Road less travelled

The morning rose to reveal the charred and coal covered cobblestones. The events of the morning hardly to be forgotten. The land caravan had come together and gotten all the useable or fixed carriages, wagons, and carts possible for travel and transport.

Many wagons had been repaired by the undead for weeks were in better condition than ever. Unfortunately there were no horses or beasts to pull them. But I fixed that problem nicely.

I used my claws to trace runes on the drivers seats to animate the carts. To make them move and turn according to how the driver pulled two straps at either side of him. It was a rather unique system. But it worked.

Many of the passenger and crew had started to make bowing gestures before getting onto the carts. Many showing less fear and more respect. Much like how the dwarves did in Belmac. And I'll admit that I felt better being respected than feared.

I didn't plan to stay with them for long. After they left the city I would depart for Hoffen to the south east. If that madman had gone there then I would catch him. And if I somehow missed him I'd find his traces again. I was willing to hunt this sick bastard to the ends of the earth.

As I drew close to the exit of the village I felt a hand grab my arm.

"We still have a matter to settle Lord Ignis." Amanda's voice sounded from my side. I hadn't noticed her after being so deep in thought.

I looked at her and gave her a slight nod before stepping to the side. Amanda had promised to follow me for a couple years. And I didn't want this happening on the water because it might peeve of Vara. So we settled for now.

The ceremony didn't take long. A drop of my blood in a goblet of wine and an oath from her sealed the deal. The pact was struck. She would follow me for 4 years. And if in that time she though I was unworthy of her fellowship then she could leave at any time she wished.

And with that my part was done. We followed the caravan for an hour before I informed Val and Kyle what I needed to do.

Kyle of course understood and was livid at the thought his brothers murderer was still out there.

"If I didn't have to return Val home I'd be coming with you! And because I'm not coming with you I want you to promise me something." Kyle growled.

Kyle was a seldom angry person. But the look on his face showed a very dark part of his personality. His eyes were red and his face slightly overshadowed in anger.

"Make sure he suffers the way he made my brother suffer. And more if that's possible." He growled trying to hand me a dagger.

I pushed the dagger back to him as I held up a clawed hand. "Many sharp points make for longer lasting pain." I grunted and he nodded as he slowly put the dagger away. "Just don't take too long. Id rather know a pair of twins still has their father and a wife is not a widow." He replied as I turned away.

I looked over my shoulder before giving a small nod and exploding into the air with a flap of my wings. The wind screamed as I skyrocketed into the clouds above. The cold air clearing my head a little amid the clouded anger and thoughts of what I was about to do.

I willed the map into view as a blue rectangle appeared. A green dot highlighting where I was. And a red one for where I wanted to go. A very simple thing to understand really.

And with that I flew towards Hoffen.

Hoffen-

Hoffen was a simple town. Known for nothing particular and seldom having visitors save for the young who got homesick or the old returning to their roots. The stores were small and the eateries or cafes were limited to two that had been there since the town's founding.

Boring would be the best way to describe it. As nothing ever happened

In a cellar below the only bar in town. The dank and bitter smell of alcohol permeated the fetid air. The wooden barrels of wine, mead, whiskey, and other assorted beverages lined large shelves. Some seemingly leaking drop by drop the very liquor contained as though they wished to burst and end their seemingly miserable rotting existences.

The cold stone floor was covered in thick dust that showed heavy and recent footprints. Ordinary footprints no. But of a clawed foot and a hole like a peg of a chair or stool.

"I have waited for you for 8 years Palisson! 8 years! Have you any idea what it has been like? Being among these filthy elves?!" A cracked aged and growling voice echoed heavily through the cellar. It's time carrying a dried almost choking sound like a throat gone without water for too long.

"I indeed have good reason my stalwart friend Maalog." (May-log).A English voice sounded. His tone was smooth and seemingly harmless. A man with charm without measure it would seem.

As the dark dusty room comes into full view at the back of the cellar. Where two cloaked figures stood. One a crocodile faced being. His face marred by scars so bad they made him look like a mummy with an eye missing and patched over with a sewn in leather patch. His remaining eye was greyed and seemingly blind. But at his side sat a pistol that looked like a flintlock. A glowing crystal sat at its hammer as the twisted muzzle seemed contorted out of shape.

His peg leg was his right foot. His left a gnarled and shrivelled alligators foot. A cloak of torn and browned curtains hung across his shoulders hiding a coiled and churning frame that despite his other looks bulged with power from beneath its hiding place. This was Maalog.

Palisson sat across him. A human man with a small scar across his lip leading to the tip of his nose. The only white and puckered Mar on his otherwise perfect features. A chiselled chin with a strong jaw. Short brown hair with piercing blue eyes that seems to draw in any who looked long enough.

A Playboy's face for sure one would think.

Palisson drew something from below the table. A bird cage covered in a scaled cloth. The sounds inside it echoed a hiss and crackle that almost sounded angry at the first sound. And slowly died into a hesitation or a stutter of swallowed anger.

"I've acquired enough power for us to make a move. But as you know already it's a very temperamental thing. And the last time we tried it went berserk. I had to use a town of dwarves twenty years ago to calm its bloodlust! So we'd better do this right this time. Or mother will be furious!" Palisson said as he looked around.

"And we can't have anybody saying a peep right?"He said looking over the side of the table at someone lying on the ground.

Maalog glanced over at it. "No worries. He won't be a problem." He grunted.

Palisson looked at him.

"How do you know that?"

Maalog smiled as he lifted the man up and saw Palissons face turn green.

"Old fools been dead for months. I've been impersonating him perfectly. Even his wife can't tell the difference. Though she doesn't know her son is a shifter either! Hehehe!" He let out a growling laugh as the bubbled and headless corpse slunk back to the floor with a squelch.

"Ah poor Barnabas should be turning over in his grave if he had one. Ahahaha!" Maalog continued to laugh at his own grotesque humor as Palisson tried his best not to puke.

"At least try to lay low a little longer. We can't screw this up. He said as he lifted the cage back to the ground where it bucked and hissed for a few moments before settling down again.

"I'll be back in a couple days. Got a visit to make and plans to make sure are in place. If anything happens send a message that there's trouble with this." Palisson held up a parchment scroll with a crimson seal of wax on it. "Just tear it and I'll know something happened to you.

He said as he handed it over getting up from his seat with the birdcage in hand.

As he approached the ladder reading out of the cellar he heard Maalog's voice.

"For the Glory of Mother." A grunt sounded.

The hooded Palisson nodded. "For the Glory of Mother." He whispered