Faun’s POV

“You were supposed to be gone the rest of the day. Weren't you too tired to work?” I spoke, my words dripping venom. 

“Your screams of agony made it hard to relax.” He said with a smile, “It filled my imagination with so many wonderful ideas. I am sure you will be able to help me construct the nemesis.

“And now for you Michael. Why did you have to go and break my trust. It was so hard to get all this help from our lord. He would not like to hear that I lost another in an unfortunate accident. I think some collateral is needed. Hmmm... If I remember correctly you had a sister.”

“No!” Michael cried, “Please no. I will never do anything to betray you.”

“I know you won’t. Not now. I have already sent guards to escort your sister to where I can be sure I can trust you.” Maximus said smiling. 

Hatred filled Michael’s eyes. “I am sorry,” I tried to whisper to him. But the rage Michael was feeling made it unclear if he heard the words I said. 

“Now as a favor for helping to set this beast’s arm I will let you watch the next round of tests,” was the last thing I remember Maximus saying. 

Even with his renewed vigor in research, after a few days… weeks… I really don’t know how long it was, it seemed he had hit a snag in his research. I remember him storming out after a nasty backfire. The next day Michael brought me food. It turned out Maximus had left again trying to find some missing ingredient that he needed for his work. 

I was laying sprawled on the floor as Michael gingerly walked up to the door and set the tray of food next to me. I tried to sit up but I had no strength, it was like my body was not under my control. Seeing that it was no use to sit up, I inched my way forward like a worm. Or the closest I have ever been to a worm. There are some animals that even in all my years I had never felt a need to imitate. 

I half expected Michael to leave after dropping the food tray off. No matter how well he tried to hide it I could always feel some bitterness in his eyes at the thought that his sister was locked up because he tried to help me. But Michael must have been watching my sad state because he said, “Let me help you,” and reached through the bars to help me up. His strong arms grabbed me by the waist and pulled me into the corner so that I would not tip over. 

“Thanks,” I said hoarsely and stretched out my arm to grab the food. However my arm gave out and fell limply on the tray causing some of the food to spill out. 

“Just let me do it,” he said, picking back up the bowl of soup. I was so pathetic having to be fed by others. Not even able to lift my arms to clean off the soup that dripped down my chin. The longer he fed me the more his bitterness faded to be replaced by concern. “I really need to get you out of here,” Michael said as he was breaking up the last few bites of bread into sizes I could handle. 

“Your sister?!” I nearly shouted back at him, but by the look on his face it was as clear as day that he did not need a reminder. He was obviously torn on if he should help me, who was crippled and right in front of him, or his sister. I could not let this go on. You always need to stick with your herd. “Look after your sister. I just need time to heal. I should be better in a few days.” I did not believe my own words but I was not willing to have his sister’s life on my hands. “Have you heard from your sister?” I asked, trying to shift the subject a little. 

“I got a letter a few days ago. She is… scared.” I guess my attempt failed. Who could blame her for being scared. I was scared too. We did talk about his sister a little but it did not help either of us to feel better. 

I was surprised to find that a few days later I was really starting to feel better. I was not up to running away from any wolves but I no longer needed help eating and… Let’s not go there. 

Weeks went by with Maximus gone. I was happy for the respite but Michael was not taking it well. It seems that without Maximus he had no way to hear from his sister. The uncertainty of her welfare was clearly eating at him. I tried to comfort him a little but it seems my words did not want to come out right. 

A flurry of noise woke me up one afternoon. I saw what I could barely recognize as a giant bat fall into the courtyard where I was caged. This bat just felt wrong. There was no life coming from it. I could not take my eyes off of it as the ‘bat’ seemed to fall apart before my eyes. Then I noticed there was something else there. Something even more revolting than the decaying remains. 

“I am glad to see you are... doing well,” the slimy voice called out to me. “I brought another subject to help with our work,” Maximus said, removing himself from the remains. He carried a large wooden bowl to the fountain and poured it in. “Sadly it does not seem to be as resilient as you are. Well, let’s see how long it will hold out.”

It was at this point that Maximus’s words were cut off by the clanking of armor and the rushing of feet as tens of guards pounded into the courtyard. They all stopped short seeing Maximus standing before me. 

“Sir, when did you get back… Nevermind that. Sir, we saw something large fly this direction.” The man who seemed to be the leader of all the guards spoke. 

“That was just one of my works in progress.” Maximus pointed to what was now just a pile of rotten flesh in the corner. I had to agree with a few of the guards that scooted away from the carcass upon seeing it. 

After a choking breath the guard hesitantly said, “Very well Sir. My Lord has asked to meet with you as soon as you return. He had some pressing business that he needed your help with.” Maximus, hearing the guard’s words, frowned. 

“Doesn’t his Lordship know I have more urgent work than making sure he is able to stand up for the night?”

A few of the men could not suppress their snickers but the head guard paled hearing these words. “I would advise you not to speak ill of the man who is providing you the means to conduct your…. Research.”

“Yes,” Maximus let out a sigh. “Tell him I am on my way.”

Seeing Maximus was going to make himself ready the head guard left followed by all but one of the rest. Michael had stayed behind. “Sir. My sister. I have not heard from her in a while. I was hoping I could meet with her.”

“Who?” Maximus looked confusedly at Michael as if he did not remember having a deal with him at all.

“You took my sister.” Michael panicked, the anxiety for his sister’s welfare clear in his whole body.

Maximus gazed at Michael blankly for a moment. “Oh. I remember, you are that beast’s caretaker. Sister, was it? I forgot I had her in there.” Worry was growing on Michael’s face hearing these words. “I guess I should go check. Well, that can wait on the Lord.” Maximus said while he headed out of the courtyard with Michael running to catch up, calling after him. 

Finally having quiet after all the comotion from Maximus’s return, I sent out what little power I could spare into the fountain to see what on earth Maximus had done. I could not believe what I felt. “Mist?”

“I never thought I would be the one to find you,” the fountain burbled tiredly. 

“Pardon?” I could not help but ask. I felt stunned to hear her voice. 

“Laurel has been looking everywhere for you. Yet I am the one who found you.”

“But how did you get here?”

“That is a long story. But first I need to get that freak’s saliva off me.” The water in the fountain splashed sending a small part of the water flying onto the stone paving. “I can’t believe he had the nerve to inhale me when I was trying to suffocate him.” Why did it sound like Mist fared better against Maximus than I did?

Katuwarrior

This is the last of the Faun chapters. I will try to get another chapter out this coming weekend. But even though this is going to be a much smaller Thanks giving I still feel like it is going to take lots of time So who knows.