A violent thunderstorm raged overhead as the rain poured harder still. The blue moon had vanished behind thick, brooding clouds, casting the world into a darkness that felt almost wicked. Lightning lashed the ground in relentless bursts, while fierce winds howled and twisted through the night, bending the trees into a chaotic dance with every gust
Through the storm, a man dragged his feet toward a nearby hut, his cloak pulled low over his head. The wind clawed at it relentlessly, nearly tearing it away.
"Oh dear Anitehr, forgive us our sins!"
"Oh dear Anitehr, forgive us our sins!"
"Oh dear Anitehr, forgive us our sins!"
"Oh dear Anitehr, forgive us our sins!" he shouted into the roaring storm, his voice barely carrying through the howling wind as he pressed forward, praying he wouldn't be swept away by the wind or struck by lightning.
As he neared the hut, the sounds of frantic voices and desperate prayers reached his ears. Stepping inside, he was met with a chaotic scene.
A naked, light-skinned woman with arctic blue hair and piercing blue eyes lay on a bed, legs spread wide as she screamed in agony. Beside her, another woman urged her to push, guiding her through childbirth while others around them chanted fervent prayers. A painted symbol was drawn on the woman's belly, and a priest stood nearby, steadily sprinkling ash from a bowl onto her.
The man hesitated, throat tightening, then made his way toward a tall figure standing silently in one corner—six feet tall, dark-skinned, with long, braided black hair and intense, shadowed eyes. His hands were clasped in solemn stillness.
"Gal," he called before reaching close to the man. "They are coming."
The man's face turned grim instantly upon hearing the words. He was well aware of 'who' was coming, and it scared him to death.
He subtly nodded to two other men in the room and they both rushed out to meet a group of men that had just arrived.
The men were walking under the rain but it didn't bother them. It was as though the rain disappeared before it reached their body. They each wore clothes made of animal hide and skin, with axes in their hand, strapped around their back, or in their belt.
One of the men walked forward to meet Gal and his companions. He was a little fat and had tattoos all over his bald head. His eyes were green and they glowed bright in the dark.
"Gal, my dearest, I've come to collect!" He yelled, his voice rivalling the storm.
"Please, Eeor, spare us this time for we have nothing to give… my wife is trying to bring a child into this world."
The man named Eeor burst into laughter.
"With this cruel weather, one will say that the child is cursed, but not me… so let's see this child."
He pushed through Gal and led his men to the only hut that was lit with light from the inside.
As he entered the room, the people around quickly jumped out of fear, hugging the wall as they tried not to get any closer to the green-eyed man.
He laughed.
"Whoa! She is close, come on, push, push harder."
The woman began to hyperventilate and her eyes rolled upwards.
The white bed below her had been completely covered with blood but still no progress in delivering the child.
The midwife who was assisting her turned to Gal. "The child is not going to make it this way, we have to cut her open."
"No," Gal shook his head.
"You heard her."
Eeor pulled out a dagger and strode closer to the naked lady.
"We have to cut her open."
Gal tried to stop Eeor but was hit and held down by the latter's partners forcing him to watch as the latter towered over the lady. He mercilessly stabbed the dagger into the top of her belly and began tearing it down.
The woman screamed in agony and trembled as Eeor cut open her belly, spilling blood all around. The priest quickly moved closer and began using his healing Act on the woman.
Eeor pulled out the child and everyone in the room gasped out of shock and fear. The child had no eyes and its lower body was missing.
"Cursed."
Eeor dropped the body on the bed next to its mother and then turned to his men.
"Take the priest."
Without hesitation, one of the men took out his axe and did away with the priest's head before dragging him out of the hut.
Eeor looked around the room, his green eyes glowed even brighter as he scanned every person in the room until he set eyes on a young lady hiding behind the midwife.
He slapped the midwife out of his path and grabbed the girl by her wrist. She struggled to escape but eventually gave up. Eeor stabbed his dagger into her rib, ending her life before throwing her body to his partner.
He then wiped the blood from his dagger on his forearm before turning to Gal.
"I will be back by the next full moon. Make sure you have someone with much energy to give, if not, I'll burn this whole village to the ground."
Gal turned to the baby lying motionless on the bed then at the midwife before looking at his wife who continued to breathe heavily though her wounds had been healed.
"We have to get rid of that baby."
The woman picked up her child and held it close to her chest. "N-no! Please, don't do this! My child."
Gal slapped the woman across the face and seized the cursed child from her before rushing out into the storm.
.
.
.
Eryth jolted awake, eyes snapping open as he shot upright. His chest heaved with sharp, uneven breaths.
"Having nightmares?"
Eryth turned his head to see Danila staring at him with a small smile on her face.
"I… can't remember what it was," he said with his brows furrowed in a frown, trying to recall what the dream was.
Danila moved closer to the mage and placed her palm on his forehead.
"You're burning up, are you sick?" She queried.
Eryth shook his head while sitting up straight. "Nope, I'm fine, it happens every time I take a nap—" His words trailed off as he noticed what she was wearing.
Danila wore a sheer, flowing shirt that draped down to her knees, delicate and revealing in the soft early morning light.
[Do you like it?]
Eryth pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Are you doing this because of the Azkaal thing?"
[That and I also genuinely want to try it]
Eryth got up on his feet and slipped his sword into his belt while letting out a soft chuckle.
[Why are you laughing?]
"You're cute when you try to be all hot and sexy." He extended his arm to help her up.
Eryth slowly lifted Danila, slipping an arm around her waist and drawing her close until their faces were just inches apart. She gasped sharply as his lips grazed the corner of her mouth, then trailed up to her ear.
"Even if I want to," he whispered, his voice low and steady, "I want it to be special… since it's your first time."
Then he pulled back.
Blutox cleared his throat, causing the fairy to shy away quickly. Eryth laughed and started towards the Blue Kanrei.
"Hey, Blutox, fine morning isn't it?"
Blutox's eyes moved in the direction of Danila before settling on Eryth.
"I'm going forward."
"Right. I've been meaning to ask, where do you plan on going? I don't suppose you came out to walk with me."
He picked up his backpack and strapped it behind his back.
"No, I didn't."
"I know very little about my clan or how to control my Invisibility Act, so I was hoping maybe if I visit the other Kanrei clans, I'll know a bit more about the Blue or my Act."
Eryth nodded understandably. "I see. Is it okay if I come with you? I mean, I know nowhere and would just end up wondering about hopelessly."
"Sure, whatever."
He turned and they started walking down the hill.
....
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