The Greatest Sin [Progression Fantasy][Kingdom Building]

Chapter 85 – Tiny Little Wolves

Kavaa took a step forwards as she heard the whispers, Kassandora was saying something, she didn’t hear. Fer turned and looked at her, Kavaa did not understand the look. She didn’t hear them as they began talking, and stumbled forwards. West. She had to go west. Fer suddenly appeared in her field of vision. The Goddess of Beasthood waved her hand as Kavaa stumbled into her, then Kavaa sidestepped the massive monster and kept on moving. West.

Fer stepped in front of Kavaa again. Sighed, then smashed her fist into Kavaa’s gut. Sound suddenly returned as Kavaa fell to the ground with a groan of pain. The rustle of Jungle leaves, Fer’s and Kassandora’s breathing, them walking around her. “Told you that would do it.” Fer said happily.

“I didn’t say it would not work.” Kassandora rolled Kavaa over and looked down on her with those red eyes again. Her hair fell around her face like streams of crimson blood.

“I’m sorry.” Kavaa said.

“Don’t apologize, what did you hear?”

“Nothing.” Kavaa said replied. “To go west, but I… it just… I knew to go there, but I didn’t hear anything.” Fer sniffed the air.

“That’s the way we’re going anyway.” She looked at Kavaa curiously. “Can you stand?” Kavaa got up, her stomach hurt. She wanted to take her armour off and inspect the wound. Surely something was cracked. She didn’t want to heal herself again… “Heal yourself Kavaa.” Kavaa collapsed onto her rear and got to work. The sooner it would begin, the sooner it would end. Muscles tore in stomach tore and regrew, she screamed, her vision blurred, and she rolled onto the grass. “Does it really hurt that much?” Fer asked.

“It hurts.” Kassandora replied. Kavaa mumbled something, she felt spit spill from her open mouth down onto her cheek as the pain started to pass.

“Well you’re getting better at it.” Fer picked Kavaa up and set her on her feet. “You didn’t pass out this time.”

“You didn’t break bones this time.” Kavaa answered as she took a heavy step still supported by Fer.

“If you let yourself go again, I’ll break bones.” Fer replied. Suddenly, the Jungle did not sound so loud to Kavaa. She felt a chill go down her spine as she looked up at Fer. And then Fer started walking again. Kavaa and Kassandora followed. It went on like that for a day. And then a second. And a third.

Sometimes, they ran into more poisoned brambles. Some would be sidetracked, some Fer would fell trees for them to serve as makeshift bridges. They walked through dried out riverbeds and past ancient towns overran by vines. Every now and then, the Jungle would put a fight. A tree would move, only to be smashed by Fer, or vines would awaken to try and stall them. Those, Kavaa and Kassandora cut through what Fer did not rip apart. At the end of the first day, Fer gave the five canteens on her belt to Kavaa. “You take them.” She said as she practically shoved them into her hands.

“Why?”

“Because I know I can’t contain myself.” Fer said. She had already walked off before Kavaa could reply. Kassandora split them with her, they had ran through nine at the end of the first. Four on the next. Then three.

“Better to be overprepared than underprepared.” Kassandora talked to Kavaa as they continued down the trail Fer apparently was following. “She doesn’t need that much blood, she just likes it.”

“I do!” Fer shouted from ahead. “Helenna’s is really sweet! Like grape juice!” Kavaa would be stunned every single time of Beasthood opened her mouth. That monster laughed and giggled and smiled and hummed to herself without a care in the world. How could they have thought against the same Fer in the Great War? It was a night and day difference, simply the complete opposite.

“You mean wine?” Kavaa asked.

“No.” Fer shook her head, from behind, Kavaa watched that golden mane of hair moving like waves in the wind. “Grape juice. Wine is sour. Helenna isn’t as sour as wine is, just a bit.” And so they walked.

Through more swamps and thickets, in the darkness of the jungle. Kavaa had always considered herself a good time-keeper, she knew they must have travelled at least three days now, maybe pushing four. Kassandora kept the time, she would inform them every few hours how long had passed. On one hand, each hour meant Iniri had to spend more time alone, on the other, Fer was certain that the trail was fresh. Iniri was not locked away in some cavern somewhere or being devoured by a plant, instead she was being taken off somewhere. Fer was sure that the gap between them was narrowing, the trail becoming fresher and fresher. Kavaa believed her, she had no choice to.

It almost grew formulaic.

Until they reached a clearing. Fer peered out into from behind a tree.. “Well that’s new.” She said and gave the air a sniff. “And it’s not good.”

“Did you lose it?” Kassandora asked.

“Trail goes right through here.” Fer replied and pointed straight ahead. They looked around to the sides. It was almost a line in the Jungle. “I don’t like it, very open.”

“Agreed.” Kassandora said.

Eventually Fer sighed. “I’ll go first, you two stay close behind me.” She demanded a canteen, drank it to the last drop and threw it ahead. It landed in the tall grass and sat there. “Alright, we’re wasting time, I’m setting off.” Fer stepped out into the open and Kavaa followed, close behind her.

She wished she hadn’t.

Fer awakened and looked around the field. Kavaa and Kassandora were still standing there. Should she do something? She supposed she should. She moved in front of her sister and smelled her. That was something the Jungle could never replicate.

That was family.

Fer cracked her fingers. “Sorry Kass.” She said. There was only one foolproof method she knew to break someone out of some hypnotised state.

She saw Fer standing in front of her. Fist curled into a ball and a wicked smile on her face. Instinctively, Of War skipped to the side to dodge, even though Fer threw no punch. “Don’t tell me.” Kassandora said as Fer stood up and raised her hands in apology.

“I know one way which always works.” She said in a stupid tone that was supposed to be some explanation.

“So you were going to break my ribs for it?” Kassandora asked. Kavaa was still stood there in that trance.

“Well…” Fer looked around. “I mean, Kav can heal it.”

“Kav?”

“She should get a nickname too, shouldn’t she?” Fer waved her hand in front of Kavaa’s face and turned to Kassandora. Yellow eyes wide, mouth questioning. “Should I wake her?”

“One minute. Let’s see if she can get out.”

And Kavaa awoke. Fer and Kassandora were looking at her already. Kavaa almost felt disappointed, she was beaten by them again. “I told you.” Kassandora said.

“I never said Kav wouldn’t break out.” Fer replied as she turned. Kavaa gingerly touched Kassandora’s black armour. She saw the woman questioning her sanity. Good. That meant this Kassandora was real.

“How did you know I would?”

Kassandora was about to answer, for once, Of War looked at a lack for words, Fer spoke up. “Like I said at the start.” Fer waved them to hurry along. “Neneria would get trapped in something like that. There’s monsters that use this sort of hypnosis in nature.”

“And?” Kavaa asked.

“They adapt to the general population.” Fer said. “So people with lots of empathy who care about others. You two would never fall for it.” Kassandora stopped.

“Then how did you?” Joyeuse appeared in her hands. Fer only chuckled from ahead.

“I can smell it Kassie. You wouldn’t understand.”