Beating (Book 1: Acts of the Hearth)

Chapter 25

Travis, Vivian and Damen arrive at a marshland with muddy grounds and withering trees. The group looks around for any signs of a people or camps. Without much searching, they find footprints on the muddy landscape.

     The three follow the trail to its destination. “Does anything about this place look familiar to you?” Travis ask turning to Damen as they all walk. “Very, I remember the vision pulling me out from this point near those strange woods. We just need to find the encampment.” the young Seer responds back.

     The group is suddenly cut off by a group of men wearing clothes with their right shoulder out. The pants worn by this group are made a sleek rippling material that reflects light, despite the lack of it in the marshlands.

     “You are walking on tribal territory. What is your business here?” one of the men ask them. Travis whispers over to Damen. “Did your vision show you how to respond to these guys?”

     A man from the group yells and whips around a stone sling at Travis. “You will speak clearly and loudly!” The young man lifts his arm to prevent the bola from gripping around his neck.

     Vivian unsheathes her saber and cuts the vines of the bola. The man jumps back, looking upon the sheen of her blade as its tip is aimed at his neck.

     “Pitiful and ball-less dog! You would let a woman fight for you?!” the man from the group shouts to Travis. “Here’s the thing about her. She does whatever she wants and I’m just along for the ride; happily, might I add. If I say otherwise, then that blade will be pointed at my neck instead…” Travis says back while removing the bola remains from his arm and continues talking, “…and not yours.”

     Damen watches the three involved and shakes his head. “Can’t you two behave for once? This is why I’m here. When the two of you turn to violence, I’ll sort things out and be the diplomatic one.”

     Everyone looks back at Damen. “We are traveling to look for an encampment of people. Our kingdom needs citizens such as yourself to inhabit it.” he speaks in a charming manner to the men.

     The man who originally addressed the group pushes down Vivian’s saber and walks to Damen. “What makes you think we want to live with men who let women take the lead?”

     The young Seer peers over the man’s shoulders and notices gray shadowy vines retreating back into the ground from a great distance away. “Are these people plagued by the same powers of Corruption that previously housed itself in my body? Only one way to find out…” the young Seer thinks to himself.

     “Has a shadow-like threat been plaguing you good people? One that moves freely, but looks like paintings?” Damen shoots his provoking questions to the group of men. The men stare fiercely at him. “Are you the cause of this?” a man from the group barks. The young Seer raises his hands to ear length and steps back. “No, no I am not the cause. But, I do believe we might be of service.” Damen pleads.

     One of the men step in and stands close enough to Damen that he feels the man’s breath. “Explain…how do you know about the shadowy menace and why do you know of its threat to our people! Answer quickly, I’ve already lost most of my patience with you lot.” the man states in a threatening manner.

     Vivian slides in to pin her chest against the man. Damen quickly puts his arm in her way; preventing the woman from doing so. “I know you can take this guy, but let me handle him my way.” he ask of her. The man gives a smug look to Vivian as she backs away. “That’s more like it. So you can control her, you’re a little less pitiful than I thought.”

     The young Seer turns back to the man. “We have already dealt with this threat in our lands. If you aren’t careful, it could possess one of you, making you kill each other.”