Realm of Monsters

“What were you thinking going out to hunt sereguli! You didn’t even try to tell me about any of this! You could have been killed!” Loh yelled.

“You seemed busy, I didn’t want to bother you,” Stryg said.

“Don’t bullshit me! You just knew I would have said no!” Loh slapped him across the face.

Stryg let her hand hit him. He thought it best if he did not try to dodge. He remembered what it had been like when he had run from First Mother’s punishment. She would always find him, drag him in front of the other children, pull his pants down and spank him for all to see.

Loh thought she was punishing him, but the joke was on her, Stryg thought. She did not have claws, there would be no bloody marks left over.

“Dammit, why is your head so hard!” Loh nursed her fingers.

“Huh?” Stryg tilted his head.

She had been the one to hit him, so why was she the one complaining?

“Oh, you think this is amusing? Let me make this crystal clear. You’re grounded. You’re not allowed to leave this tavern until we’re ready to leave the entire damn city. Is that getting through your thick skull?” Loh poked his forehead several times.

“But, what about the festival and all their food?” Stryg frowned.

“You’ll have to make do with tavern food and I’ll make sure they only send the basic stuff to your room.”

“But… um… what about Rhian? Yeah, Rhian. She needs exercise, right? Didn’t you tell me beastkin aren’t allowed to travel on their own. Who will take her out on a stroll if I’m stranded in this place?”

“I think she’ll manage just fine. We’ll only be here a week, she can think of it as a vacation.”

“...Okay, fine,” Stryg nodded. He would just agree with her for now and when she was off screwing some flowers he would slip out and get some actual food.

“Good. And if I hear that you were seen outside the tavern I’ll-”

“Excuse me,” the captain stepped up between them both at the bar.

“Amazing storytelling, Miss. What can I get ya? It’s on the house,” the bartender said.

“Oh, why thank you. I’ll have whatever this lovely dark elf next to me is drinking,” the captain played with her dark curly hair.

“Right away,” the bartender nodded.

Loh blinked, “And you are?”

“That is the golden question is it not?” The captain smiled brightly. “Even the simplest of answers is a litany of names that may as well comprise several lifetimes worth of experiences. But, to be honest, I’d much rather get to know your name.”

The bartender came back and handed the captain a mug, “Here you are, blue-bell cider.”

“I am Loh of House Noir, one of Hollow Shade’s Ruling Families. And your name?” She raised an eyebrow.

“I’ve gone by many. Being an actor requires these things you see, but you may simply call me Captain, leader of the Singing Willow Troupe.” She grabbed Loh’s hand and kissed her fingers, “Wonderful to meet you Loh the Renounced.”

She frowned, “Renounced? What are you talking about?”

The captain giggled, “I find names carry great meaning, it is the exposed part of who we truly are that we show to the world. Yours is fake. You called yourself of House Noir, yet you renounced that family long ago. So, why bother clinging to a name you walked away from?”

“You pretend to know me? Do you know what happens to someone who tries to bother me?” Loh opened her hand, an orb of flame blossomed above her palm.

“I have a vivid imagination, I’m sure I can hazard a guess. Only thing is,” the captain reached out, grabbed the orb of flame and snuffed it with ease. “I’m not just ‘someone.’”

Stryg sipped his mug of water and silently watched the entire exchange with interest.

“What are you trying to get at?” Loh stared at the captain’s clenched hand.

“I suppose what I’m truly trying to say is, would you like to dance?” She uncurled her fingers, they were unblemished. She offered Loh her hand.

“...Okay,” Loh said cautiously.

“Marvelous,” she grabbed Loh’s hand and pulled her into the dancing crowd.

Stryg sighed in relief. At least Loh would be off his back for a while.

“Thanks, Cap,” Stryg whispered into his mug.

“You’re welcome.”

Stryg’s ears twitched at the unexpected response. He looked up and scanned the crowd. The captain held Loh in her arms on the other side of the tavern. They danced to the songs of the minstrels. The captain caught Stryg’s gaze, she winked.

Gale walked up to the bar, “Wow, you really are up and moving. Even with healing spells most people wouldn’t be able to walk for days after your kind of injuries.”

“Gale…” Stryg glanced back at the dancing crowd, he had lost sight of Loh and the captain.

“Don’t leave me hanging, kid,” Gale put down her empty mug.

The bartender took the mug and began to refill it without a word.

“Ah, right. I just wanted to say… Thank you, for saving me. I could have died today had it not been for you,” Stryg bowed his head. I was too weak.

“You can pay me back later,” she grinned.

“I swear I will, I don’t like debts,” Stryg nodded.

“Good man. I knew I couldn’t just let you die defending a descendant of Veres.”

“You people really are all about the Veres, huh?” Stryg muttered. 

“The Veres give us purpose, they are the best of the vampires. Under Ebon Lord Koval they helped unify this Realm and bring peace once. Even if the Ebon Lords are gone I believe the Veres can do it again.”

“I think you may have overestimated the capabilities of those Veres.”

“And what makes you believe that?”

“Not much,” Stryg shrugged. “Except that I easily defeated Callum Veres in mock practice, several times, like, so many times I can’t even recall. Your brother Clypeus could easily beat Callum, too.”

“Ah yes, Callum. He is a strange one. Clypeus only sees him for what he is, not for who he is. Callum knows he isn’t as talented as his siblings, yet, he works hard anyway. He doesn’t give up, despite the odds. If that’s not a trait of a leader then what is?”

“Working hard isn’t enough.” Stryg remembered how hard he trained back in Blood Fang, yet he lost his first night challenge anyway. He failed, despite working harder than everyone else.

“Hm, maybe,” Gale grabbed her refilled mug. “Or maybe you haven’t met the right Veres. You never know, they may just surprise you. There are quite a few, Callum has siblings, his eldest sister is especially impressive. Not to mention their father, Lord Veres IX. He is an incredible vampire and family leader.”

Stryg tapped the table, “Tell me, if this Lord Veres IX was horribly weak, would you still follow him?”

Gale laughed, “House Gale is sworn to protect House Veres, but we serve the rightful leader of the Veres family above all. Lord Veres IX would never have inherited the mantle of leadership from his mother had he not been chosen.”

“And what determines if someone is chosen?”

Gale tapped her foot, “That’s a great question. One that was once easy to answer. Like most Houses, heirs are chosen based on their skills, wisdom, and temperament. However, House Veres had a certain way to keep the line of succession clear.”

She went on, “Krikolm, the Veres ancestral sword, was the symbol of leadership within the family. The blade was bonded to the direct descendant and heir of the Veres. In other words, once the leader gave the sword to their elected heir there was no chance claimants could contest the heir.”

“But, the sword was destroyed, wasn’t it?” Stryg asked.

“It was lost,” Gale narrowed her eyes. “...Krikolm’s disappearance did however make things more difficult. There was no way to indicate clear succession without dispute. Like other Houses, the Veres leaders now announce their heir and hope that the rest of their children respect their decision after they pass away.”

“And do the children respect their decisions?”

Gale grinned, “Fortunately, that’s where we come in. I told you, House Gale is loyal to the rightful Veres family leader. With our House behind the Veres heir none of the others dare challenge them.”

“Selection for leadership seems fairly peaceful then,” Stryg noted. In sylvan tribes, goblins would fight to the death to see who would don the title of chieftain.

Gale took a long swig of her drink, “Hardly. So long as the heir isn’t chosen, the Veres children are allowed to challenge each other, it can get messy.”

“Why are you telling me all of this?” 

Gale leaned in, “I suggest you do not get too close to Callum if you do not wish to get embroiled in their battles.”

Stryg paused as he tried absorbing the information. “I’ll keep that in mind... Do you think Callum stands a shot at winning?”

If not, would that not mean Callum would be killed?

“Who knows,” Gale shrugged. “I heard Callum turned out to be a very talented white mage. The Veres are known for black magic and bright spells aren’t exactly looked upon well among vampires.”

“So, he’s already lost,” Stryg sighed.

“Maybe. Maybe not. It's not for me to say. My job is simply to watch and wait for Lord Veres to name his heir and to protect them. Beyond that, their politics do not concern me.”

In other words, unless Callum is named heir, he has no protection against his siblings, Stryg surmised. “What if Lord Veres chooses the wrong heir?”

“He won’t.”

“But, if he does, what will you do?”

“I would serve the true heir of House Veres, not a pretender who hasn’t been chosen,” Gale finished her drink. “Anyway, I’m glad you’re doing alright. Clypeus was right about your resilience. I’d really hate to see an up-and-coming prodigy mage destroyed over one mistake.”

“What does that mean?” Stryg gripped his mug.

“It means it’d be best if children do not try to interfere in matters they cannot handle, lest they end up food for monsters,” Gale said.

“...Are you really a grand swordmaster?” He eyed the longsword at her side.

“You best believe it,” she smirked. “On account of being Cly’s friend I’m telling you this. No academy is as safe as you might think, be careful,” she left her mug and walked away.

Stryg finished his water, “I need something stronger.”

“Right away,” the bartender nodded.

Loh came back, her face was flushed. “Damn, that woman can dance. And have you seen her thighs?”

“Yes? You do know I just saw her a few minutes ago?”

“Ugh, never mind,” Loh shook her head.

“Where did Captain go anyway,” Stryg looked around.

“I wish I knew. She said she had to leave. I was hoping to have a fun night with her,” Loh sighed.

“That woman seems off to me,” Stryg scanned the crowd.

“Everyone seems off to you, you're literally from a village full of savages.”

“The sylvan tribes aren’t savages. We just don’t have the same compunctions as everyone else seems to. It’s why we’re better warriors.”

“Yeah, well that’s a debate for another time. Anyway, you best get used to that Captain, because I managed to get us a spot on the Singing Willow caravan. They are leaving Mellow Bloom at the end of the week. Luckily, for us, they are heading to Hollow Shade next. So, we’ll be hitching a ride back with them.”

“We’re going home?” Stryg asked.

“Yeah.”

“That’s some good news,” he sighed in relief. 

He missed his large bed, the delicious endless kinds of food, but most of all, he missed two particular women.