Chapter 28 – The Dark Fae
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"Awww, why'd you do that? I spent so long making that body!" the spirit cries as its severed head hits the ground.

 

The elf, meanwhile, stands perfectly still, a thin trail of blood making its way down her cheek from where the arrow cut her.

 

However, I'm more interested in the arrow that has pierced my body. It's managed to sever three tendrils, which writhe on the ground nearby. It's been quite a long time since something has managed to actually hurt me, back when I was still in the Void. From what I can tell the arrow isn't any sort of metal, but rather entirely made of wood. It has a texture similar to tree bark across it, even on the head. It also doesn't seem like it's been carved, but rather like it grew naturally in the shape of an arrow, sharpened tip and all. Even the fletching is leaves instead of feathers. I doubt the spirit could make something like this with its tree manipulating magic, so what... No, now isn't the time. I snap the arrow in half and pull it into my body to eat.

 

All around us in the woods I can see pairs of faintly glowing eyes staring out from the shadows, hundreds of them. None approach the path, but I can just make out shapes jumping between branches high above us, and skittering through the underbrush to either side. I can't make out much detail about the creatures, but from what I can tell they seem to be something similar to rats with slightly more humanoid features. They're small, maybe the size of a house cat at most, but fast enough that I wouldn't be confident about beating one in a fight. I'm sure it could evade me and slowly cut my body apart from a distance with its arrows.

 

"A Spioraid, carson a tha thu a’ cur dragh oirnn anns a’ choille?1Spirit, why are you troubling us within our forest?"

 

The voice is deep and smooth, deeper than any voice I've heard to date. Likely deeper than any human or elven voice could go. The creature it belongs to is equally strange, a humanoid being with dark grey skin that wears a cloak of writhing black smoke. Its eyes are as dark as the Void, darker than anything in this world should be.

 

"We're just using the Path, the Mothers said to!" the spirit whines. "Well, they said to help the champion, and the champion needed the Path!"

 

"Gu leòr.2Enough." The shadow wreathed creature raises a foot, placing it upon the spirit's severed head. "Is aithne dhut an coicheangal, gidheadh cha do ghlèidh thu ar lagh.3You know the covenant, yet you have not kept our law." It stomps down, crushing the spirit's head into little more than splinters.

 

And it turns its black gaze to Elvira.

 

"A nis, ciod an leithsgeul a bheir thu air son do pheacaidh?4Now, what excuse can you give for your transgression?"

 

The elf stands frozen, barely able to meet the creature's gaze. She shivers ever so slightly, but otherwise moves not a muscle. The shivering only gets worse as the dark creature raises a hand as if to grab her.

 

I smack a tendril hard against the nearest tree, drawing the creature's attention, and point to a few simple words I've barely managed to scrawl in the dirt with Understanding's help.

 

Tha mise. Màthair Oidhche. Curaidh.5I am. Night Mother. Champion.

 

"Dè tha e gu diofar- Chan eil, ma tha...6What does it matter- No, if you have..." The thing glances at Elvira, then back to me. "Will the Elvish tongue be easier for thou to converse, night kin?"

 

Yes

 

"Good. What care should we take, that you are champion of night, little creature? There have been many such, and will be many more."

 

I am also champion of Yehma.

 

With that I hear the movement around us cease. The forest falls perfectly silent as hundreds of eyes are locked on me, as are those of the dark creature. The thing takes a breath to speak and-

 

Thunk.

 

This arrow was clearly more carefully aimed, severing five tendrils and scratching my white core. Surprisingly, the core seems to take no damage from it, but for the first time I feel something that could be described as pain. My remaining tendrils writhe, and I'm sure that if I were capable of it I would shriek. Even still, some coherent corner of my mind registers a shadowy limb snaking out from the dark creature's cloak and smashing a rat thing into the ground, breaking its legs. When it tries to crawl back into the woods the dark figure stomps on its arm, and it breaks with a satisfying crack.

 

That done, the figure waits patiently while I recover. I don't make it wait long, the pain fades quickly.

 

"Mine servant hath harmed you, and acted beyond its station. As recompense, you may do with it as you will, and I shall hear what you have to say without interruption. If any other-" it looks around at the glowing eyes in the woods, which shrink back from its stare- "dare to repeat such insult, they will face similar reprimand. Speak, convince me you should be allowed to pass, night kin."

 

I reach out my tendrils, catching the injured rat thing around the neck and ripping into it as it screams, stripping the flesh from its bones then grinding even those to dust to eat as well. A thing that can cause me pain is worth eating whole. What do I tell the dark thing? What can I tell it? If it has given me this chance, there must be something I can say to convince it, it wouldn't bother to hear me otherwise. These creatures, all of them, they're followers of Thrane. The Mother of the Night sings of the day the sun dies...

 

I am a champion of light, but born in the Void. A child of Thrane. We both want more darkness in the world, I can make that happen.

 

The dark figure smiles, what minute glint of light its eyes had disappearing. "That, night kin, is a worthy cause. But the elf has no such purpose, does she?"

 

She is my guide. She is required.

 

"Surely, you would prefer a more capable servant, nae? I offer one of my own, I assure you they shall offer sufficient council."

 

No. The elf is required, allow us to pass.

 

"A shame, night kin. But the reason you have given for passage is sufficient, by my Name I vow you shall face no harm until you reach the Way, so long as you do not leave the path. Go, you have nearly arrived at your destination."

 

I'd sigh, if I could. We can go. With a conjured hand I grab Elvira's arm, pulling her along behind me. Her movements are wooden and jerky, but she follows.

 

"Night kin," the dark figure calls after us. "Thy passage here is granted on my authority, but thou shalt not be allowed to transgress again. Do not return."

 

With that not at all ominous parting message, the elf and I continue along the Path, followed by dozens of rat things that creep through the forest's shadows.

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