Chapter 9 - The Contract
Taomerle9. The ContractBy Assilsastao()xxxx[{::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::><::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::}]xxxx()oCassidy draped her arm over her eyes as the first rays of the morning shown through the spaces in the old vardos window shutters. She was thankful for the new comers if only for the full nights sleep. The past evening was to be Dementia and herself on watch until Leoric brought the strange trio to camp. Unlike Marco and Demy, Cassidy shared the opinion of the twins. New blood in the troop ment less menial tasks for her, and more time to hone her skills. She groaned as she rolled out of the cozy sleeping space she had made for herself. It was time for her to take over watch, and to let the newcomers sleep. She took her time getting ready to enter the world of light outside as she thought, [i]They haven't earned their keep yet, they can wait a bit.[/i] Today, unlike most was one to be fully prepared for anything. The twins, should be returning with a convoy of merchants and travelers to escort to Feather fall, and Leoric said it was always good to look the part of a mercenary band for such jobs. After she laced her heavy boots she grabbed her sword belts and hung them around her waist. She hesitated with her paw on the door handle, it was always good to practice the show skills while she waited, and turned back to take the three blunted show blades with her. Her eyes adjusted to the light slowly as she stepped out. The camp was eerily quiet for the time of day. By this hour the chatter of the Squirrel-kin would have been tearing at her ears. She blinked looking over at the small porting of the camp, shocked to see them all gathered silently on top of their wagon. She followed their gaze to the fire where the giant wolf beast sat like a feral dog looking into the forest. It seemed much less impressive in the morning light than in the evening darkness. Even from the distance she could see the aged thinning fur and the malnourished frame. She thought of how it looked to be withering away as she watched. If the beast was a servant or pet of some kind, the kitzen child had no idea how to properly care for it. She walked toward it slowly, her free hand on the hilt of her rapier. If the thing really had attacked Marco, she's not about to drop her guard without
eyes on its master.As she moved closer, she saw the kitzen girl leaned against the beast asleep. In her arms was the young lutra boy she had almost killed last night. She looked over the strange pair for a moment. The kitzen was like none she had ever seen before. The feline race was known for their diversity in looks, but she was different. The female had a lion-like mane, bushy and white. If it were not for the color she would have sworn it was the remnants of the feral lions of the south, yet only the males have them. Cassidy had heard rumors of Kitzen with white manes being of royal blood, but Leoric has said she was not. Her fur was a stark contrast with tiger-like stripes and coloring. As she looked at the two small ones, the sense of being watched overwhelmed her. She slowly looked up at the wolf, it's eye level with hers. She was frozen in place as she looked into the hollow socket and strange stone that looked back at her. She froze in place as a weight descended on her chest, the stone eye of the beast rolled in its socket as it locked it's gaze on her. From the corner of her eye, Cassidy saw the mild glow of the cuffs around the beast's arms and neck. As the beast gazed at her, Cassidy heard the kitzen whimper in her sleep, yet could not look away from its eye. Several moments passed as she felt the beast's eye dig into her, burn in to her very soul. Finally the beast blinked as the lutra boy stirred, and she regained command over herself. Cassidy watched in shock as the beast stepped back from it's master and crouched low to the ground coughing up blood. The kitzen girl awoke as she was inadvertently dropped to the ground by the staggering beast. "Noros, what is wrong?" She asked as she propped herself up and cradled the drowsy lutra."It is nothing my quee... Master." The beast spoke in a deep gravely voice as he glanced over at Cassidy. Assilsasta stood as she brushed the dirt off her green dress and said, "What have I told you to call me?"Norscureil bowed his head to her. "Forgive me, Assil, old habits are hard to break. The hystrix has come to relieve us."Assilsasta looked to the slightly older porcupine-kin. "I do not believe we have been properly introduced. I am Assilsasta Us...." She stopped herself mid sentence, "I believe Leoric called you Cassy?"
She asked holding out her paw, palm down as Cassidy had only seen dignitaries and royals do to one another and lower classes.Cassidy wrinkled her snout at the apparent pompous gesture and said, "Whatever, your shift's over." Then she took a seat and tossed a few new logs on the dying fire.Assilsasta watched as Cassidy seemed to continue to ignore them. Noroscureil's voice invaded her mind, [i]There is more to this one, she has only begun her long journey, and will be of great use in the future.[/i] "Then we must keep her close." She said as she looked up into his eyes. "Come Isaiah. Leave her be."The small lutra boy rubbed the sleep from his eyes, uncertain of what had happened. As he looked around at the unfamiliar setting the memories of loss poured into his mind. Tears began to well up in his eyes as he looked up at Assilsasta. She looked back down at him and said, "Tears will not bring her back, and they will not defend your queen. I need you to be strong for me, my little knight." With her words he wiped the tears from his eyes and glanced over at the swords strapped to the hystrix's waist. She followed his gaze and said, "You will learn soon enough, but first we must get you suitable arms." She smiled down at him as he weakly smiled back.Cassidy poked at the fire as the trio walked to the empty wagon that Leoric had pointed them to the night before. The brief words of the kitzen echoing in her mind, [i]Tears will not bring her back.[/i] What did she mean, who had he lost?o()xxxx[{::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::><::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::}]xxxx()oDementia sat huddled in the corner of her vardo. The light of the rising suns invading her dark sanctuary through the spaces in the thick cloth that covered the windows. The blue flaming shadow demon stood in a corner, his dark aura pushed the light away as he whispered, "The beast is a daemon, a mortal made weapon older than even me." "Why?", she asked, "Why are you scared of him?" The cat-kin looked up at her shadow servant. "What is he to you? I have seen you spark fear in the greatests of beast, but you cower from him. Why?" her anger from his abandonment thick in her voice.Ithaurot stepped out of the corner, the shadows devoured the meager light as he moved. "He is Death. He feeds on the life blood of Taomerle, the same power that holds me here, and feeds Hemslef and Marco's magic. Think of what you saw when Marco cast his spell. We are powerless against him.""If you are powerless against my enemies, what use are you to me!" Anger threaded in her voice. "Do I need to summon one stronger than you?""There is no need to be rash master. We are not his enemies, and he has a purpose, a reason to be here." The demon spoke softly to the feline. "We may be of use in his plans. He is death and destruction as am I. We are both weapons of war. If he is free, destruction is not far behind."A cruel smile rolled across Dementia's muzzle as she heard the words. The fragments of her shattered mind churned as the lust for carnage bubbled to the surface. Ithaurot smiled as he felt the darkness within her swell, he drank in the essence of her broken, tormented soul, the same power that drew him from the shadow realm to her. The young feline's locked away memories boiled to the surface....o()xxxx[{::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::><::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::}]xxxx()oThe cloud filled sky obscured the full moon, as it let only shafts of light show through the night sky. Even those were blocked from her sight as she followed her master through the dense forest. He tugged at the chain he kept around her neck as he led her to his destination. They stopped at the edge of a high cliff. Below was a small town lit by small torches and lanterns as it's inhabitants moved through their nightly chores."This will do well," the cloaked figure spoke in a deep raspy voice. Dementia could not remember the last time she had seen his face. She had been dragged across the continent by him as he continued his hunt for the ancient relics of shadowmancy. He had taken her from her post at the temple to teach her the craft, away from the limitations of the priests. At first she willingly followed him, but then he began to use her as part of his crafts, often spilling her blood or using her
body as he needed for one summoning attempt or another. Yet he had always failed.He tied the chain to a tree so she could not run from him again while he began the strange ritual. Dementia struggled and pulled at her tether as she feared the knife he drew from his belt. So often had he used it to cut her when he needed the blood and he had always used her's. She stopped and watch as he moved away from her instead. The shadowy figure used the blade to scratch the symbols into the dirt as he chanted in the strange tongue that she had grown used to him reciting as they traveled. He stood up as he said, "This time he will come. There will be enough blood to bring him here." He raised his paws to the sky as he chanted something new. The wind began to blow around him, stronger with each word. His simple chant slowly rose to the point where he screamed the words at the sky. Dementia marveled at the power her master suddenly displayed after so many months of watching him fail to summon even one shadow demon, but this was not the shadowmancy he promised to teach her. This was Word craft, a stronger magic that fed off the life of things around the caster. She felt the life slowly being drained from her as he continued to cast. Suddenly, the energy returned to her body as she watched the hearts of stone fall from the sky to the small village below. She moved forward and looked down as the screams of the villagers rose to the gods. She covered her muzzle to stifle the gasp as the sounds of children reached her ears. The ground below turned red with the blood of the unsuspecting fallen. The horror of the scene far below brought the young feline to her knees."That will do well," he spoke as he moved back to the circle he had carved into the ground and struck through it to end his spell of destruction. " Come child, it is now time to try again. Our demon awaits," he said as he pulled the chain from the now decaying tree, its life drained for the power to slaughter the village from afar. He chanted a new spell she had never heard as he levitated them safely to the village below.She shrieked as her paws touched down in the pools of fresh blood, spilled for this summoning. Her voice was stolen from her by the sight of the young cubs that lay impaled by the many shards that fell, some clutched to the chest of their parent, while others were left alone in the street. She watched in horror as he pushed
the young corpses away without remorse. He jerked the chain to fling the girl to her knees. She looked up at him, the red glow of his eyes from beneath the hood looked on her as he chanted the ancient shadow summoning again. Many of the words he used she did not understand, even after she had spent her life in the temples, but she knew they were forbidden.A howl brought her attention to the pool of blood that gathered unnaturalized before her master. She watched as the demon rose from the liquid, formed from the blood of the innocent. The beast of blood opened it's eyes and looked to the small child, with out movement of any kind it spoke, "I am Ithaurot, Summoned by the wishes of my new master. Why have you summoned me?""Your master wishes to bind you to this realm as a weapon to do my will," her master spoke toward the demonic beast.The beast's eyes did not move from Dementia as she looked back at him. She thought through what she would do with a beast of such power. She knew she would never let one such as her master use innocent blood for his own will. She would protect them, destroy everything that threatened the children. "And what will my master offer in return for this request?" the ethereal voice of the beast vibrated them both to the bone. "I give you this child to do with as you please," Her master tossed the chain toward the beast as he spoke. He froze as he waited for the contract to be completed.Dementia sat and thought of what she would give for such power, her life, her own soul, she would give it all to wield such power as she saw fit. Her body shook as the voice entered her mind, no longer distant or detached, "And the contract is forged. Your body and soul for my power."The beast looked away from the feline and to her master. The blood fell away from its form as the fiery blue canine demon stepped toward the cloaked figure as it's mouth moved to speak for the first time, "My master wishes for your blood." the shafts of moonlight were suddenly swallowed by shadow tendrils as the darkness around the daemon grew. Dementia
froze as the power of the shadow beast filled her mind, and consumed her essence. She felt him as part of her, his movements and thoughts flowed through her. She put her paw to her mouth as she licked the blood from it. Her mind reeled at the immensity of the energy that flowed through her. Then darkness enveloped her vision, and the scream drowned out everything else. Then there was nothing but the taste of the iron filled blood on her tongue.o()xxxx[{::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::><::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::}]xxxx()o