Chapter 10. A Grim-Meet.

  “Shit these guys are gonna be empty Arieo, look at the ground, I wonder who’s legion that order was from.”

  Big brown eyes looked at the mess of tree limbs and fallen logs. Then he made that goofy noise at his master. His master stopped at that remark, and scratched his chin, it was soothing stubbly noise, Arieo like it.

  “Ye got a good point Arieo. What the hell be knocking down all these trees?”

  Arieo blinked unevenly while his master inspected the thick trunks. He watched while his master really examined the aggressive jagged stumps. The trees had been broken not chopped. His master looked at the area around before walking back with a cold flat look.

  “Let’s go come on, there be nothing up here for us.” His master was uneasy, and that sense of panic made Arieo anxious as well.

  “Haw.” A waving mane of question. This was clearly the work of a wolf.

  “No, no. You don’t be needin to worry bout thems no more Arieo. Man-eaters be extinct.” His master reassured.

  Arieo bleated loudly bobbing erratically. Arieo was certain of what he saw, and he was even more sure it was what caused all these falling trees.

  His master laughed at the remark and started a deep wet cough. Really hacking on the plunging slick somethings bobbing in his throat.

  Arieo looked at his master with disgust while the man hacked and spit. Thinking this was challenge he bubbled something up of his own and spit it right where his master was stepping.

  Arieo could feel the spike of tension and bobbed his head.

  His master lifted a foot, stretching a glorious strand of donkey spit from his boot, but before he could get enraged, a tree nearby coughed.

  It was a gross cough too. The kind of cough that bubbles with a sharp bite in the throat. The sort of cough one would get from standing around smoke for too long, sucking up the thick black carcinogens staining the air. That hacking pop in the throat was but a mere cry of desperation from the damaged lungs inside.

  Arieo and his master shared a look of confusion.

  Even between two completely different species they mirrored each other precisely. From the curious twitch of the eyebrow to the nose twist of disgust. The two glanced from tree to each other and back to the tree.

  The tree. Or something behind the tree. It had coughed with a throat clearing hack. Rolled up what sounded like wet gravel and spit. The wad was rather impressive. Intimidating. Something the two could work towards.

  Arieo cautiously walked along one side of the tree while his master walked around from the other side.

  Along the back side of this tree, the two seen large deer-hide boots, with what looked to be fluffed fur or down of sorts. Slowly following the thick legs, and protruding gut. They turn their gaze upward.

  The two blinked at the heavy man in a red tunic and black vest. Then right there on that fat soot-stained face, it lay, it was majestic. So bold. So proud. So gods damned triumphant.

  Areio and his master both admired the mustache under that mushroom nose; it was so thick and full. The sheen that gleamed with moisture as the wide set nose released a hot breath, it was the same of that to a tender fog resting over a charming moonlit pond.

  The mustache had a lovely dark midnight violet hue, and the way it refracted the light as the man looked from the two of them. Wonderful.

  Hot damn would you listen to that. The mustache even talked, and it danced wonderfully when it did.

  Both Arieo and his master didn’t even catch a word, that amazing mustache could have released a flame spitting tyrant and the two wouldn’t have cared.

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  Arieo had never seen such a mustache, not only that but this guy the mustache decided to grow from was huge. Way bigger than his master. There must have been plenty of resourceful mustache properties pulsing within that belly.

  “I don’t want any trouble.” The mustache said lifting his hands to the donkey and stranger.

  “That’s fine we normally charge extra for that any ways don’t we Arieo.” His master laughed

  “Names Abram.” The man named Abram stuck his hand out for Sid to shake.

  “Abram J. Sayldon.” His master said again.

  “Haw.” The handsome little mahogany donkey bray with a head jerk.

  “Right. And that be Arieo me first mate.” Abram nodded at Arieo as he introduced themselves.

  “I’m Sid.” Sid said, relaxing a bit. The two seemed friendly enough.

  “Just Sid?” Abram asked with a curious eyebrow.

  “Just Sid.” The mustache confirmed and Sid released the handshake.

  Abram smiled at just Sid, stepping back to the path he welcomed just Sid along the path as well.

  “Ye part of the settlement around here, we seens the smoke and destruction, what happened?” Abram asked.

  Sid recalled the night and wasn’t really entirely sure what it was that attacked, not only that but would this stranger even believe his story if he told him.

  “It was an Order of Reclamation, the settlement was seized by another, I barely escaped.” Sid lied.

  “Wow!” Abram exclaimed. “Be it the legions of Minyeara? me bets it was Minyeara me knew those looked like the marks of cattleman.” Abram added.

  Areio bray loudly putting in his two shards of opinion. Because he knew what it was. There was no other creature but one that could have done this.

  “Ha, no Areio I told ya the wolves be no more.” Abram laughed.

  “The what?” Sid asked. He had never heard that word before. ‘wolves’ he wasn’t sure if he liked it.

  “Huh? Oh, nothing don’t be listening to him Arieo says the wildest things.” Abram laughed ruffling Arieos ears.

  “So, Sid, where be yer settlement? Are ye on yer way back or be it lost to Minyeara and now ye be searching for a new legion to play for?”

  Sid wasn’t entirely sure what it was this stranger was talking about; he was just going to go to the sanctuary and ask the bishop to bless his son’s ashes. He would then return home and rebuild. There would be no more faith to follow. Only and just a haven like the castle. He would reinforce the walls with the iron he cast—that would be later though.

  “I’m on my way to the sanctuary for a blessing.”

  “Sanctuary?” Abram questioned, tone sharp, like it was a new subject.

  “What Sanctuary would that be Sid?” he added quickly.

  “Stallitusk?” Sid said slowly.

  The name was a warming reminder of what Abram was truly after. It was also a bitter memory of what it was.

  “It’s not there Sid.” Abram was short with his words.

  “Is that not the tower claiming Stallitusk peak.” Sid pointed to the top of the mountain; a dark tower silhouette stands tall at the very peak, blending with the deep purple mountain side.

  “Haw-Hee!” Arieo said.

  “Arieo please, he would be but an infant me just heards the bell earlier today.”

  Sid watch while the man converse with the work animal.

  He had heard a bell earlier today, yesterday too, he was suspicious of the noise, but it wasn’t something he wanted to pursue. He wanted to reach the castle to have his son blessed and return to his anvil. It was really all that remained of his rubble.

  “You can understand it?” Sid questioned, looking back and forth between the two.

  “More so him understanding me, Creatures-Husbandry is a tricky concept.” Abram answered.

  “Yeah, Sid that be the tower, still standing glorious like the creature it was built for, …but like the creature, the sanctuary of it all is gone. Sure, the castle still stands but it’s not really a safe area anymore. There is some damn good trade there though.” Abram informed, still looking up at the lovely tower, squinting to see the flag.

  Arieo bobbed his head and blew raspberries.

  “Say that’s a good idea Arieo. Ye mind if we walks with ya Sid. These woods can be mighty nasty in the moon. Not so much the game that walk around but more the floral species.” Abram informed.

  Sid didn’t really want this man and his smelly mule following him around, but a breeze whispered and he thought he heard his son’s voice drift by.

  Thinking about what Clayton would have done had he found some lost voyager in the woods. His son would have been a wonderful adventurer and led them to the castle.

  “Yeah sure, just don’t slow me down I’d like to arrive in another days’ time.” Sid said slightly irritated.

  “No problem big guy, lets get going we can stretch the rest of this mountain before the moons full glow.” Abram said sea salt grin fit for a sailor.

  “Say have we met before?” Abram asked really examining Sids facial features.

  “Not unless you’ve come through this settlement before.” Big Sid gruffed.

  “Nope, can’t say we have, can we Arieo.” He smiled, looking up at Sid.

  Abram had curious eyes. The way he examined Sid before leading his donkey made Sid uneasy.

  Sid released a heavy huff and followed, he knows he should be reluctant for an intelligible conversation, because most the folks from his settlement were—uhm well rather stupid for a simple gist of explanation, it was almost maddening.

  But something about this duo was telling him it would be a long and irritable walk to the castle. Sid walked a slow shuffle using his sword as a cane. Staring at the pouch that swayed with the movement. Strong elven string tie it shut, binding the pouch close to the handle. Smiling to himself, Sid could hear his son’s laughter.