A Hero With/Out Time

Chapter 14: Their luck. (Part 2)

The sun set and the forest began to quickly darken. Lamps full of glowing liquid were poured to light up the village casting a serene green glow upon it. Together with the fireflies attracted by the fluid it really did create a nice atmosphere. With all the energy from last night and the roaring fire that lit up the village, the light now made it seem entirely different.

I went to sleep early to prepare for tomorrow. In the end Ardent had never fully recovered and only woke up briefly. It was a shame but I didn't have the necessary reagents to fix his hangover. I only had healing potions, some antidotes and an explosive. He'd have to get better the long way. It wasn't long however after I closed my eyes that I heard the sound of someone shifting beside me. When I had gone to sleep no one was in the other mattress. I opened my eyes turning in the blankets. It was Taylor sitting up..., so this is where she had been sleeping. I thought it was strange when Servius went to his own room.

"Just keep to your side of the room," I mumbled and turned back. She ignored me and instead I heard the sound of her standing up. "Taylor?" I looked at her again now more awake.

Again she didn't answer me. With awkward steps she began to head for the door. Her usual grace was nowhere to be seen almost as if she was sleep walking.

I roused myself and approached her, "Hey Taylor, you okay? Hey! Hello? Taylor?" I grabbed her arm but she just pulled away as if I didn't exist. The hell was going on?

She slid open the door and kept walking. I followed her through the corridor confused and when we reached the next room, Servius was standing there. His eyes were glazed over and blank moving as if being pulled like Taylor. I moved around her and checked her eyes, they were like his. Was I dreaming? I pinched myself, the pain alerting me that I was not. Just in case I also pinched Taylor's arm. She didn't even react.

Like zombies they limped their way into the village. My eyes widened as I stood behind them. The street was filled with the other villagers all acting the same. They were heading towards the village centre. I frowned and pulled back from the moving crowd. I had a bad feeling about this and hid my presence within the trees watching them from afar.

The village centre was filling up quickly. Everyone including Taylor congregated into a single spot. The children were separated and tied up. Unlike the adults they were squirming and trying to escape. I spotted the outliers quickly. A group of people wearing black robes and red masks. An ominous glow released from their eyes. They were speaking to each other but I couldn't hear. I needed to figure out what was happening and crept closer.

"Is that everyone?" the voice was easy to distinguish. It was the women who was leading the horned tribe earlier but it was clear now that those horns had been fake like mine. Unlike the others her mask was distinctly different and gold.

"We have one extra judging from what I was told," a slim man replied.

"That's within the permissible range," she nodded. "Shall we begin the ritual?"

"Cantor and Miguel have already began to set up the circuit." I looked to where he gestured. Around the villagers a pair of men were painting the ground with thick black ooze. My heart lurched as I recognised it immediately. "It is a shame the populace here is less than the other place."

"We're lucky," the women laughed. "A demon village is better for us anyway. The Kingdom won't be snooping but to think there was one so close."

"What of the Wizard, will he feel it from there?"

"No, we are far enough. Besides this forest is enclosing the mana leakage. We'll have a good harvest for our lord."