The Vilas’ Guide to Drekavacs

What must’ve been days passed by Peter. He figured it was three, maybe four. Whatever it was, Peter couldn’t wait for their excursion to end fast enough. The boar's meat had gone stale, and while Tinnie had attempted to sun dry the remains as best he could, they were no longer edible. Yet, the four seemed no closer to finding the Bronvic Creek, only circling through the trees with no clear end in sight. While Jakov had initially begun this journey with self-conviction in his stride, after his evening against that boar, soon that uncertainty bled into every other aspect of his being. He rode on Bura to prevent his wound from agitating but slumped far more than he used to.

“I am but a mere vessel to My Lord, but might I suggest that we’ve lost our way.”

“And where would you suggest we go if we’re so certain.”

“That’s the irony, I’m not sure myself.” Tinnie broke into laughter.

Lyana motioned for her dagger. “If I have to spend one more afternoon with you two-”

Peter stopped dead in his tracks, “Enough.”

The other three stopped. Peter had to stop himself from acknowledging the conviction they held in honoring his order as the voice of reason. He never got someone to listen so firmly as a middle manager before. “We’re not taking another step until we’re in agreement on which way we’re heading. Which direction is it?”

“North, Your Grace.”

“Tinnie, how do we determine our direction?”

“Tree growth your grace, but how…I can’t say I remember anymore. Oh, for how long I’ve lived in Zemliharos, I won’t know my head from my ass anymore.” Tinnie laughed along with his own jest. “It appears we all don’t anymore.”

Peter turned to Lyana, “Do you have any idea?”

“I…didn’t leave the swamplands all that much.”

Peter looked up towards the trees, trying to see if he could tell if the sun was rising in the east or setting in the west, but couldn’t make out much through the forest. He never wished that he’d been a boy scout before, but he admitted it would’ve come in handy. But then he remembered, his phone would have a built-in compass, as long as it held enough battery still.

Before he got the chance to ask Lyana for it, giggling from multiple voices surrounded him. The voices were far too high pitched to be Tinnie’s, and they carried a light, pixie-like quality to them. Bright white balls of light soon followed, blinding Peter as if the sun was shining directly in his face. As his eyes adjusted, he could make out the figures of around a dozen beautiful young women within them, dressed in ethereal white gowns. Their faces nearly translucent as they flowed through the air on wings, despite only being a foot or so tall. They buzzed around Jakov, giggling to themselves.

“What a handsome young man.”

“Surely you can help a poor damsel in need.”

“Look at his sword, he must be a knight.”

Jakov squinted his eyes at the nymph-like figures, “I assure you…I’m no knight.”

“How unfortunate, if only we had a brave knight in shining armor.”

“Poor faux-knight, his leg is hurt, look sisters.”

“What about your friend?”

“Oh, forget him, he’s far too fat to be a knight.”

“The other one, what’s he wearing?”

Tinnie bowed, “It’s called a doublet.”

“How can one fight in that?”

“Appearances can be deceptive, and I assure you; our party is more than familiar with Vila. Surely your kind has a foe in mind if you’re seeking our help.”

Peter had no clue what a vila was, but trusted Tinnie knew what he was talking about, at least when it came to them.

“You’re no fun.”

Tinnie bellowed his hysterics. “Quite the contrary, though our lives have been anything but as of late.” He looked to his companions, “Perhaps we need a bit of whimsy to cheer us up, as long as you make it worth our while.”

“We’ve been following you.”

“Mad is right, they’ve passed Bronvic Creek.”

“Where could they be going?”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say they’re lost.”

Lyana leered her eyes, “Enough of this, where’s Bronvic creek?”

“We’d be happy to share, for a small price of course.”

Peter sighed, he already knew where this was going. “What’s the price?”

“Our home, it was invaded. By a Drekevac.”

“If you fend it off, we’ll be forever in your debt.”

“Your friend, we’ll heal his leg, he’ll be most useful in battle.”

Lyana snorted, “As we said, appearances can be deceiving.”

Peter knew they could probably find their way with his phone, but the ability to heal Jakov’s leg, he couldn’t just leave his newfound friend crippled. “And h-how do we know what and how to find this Drekevac?”

Tinnie laughed, “You can’t miss one, you’ll hear its voice long before you see it. Though a mere man wouldn’t be alive for much longer afterwards. Good thing we’re no mere men.”

The vilas buzzed around Jakov’s leg, dancing in circles faster and faster, until Peter couldn’t make out which vila was what. They then broke from their circle and flew away, giggling. “Keep moving forward.”

“You’ll slay the foul beast before you know it.”

“And if you head the other way…we’re watching.”

The giggling spirits flew amongst the trees, their light fading, until the darkness of twilight retook the forest. Jakov moved his leg and circled it again. He worked his way down from Bura, gingerly at first, then with conviction once he didn’t wince while putting pressure on it. He rolled up his trouser legs, revealing that the gore wound was no more, the young scribe moved as if nothing had happened to his leg. “Appears the vila were telling the truth.”

“Aye, but at a cost. We’re now in their debt.”

Lyana stared forward, on the path they were on. “The Boba Roga spoke of Drekevac, they aren’t to be taken lightly.”

“Good thing we’ve got a Krsnik on our side then.”

The party’s attention went onto Peter. He figured to himself that if he was going to face off against Striga, such a creature should be the least of his worries. He stepped forward, embracing the path forward, his ears pierced for whatever monstrosity soon awaited him.