“Because we share a common enemy,” Noah said. “The politics of Handent and Uther have no bearing on our presence. My companion and I are here for a single purpose: to erase the source of these abominations. We assist Uther simply because it is Uther that asked for our help. I am Noah, the Wandering Spirit, and this is Valia Zodiac. We are your allies in this fight against evil.”

“It is Uther that set these demons upon the land! The kingdom of man has angered the spirits, and they are punishing us!” another warrior shouted with a thick accent.

“It is Uther that is fighting against the demons. Like he said, we share a common enemy,” said Valia.

The lead centaur raised his hand, and those under him lowered their bows. “I am Nord, of the Petosic horse tribe. Thank you for helping me save my brethren,” he said to Valia.

“It was the right thing to do,” said Valia. “However, your men still need tending to. Noah?”

“I’m on it.”

Noah approached the wounded centaurs and began administering potions and bandages. The warriors all glared at him with distrust, but their closing wounds dulled the sharpness in their eyes. After healing the centaurs, Noah began examining the corpses of the slain fiends. After his experience in the Anorvan Forest, he wore gloves and a mask for protection.

Even with their heads cut, their organs spilled, and their limbs removed, their flesh refused to accept death. Wounds were slowly closing, and tendrils grew from the stumps of dismemberment, trying to reattach the lost limbs. Moreover, with his magic active, Noah could see the mana in their deformed bodies. A dark, evil miasma was flowing through their flesh.

“If I may ask, Nord, these fiends, how many of them have you and your men encountered?” Noah inquired as he worked.

“We’ve killed scores of them, animal and man alike, all transformed into abominations. However, I’ve never seen them like this before, able to talk and use weapons.”

“Well, well, well, I think I’ve found the true weapon right here,” said Noah as he pulled open one of the fiend’s tunics, revealing a creature latched onto its chest. It appeared to be a black flatworm as large as Noah’s forearm. It reacted to his presence, quivering and releasing a threatening hiss, and as his hand approached, a mat of sharp quills grew out of its back.

“My friend fought a wolfman with one of these attached. He won, but he didn’t walk away in one piece. These parasites appear to be the source of the corruption, as well as a source of immense power. I don’t suppose anyone in your village has one?”

“We would never allow it.”

“If you were aware of it, you mean. From what I’ve heard, it’s now possible for hosts to control at will. I imagine these slave-traders were such a case. Valia, would you mind assisting? I have need of your steel body.”

Valia cast her endurance-enhancement spell and circled around the corpse, looking at the parasite with unease. “You look like you have things taken care of here.”

“Just grab it and pull. I need to study this thing.”

Valia took a deep breath and hesitantly grasped the creature, causing it to hiss and flap its sides. However, its spines could not pierce her skin. She tried to remove it, but it was holding on tight.

“It’s not letting go.”

“Feel free to get a little rough if you have to. There’s plenty more where this one came from.”

She took a deep breath, reaffirmed her hold, and gave another hard pull. Slowly, it began to come up, letting Noah see the horrors underneath. It had an inverted mouth, extending from within its body like a proboscis, and was hooked onto its host’s flesh with numerous teeth. Though Valia was able to overpower the creature and detach its mouth, she had to stand all the way up and pull with great strength to finally separate the parasite from its host, which had a dozen thin tentacles hanging from its underside, each one almost a meter long and burrowing into the corpse like roots.

“This creature is revolting,” Valia said with a grimace as the worm flailed its body and tried to bite her with its extending mouth.

“Agreed, but also resilient. It should be screaming in agony in this sunlight.”

Noah poked around the tentacles with his knife, careful not to get too close. They branched off like arteries, each end secreting black fluid, which strangely smelled familiar to Noah, though he didn’t know why. Upon exposure to the sunlight, the fluid ignited and burned with dark flames. Noah pulled his hand away, and Valia dropped the parasite, the two narrowly avoiding injury. It writhed on the ground and screamed as the fire moved up its body, which was rapidly disintegrating.

“It appears feeding on the host’s blood gives it the endurance to withstand the sunlight, but it burns through it rather quickly, pun intended.”

“The Profane are just supposed to smolder under the sun, not burn with cursed fire,” Valia hissed.

“Their venom burns like this. These parasites must produce it in exchange for the blood they take, but nothing I’ve read said that the venom needed to be applied consistently like this.” Noah retrieved the fiend’s severed head and pried the jaws open, revealing a wall of jagged teeth with four long fangs. “Interestingly, the lower fangs are hollow, but the upper ones aren’t. From what I’ve read, the Profane use their lower fangs to drain their prey’s blood and use their upper fangs to inject their venom.”

“The Profane multiply through corruption instead of procreation. If they can’t use venom, they’re basically sterile.”

“These things aren’t just sterile, they’re fake. They aren’t legitimate fiends, they’re artificial hybrids built upon a symbiotic relationship with the parasites. Though weaker and unable to pass on their strength, they can survive in sunlight, which is fatal to the true Profane.”

As he spoke, Reynolds and the soldiers arrived and immediately butted heads with the centaurs. “Put down your weapons! I’m warning you!” Reynolds shouted as he and the soldiers readied their swords.

Rather than lowering their bows, the centaurs pulled back the arrows even farther. “You are not welcome here! Leave this place or die!” Nord warned.

Both sides were itching to battle until Noah produced an illusory handgun and fired three rounds into the air. The loud, foreign noise shocked humans and beastmen alike and drew their attention back to him. “Sir Reynolds, though I appreciate your dedication to your mission and our safety, your rudeness is unbecoming. You will all dismount and greet these men properly, as though Prince Lupin were standing beside you.”

“I’m not going to get off my horse and bow my head to—” Reynolds was cut off as Valia loudly cleared her throat, making him pause. “Men, dismount.” He and the soldiers put their weapons away, climbed off their horses, and then greeted the centaurs with a military salute. “I am Sir Reynolds, serving under Prince Lupin of Uther. I am pleased to make your acquaintance.”

The less-than-genuine greeting from the men of Uther failed to comfort the warriors, but seeing their short leash at least got them to lower their bows once more.

Noah turned back to the centaurs. “Nord, I have been tasked with finding the source of this evil and erasing it, and to do that, I need all the information I can get. With your permission, I would like to speak with other members of your tribe about their experiences with these monsters. What did they look like? How did they act? Any pattern or detail your fellow warriors might have noticed would be invaluable.”

“Under no circumstances would we allow a group of Uther soldiers into our village.”

“Of course you wouldn’t, that’s why they’ll be obediently waiting outside of your territory while Valia and I ask our questions. Once we have the knowledge we seek, we’ll bid farewell and resume our journey, aided by the information your tribe has given us.”

“Sir Noah, I’m supposed to be taking you to Welindar. With all due respect, we don’t have time for this,” said Reynolds.

“I’m doing exactly what Prince Lupin wants, I’m investigating the parasites, and I’d like to arrive in Welindar with some answers. So, Nord, will you consider letting just Valia and I into your village to talk?”

“As you are the ones who saved our lives, you have earned the right to ask for our trust. You may follow us to our village, but your soldiers cannot follow.”

“As you wish. Sir Reynolds, you and your men are to wait for us here. We’ll be back by this time tomorrow.”

“Sir Noah, it’s my job to escort you to Welindar! You’re asking me to forgo an order from Prince Lupin himself!”

“I’m doing this to get answers for the prince. While I’m gone, however, I have a task for you. These fiends were taking prisoners, and I want to know why and where. They must have a camp nearby. Find it and search for clues, collect everything. There may even be some captured innocents in need of rescuing. Do this for me, and you’ll be helping the prince.”

Reynolds gave an angry sigh. “Very well. Don’t make us wait.”

Noah and Valia returned to their mounts, and though some of the centaurs gave them dirty looks, nothing was said. They followed Nord and his party out of the ravine and onto the plains. Several centaurs still weren’t fully healed, so they traveled at a modest speed. After hours of traveling, a settlement appeared, a forest of yurts emitting puffs of smoke from cooking fires.

Before arriving, the group stopped so that Noah and Valia could dismount. The display of etiquette was enough to soften the expressions of the stern-faced hunters. Noah also adorned the green cloak given to him by Elisandra. Though the natives wouldn’t know the details of its significance, it showed that he was an ally of the elves, someone they would hopefully rather speak to than just another human from Uther.

As they walked through the village outskirts and entered the fold, Noah kept his head on a swivel in search of enemies and to examine the tribe members in their daily lives. He wanted to see if they were as the books he read described. The men, women, and children typically walked on two legs rather than four, but they still retained their horse ears and tails and could assume their centaur forms whenever they wished. Their clothes were made of wool and animal hide, yet no sheep were being kept, or any kind of livestock or pack animal for that matter.

The horse tribe was just one of several nomadic communes roaming the Petosic Steppes. Despite their migratory lifestyle, Nord and his tribe owned no livestock or pack animals. Beastmen had unique relationships with animals and followed the teachings of various ancient philosophers, such as the doctrine of Ram’dal, in which no animal could be kept as a pet, livestock, or beast of burden. During travel, Nord and his tribesmen carried all their worldly possessions on their backs or pulled them in carts and on dragging sleds.

As he walked, Noah watched the women of the tribe digging up wild potatoes, onions, carrots, beets, and harvesting herbs, wheat, and other plants. They had all been planted during previous migrations and allowed to flourish and spread. While gathering, the women planted seeds so that one day, they could return and gather their crops. These food highways crisscrossed the landscape, made by the roaming tribes, in a tradition that went back over a thousand years.

While the women gathered, the men hunted, for though they did not believe in owning animals, they weren’t above eating meat and using leather under certain circumstances. As per the teachings of Ulntakka, beastmen with herbivore totem beasts could not eat other herbivores, regardless of species. However, hunting predators and all manner of carnivorous animals was allowed. Their yurts and clothing were made from the leather of wolves, big cats, and other meat-eaters.

Upon Noah and Valia’s arrival, their gazes turned cautious and fearful, and they muttered amongst themselves in another language. Just like the elves of Sylphtoria, guests were rare and unwanted, and considering Uther’s conquering of Welindar and the surrounding lands, their aversion made sense. Nord brought Noah and Valia to a large tent in the center of the village, from which emerged the chief. The sun and wind had lined his face, but age had yet to whiten his hair. He took one look at the newcomers and then spoke to Nord in their shared tongue, so Noah and Valia could not understand what was being said.

“This is Chief Panma, leader of our tribe,” said Nord. “He asked what you are doing here and why I have brought you.” He then went on to explain what happened in the same language. The conversation bounced back and forth while Noah and Valia waited patiently for their turn to speak, hearing their names mentioned. More and more members of the tribe were starting to gather, curious as to what was going on.

Finally, the chief looked to Noah and Valia. “I thank you for saving the lives of my kin, but I’m afraid what you’re asking for is not a debt we can repay. Though you seek knowledge of the demons, we know nothing about them. You’ve wasted your time by coming here.”

Noah stepped forward and bowed his head. “Chief Panma, we simply wish to speak to those who have encountered the fiends. The evil we are witnessing is caused by a toxin produced by parasites created to be used as weapons. Their toxins are like any drug or elixir made by people, consisting of ingredients carefully ***********ed through trial and error. What the afflicted look like and how they act can provide clues as to how these parasites came to be and how their creators are improving the toxin.

Having traveled across these great lands, you and your warriors have witnessed these monsters in different areas and times. You believe you have no knowledge about these creatures, but you have scattered clues that I can tie together. I humbly ask that you indulge our curiosity so that the answer to this problem can be found.”

The chief hesitated momentarily, then walked past Noah and Valia to examine their horses. He was respectful with every action, letting the horses lean into his hands rather than reaching out to touch them, and whispered words in his tribe’s language.

“Your companions are very healthy and well taken care of. Are these Sylphtorian horses?”

“No,” said Valia, “but we did spend the summer in Sylphtoria. They have been thoroughly pampered.”

“I’ve always liked the elves. They understand that animals are to be cherished, not exploited. From that cloak, it’s clear you’ve won their favor. What did you do to earn such trust?”

“I averted a plague and saved the queen from an assassin who wielded one of the parasites.”

Panma continued petting the horses and singing softly in his noble tongue, then raised his head. “Shannon!”

A young woman stepped forward. She had the same hair, eyes, and complexion as the rest of her tribe, but they came together with a spark of something extra to produce remarkable beauty beyond the other women. “Yes, Grandfather?”

“I want you to assist these two. Translate our words for them, and convince anyone who refuses to speak.” He then turned to Noah and Valia. “The elves put their trust in you and it worked out for them. I shall do the same, and hope that whatever you find here will help you cleanse the land of this evil.”

“You have my gratitude, chief.”

Shannon approached and bowed her head with her hands clasped in front of her. “I will do whatever I can to help you.”

“Thank you. We’ll try not to take up too much of your time. I’m Noah.”

“I’m Valia.”

“I hope you can end this madness. I pray to the spirits that you are successful in your endeavor.”

“Lead the way, and we’ll follow,” said Noah.

With Shannon assisting them, Noah and Valia moved through the village, talking to everyone exposed to the fiends. Most of the witnesses were warriors, fighting the corrupted men and beasts out in the plains, but there were times when one wandered towards the village, and the women and children had to flee or defend themselves. Were it not for Shannon’s presence, getting answers from the tribe members would have been an ordeal, but she helped overcome the barriers of trust and language. In each interview, Noah pressed the witnesses for small details about the fiends, like eye color, coordination, and behavior.

“So what do you hope to learn from these clues?” Valia asked as they walked through the village.

“Issues with the fiends can reveal the process of their creators, and map their progress. When it comes to bioengineering, there are plenty of classic mistakes that show up in the finished creation. The way one of the afflicted might turn their head could indicate spontaneous deafness or corruption of the inner ear canals, which can be brought on by improperly modifying genes using retroviral esterification. Stiff movements can be a sign that the bones, along with growing at an extreme rate, are fusing together, which happens when ossifotrametrazol is used without a corresponding inhibitor.”

“I barely understood any of that.”

“I suggest you get accustomed to that confusion.”

“Excuse me,” Shannon asked worriedly, “you’ve created demons like this in the past?”

“Demons, a rather accurate term. Where I come from, demons are beings that have never walked the earth in mortal form, at least, according to myths and legends. I suspect these parasites are something similar; life forms that aren’t born from any womb, egg, or seed. What I’m curious about is how someone in this world managed to cultivate these parasites, especially when the common man’s understanding of life and technology is close to nonexistent. I can only assume that magic is playing a large part, as the techniques I know of are around a thousand years away.”

“But then how do you know of them?”

“That is a very good question, with a long and complicated answer not fitting for the moment.”

Once the sun began to set, Noah ceased his interviews, and he and Valia returned to the chief’s yurt, where they gathered around a campfire with Shannon and her grandfather. Dinner was fox meat, with soup and bread made from the wheat, herbs, and vegetables growing around the village. Naturally, there was conversation to be had.

“Chief Panma, according to my findings, these parasites are unquestionably vessels of Profane energy. At the rate they are improving and adapting, we’re all going to be facing some dire choices in the near future. Prince Lupin is already locked in battle with them, and Sylphtoria will soon join in the fight against this menace. When the time comes, I hope that you will do the same. Otherwise, the Profane will devour the scattered races of the land with absolute certainty.”

“I thank you for saving my friends’ lives, but the wars of these nations are not my concern. My people have survived monsters and marauders for ages. We shall survive this,” Panma replied.

“It’s not that simple,” said Valia. “This was my first time fighting the Profane. I’d heard stories about the war, and their power is certainly as frightful as their looks. The enemy of your enemy is your friend.”

“What concerns me is their equipment and their objective. These were beastmen hunting down their own kind and taking prisoners,” Noah said.

“It’s rare, but not unheard of. We have lost many members of our tribe to the slavers roaming these lands, always searching for something new to capture and sell.”

“There is a large slave market in Uther, but historically, beastmen have been averse to engaging in slavery, at least, those who follow the teachings of the philosopher Ram’tal. It’s possible they are taking prisoners not for labor or profit, and it had something to do with those parasites. Maybe this wasn’t a case of slavers using parasites, but Profane using chains.”

“What do you mean?” Shannon asked.

“I mean look at all of the afflicted that have been roaming these lands the last two years. I doubt these parasites have just been biting randomly like ticks. I think the fiends are all test subjects, and if your friends were captured, they would have had parasites applied to them. What we saw today might have been a means of recruitment. Perhaps the beastmen we fought wore those chains not too long ago.”

“Enough,” said Panma. “I appreciate what you have done, and you speak with respect and wisdom, but now is not the time for fear. Our friends have returned home safely. We shouldn’t soil this blessing with dire talk, especially with guests. Let us speak of better things.”

“As you wish,” said Noah, pausing to finish his dinner. “May I have some more of that soup? This is the best soup I have had in a very long time.”

“Coming from Noah, that is indeed high praise,” Valia said in amusement, then drinking from her soup bowl. “It is quite delicious.”

Shannon tensed up, and her ears started flicking. “Oh, thank you very much,” she said bashfully before giving him a second helping. “I’m so glad you enjoy it. The recipe was my mother’s special blend.”

Noah emptied his bowl with one large sip and sighed blissfully. “Well the seasoning is utter perfection. I’ve spent years studying the culinary arts, attending various cooking schools, and I can think of at least three former classmates who would be floored by this, and a number of teachers who would rip out their hair in jealousy.”

Shannon giggled. “Thank you. My mother would be honored by your words.”

“Unfortunately, my daughter was taken from us four years ago in a mudslide,” said Panma somberly. “And Shannon’s father and his hunting party were wiped out this past spring. It has been a trying time.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” said Valia.

“It is never easy to lose your parents, no matter what age you are,” Noah added.

Shannon’s gaze fell, and she spoke with a mournful smile. “It has been painful, but fortunately, I am never alone. And thanks to the two of you, the wives and children of the tribe can celebrate tonight instead of weep. You have my heartfelt gratitude for that.”

“And you have our gratitude for your hospitality,” Noah replied.

More soup was served, and the quiet night was enjoyed by all.

Please comment! Tell me your thoughts!

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