[Broken Contract]
Chapter One: Berry (part 1)
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Expressionlessly, Vaen looked at the cliff in front of him, then back at the map in his hands.
Five days, the man had told him helpfully. Five days north through the Spine and you’ll reach Lyar. On my honor.
Yet, it was already two weeks past, and Vaen had only just barely made it through the Spine. With the sun hanging high in the cloudless blue sky, he could see for leagues around the heavily forested valley. Jagged peaks of the mountains known as the Spine of Giants surrounded the valley on three sides. Not far east of where he stood a waterfall crashed down a rocky bluff and into a river that wound gently deep into the woods. However, there was no sign of any buildings, not to mention an entire city. He looked back at the trail that ended in front of him.
And this cliff was definitely not on the map.
“Damn that old man and his honor!” Vaen cursed loudly, tearing the map into pieces. Glaring in the direction the pieces had scattered, he suddenly had an urge to turn back and spend another two months traveling through the Spine just to give the cheat a good beating. And take back his money. Reaching inside his black woolen coat, he took out a small leather pouch that clinked feebly as he shook it.
My four silver dales!
Tearfully, he returned the light pouch back to the inner pocket of his coat and turned away from the cliff. As much as he wanted to teach the swindler a lesson, he did not have enough provisions or money to last the trip back; there was no choice but to find his own way, now. Pulling up the fur-lined hood of his sable cloak, he strode back into the thick forest behind him, heading east. He remembered there had been a trail down into the valley not far down.
Vaen was young, in his early twenties, with skin golden from the sun and handsome, almost feminine features. He had dark brown hair that fell below his shoulders, and his eyes were the same deep emerald as the wrappings around the hilt of the sword that hung at his waist, next to a dagger and a quiver bristling with arrows. A long bow was also strung and hung on his back, next to his bundles over his shoulder.
Fortunately, there was enough game to hunt, he thought with a sigh. Or else I really would have starved to death with only the provisions I had bought before I left...How much longer until the next city?
Just as he was longingly thinking of a warm bed and some good ale, shrill, inhuman screams rent the air.
Vaen stopped, hand flying to the hilt of his sword. Demons? He thought in disbelief. Here? Demons were used as weapons, and only the mage-priests of Gorian were able to make the appropriate contracts to use them. But, this was the southern border of Areis. Gorian and the war was far south, and the last he had heard the fighting had only just begun in Carined; it couldn’t have gotten this far up north so quickly.
Still, the screams were definitely that of a demon, and he could also hear the sound of men yelling and the heavy stamp of boots, heading in his direction.
Vaen hesitated only briefly before ducking inside a hollow tree to avoid being seen.
Suddenly, he could see glimpses of someone approaching in a stumbling run through the thick brush. Blood matted long white hair that fell in tangles around pale shoulders and long, slender limbs. Naked apart from the bloody rags that had once been a dress, she was obviously female, and she carried what seemed to be an unconscious boy in her arms. She ran past him and out of the thick forest, stopping when she reached the cliff he had just come from. Placing the boy on the ground, she turned and crouched protectively in front of him. She snarled, baring bloody fangs and long, sharp claws. Silver scales glistened in the bright sunlight.
A demon.
But why would a demon be protecting a human child? Vaen thought uncertainly.
Demons had once offered to share their power with humans with magical contracts, taking an equal price from the humans in exchange. But now it was different. Mages who had discovered a way to reverse it and make it a way to control demons entirely, without condition. As a result, most demons who had made a contract with a human were instead turned into slaves, the magical power that was also their own life energy used ruthlessly for war or to capture other demons—until they eventually died of overuse and were replaced.
It was no wonder that they hated humans.
Collared demons would turn on their contractors if given the opportunity, and the few free demons that remained kept themselves hidden as far away from the humans as possible. If they ever did meet one by chance, they would no doubt kill him without mercy. Demons no longer had any trust for the humans.
However, the demon in front of him was definitely protecting that boy, and, no matter how much he looked, the boy seemed completely human.
Before he could think further, soldiers pushed their way through the brush, too preoccupied with their chase to notice him as they ran past. There were around ten in all, and most were graying, stony-faced men, their expressions grim and wary as they surrounded the demon with her back to the cliff. The only soldier who had not taken out his sword was the one who held the chains of the collared demon. Unlike the others, over black mail he wore dark robes with golden embroidery on the voluminous sleeves, and a miniature balance hung from golden chains around his neck.
He was a mage-priest of Gorian.
What were they doing this far north? Their jurisdiction does not spread here. Crouched low, Vaen soundlessly made his way out of the tree, peering through the brush to see more clearly.
At this time, the mage-priest tugged on the leash impatiently, pulling the demon—a male demon with the same white hair and crimson eyes as the female—forward until they stood in the center of the arc the soldiers made. Once he had stood forward, the other soldiers slowly backed away, keeping a few paces distance between the mage and his demon while still blocking the escape route.
From the situation, the humans were trying to capture another demon. However, capturing demons was obviously a dangerous business, involving a magical battle that could last for days at a time—and even level mountains if the demons involved were strong enough.
Seeing this much, Vaen was not sure whether to laugh or cry. Was it just him, or did he seem to stumble into the worst situations possible? This is a curse!
This…has nothing to do with me, Vaen decided. The farther he was from here, the better. He had no desire to be caught up in a battle between demons; he would wait until the battle begun before making a run for it while both sides were preoccupied.
He had just made his decision when suddenly the female demon shrieked at the sky. The air around her seemed to darken, and light seemed to be sucked into the a dark vortex with a point of light at the center of the darkness, and the light continued to gather until it became a twisting orb of light almost as bright as the sun behind her.
The mage-priest scowled and muttered an incantation under his breath, and the gaunt demon at his side screamed, face contorting in pain as the air around them began to darken as well. An orb of pale blue light appeared in front of them, growing rapidly in size until it matched that of the other demon. It was like two miniature suns were in the clearing, so bright that Vaen could not bear to look directly at them for fear of being blinded.
Suddenly, both orbs of light shot forth towards one another so quickly that it was almost instantaneous, meeting in between to form a twisting orb of blinding blue and white light that continued to grow as the beams of light continued to feed it energy. Then suddenly it stopped growing, convulsing and wavering unsteadily towards the female demon, stopped for a long moment then moving back to the mage.
For a long moment, everything seemed to hang in balance.
Then, the clashing energies burst in an explosion that caused a shockwave of energy that spread in all directions.
And this cliff was definitely not on the map.
“Damn that old man and his honor!” Vaen cursed loudly, tearing the map into pieces. Glaring in the direction the pieces had scattered, he suddenly had an urge to turn back and spend another two months traveling through the Spine just to give the cheat a good beating. And take back his money. Reaching inside his black woolen coat, he took out a small leather pouch that clinked feebly as he shook it.
My four silver dales!
Tearfully, he returned the light pouch back to the inner pocket of his coat and turned away from the cliff. As much as he wanted to teach the swindler a lesson, he did not have enough provisions or money to last the trip back; there was no choice but to find his own way, now. Pulling up the fur-lined hood of his sable cloak, he strode back into the thick forest behind him, heading east. He remembered there had been a trail down into the valley not far down.
Vaen was young, in his early twenties, with skin golden from the sun and handsome, almost feminine features. He had dark brown hair that fell below his shoulders, and his eyes were the same deep emerald as the wrappings around the hilt of the sword that hung at his waist, next to a dagger and a quiver bristling with arrows. A long bow was also strung and hung on his back, next to his bundles over his shoulder.
Fortunately, there was enough game to hunt, he thought with a sigh. Or else I really would have starved to death with only the provisions I had bought before I left...How much longer until the next city?
Just as he was longingly thinking of a warm bed and some good ale, shrill, inhuman screams rent the air.
Vaen stopped, hand flying to the hilt of his sword. Demons? He thought in disbelief. Here? Demons were used as weapons, and only the mage-priests of Gorian were able to make the appropriate contracts to use them. But, this was the southern border of Areis. Gorian and the war was far south, and the last he had heard the fighting had only just begun in Carined; it couldn’t have gotten this far up north so quickly.
Still, the screams were definitely that of a demon, and he could also hear the sound of men yelling and the heavy stamp of boots, heading in his direction.
Vaen hesitated only briefly before ducking inside a hollow tree to avoid being seen.
Suddenly, he could see glimpses of someone approaching in a stumbling run through the thick brush. Blood matted long white hair that fell in tangles around pale shoulders and long, slender limbs. Naked apart from the bloody rags that had once been a dress, she was obviously female, and she carried what seemed to be an unconscious boy in her arms. She ran past him and out of the thick forest, stopping when she reached the cliff he had just come from. Placing the boy on the ground, she turned and crouched protectively in front of him. She snarled, baring bloody fangs and long, sharp claws. Silver scales glistened in the bright sunlight.
A demon.
But why would a demon be protecting a human child? Vaen thought uncertainly.
Demons had once offered to share their power with humans with magical contracts, taking an equal price from the humans in exchange. But now it was different. Mages who had discovered a way to reverse it and make it a way to control demons entirely, without condition. As a result, most demons who had made a contract with a human were instead turned into slaves, the magical power that was also their own life energy used ruthlessly for war or to capture other demons—until they eventually died of overuse and were replaced.
It was no wonder that they hated humans.
Collared demons would turn on their contractors if given the opportunity, and the few free demons that remained kept themselves hidden as far away from the humans as possible. If they ever did meet one by chance, they would no doubt kill him without mercy. Demons no longer had any trust for the humans.
However, the demon in front of him was definitely protecting that boy, and, no matter how much he looked, the boy seemed completely human.
Before he could think further, soldiers pushed their way through the brush, too preoccupied with their chase to notice him as they ran past. There were around ten in all, and most were graying, stony-faced men, their expressions grim and wary as they surrounded the demon with her back to the cliff. The only soldier who had not taken out his sword was the one who held the chains of the collared demon. Unlike the others, over black mail he wore dark robes with golden embroidery on the voluminous sleeves, and a miniature balance hung from golden chains around his neck.
He was a mage-priest of Gorian.
What were they doing this far north? Their jurisdiction does not spread here. Crouched low, Vaen soundlessly made his way out of the tree, peering through the brush to see more clearly.
At this time, the mage-priest tugged on the leash impatiently, pulling the demon—a male demon with the same white hair and crimson eyes as the female—forward until they stood in the center of the arc the soldiers made. Once he had stood forward, the other soldiers slowly backed away, keeping a few paces distance between the mage and his demon while still blocking the escape route.
From the situation, the humans were trying to capture another demon. However, capturing demons was obviously a dangerous business, involving a magical battle that could last for days at a time—and even level mountains if the demons involved were strong enough.
Seeing this much, Vaen was not sure whether to laugh or cry. Was it just him, or did he seem to stumble into the worst situations possible? This is a curse!
This…has nothing to do with me, Vaen decided. The farther he was from here, the better. He had no desire to be caught up in a battle between demons; he would wait until the battle begun before making a run for it while both sides were preoccupied.
He had just made his decision when suddenly the female demon shrieked at the sky. The air around her seemed to darken, and light seemed to be sucked into the a dark vortex with a point of light at the center of the darkness, and the light continued to gather until it became a twisting orb of light almost as bright as the sun behind her.
The mage-priest scowled and muttered an incantation under his breath, and the gaunt demon at his side screamed, face contorting in pain as the air around them began to darken as well. An orb of pale blue light appeared in front of them, growing rapidly in size until it matched that of the other demon. It was like two miniature suns were in the clearing, so bright that Vaen could not bear to look directly at them for fear of being blinded.
Suddenly, both orbs of light shot forth towards one another so quickly that it was almost instantaneous, meeting in between to form a twisting orb of blinding blue and white light that continued to grow as the beams of light continued to feed it energy. Then suddenly it stopped growing, convulsing and wavering unsteadily towards the female demon, stopped for a long moment then moving back to the mage.
For a long moment, everything seemed to hang in balance.
Then, the clashing energies burst in an explosion that caused a shockwave of energy that spread in all directions.
Without thinking, Vaen threw himself flat onto the ground, and a moment later he felt a wave of heat pass above him. There was a deafening crash; he could feel the ground shake from the tremors. Half a minute had passed before he dared to raise his head again.
All of the trees on the forest of the cliff had been cut cleanly as if by a large scythe, everything above a feet above the ground vanished without a trace. He looked towards the direction the large crash had come from. The rocky slope of the mountain had a melted cut in its surface, and part of the slope had crumbled.
Vaen burst out in cold sweat. If he had been just half a second slower, his head and shoulders would probably no longer be connected.
He pushed himself up slightly, just enough to see the clearing once again. Along the cliff was only smooth, melted stone, and the demons and humans alike were gone without a trace. But the boy that the female demon had been protecting was still lying on the ground, unharmed.
Vaen stared. That explosion had wiped out two demons, ten soldiers, one mage-priest, half a forest, and even cut into a mountain, yet he’s still alive and unharmed?
He remained unmoving, watching warily for any signs of movement. After many long minutes had passed, Vaen winced. He wouldn’t get anywhere by lying on the ground waiting for anyone else who might have seen that explosion to come over. He pushed himself up off the ground, picking up his bundles next to him and slinging them over his shoulder as he straightened.
Vaen hesitated, but he still went over to the cliff where the boy laid. Perhaps it would have been safer for him to simply turn and leave, getting as far away as possible as he could, but his curiosity had always been more than was good for him. Nonetheless, he kept his hand on the hilt of his sword warily.
He stopped a pace away. He was close enough now to see the boy clearly. Thin, dirty, and covered in dried blood, he appeared to be only around fourteen, fifteen years old. He his short hair was caked with dirt, blood, and sweat, and there was a deep bloody gash across his chest. Vaen frowned and squatted down beside him. That’s quite a deep wound. Most people would have died from that.
He caught himself reaching out to check the boy’s wounds, then stopped. Letting his hand drop, Vaen heaved a deep, long sigh at the sun. “All I want is to travel in peace,” he declared loudly. “So why am I always finding myself in these type of situations? I am not going to get myself involved. I am not.” Glancing at the boy on the ground again, he frowned but repeated. “I am not going to get myself involved.”
Don’t kid with me. I am not going to get involved with demons and mages. I promised to myself I would avoid trouble!
He stood up, but a weak groan stopped him when he was turning away. Looking back, he saw that the boy had gained consciousness, weakly struggling to push himself off of the ground. Vaen’s expression changed immediately, and he dropped his bundles onto the ground as he bent back down, trying to keep the boy from moving. “Hey, don’t move!” he said, pushing the boy back onto the ground. The boy blinked at him blankly, but he did not resist. “What do you think you’re doing? Are you trying to kill yourself?”
The boy looked around him with big, confused eyes then stared at him. “Where?” he said in a hoarse whisper. “Who are you?”
Seeing that he had stopped moving, Vaen let go of his grip on the boy’s shoulder. He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. He had ended up getting involved after all. “I am just a mercenary that was passing by when you and that demon that was carrying you rushed by. Then this happened.” He gestured at the remains of the forest and the black, melted scar in the mountain behind him. He arched a brow. “I’d rather like to ask who you are, boy.”
The boy only looked at him dazedly. “Demon?” he asked in confusion.
“Don’t play dumb!” Vaen said impatiently. “She was protecting you. I’ve never heard of a demon protecting a human like—”
Suddenly he cut off when the boy started coughing violently. Inwardly cursing, Vaen hurriedly reached for the boy’s shoulder to hold him up. It was a good thing he had done so as well, because the next moment the boy fell limp in his arms, unconscious.
Vaen stared at the fainted boy in his hands with a flat gaze. Great, what am I to do now?
Vaen stared. That explosion had wiped out two demons, ten soldiers, one mage-priest, half a forest, and even cut into a mountain, yet he’s still alive and unharmed?
He remained unmoving, watching warily for any signs of movement. After many long minutes had passed, Vaen winced. He wouldn’t get anywhere by lying on the ground waiting for anyone else who might have seen that explosion to come over. He pushed himself up off the ground, picking up his bundles next to him and slinging them over his shoulder as he straightened.
Vaen hesitated, but he still went over to the cliff where the boy laid. Perhaps it would have been safer for him to simply turn and leave, getting as far away as possible as he could, but his curiosity had always been more than was good for him. Nonetheless, he kept his hand on the hilt of his sword warily.
He stopped a pace away. He was close enough now to see the boy clearly. Thin, dirty, and covered in dried blood, he appeared to be only around fourteen, fifteen years old. He his short hair was caked with dirt, blood, and sweat, and there was a deep bloody gash across his chest. Vaen frowned and squatted down beside him. That’s quite a deep wound. Most people would have died from that.
He caught himself reaching out to check the boy’s wounds, then stopped. Letting his hand drop, Vaen heaved a deep, long sigh at the sun. “All I want is to travel in peace,” he declared loudly. “So why am I always finding myself in these type of situations? I am not going to get myself involved. I am not.” Glancing at the boy on the ground again, he frowned but repeated. “I am not going to get myself involved.”
Don’t kid with me. I am not going to get involved with demons and mages. I promised to myself I would avoid trouble!
He stood up, but a weak groan stopped him when he was turning away. Looking back, he saw that the boy had gained consciousness, weakly struggling to push himself off of the ground. Vaen’s expression changed immediately, and he dropped his bundles onto the ground as he bent back down, trying to keep the boy from moving. “Hey, don’t move!” he said, pushing the boy back onto the ground. The boy blinked at him blankly, but he did not resist. “What do you think you’re doing? Are you trying to kill yourself?”
The boy looked around him with big, confused eyes then stared at him. “Where?” he said in a hoarse whisper. “Who are you?”
Seeing that he had stopped moving, Vaen let go of his grip on the boy’s shoulder. He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. He had ended up getting involved after all. “I am just a mercenary that was passing by when you and that demon that was carrying you rushed by. Then this happened.” He gestured at the remains of the forest and the black, melted scar in the mountain behind him. He arched a brow. “I’d rather like to ask who you are, boy.”
The boy only looked at him dazedly. “Demon?” he asked in confusion.
“Don’t play dumb!” Vaen said impatiently. “She was protecting you. I’ve never heard of a demon protecting a human like—”
Suddenly he cut off when the boy started coughing violently. Inwardly cursing, Vaen hurriedly reached for the boy’s shoulder to hold him up. It was a good thing he had done so as well, because the next moment the boy fell limp in his arms, unconscious.
Vaen stared at the fainted boy in his hands with a flat gaze. Great, what am I to do now?
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