Custos Unicorium 1 ~Longe Aluid--Something Very Different~

Chapter Eleven: Information

As I emerged from the forest to round back to the haven the next morning something felt wrong. No one was outside, absolutely no one. I only saw the edge of the village, but still, I usually saw people about in the streets.  

The sun was well on it's way up into the sky, which only added to my confusion. My black hair absorbed the heat from the air. Yeah, I guess it was a rather hot day, but why would everyone be inside? Thatched houses could be so stuffy when it got hot. 

"Hayden?" I called as I got to Koriun's pasture, I was beginning to wonder if something was horribly amiss and now, not being a virgin didn't allow you to see humans. But that was silly...and impossible. Right? 

"Hey Regina," Hayden replied calmly, and I almost let out a screech as confusion let me out of its grip. I saw Hayden's skinny brown-haired shape sitting on the ground. No doubt that he was trying to beat the heat.  

"Koriun?" I asked. 

"What?" 

I turned to where the reply had come from. "Ah, there you are." 

"Ugk. Again? It's sick how everyone can tell when it's happened. No wonder you're the first non-virgin." Air-Koriun's grumpiness was probably magnified by the heat too.  

"Oh come on Koriun, stop being a big baby," I teased, only just resisting sticking my tongue out a the unicorn. 

"Hey, Koriun, do it again!" Hayden drawled. 

A short came from the unicorn. 

"Sit down Regina, this is so cool." Hayden was momentarily cheery, despite the heat. 

"Literally," invisi-Koriun mumbled. After a stare from Hayden he added, "well I thought I'd make the pun before anyone else did." 

Hayden sighed and layed flat on his back. I layed next to him, wondering what the hell they were up to. Suddenly the ground beneath me was cold. Almost freezing. I stifled a gasp. 

A laugh came from Hayden's direction, and I turned my head towards him. "Koriun's using magic," he smiled.  

"It's nothing," Koriun neighed, "but I refuse to stand with my horn in the ground all day. Tell me when you want me to degrade myself again." 

Ah. Unicorn magic. Sourced through the horn. Koriun must have removed his horn from the ground because it went from utterly freezing to just an edge under freezing. It still felt nice on a hot day. 

The day drifted on at a slow pace, hardly any conversation flew in the air between Koriun, Hayden, and I. The sun rose past full sun and began setting. I dozed off a few times, waking up usually when Koriun re-charged the cold ground. The lack of people in the village slipped from my mind.  

The day was much calmer, and much less stressful than the past few. Although there was the heat, it wasn't a bad day. That was, of course, until I heard footsteps at the edge of Koriun's pasture. 

Thumpy. Either someone fat, or someone muscular. Not much time between them. Either someone short or someone in a hurry. Despite all, on the light end. Someone not full grown.  

"Regina!" Someone named Deverell. 

"Yeah?" I sighed and rolled over on the cold ground. 

"Mission. Unless you've changed your mind about previously mentioned aversions." 

"Ha! Mission it is. And if you've changed your mind I'll beat you to a pulp.: 

"You can't fight worth a shit." 

"Don't need to! I'd only be fighting you!" 

"Just get your shit together, and let's go. " Deverell turned and stalked back in the direction he'd come from.