Ball of Nothing

#72: Moontaur Village

The sisters left quietly and Zero decided to follow them. It was still a long time before morning and he was curious about the sisters.

On the way, Mii decided to give Zero a short lecture about Moontaurs and Horned-Rabbits.

Species: Moontaur (Half-Beast)

Appearance: Human-like. Children have horns, tail and fur on chest. Adults have hooves, horns, cow ears, fur on chest and sometimes cow noses.

History: Moontaurs are Star Guardian Taurus' descendants. They are gifted with excellent strength and agility, quick to anger and quicker to forgive. However, they are extremely conservative.

Moontaurs are a transforming kind of half-beasts. During the day, they appear like normal humans but retain their inhuman strength and speed. During the night, they change into their half-beasts form and are more prone to be overpowered by their animal instincts.

Unique Abilities:

Blood Moon - Happens when a moontaur goes on a killing rampage. The blood of at least a hundred enemies will grant them extra tough skin that cannot be pierced by normal weapons.

Rage - Is activated when a moontaur gives in to its animal instincts of anger. Will not feel tired or stop fighting until either moontaur is dead or enemy is dead.

Species: Horned-Rabbits (Half-Beast)

Appearance: Animal-like. Depending on the level of magical abilities, horned-rabbits will have different coloured fur. No magic talent - pink fur. Basic magic talent - blue fur. Elemental magic talent - green fur. Their special features include red eyes, horns on head, three rows of sharp teeth (2 on top, 1 below) and fluffy tails.

History: It was rumoured that the first horned-rabbits were created from chimaera cells. Not much is known about them but their appearance was first spotted about 300 years back. A famous horned-rabbit adventurer once claimed that they were a mix of shark, hare and goat. Horned-rabbits are omnivorous in nature.

Unique Abilities:

Perception - With their superior genetics, horned-rabbits are naturally gifted with better five senses than others. They can see clearly up to a hundred metres away, have low light vision, sharp hearing and echolation.

Bloodlust - A horned-rabbit is gentle by nature. However, after smelling and tasting blood for the first time, their innate hunter instincts [bloodlust] awakens. When bloodlust activates, the urge to eat fresh living things and drink blood will persist until it is satisfied. Bloodlust will activate regularly and if the horned-rabbit does not satisfy it, it will lose its mind to become a mindless slaughterer until the bloodlust is satisfied.

Overloaded with information, Zero didn't have time to fully digest it before they arrived at the village.

The village was very small, consisting of only eight small stone houses. Nobody was sleeping and it made Zero wonder if they weren't tired.

"Chief, we have returned," the older sister bowed.

The chief was an old moontaur who walked with the aid of a wooden staff. He looked at the sisters with a frown.

"Did you find the Eternal Guide?"

Layla quickly brought the strange object from before. The chief examined it and nodded.

"Does that mean we can stay?"

The chief was silent and the tension in the air increased.

"There is one last trial for you before we can accept you back. Your mother is a traitor to the tribe who stole the Eternal Guide and ran away. Without the protection of the Eternal Guide, a plague has spread throughout the village. Some elders have died from it and many children are suffering. To prove yourselves, you must go and convince the medicine man to come to our village."

Layla looked at her sister. Her expression was bleak. Everyone on Endow Hill knew that the medicine man was someone who didn't like visitors. Anyone requesting his help must go through his trials. Nobody who accepted his challenge has survived. While he was a medicine man, he had a hobby of making poisons.

"Understood, we will set off tomorrow," Layla's older sister bowed, ignoring Layla's worried glances.