The Mark

Rill and I travelled southwest for several days, in an attempt to follow the map she had found in her grandmother’s belongings. It was an ancient thing, and neither of us were very sure how accurate it might still be. Regardless, it was all we had to work with, and even if the towns had changed in the years since it was made, I reasoned that the terrain should still be the same. But because there weren’t any established paths in the Far Reach, we were forced to forge our own, stomping through the thorny undergrowth and following thin animal trails wherever we could.

It was during this time that I realized just how remarkably hardy Rill truly was, seemingly at ease marching through the rough countryside, ducking under tree limbs and navigating her way effortlessly through the tangled vines that tried to block our progress. I attributed part of her skill to having grown up in the region, but even when we encountered a grassy meadow that made for smoother going, she easily matched my pace and kept it for hours each day without complaint. She was also quite handy with her bow, willing to fend for herself while I went off to hunt. At night, with only a sleeping bag to shield her from the elements, she seemed to always find a way to sneak over and curl up right next to me, preferring to share my warmth instead of stoking the campfire back to life.

As we went, I largely stayed in human form, and practiced controlling my aura like Hedrya had shown me. It was a bit tiresome at first, but it began to grow easier to keep maintained with each passing day. An unforeseen side effect was that without my aura blaring to announce my approach, the creatures of the wild no longer kept their distance. Luckily, all it took was for me to release my hold a bit, and boars, wolves, and even bears alike took off running for the hills. The act was quickly becoming second-nature, almost like flexing a bicep.

After the fifth such encounter, as Rill watched the pack of wolves flee into the trees with an arrow half-nocked, she questioned, “Hey, Leo? I’ve been wondering. You and Granny mentioned something about auras before, didn’t you? Is that what you’ve been using to scare everything away?”

I gave her a blank stare, initially not quite sure what she was going on about. “Ah, yeah?” I began, eyes widening as it slowly dawned on me what she meant, “Wait, are you saying that you haven’t felt it this whole time?”

“Sorry, I have no idea what you guys were talking about. That was the first time I’d ever heard of it.” She abashedly chuckled, holding up a hand in a gesture that said, ‘please excuse my ignorance.’

There’s no way, I thought, as I turned and directed every ounce of my aura towards her, an act that should have made any normal, grown man soil himself and faint. Yet Rill showed no reaction to it whatsoever, merely cocking her head to the side and commenting, “Oh, that’s a pretty scary look you’ve got there, Leo. Is that all there is to it?”

She can’t sense it at all? How is that even possible? Auras are a natural part of this world!

Briefly, I explained the concept to her, which only appeared to make her even more confused. “Hmm, I don’t think I’ve ever noticed anything like that,” She mused, tapping her cheek thoughtfully. “But now that you mention it, that was probably why most monsters stayed away whenever Granny was around.”

I considered her predicament for a time, regarding her with an unrestrained look of perplexity. Being unable to distinguish auras puts her at an extreme disadvantage in this world. I can’t sense much of anything from her, so at least she doesn’t have to worry about suppressing her own, but at this rate she won’t even be able to distinguish killing intent when it’s directed right at her! Still, I guess that explains why she wasn’t scared of me when we first met, despite my draconic aura being on full blast the whole time. She couldn’t even sense it! Could living with Hedrya for her entire life have desensitized her? Is that even possible? Or is it some sort of, I don’t know, defect?

As if reading my thoughts, Rill puffed out her cheeks and protested, “Hey! I know what you’re thinking, Leo. I’m not defective! If being able to sense auras makes you scared of everyone that’s stronger than you, then I think I’m better off without it!” With a huff of annoyance, she marched on ahead of me, and I chuckled behind her back at her reaction. Well, I guess she’s gotten along just fine without it so far. I’ll just have to keep an eye out for her.

We continued on for another few hours, and eventually Rill gave up pouting and fell back to match my pace, returning to her previous chatter at my side. She excitedly pointed out various herbs and told me their uses, and cautioned me against any that might be poisonous. It seemed that she was quite knowledgeable on the subject.

Then, we reached the Edge of the World.

The treeline ended abruptly about fifty yards before a tall wooden tower, and I drew to a stop to take it all in. A picketed fence made of logs stretched out of sight in both directions, broken occasionally by another similar tower. Although no trees stood close to the wall, saplings taller than myself had grown up there, interspersed with unkempt brambles and other undergrowth that spoke of a lack of upkeep. A ball of anxiety began to form in the pit of my stomach as we approached the tower, only to find it in a state of seeming disrepair, the formerly solid double-doors hanging loosely from their hinges, and the only thing preventing free travel the iron portcullis shut tightly in front of them.

Rill gaped up at the structure in disbelief. “Hello?” She called out, her voice echoing up through the deserted wooden joists. There was no response, save for a startled flock of birds that scattered into the air.

“Looks abandoned,” I told Rill, lifting the heavy metal gate to allow her to duck underneath. Once she was through, I followed, allowing it to slam back to the earth with a hefty clank.

“Yeah, I guess so. It’s been about ten years since Gran…since I was last here, but there were definitely still guards stationed at the time. Supposedly there are all sorts of stories about dangerous monsters living in the north, so this wall was built to make people feel safe and to regulate travel outside of the Empire. They must have finally realized that it isn’t worth devoting the time and resources out here, and gone home to their families. After all, it’s not like there’s anything coming out of the Far Reach.”

“Well, except for us,” I chuckled, and she shrugged in assent.

Pulling out the map she had tucked into her belt, she unfurled it and traced our path with a finger. “So, if we follow the path south from here, we should be able to reach Darna Village sometime around afternoon tomorrow. That’s where we stayed last time, and it’s a lovely place! The people there were so nice. I wonder if they’ll remember me?”

This side of the wall was almost entirely similar to the other, save for the very overgrown path that led forward. “Sounds like a plan, then,” I agreed, and we exchanged a tentative glance before continuing onward. From here, I was stepping into the realm of mankind for the first time in my life, and I was a bit worried about my ability to pass as one of them.

Despite being in a state of utter dishevelment, the old track did make our progress a bit easier, if only because it gave us something to follow along with. Rill’s estimate was also spot-on, and the next day we crested a slight hill to find the Village of Darna laid out before us.

Or at least, what was left of it.

All that remained of the former settlement was a blackened scar upon the land, the sparse greenery which had begun to retake the place an utter disparity compared to the thick blanket of ash which covered it. Rill’s hand went to her mouth with a sharp gasp at the sight, and she hurriedly jogged down the path towards it.

I followed slowly, that worried feeling in my stomach solidifying now. Something was wrong here, I could sense it in the air. It was almost as if some malicious intent still lingered there, like a curse upon the land.

We crossed over the village threshold, only to be greeted by the sight of dozens, if not hundreds, of bleached bones poking out of the charred debris, lending a stark contrast to the darkened landscape. Everywhere I looked, the skeletons of the former inhabitants remained, lying facedown in the soot, huddled in groups against the collapsed remnants of buildings, scattered across the streets. Whatever had happened, the outcome was clear; it had claimed the lives of everyone who had once lived there.

Our every step cracked and crunched underfoot, and it was hard to discern if the sounds came from fragments of charcoal or bone, so intermixed was the detritus. Rill’s pace slowed as we came to the village center, and here the devastation was at its worst, ragged remains forming ash-covered piles that lined the plaza. She swallowed hard, her face going pale as she mumbled in dismay, “This was Mister Kalios’ ornament shop. He had all sorts of pretty jewelry, but Granny said they were too expensive. And over there, that was the bakery. The woman there gave me the very first sweetroll I’d ever eaten! I’ll never forget the taste.” She glanced around the square, a wavering tone of disbelief in her voice, “They’re…they’re all gone. I can’t believe it.”

As we rounded the only stone wall that was still standing upright, an image painted boldly upon its surface drew our attention. Staring back at us was a giant crimson skull with wicked horns, humanoid, but clearly not human. It was too wide, too stylized. This looked more like something that might belong to a monster of some sort.

“What’s this?” Rill wondered, tracing a hand along the outline of the graffiti.

“A mark,” I replied gravely, “A warning of some kind. Does it look at all familiar to you?”

She shook her head. “No, but when I was little, Granny used to tell me stories about the goblins that lived in the wilds around these parts. I always thought she was just trying to scare me so that I didn’t wander off too far on my own. But even if that explains what did it, I don’t understand why. These were good people, Leolyn! They…they didn’t deserve this.”

I stared into the old ash, trying to think of something reassuring to tell her, to no avail. Instead, I replied, “Bad people do bad things, Rill, and often for no reason. I guess the same goes for monsters, too. I doubt we’ll ever know what really happened.” I gestured to the haunting image hanging over us, “But this was definitely done a long time ago. There’s no telling what we might find going forward, but if there are still monsters like that around, we should definitely keep our guards up.”

She nodded slowly, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. “C-come on, Leo. Let’s get out of here, before I get sick.” Without waiting for a reply, she struck off with renewed vigor, eager to leave the scene of devastation behind.

I took a moment to look out over the field, making sure to engrave it into my memory. If I ever find out who, or what, did this, I decided, I’ll make sure they pay.