System Break

Nej was the fastest of the gatherers and running all day didn't phase him in the least. He was chosen to accompany us by Gisael and Mother. The six of us left the forest at noon when Reyas' new axes were ready.

They hung on her hips which was a necessary change due to the large pack on her back. The honey oak fit snugly into the gleaming axe blades and they barely moved as she ran. The handles were longer than her last pair and I imagined she'd make good use of the extra reach. They were like a whirlwind of death and her defence was a good offence.

When we discussed what we wanted the artisans tailored better packs to fit our shape. Mine was broad, across my shoulders and sat snuggly on top of my butt. A fur bed rolled hung beneath flapping gently as I ran. Its straps crisscrossed my front, fastening it securely with spears attached to its sides. I looked like a flag bearer without any flags on top of the poles.

We were all Svartalfar - except Reyas - and carrying a weeks' worth of food was not a big deal. Large pouches of dried fruit, nuts, waxed bars of honey and we'd pick up fresh foliage on the way.. Reyas had could share the dried foods, and our kills provided more meat than she could eat in a year. Gisael had her pouch of herbs and stinky ointments.

We'd more than doubled our carrying capacity with the tailored packs and Nej as a porter. 

It still wouldn't be enough. Priority would be given to qi cores and any spare space for the best of the skins or unique items.

Demon bird soared above us and showed the way, the plains were packed with monsters and the skies were still thick with purple clouds. It was chilling that the portal storms we'd outrun on the way home had been spewing monsters for the last two days.

There were the usual, hellhounds, large lizards and the odd Troll. But this time Demon bird was seeing a wider variety of creatures. There was a half woman half snake thing and her breasts could be a distraction. 

There were these hulking ox looking beasts which walked on two legs. I saw a patrol of lizardmen and wondered where their base could be. I would keep my eyes open for their land core because this was the second patrol we'd seen and the first was well over a hundred miles from here.

This was Nej's first time with us and while he was the best gatherer, fast and he never tired. I wanted to keep him safe, he wasn't a guardian and he was precious in his own way.

I slowed and let the line pass me as I waited for Nej. He nodded and ran beside me. I peered at the knives on his hips, he had quite a few. Some were for skinning and others for pruning. The longest had a dark wooden handle with a gleaming, sharp jade blade.

"The horned lizard is just the start, the plains are full of monsters ahead," I said. "Keep out of harm's way. Stay close to Gisael, she'll guard you."

He frowned. "I am not defenceless."

I laughed. "Sure, but you're here to help us carry shit and if you get wounded in the leg what then?"

He stared at the ground as we ran. "I will be careful not to get wounded."

"Good. That'll do." I glanced at the sky. "It's gonna be a rocky trip. Hope you're ready to fill that pack with qi cores and carry it down south and back."

Demon bird was sweeping further ahead helping me find the best path. We'd kill enough to fill our packs, but we didn't have time to spend weeks clearing the plains.

He showed me what was ahead. The purple clouds had done their work and monsters had spawned across the plains in greater numbers than before. We'd have to clear an area just to camp for the night. Then he showed me a hill with crude fortifications. There was a dirt path leading to it and garbage strewn outside its walls.

I ran up behind Reyas.

"Hold up," I said, and the group halted. I looked for a patch of dirt and began to draw with my fingers.

"There's a fort up ahead. Not like yours Reyas, its kinda shit." I drew a circle. "Demon bird is scouting now." I laughed and looked at Gisael. "It's ferals."

We were a few hours hard running from the forest.

She glared. "I do not like how close it is."

I chuckled. "They probably should know better. Maybe they think its safe on the plains."

Nej looked at the purple clouds in the sky and his brows furrowed.

"Hardly," Ailen said. "The plains are full of monsters. Why aren't they overrun?"

I shrugged. "They have a small tower here. Two archers. And there is a totem pole in the centre. Other than that, all the buildings look the same from above. Patchwork hides, straw and not very straight."

I peered at Gisael. "What do you want to do?"

"See it with my eyes."

I touched her on the arm. "Okay then. Let's get closer." The way I figured it, the Ferals had enough on their hands without entering the forest. It didn't offer them a place of refuge because they should know what'd happen if they entered. But I would just do whatever she wanted. I really didn't care that much about the bastards.

We ran until we were close, and I slowed the pace. They relied upon their tower and had no patrols. It made sense a patrol would just end up in more trouble given the current state of the plains. 

"How did we miss this?" Ailen asked.

"It's further to the west then we've scouted before. And we've no idea how long they've been here. Could be a week, could be a month."

They were thirty miles south of the forest, far enough to escape our early jaunts and the last time we went south we were way to the east, closer to the human fort on the lake.

"What do you see," Gisael asked me and I knew what she meant.

I opened my sight. "Shit, I think they've got a land core."

Gisael nodded. "Is it small?"

"Yes, compared to ours its tiny. It's in the totem pole."

"This is where they will sacrifice. It is a disgusting thing they do."

I glanced at her. "They sacrifice animals?"

"Anything," she said and spat. "Even their own kind."

"I don't feel so bad about massacring them now. Wait. I think I see their shaman. He's got a gnarly staff and a headdress. And his core is much larger than the others."

She put a hand on my shoulder. "He will have magics like you saw before."

"The shield? Yeah I remember."

"Can we learn it?" Ailen asked.

"Sure," I turned my head to face him. "In the middle of combat against the most powerful feral - I'll just study him for an hour while we dance around trying not to die."

"But you can watch while we fight, pick up a few things."

"It's complicated. Imagine watching a football team do a complicated play and memorizing all the players moves while you're playing against them trying not to let them score or take you out."

"Shit."

"Yeah, and for some things like a Troll - times that by a hundred. That regeneration shit is brain surgery."

"But you're fixing your leathers," he said.

"Yeah, I got one tiny move from the Troll. I call it stitching and it's very slow and expensive."

"Don't quickbar it," he said. "Not yet."

"I know, you told me."

Gisael's hand was still on my shoulder and she squeezed me gently. 

I looked at her face and into her eyes and despite my mask she could see mine. "So, we kill them all?"

She nodded.

"Are they like a mortal enemy of the Svartalfar?" Ailen asked.

She pursed her lips. "No. We just kill them whenever we find them."

He chuckled, "That's basically what a mortal enemy would do."

"Pest extermination," Sakaala said softly.

I went to grab my spear and realised they were blunt poles. I considered using them like that and discarded the idea. I held up my fists, "I guess its clobbering time. Let's make a plan."

The sun was setting, and the shadows lengthened before disappearing altogether. I was on one side of the camp with Gisael. Reyas was on the other with the twins and Nej was hiding with all the packs; It was our meeting spot should things go pear shaped.

She leaned against me as we lay in wait and her hand crawled across my back. She didn't talk, she just touched me, caressed me. I don't know if that was her intention, but It was the worst time to get a hard-on.