An Expected Betrayal |TBATE

Chapter 26 - Spear Beaks

GREY

The spear beaks are the only ones I know who could cause such wounds. It could be the wild things but judging by the fact Three-Steps hates them I think this was a malicious attack. But to attack children? That is simply unforgivable. I jumped down and made my way to Three-Steps. She had a solemn expression on her face, the same one everyone including myself had.

I didn't do anything except for standing there, my way of letting her know that I care. I had no way to comfort them so I just let the parents cry. I actually felt envious of the children, only a bit. They had parents that would care for them and love them, unlike me.

After a while everyone started to leave, saddened by the sudden turn of events. Three-Steps and I were the last ones still here. At this point the mother was just hugging the bodies as the father was trying to drag her away. Three-Steps walked over to her and said something to her and she calmed down, at least on the outside. Her face was devoid of any emotion and her eyes were so red that white couldn't even be seen. She had even dug her nails into her palms, drawing blood.

The woman turned to me, desperate to see if I could do something, anything. I just shook my head, my wordless expression was enough to get my point across. "Halp" said Three-Steps to get my attention. I turned to her and she motioned me to carry one of the bodies. I complied, lifting up one of the corpses which was barely intact.

I followed Three-Steps to the edge of the village. It was very isolated, we had to walk up one of the many small mountains that surrounded the village. Once we were at the top I saw hundreds of graves. Three-Steps pointed to a spot devoid of graves. She looked at me with a pleading expression. I nodded and put the corpse down and started to dig.

Fortunately there was a shovel nearby – which is very disturbing because it implies this happens often – which I used to dig the grave. The wind started to pick up, which was very cold due to our altitude as well as the lack of surrounding terrain to block the wind. I didn't care. I used aether to enhance myself to keep the cold at bay but didn't stop.

Soon I had dug two graves, enough for both children. Three-Steps said nothing but nodded and held a grateful expression.

As I walked back to the village thoughts ravaged my mind. Will the war be like this? Parents holding their children's dead bodies while they weep. Having to visit their kids' graves to talk to them. Or will it be a bloody battlefield where you can't recognize the corpses that pile so high they can be mistaken as mountains?

I shuddered at the thought. I hated it. I really need to stop the war. I stopped walking and looked down at the village. Despite its now solemn tone you can still feel the joyous life radiating off of it. The training area for the children, the canyon that the adolescents use to practice their aether techniques. The huts used for homes, the little chores that are done to keep the village running. It's all so beautiful, but a pathetic creature decided to sadden this place by killing two innocent children before their time.

I followed Three-Steps back to her tent. I asked for her to put her palms on mine and she complied. I asked about the Spear Beaks and the memories flowed into my mind. I hated it all. I saw the horrors from Three-Steps' perspective, feeling her rage, dread, and even fear.

I saw as the Spear Beaks killed Three-Steps friends and family in front of her, they terrorized the village. Once I seperated from Three-Steps she looked at me already knowing what I was going to do. I saw no anger on her face, rather, it looked like she wanted me to do it.

But I knew I wasn't strong enough to take them all on. If they truly were as aggressive as they showed then I'll be overwhelmed, teleporting a bit and augmenting myself can only get me so far. At least I have Dawn's Ballad.