Chapter 4: Cursed Mark

Alric and Zealse crouch through Wako forest, Oz steps into their footprints and the locator heats Alric’s sword.

“We’re here.” He says.

In a clear blue lake, a grey and white fur animal bathes on 2 legs.

Alric sees a scar along its ribs.

It turns, gets on all fours, expands, face changing and it bares it’s teeth.

Alric throws his sword at its feet and raises his hands.

It goes back to its 7 feet, massive shoulder, physique and they lock eyes.

“It’s human.” Alric says.

The monster brushes the last of the plants, reveals its mother resting in the forest, twice the size of its sons 4 legged form, grey stone body with plant life within, a calm warm gaze on her son, he places his hands over her, she eases and tilts to Alric.

Alric reaches and upon touch, energy passes through his mind.

He stops and leaves.

At the village, Alric marches past Yarin, and into the chiefs hut.

“Our warrior is back! Have you killed the beast?” Maku says.

“Why’d you do it?”

“Hmm?”

“Why’d you do it?!”

They draw their weapons, others come in.

“It is for our good! The damn girl was treacherous! Conceiving a child with the enemy! Bah!

“You sacrificed your women for immortality!”

“I don’t need to explain myself to a child! The whore and that dead baby deserved worse than a curse!”

“Her son’s not dead.”

The creature tears through the top tent, rips Maku’s head off with its teeth, digs its claws into Yarin and separate him from the shoulder.

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Sun sets on a pink sky, blood pools the village square, the creature stands at its center drenched in it, Alric looks up at him and smiles.

“I’ll call you Beast.” Alric says.

Head low, shadow cover it’s eyes.

“Your mom’s safe, A lots out there than just that forest…if you want to see.”

“Let me tell her goodbye.” It says.

Back at the mother’s den, deer and birds near her as she rests.

“A symbiotic relationship with nature, she gives them nutrients and protection and it lengthens her lifespan.” Zeales says.

She leans near Beast, gives a sound that echoing the forest, he hugs her stone face and she closes her eyes.

“You think I could absorb the curse off of her?” Alric says.

“There’s dark magic within it. Whatever happens probably results in death.” Zeales says.

Beast turns , looks at Alric and nods.

At Night, in the city of Capzin, a burly man leads a line of slave children, locks their chains to a post and goes around a building, relieves himself, looks up and a girl with long brown hair lands on him, slices his throat, unlocks the children’s chains and pushes them into a hole in the city walls.

“Go go! Go straight down through the forest! There’s a guy on the other side, he’ll take you somewhere safe! Go!”

The slave children scurry through and the last child cries into her knees.

“What wrong?!”

“I’m scared!”

She grabs the girl’s shoulders.

“..What’s your name?”

“…Abbey..”

She takes a red ribbon, ties it on Abbey’s wrists.

“Next time you get scared, Abbey, hold this and keep going. Now go!”

Soldiers march down the corner and the girl with long brown hair disappears in the night.

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