Kuro: A Land in Eternal Night

Chapter 14.1: The Village

Despite, or perhaps because of, the relative lack of structure and the rather unorthodox training methods that we subjected ourselves to, we improved significantly in a short amount of time. The Order watched us carefully during that phase, wanting to know how we would turn out, always fearing we would turn renegade.

Two years passed and we turned fourteen. The priestesses of Talthys decided the the time had come to put their experiment to test on the battlefield. They started taking us on routine missions. Despite the obvious danger associated with the undertaking, Searra and I both enjoyed embarking on the missions. It was a way for us to test our knowledge in a practical setting. Back then, the priestesses of Talthys embarked on any mission that was asked of them. Oftentimes, they did not know what they were up against. The forces of the Yami were not very well understood, and our means of fighting them imperfect.

The experiment was successful. In almost every battle we were deployed in, we were instrumental in turning the tide. We became the scourge of the Yami. The priestesses started taking us on ever more dangerous missions. The faint of heart would have quit long ago, but neither of us feared death, and we welcomed the opportunity to learn more, to advance ourselves further. I think at the time, it was arrogance, rather than fearlessness, that drove us.

Several elites in the order voiced their concern to the High Priestess at the time, concerned that our powers were growing and could become difficult to contain. They were made uneasy by the unknown, by what they did not understand. But the High Priestess was wise. She knew of no one in the Order at the time who had the ability to stop Searra or me from entering the Inner Sanctum. So she did not bother. Instead she took a gamble with us.

When the time came and there were missions to be done, we would always be called upon.

There was one particular mission that I could recall. Searra and I were sent to investigate a small village that had been sending messages for help. The message was cryptic. "There is great evil here. Your services are needed."

What was most interesting about the distress call was that this village had been sending the call for help for years. In answer to the call, the Order had sent groups of priestesses to investigate. In all instances, none returned. At first, the order started to send smaller groups, then gradually, bigger groups with more experienced priestesses were sent. But still, none returned.

Concerned with this mounting problem, the Order sent Searra and me to investigate.

We rode several days from the temple to the village. We decided it was best to come unannounced. As we neared, we dismounted and left our steeds hidden in the nearby forest where they could graze comfortably away from harm. It was dark as Kuro always was, but it felt worse as we walked around.

The village was quiet as death. It had rained heavily just moments before, a torrential downpour that cleansed the earth, washing away everything. The smell of water was present everywhere. The stillness was disconcerting. The sound of water was everywhere, and the earth shifted under our feet. The soil, soft and moist after the rain, revealed a trail of footsteps wherever we walked. We had travelled a hundred miles to the village. Our cloaks were heavy, dripping from the rain, but kept us protected from the elements. Underneath we wore the battle armor of the Order. Iron guarded the vital areas, but left our legs and arms bare, affording us freedom of movement. We walked in silence. I wondered who could have possibly sent the message to Talthys, as we could see no signs of life.

I took a quick glance at Searra as we surveyed the area. She nodded back at me. There was a presence here in the village.

Though we carried torches with us, we chose not to light them, so as not to draw too much attention to ourselves. Without the aid of a torch, it was not easy to see in the darkness.

We looked inside a few of the houses. They were made of wood, and some of them were old, rotting and decrepit. I was concerned the foundation would tumble and fall apart due to the movement of the soft earth and the rain. But the foundation held and the houses continued to stand up in defiance of nature. The homes were small; this was no wealthy village. Inside there were meals left on hearths, once smoldering, their heat long gone. There were lifeless black husks where the embers were. This village had been occupied recently. Utensils were laid out on the table, bread and butter alongside them.

I remember the biting cold and the cry of crows in the darkness, punctuating the stillness. The Order was taking a great risk sending two relatively inexperienced priestesses on such a high-level mission. A disappearing regiment of priestesses was no laughing matter. There was something at work in the village, something foul.