Powder

Chapter One: Beyond Talisman

"You bastards, I'll bite your fingers off!" I yelled as the robed figures continued to bind me against the tree. I looked at the group of villagers who came to watch. "Murderers! You're no better! You really think you're any better since you're not doing any of the dirty work! You can stop this! You can do better-"

"Shut it, River."

I then felt a stinging sensation on my face, followed by a loud bonk and then my vision going black.

It didn't take long for me to come too, although it was now quiet and no one was in sight, the bastards had left. I struggled against the rope only to catch a glimpse of my bindings and see how strong of a knot was left on my wrists. I sighed angrily and took a deep breath, "This is gonna hurt so much." I whined to myself as I used my right wrist to grip my left and snapped it downwards. I bit my lip as I barely held my tongue and resisted the urge to yell and howl in agony, before taking more deep breaths and letting the blood fall from my mouth. I then tugged once... twice... "Here we go." I faintly smiled as my left wrist slid out of the rope, blue from how tight the bindings were. I quickly reset it and drew more blood from the lip as I freed myself from the tree and fell flat on my face in the mud. I groaned as I got back on my feet, but my eyes softened as I realized the bright clothes I was being forced to wear to attract dragons were now non-existent in the covered mud. I chuckled as I covered more of myself in mud. "This isn't so bad-"

I was cut off as I heard the sound of wingbeats and I quickly dove into the mud lake. Then my eyes narrowed as I realized the source was just a flock of flying-fox bats flying by. "Damn bats." I grumbled as I got up before looking back up at the three moons. "How many were not as lucky as me? Was there any that managed to escape this false destiny?"

My mind flashed to the first time I attended one of these sacrifices, a young girl, her name was... I couldn't remember, it was so long ago. But she had been chosen and she was only seven at the time. Sure she may have been a troublemaker at the time but she was only a child for three moons sake! She didn't deserve this! And now, five years later, I was the one who was almost destined to become a snack. Did it matter how you contributed? No, don't be foolish! Did it matter how well behaved you were? Why of course not! All that mattered was if you knew who the dragonmancers really were and of course now that I knew, those thieves saw me as their next card to play, I was just another pawn and the whole town didn't care, why would they, as long as they kept themselves safe, selfish bastards!

I grinned at the memory of me sticking the dagger into that dragonmancer's back but frowned as I remembered them using the net on me, I shrugged then, for a twelve year old, I think I did rather well. "I was so close!" I muttered, I wondered about my parents, and how they had turned their backs on me, how could mama and papa do this? They're selfish! That's why? Or was I truly a bad son? "No, I can't dwell on those thoughts." I muttered to myself as I looked towards the mountains. "I have to find the Invincible City, I have to get to safety if I don't wanna become a dragon's meal." I stated to myself as my eyes fell on the glimpse of the giant stone structure atop the mountains in front. "That must be it!" I said as I then started my long journey heading south, down the mountain. "Goodbye Talisman! Hello Invincible City!"

***

I continued to pant as I made my way down the mountain before slipping again and scraping more of my knee before hissing in pain. "I swear if the dragons don't kill me then this stupid mountain will, stupid, very stupid mountain. And the hunger! I needed something to feast on, my eyes drew towards my fingers and I was tempted to start nibbling on them but then slapped my face. "No!" I growled at myself as I then started to limp down till I heard the melancholy sounds of a bird singing.

I looked down and my face lit up as I saw a beautiful blue and green patterned bird building up her nest, and in the nest were three round eggs, perfect for the taking. My hand lunged out, but I stopped it at the last moment. My eyes focused and softened at the sight of the mother before I slowly pulled my hand back. I just kept watching as the bird then pecked my hand as it attempted to protect it's young. I bowed my head and looked to the ground in shame of what I almost had done before inspecting the bird a little longer. "You care so much for them..." I murmured as I saw the bird's protective nature. My stomach growled, and I ignored it as I kept going down the mountain and left the birds alone. Then my eyes focused on some greenery, nettles. I practically lunged as I quickly scooped a large amount of it into my mouth. It was a painful taste but I winced and kept swallowing the planets. I planted as I wiped the saliva off the bottom and top of my face as I was finished and started to go and limp down the mountain.

"I wonder what it's like. Maybe I can play in a larger area? Maybe they'll have tons of toys and food to play with. Maybe I can find parents that will actually love me instead of yelling all the time. That would be nice, who knows what I could do there?"

My eyes beamed brightly as I looked and saw the staircase leading to the fortress above. I quickly sprinted and limped all the way up till I saw a line of more people sitting down by the stone stairs. "W-what's this?" I asked the nearest person, an old man under a tent with a basket filled with herbs.

"Oh young one, your knee, come here, let me tend to it and get you all fixed up." I quickly obeyed as I sat down and leaned my back against the wall as I let him put some leaves and other plants on my wounds but I winced as I saw a small black creature with lots of teeth in it's circular maw. I let out a whimper and backed up more against the wall.

"It'll be okay, young traveler. The leech will just suck your bad blood, that's all."

"O-okay." I whimpered before I winced in pain as it latched into my skin.

"So what's your name?" He asked in a calm and soothing voice.

"I-I'm River."

"Hello River, I'm Yarrow."

***

"I'm so sorry Yarrow... I'm so sorry you'll never be able to see the insides of the Invincible City..." I sobbed as I watched his body getting dragged towards the edge by the two guards in their spiked armor. Even in death though, he still had a smile on his face, he should have seen the invincible city but at least he dies peacefully in his sleep, but why did he have to die? Why? "Thank you so much, for taking care of me for so long, for raising me and making sure I was fed and comfortable. Thank you... for everything." I sniffled before finally uttering my final words. "May you find peace wherever you go, goodbye... father..." I sobbed so much that my tears blurred my vision as I watched his body thrown off the side of the cliff. Two years, it had been two years, and now he was gone. I sniffled before getting back in line with the herbs he had passed down to me, wondering how it would have been if he was still alive, but I silently cried as soon as I stood back up.

***

"Are you Mr. River." The guard asked as they approached me.

I quickly bowed and kneeled. "Y-yes sir."

"It seems a spot has opened up. The Invincible Lord shall see you know, and if you do well, maybe you'll earn your spot here. So... welcome to the Invincible City."