Arrival

Vinncent and Llorva had long since fallen out of earshot of the bandits' screams. The fate she once wished for them now her own.

traveling on the road rather than alongside although risky turned out to be a worthwhile endeavor. Although they still faced the risk of bandits there was no longer any thick brush that slowed them down. The main problem now was that if there was someone else on the road they could not hide themselves in time.

Their walk down the road saw the dense forest slowly falling away as what was assumed to be the city of Heaustead came into sight. In a large man made clearing stood the outermost walls whose gray stone faces a harsh contrast to the green grasses and trees around them. As they approached the gateway a minute pressure began to press on Vinncents brain, a pressure that he now understood. The pressure came from the torment of others, their pain morphing into his, their emotions on the edges of his mind.

On either side of the gate two guards stood clad in plate mail armor a sword on the hip of one and a spear in the hands of the other. Both looked at Vinncent and Llorva with small scolws as they passed through the gate. As they walked inward toward the second wall leading into the city the countryside and housing of the peasantry encircled them. In the fields slaves tended to the crops while men and women with whips oversaw them occasionally unleashing the whips sharp tongue upon them. Each crack of the whips brought a surge of pain to Vinncents mind as he watched them land on the backs of the unfortunate victims, their occasional pained cries piercing his heart.

Vinncents entire body itched a small voice calling out in the back of his mind.

"KILL THEM!... KILL THEM ALL!... LET THEM KNOW FEAR AND PAIN!... LET THEM BE SLAUGHTERED!" The slithering voice shouted enraged and eager.

'If I do anything now I won't be able to scout out any information I need for an attack or liberation.' Vinncent thought

"Your plans are inconsequential... LET US FEAST ON THEIR FLESH!... LET US KILL THE BETRAYERS!"

"I can't at least not yet." Vinncent said, causing Llorva to look at him with a confused look.

"What can't you do yet?"

Realizing his blunder Vinncent quickly came up with an answer.

"I can't yet determine the best plan of action yet. It may be some time until I could properly orcastrait a attack without harming the general populace."

"You know that is a lie Vinncent." the voice hissed "They shall fall and from their remains we shall rise."

"Would you please shut up!" Vinncent said once again startling Llorva

"Okay, sorry I didn't mean to offend you." Llorva said her hands in the air and a frown on her face.

"I'm sorry Llorva that wasn't meant to be directed at you." Vinncent said cupping his hands together.

"Ever since we entered the gates a voice keeps talking to me." he confessed

"So there's a voice in your head? What is it telling you?" she asked one eyebrow raised.

"It keeps telling me to kill. To kill everything around me and feast on the flesh of those who fall. It also says that from their corpses we shall rise."

"We?" Llorva asked surprised

"Maybe that demon form you have been constantly using is starting to corrupt your mind." she said in a hushed voice

Thinking about what Llorva said he remembered his meeting with god and the description of his transformation ability and god's voice rang through his mind.

"You will have the ability to transform into any living being no matter the physiology, ideology and psychology of that being."

With a hand on his face Vinncent shook his head "Llorva you may just be right."

"Alright so if you're possessed by a demonic entity can't we just get it exercised?" she asked a small sparkle in her eyes

Vinncent sighed "I'm afraid not, this is something that magic's cannot fix nor help. I am on my own to fight it as it is not the demon who possesses I. But I who possessed the demon."

"What do you mean? Did you trick the demon into a contract? If so, how did you do it?" Llorva asked with the sparkle now turned excitement in her eyes

"I'll tell you when the time is right but for now lets keep walking."

And so they walked the scenery once again slowly changing from crumbling wooden huts to stone buildings and neatly constructed housings. Ahead another gate stood instead with four guards and two others who went from person to person demanding money.

"Looks like we'll have to pay to get through the next gate." Llorva said

"Check your pockets, let's see if there is any money in these clothes."

Vinncent quickly snaked his hands into his pants pockets and fished around. his fingers eventually coming across seven coins before pulling them out. Looking at them in his hand Vinncent realized they were copper coins.

'So does this world's currency system follow the principle of copper, silver, and gold?' he thought

"Alright I found five silver what did you get?" Llorva asked

"I found seven copper." he said displaying his hand

"The copper should be enough to get us through the gate. I'll keep a hold of the silver so it doesn't get lost if you change forms."

As they slowly moved forward in the cue one of the guards came forward.

"Is da two of ya together?" The guard pointed at the duo causing them to nodd.

"Yes we are." Vinncent said

"All right that'l be four copp'r coins if ya wannta get in." the guard commanded

Fishing into his pocket Vinncent retrieved four of the coins and dropped them into the guards outstretched hand.

"Alright here's ya pass den." he said reaching into a satchel on his right. before pulling out two small pieces of wood.

"These will git'ja in after you turn them in at da gate. How long you stay in da city is up ta you."

"Thank you sir." Vinncent said, surprising the guard.

"Well den dats a first." the guard said shifting his helmet

"What do you mean?" Vinncent asked confused

"Well ya see us guards ain't usually seen in a very nice light an given much appreciation."

Now it was Vinncents turn to be shocked.

"So you're saying that you and the other guards aren't respected?"

"We'll we are but we ain't treated all that much better than the peasantry." the guard confessed

"Doesn't the nobility treat you any better?"

"No the nobles are actually da worst of em. The treat us like dogs and will occasionally ask demeanin' tasks of us and den threaten to kill our families if we don't do em."

Seeing an opening to go through the gate Vinncent clasped the guards armored shoulder and whispered in his ear.

"I would recommend you and your family get out of this city as quick as possible. Things are about to happen that cannot be stopped and I would hate for a good man like you to be caught in the chaos. If you ever need anything in the future seek out 'The Angel' and I shall do what I can."

Vinncent pulled back from the guard and looked at his puzzled face.

"I am sorry to hear that, I hope you can find a better job in the near future." His act as though their conversation was never interrupted confusing the guard even more.

Vinncent quickly walked toward the gate, the guard shaking his head and continuing about his job.

'Dat man is a nut. Does he fink that da apocalypse is commin' the guard thought as Llorva and Vinncent walked past the gate and into the inner city.