On the border of the Gelarin Kingdom and the wildlands lies a village named Grasmere. Just north of the village were the beautiful and mystifying white peaks of the Wolfpine Mountains. These mountains formed a natural barrier between the kingdom and the wildlands, or how most viewed it, between civilization and chaos. The wildlands were a lawless area where nomads, slavers, monsters, and strange beings roamed. It was a land where strength and power was the only thing that mattered. 

Although the village was a few kilometers from the wildlands, it was still common for hunters or farmers to disappear or be found torn to shreds by some monster. It was for this reason that all the buildings were made from thick hardy materials and there was a wooden palisade around the village. 

This was the frontier where life was simple, and blood was cheap. The villages and towns that were near the wildlands were filled with hardy folk. These people didn't care about a person's past and only worried that you pulled your weight. The region became a haven for those wanting to escape the eyes of the law or the bloodhounds of the church. 

Grasmere village mainly relied on agriculture, but money could also be made harvesting the bounty of the forest or hunting monsters. That is, if you were willing to risk your life for it. Usually, the only visitors were tax collectors or a traveling merchant looking for materials or ingredients collected from the wildlands. 

For the villagers that called Grasmere home, the day started early in the morning. Such frontier villages didn't have any reliable method to track the time. So the villagers slept with the setting of the sun and rose with the call of the roosters. It was a slow life.

For Urixikas Talons, or as the villagers called her Uri, most mornings began with a cold and uncomfortable visit to the outhouse. After that, she would prepare herself breakfast, which was usually cold leftovers of dinner. However, today she decided to treat herself and had wheat oatmeal, dried fruit, and some cooked eggs.

After breakfast, she would go to her store and take a quick inventory of what she had. She owned one of the few stores in the village and mainly dealt with monster hides and herbs harvested from the wildlands. After taking account of everything she had and what she didn't, Uri opened her door to customers. Most of the people who bought from her were hunters or traveling merchants. At noon, the village bell would toll, telling everyone it was lunchtime. 

Uri ate lunch while she worked alone in her store. It was for the best, given her status as an Odio. Although the villagers of Grasmere didn't cause her any problems, she didn't want to ruin a good thing. Because her blood was mixed with that of a demon, people often feared her and would run her out of towns and villages. Now she had finally settled in Grasmere. Her demon blood wasn't something she could hide, it was very noticeable given her appearance. Rough red skin with sharp black fingernails made it hard to keep a low profile. 

Although she was only 15, her height was on par with most men and she featured quite an athletic build. Uri had an edgy, beautiful face, with long, wavy black hair and golden eyes. On her right cheek were three small scars she had gotten when she was a child. 

After lunch, it was back to work, making sure she had all her orders ready for the traveling merchants that would arrive any day now. As the sky went red and gold, she would return home to eat dinner. Dinner was a simple stew with potatoes, carrots, and a few scraps of beef. After the meal, she would sit in silence on her bed, dreaming of the day she earned more money. Uri thought about what she would do and how much her life would change if she earned more money. It wouldn't take long before her eyes became heavy, and she fell asleep. 

Waking up to the call of the rooster, Uri lazily curled her toes and rolled her neck. Taking a long breath in, she let out a long sigh before rubbing her eyes. Uri glanced around the apartment, making sure nothing had changed. She swung her legs across the bed, pushing herself up, Uri got out of bed. Another day, another coin, she thought to herself, walking to the kitchen. 

For Uri, coming to this village was the best choice she could have made. Since coming here, she had lived a relatively stable life. She could even see that some of the villagers viewed her as one of them. Although a tad boring and uneventful, she was happy if this life continued.

She quickly sat down and ate some oats and apples, pondering all the things she had to do that day. Uri placed the bowl of oats down and sat back in her chair. She propped her feet on the table and leaned back until the chair she was on was balancing on two legs. She crossed her slender but toned arms in front of her. 

Little by little she had saved up her money, storing it away in a safe place. Now she had accumulated enough money to do something meaningful. She could improve her store or perhaps do something for the house. The problem Uri was facing was on using the money. This was the largest amount of money she had ever had, and she didn't want to part with it. 

Uri shook her head frantically, dispelling her thoughts, before getting up from the table. After cleaning the table and dishes, she put on some clothes and walked out of the door towards her store. The morning sun was just rising over the mountains, its rays warming her skin. The morning dew on the grass and trees made them glisten as if they were jewels. She saw the sun-tanned farmers heading to their fields and gave them a friendly wave. Most ignored her, but there was a handful that waved back. It didn't bother her though; them ignoring her was better than them hating her. 

Uri quickly made her way to her little shop, fumbling with the keys before opening the thick wooden door. She then opened the shutters on the small windows, letting the morning light fill the store. Uri then lazily walked back to the door and reached out and grabbed a worn-out sign. She opened the door and stepped outside, hanging the sign on the door, letting everyone know that the store was open. 

Uri made her way back into the store and settled behind the counter. She pulled out a small leather-bound book from underneath the counter. Opening it up, she began to re-check her inventory and upcoming orders. Although nothing had changed since the previous day, she still made it a habit to check it every morning. Her finger brushed over the parchment, her lips parted into an uncontrollable smile. Just as usual, nothing was out of the ordinary and everything was accounted for. 

She strummed her fingers on the smooth wooden counter, as she rested her head in the other hand. Uri continued to gaze down at the book, looking at all of her numbers and notes. If only the village had a few more families, it would help me reach my financial goals quicker. But that isn't something I can control or count on. But maybe the hunters can bring back something rare from the wildlands! Uri's smile slowly stretched from ear to ear as she closed the notebook. 

Quick leaden footsteps could be heard running up to her store, making her quickly stash her book under the counter and put on a smile. The door flew open and the bright morning sun illuminated the dimly lit shop. The sudden burst of light caused her to squint and shield her eyes with her hand. All she could make out was a lanky shadow.  

"Uri" A familiar voice cracked, while the figure rushed up to the counter. 

"Ryan?" She asked, recognizing the voice. 

"Uri… a... small convoy.... has arrived." Ryan heaved, leaning over on the counter, propping himself up with his arms.

Sweat dripped down his curly black hair. His rough linen tunic and pants were covered in dirt and grime. Although he was still gasping for air, his eyes showed a youthful wildness. His lips formed a mischievous smirk. A sly smile stretched across Uri's mouth and she shook her head at Ryan. Looking at his condition and knowing his personality, he probably ran all the way from the fields to tell her this news. He was the same age as her and one of the few villagers to treat with genuine kindness, often going out of his way to help her. 

"Ryan, you didn't have to run all the way here to tell me. But I appreciate hearing it from you." thanked Uri as she walked around the counter.  

"No problem, I just knew how long you have been waiting for it." He chirped as he wiped the sweat from his brow. 

"Can I get you some water?" She offered, not wanting to seem ungrateful for his efforts. 

"I'm fine." He replied, shaking his head.

"We should head to the village center and see who and what came." He urged, grabbing her hand and dragging her along. 

“Hold on...Hold on! I have to lock the door!” Uri responded, pulling her key out with her free hand.

"Oh, sorry." He apologized, lowering his head while his cheeks burned red.

"It's fine." She reassured him, giving him a quick smile before pulling her hand away from him and locking the door behind her.

"Now, shall we go?" She asked, spinning around putting the keys in her pocket. 

"Yes." Ryan smiled, his cheeks still a little red. 

Side by side, the two of them walked down the narrow dirt road leading to the village center. Fortunately, her shop was near the center of town, so it didn't take long for them to arrive. Many of the villagers were already there when they arrived. In the distance, she could see the head wagon making its way to them. The children of the village were running alongside the wagon, excited to see something new in the village for once. The merchants only came twice a year, so it was kind of a special event for the village. Everyone would put aside their work and rushed here to the merchant.

The other reason everyone came to greet the merchants was because they carried news with them. The frontier was dangerous and far from any city, making it isolated from the rest of the kingdom. The merchants had information on what was happening within the kingdom. They also brought tales from outside of the kingdom, but these seemed to be more rumors than anything. 

Uri and Ryan stopped and waited in the back of the gathering villagers. Although Uri wanted to rush to the front and be the first to talk to the merchants. She knew it would only cause grumbling from some of the villagers. It was just better for her to wait until the crowd had thinned. 

Uri's eyes went wide as she covered her mouth in surprise as the caravan slowly approached. There were a total of six wagons! Usually, only two or three would come. This was a first! The corner of her mouth twitched as she thought about all the additional goods on the other wagons. Her heart pounded in her chest as she thought about all the possibilities. If they carried some good supplies, she would be able to reach her goals much sooner. The excited murmurs from the villagers told her everyone was shocked to see the additional wagons. 

It felt like an eternity before the wagons finally stopped in front of the crowd. From the lead wagon, a portly merchant stepped down from, causing it to lean to one side. The village chief stepped forward and greeted him with a hearty shake. Although the merchant put on a pleasant smile, she knew well enough to know he didn't like shaking the hands of the chief. 

"Thank you for coming all the way out to our tiny village." The village chief thanked, clasping the merchant's hands in his own. 

"Haha. Nonsense, the trip to Grasmere is always filled with beautiful scenery. It's more like a vacation than a business trip." The merchant grinned, quickly releasing the chief hand. 

"That's good to hear. It surprised us to see so many wagons this time." The chief commented, motioning towards the wagons. 

"Ah that, well, we have some special guests that wished to travel with us here." The merchant stammered, rubbing the back of his thick greasy neck. 

"Special guests?" The chief asked, looking past the merchant towards the caravan. 

The last wagon shook a little, drawing everyone's attention. The white cover in the back parted and out stepped a man in white and blue-lined clothes. Uri's eyes went wide as a chill ran down her spine. The color drained from her face as she took a step back. She quickly hid behind a villager, hiding herself from the man's view. It was a priest from the Valmor Church, not someone she wanted to meet. Of all the people that could show up to this remote village, it had to be a priest. She crossed her arms in front of her and tried to steady herself. Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath, getting her emotions under control. After a few silent seconds, she opened her eyes again, but remained hidden from the priest's view. 

Try as she might, she couldn't help but wonder why the church had come to this tiny village. But whatever that reason, it couldn't be good news for her. Although not legal, the church could easily take her prisoner without reason. They would just claim she was a devil worshipper and no one would doubt it. She had seen how cruel the church could be towards people like her, or those who stood in their way. Uri didn't believe for a second that anyone in the village would help her if they took her away. The best thing for her to do is keep her distance from them until they left. Even though she would lose the chance to trade with the merchants, it wasn't worth risking her life. She needed to go home and make sure her emergency pack was ready. If Uri had to flee from the priest, she wanted to be ready. 

"Yes, we have a few members of the Valmor Church in the caravan." The merchant said, wiping the sweat from his brow. 

"The church?" The chief fretted, watching the priest wave to some villagers.

"Yes, they said they came at the request of someone in the village." The merchant stated, glancing back at the priest. 

"I don't know of anyone who sent a request from the church." The chief remarked, shaking his head. 

"Well, I don't know. I'm just a simple merchant and prefer not to put my nose into church business." The merchant grumbled, giving up his false smile. 

"I...ah...see." The chief responded, stepping back from the merchant nervously. 

"We will be here for a few days, so I'm sure they will come talk to you." The merchant remarked, putting on his fake smile, and waved to the priest. 

FUCK! Uri thought to herself as she racked her brain. 

Why were there multiple people from the church here?! It was bad enough if there was just a priest! I should go home right now and make sure everything is ready, just in case. Uri insisted to herself, turning around to leave.

But I also need to know why they are here. Perhaps they don’t know I’m here? They could be here for a totally different matter. I don’t want to give up everything I have worked for because of them. She countered, stopping in her tracks. 

But I can’t just walk up to them and ask them why they are here. I need to avoid them at all costs and hope they leave soon. I should just leave now and wait to hear why they are here. She reasoned to herself. 

However, the curiosity was bubbling up inside of her, until she couldn't stand it anymore. Slowly she cautiously peeked over the shoulder of one of the villagers and took a closer look at who the church sent. Another wave of fear washed over her, as she locked eyes on the people from the church. There were three of them, but to Uri, it might as well be an army. The one in the middle was the priest that she had hid from earlier. The two flanking the priest made her blood go cold. Her breath stuck in her throat as her body went stiff. They were paladins, the dogs of the church, as some called them. The paladins were in their signature shining armor with white and blue markings. Although they looked to be younger paladins, they still reminded her of rabid hounds ready to spill blood. They must have just recently finished their training. 

The priest walked forward and started to greet the villagers warmly. The priest was a young man with blonde hair and bright green eyes. Uri's instincts told her that the priest's friendly smile was just a facade, and he was in fact a very dangerous person. As if sensing her thoughts, the priest's eyes locked onto hers and he gave her a gentle wave and smile. An icy shiver raced down her spine. Her throat went dry, her palms became clammy. It was as if one of those monsters from the wildlands had spotted her. Taking a step back, she quickly averted her eyes and bolted toward her house.

When he saw her, he wasn't surprised, which sent warning bells ringing inside of her mind. If they were not surprised to see her there, then they must have already known about her. She needed to get home and get everything ready to run for it. There was no doubt in her mind that they were there for her. I haven't done anything wrong! But that didn't matter in the eyes of the church. She carried the blood of a demon and thus was already evil in their eyes. 

Uri tripped over her own feet, as forgotten memories resurfaced in her mind. The sound of piercing screams filled her ears, as the thick smell of putrid blood filled her nostrils. Her belly went cold as twisted in pain.

"URI!" A voice called out, as she felt a warm but callused hand on her shoulder. 

Startled, she whipped around abruptly. She pushed herself back, creating some distance between her and whoever was behind her. Shivering, Uri looked up at the person through teary eyes. Only to realize it was Ryan who looked at her with a soft, concerned gaze. His hand was still reaching out to her, as if to tell her he was here for her. 

"Uri, are you okay?" Ryan asked, taking a step toward her. 

"Oh, Uh...Ryan, sorry about that." Uri quickly responded, collecting herself.  

"I didn't feel too well suddenly, it must have been something I ate." She added, getting up from the ground and wiping her tears away.

"Uri..."He breathed, reaching out to comfort her. 

"Don't!" She yelped staggering back from him

"Don't" Uri hesitated, "Worry about me." She said, not wanting to meet his gaze.

"I'm just going back to my house to lie down" She stated, turning away from him and walking away.