The Beast that Breathes Death

The morning sun rose above the quiet plains of craggy and jagged boulders with damp moss and the low-hanging mist borne from the accursed river.

Dotting the scape with an abundance of craters and haunting cries as northern winds sweep through the gargantuan bones that littered the scene.

While scavengers picked at the dried and picked clean bones and parasites scattered out of the baking corpses.

A green-cloaked figure took aim. Letting loose one arrow after another into the field as they exhaled.

They took scope of the scene once more, watching the descending carrion feeders as they made for the newly offered meat. As the figure pulled their cloak over their matted braids of a fiery hue before padding the ground and taking their rest.

By the time the sun was setting for the afternoon, the citizens of Mannheim were assaulted by a foul stench accompanying a single cart being drawn into town.

A smell so heinous that by the time the stranger had arrived at the Town Hall, the city's guards were assembled and stood waiting by the Town Hall.

Stuffed and rotund frame barely bound by his belt fastened around his auburn robes. With a few tamed tufts of hair along the sides of his face joined to a thick grey beard being greased by the fat from the boar he was helping himself to.

Chewing incessantly the figure standing with the group of guards at the helm, he looked like a man annoyed at having to miss his dinner to deal with this.

While more of the disturbed citizens wandered outside the Hall and gathered by the street to seek the source of the stench, the cart finally stopped.

"Lord Tuluin, Mayor of Mannheim has arrived to me you. Speaking on behalf of the people of this great town, Mannheim, you have been ordered you to stop your cart and leave" the guards announced.

The red-haired hunter pulled back the reins of his horse. Getting off his cart and moving to the back of it, he pulled off the tarp and grabbed something that gave a wet squirm as he lifted it.

Walking up to the gathering of guards, the wretched smell close enough to the guards before they armed themselves. He tossed the thing onto the floor.

"Yronhide Basilisk. They were plaguing the border near the Rhine. Brought on by the stench of war. All the withered crops in the area were evidence enough"

"...You can't be serious. We thought them to simply be vultures"

"...Vultures don't ruin a whole farm's crops with a breath"

"Well done sir, you have done our town a great service with your act. You would be doing us an equally grand honor by removing the noxious crops from our homes."

"There is no need, I am no knight, nor am I a lord deserving of such. And if you want to make sure whatever was scratching at your fence doesn't break in, I suggest you burn this, head and all. The scent will ward any dangers away"

"Oh, well thank you all the same. Please stay, we would celebrate your feat." Cleaning the bone of the last of its met as he spoke.

"No thank you. The Vyszaard Guild will send for my payment so there is no cause for concern." The hunter took off, heading for a nearby inn for the first decent meal he had in several days.

Finding himself a quiet corner, he asked for some Radler beer and several slices of Zwiebelkuchen.

When a group of Vysaard Knights entered the same inn.

"Well that was just great. Sent to clear out a monster request and what do we find, a few scavengers and a half-dead wyvern. Sigh, at least we can take that to the guild."

"I heard rumors that someone manage to resolve the matter in the days it took for us to get here. Quite unlikely as far as I can tell." One of their ranks responded.

"So then Captain, since we have time to spare how about we take the time to enjoy ourselves?"

"I would rather have my peace, eat my meal and take a bath after that long trip."

"If you want I could give you a massage to ease the woes of our travels?"

"You could if you're a better warrior than me" she answered before finding a seat, only to notice the stranger's vibrant hair.

Which interested her even more as she watched him enjoying his drink by himself while the room was alive with tales and laughter, he was the only one seemingly lost in thought.

"Do you need something? of me?" the stranger asked her, realizing that she was now staring.

"Oh my apologies. That wasn't my intention to bother you."

"That's quite alright, though your order of knights are loud enough to bother the entire town"

"They are just tired from their long journey. You know our duty is a demanding one"

"I cannot say that I would, my lady, this is the first time I've seen any of you" the stranger answered, before stranding up and informing the barkeep that his payment will arrive in the morning.

As he left, he almost walked into the knights only to step between them with such ease that Mirella questioned what she had seen.

Never been a fan of the other people, and honestly had it not been for the beasts feeding off the corpse he left, he would have returned to the forest, but while he was still in the town, he might as well take the opportunity to get himself some sleep.

"Knock-Knock. Sir hunter?"

"Hmm?" he wandered over to the door and opened it.

Finding a homely-looking young girl with dark shoulder-length hair and even darker eyes. Though her unique features couldn't hide her dark circles and worn fingers.

"Your payment for the request was received by Mannheim, as such, I was sent to deliver it to you, and myself. Our lord found it a fitting prize for one such as myself"

"Hmmm, tell me. Why didn't you just take it for yourself and run?" taking the pouch that was starting to overwhelm her.

"What's the point of trying to start a new life with tainted riches? I would lose them or even more by the time I got away" smiling a weighted smile.

"Besides my lord, I wasn't meant for you as a serf...but...but...I can be. I am what my lord desires."

"Well, I have no need for a serf. So you can be off" his words almost sent her into a panic as she tried to convince her of her worth, willing to do anything for him—

Removing several coins from the bag before tossing the entire sack at her

"You can go start your new life, I'm sure your family will be looking forward to it, that you didn't abandon them. If you need shelter or refugee you should seek out the Vyszaard Guild"

"Sir...how did..."

"You refused to run...most of the time people on do that if there are people that need them" He points out before ushering her out the door. They descended the stairs and she thanked him the entire time on her way out while he paid the barkeep his tab.

"I hadn't thought this was that kind of establishment. I wonder what she could have done to get such a payment?" One of the knights teased the hunter. While the barkeep shot him a strange glance.

"Nothing, she was in need and I was not"

The bar erupted into hearty laughter before more of them asked if the hunter was a rich baron or the son of one.

"No, I am a hunter. Only in your town after taking a request"

"Oh, and you spent your hard-earned wages hunting foxes and deer on a whore?"

"...You aren't paid this much gold if all you're hunting are deer."

"..." Bringing a sudden silence that was enough for one to hear the clearing of the knight's throat as he asked for the same order.

"Hang on, are you telling me you're the bastard that completely the request? We spent four days getting here" The drunkest of the knights stood and walked up to him.

Grabbing his shoulder in frustration, and asking him again.

"Him, humph. You can't expect me to believe that..." More of his companions added, but the stranger just got his drink and found himself a seat at the back.

Sitting not too far from him was their commander. With Mirella was sitting surprised to see the hunter once again, now finding herself beside him

"Are you surprised to see me, dear hunter?"

"You would be hard to miss...your order's armor is quite garish" The hunter let out a chuckle as he spoke.

"...you don't really engage with many people do you?" The Captain teased the moment she noticed his reaction as she shifted her seat to face him.

"Not really"

From across their two tables, they continued their exchange. The hunter words were short and certain, but still possessed of interest even asking questions of his own of the Captain, who appeared taken the more of the hunter she learned.

"Hey! I'm talking to you" The drunkest amongst the knights lifted him by his shirt before tossing him out of the window. Looking down on him, though it was only after Mirella told him to stay that he held himself and returned to his drink.

The hunter dragged himself into the inn before placing another coin on the barkeep's bar.

"For...the window" Before he took his meal upstairs.

The next morning a thick hazy mist blanketed the entire city. With a larger force of guards posted at the gates of the city under the Mayor's orders. They stood at the ready, awaiting someone with a peculiar order.

Baring his leave, the guards presented the hunted with their order.

Hearing their command so early in the morning, the stranger relented on the condition that he was offered breakfast.

A light meal of bread with a waterskin of sweet milk was handed to him despite the protests of a fledgling guardsman as they accompanied him to the City Hall.

Sniffing their air as he travelled with the guard company, one of them was getting annoyed and threw him a rag to clean his nose, but the stranger ignored him, once they arrived to meet the mayor who was now speaking with the Vyszaard Knights.

"Finally, you've decided to show your face" Mayor Tuluin spoke with none of the same hospitality as before.

"I was on my way out of town when your guards said you were looking for me? If you don't mind I would like to be on my way before the midday sun is high."

"Oh, so it's you. Why would you ask for us if that damned hunter is already here?" The same knight that he met spoke shrewdly of him.

"Apologies sir. He is just riled from the long journey, please pay him no mind" Mirella bowed in front of the hunter who seemed unwilling to shake his annoyance.

"You didn't do it did you, the one thing I told you to do and you didn't do it?"

"...Eh, that's not why I brought you here"

"My lord, what has happened that requires our involvement?" She asked after calming her fellowship down.

"...nothing more than what he was paid to do. You were called to complete the task we sent your Guild for. Those beasts are returning, and they seem to have their sights on the town."

"Sigh..."

"What did you do with it?"

"..."

"If you don't tell the truth then you might as well start praying to the gods because even I won't be able to help you."

"..."

"Lord Tuluin...please work with us" While the stranger spoke with no respect for his position, Mirella was different, her respect and the manner she carried herself made it easier for him to listen.

Her beauty would do well to hold his attention to her.

"We tossed it into the river. The creatures of the town were rowdy and the people couldn't stand the scent. Would you have me put to the stake over some corpse?"

"That scent was the reason they never left the Bone Canyon. When the flesh dries out, the scent quickly becomes unnoticeable to men and cattle. But not to beasts. You just took the only fence your city had and torched it"

Staring into the mayor's eyes and causing him to stumble back, while the guards fumbled to get him to his feet.

He rustled his hair, getting it out of his eyes before leaving.

"Wh...where are going?"

"Leaving, and if you don't want to perish by dusk you'll do the same" only for the guards to bar his exit.

"Please. I beg of you. I'll give you anything you want just make this go away"

"What you offer me won't matter once those things come back. Your time as mayor is about to come to a ruinous end"

"...then why, why did you help us to start if you would leave innocent men, women and children to perish because of something you didn't do well?" He pestered him with a huffing breath.

Sharply turning to him, the expression he quickly hid was enough to have the knights reaching for their weapons:

"...If I do this, you will listen and listen well. You will do exactly as I say. And if all fails, it'll be on your head" looking past the mayor.

"Well of course. You are my charges. I have asked for you so you will serve in any capacity I see fit." He huffed before pushing her in front of him.

"I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to her. I seem to have a knack for dealing with stubborn people, so can I count on you to do that for me, can I count on you to listen to what I have to say?"

"Yes, you can." She answered as if she was already aware of the nature of his request.

"Captain, hold on. You can't just decide on something like this, this man, we don't know anything about him.

"That is true. And he has no obligation to be here, but he is. I'm not interested in working with people that can say all the right things when things are well and good.

True integrity is tested in adversity. So tell, me stranger, what should I call you?" she asked with a kind smile.

Looking at her for a moment, and noticing that she didn't seem keen on backing down, he eventually gives in. Shaking her hand as he said:

"Gode"

"That is a grand name. You may refer to me as Captain Mirella, it's a pleasure to meet you, Gode. Now, what would you have us do?"

"Bring me as many of your livestock as you are able"

"Do you have any idea how much all that cattle is worth, you'd have us waste time kraaling them instead of fortifying the city" the same knight spoke up, seemingly sharing in the sentiments of the listeners.

"If losing a number of your cattle is far too great of a cost for Mannheim's coffers, then several hundred people should be enough, of your own choosing. Who they are matters not to me"

"You would jest with the lives of innocents at stake, you'd make light of such enormous bloodshed?" grabbing Gode by the collar as he readied his throw similar to the previous night, he had grown quite confident in his capacity to do so.

But this time, Gode did not budge, reaching for the knight's hand, he answered:

"If a drunk were to slight me, I would only blame the drink. If a well in his wits knight were to strike me, I would act accordingly to defend myself. I don't seek a fight, but I am more than willing to unhand anyone that may desire to raise theirs against me" Twisting his wrist and kicking his knee in one swift motion, he forced the knight to his knees and his comrades to arms.

The whole room, watched him for his next move, wondering how he would choose to respond, but Gode simply acted accordingly to his words, tossing his hand away from him before stepping back.

"The beast that breaths dead also feeds on it,"

"Are you mad, do you truly intend on luring one of those beasts here? That's...that"

"It could work, mayor Tuluin. That's why you need the livestock. You mean to use them to craft a battlefield of your own making?"

"That beast does not hunt for its food, it prefers to scavenge from fresh corpses. Once it's dead, we'll be able to do what you failed to, and this time before you consider not taking my advice, remember what it cost your Mannheim" Gode spoke his last words before stepping past the guards barring the door.

Mirella helped up her fellow knight before explaining to the mayor that they needed his cooperation. And while his fury did seem to put him beyond any reason, he knew that the danger was coming and he had to do something.

His frustration shook his larded arm as he waved away his guards and the knights alike, clearing the path as Mirella took off hoping to catch up to the hunter.