Broken Ability Part 1-4

“Come.”

Elder Reffics set off at a run towards a large building at the bottom of a gradual slope that appeared half a mile off.

Rose and I exchanged a look, her hands already aglow. I gripped my sword hilt tightly, blocking the crunching of our feet and focusing on the sounds around us, though for what exactly I wasn’t sure. Fathers’ endless drills ran through my mind, reminding me to scan the area and keep my sword controlled, half-drawn while moving.

The trading post loomed large in an instant, the plain building reared up strangely in the intersection of road. It’s smooth wooden façade gave way to windows at a second story height while the only entrance appeared to be a plain doorway facing us. Rose and I gathered close behind Elder Reffics as her hands worked around the doors great metal lock. Pink energy flowed into the lock, clicking, sliding the delicate metal and suddenly the door sprang open.

“BACK!” boomed a voice, followed by a blue burst of flame blasting the edge of the doorway. Orange flame licked the wood as my ears traced part of the frame blown clean off, whistling away into the trees. I threw myself to the side of the door, flat on the wall.

Elder Reffics stood her ground, a great opaque shield appearing from both hands to seal the doorway.

“We’re from Hallan!” she cried. “We only want to know what’s happened, you foolish tradesman!”

There was a moment of silence before a terse voice called out, “Genevieve? Is that you? Or… couldn’t be young Rose?”
Elder Reffics let the barrier fall and stepped forward.

“It’s me Ramos, and I’d like to know just where you get off trying to kill me!”

A small, squint-eyed man appeared from the gloom of indoors, dressed in a muddy brown tunic. Pale legs jutted out from the hem, adorned with curly black hair. This small man took Elder Reffics by the hand, pulling her inside.
“Come, come in, the young ones as well,” he said, ushering us all into the trading post. In the dim light from high windows, shelves and tables laid out various pieces of gear and equipment too numerous to count.
“Oof,” Rose said, bumping into both me and a shelf at the same time. A sliding noise started from the shelf, followed by a crash that made us both jump.

“Argh, never mind that, wasn’t worth an ounce anyway,” the tradesmen said, slamming the heavy door shut again. “You did a number on my lock, you know,” he said, throwing a heavy bar across the door.

Elder Reffics swished her hands around one another tightly, forming a bright pink orb. From within, a fierce glow illuminated the space immediately around us as it hovered overhead. “You did enough yourself. Don’t you ever clean this place, Ramos? It looks much worse than before.”

“Hehehe,” Ramos said, dark features fading into the gloom as his teeth shown pink in the light. “A fancy elder like you is envious of my fine wares? Classic tactic, always make it seem like you’re not interested. But Genivieve,” his smile disappeared, “enough of the small talk. I’ll tell you truly, you all are a sight for sore eyes after the trouble I’ve had the past few days,” the man said, turning back again to secure another smaller lock on the door.

“I’m hoping you can tell me what in the name of Mirtha happened,” Elder Reffics said.

Ramos’s neck craned as he gazed up to Elder Reffics, “Aye, I believe I can. But you came from over the hill? From Hallan, no? Ah, then you have seen yourself.”
“Nothing but the city in flames. Too much left to the imagination,” Elder Reffics said.

“I’ve never seen or heard of anything like it,” Ramos said, shaking his head before continuing.

“Listen, not more than a week back I get in some merchants who says there’s trouble brewing in the unclaimed territories, but also between the old Cypress Council and that Breknik fellow. You know that one don’t you? The leader of Igner, away north towards the sea?”

“What does he have to do with it?” Elder Reffics asked.

“They say that Breknik and his folk been raising an army in secret. They say Igner been waiting to strike and take back Cypress into their own hands. I think I’m starting to believe them.”

Elder Reffics shook her head, “But that doesn’t explain the city in flames, does it? Why would Breknik burn the city if he wanted to take it back? Didn’t his own grandfather sign the treaty to separate the territories as well?”
Ramos looked to be almost in tears, “I’m afraid it explains it all. You see, I got a few saviors fleeing yesterday, messengers riding stealthily to Windhall, but I knew one of them since he was but a knee high. He told me somehow Breknik started using the monsters. He formed some kind of… unholy alliance.” Ramos shivered and strode quickly behind the trade counter behind us. He reached underneath and brought out a heavy brown glassed bottle. He uncorked it, taking a long swig before continuing.

“They set on the city in earnest within the past week and the fighting has been fierce, or so I’m told. Windhall is to send support, or so they say.”
“That’s why Father hasn’t returned then,” I said, “He must be fighting in Cypress City.”

“Aye, lad.” Ramos confirmed with a nod, “Anyone who can wield a weapon or has magiks supposedly was summoned by the council to stand in her defense.”

“Why has Hallan not been raised?” Elder Reffics asked. “We’ve had no word of this.”
Ramos looked startled, “The messenger didn’t come? Why, they left here three days past! Oh, goddess tell me they haven’t been hurt!”

“That must’ve been their horse. The one we found earlier,” I said.

“But if the fighting is in the city, what killed the horse?” Elder Reffics asked.

“ROOOAAARR!” Came a cry and a sudden pounding at the door, wrenching it back on its hinges.

“Young ones, behind me!” Reffics cried, hands flashing.

The door shuddered with a heavy impact, dust falling from the wall above it. Elder Reffics’s barrier appeared, shaping itself into two large braces against the wood.

“Ramos! Wolfangs!” she shouted.

The fierce snarling and pounding intensified as the wood splintered near the top of the door where it had burned earlier. Ramos crept closer and peered through the forming crack.

Another enormous crack sounded as the wood began to splinter.

“It’s a pair! I drove off one last night and now it’s come back!”
“RAMOS!” Elder Reffics roared, “You drove off a monster like that and didn’t bother to tell us?”

“There wasn’t enough time! Besides, they aren’t… uh, unheard of in these parts,” Ramos said, hurrying around the shop counter. He set out several dusty red bottles and one sickly looking green orb that pulsed slightly green when he slammed it down.

“Children, get ready to defend yourself. Ramos, come round here and open that door before it shatters!” Elder Reffics cried, sweat beading on her brow from the effort of bracing the opening.

Ramos jerked up from beyond the desk, screwing up his whole face, “Are you mad?”

“This door won’t hold! We to get the jump on them! Now, do as I say, damn you!” she commanded.

I moved off to the left and held my sword ahead of me, point looming dangerously. I steeled myself and reached out, listening beyond the pounding and snarls.

I searched for the softer sounds of the monsters, discovering great fur rustling and massive muscles jerking against the door. Their heartbeats were the loudest I’d ever heard. Each goliath stood over eight feet tall with long claws that scratched into the wood, deep wracking furrows by the sound of it.

I brought my focus back to myself in a cold sweat. The point of my sword trembled as my own heartbeat thundered away uncontrollably. I jumped slightly as another great pounding broke off a section of wood at the top. One of the snarling Wolfangs faces was visible as it shoved it’s snout through the gap. I gapsed at it’s great gnashing teeth and sharp yellow eyes that stood against black fur. Ramos positioned himself beside the door, the green pulsing orb in hand.

Elder Reffics took a long, slow breath as two great slender needles began to materialize in the space just above either shoulder.
“Rose, do as I do. Letum, stand opposite Ramos and strike the second beast. Only one will fit through the door at a time.”

I took my position opposite Ramos, shutting off my brain. The wood finally split down the middle, cracking and falling away. The entirety of the beasts were on display now. Their lithe, muscular bodies stood unnaturally on two legs, the body of the most powerful man mixed with wolf.

“NOW!”

Ramos threw the bar out of it’s holder as Elder Reffics’s barrier dissipated. The first beast had prepared another strike to sweep inside, but was carried off balance. It’s momentum pulled it staggering through the doorway. I focused on the second, loping lightning fast and towering with strength.

My ears picked up the whistle and wet thud of pink needles finding their mark behind me. Ramos leapt up high, bashing the monster in the side of the head as it turned towards me. The green orb exploded sickly burning acid over it’s face.

“AAAAAAOOOOOOO!” It yipped mightily, the deafening roar nearly splitting my head in two.

“HYAH!” I cried deafly, slashing down with all my force.

The monster turned his ruined head to the side, watching me with one beady eye. It read my strike, reflexively raising a taloned hand to guard. I twitched my wrist, the blade diving between the talons to split its flesh. The beast wailed again, drawing the bleeding paw in towards its chest. I dodged backward as he swiped the other paw forward, cleaving the air where I had been.

I knelt, angling myself low to prepare a thrust as the wolfang foamed with rage. The green acid kept at its dirty work, the beasts head a mess of raw flesh and dark burnt blood. The beast was wild, desperately slashing towards me.

In an instant, I leapt up and forward as hard as possible, all the force I could under my blade as it flew past the monsters’ claws, cracking through rib and tearing flesh.

Its great jaws snapped air as I ducked my head, the great arms embracing me as it fell forwards. I felt several raking talons on my back and arms, but the creature lost strength as my blade dug deeper.

My world went black as my mouth and nose were squashed by the beast. I lay trapped by the massive weight, sharp talons eating into my own flesh. My eyes burned and mouth rioted against the smell of other creatures’ death tattooed into the wolfang. I squirmed desperately as the awful acid finally burned through the beast and threatened my own shoulder.

“Are you alright?!” Rose cried. “Ramos! Mother!”

I heard grunting as Ramos stooped and lifted the corpse from me in one surge of strength.  
“I’m alright,” I said, gasping as Elder Reffics hoisted me up from under the arms.

“Just cut a bit,” I said, standing unsteadily. Rose hastily retrieved my blade and offered it to me, concern mixed with disgust painted over her features. Ramos had a rag ready, eyes already bulging.
“My word, my word,” he said, a hand running through thin hair.

“A mere boy cutting down a wolfang… and in my trading post no less!” he shouted. “Now, come on, shirt off. Got to put something on those scratches or they’ll turn green and rot!”

I wiped my sword while Ramos hastily applied woodland ointment and a poultice across my back, the pain quickly fading to nearly nothing. I watched as Elder Reffics buried thick spikes in both wolfangs heads for good measure, then took up a post by the ruined doorway.

“Well done, all of you,” she said grimly.

“What are we to do now?” Ramos asked. “If those messengers didn’t reach the village, they’ll have no idea that monsters like these are about.”

“You’re right,” Elder Reffics answered, eyes scanning the nearby trees. “We’ve not choice but to head back for now and warn them. I’ll organize some of the villagers together and we’ll see if we can figure out a good defense plan. Hopefully we’ll have our own party to travel north for news of the city and Sartor.”

“I’m sorry it cannot be sooner,” she said more softly.

“I understand,” I heard myself say. My gut was churning as it had before, wringing itself into neat knots. I gazed at the two beasts laying slain, a coarse certainty culminating that Father lay the same.