Storm Brewing

The rain had worn the four's spirits down like sandpaper. When they got back to the Virility household, they met equally as soaked guards, who were standing in front of the gate. They were let in without a word. As they entered, soaking the wooden floor of the mansion, Liz brought them towels to dry off. Jameson was the quickest to dry off. He covered himself with the towel and shook like a dog by using his silver life essence, knocking all water from his body. Just before he disappeared inside the mansion, he turned to the three and said, "I'll inform lord Virility of your success. Go get some rest."

When the three were dried off, they were sat at the dining table, where they inhaled Owen's food. All manners were tossed out the window along with the silverware. By the end of the "meal" their fingers were covered in grease. Thomas stood up, his now-round belly hitting against the edge of the table. "Welp, I better get some sleep like Jameson suggested." As he waddled off, he pulled a handkerchief out and wiped the mess off his shirt. Doevm finished his helping and hurried away as well: "I better go to sleep as well." Frey was hovering above a massive plate of bacon, enjoying every bite like it was his last.

"That's odd," Liz, who was bringing more food to the table, said. "I thought Doevm's room was on the other side of the mansion, away from the library - Thomas's room too. I must be getting old." She put the food down and left. Frey happily munched on the bacon before he nearly choked in realization. He stuffed the food in his spatial ring and snuck out just before Owen entered the room.

The chef put his hands on his stained apron: "They didn't even say thank you…" he walked back to the kitchen to clean up the vat of grease from a day of hard work.

Frey used his life essence, quickly catching up to Doevm and Thomas, who were in a room that he thought was useless. That was, until he spotted the painting flung wide open like a door. A ray of light shone through it. After moving his life essence from his legs to his eyes, he could see the library on the other side. Reginald was sat at his desk, engaged in a conversation with Jameson.

"We're not as little as we used to be," Doevm muttered as he shoved Thomas aside for room.

"How do you even know about this spot?" Thomas asked as he shoved his opponent aside.

"Both of you," Frey picked them both up by their shirts. "Just sit down and use life essence to enhance your hearing and sight. We don't need to fight each other." He pulled up a couch and the three sat in it.

"That's what I was trying to tell him," Doevm threw his hands up. "But he just started shoving me for no reason." Frey made sure to take the middle. As their blue life essence surrounded their faces, the conversation between Jameson and Reginald went from muffled words to coherent dialogue.

…

Jameson brought the head out, making sure to place it in a bowl so the black substance wouldn't drip on the desk. The head shrunk from a watermelon to a fist. Its facial features turned from an ugly ape-like rage to a mess of wrinkles. The eyes poured out smoke as they disappeared. Reginald looked up from his map. "While I am flattered, I am not some god that demands satanic rituals for appeasement." He clasped his hands together and leaned away from the head, fanning the smell away. "Please tell me. Why is there a severed head on my desk? Why couldn't we go outside where the smell would have dissipated?"

"It's important." Jameson said as he brought out his broken spear and placed it next to the head. "This thing attacked me and I killed it."

"Yes, that is evident by its current state." Reginald walked to the side of the room and opened the library's windows and curtains, but Jameson closed them.

"It managed to scratch me several times." Jameson pointed to his shallow wounds. "And it didn't go down easily."

"Oh." Reginald sat back down and rested his chin on his hands. "But you had a blunt spear. Aren't you overthinking it? Maybe you're just getting rusty."

"I may have had a blunt spear," Jameson looked at the ceiling as if reliving the memory of the battle. "But that doesn't matter in my hands. My armor was broken by a swipe of its claws. I cut it down, several times. It refused to die. When I finally beheaded it, it kept moving, flailing its arms around in a wild frenzy. I assure you; this is real and dangerous."

"But you killed it," Reginald shoved the head to the corner of his desk. "And I've heard no reports of something like this, so isn't this problem over?"

"It was a man with blue life essence." Jameson slammed his hands on the desk, nearly knocking the books off. "A man that managed to harm me, someone with silver life essence. This wasn't an accident. He turned into whatever this is," He pointed to the head. "in front of me. What if I wasn't the target? The Knights Academy tournament is in a week. Thomas was in the area."

Reginald looked straight at the head for the first time, into its empty eye sockets. "Then that is troubling." He stayed quiet for a couple of minutes - his gaze glued to the head. His eyes moved back and forth like he was looking at various ways to deal with the issue. "Go find Wade and fill him in. I need him to travel with the three kids. Tell him prepare to leave for Draken to meet with the noble counsel. I want a full description of this thing, its abilities, everything. Write it all in the message that Wade will deliver. Keep this a secret, lest rumors start to spread. I can't have my people suspecting each other."

"And what should I do?" Jameson asked. "Go with the three or stay with you?"

Reginald paused, his mouth opening and closing without a noise. He glanced at the painting that hung over his fireplace, as if he knew the three were listening behind it. "I can't keep Thomas trapped. He needs to grow up and learn to walk without someone holding his hands. It's dangerous, but Doevm will keep him safe. He probably already knows what this thing is and its weaknesses. He also has Frey, but…"

…

Frey stood up, nearly knocking the couch over. "I'm going to train," he scowled as he stormed out of sight. Thomas and Doevm looked at each other, then to the door he had slammed on his way out. One of its hinges had been damaged along with the doorknob that had been squeezed into the shape of his hand. They shrugged and returned their focus to the library.

…

"When I am eventually targeted," Reginald said as he moved the head to the side and moved some pieces on the map. "they will come after my fields. That is why I want you here."

"You make it sound like this is a group," Jameson said. "It was just one man. While there can be others, I don't think-"

"Jameson, the country is in a volatile state right now." Reginald stood up and paced around the room. "The other nobles have been preparing for something. The war has ended but my roses keep getting bought. Normally, things should have returned to normal by now. Sales should have slowed by in the last month of the war, yet they have increased exponentially. Something is brewing. I need to be prepared for when the storm comes. Let's find Wade." Jameson put the head back in his spatial ring and followed Reginald out of the room.

…

Thomas smiled as he turned his attention away from the hole. "It seems my father has a lot of faith in you. When we leave tomorrow, I'll be in your care." Doevm was already gone.