The Beast and the Sword Book 2: The Changes

Page 49: The Devil's Child PT1

WARNING:

This intro to the chapter is gonna get intense and violent. If you're not a fan of this or feel uncomfortable feel free to skip over, you have been warned.

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-Month's Prior; Somewhere in the Forsaken Realm-

    Evidence of the Magic Hour could be seen along the plains of the Forsaken Realm. A single fire seemed to have illuminated the surrounding area. A set of bandits sat around the fire, enjoying the riches and the spoils they had gotten from a traveling family who had met an unfortunate fate. They paid no mind to their bloodied and maimed bodies as the crows and vultures helped themselves to the recently deceased.

    "Seems like there's a lot of talk about a raid that's supposed to happen soon." A Bandit had said to his leader.

    "Is that right?" The leader had asked, "Is it near?"

    "It's just over the next village--" Another comrade had replied, "--It's a place called Hage."

    "That Village that's only known for its crap potatoes?" The leader said before he laughed, "It's not like we'll get much for the land."

    "Maybe--But think about the people in the village!" Another said, "There might be potential soldiers we could use. And even if there aren't, they're other--Uses."

    The leader laughed, "Let's hope their women at least have some beauty, and know how to give a good time--" He soon stood, "--Round up the men--We'll be assisting our brothers and sisters in the raid tonight!"

    The Bandits cheered and began to gather their weapons and grimoires. All of them had been excited for the coming battle they were about to witness. However--Just as they were about to make their move... The sky oddly glowed.

    It grabbed the attention of the Bandits, the Leader included.

    "What in the--"

    The Bandits suddenly fell over as there had been a sudden wave of energy. The ground shook slightly as a tree that appeared to be dead glowed eerily. As quick as the wave of energy came, it had suddenly vanished leaving the sky untouched as if nothing had happened.

As the Bandits recovered neither of them seemed to notice... Something had been breaking out of the roots of the dead tree.

    "What the hell was that?" One of the bandits said.

    "That mana just now.." Another had said, "... That was nothing like I've ever felt before!"

    The leader looked to the sky as it slowly started to transition into the night. "Could it be--" The Leader said, "--The Lost Heir to Clover is real?"

    That... Had been the last words anyone would hear him say and the last ones he had been able to utter.

    He didn't even realize he had died, until his head fell off his body.

    The Bandits screamed at the sight as they saw the leader's body hit the ground. It had revealed the attacker.

    It looked to be a young boy as pale as the snow itself, with short messy white hair that mostly covered his left eye which had been in the color of red. His right eye had been a gray color, as both had been sitting in a pool of black sclera and there looked to be a small scar on the same side as the eye his hair had revealed. He had only worn a pair of black shorts revealing another scar along his chest that resembled that of claw marks.

He had been completely barefoot as from his toes to his hands he had possessed sharp nails. They noticed he had been carrying a set of large blades one drenched in fresh blood and he had a set of small black horns that appeared to be growing on the side of his head. He also had long black ears resembling a hare though the right ear had flopped over, and his teeth looked to be sharp.