True Nature

Riona could feel the dirt under her fingernails as she dug her hands into the soil below. It was all she could do besides clench her teeth in restrained fury. With anger swirling through her heart, so came remorse. What loose hair wasn't tied in her braid fell down to shadow her face as she stared at the ground on all fours. The tension in her jaw gave way to the lump in her throat. Her eyes became clouded as tears welled up and fell to the ground. The only thing that kept her from sobbing was the familiar sound of plate-bound footsteps beside her.

"I'm…" Stone said, his voice quaking with the same unsteady emotion, "...I'm going to search for survivors."

As he walked away Riona managed to speak, though broken with sorrow. "Keep your mask on, Commander. This place is unclean." Stone didn't reply and kept walking towards the heart of the city. Once Stone's footsteps faded, Riona sat back on her knees and tried to take a deep breath. Lilia swooped in quietly, giving Riona an equally sad look. With a sad hoot, Lilia hopped onto Riona's lap and nuzzled into her chest. The affection almost brought Riona to tears again. "Thank you, Lilia." The owl responded with another hoot. "I know, I know… this wasn't my fault." There were another few hoots. "Because, Lilia… they were still people with lives and families. No matter how ill someone thinks of me, I would not wish that on anyone." Lilia grunted. Riona rubbed the top of Lilia's head, leaving the bird looking disgruntled. "Come… we should see what needs to be done."

Riona pushed herself up with her staff and made her way to a large cluster of spore-spreading mushrooms that grew off one of the ruined homes. For certain they were the same that poisoned the spriggan. They were thick, fleshy, and looked as if they were breathing. Lilia let out a growl from below.

"Yes… that's probably best." Riona nodded. She slowly raised a finger to the mushroom cluster before poking it. It rapidly began to shrivel and decay, spreading to the stalk before it turned to ash. From it, green vines and flowers began to grow. A smile crept on her face, "Good… not all is lost." With a heavy sigh she turned around. "Let's go help the Commander." She tapped her staff on the ground and suddenly vines crept from below the ground and spread across the area searching for signs of the disease that covered the city. Each creeping tendril hunted for mushrooms and corpses, causing them to decay at first before digging into its pile of ash and sprouting forth fresh green foliage and flowers. Riona watched the process for a moment. It was slow, but the progress was steady enough. Lilia flew up to perch on Riona's shoulder before giving a few hoots. Riona frowned. "No, I don't think so. But it would give the Commander some peace of mind that we help."

It took some time, but Riona searched as much as she could with Lilia surveying from the skies in search of anyone that might be alive. But after hours of searching, she found nothing. She went to the only place she thought she could find Commander Stone and moved to his home which was still fairly untouched. The door creaked open as Riona stepped inside and found Stone sitting on the very same bed she recovered in. He was hunched over, his elbows on his knees and a large tome between his hands. His eyes seemed lost as they stared at the ground.

"Commander." Riona said as she knocked on the door, startling the Commander from his stupor. "Sorry."

"It's quite all right." he said, his voice hushed. His eyes looked at her expectantly.

Without hearing the question, she knew the answer. "I'm sorry."

Stone lowered his head again with a sigh. "Then this will have to do." He said, giving the tome a soft pat.

"What is it?"

"A manifest." Stone replied. "It contains the name of every living citizen of Pinehold. It hasn't been updated since last year, so some of these names might be irrelevant. But I can give this to the royal messenger service. They can find the relatives of the dead. They should at least know what happened to their families." Riona took a seat across the room and sat in an awkward amount of silence. Lilia walked in shortly after and shut the door with her wing before taking perch onto a nearby shelf.

Stone broke the long silence, pulling Riona out of her remorseful expression. "Riona." He stared at her for a moment, following her eyes that still stared toward the ground. "I will admit I am conflicted. Part of me wishes to blame you for all of this… but I can see in your heart you are as broken as I am. You've been cooperative, and kind, and honest, and---" He narrowed his eyes at her, as she looked up to meet his gaze. "I've lived a fairly plain life outside of war. I've kept the peace in this far-off city of Pinehold for years. We've had run-ins with bandits, raiders, and the occasional pack of wolves. Not uneventful, but at least routine and manageable." He sat upright, "And then you came along. A tree monster massacres my men in the woods, and then later that night two abominations reduce Pinehold to ruin. The forest is plagued beyond recognition. Then some fiend turns my home into a nightmare, and my people into voracious monsters. How is it that I---that no one knew of these monsters yet you did? Even if it was rumored I would've had a report from neighboring cities and strongholds long before this happened. Still, these creatures seemingly came from nowhere, all centered on your arrival. I ask you to give me something, Riona. Tell me something so I can make sense of all of this. That voice, whoever it belonged to, it knew you, and you knew it. What aren't you telling me, Riona?"

"You're right, Commander." Riona rested her staff to the side. "I have not been entirely truthful with you, but neither have I lied. I just---Commander, I---"

"Caleb."

"Excuse me?"

"Caleb Stone. That's my name."

"Caleb." Riona confirmed. "If…" Riona took a deep breath, closing her eyes. "...you must promise me, whatever I tell you, you will not act upon it."

"What? Why no---"

"Promise me." Riona said, her voice firm.

"All right."

"Say it."

Caleb Stone bowed his head in concession. "I promise not to act upon your words."

Riona nodded her head a few times, hesitating to speak. "The world of magic, however your kingdom sees fit to perpetuate it, has never simply gone away. You can not turn a blind eye to the very essence of this world and pretend that it doesn't exist. Magic has continued to evolve and morph in ways you could not imagine, and when we stop observing it, and studying it, then we become weak and vulnerable to its dangers." Riona looked to Lilia. "There was a time when magic was good… welcome… pleasant even. Sure enough there was misuse but that's expected. More importantly, magic is what pushed our society. It brought us new conveniences and discoveries. And then, because of fear and misunderstanding, we shut it out." Riona reached out to Lilia, and watched the owl fly down to perch on her wrist. "That is where your problems arise, Commander. Not long ago, a group of witches, sorcerers, whatever you want to call them, banded together for one singular purpose."

"What's that?" Caleb asked.

"To show everyone that without magic… everyone will die." Stone contemplated the thought for a moment before Riona could continue. "They will demonstrate their power to the fullest, striking every city and settlement in their reach. They will not stop. The only way to defeat them---"

"---is to use magic." Stone finished. "They're trying to restore civilization to ages past. I understand their plight, but at the cost of innocent lives?"

"No one said they were kind, Commander. They are zealots who have dedicated their lives to this. Either they die, or we all do."

"That doesn't explain these monsters and why we haven't seen them before."

"That's because they've only begun their crusade recently. I've been following them for over a year now, and they've remained fairly docile. I don't know what it is about Edgemere, but something drew them to this region. And I intend on finding out what."

"Perhaps they thought to start their crusade here and spread out. Edgemere is the most secluded of the other kingdoms. News of disaster here would take much longer to reach the other kingdoms… perhaps too long before they could prepare."

"Could be." Riona scratched Lilia's head.

There was another pause. Stone stood up, leaving the tome on the bedside. He walked to the door, staring outside as sunlight flooded the room. "Is that all?"

Riona locked eyes with Lilia. "No, Caleb. There is more… but I do not think you are ready for the entire truth… nor I ready to tell it."

Stone looked back at the white-haired witch. "Very well. I trust this information isn't vital."

"No… I don't think so." Riona said, leaning back in her chair. "I'm sorry, Commander. Would you mind if I took a rest? Between the spriggan and Pinehold, my energy has waned."

"We really should be on the road by now, Riona. There are other cities that need to know of this threat." Caleb approached her. "What about them?"

"They are not in danger, Commander." Riona began to slouch in her chair. "What happened to Pinehold was a mere distraction to keep me busy. They knew it would buy them time before I caught up to them. I do not believe they are ready to strike or make any grand move just yet."

Stone lowered his shoulders. "You're sure about this?"

"I've been hunting them for months." Riona yawned. "Trust me, I know their patterns. We can warn the next city afterwards, I promise."

Caleb shut his door and walked back inside before sitting at the edge of his bed. "You can sleep on the bed, Riona. You look like---" Upon closer inspection, he found Riona already sleeping in her chair, slouched back with Lilia snuggling in her lap. He moved more quietly, removing what armor he had, and starting a fire in his hearth to warm to home. Still, Riona slept soundly. It was another hour or so before Caleb Stone found rest. He was too wound up, and paranoid. His soldier habits told him to keep watch, but he reminded himself there was no danger nearby. They were the only two souls in Pinehold. He continued to pace about his one-room home, checking windows periodically before finding himself sitting on his bed. He watched Riona with a thousand questions plaguing his mind. Eventually he found comfort in his bed and drifted off to sleep.

---

As Riona dreamt, she found herself laying on the floor in a dark and dead forest. The moonlight was barely visible through the barren tree branches that once formed a canopy above. She pushed herself up and looked around to get her bearings but there was no recognition in the trees around her. There was no breeze. The air was still and the only sounds were the crunch of leaves beneath her feet. Her teal-green eyes darted around as her heart began to race.

An omnipresent voice whispered to her, "Beware the shadows."

"Evil lurks around every corner." said another voice.

The voices began to flood from every direction. Some were different people, others the same. The more she heard, the more she remembered. They were vague memories in a time long past.

"Keep the claws and teeth away!"

"...such a vile thing!"

"Beware the shadows."

"They will be exterminated!"

"...to fight back the darkness…"

"...all will flee from you, Riona."

"...shrines of dark power…"

"Beware the shadows!"

The voices stopped. A terrible fear gripped Riona's chest. Her breath quickened as she looked around in a panic. Something was coming. She hadn't noticed a dense fog that enveloped around her until it was too late. She then heard breathing, monstrous and guttural. The sound of a fiery furnace crackled as glowing eyes pierced the mist and stood just beyond the veil of fog. The mist displaced the light from the eyes and gave shape to what stared at Riona. There stood the Feyn, the giant bear-like monster that fended off the spriggan in Pinehold.

It kept itself behind the wall of fog, only an arm's reach from Riona. Tears fell down her cheeks as she reached towards its head, fear still gripping her chest. It's eyes locked with hers before Riona was taken by darkness.

---

Caleb Stone woke up to the strong scent of nature. It was as if he woke up in a misty forest and flooded with the smells of flowers and soil. Opening his eyes, he disregarded that he was covered in a blanket that he did not put on, but that his entire home was overgrown with greenery. Vines enveloped his house. Moss and all sorts of foliage took hold of his home as various flowers were already in full bloom. There was little semblance of his home left as it was overgrown, except for the door which looked untouched.

"Riona?" Caleb called out. He looked around and found her chair empty and no presence of her at all. A squirrel climbed along some of the vines on the ceiling before crawling over to Caleb's bed with a nut in its mouth. The two of them shared an inquisitive look but the squirrel cared for nothing more than its food. Stone turned his body off the bed, and began equipping his armor and weapons. He walked towards the door hoping to find his companion for an explanation. He braced for the bright sunlight that pierced the doorway before opening it and stepping forward. It took only a moment for his eyes to adjust, but everything was as he predicted. The entire city was covered in overgrowth. It looked as if the ruins of Pinehold had been left to nature's care for hundreds of years in a single night. In a strange way, it was beautiful. Pinehold was a ruined city for the most part, and the sickening plague that took hold of it and its citizens was absent. For a moment, Stone forgot what transpired just the day before.

"Good morning, Commander." said Riona's voice. He turned around to look for her, and found the witch sitting on his roof above the doorway. She jumped down and landed next to him.

"Riona. What have you done?" Stone gestured to the city.

"I could not let that plague remain." Riona said. "It would have spread to the forest. So I purified the city."

"This… this isn't natural."

"This is what would have befell Pinehold eventually… I just gave it a little nudge forward." A squirrel landed on her shoulder. She scratched the top of its head with a single finger. "In nature, life and death are nothing. The people of Pinehold will continue to live on, Commander. All things live forever... though at times they sleep and are forgotten." She tossed him a freshly picked fruit. "I will not let them scar this land further. We should be off to the next city." Riona placed the squirrel on the ground and watched it run. "But I do not know the way. Edgemere needs you, Commander. As do I."

Caleb stared at the fruit before nodding. "Then we make way to Fairhand. I should speak with Commander Berry. He can send further messengers from there as we make way for the capital."

"Lead on, Commander." Riona bowed.

After they gathered their things and Stone said one final goodbye with a salute to his fallen comrades, they were off toward the city of Fairhand. It was a full day's travel on foot. Aside from the natural dangers of the wild, the trip was fairly uneventful. The forest began to thin as they progressed, and the trees became more sparse and instead were replaced by rocky hills and valleys. As they crested over a path, the city of Fairhand came into view in the distance. It was built amidst windy fields of gentle grasslands. Having walked through winding forest paths, it was a true display of wonder. It's beauty was matched by the backdrop of waterfalls alongside the distant valley walls. The city itself was quite humble, as much as Pinehold was. Many rooftops were made of blackwood, and the walls formed from oak. Branching streams passed through the city and continued downward further into the valley.

Stone and Riona passed by a few travelers and farmers along the way who only gave them a gentle smile and nod before pressing onward. Stone's armor was standard to the kingdom of Edgemere, and a familiar sight to most. Still, Riona felt eyes at her back. She knew she looked out of place, and that left her uneasy. Finally they reached the tall wooden palisades by the front gate.

"Gatekeeper!" Stone cried out. Only a few moments passed before a man leaned over the wall, his face shadowed by the sun.

"Welcome to Fairhand, who goes there? State your business."

"I am Commander Caleb Stone of Pinehold. I have urgent business with Commander Berry. I trust he is here."

"Aye." The man leaned forward a bit more. "One moment."

A few minutes had passed, and suddenly a dozen bowmen were on top of the wall, arrows drawn toward Riona and Caleb.

"What's the meaning of this?!" Caleb asked as Riona stood back, gripping her staff.

The gates opened and a group of soldiers ran out, some of them drawing bows as well, a few rushing over to Stone and Riona. They were quickly accosted, their hands tied behind their back, and iron shackles around their wrists.

A helmeted soldier walked out, his hands behind his back. "Commander Stone." Caleb looked at him. "By order of Commander Berry and for the safety of Fairhand, you are both hereby placed under arrest."