Born a Monster

“It ends the threat of the deer.” Basilicus pointed out.

“And of this necromantic exploration. Ghouls are as nothing, but what if they go a step farther? I’m not wanting to face a vampire, even in the form of a deer.” Maximus said.

And so the axefolk rushed forward, cheered on by the youth. And yes, the entire herd was watching. With the threat of a ghoul suddenly showing up while the leadership was off waging war... Well, it was common sense to keep them close.

Again, the deer lit oil, and again the assault fell back (this time without leaving a casualty behind). And the herd began setting up camp right there outside the range of the stable’s weapons.

“Again,” I said, “we should be making haste to the elven wood, and to Achaea beyond.”

“Again,” Maximus replied, “I hear your words and ignore them.”

Basilicus snorted.

“Are we still set to be through the gate in two days?” Imperious Emptor asked. He was a lithe warrior, a spearman, and his eyesight... well, it was good enough out to the range of his spear. His System was... patchy, perhaps, is the best way to say it. The linguistics and most of the perception skills just weren’t there, and instead of nutrition readouts, he just had a hunger meter.

.....

There are probably other deficiencies that I didn’t know about, but his System did record his memories, allowing him to store them and play them back.

[Cost: 210 development points, focus here to purchase.]

Pass. Hard pass, even if I could afford it, which, no of course I couldn’t.

Basilicus pumped his neck in the manner of Othello minotaurs to indicate a nod. “We make good progress. If someone could make more healing potions...”

“Magic requires mana.” I said.

“...if there were more or better healing potions, then we could do more, or at least spend less time healing between assaults.”

“Well,” Imperious said, “why are they just sitting there, waiting for it?”

“Explain using more words.” Maximus said.

“At this point, it’s clear we’re going in, and we’re going to kill them all. Even a fellow minotaur would at least be trying to save the children. Yet they send no envoy.”

They looked at me.

“Did you at any point in the past few days kill a deer draped in white?” I asked.

“Was that their envoy?” Basilicus asked. “Oh. Uh. Oops.”

“What would monsters have to say, that we would want to listen to?” Maximus asked. “We set up convoy schedule to the river. Everyone bathes, everyone helps get water.”

“Which is boiled?” I asked.

“Of course.” Maximus said. “We’ll have enough problems with the coming spring storms without adding needless disease to the list.”

A tiny victory, but at this point, I was willing to take what I could get.

“Are you going to point out that the elves have dry spots under their trees for us?” Basilicus asked.

I shrugged. “I think I know what’s going on, and I can’t stop it.”

“Am I late to the conversation?” Imperious asked.

Maximus flexed his neck. “Our short companion has been trying to avoid the coming bloodshed since before we set hoof on this land. We keep telling him that we must remove this encampment of deer completely, and it is good to hear he is finally listening.”

“I don’t agree.” I said. “I just finally realized that it’s not a discussion I can win because to your mind, to Basilicus’ mind, possibly even to Imperious, there is nothing to be discussed.”

Imperious blinked. “If you want to leave, then go. But these monsters have killed our young. They must be brought to justice by axe and spear. Death alone can answer for death.”

I shook my head. “I mistook this as being unique to Rakkal, to his brothers and sister. But I see now it is either genetic or possibly inherent to your culture.”

Basilicus waved his hand. “All adults care for all children, and remove dangers from their path. This is the nature of being an adult. If I get to remove some animals that think themselves to have the rights of people, so much the better.”

“It is the curse of time,” Maximus said, “that we can only choose our actions, and not the outcomes they lead to. There is no looking back, only making certain the next generation never has to deal with this problem.”

I do not record this conversation to excuse my failure to persuade the herd away from what came after two days; I merely wish to explain that yes, I tried repeatedly and with different words to find another outcome. And no, I obviously did not succeed.

And so it was too days later that Maximus gave his speech.

“You all know what lurks in the night, even in this shadow of the rain clouds, and desires to find you, alone. So we will not leave any of us alone. Everyone fights; but fight to finish this. No playing with the wounded; just kill them. A week, these monsters have taken from us. Let them have not an instant more than to do what we must.

“What we must!” bellowed a youth.

“Because we must!” one of the adolescent girls shouted. “For so long as we must!”

And these few words stirred their emotions, to where they almost smothered their axe men and woman against the very gate they were trying to break.

It broke; they entered.

The final combat began.

I already had my shield out, and a skinning knife. “I tried to stop this.” I said.

“I know. I saw.” the Hierarch said, stepping from the brush. He flashed me a smile with his new teeth. “You could have warned them.” he said.

I sighed, closed my eyes. When I opened them, his face was inches from mine. “You’ve seen what they are. What they are like.”

“I have. I have.” he said. “Tell me, when did you first know it was me?”

“When you came from the bushes.” I said.

“No. Surely not.”

“My name is Rhishisikk, and among other things, I am a Truthspeaker. I literally cannot lie to you.”

He chuckled. “The other two are in the fever right now.” he said. “Tell me, did you know that ghouls breed?”

“I’ve never seen a young ghoul.” I said. “But I don’t doubt they can.”

“It will take generations.” he said, “But this area will be claimed by the deer again.”

“Deer with ghoulish diets.”

He turned his head slightly. “Deer and not deer. Fear Deer, if you want to call us that.”

“I don’t.” I said. “I’m sorry, but none of this is amusing to me.”

“If I ask one thing from you, do you promise to listen?”

“Of course.” I said.

“Their hearts.” he said. “Whatever else happens today, promise me you’ll bury their hearts.”

“Or see them burned.” I said. “My friends deserve at least that much. To not be brought back as ghoul servants.”

“See you do this, shaman. And know that the Fear Deer will be watching you.”

“I’m not calling you that.” I said.

I returned to digging small graves, each three hands deep, and large enough to drop a four chambered heart into. Even with my early start, there were not enough.

“Here.” Basilicus said, shoving a full size shovel into my hands. “We lost some as well; we need full size, proper graves for them.”

“Do we have a count of the fallen? Among your enemies?” That was when the wind shifted, and I scented it. “Why do I smell smoke?”

He snorted. “Astor has two levels of Alchemist. She has been able to mix a powder to kill off douseweed.”

“But that’s...” I said.

“The biggest pyre seen in this section of the woods in many generations.” he said. “But we are not barbarians, to burn our dead in the same fire as we do our enemies. And YOU should have been gathering wood for those, like Maximus told you to.”

“He did no such...”

“Finish that sentence.” Basilicus said. “I may prefer the axe, but I can kill you with a shovel.”

I looked at him. Really, really, looked at him, through my reticule.

He snorted. “What? You considering whether you should lick my groin or something?”

“Basilicus,” I said. “If there ever comes a time when you wake screaming from a nightmare about this time, I want you to remember one thing.”

“What, that I’d have done the same if I’d been born a deer?”

“Know, Basilicus, that as you stand here, wet and wounded, tired and cranky and whatever other emotions you are feeling...”

“Yes?” he asked.

“Know that I can find no trace of any of the four kinds of Taint in your aura.” I finished.

He snorted, then chuckled, then laughed. “THAT is what you wish me to know? That I am pure? Capable of good?”

“I find no trace of compulsion or control laid upon you.” I said. “Your will has been your own, through all of this.”

He gasped for breath among his laughter. “Dig.” he wheezed. “Dig proper ash pits for the fallen.”

There were not enough graves.

.....