Chapters 1. A single drop upon the rivers of destiny
Author's Note
Hi noob author here, this story was inspired by elements from Mystic cypher (i liked the Pantheon), XY chromosome(yes I'm that horny - the princesses mom was very interesting) and the FOE series(warning *reasonable* bashing alert)
This is my way of both creating an original universe with some elements blended and used in a way I think is satisfactory
AGAIN I AM A GREEN LEAF WRITER!!
1. A single drop upon the rivers of destiny
A single drop
A single soul
A single heart beat
Awaken Mannaz!
Where the hell am I. All I saw was darkness, I tried to remember who I was and where I was.
John that’s the first thing I remembered about myself, oddly enough my last name remained lost to me no matter how much I tried, so I continued to search my mind.
Memories of my life on…Earth and…job? Things I couldn’t help but remember with uncertainty everything being fuzzy as if…as if my brain couldn’t handle such complex memories.
But they’re there that’s what reassured me, in time they will return, I told myself despite having no reason to believe that.
The last thing I remember was…was…dammit. Oh yes I was driving to my nephews birthday day, she was turning ‘Bzzt!’ Years old…seriously numbers are hard to recall now!?
But even so I still didn’t where I was. It was warm, wet and…I’m not breathing – I’m not breathing! Yet I’m not panicking, as if this is natural considering that I don’t feel like I’m suffocating, but I still tried using my senses to atleast find out what was my environment.
Its too dark so there goes using my eyes…which I couldn’t open to begin with. Tried my sense of touch, it felt like I was submerged in some warm liquid which felt right…safe even, a calming effect, which was probably why I wasn’t panicking now. I’m not even going to try taste, and smell is not even an option considering my non-working lungs.
To further test my sense of touch I tried moving my arm, mind you I tried to slowly move it, imagine my surprise when the appendage immediately struck the ‘wall’ of my environment.
‘What the-?’ AUGHHH! ‘Wait I heard something!’
I struck again, by accident, another cry of pain.
And again, on purpose this, now a choked cry.
What the hell, Those cries they…let me try to remember…YES they belong to woman, where is she? And why is she in pain whenever I touch(hit) those…meaty walls…
And the way those cries are transmitted its almost as if I’m…inside of – Oh oh oooohhhhhhhhhh!
Wait that doesn’t make any sense how I could I be a fetus/baby again!!? I started panicking now, noticing how my heart beat matched with my – No no NO!
Hey atleast my hearing works, was a random thought in the now chaotic environment known as my mind.
‘This IS a dream obviously all I need to do is relax and it will all over’ I smugly reassured myself.
1 hour later
‘Okay this is one long ass dream! Fuck!!’ I felt nothing but dread at the situation, yet some semblance of hope that this is real – why because despite not being able to fully remember my past life, not even what he was, he knew his life sucked.
A gut feeling. A fresh start wouldn’t hurt.
He’s senses got better so much so that he can now tell that there is another heat source next to him within his Mom’s womb.
I have a twin? Sweat. My forgotten God I’m way to calm right now.
Hopefully it’s the late stage of pregnancy considering I’m developed enough to hurt mom from in here, I can already count the amount of ass-kissing I’ll do to get rid of that guilt.
In the mean time let’s see what my baby or even fetal body can do, hey this is a rare chance to explore and FEEL how it’s like to still be cooking in the oven.
2 Weeks later
Has a ‘month’ passed already, I seriously don’t know, but either way for the sake of my sanity my little exploration of my baby body has proved fruitful, I’m now capable of moving my limbs without hitting my mom and yes I’m clapping for myself in my womb-home to celebrate.
I don’t know how or, whether or not this made sense, but by focusing on my ears I can now hear muffled noises outside of my womb-home, voices and…moans which I chalked up to just that these fleshy walls are to thick for my ‘super’ baby ears.
Well I hoped so because my mom, who I can hear a lot more clearly, other than speaking a language I never heard of, made weird…sensual noises too like a lot – at a daily basis - and I could’ve sworn she interacts with…multiple…people most of the times making gurgling, sucking noise.
I started recognizing these noises, at first I thought my dumbass dad could not wait until we were born having been used to how he sounds, considering he is the one who hangs around my mother the most, than came the multiple deep masculine voices combined with her noises of pleasure, is my mother a whore!!??
What about my father !? I can most of the time hear he’s muffled voice among the GROUP of men whom I’m sure are having their way with his wife?/girlfriend?/PREGNANT ‘beneficiary’ friend?/ I DON’T FUCKING KNOW!?
The situation became worse when my ‘super’ sense allowed to me to feel something entering and leaving in a constant pattern within mothers body specifically what I assumed is her anus, SERIOUSLY! Well atleast it’s not her vagina, how considerate of them I GUESS!!
I turned my body to my still ‘dormant’ twin scrunching up my baby features into a look of pity, even though I couldn’t look at him with my shut eyes, once we’re born I just knew our lives are going to be filled so much drama.
I tried to search for something to distract me from the outside happenings, listening to my mothers heart beat, moving my limbs around the womb and poking my sibling in annoying fashions receiving no response, and surprisingly enough my heat detection senses got so good I can actually detect heat sources outside of my mom at a large range – am I a snake? ‘People’ moving…hmm, working?, and…other stuff I don’t want to talk about which are happening in the middle of everything else every day.
And about the ‘moving’ around thing something is not right, the women judging by their higher internal temperature are crawling, I think, at first I thought that they were just the many ‘pets’ this tribe or village had(‘ the setting and number of ‘people’ is too small to be anything other’ I thought)
But no those are woman, who can stand, as I sensed in what I presume to be inside a shelter if the preserved heat is any indication where they (‘sigh’ – did I sigh in my head?) did the ‘deeds’ plural…
Man what’s wrong with these ‘people’!?
It’s always sex, sex, sex, SEX.
And about the whole ‘working’ going on its all just the men, no women is working with them, whether it be setting another shelter or hunting maybe, my range has a limit so I can’t say I know what they do whenever they leave the tribe or village even. Let’s just say the dynamics are pretty regressive and overall disturbing seeing as the women either stand sit, crawl and…that.
Dead things lose heat after a while which means they brought animals, oddly enough it seems like they don’t eat them, I can feel the fires around the village yet none of them brought them there to cook, maybe they did after the meat lost all its heat who knows.
Sometimes they bring living things…of the…female heat signature…
Please don’t tell me if it’s really what I think it is. But I couldn’t ignore how the male heat signatures usually grouped around the ‘captured’ prey and…
Now I really wished this was a dream.
1 Week later
What am I. Because there’s no way I’m human, I think, if my enhanced senses while as an UNBORN baby wasn’t a redflag I’m pretty this is.
As I waited for my ‘birthday’ I tried looking internally to distract myself from the debauchery and most likely rape happening in the outside world, looking within myself to see if maybe I can feel things like blood flow and maybe even nerve pulses to see how good are my unnatural senses.
But I found something, some weird almost liquidy and almost ‘non-existent’ substance which gave me the impression of ink which was weird, it felt natural to my body yet so unnatural to my human mind.
So I did the most rational thing anyone who’d have done, I poked and probed it trying to make it do something, this was a better way to pass time other than moving my baby limbs around calling it ‘Karate’.
Well my efforts were rewarded as I felt the strange inky substance flow throughout my body, chills across my baby spine, it had no heat and my eyes were closed yet I could see it somehow – a white aura.
It collected itself onto my fingers, ‘Waiting for release?’ I determined, at first I thought I could shoot laser from my fingers but I started to doubt that as the weird ‘energy’ was too viscous(Once again reminding him of ink) to be anything like light, it made me feel stronger though more energized.
I have powers. I thought the whole super senses was crazy enough but nope, HOLY SHIT.
Which brings me to now where I’m moving the substance throughout my body getting a feel of it, it’s texture, flow and overall nature.
And about the whole build up in my fingers to be released thing, I tested that by excreting it on my body, I wasn’t going to put it on my mom or brother fearing it might be like acid. I wrote my name showing itself in the form of white light with my ‘energy’ sense before it disappeared ONLY after I either commanded it to or absorbed the substance back into my body.
Drawings, other people’s names that I could remember, numbers and more.
‘Am I the only one?’ I thought in the midst of my excitement, trying to feel the same ‘magical energy’ in my surroundings. And yes my brother(figured out our sex during my ‘exploration’) has it too, a lot of it but his is colored gold, we were quite unique as everyone around us(thus my mother too) was blue,but theirs was a lesser volume than ours for some reason, our father’s energy is larger than the rest but still incredibly small compared to ours, well mine is bigger than my brother’s something I’m going to tease him about once we’re born and out of this god forsaken orgy village.
Apparently my little exploration and testing of this magical energy has made it grow larger but also easier to control, I can even suppress it to a very small degree too.
‘God I hope they have something similar to scouters, the dragon ball-like scenarios are gonna be crazy’ I thought with glee.
But I immediately calmed myself when I noticed something interesting in outside world, just like what I determined they expelled the energy from their fingers to write things, on themselves, surroundings and even weapons I believe noticing the weird blue symbols floating on the side of their hips.
Runes, those were Runes.
The male signatures had runes drawn on their arms, legs, armor and weapons (The men here being the only ones carrying them) the female signatures on the other were very complicated, there were more female signatures than male most of them *sort of* don’t have any runes on them with some(being the newest additions I mentioned before) having many, many runes across their bodies. Why and what do they do, well considering how things work here I pretty sure the answer is going to make sick to my stomach especially noting how “constricted” the newer female signatures seemed and what the male signatures that pass by do to them.
And about the whole “sort of” concerning the majority of the female signatures and including my mother, at first I missed them but when I really focus on them I noticed that they all had runes NOT on their bodies but inside their heads.
Carefully observing them I learned that could decipher that these very “ancient” runes were blocking nerve pulses within their brains
What the fuck.
3 Days later
The runes speak to me.
Not just the runes. The patches of grass, the wildlife sensed by my even more expanded range of heat, sound and magic, and even the magic in the air resonated with me, a mixture of different energies from different species and powers.
I can now decipher all the runes I’ve seen, all of which felt like they’ve been burned in my mind, forever remembered of their nature and purpose. This was a weird experience by itself.
Strength, speed, durability, elemental and psychic
Sensitivity, paralysis, weakening, pain and mind control
That’s the general purposes I got from all the runes I’ve seen on the men and women of this village, then came the ones inside of mother and others like her’s heads – old ancient runes, crude (and very corrupted) writings that still did the “job”, that are automatically passed on and affect generations of these women into becoming…extremely retarded.
Horrifying enough these runes like the others are permanently saved in my mind, I can’t forget them no matter how hard I try.
Shit shit shit shit SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT!!!!
‘God fucki-‘ before cussing a shit storm, I felt a rumble in my womb-home
‘What the hell?’ Oooouh!! ‘Whats wrong with her?’
Than it clicked to me. Her water broke, my time here has reached its end.
After some time Inside the chieftain hut of Dvalinn
A naked anthropomorphic doe cries under labour’s pains while laying on a fur blanket.
Magic candles lit the home.
Surrounded by other naked hinds/does who were trying to help during her labour.
“Come on! You don’t want to disappoint your master!”
“If you can’t do this master will punish you again!”
“He’ll punish all of us if she fails to deliver!!”
“Push! Push! This is the only thing you’re good at don’t fail this”
Was the many “encouraging” words sent to the female stag in pain, which oddly worked as she pushed harder with a scream.
“I can see a head keep pushing!”
She drew on more of her strength, grinding her teeth, which proved enough as the first child was painfully delivered, a healthy male kid with rich brown fur.
“The kid is born and he’s a healthy boy too, I’m going to tell master!” said one of the hinds, joy very apparent as she runs on her knees outside the hut.
“W-wait Augh! There’s another o-o-one! UUUUUAAA!” cried the mother of one, for now.
Which reached deaf ears as a large muscular male stag with dark Grey fur and unkempt black hair and beard, the only thing ensuring he wasn’t completely naked being his leather loincloth – which had runed stone sword strap, which as you can imagine looked like a jagged sharpened rock than a sword.
Chief Dvalinn of the Brave hoof tribe was his name, his gaze settling on his wife, Sif, who was still in labour. He snorted with indifference as that is not why he was here “Where is he?! Bring me my son!” he shouted at the hinds.
One of them, on her knees brought the first born to him, he gently took the now crying child and looked at the baby with pride “Yes! After so many years of trying with this useless bitch of your mother! Finally I have a child of my blood!!!”
He laughed in jubilation, “Auuuuuaaaghh!!” His mood soured hearing his mate’s pained cry, snarling “Be quiet you dumb cunt, I don’t want this moment ruined by annoying cries!!”
“I’m sorry master!” she said through gritted teeth trying to suppress her pained cries, tears gushing from Sif’s eyes.
He ignored her, now intently looking at his baby son, ‘If the seer’s prophecy is true then you are the one to unite our tribes and conquer this nation under Caribou law ,and dominance’ He thought with a beaming smile on his rough visage “My decision is made. I shall name you Dàinn the one who shall guide the minds of men! Show all females in their place! The coming king of the Caribou nation!” his visage becoming even more savage noticing the golden glowing eyes of his son “No. The GOD to conqueror this world!!”
He laughed madness clear in his eyes not noticing he’s doe trying to get his attention, but eventually did “What is it!?! Can’t you see I’m busy!? I will punish you all for this!” angrily shouted the aging stag.
The hinds whimpered shakingly pointed at one of the deers acting as the wet nurse, who sadly looked at a sickly looking white furred baby in her arms and now at the unmoving body of his mother, tears starting to well up in her eyes.
Dvalinn blinked and briefly gazing at his mate’s corpse, he focused on the child in the doe’s arms “What…” confusion clear in his eyes ‘The seer stated the destined King was the only child I had, so how!?’ He walked over to the bowing wet nurse who reached out the pale child to him.
“No, this can’t be!!” fearing the prophecy being false he stretched his arm to the second child. He noticed some things, the child was sickly pale, even with white fur, the baby was small compared to Dàinn who was as big as a 5 month old – his second son, he picked up, looked even smaller than the average baby that was just born.
Agitated he tried to look for a pulse, very weak, and breathing, very weak too. ‘The child does not have long to live’ especially considering he has not cried, He sighed in relief ‘In a way I still have a chance to only have one child’ he thought before grimacing realizing that he’s too happy at the prospect of losing a son.
‘Dammit!’ even so he couldn’t just leave his second son without doing something, the tribe would question him on why he so easily dismissed the life of a potential warrior stag as if it’s a doe, ‘Wait…’ he picked up his second son handing Dàinn to the wet nurse who cradled him as if her life depended on him.
“The trial of life and strength” Dvalinn muttered, the hinds caught what he said their eyes widening but none of them commented on it.
The trial itself was a way to test a young stag’s will to live by leaving them into the frozen forest where they have to find their way back via surviving their harsh environment, ages varying from young adulthood to Immediately after their born, generally stags avoid the last option even more so nowadays as enemy tribes and clans, consisting of other Caribou(Truly the greater threats whom continuously try to dominate each other and fuse their tribes, a way to test the strength of their stags) , foxes(Those nonsensical clans ruled by women of all things, with weak foolish and dwindling men, especially that damn near impenetrable ‘Tamamo empire’ ruled by that nine-tailed slut), bears(Big and strong, but terribly misguided, they think females stand equal to men? Ha!), owls (Arrogant fools who make it too easy especially their obviously stupid and curvy hens, some nice good added cunts for my tribe, who make the most wonderful expressions after they learned of their new unusable wings) and crows(Their men are smart and very crafty whom utilize incredibly well made weapons, why not join the Caribou? Must be their dumb female birds spreading lies about their “own” worth and intelligence to the gullible males) whom have become more violent against them and each other too.
‘But even so as chief my word is law, I must do this for the Caribou’s destined glory!’
His decision was made.
15 minutes later
Dvalinn’s tribe was large holding many stag warriors, and hinds to please them however they wished, huts and tents acted as their homes with the chief staying in the largest one in the tribe.
Not just Caribou filled the village other species too, of the female sex, many owls and some crow hens(and fewer bears, two heavily bound ones) too all of which were captured during their hunts and brought back as sex slaves.
One type of animal was seen, many of them, either tied to posts like a dog, in pens or having “fun” with a doe or one of their captured prisoners.
Large derpy looking beasts, one of which expelled fire from its maw.
Snow and dirt covered the land with trees visible at a distance, it was sunrise and many stags can be seen moving around, cooking, cleaning, standing, sparing, practicing rune magic and ofcourse fucking.
The chiefs hut was found in the middle of the tribe where Dvalinn emerged holding two babies in his arms, he looked to his left seeing one of his guards having his way with a doe, specifically the one who was among the other hinds in his hut and ventured out to tell him the news.
Rolling his eyes before angrily getting his attention “Hey you!! Stand attention now!!” causing the buck to jump, startled and separating himself from the doe who moaned in dissatisfaction, picking up his weapon and loincloth in the process.
“Chief Dvalinn, I apologize for leaving my station!” he squeaked out, irritating the larger grey stag “Enough of that! Call a public meeting now! That’s an order!”
The guard hurriedly nodded and ran off, Dvalinn huffed before setting his gaze at the doe who was looking at him with hungry eyes.
He looked her, then his loincloth, then back at her “Make yourself useful slut” a simple demand that caused elation within the doe who proceeded to enthusiastically crawl to him.
The chief sighed feeling her get to work ‘A good way to pass time as always’
Another 15 minutes
A large crowd of Caribou gathered near the chieftains hut, some stags brought their hinds with them(carrying them over their shoulders) and some others prisoners they’ve taken a liking too, one especially large and buff stag brought with him one of the captured female bears (Thick with fat and muscle) who sat on the cold snowy floor, her body littered with runes and bound by chains on her arms, legs, nipples, and muzzled too. A chained thick leather collar around her neck like all the women here. Weak hateful growls can be heard from her, showing that hate was the only thing keeping a will intact at this point, her near vacant eyes roaming the around.
The stags had the focus on their chief, the strongest and most skilled stag in their village chief Dvalinn, they noticed whom he carried in his arms.
“He has produced heirs?”/”I knew it!”/”After so long, by the great winter I hope they’re boys”
Was the many hushed comments going around the stags, whom became quiet after noticing their chief was about to speak.
“Brothers!! This a day to remember!! For I have produced a son!! Cheer for my heir my first born son Dàinn!!!” he declared while raising his first born to the crowd.
The crowd boomed with cheers, all which praising the young Dàinn’s name.
Dvalinn’s expression took on a sombre visage causing the cheers to slowly dwindle as confusion took over the crowd.
“With the good news of my first son comes the bad news of my second son…he is dying” said Dvalinn with a sad tone apparent in his words, the crowd was shocked.
“Can’t anything be done for the child” asked one skinny stag who had glowing runes across his arms and face/muzzle, a runemaster.
Dvalinn shook his head “No wise one, not even runes can fix his fate” the runemaster bowed his head “I’m sorry my chief…”
The truth is Dvalinn wasn’t sure if the runes would work or not, he just wants the child gone to complete the prophecy.
“I understand brother, and I know you all understand my sorrow knowing how much I worked and struggled to finally have a child” the stags in the crowd nodded, the bound bear despite losing much of her fight couldn’t help but deadpan hearing his words.
“Thus I saw a simple burry to be too lacking in honour, so I shall inact the trial of life and strength!!” He declared ‘Yes this way I don’t have to directly take his life without breaking our laws’
This shocked the crowd to complete silence “W-what?” was one shaken response from a young stag.
Dvalinn’s visage became that of anger “I shall not give my late son a simple death he’s must be given the chance to fight and prove his strength in the wilds!! If he lives he shall be known as the greatest among all caribou!!!”
Some stags in the crowd got their barring and started cheering in agreement, most of them only nodding or still remained unsure.
Not long all of them cheered him on fully swayed by his words.
He chuckled darkly.
‘Perfect’
End
Author's Note
Ayyyyyy here's the new chapter from this noob writer hope toy enjoy
Our MC's story continue for he must learn to survive and thrive
Ps this story was taking awhile to be approved my God
But who cares enjoy and judge.
2. Natural selection
Be born
Be born!
Live MANNAZ!!
‘O-oh G-god’ was the recently born second son of Dvalinn’s thoughts, his mind still processing everything he’s seen, heard and went through.
Firstly he’s birth, the process itself was horrifying, not giving him enough time to properly think of a way to get him and his brother away from this demented village.
His lungs suddenly started working with his placenta straight up turning off, the meaty walls around convulsed and shifted in many ways making it hard to focus and the final process felt as if he was being crushed as he was delivered into the outside world.
He doesn’t know how he did it, but somehow he managed to imprint some runes within his body without the use of his hands, inscribed the rune Uruz deep within his heart to boost his life force, while simultaneously did something he only observed done on the runes found on the female prisoners of this village, warping a rune to do the opposite of its given nature, a corruption of the rune.
It felt disgusting doing so but his frantic mind didn’t care at the moment, placing a Corrupt Uruz rune near the outer layer of his body, specifically under the skin on his chest.
The normal Uruz fueling and maintaining his inner life force with the corrupt Uruz sucking away my outer life force, essentially making it seem like I’m near the brink of death, without actually dying.
All of which was activated by a mental command, It worked too, fooling my wet nurses and father.
Well now he knew he’s definitely not a “Bzzzt” judging by the fact he was surrounded by anthropomorphic deers(?).
‘…Mother…’ He didn’t know what to feel about her at the moment, her death definitely shook him, but the impact of such a thing was not as large as he hoped, ‘I’m so sorry…’
He started focusing on his surroundings again now noticing his father had picked him up with a strange insidious look in his eyes, be spoke in a language that I still didn’t understand, but the mad look he had told the reborn earthling it’s nothing good.
‘Dammit if only I was fast enough!’ the “dead” baby thought while sensing his healthy looking brother held in the arms of a NAKED DOE ‘Wait they’re all naked! Even this jackass holding me!!’ The only one wearing some form of clothing is said jackass’s loincloth with his weapon ‘Wh-what kind of primitive excuse of a weapon is that!!’ A weapon that relies entirely on the rune inscribed on it to be relevant in battle, in his opinion.
‘Wait how am I seeing? My eyes are…still…closed?’
All of his senses have been boosted to levels he didn’t think possible, now noticing how clear everything is outside the womb. New senses and old working together to form a colourful near clear image of his surroundings both physical and magical within his mind, the only sense excluded being his true sense of sight.
‘Holy shit…’ so far consumed in his stupor he didn’t notice the large grey stag take him and his brother outside, shaken out of it by his brother’s cries ‘Whoa what’s wron-COLD COLD COLD!!’
It took all his willpower to not shiver as that would be a sign of life.
‘FUUUUUCCKKK!!!’
ONE LONG SPEECH LATER
‘Is he done!!? Put me back inside dammit!!’
I didn’t even pay attention to my surroundings only focusing on not shaking nor making any kind of noise.
Everything was moving quite fast too, the cheering and all other unspeakable things happening around me, they put me in a thick bundle with tribal markings across it and my face, some old stags with runes across the arms and legs checked on me before they frowned and looked sadly at me with pity ‘I don’t need you assholes pity!!’ I angrily thought.
It looked like so like cross between a ceremony and celebration of some sort.
A very large and beefy looking brown stag picked me up, he wore fur bands around his arms and legs of some unknown animal(I can smell a herd of them up north!), and wore a dark red loincloth with yellow tribal marks
How do I know all this without seeing, well that’s what my combined senses determined in my mind, I sensed my father lazily gazing at me from a distance while holding my brother, ‘Am I going to be buried? Sacrificed in a fire!!?’ I thought now realizing the error of making myself look dead and what it could mean for me.
‘Though the idea of them burying me is not exactly unappealing, to be so close to nature-WHAT THE FUCK AM I THINKING!!?’
Before I could internally scold myself, I felt a rush of cold air slam into me realizing the large stag was running into a forest, sounds of the village getting further away as he ran.
‘Dammmmnnnn, this guy would could give all the Olympians I know a run for their money!!’
He ran deeper and deeper with astonishing speeds, and here I’m wondering how someone so big can run so fast.
He stopped to catch his breath and spoke in the middle of some pants, didn’t know what he said but looked satisfied, jogging to a rock and placing me atop it before he nodded and left, I caught sight of the pair glowing blue runes on his calves AND biceps, Thurisaz .
‘Yeah forget my complements about his magically steroidal ass! And why did he leave me in the middle of this cold ass forest!!’
He was gone, well gone as in very far away, the village even more so. I can still sense them but I just want to get as far away as possible from them.
‘So they left me here to die?’ I thought releasing my inner runes, my baby form enlarges and my fur becomes a healthy silver white, now looking like a 3 month old anthropomorphic baby Caribou.
Taking a huge breath, and squinting my still closed eyes, I tried to think of a way to get out of this predicament, ‘Ha! That could work!’ I thought removing my small arms out of the bundle, shivering, and proceed to write a rune on my right palm.
Sticks broke as a wild animal made itself known, an odd looking snow leopard with a much longer muzzle than Earths version and had two small horns jutting from its head.
It's beady yellow eyes focused on easy prey, it carefully trudged the snowy ground creeping closer to my form, before the animal could pounce me I revealed my right palm at it direction and inscribed on it was the rune Wunjo , shaped like a “P”.
A mental command ‘Wunjo!! ’
It casted a white glow that blinded the animal turning its head away from me, when it turned back to me instead of eyes filled with hunger they were filled with complete and utter bliss when the animal stared upon me.
‘I don’t like mind control but considering my situation I kinda have no choice’ the cat all but abandoned subtlety and walked to me with a very apparent skip in its steps, the rune itself induced feelings of happiness whenever the animal looked at me.
It turned me around onto my face, not before nuzzling me for a few seconds, on the rock and picked me up by the scruff of my neck as if I’m its child and started traveling to what I assume is the feline’s habitat.
‘Let’s gooo! Cat-mom! I wonder if she has litter?’
Where my thoughts as we travelled to who knows where.
30 minutes later back at Brave hoof village
Dvalinn watched with a stoic expression as the runemasters drew runes on his “only” son’s body to increase his development as he grows to be the God-King his kind deserve.
“We’re almost done my Chief” said one of the three runemasters surrounding the kid, he just finished inscribing the blue rune, Ingwaz, on his pelvic area just above his penis, meant to boost his fertility and endowment.
Advanced runecraft in the eyes of the Caribou, pretty simple(and stupidly wasteful) in the eyes of the reincarnated man of Earth, if he was there.
“Excellent” responded Dvalinn, his imagination going wild at the possibilities, his greatest dream coming closer to reality, one of which involved the conquering of certain vixen’s empire, many tales where spoken of the Tamamo empire’s Empress - her beauty, grace and very divine body.
His secondary goal was to get his hands on her and leash her to his rightful will.
“By the great winter!” one the runemasters gasped, drawing Dvalinn’s attention before he smiled darkly.
He’s son had a golden yellow aura surrounding him turning the blue runes gold, he grew bigger and older now looking two years in age.
“Do not be afraid my brothers” Dvalinn assured the frightened old stags ,”For what you see is our future” he said pointing at Dàinn “The key to for us to rule as kings!!” the runemasters eyes widened before they starting bowing to the sleeping child muttering incomprehensible praises and worship.
Dvalinn couldn’t help but laugh overjoyed at their reaction.
--- 4 Year later ---
The frozen forest
8 years has passed…I think, it’s hard to tell, but I’m sure of that considering I look 8 years old. It’s one thing to discover that you are reborn as some furry but another thing to add if the way I age is wrong too.
So I just assumed that much time has passed, it definitely felt that way considering all the progress I made in my rune magic and recently hunting skills with my new family of feral kitties.
I’ve already mostly given up on any sort of normalcy in my new life only holding on thin strings of what I considered an average reality…bruh I’m just lying to myself at this point.
But anyway my progress with runes has proved fruitful now knowing more runes than before, how? Simple mother nature “told” me…somewhat…in a way…yeah I really don’t know how listening to rocks and trees made me know more runes.
I just meditate and here you go.
Well I did feel strangely in tune with my surroundings and the magic around me, could explain my super senses, but again I didn’t feel anything similar with the other Caribou if they could do the same thing though…whatever I’ll investigate that bridge when I get there.
So any way new runes as well as finding less disgusting substitutes for Corrupt , being Chain , Improved and Alternate .
Chain , being a way to combine runes to create a new purpose, for example combing Laguz (water) and Kenaz (Torch)to create steam, appearance looks like roots half circling a rune and connected to another rune in a similar fashion, I can make three connections at best for now.
Improved , being a way to further “emphasize” its purpose, for example elemental runes like Kenaz , which ignites the object or substance its written on aflame, it’s enhanced version can give the object or substance its written on the explosive properties of fire much greater than the normal version and if the rune is inscribed in thin air(took me a year to pull this off) it will launch a very explosive fire ball. Appearance looks like a crimson magical circle around the white rune.
Alternate , these runes have multiple meanings thus purposes, other purposes I can draw out and exchange for the old general purpose, example Thurizas the runes that big stag who left me in the forest had, whose purpose is to “enlarge”, it’s other purposes I can now access being to unleash thorns on what ever its in contact with, increase ones durability and the disruption of magical energies. Still trying to see if I can enhance the other purposes too with Improved . Appearance being a purple diamond encapsulating the glowing white rune
Even though I hate the Corrupt feature, I can’t deny its uses at certain situations. Appearance is the rune itself glows a sickly green with crack like features on it.
Right now I was hunting for boar in this frozen hell wearing my blue baby bundle around my waist, as a make shift dress, and a fur coat of a male ‘leopard’ that tried to mate with my cat-mom via trying to kill me and her cubs, now I wear him as a sweat open hoodie.
It's cold but it’s doesn’t affect me that much anymore, for God’s sake I’m literally traveling bear hoof.
Holding a makeshift wooden spear that looked 3 times too long for me and heavy, yet I wielded it as if it didn’t weigh a thing.
Putting crazy strength for a “eight year old” aside.
I scanned my surroundings with my senses immediately finding the boar quite far from me munching on some red sweet smelling berries.
“1 km? Too easy” I squeaked out my first words in this story, feeling the direction of the wind against my exposed silver fur, before throwing my spear in a perfect arc a distance away, wind picked up from the force of the throw.
A squelch sound was heard only by my enhanced ears, my heat sense telling me the animal died immediately judging by its dropping temperature.
Running to my downed prey I couldn’t help but think ‘I started hunting for myself and pack ever since I started walking’ his running leaving a snowy dust trail ‘I didn’t eat with them considering all they ate was Raw meat surprised I didn’t die from hunger when I was younger, but than I again I stopped questioning this things’
He found the large boar with his wooden stake of a spear lodged in its eye, smiling he carried it over his after he finished eating all the berries on the bush the boar was feasting on. Unlodging the spear and carrying the animal with one arm he started walking back at his home.
The wilds were…entertaining to him, fun even, something the old him would have never agreed with. He sees living here as an exercise, the running in the woods, climbing trees and small hills, dodging big predators and the hunting.
There was a beauty to this place, especially during daytime.
He reached his home seeing his pack mates still sleeping, chuckling he placed his food down and started skinning the boar with a well made iron knife.
A clever way to use his senses to detect vibrations mixed with some magic to find ore, he forged himself some basic utensils for making food, such as pots, pans and even cutlery.
To challenge himself he limited how much rune magic he could use to forge his stuff, made gloves from the leather of those weird mounts near Caribou camps, starting fires the good ol’ fashion way etc.
The only parts he used rune magic was to make the pot to melt his ore’s in and his trusty hammer, and anvil.
Though some improvements came to mind if wants to make better stuff like real quality steel weapons, but that’s for later.
Though there was an easy shortcut for that via a specific rune.
Putting his pot over a fire he started cooking, adding peppers and spices that were magically made, cause I live in a constantly cold environment mind you.
The smell woke up the sleeping felines, the 2 younger ones immediately standing up and approaching him first with the older mother coming last.
All of them rubbing themselves on my back causing me to chuckle.
The younger cats went straight for the rest of the skinned meat left behind as I only took the necessary amount to satisfy me, the cat-mom on the other paw stayed near me, looking at me and my cooking expectantly completely ignoring the raw meat her cubs were eating.
I scoffed “Picky eater aren’t you?” finishing up making two dishes for her and me, she started eating slowly almost savoring the flavor as she purrs.
I don’t know why seeing that filled me with pride and why I’m not questioning the fact that an animal is showing such expressive emotions, but I didn’t care at the moment, digging in to my food.
Some days are like this while others we usually hunted together with me taking on the much larger animals that would’ve otherwise one-shot this entire pack, giant mammoths that commanded the cold with a single stomp, Huge serpents that swam under the snow possessing very big venomous fangs(Well I think so, never got scratched by them, seen their handy work though strong enough to melt animals into a puddle) and the most target practice’y of them all being the hunter parties that somehow find his pack.
My marksmanship with a bow and arrow(as well as spear in some occasions) is truly tested with them considering I don’t want any of them to even see or find me.
They never did, all headshots.
Most of them were Caribou of some unknown tribe with their stone age weapons, bears included in tool quality and some owls who straight up just use sharpened sticks though their stealthy nature makes up for their under equipped assess.
Seriously I hope one species brings weapons that don’t look like something from the stone age.
Some days I just look at myself with my custom made mirrors and ask…when has the act of killing become so easy for me…
Those were dark days alright!
Later that evening
In an underground cave/forge I forged a weapon, my first steel made weapon.
A spear was the weapon I chose to forge, steel blade and steel pole(wrapped with studded leather) with a blunt end, the blade itself is as long as a normal steel sword, why? Because my spear can detach into a sword and staff, that’s why.
I wasn’t going to use it now, only once I’m older.
Wrote some runes on it to preserve it from the hardships of time, I wiped the sweat from my brow and marveled at the creation.
“Yeah. I’m gonna do wonders with you” I said with a bright smile on my youthful features, even though I’m done making my weapon I knew that as I will grow older new ideas could come, possible improvements for my special spear. ‘Upgrades people! Upgrades!’ words of an unknown origin popping in my head.
“I’ll call you Hárr”
4 more years
I finally remembered everything about my past life, my family, friends, job and me.
Every single detail that revolved around John Cormac.
I sighed sitting at a mountains peak, above the clouds, my appearance changed again to match my “14 year old” body. I learned via ‘observing’ the age of my surroundings, my true age confirmed as eight(My soul still felt old).
He wore a fuzzy ‘jersey’ made from a wooly super mammoth he slew , well sowed leather pants with fuzzy ‘boots’.
He made a hat too, but realized his now apparent antlers would make It impossible to wear.
Cat-mom passed away, in her sleep, it wasn’t from any injuries, it wasn’t from old age nor sickness, things he could’ve prevented with medicinal herbs and magic. She was poisoned.
Something I couldn’t have predicted as it was to ridiculous as to how she got poisoned, she must have seen me eat berries a couple of times, because that would explain why she thought they were safe to eat only for me to discover the ones she ate were poisonous…
“The fuck…” I uttered going through emotions I wished I could’ve went through when my biological mother passed.
I buried her next to the biggest tree I could find, vowing to protect my feline sister and brother. Right now it was very early in the morning ‘They’re still asleep’ I thought hearing their calmed heart beats.
His usual target practise with the hunting parties became a bit lax, he still shoots a large majority of them down, only leaving those who are wise enough to run back where ever they came from.
Not of kindness mind you, did so to see if they’ll bring reinforcements(which they usually did) to get the same treatment as the other previous parties, running with their tails between their legs at the unknown archer(s? Who knows! Ha!).
“Man I’m fucked up in the head!”
Thus why he’s atop a mountain, to meditate and try to bring out some empathy for Christ's sake.
He’s been training these past years, both magically physically.
His Chain skills have gotten better and he can Chain six runes.
Rapid casting as well was one thing he learned to do, something to use together in battle.
He’s been training his body as well forging weights to use, Corrupt runes to make his weights heavier and challenging, made himself heavier too by inscribing runes in his body
,A trick he finally figured out, that as well as air inscription,
To increase his body’s sense of gravity, right now he’s sitting at 3x This world’s gravity(Still active) while also exercising with his weights.
He ran around the forest tens of hours for endurance training, always until he drops gasping for air.
Weapon based training was the slowest considering nearly all his opponents were wild animals, he always looked for the most dangerous ones as he and his pack migrate around this land to improve his instincts.
‘Though I wish I had a proper opponent, the hunting parties were ass!!’ remembering the few times he faced the large groups and their reinforcements, some attacked me immediately once I made my presence known, some spoke in their unknown language in confusion, plead or tried to order me, but that didn’t matter, I still slaughtered them all leaving no survivor’s(Well survivor’s of the battle specifically those smart enough to not be part of the fight I let live).
Even when I was holding back their attacks were so predictable with numerous openings. Using a plain iron sword, dagger and my hunting stick.
I stood up the mountain…and jumped greatly in the air, slowly descending before impacting the clouds as I continued falling.
“Chain! Hagalaz alternate! Improved Raidho alternate! Raidho alternate! ” words that went so fast it sounded as if he voiced one incomprehensible word.
Combining Hagalaz alternate – purpose of change, Improved Raidho alternate – purpose of land travel enhanced into purpose of advent travels , and a different Raidho alternate – purpose of momentum
All combined to create FLIGHT.
All the runes now self inscribed on his body vertically down his back glowing a brilliant white, before he blasted off like a jet. A white aura surrounding him, breaking the sound barrier to reach his destination.
As he was reaching his home at mind blowing speeds, he stopped mid-air his ears twitching and his nose picking up a scent he has never picked up before.
“This is knew and…does my nose deceive me or is that perfume?”
Very Far from the silver stags position In a valley
A party of 3 foxes was seen traveling through the valley carrying bags on their back.
They wore thick winter clothing covering everything but their head.
Black full lips and long eyelashes on their orange furred and very feminine muzzles and eyes, they each had long hair, one colored black and the 2 others red-orange to match their fur.
The leading vixen with black hair had deep purple eyes, the one with orange-red long hair on the first’s right had green eyes and the one on the left had braided her hair near the ends, had sky blue eyes.
“Jinako! I hate this, this place is too cold!!” the vixen on the right addressed the black haired one with a tone filled pompous annoyance, her green eyes looking around the valley.
The now named purple eyed Jinako, responded “Shut up Nami!! All we have to do is reach the end of this valley and we’ll be back home!”
The blue eyed one on the left shook her head “I don’t recognize this valley…the snow storm may have caused us to get lost” she said with a passive tone, Jinako turned to the half braided vixen “And I told you, Temari, that this is the right valley! I never get lost!” pridefully stated the leading vixen.
Temari only rolled her eyes, her cool expression still remained.
“I don’t know it’s just that I wish to not encounter any of those antler creatures ” she said with disgust, obviously addressing the Caribou.
“We are nowhere near those lands!” Shouted Jinako with irritation, Nami on the other hand just shivered from the cold and prospect of not just encountering the Caribou but also the other barbaric species that they may encounter.
The Caribou were definitely the worst of them all, next to incredibly violent brown bears who killed in gruesome manners - who took no prisoners.
“Now shut it and follow me I’m pretty sure we’re almost near the Zonai lands” proclaimed Jinako with certainty, believing they’ll reach their home.
Temari just sighed, and looked at her group, they were part of a scout regiment of the Tamamo empire that was created to scope out for fresh and fertile land that the empire wishes to claim especially considering the fact that their empire was experiencing severe food shortages combined with their dropping male population(who were the once those who usually did these kind of missions) that really put their empire in an awkward position.
The reason their empire was still able to stand strong despite their circumstances was due to how superior it is to the other species of this continent, better developed weapons, high quality silk clothing, tougher armour , a bigger United species/race, riches and powerful illusionary magic as well as spirit summoning.
All that and the large impenetrable walls surrounding said empire.
They usually do trades with crows despite their shifty nature, none can deny their tinkering skills and ability to make the most interesting of tools.
They once traded with the owls but civil war and greed left that particular species in shambles, all forms of status they once had was reduced to ruin, made worse by the tribes Caribou who made the owls torn lands their home.
Thinking about the crows ‘To bad they’re so hard to capture, some torture would have helped us learn their secrets and no longer have a need to trade with those birds’ thought Temari a bit bummed.
She could smell how agitated her fellow vixens are and frowned, she knew how monogamous her species, making it hard for the many, many vixens who don’t have any mates especially during heat season.
Vixen on vixen relationships were encouraged but it only slowed the inevitable heat, the pains, heat and hunger becoming nearly unbearable for many, things getting so bad that during the coming of our next season we are to lock ourselves in prisons to prevent any harm on the obviously unwilling males and their chosen mate until it passes.
Their empress Tamamo III has never showed any signs of heat during the seasons, some praising her will power, others claiming she’s a goddess of strength and purity and a very small group spreading rumours that she has a secret mate of her own who’s keeping her composed.
An even very few claiming that she became bigger, in certain places…
Temari shook her head and saw the end of the valley now seeing mountain ranges she didn’t recognize, sending a fierce glare at Jinako who nervously looked ahead, only picking up on Nami’s soft sobs.
Before Temari could scold Jinako, a booming sound was heard.
“What was-?!” before Nami could finish something crashed behind them, creating a huge cloud of snow, they covered their eyes as they now faced their previous trail.
The cloud cleared as they opened they’re eyes, which widened upon seeing a young silver caribou who looked no older than twelve facing them with closed eyes.
His bizarre and well made clothes shifting around from the wind
Long silver hair that stretched to his back and well cared for antlers on his head.
All in all, it was a bizarre sight for the foxes, especially now realizing he was the thing that crashed here judging by how he stood in the small crater.
Shock turned to fear and anger, as fully realising ‘what’ was standing before them sunk in, Nami and Temari pulled out good quality enchanted daggers with their leader Jinako coating her arms with ethereal pink magic ,around black fur that made them look like long black gloves , claws exposed and their tails whipped around violently.
Despite their battle ready stance, none made a move as the vixens couldn’t make sense of the lone young stag in front of them ‘Caribou never travel alone! Where did he come from!? Was that explosion we heard a signal!?’ was the kind of thoughts going through their heads.
Temari was the first to move followed by Nami, Jinako casted an illusion in the area to disorientate him ‘I don’t know what trick he just pulled but it doesn-!” her thoughts were cut short as faster than she can comprehend Temari was downed, a knee straight to her stomach, collapsing immediately from the hit.
Nami seeing her partner get knocked out so quick faltered for a second, but that was all he needed as grabbing Temari’s dagger mid fall he parried Nami’s weak strike and easily disarmed her before slamming the end of the dagger’s handle under her chin. Causing her to violently spin in the air before she landed flat on her stomach out cold.
Jinako just stood frozen with her jaw dropped, words failing to form.
Seeing him get closer got her out of her stupor “No! No! No! Noooo!” tales of what the Caribou did to the women they captured running wild in her mind. Sending quick glances at her fallen allies, she made her decision.
“Please take them!! Spare me! I beg you!” she cried out before taking off in a sprint away from the dangerous child, and her fallen teammates, hoping he claims them instead.
Tears streamed down her, her eyes erratic, she ran and ran, not caring where it will lead her.
Silver stag’s POV
“Wow these guys were trash!” I sighed disappointedly, after seeing their better gear l had my hopes up to finally test my proficiency in close range combat but nope not really different from fighting the others.
Well except the one who ran, shouting around knows what, ‘I really have to fix this language barrier bullshit, she casted a spell that’s for sure but nothing happened, I only felt a slight tingle’
I thought, setting my ‘sight’ on the fallen “foxes?”, definitely different from the usual.
But I believed this could be a good solution for my language problem.
As well as that weird magic he detected on what I assume is their leader, I could’ve knocked her out but I wanted to observe and see her magical capabilities and what better way than leaving her at the mercy of this damned forest area.
Her magic did speak to me, but the connection wasn’t as strong as Caribou magic, “But in time I will learn and master this new power” I declared with a small grin.
Carrying the downed vixens on my shoulder and recreating my flight runes, I flew back to my home where two bored big cats waited.
END
3. Natural selection part 2
A Crystal sapling tree slumbered, waiting.
Dreaming of harmony.
Dreaming of the world and the grand lights that walk it.
A Green light in the shape of a zebra, that speaks of witchcraft
A red light in the shape of a jackal, that speaks of curses
A bronze light in the shape of a bull, that speaks of mountains and strength
A purple light in the shape of a kirin, that speaks of magic.
A light blue light in the shape of a fish like horse, that speaks of oceans.
An orange light in the shape of a dragon, that speaks of fire.
A grey light in the shape of a griffin, that speaks of wind and thunder.
And two lights one pink and another deep violet in the shape of two alicorns, the pink one speaks of light and fertility and the violet one speaks of darkness and destruction.
And *bzzt* finally up *bzzt* north a gold *bzzt* light in the shape *bzzt* of a stag, that speaks of Luck and fortune.
All the lights the sampling dreams of as it waits for its awakening when a new generation of lights cometh.
Near a river by many rocky ruins, that spoke of a once great town like area with multiple broken owl statues littering the ground, a large camp of Caribou is seen.
Some of the Caribou were riding on their beastly mounts, on their backs were tied up owl and crow hens. Having comeback from scouring this land.
Contraptions can be seen being pulled by these beasts, contraptions with net-like ammunition most likely what was used to capture the anthropomorphic avian.
Said avian hens had seen better days, disheveled feathers, broken wings, dried tears across their beaked faces and with dried, and fresh, white substances covering their bodies.
The residents of this camp celebrated their newest additions, the one who lead the hunt being the most praised.
An “adult” stag, with cream-brown fur and brown lightly braided hair, who looked to be in his twenties, wearing shoulder armor, metal braces and a decorated loincloth that stretched to his knees. His most notable features being the gold glowing runes on his body, his large antlers that emitted yellow flakes of lights and finally his golden yellow eyes that spoke of power beyond mortal grasp.
He was ahead of the hunting party that has entered the camp, his destination being the biggest fur tent in this place.
And out from the tent came a familiar grey stag, Dvalinn, with a proud and pleased smile.
Pulled out the tent by him was a voluptuous crow hen, with faded eyes, a black collar around her neck. Dvalinn laughed hugging his son who just got off his mount “Dàinn…my son, to see our people grow…to see them expand to more soil, I had thought was a dream, made reality by YOU” said Dvalinn shaking his head with a smile, his first born just smirked “Its expected father, these races are weak compared to us, the only reason they’ve flourished is because we were divided without a true leader” Dàinn said separating himself from his father.
“That leader being you son” Dvalinn nodded at his own words, 2 years ago Dvalinn deemed Dàinn strong enough to lead his tribe, which was further proven by his defeat by his son’s hands during their ceremonial duel, he grew fast and strong. Able to carry the largest of their beasts with ease, out pace many of their swiftest warriors(who were enhanced by runes) and endure greater punishment than any of them could bare.
Capabilities that are further enhanced by the runes etched on his body which glowed a brilliant golden yellow to certify his divinity. Though it was sad to discover he had little affinity in making his own runes, but that didn’t matter to Dvalinn.
The first thing Dvalinn asked his son do is defeat all the chieftain that lead their tribes and absorb them into his own, which he accomplished with little challenge, the Caribou, united, proceeded to raid their neighboring enemies.
Their closest enemy, the bears who resided at the east forests of Berria where the first to be crushed, many of the women were taken and many of their men killed, even at knife point they refused to conform to their ways continuing to live in their delusions.
Then the easiest of them all the owls, who lived as either bandits, mercenaries or small villagers made it all that simple, their men where easy to convince to follow the right path and the women were made to submit to their will. According to some of the male owls a large chunk of their female populace started venturing to the west, home of the foxes - the Zonai lands, after seeing so many of their males accepted the Caribou’s truth. Dàinn vowed that after they finished with the other avian species the foxes will be next.
Now their current objective and most challenging of them, the crows, whom many years ago who’d have beaten the Caribou relatively easily using their advanced weaponry, now struggle to hold us back, many of them escaping to the mountains of the ruined lands of Hardyree the once proud land of the owls. Where the caribou follow as multiple camps are spread throughout these lands creeping closer and closer, leaving no room for escape.
Due to their rise in power, from the minds of their most brilliant men, advanced and improved their tools ,and weapons. Better tools and methods to farm, forging being something “created” by his people, better weapons made of a sharpened and strong material known as “metal”, which can be used as armor too, and with wooden and “metal” shields that can protect them from their even sharper arrows.
Some improvements on their sowing too allowing them to make good quality cloth only reserved to their grandest warriors.
“Start a fire men, for we are about to hear a most great tale of conquest from my boy!!” declared Dvalinn, the many stags cheer with raised fists their morale at an all time high.
Dàinn laughed joyfully “Let me have some fun with my bitches first before that” shaking his head with a smile before going into the large tent and seeing at his right two naked female bears, gagged, with muscular legs and arms, thick behinds with a good amount of fat and breasts almost as big as their heads, the bears had runes written on them to prevent any resistance and on their pelvic area to increase their fertility. Black thick collars on their necks.
They glared weakly at him “Ahhh yes, there’s always something about strong females that give me a rush” He said lust clear in his eyes as he approaches them “To crush and conquer them” undoing his loincloth, he picked up one of them by the neck and threw her on his fur bed “And have them on their knees or bent over as I make them mine” forcefully turning the bear, her face pushed into the soft bed sheets, ass out facing his pelvis, his very large 13 inch thick rod making itself known, before he thrusts deep in her thick furry cavern drawing a gasp from her gagged mouth “To show them no matter how strong they are…” he picked up on his thrusting drawing more gasps from her, whether of pain or pleasure is anyone’s guess.
“I’m always superior”
As Dàinn asserts dominance on the female bear, his father was outside organizing their celebration.
He stood in the cold wind, his bitch shivering which was ignored by the large grey stag as he stared at his fellow men in arms as they worked.
He sighed as his thoughts drifted to the rumors of the savagethaw forest, about how anystag that travels there will meet with nothing but death, said death being described as a pale demon or wraith as the many delirious stags that made it back described before either Killing themselves or going completely mad.
Which was enough for the older stag to know that theres something worse than the many dangerous predators, which they avoided at all costs, that made that region its home.
This had Dvalinn worried as it was the same forest he left his second son to die in, he considered the small possibility that he’s son somehow survived and his taking revenge on any Caribou that travels in those woods, but squashed that thought seeing how his first born’s progress is matching up with the prophecy.
“But could my son’s soul have cursed the forest?” He muttered in worry, as the miracles of magic can unleash anything for all he knows. He sent many Caribou warriors to investigate, none returned, so much so he declared the forest forbidden grounds.
Dàinn offered to investigate but his father disagreed saying that he should focus of bringing the caribou prosperity, but mentioned that when he considers his son ready he could go if he wishes.
The frozen forest – the silver stag’s home
Nami groggily started to wake up, her eyes slowly fluttering open, her gaze lazily sweeping around the-!
“Wait where am I!?” now paying attention to her surroundings, she realized that she was in a cave…a very clean and furnished cave, which at first she mistook for a Noble’s house if it wasn’t for the stalactites and rocky walls.
Some high quality furniture spread around, animal fur carpets, well carved and very smooth looking tables and cabinets , and even a fire place too.
“Is that a kitchen?” she noticed at the far end of the cave was…was…she didn’t how to describe it as she’s never seen a kitchen like this, the rocky wall has been made smooth with no bumps whatsoever, the many things that spoke of a kitchen to her was the kitchen knifes, table with vegetables ,hung meat and other compartments she’s never seen before. To humans this kitchen would a look like a normal modern kitchen with meat hanging on hooks at the corner.
Noticing a weight on her shoulders she turned her head seeing her unconscious friend Temari leaning on her, they’re tied up together now, as she now realized her restricted movement.
“Dammit! What happened?!” Nami tried to remember how they got here and why they were tied together, with their own rope(from their backpacks) it seems. She heard a growl, turning her head to the noise she now faced two very close, if she remembers correctly, Chuntoths.
The felines in question watching them with clear curiosity as their tails wagged behind them. Nami screamed, waking up Temari in the process.
“Uuh…whats-BY Empress Tamamo’s lushes tails!!” she screamed now seeing the predators so close to them, Said Chuntoths did not move an inch, preferring to look at the two vixens with curiosity.
The two cats ears stood up, having picked up something, before they ran off to the cave’s entrance.
Nami having stopped screaming and now noticing her awoken friend, “Temari you’re awake!! I don’t remember what happened, but it looks like we’re captured!” Temari now noticed their predicament and struggled against the ropes with no avail.
“We have to get out of here before the Caribou get here!!”
Nami’s eyes widened in horror after hearing what Temari said, before she completely remembered everything, now struggling with her partner to escape.
“No! Please no! This can’t be real!” cried Nami in desperation.
Hoofsteps can be heard getting closer to them, causing them to hurry, but still no progress was made.
A very familiar young stag walked up to them.
POV the silver stag
“Damn that was boring” I entered the cave after watching the black haired fox woman he let go, whom despite having stayed in the forest for at least half a day, spent it all doing nothing but sob violently under a tree reeking of guilt.
‘Maybe I should’ve picked her up too. She’s definitely going through something’ I thought, heading towards the now awake foxes, having detected their rising heartbeats and overall movements when he was in the forest stalki-watching over their ‘leader’.
So now walking to my ‘living room’ I saw them where I left them, near the middle of the room tied to each other. I trusted Tina and Jeff to watch them as he observed the other fox, which turned out be a huge waste of time.
Said cats followed behind him.
They were struggling through their binds but immediately froze when they saw me, fear clear in their eyes, the ones with braids started crying while the other glared defiantly at me.
‘Damn, am I that intimidating? I’m an eight year who looks twelve’ chucking at the thought, which didn’t help his image as the braided one started crying more, ‘Well an eight year old that just beat up to adult foxes…’ I stopped before for them, my face scrunching up in thought.
“Fucking baby steps I guess” I sighed as I went to the kitchen, a plan made, ‘but first I’m pretty sure they’re hungry’
The one with blue eyes adorned a confused expression pretty much confused by my weird language. I started cooking some of the meat I’ve gotten from those super “mammoths”, considering their foxes, a carnivores meal would please them.
Wait aren’t they omnivores?
Doesn’t matter I’m still make them a good meaty dish, the smell must be good considering the green eyed one stopped crying.
Humming a song I remember, I continued making them food.
POV END
Temari and Nami, ceased what they were doing and stared at the mystery stag’s back with clear confusion, a wonderful smell reaching their snouts.
“Te-Temari wha-what is he doing?” stuttered Nami, incapable of making sense of what the Caribou is doing or rather not doing to THEM. Temari just continued staring “He’s making food…” she didn’t let her guard down, believing after he’s done he would come for them.
Their snouts twitched, as the smell drew them deeper, ‘Is he going to eat that heavenly dish in front of us!’ Thought Nami, her stomach growling hard, drawing Temari’s surprised gaze causing Nami to blush.
They heard closing hoofsteps as turning their heads back to the silver stag they saw him walk with two steaming plates, they tensed when placed the plates next to them and walked off back at the entrance.
Nami’s and Temari’s jaws dropped, Temari refocusing again looked down at her plate and saw a cooked steak, with mushroom sauce, spiced up vegetables and two fresh smelling bread buns.
All in all it looked incredibly good, her thoughts about the food being possibly poisoned was halted by Nami’s movements. Now seeing the vixen, free of binds, happily munching on her food.
“Wha-?!” looking down Temari noticed her untied bindings, plus a knife and weird clawed ‘spoon’ on her right “When did he-!?!” her words cut by her friend “Don’t care, eating now!” Nami said in between her chewing.
Hesitating at first she picked up her plate and started digging in while ignoring the utensils laid at her right, her eyes widened before she started eating with the same gusto as her friend, a look of bliss overtaking her expression.
Soon enough they finished their meals, looked around and froze immediately noticing one smirking stag crouching near them.
Frozen forest
Jinako had tears streaming down her face, regret eating her from the inside, she didn’t know how long she cowered under this tree.
Her body’s cry of hunger, ignored, the unforgiving cold as frost spreads across her exposed fur, all of it ignored as nothing could overcome the pain she felt for abandoning her allies “it’s not my fault!” she cries to no one “If they’ve captured all us, if they took me…” whatever words she wanted to use to justify her action died, as she hugged her knees “Nami, Temari…Forgive me…” was all she could utter to afraid to even try to rescue them.
Hisssss!
Her eyes widened as she stood alert, her heart beating through her chest as she looked around for what made that noise, her tail twitched. Feeling something behind her, she slowly turned her head and came face to face with a giant serpent that looked big enough to swallow her whole with ease.
Arctic blue scales, red slit eyes and an unbearable amount of heat was radiating from its body, which was wrapped around, crushing, the large tree she was under.
It's huge forked tongue tickling her snout as she stood their frozen.
The serpent started pulled its head back, fangs exposed themselves as it released what could be perceived as a demonic hiss that would stay in Jinako’s nightmares forever.
But thankfully she immediately got her bearing, acting quickly, pink ethereal magic covered her arms.
The serpent seeing her movements and in a split second struck her, its jaw clamping on her, only for the image of the supposed dead vixen to vanish as a pink haze revealing to the snake had only attacked air.
The giant snake reared it’s head in confusion, looking around seeing nothing, before it’s forked tongue popped out detecting a scent that lead deeper in the icy wilds, her scent.
Releasing an angry hiss it followed the scent of its newest prey, moving across the thin snow with a ferocious speed.
Jinako ran and ran, ‘Just when things couldn’t get any worse!!’ she ran feeling the cold air impact her exposed furry face, black long hair waving around. Her triangular ears twitched picking up the sound of harsh scrapping and hissing behind her “No!” she quickened her pace, her left arm gathering magic as she imagined walls and obstacles to impede the predators speed.
It worked as the serpent was fooled by the fake constructs weaving around and past them, delaying its pursuit. But it’s main focus was still on her.
She kept running and creating more obstacles, even creating an even larger snake to try and scare it, it worked to a degree as it caused her hunter to pause taking a defensive position. This proved to be her greatest mistake once the serpent pulled out its tongue, confused but noting a lack of scent from the larger form.
Proving it’s intelligence, it went though her means to scare it and all other constructs she made, now realizing they are all fake as they all disappeared into a pink haze.
The speed of its pursuit has gotten worse for her.
She vaulted over rocks, swung from sturdy branches and displayed noteworthy acrobatic and parkour skills, but the serpent was still hot on her trail and getting closer.
She reached a frozen lake and accidentally slipped, falling she proceeded to slid across to the middle of the iced waters.
Releasing a yelp from her fall she tried to stand from where she stopped sliding. Cracks started to cover the iced floor.
The serpent reached the frozen lake, and unperturbed moved across it, “Wait stop!” cried Jinako, for some reason expecting the animal to listen.
The thin ice supporting them immediately gave away, breaking and dropping both Jinako and the predator in the cold waters beneath them.
5 Minutes earlier – Chuntoth habitat
The two sibling chuntoths , whom sat behind their adopted sibling, were feeding on some raw meat placed in their wooden pet bowls.
As the other occupants sat on the sofas across each other, the silver stag had a calm and almost serene expression.
The two vixens just stared at him from their comfy seats with different levels of suspicious, fear and confusion.
Nami being the most confused, one reason being his eyes, which he hasn’t opened ever since they’ve seen him. Something she finds unnerving too.
Temari adorned a mask of stoicism, but internally she was panicking, making plans of escape as she hides the Knife he gave them for their food behind her back.
The silver stag in question...
‘They’re scared, well that’s to be expected I kind of did kidnap them…What am I thinking, I totally did kidnap them SHIT!!’
‘Its cool, you gave them food, and you’re treating them with some good hospitality. I can relax…there’s a snake approaching the third fox woman’s position!. Well I’ll save her when things get too dangerous for her’ he thought stroking he’s not existent beard(well he still has hair there soooo) causing the two vixens watching him to jump slightly in fright.
‘Well its time to communicate what I need from them’ the silver stag pointed at Temari, who stiffened, and tilted his head in confusion, an kept pointing at her.
Temari blinked, wondering what was the meaning of his actions ‘Has he chosen me as his first victim’ she thought but Nami voiced what she thought “I think he wants to know you’re name…” Temari quirked a brow at her and stared back at their captor who was still pointing at her with his eyes closed, still maintaining his head’s odd position.
“Te-Temari” she stuttered, wanting to kick herself for the lose of composure. “Teh-Ma-ree! Nice name, but I already knew it from your little conversations ” he repeated, though with a lot more emphasis at some parts of her name than necessary.
He started repeating the name while nodding ‘I can say the name perfectly if I wanted to, but I REALLY need to sell the I don’t know you’re language deal’ which worked as Nami’s eyes shown with understanding, noting his weird language and the way he pronounced her friends name “Temari, I think he can’t speak our language” suggested Nami, part of her was unsure.
Temari was caught of guard by Nami’s suggestion, flabbergasted “What do you mean he can’t understanding what we’re saying! There aren’t any other languages in our realm!” she said but became stunned seeing the silver stags look of confusion and twitching ears, a scrunched up expression as if…
“That makes no sense!!” Temari angril shouted “Was he living under a rock!!”
Nami hummed “Maybe a forest, long enough to make up his own language”
“Long enough to speak gibberish you mean” sarcastically responded Temari, a large part of her thinking this is some trick from the Caribou.
The “young” stag pointed at the green eyed vixen “Ohh Nami! My name is Nami” she said with a strained smile.
“Nami!” he repeated, which oddly enough caused an actual smile to appear on her muzzle “I think the reason he brought us (“Kidnapped!” - Temari) here was so could learn from us” she said, her eyes now following the large felines who just finished they’re food and rubbed themselves on the young stag’s legs. The silver furred “child” smiled and started petting them.
Before Temari could voice a complaint, the silver stag stood up suddenly and disappeared in a burst of speed, blasting wind within the cave, that forced the occupants to cover their eyes.
Nami was the first to shiver, as the fire place was snuffed out.
Butt that didn’t matter to the duo, as they noted the missing kid and two felines that sat down as if what occurred was normal.
"I want to go home” Nami said to her outright stunned friend.
“What the Hel!!”
Frozen forest – Lake
Jinako was drowning, her efforts to swim up made moot by the snake, which was sinking deeper. The serpent was in shock from the change in temperature, but somehow wrapped its tail around the vixen as they sank deeper into the cold abyss.
‘So this is how die…’ thought Jinako feeling the last remnants of air start to leave her ‘Mom…guess I’ll be joining dad soon…’ was her last thoughts.
Closing her eyes and accepting what’s to come.
But the creeping peace was ruined by something violently entering the cold waters, said something separating her from the snake and carrying her over its shoulder before bursting out of the water.
She coughed and expelled any water that had entered her lungs, and weakly tried to set her sight on her savior.
Silver half braided hair flowed from his back, with antlers-! “Oh…its…you…” she rasped, suddenly she feels warm, very warm as if under a hot afternoon sun. The comforting warmth leading her to the world of dreams, her body too tired to continue.
The savior sighed as he flew back at the cave, Chain! Dagaz! Kenaz! Was present on the her back, the combined runes engulfed her in the heat of a sunny day. He flew in the cold near-evening back to his home ‘At least the other two will be happy with their reunion, I was still hoping for more but I believe I got enough to work with concerning their magic’ He thought in satisfaction, with some guilt present at leaving her victim to the dangers( Well not to him though ) of this forest.
‘I should move…’ He faced many challenges here but there are still many more out there, new things to discover and learn.
He’s already used to the dangers of this frozen forest, from vicious predators, mighty beast and occasional hunters/warriors that make themselves known here, so much so they stopped coming here altogether.
‘I wonder if their any ghost stories about me? Maybe scary legends!’ he thought remembering leaving some of the warriors to leave if they’ve never tried to fight him, they weren’t innocent that’s for sure, for he could sense their bloodlust for him...and “normal” lust too from a few of the bear women he let live…”Sometimes I swear-!”
He saw the cave opening and headed down towards it, his boot covered hooves touching the ground, he stopped at the opening.
Doing a widespread scan with his super senses, picturing everything inanimate and animated of the entire forest and beyond. He came to a decision.
“After I learn to speak this place’s language, I think I’ll pay my old “tribe”… or is it “village”? Whatever! A little visit” he said with determination, though he nervously sweated a bit, because he doesn’t know whether or not he’s a special case for his people considering his capabilities and if whether or not ‘his’ tribe was all the caribou can offer.
For the adult man turned young stag is still unaware of his own divine status.
1 week later
These past days have been very slow for Temari, as expected when you’ve been living with some freak of nature of a caribou child.
Because even now Temari was trying to recall where in their teachings and warnings about the Caribou did it state that they can disappear and appear in bursts of wind, especially at such a young age.
She demanded answers from him, with her knife out, when he came back with their leader Jinako in his arms, but the language barrier between proved it was pointless much to her frustration.
Nami volunteered to teach him how to speak, as Temari couldn’t stand being close to him so chose to watch over the Jinako.
When Nami tried to ask for his name he froze which Nami took as him not having one and a bit too enthusiastically tried to give him one, offering many names for him to take, which he refused, one of the offered names being Kurama.
The amount of effort Temari needed to fight the urge to slap her for trying to name a caribou stag after Tamamo the first’s husband was incalculable.
When Jinako woke up the next day, they filled her in on what’s happening, well only after they comforted her after she started to meltdown when she saw them. Shouting many apologies and asking for forgiveness.
Nami forgave her quite fast, while Temari reluctantly did so after spending some hours angrily thinking about how their “leader” abandoned them to save her own hide, Temari is definitely never going to forget that.
They awkwardly ate with the Caribou, with Temari finding out he took his knife back much to her annoyance. They also never tried to escape.
Temari wanted to escape, but Nami and Jinako wished to stay much to her shock.
Nami’s reason being that out all the three of them she came to enjoy spending her time with that ridiculously fast learner of a child, which she started to see him as such and many times treated him as such much to his irritation, and the pseudo lavish lifestyle minus the servants was a bonus to the…former noble.
Jinako’s reason being that she felt like she owed him a debt for saving her life, despite Temari’s suspicions and her pointing out he was the reason Jinako almost died in the first place. But the amethyst eyed vixen didn’t care because in her eyes he exposed a weakness in her heart, one she wishes to rectify by staying with him and her friends to some degree, she started helping with him with his housework, such as cleaning, cooking and washing which he appreciated.
Though there was something else she wanted to ask of him after he learned how to speak.
Speaking of him learning their language, as said before he was a fast learner much to Nami’s excitement and Temari’s horror, in the first three days already speaking a broken version of their language. His progress continued to get better as these few days past.
“He’s so unnatural!” was Temari’s response to all of this, his very existence freaking only Temari out, as the rest of her friends either ‘ignored’ his “perks”(Jinako) or just called him “gifted”(Nami), which pissed her off at how unfazed they are by his abnormal abilities “Nothing about him matches what we read about the Caribou!”
At first Temari thought it must be some kind of magic to keep herself sane, despite never hearing any Caribou rune magic capable of producing something like that child.
One the fifth day when he went out to gather food he left trails of snow clouds around the entire forest, a display of jaw dropping speed and strength as one time dragged a dead ADULT giant Trunkmaw (Super “mammoths “as the silver stag likes to call them) with one arm, his facial expression showing that he experienced no difficulty doing so. The trio reacted as expected as any rational thinking being would.
But that didn’t matter now as they are eating the next meal, Jinako who hasn’t touched her food stared intently at the silver kid ad he ate.
Nami and Temari noticed this and were sending small confused glances at their friend and “captor”, the Caribou child made no indication that he noticed her staring or was bothered by it.
“I demand a duel with you”
Temari almost choked on her food, Nami was the first to respond “Jinako! You can’t force a child to fight you!” Temari snorted and gave her an ‘Are you serious?’ look.
“This is my way for redemption” said Jinako, her breathing steadied, “The first time we encountered him I ran, like a weak coward” she continued now glaring at the only bipedal male in the room “leaving behind my friends, I can never forgive myself unless I do this.”
Before Nami could scold her friend she was cut off by the lone Caribou.
“I accept” he said with the same serene expression, causing a chill to run across Temari’s spine, as she was still weirded by how his voice sounded, young like a child but yet it felt old… so out of place.
“But I demand something in return” continued the silver stag, Jinako nodded “What is it do you desire young one?” nervous sweat present on her forehead.
He smiled, none threating nor malicious almost cute(Nami), “Tell me more about Zonai, I’m planning on heading there after a ‘little’ errand of mine” this shocked the group, the two Chuntoths approached them with curious eyes.
“And please”
“Call me Mannaz ”
End
Author's Note
Here's my newest chapter hope you enjoy it, remember I'm a noob writer so please point out any mistakes on my story K.
4. Natural selection final
Author's Note
Sorry for the late update, my colleague Lecturers have started giving us tests and assignments to do, my week has been filled with work, work, work.
So it took a while for me to get back in the groove, please point out any mistakes on this chapter please, I really want to improve as a fanfic writer.
Ps the next chapter might come even later because this week was just the beginning of my time consuming activities T-T.
4. Natural selection final
Humanity!
Balance!
Divine potential!
Development of talents!
Your core, and thus your being!
The now named Mannaz worked in his hidden forge, under the his cave, a day has passed since Jinako requested…no…demanded a duel with him.
Though he agreed, now capable of speaking their tongue, though sometimes he would return to speaking English when caught offguard.
Apparently their language doesn’t have a name, with him finding out it’s the only language on this continent. Well actually the vixens said it was the only language in the world prompting him to ask them about naval travel and other continents which garnered confused expressions, which told him all he needed to know.
He stopped hammering the hot metal, ‘looking’ at his furred hands, he wasn’t wearing a shirt or anything other than some brown leather pants and with no shoes(hoofs are good enough on their own).
‘This should’ve freaked me out’ he stated in his head, but he couldn’t explain it properly but he was very relaxed here, in an alien world and an alien body, this world’s nature had a weird affect on him and his mental state. It made him feel calm and collected even when placed in a life and death situation such as when his ‘father’ left him to die, encountering the many predators here and even fighting anything bipedal that wandered here.
It wasn’t all good, as he became almost indifferent to the death of others, something he only questioned after his cat-mom passed, which got an actual reaction. Concluding that he can’t give a damn if HE was the one who took the lives of others.
Realising he was the cause of his ‘mother’s’ death during childbirth which explained why he felt almost nothing from it…’what the fuck is wrong with me’ came a thought as he sighed, frustrated at himself he continued to work again.
He was planning on making some steel platted armour, not for his battle with Jinako this afternoon but rather his venture in deep Caribou lands to save the slaves, rescue his brother and kill a lot of those blasted degenerates.
He shook his head in disbelief as he worked, he’s biologically eight years old, looks twelve, and is already thinking about being a murderous freedom fighter.
He can’t even be that excited as that weird calming effect he’s experiencing is also making it hard to be overly excited for anything.
“I can’t use Hàrr now” he said to himself, the foreign language rolling tastefully on his tongue, as he thought of his special spear “I still gonna experiment with it plus I’m too small” he’s been working around carving runes on it that did more than just light it on fire or cover it with ice to increase its damage and defense, trying to get more unique results, but that is for later when he is older and hopefully bigger.
It's not that he couldn’t use it but that he would look ridiculous if he did in his opinion. That spear is too long for someone of his size.
“But I’m still want a weapon though, to use for the caribou…hmm…whatever! A straight sword will do! The bread and butter of all weapons never fails!”
Hardyree base
In a vast green forest. Within a large castle-like fortress with large stone walls can be seen surrounding the fortress like city , we can see many anthropomorphic crows armed to the teeth(beak?) with sharp iron swords, daggers, throwing knives and crossbows attached on their hips.
Speaking of crossbows, giant versions of them can be seen lining the walls. With crows guards holding station next to them, their eyes surveying the distance, some doing so from the skies.
The crows all wore variations of full body thick leather armour with metal plates for extra defence, all that remained exposed being their wings and heads, some of them sported leather hoods or masks and even both.
Focusing in on the command room of the fortress we can see four black avian who were dressed in finer clothes discussing over a table with what looks like the layout of a battle.
“Damn barbarians!!” a male crow with frosted white tips on his feathered head slammed his claw on the table in a show of anger, none of the occupants reprimanded him for they also felt his frustration.
“Three years of war and they’re somehow pushing us back!?” questioned a female crow with white feathers atop her head, which acted as pseudo short hair, looking intensely at the fake battle ground that showed the crows being cornered by the Caribou.
“Not somehow. It’s because of that damn new leader of theirs, my spies reported that their leader, Dàinn they called him, is something supernatural” calmingly said an elderly crow hen with eyes that spoke of vast experience, “They claim he’s a God”
The last crow, youngest and male, scoffed “Nothing but stories to induce fear” he scowled “Those mud dwellers should not be this much of threat! They should’ve stayed in their place amongst the other savages!”
The three other crows nodded at that, they were uncontested when it came to military might, to see the Caribou’s actually match them is ludicrous.
They’ve sent many spies to learn their secrets but a few of them got too close and got captured, torturing them and thus learning crow craftsmanship and smith work making the Caribou an even worse threat.
They were confident in their defensive walls, but now lay crumbled as witnesses claim seeing a gold light or object(some claimed it was shaped like a caribou which many did not believe) slam into them reducing them to rubble, now they were chased out of their old settlements and homes.
They tried fighting back, their armies got slaughtered as the Caribou used unanticipated tactics and somehow they were falling for them every single time, with their hens being captured as a result.
They tried to gather some owls to fill up the ranks, they turned out to be working with the Caribou and fed their enemy information concerning their weaknesses and strengths, as a result lost more land.
The council of four, the last four rulers, couldn’t believe how the odds are falling into the Caribou’s favour like this.
It was as if fate, and luck, itself favoured the caribou.
Now here they are, forced into residing in an old military base that was built when they were still in a cold war with the owls at their prime.
The elderly hen made a suggestion “What if we ask for a truce” the other three stared at the hen with disbelief as she closed her eyes and continued “We are running out resources and are cornered, we can’t even ask the foxes for help due to our shaky relationship and their food shortage is holding them at bay” She finished as her eyes opened, gazing at the other 3 crows with a look of defeat.
The white haired male and female crow flinched while the younger male seethed “So what! I rather our race die trying than submit to the Caribou!!” He stared at the other two crows “Don’t tell me you two think to entertain such a horrid idea! I will not put our hens in such a disgusting position!!” both of them showed their agreement, while the old hen sighed and spoke “Our superior metal works and military tactics was all that prevented them from even challenging us, despite our race being incapable of using magic, but now they’ve matched us and combined with their rune magic the direction of this war is inevitable”
“There is another option” said the male with white frosted tipped feathers “We can do as the owls did and migrate to Zonai, if the foxes won’t help us, than let’s make our problem theirs as well” the youngest shook his head violently before looking angrily at the male crows direction “She suggests we surrender and you suggest we run!!? No, I refuse to let these bastards gain anymore ground!!”
“No I believe my lord may have a point, we are in desperate need of reinforcements and resources” stated the white head crow “We are not running. Think of it as ‘a forced coalition’ with the Tamamo empire”
“I believe it’s time we settle this with a vote, do we stand our ground and fight till our last breath or do we group with the foxes and make our enemy theirs as well” stated the aging lady, the younger crow gritted his teeth seeing the his “allies” going for the second option ‘A species so proud now reduced to this!!?” he thought angrily, it's not like he hated the foxes as he sees them as worthy rivals to the crows but rather the very idea of abandoning their homelands and quite literally half of their race to the Caribou was what really garnered his rage.
‘These barbarians may lack in politics but they still have traditions, traditions that we-No I can exploit to my favour’ he thought thinking of the weapons and tools he could bring for his most riskiest plan ‘I just need to get close enough, close enough to this Dàinn than I can end this war!’
Savagethaw forest – tree free clearing
Mannaz stood in the middle of the clearing, the snow under his hoofs melting, his super senses already making him aware of three figures approaching the area.
“Are you ready Jinako” He asked rhetorically, the answer being obvious by the steel daggers she was holding tightly.
Her friends did not bring any weapons opting to stay out it.
Jinako took a step forward, Mannaz quirking a brow, he already noted the fact that Jinako abandoned her heavy snow gear now only sporting a red Chinese dress with golden yellow patterns( well what he assumes is a Chinese dress) and black baggy pants that was closed by bandages near her anthropomorphic exposed fox feet.
All which made clear by a combination of multiple senses working together as usual for the silver stag.
If Mannaz was a pervert he would’ve paid close attention to how well it hugged her model like figure, but he wasn’t as he only focused on the stance she took and the Magic swirling around her clawed hands.
Not counting her shivering and the uncertainty in her eyes, she looks like a seasoned warrior.
He still only wore his thin leather pants and furry boots, the cold never bothered him as his upper body was exposed, Nami looked at with worry while Temari had a look of indifference already aware of how the Caribou almost next to nothing in cold weather.
The weapon he brought was a simple iron short sword held on his left hand.
Once Mannaz and Jinako were firmly in the middle of the clearing, it began.
Jinako charged, kicking up snow as she moved fast towards his position swinging one of her daggers aimed at his neck.
Sparks flew as he parried her attack with ease, Jinako didn’t estimate the force of the parry to cause her to lose her balance “Dammit!” she regained her balance and jumped back looking at the young stag who hadn’t moved from position, she glared at him “Why didn’t you take the opportunity to strike me” he shrugged “Didn’t want to end this spar too soon” was his nonchalant response.
She glared harder at him “Don’t mock me!!!” she charged again using her illusion magic to conjure an ice storm to hide herself in, she tried to strike his right trying to stab him in his ribs.
He blocked the strike much to her surprise, when she got to know him the one thing she and her friends noted where his constantly shut eyes yet he could detect them with ease even at times eyes would prove useless, so she theorized he must have the ability to detect the magical energies of others.
She was pushed back by him but got her footing and assaulted him again with a flurry of slashes all of he blocked in perfect succession.
Jinako gritted her teeth, she created this snow storm with the addition of overloading it with her magic energy, from a simple illusion to a cloud of her magical energy she believed would act like a smoke screen against his magic detection.
She crossed her daggers to block a vertical slash to her head as he had jumped to attack, grunting with strain as her legs dug into ground from the force of his strike.
But it proved fruitless as he could still “see” her leading her to believe that one, his magical detection is more advanced than she believed or two, there’s more to his detection skills than what she determined.
Rolling away from him before doing a flip to get herself to her feet again, she analysed him as he stood only a few inches way from the same spot as before, much to her annoyance.
She was no novice when it came to creating illusion that title belongs to her friends, Nami never tried to learn any illusion magic other than the basics and Temari having a low affinity for them no matter how much she tried.
Jinako acknowledges she was not the best her kind could offer in that field but even she can tell the difficulty Mannaz could pose to their best illusionists, their magic relied entirely on fooling the enemies senses, sight mainly, smell, hearing and only the best could manipulate: touch.
Yet something told her that if they were to meet him their illusionists suffer nothing but headache from trying to fool this young stag.
She tried creating noises around him with her magic and muting hers, he still knew where she was.
She created the most foul smelling odour to get him to drop his guard for a strike, he was unfazed and she found herself knocked to her back before hurriedly standing up.
Sight was not an option as he doesn’t even use his eyes, something she now wishes to question him about as she just assumed he was blind but a part of herself tells her that’s not the case.
Her tail stood up violently shaking as her frustration grew.
She charged again with a war cry abandoning her form and wildly using her energy to try and break through his guard, he didn’t miss a single slash as he parried, deflected and blocked all her strikes, she tried to faint some to trick him causing him to deflect the false attacks with free right hand by slapping the flat side of her daggers not losing any ground as a result.
This ‘fight’ was absurd to her, jumping and throwing her daggers at him as a distraction, she charged at Mannaz ready to grab and wrestle him into the ground as the he deflected the incoming blades.
She was reminded of the kids super strength as the moment she was about to grab his right shoulder her world spun around as before she was slammed on her back, realising an “Oof!!” as her back hit the ground.
Mannaz mentally gave some credit as her little gamble could’ve proved to be a good tactic…if her enemy was physically weaker than him.
Pointing his blade at her neck, she froze as she stared directly into his closed eyes, “I win” was all he said with a small smile.
The vixen sighed in disappointment as she took the hand he reached out to her and picked herself up.
The other two vixens ran up to make sure she was fine, which she nodded and assured them that she was okay.
Jinako gazed at the sunset, taking a huge breath of cold air, “I had hope that I would give you a challenge, despite everything I’ve witnessed you do” she chuckled now looking at Mannaz, who adorned his usual serene expression.
“Don’t be hard on yourself, nothing about me is particularly normal” he flinched slightly from accidentally returning to english.
Though Jinako couldn’t care less from his hiccup, smiling in response.
Nami now made herself known “Okay now that this is settled can we go home now!” Temari agreeing “Nami’s right, I believe it’s about time we return to Zonai” causing Nami’s eyes to widen before quickly settling on Mannaz then her friends “That’s not wha-!” but was cut by their group leader “She’s right Nami, it’s about time we return to our REAL home, we can’t stay here forever”
Nami stuttered incapable of producing a sentence before looking at Mannaz.
She went to hold his hand, much to his confusion, “Okay we’ll go home, so long as Kurama-I mean Mannaz comes with us” Temari deadpanned while Jinako shook her head in amusement.
“One, he made it clear that he’ll leave this place after he attends whatever business that interests him and two, he said he would go there without us to explore the land more efficiently ” stated Jinako.
Nami’s ears dropped as she heard that “You’re a child” she muttered looking at Mannaz in deep worry “Correction, I’m a very capable child ” he answered with a sad smile.
She released his hand, conflict clear in her eyes, “Y-y-yes that’s tr-true…” she said recalling how he’s been living here on his own apparently.
“But promise me that once you’re done with errand or quest, seek US out once you make it to the Tamamo empire!” she pleads, Mannaz nodded his head “I promise” was all she needed to hear.
Temari scowled “Okay are you guys done? I want to return back into the cave to start preparing for our trip” drawing a glare from Nami and one disapproving from Jinako.
But nevertheless they ventured back to begin their journeys.
Mannaz looked at his sword as they travelled back home, his thoughts on the faint signatures his super senses detected at the very far distance, almost beyond his range.
A familiar setting.
8 hours later
Bravehoof town – dark morning
Caribou guards roamed their new and improved settlement, no longer staying in tents nor huts, many wooden homes littered the area.
The guards themselves showing of better equipment being their now iron blades, marked with runes, and leather armour which has been treated the same as the swords and axes they carries.
They all held torches, it being near four in the morning, so it was still dark outside.
The town wasn’t surrounded by any fence or wall, but guards can be seen patrolling the outskirts of their small town.
A nearby Caribou guard, with a great axe, yawned with his partner, whose holding the Torch, who sneezed slightly from the cold air.
“Dammit! I can’t stand this type cold! I wish we could make those dumb sluts takeover the morning patrols!” Angrily proclaimed the one with the torch, his partner sending him a look of irritation “You seriously think those dumb cows will know how to patrol? Actually defend the town!?” he laughed at the thought, his sneezing partner responded “I hate the fact that our females get to stay warm and cozy in OUR homes while we are out here freezing!!”
His axe wielding partner quirked a brow “Than why didn’t you bring your bitch with you, We could’ve had a good sucking right now” the one with torch huffed “She’s sick” he replied with a roll of his eyes “Doctors say that if I were to bring her outside in this cold my bitch could die or some nonsense like that!”
The axe wielding stag humphed “Sick or not I would’ve still brou-“ whatever he was about to say was cut short.
An armoured figure with an unsheathed sword appeared behind them, slight wind blowing in all directions, the figure returned the steel blade back in the scabbard on his back and continued moving forward deeper in the town.
The two guards stood frozen, before their heads slid off and bodies collapsed.
POV Mannaz
I moved silently in the darkness, my armour designed to be as silent as possible made also possible by the Chain! Raidho alternate! Kenaz alternate! Runes drawn on my armour reducing the sound they made.
Another patrol was decapitated before they realized my presence, and another, and another after that. I was using the darkness to my favour even though I doubted I needed to be this discrete when killing these bastards.
But it was because I’m rarely this discrete that I’m being stealthy now.
A whistle there to draw a guard to their death, a pebble thrown there to turn their backs to me and a simple air assassination here and there.
Fast, quick and clean, even though this is definitely something they don’t deserve, I’m making sure to be presentable to the slaves I’m about to save.
How would you react do if a deer child whose covered with blood and guts came to you, and says they’re here to rescue you. I would scare the slaves more than their slaver.
Though I’m gonna make sure there isn’t a single Caribou stag alive in this area.
Blood splurged from their exposed necks, as I cut through more and more of them, my super senses already showing their exact positions in the darkness.
Entering a storage building. Cages lined the room all containing new and old anthropomorphic females, weather it be bears, owls and the rare crow. At the very corner of the room, I found a target. I covered the mouth of a stag who was having his way with an owl hen in chains, dragging him away as he fruitlessly struggled against my smaller and stronger hold before I stabbed him in the chest and waited for his body to go limp.
I let the body go, before blurring around the room with untraceable speed, before leaving the storage building to look for more prisoners, still moving at high speeds.
The owl hen looked back with tired eyes, which widened seeing only the corpse of her rapist, magical torches flicked around the room as cage doors opened as the women stepped out with broken chains.
Hen’s shocked eyes moved to her wrists and legs, seeing them on the floor, broken. ‘Wha-what?...’ she thought baffled an expression shared by many who crawl and walked out of their cages, only the truly broken have yet to move nor acknowledge what was happening.
I continued out the building finding and ending more Caribou guards and those who were in the land of dreams.
Making sure to separate the unconscious doe from the sleeping stags as killed the males in cold blood.
‘My father and brother aren’t here’ I mentally concluded, a bit saddened to not feel my twins energy anywhere near my senses range, but I reassured myself that he’s most likely okay and hopefully not too groomed in the Caribou’s ways.
‘He’s eight years old. There’s no way he’s already taking part in their shit!’ was my final thought as I laugh off my fear.
I shook my head refocusing on my personal quest, which was almost done as the town was quite empty “Some of the Caribou must have moved to another area, probably with my brother too” I deduced.
Even though the whole point of my sneaky approach was to be as efficient as possible, I couldn’t help but feel incredibly underwhelmed.
Most the Caribou stags were either sleeping or fucking.
Even the few runemasters I encountered didn’t have any security runes or anything like that to alert them of my presence. Poor ass security.
But that didn’t matter, freeing the prisoners was my first and primary goal above the rest.
Freeing them from storage buildings, and animal pens, the worst of them which left the women held there(chains/magically) at the mercy of the cold morning air…and those derpy beasts they kept around.
I made sure to burn those…things to nothing but ash.
I used a Thurizas alternate! Runes to disrupt and remove all the runes the Caribou used on the women before inscribing my own, that would protect them from the cold and give them enough strength to power through the environment.
POV END
For eight years she lived as a slave, for the pleasures and tortures of this caribou tribe.
A once mighty bear warrior respected and praised by her clan, her strength and savage spirit, uplifting and inspiring many of her kind.
But she blundered, a single blunder when her party of four encountered a caribou hunting group, the bears fought proud and relentlessly. But it only took one mistake for things to go all wrong.
They were defeated, the males killed, she and her sister in battle captured by them to be used for their desires.
In bear culture the females were always attracted to strong and violent males, the more blood they bring from their enemies the more “excited” they become, the same could be said about the males preference in mates, all to make a stronger generation.
The Caribou stags strength and barbaric nature would’ve garnered attention from the female bears, but such quirks are ignored due to how they treat their women and all other women of a different species.
She was defiled and used against her will, she never had a mate, her might drawing many suitors but none of the them measured to her standards.
But that didn’t matter now, nothing else matters…
She had hope, a hope that started to fade more and more, with her being forced to give birth to more of those ugly beasts they use as mounts as punishment – a process that nearly broke her, they tried…they tried to break her with all their perverted rituals and magic.
But she stayed strong, she remained defiant, even when her hope of escaping vanished she vowed to die without giving in.
She was Olga, she was strength, she was one of her clans greatest warriors, she was a brown bear, unyielding and unbreakable!
So here she was in chains, inside of a shed with no windows to block the harsh elements from ravaging her body, Corrupt runes on her made her more sensitive to her environment, to everything.
A black collar around her neck, with a chain leash, gagged and spread by the chains in a compromising position, her hard muscles twitched from the pain she experienced.
It was worse for her “assets”, large breast and fat thighs jiggled in pain beyond her wildest imagination, the runes one her serving their goal, so much so she would’ve ripped them off to end such torment.
All that was spared from the torture was her womanhood as the Caribou wish to “keep it in good condition” as they blatantly told her with malice.
She hasn’t seen her clan sister for months.
They didn’t cover her eyes but that didn’t matter, as the entire shed was too dark to see in, well for now as it seems as morning is approaching.
‘Another one is coming’ she tiredly thought, she wasn’t surprised that one would come so early in the morning, they’ve had had turns with her at any given time they’ve felt like it.
The door to the shed was opened quite quietly in her drowsy opinion, she couldn’t hear any hoof steps and wondered if it’s a guard just passing by admiring the “goods”.
‘Bastard…’ she thought with a sigh.
Relief
She felt relief, the pain disappeared, the invading corrupt magic disappeared, replaced by warmth.
Her muscles regained strength that has been lost for nearly a decade, she felt rejuvenated as if all the horrors her bodies experienced never happened.
She felt her chains loosen and heard them drop on the floor as her body dropped too.
Shocked at what was happening she stood up, setting her gaze to the door she saw a very armoured Caribou kid who looks as he had yet to reach staghood.
His back was turned as he was walking back to the door, sunrays of an early sunrise brightening up the entire shed.
She did the most sensible thing in her mind.
Fangs bared.
She lunged with the intention to kill.
END
Author's Note
A whole MONTH!! I did not want to update so late! Sorry guys the work I've been getting has been really distracting and energy draining, but I finished this chapter luckily, so yeah the same as the other chapters pls critique and point out any mistakes I may have missed pls
5. Progress? Part 1
A lone zebra filly who looked of ten years to observant eyes, danced around flames that glowed a brilliant emerald, a skirt made from cheetah fur being the only thing covering her, she danced with motions unknown by all outside her culture
The flames build up with her motions, incomprehensible mutterings, whispers and cries were heard from her, she turned and faced us revealing only the whites of her eyes with prominent red veins
She was no longer alone, there were others who cheered and danced with her, older, they looked older, zebra stallions and mares surround the fire and filly
Suddenly everything stops. The all stood attention, all except the filly with the frightening eyes. The fire were gone, no not gone, it moved onto the filly, consumed her but there was no burning, acting like a warm blanket instead. An aura that spoke of powers beyond mortal understanding.
A shadow loomed over the dancing filly who paid it no mind, our view turned showing the large figure of a lioness, her small chest bare, rippling muscles and a skirt of zebra fur and leather
Red and brown swirls and markings across her body, and bone piercings on her nose and ears.
But what one should focus on, is her face, a savage grin with many sharp teeth and….eyes that spoke of…ambition
With a groan Dàinn woke up from his bed, his ‘bedmates’ lied at his sides, asleep from the exhausting activities of last night, he ignored them as sat up with his sheets falling past his shoulders revealing his chiselled physique that was marked with bright shining runes.
‘Is it morning already?’ He thought as he yawned and stretched, he looked down at one of his peacefully sleeping ‘pets’ and smiled fondly. Remembering his passionate night, he fondled their breasts a bit eliciting moans from their muscled fur bodies.
‘You two have earned yourselves my bed, for now’ getting off his bed by roughly squeezing himself out through the middle, earning whines of discomfort for his less than graceful actions.
He stood and went to check the outside, not caring of his full nudity, his runes glowed a dull yellow.
Opening the thick blinds of his tent he squinted his eyes from the morning rays, his vision becoming clear once more to be greeted by the many stag warriors and hunters of this camp, who were making small fires, cooking vegetables and feeding their mounts.
They were filled with energy this morning, spending it all on helping their fellow stag or on themselves with their sluts.
Dàinn couldn’t help but gaze at the imagine painted before him with pride ‘Soon this land will be guided into a true utopia’ conviction was clear in his eyes which shown a bright gold.
He's daydreaming of the Caribou’s possible future was cut short as he noticed something at the far edges of their camp, squinting his eyes to try and see the commotion, he could make out that there were stags of his camp coming his way. As they passed the surrounding stags, he notes how they looked surprised, sneered or laughed as they all looked behind the leading warriors.
This confused Dàinn before he finally noticed whom his warriors were leading. Crow soldiers being lead by a younger and well equipped crow who had an air of nobility, but that’s not what got his attention it was rather the three chained crows the soldiers brought with them: one male and two females, with one of the females being elderly – which didn’t stop some of the Caribou’s from laying their perverted gazes on her.
They looked a bit beaten up but not too badly, they too had the look of somebird of a high standing, the group lead by the stags came closer and closer to his hut, the younger male noticed him before cringing when he noticed Dàinn’s nudity.
They stopped closer to the Caribou god, whose brow rose as he gazed upon the crow group “What a pleasant surprise! Are the crows finally giving up? A wise choice!” laughed Dàinn, with his fellow stags joining in his laughter. The young crow noble sneered at him “We didn’t come here to surrender! But rather with a demand!” one of the stags that lead them was about to strike the crow “None make demands of our God!!” before he could he could act against the now weapon in claws crow soldiers, Dàinn simply raised his hand shooting a glare at the zealous stag, which stopped him as he nodded at their leader.
“Oh? And what demand would you have in mind that risks coming here with barely any means to save yourselves from us?” asked Dàinn his voice firm and commanding, the leading young crow glared at him, not noticing how nervous his soldiers were as they shuffle and twitch with their eyes rabidly darting around them, though most of the Caribou tribesmen were on the hens of their group – experiencing a much greater fear in their positions.
“Instead of wasting both of our resources on a long lasting war, I suggest an alternative, something I know someone of your position can’t deny” now this had Dàinn’s attention “What would that be?” the young crow smirked “A single duel, one to determine how this war ends” his words drew gasps from the Caribou surrounding them, murmuring and whispers ran rampant.
The only one with a straight face being Dàinn himself, the young crow continued drawing silence from the crowd much to his ego “I challenge you Dàinn! When I win you are to surrender your heads to us, and IF you win we will surrender to your kind without a fight” he lied through his beak about the last part.
Silence.
“Ha…”
“Heh…heh”
Dàinn’s muzzle scrunched up as tears started to build in his eyes.
“Hahahahahhahhahahhahahhaha!!!”
His fellow stags joined him in his laughter, the crows looked around worryingly, with the young leader seething at their reaction.
“Ooooohhhh! I never laughed that hard in these 8 years of my entire life!!” He declared, wiping the tears from his eyes, before looking at the angered anthropomorphic bird in the eyes “I accept. When will you be ready.” Was his rhetorical question, as the answer was set by him.
“Pick a spot savage! We’re fighting now!”
‘Okay that should make the las-What is she doing!?’
We’re Mannaz thoughts, immediately picking up on what the last prisoner’s intent is. With a simple crouched spin he dodged under the bears lunge causing her to pass through the door and crash in the outside snow, the cold not bothering her due to the glowing white runes Mannaz drew on her.
“BASTARD!!” She snarled as a she picked herself up, turned around to try and kill her supposed “enemy”, looking back inside the small building she saw no stag. Her mind frantic as she looked around trying to find him “That’s an odd way to thank your saviour” she heard his voice on her right, now seeing him a bit far from her with crossed arms.
‘I could’ve worded that better!’ Mannaz mentally face palmed ‘Whatever!’ “I’m not your enem-!” she charged again with claws ready to tear through him “Christ! Would you stop and listen!” he dodged and weaved through her attacks with ease, but a look of frustration can be seen on his face “DIE!!” she screamed trying harder and harder to claw him, growing more angrier at her missing hits “NEVER AGAIN! YOU’LL NEVER TORMENT ME AGAIN!” Now after a few minutes of her rampage tears flowed heavily from her eyes, her voice filled with desperation and fear as she was using up her renewed energy to attack the young stag – much to Mannaz’s concern.
Making his mind up Mannaz acted quickly, a quick burst of speed that made it look like he vanished, he appeared behind her and with a quick chop to the neck her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she was now out cold. All before she could even yelp in surprise “I can’t believe that actually works” picking her up by grabbing around her stomach, with much of her face and legs touching the ground, Mannaz ‘looked’ down at his legs and sighed.
“As much as I hate the fact that I’m going to go through puberty again, I’m still looking forward to my growth spurt if I’m lucky” he spoke to no-one.
Using he’s flight runes to hover above the ground he continued on to the large gathering of bodies he sensed at the edge of the town, the freed anthropomorphic women, before he stopped midway with a thoughtful and troubled look. A ‘glance’ at the large figure he was caring made the situation very apparent to him “I really didn’t think this through did I…” he said as he remembered the bear’s very violent reaction to him, and possibly the other women he saved could have the very same reaction ‘Now that I think about it…I didn’t show my face to any of them after freeing the slaves!!’ Mannaz wanted to punch himself in the face for this mishap.
He looked into the sunrise as his mind tried to workout a plan ‘Okay I’ll just approach them sneakily, drop off-FUCK! WHY AM I SLIPPING LIKE THIS!?’ he flew straight into where the large group is located. He sensed many bodies being dragged, all whom he thought were the more far gone slaves who’ve been broken, but there was another group and one that he mistakenly put in the same category with the first. The female caribou.
He “foresaw” their position in his unnatural and biological radar, in the very centre of the crowd of former sex slaves, a few were bleeding and bruised from the violence he NOW detected.
‘Shit!. Shit!. Shit!’ he landed in the middle of the gather amongst the cowering cows, producing violent cold winds that forced everyone to cover their eyes.
“What the-?!”
“Where did this wind come from!?”
“The caribou bitches! Don’t let them escape!”
Once things became clear they all glared into the centre of their circle with hate filled eyes, eyes that sooner turned to fear as they gazed upon the near fully armoured caribou before them, only his face was revealed his silver fur and shoulder length hair swaying in the wind. None of them paid attention to the unconscious bear next to him.
Nobody moved as they stared at the young stag, they noticed that he looked no older than twelve which helped them maintain their courage.
Slowly raising both of his arms in the air, which caused some the women here to jump or flinch, he made it seem like he surrendered drawing confusion and unquenched hate to him. He spoke.
“The Caribou of this settlement have been killed and you all have been freed from your cages” he said with a monotone voice, seeing as everyone remained frozen, with some members of the group looking ready to attack or run. Taking a deep breath “I repeat you’ve all been freed and your tormentors are dead, a chance is now before you to finally leave this damn place” he wanted to tell them that it was him who rescued them but he doubted they’d believe him.
“Not all…” was a very soft whisper that came from the middle of the circle, nobody heard her but Mannaz, he even knows which one said it among the group. “These doe” he grimaced “I mean cows, did nothing wrong to you they only followed what they were told!”
“I get it. You are all angr-“
“Shut up! You’re one of THEM!! We have no reason to listen to you!!” cried out a crow who came up to the front, vengeful eyes focused eyes on him before gazing at the scared cows he stood protectively ahead, than him again with killer intent.
Almost as if her words were a trigger nearly all the females that surrounded the inner group became enraged, murderous intent becoming clear to Mannaz, he would preferred it if it was only focused on him but that’s not the case. He cooled his expression preparing himself for the worst.
“Master save us!”/”Help me! I’ll be a good slut I promise!”/”Master Harald where are you!”
He’s cool expression immediately shattered as his face emoted like never before after hearing the many cries that came out from the cows mouths, mostly directed to him. He was disgusted, uncomfortable, angry and saddened by their pleads.
“Look at them begging like the whores they are to their masters!” the same crow women pointed out to the gathering of naked furry women “All the caribou are dead except for him and those bitches behind him, let’s fucking make it official!!” she encouraged the women, her swearing coming out as off as if she’s not used to it.
The surrounding circle of women all released battle cries as the charge, pseudo weapons, fists and claws at the ready.
Swearing under his breath, he acted quickly, in a matter of seconds he created a large rune all the way at his cave-home – marking it. Othala! Alternate! .
And just as fast created runes on his position via his fingers drawing them in the air.
Chain! - Enhanced! Kenaz! Alternate! – Laguz! Alternate! – Dagaz! alternate! (The chained runes appeared as a huge circle encapsulating the one male and many female caribou.)
A bright light consumed Mannaz and his group, no more like they were transformed into pure silver light, blinding their would be attackers and stopping them in their tracks. The light shaped into a beam that reached the skies twisting and turn before curving straight towards Mannaz’s home were the rune which acted as beacon glowed brightly.
The beam reached his home, and disappeared. No longer blinded the angry mob can only look confused and flabbergasted at the scorched ground were their enemies used to sit. All of which happened in a single second.
“….What the fu-!”
The “young” stags humble abode –
The bright light died down revealing Mannaz and the many doe transported by his magic, the “kid” sighed while messaging his nose bridge.
“Oh this is just perfect” he sighed before focusing his senses on the group of doe he brought him, whom looked a bit shaken from essentially being warped, after they got their barring they started looking around with their attention moving from the cave entrance to now on him.
Pairs of big confused eyes stared at his closed own, before their confusion changed into happiness, lust and dog like admiration. All their reactions made Mannaz slightly uncomfortable, they continued to stare in silence for a while, the female Caribou barely moving from their position either sitting to be more comfortable or all on fours as they shook their rumps.
It took a while for Mannaz to realize what they were waiting for “Orders from him”.
“Ah geez” He cupped his muzzle in his hands, then proceeded to survey them, coming up with a good start on how he’s going to begin with taking care of them. Before he did, focusing on the caribou settlement he visited Mannaz paid close attention to the only occupants of the area and noted how they started raiding the many buildings of the area – gathering supplies, whether it be food or weapons, the clothing department was lacking as the Caribou barely wore any that didn’t only cover their crotches. He could feel their frustration. All their movements and more he gathered from his senses.
‘They’re safe that what matters now, their trauma is…something that is beyond me at the moment’ he thought ‘When they leave I’ll make sure to make their path as safe as possible’ he pointed his finger at a chubby doe with red hair, who looked sick with snot running down her nose, she jumped slightly at his sudden attention before adorning a goofy smile and running on all fours to him violently coughing as she made his way.
If it wasn’t for the runes he inscribed on her, she would’ve collapsed immediately from how sick she is, after she reached him whines could be heard from the other doe as she reached for his pants. He held her hands to stop her advance earning a look of confusion from her, before her eyes brightened up and shook her heard as if she figured out an answer to a easy question “Master! PLEASE may this slut clean your nice long cock!” she said eagerly, sniffling with her runny nose.
Mannaz blinked owlishly, before frowning “No. Stay still and don’t move your arms.” He said sternly, before a thought dawned on him ‘ Wait a minute…I’m a CHILD! The fuck!’ Cupping her face in his hands, which earned a happy squeal from her and more whines from the others, causing his brow to twitch ‘Now that I think about it I didn’t see any kids at the tribe, only adult caribou stags!’ he focused on her brain “seeing” the generational runes carved in her brain.
‘Could they’ve been moved to another location? Cause I definitely noticed smaller presences when I was still in my mother’ he pumped his magic into them overriding the runes, Thurisaz! Alternate! , a mental command from him as his rune appeared in the centre of her forehead, disrupting the runes hold and causing them to disappear entirely.
The red headed cows pupils constricted as her expression went from contempt to silent agony.
She turned around and vomited all over the rocky floor, drawing gasps from the other caribou cows.
Mannaz ignored her and focused on the group “Everyone one of you form a line to me!” They all looked to frightened to move seeing the red headed doe’s reaction as some sort of punishment for them, they started begging and pleading with promises of being better whores “Shut up! I said make a line NOW!”
They all complied with clear tears running across their furry cheeks.
A white aura surrounded the armoured caribou “child’s” body as his voice boomed with the proclamation of the Thurizas! Alternate! rune, his voice drawing the attention of the feline occupants of the cave.
The chubby doe stopped vomiting as she now stared at her shaking hand, her pupils still constricted but now reflected a new emotion in her mind: shame, a single question resonated in her head
‘Why do I feel…so…dirty…?’
Dvalinn at first thought he’s son was joking when heard the news from him, he laughed thinking that the crows would really think to pull such a risky move, the female crows obviously but the males was a surprise to him.
But nevertheless Dvalinn was ecstatic to hear what was waged and how it will be resolved, did he trust the crows to honour the wager? NO! He would be a fool to trust them, luckily his son thinks the same recognizing this as a risky attempt to get close and eliminate the biggest threat – Dàinn.
But Dàinn accepted it, for even if the crows didn’t honour their words he will still receive pleasure from crushing their pride and having his way with the ‘brave’ and ‘capable’ female crows. Dvalinn happily notes that his son inherited his father’s fascination with “powerful” females. Especially the desire to conqueror them and put them in their place as they beg for their touch.
Dvalinn chuckled at the thought.
And now it was sunset, a pseudo clearing was made for the figures that stood near its centre, Caribou stags encircled them with weapons drawn to prevent anyone from leaving the fight. The other crows the young noble lord brought with him were squeezed into the circle, in their opinion its almost as if they were included in this fight ring.
“Alright Dàinn are you ready to face defeat” arrogantly announced the young adult crow, Dàinn didn’t entertain his clear disrespect of the stag’s kinghood, thus only silently stared back at the crow with cold indifference.
The crow still wore his leather and iron plated armour with his long sword in his right hand and a crossbow on the other, his leather hood covered his head, a belt that held glass bottles that were filled all kinds of fluids – glowing orange and thus is assumed to be magical.
The new king of the Caribou only wore an intricate looking loincloth, iron shoulder guard, with bone arm and leg guards. His eyes and the runes on his body glowed a brilliant gold. His weapon of choice was a large warhammer, it too had gold runes, that imbued the weapon with the power of cold and his divinity - a bluish aura was seen dancing with the gold light and a VERY noticeable layer of thick ice covered it.
Despite the arrogance the avian challenger displayed, he couldn’t help but internally admit that seeing the Caribou as he did make him falter a bit ‘Nothing but tricks, nothing but tricks, he is no god!!!’ a mantra that looped in the crows heads.
“Well if you won’t take the initiative I will!” He charged ready to decapitate the divine stag with his sword. He only got so close before Dàinn lightly swung his hammer, causing the bird’s danger senses to go wild as he opened his wings which stopped his advance, as the hammer’s swing targeted his head.
With his lost momentum he dodged by a ‘feathers’ length by narrowly turning his head, he didn’t get hit by the Caribou, but with a squawk of shock as he was blown away by its power as cold wind slammed into his head and shoulders thus putting him in an awkward kneeling position albeit forcefully.
“Well, well, well. Has the crow submitted? I have to say I’m flattered by your gesture of submission to me” Dàinn chuckled as the surrounding Caribou laughed, the stag in question spun his warhammer in one hand with such ease and speed, a message to the kneeling crow that the first attacks slow speed was done on purpose. A look of rage overcame the young crow as he stood up shakenly as the extremely cold winds of the weapon left him a bit stunned, Dàinn watched with amusement as the crow struggled to rise all of which further fuelled the birds anger.
The crow swiftly pointed his crossbow at the Caribou’s head, their close proximity wouldn’t allow an easy dodge in the crows mind, not bothering to even see his enemy’s expression to his action he fired.
And the arrow was launched and it was gone.
The crow’s eyes widened before he jumped back and once again creates some distance between them ‘What just happened I could sworn!-‘ “Are looking for this?” said Dàinn his left fingers holding the arrow by its head causing the crow and his companions to gawk, “What foul magic have yo-!” before the crow could finish the young king laughed loudly “I assure you there was no magic, you shot it and I…just caught it” now the crow had a look of disbelief ‘He caught it!? From such a short distance!!?’
Rather than deny his claim he just reloaded another bolt, stuck his sword in the ground before throwing one of his glowing bottles towards Dàinn, would didn’t bother to dodge, deflect or grab it mid air, as it impacted his frame engulfing his body in a twister of fire.
This caught the young crow by surprise, his companions(plus the prisoners/lords and ladies) and even the stags that surrounded the fight too. The bird lord expected him to dodge or even any other action to leave him open for any of his incoming attacks, arrow and sword.
“Is this really the best crow craftsmanship can produce?” a voice was heard from within the raging flames as Dàinn walked out of them: unharmed, well aside for his clothing as they were burned completely off. The stags cheered while the avian ‘guests’ had looks of horror and disbelief, Dàinn’s opponent was too shocked to even correct the stag’s uneducated remark of crow craftsmanship and alchemy being the same thing.
He couldn’t make any words at the stags survival, as all their enemies who’ve gotten hit by their burning bombs never survived, magic be damned as it burns magic too! A reliable tool to many crows, originally only accessible to the richer avians but considering their war with the Caribou, now every crow atleast has one, for his case four.
“No BLOODY way!!” he threw the last three he had at the smug stag, creating a pillar of fire three times bigger than the last one, forcing the circle to widen as the heat became unbearable, he’s vein stricken eyes watched as just like before the stag walked out completely unharmed, his warhammer too came out completely fine, golden runes shown brightly.
“Want to try that again? In a way you helped me, it was getting a bit chilly for my liking” he chuckled mockingly at the frozen bird.
Heavy breathing could be heard from the young crow, trembling hands and widened eyes as he stared at the Caribou stag before him with golden yellow light emitted from his body with flames further enhancing the spectacle “Are you…a god” he’s question already answered by his inner consciousness, Dàinn just smirked darkly “What do you think.”
A glance at his compatriots and the chained nobles they brought with them, looks of panic were very apparent on their beaked faces, all had a clear message: run.
Looking at his hands which stopped shaking and the stag that stood ahead of him, he made a decision. He fired a bolt at the stag which just bounced over harmlessly from the stag's furred skin, it’s arrow head misshapen, this further increased the crows hysteria.
He flew over Dàinn and let gravity pulled him down as with his sword raised above his head, reaching the unmoving stag and slamming the blade into the stags upper skull with as much strength he could muster. The blade shattered. With it his hope, eyes now filled with fear he tried to fly away but it was too late as the divine king grabbed his taloned foot with one arm and slammed him into the ground, sickening cracks could be heard as blood gushed out the crow’s beak.
Jeering laughter erupted as the stags mocked the downed crow, the others only stared in horror at their fallen leader, the white tipped haired male crow started crying at the scene, the female crow started fruitlessly thrashing in her binds and the elder female crow only sighed as if the outcome was foreseen.
“I didn’t even get any blood on my hammer, how disappointing” remarked Dàinn as he walked over to the fallen bird giving his head a small nudge with his hoof “You fought bravely albeit stupidly, but as a fellow male I give you the courtesy of you telling me your name, to be remembered as the “courageous” warrior who challenged me in MY history” all he heard were gurgles as more blood streamed out of the crows mouth “Well that’s sad to hear, an unnamed fool in my story of conquest”
Before the crow guards could fly away, they were immediately dogpiled by the large muscular stags around them, the males were held down while females were dragged to their tents screaming and kicking, the chained nobles never stood a chance as the only male was pushed on his knees while the females were pulled into the surrounding tents. The younger hen cursed loudly at the stag that was dragging her trying to kick him with no avail, while the elder one followed another stag without a fuss, her head facing down with three other stags following behind them licking their lips.
Dàinn watched it all with a smile
“Things are going swimmingly”
Back at the cave of the savagethaw forest –
“Things are going swimmingly” muttered Mannaz as he and some the doe were busy making some clothes for his “guests”, after removing the runes in their heads, and their collars too, the doe became incredibly self conscious of their nudity minutes after shaking off the affects of his rune removals.
They still followed him around and his orders, but they actually showed hesitance and would sometimes question the meaning of his orders which he happily obliged, as time went they started asking more questions and displayed interest in his magic, hunting and hobbies. That and enjoyed petting his sibling chuntoths and showering them with affection which they didn’t mind.
Some wanted to learn how to make clothes as to cover themselves up, as well as make clothing for the others. He asked for their names which made them adopt uncomfortable and puzzled looks, they told him and he immediately promised he’ll give them real names.
Oh and their standing now, something that is quite alien to them as they stumbled and fell occasionally, but Mannaz believes after some time they’ll get used to it.
Things were going smoothly, though some of the gals randomly vomited sometimes whenever they recall their masters.
He started gathering more vegetables with some of the cows helping him, which was frankly not needed, as they all wanted to learn how to gather food. To be frank Mannaz still questions how this world works to produce such ripe vegetables in a cold environment such as this, he concluded it to being either some extraordinary evolution or bloody magic.
They questioned why he was gathering meat from his kills, but one quick show of his canines and sharp molars was all it took.
Being an omnivore in one life was awesome, he was glad to be one in this life too.
So now he stood at the forests edge facing a sunset, sounds of breaking twigs and the crunch of snow as the cows gathered berries and vegetation, he felt the sun rays warm him as he sighed ‘Guess Zonai will have to wait, I hope Jinako and others have made a safe trip back at their home lands’ the vixens were beyond his range, he wasn’t even sure if they were halfway at their lands as he remembered Nami explaining how far their land was from the Caribou, potentially taking 3 days to get there at worst.
For now Mannaz was responsible for the, he counted 33 doe living in his home, which he had to expend with additions in furnisher and room. Not to mention monitoring the free women that tried to kill them as roamed around as a large group with equipment they’ve raided from the vacant settlement, well burning settlement was more accurate.
Luckily they moved within the range of his enhanced senses, so he could keep an eye on them and make sure that nothing catches them by surprise. The runes he put on them were still active, he flinched when some of them tried to remove his runes by cutting chunks of their flesh off, they were stopped by the others who already discerned what they do when they noticed their immunity to the cold and new found strength, but that still didn’t curb the reluctance and hate filled looks the silverish white glowing symbols received.
The very same chubby doe with red hair was behind him eating and picking some berries while humming an unknown tune, her clothing was thick and fuzzy, hiding he body from the world which was a shame as only one person noticed something peculiar happening to her body as well as the other cows.
Specifically on her back,
he can ‘see’ the emergence of ruby red feathers.
‘If places like that damn place exist there’s bound to be more…’
End
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Author's Note
Sorry for the late update I was planning on posting the next chapter on the 13th
Note:
Runes
"Normal"
But I'm pretty sure you guys already had a good guess of it
Anyway criticize and enjoy!!
7. Progress final
Dvalinn and his army rode atop their beasts, having trudged for days as they passed by old caribou settlements that have been reduced to ashes.
Charred corpses having been exposed from under their snowy graves by the winds. As the army passed by these sights their anger built up more and more with each one.
Dvalinn remained stone faced but his tight grip on his sheathed sword spoke volumes of how he shared his thoughts with his army.
They finally made a stop to camp until they’ve reached the savagethaw forest. The place they made their camp was the remains of the Bravehoof settlement, Dvalinn’s former tribe.
They unpacked their things and got moving setting it up.
“I hope it’s true…” one of the stags growled as he and another stag were unloading some sacks from the back of their beasts whom snorted flames, “Hmm?” was the other stags response “I hope it’s true that the raiders are all doe, cause if I find them I’m going to fuck them, beat them and fuck them again until they break!!” he answers with a malicious smile and a vacant look, having paused to rub his nether.
The other stag snorted, carrying his sacks over his shoulders “Get in line brother, I’m pretty sure every single stag in our crusade has had that thought, we will make them pay together”
They walked with their loads to an empty spot between two half done tents “Plus if they’re not females, doesn’t mean we won’t have fun with them eventually” he smirked as they set them down, the formerly ‘daydreaming’ stag quirked a brow “Oh? What are you suggesting!? I don’t fuck fellow stags or males…”
The second stag smirked “You won’t that I assure you. You see God king Dainn has become quite annoyed by the male crows back at that kingdom of theirs making shit difficult with their stupidity” the first stag huffed “We give them the opportunity to free their minds from their females control and they thank us by causing chaos to protect their bitches honour !!?” The stag releases an annoyed huff “The only honour they can earn is between our legs!!! We should’ve been at the fox lands by now!”
His friend chuckled “Let me finish what I was about to say, I know you are frustrated by them, we all are, but that will no longer matter as I’ve heard that the runemasters and brightest minds of the caribou have been working on a machine…” he became giddy as his ally showed a clearly confused expression “What kind of ‘machine’?”
“One that will be used on the males who quite clearly don’t realize the truth about being male and thus can find that truth…by being female ” he said with a laugh as his fellow stag’s jaw dropped.
“Wa-w-wait really-!?”
But the conversation was cut by their commander, Dvalinn who loudly exclaimed to get his armies attention.
“I demand your attention this instant!!” he cried as he stood at the centre of the camp being built, the stags stopped what they were doing and the three thousand stags gather in a disorganized manner around Dvalinn, who sat atop his mount “We are only hours away from reaching the savagethaw forest, all of you have heard of the many dangers that lie in it, this area like the Quacking mountains and the deep north is home to dangerous beasts not conquered by caribou might….for now!”
The army cheered, “The raiders hide themselves in that forest, believing it’s beasts will protect them for their cowardice!!” rage filled cries were heard.
“We are caribou, we do not falter, we do not run, we are destined to rule as is our right as the mightiest!” his voice reaching them all as they raised their weapons and cheered.
“Tomorrow we shall march, fight and drag them in chains for their crimes against us!” Dvalinn declared as his beast released a puff of black smoke.
“Don’t worry you won’t have to do the first and I doubt the last will happen….”
Their cheering stopping instantly, being caught offguard, their heads snapping in the direction of the one who uttered those last words.
A white-silver furred stag stood within the gathered group close to Dvalinn, he wore armor they couldn’t recognize and was leaning back on a metal pole sticking out the ground.
Dvalinn felt a cold shiver run down his spine as gazed at the odd silver stag, he demanded “Wha-aht is the meaning of this soldier! What are you saying! I demand it!”
The silver stag’s head turned to him but his eyes remained closed.
Only silence answered Dvalinn, his anger clouding growing weariness “Open your eyes and look at me, answer the damn question or be killed for insubordination…”
“No…” was the young adult stags response.
“…No?” was Dvalinn's barely restrained reply, his army looking at the mystery stag with varying degrees of murderous intent, they all reached for their weapons.
“No for the first, well, cause my instincts tell me I shouldn’t open them and no for the second cause fuck you with the cherry on top being I was never one of your soldiers”
Dvalinn's eyes widened as he registered his words, a quick realization struck him as he shouted “Ambush!! Ready yourselves stags!!”
The nearest caribou stags to Mannaz position tried to attack him but we’re immediately slain by winged bodies slamming into them from above, swords piercing their skulls. Dvalinn reeled his beast back as it started to panic as more winged figures attacked from the skies before engaging the remaining stags on the ground. Cutting them down like grass.
Dvalinn turned his sights away from the chaos and onto the silver stag who hasn’t made a single move.
With a Grunt he had his mount charge at him, the beast released a roar as it got closer to ramming Mannaz, the target simply held his palm right at the beast’s direction and uttered “Chain! Hagalaz(Hail)! Isa(Ice)! ”
Projectiles of sharp icicles were launched with deadly accuracy, 3 gouged through the beast’s skull and two were stopped by Dvalinn who held up his shield of iron and runes.
Though the force behind the projectiles pushed him off his now dead mount and onto the snow, the impact forcing the air out of Dvalinn’s lungs.
Several rune masters tried to intervene but were blocked by a few winged doe, the runes masters arms glowed with sickly green runes …. as the thrust their arms at the blockade – the air simmered as a green wave traveled towards the valkyries.
With cry of Raidho they charged and smashed into the waves, causing the rune masters to stagger from the magical backlash before have the heads, torso and hearts cut and stabbed.
The valkyries moved onto their next prey. Mannaz walked towards his downed father as he hurriedly stood up, Mannaz’s spearhead was dragged on the snow as he proceeded to Dvalinn who with sword and shield began his attack.
“Die you traitorous bastard!!” he got ready to swing his blade to cleave the silver stags head, with a roar he swung-“This is goodbye old man.”-his attack never landed, as all that was left of his army was a blood gushing stump ‘…Huh...?’ was Dvalinn’s final thought “You will not be missed”, due to the speed of the attack he didn’t even see the spearhead about to pierce through his eye before darkness consumed him. For all eternity.
Mannaz pulled his spear out of his dead father’s skull with blood pooling below his body, he looked around him and saw dead caribou bodies around him pilling up, the valkyries were slaughtering them.
Many, realized how dire the situation was, opted to run but the doe warriors wouldn’t allow that whether it be an arrow or a superior show of flight they didn’t get far.
He looked to his left and saw Lena, who also utilized a spear, look at him. Mannaz nodded at her, she shook her head as well “Sisters!! Let’s take to skies! Our duty is not done until all of our enemies have fallen!” Lena spoke with a tone of authority. A single flap of her wings shot her into the sky, wind blowing from the force, the other valkyries followed suite. Mannaz smirked before activating the already inscribed combined runes for flight on his armor and followed them, catching up to them easily and joining the lead of the upside down “V” flight formation.
Within the border of the Zonai lands –
Olga gazed upon the small camp/village she and the former caribou prisoners have made, near a river and it is mostly made of sticks with the occasional fur tents, it’s been four years since she last saw a caribou and she is not nor will ever be in the mood to see any one of them.
After she woke up after that silver bastard knocked her out, a fact that got her blood boiling, she heard from the other escapees that the same caribou disappeared with his pets in a flash of white light. A cowardly trick was how she thought about it.
They were all concerned by the runes on their bodies as they traveled, the glowing white runes scared them believing the caribou were tracking them, some tried to remove them with drastic methods such as tearing off their skins but before they could they disappeared.
But they were still fearful, believing they’ll return.
They carried her as they ran from the caribou settlement, apparently all the caribou within it were killed. The only crow in their group, who couldn’t fly properly after the permanent damage her wings have suffered by the caribou, boasted about how it must have been a crow party that passed by and claimed she participated in killing a good chunk of caribou after her escape.
Olga the she-bear didn’t believe her, some of the female escapees did, but Olga and her own some didn’t. Most were not entirely sure about the female crow's claims.
One of the reasons for Olga’s firm disbelief was because of how the crow used her claims to gain a leadership position as they were still traveling and even went as far as to undermine Olga with her defeat at the hands of a caribou after her escape when the owls looked at her to lead, for obvious reasons, but the crow obviously wanted a position of superiority whether due to the typical crow mindset or a way to gain the lost control she had of her life.
Olga didn’t care, before her capture she would have challenged her for the position, but after her escape and loss once again against a caribou (a child from what remembered) she simply wanted to live in peace and quiet. The crow can the lead them for all she cared so long as it’s not to anymore danger.
And now they’ve settled, initially the crow wanted to travel to the black fythŕ kingdom but one of the owls, still capable of proper flight, came back to them with shrunk pupils spouting about how the crows have fallen to the caribou. The female crow, Lagara, initially didn’t believe her and still insisted they continue to their destination.
It was the groups reluctance to travel there and Lagara’s cold feet to travel there alone that got them to travel west to the Zonai lands, fox territory, and made their home near the border.
They made their new space livable, all thanks to the owls skills who were used to travelling and changing homes regularly.
What was Olga doing now? Chopping wood, using one of the many stolen weapons from the caribou settlement.
Other than fulfilling her other needs, she was also training as she doesn’t want to let the fate that befall her before get her again, she will find herself in that depraved environment again!
Releasing a puff of hot air she rested a bit after chopping a good amount of logs.
Four years of peace after ten years of humiliation.
Her thoughts going back to the silver white caribou….
Black fythŕ kingdom –
Dàinn looked down the row of forcefully kneeled male crows as he sat on the throne, his mighty physique making tower over them, “I have given you fools the position to finally see the world as it should be” he stood from his throne and walks towards them, they all were looking down in fear.
“But you spat upon my gift! A God’s gift!” he shouted, his voice causing the room to slightly shake further inducing fear into the kneeling crows, which caused the surrounding stags to chuckle.
“But no more. You don’t deserve to call yourselves males and we have prepared something to rid you of that privilege” Dàinn signals some stags, who in turn rushed over dragging a large metal cylinder which is covered with many runes both normal and corrupted.
The cylinder was big enough to fit a body into it.
“W-wha-what is that?” asked one of the frightened male crows, “Your future.” Said one of the older runemasters, Dàinn gazed upon the kneeling crows his presence pushing down on them.
“Any last words before having your status as males revoked? If your not going join our truth than you can serve it as a female” coldly said Dàinn, the crows panicked and started pleading for mercy , except for one of them which Dàinn noticed.
“Shut your beaks! All of you!” they did as commanded shaking like leaves, some of the stags around them snorted and whispered how they are already embodying their new roles.
Dàinn turned to the one who didn’t say a word, “You. Any last words before becoming our cocksleave”
The crow looked up to him, right his eyes, and uttered “Fuck you.” The room was silent, the stags prepared to pummel himbbut we’re stopped by Dàinn raising his hand. He looked at the crow who glared at him in defiance “This is close to what I expected a real male warrior would say about this situation, you truly represent your sex”
“But seeing this undeserved attitude on a female is all the more sweeter as I break them from their delusion” Dàinn set his sights on one of the runemasters and ordered “After turning this one send her to my room!”
“It will be arranged-“ (BOOM!)
A faint explosion was heard as the ground shook.
“What the fuck!”
Currently at the black gate –
Mannaz walked on the dirt roads of the crows kingdom, behind him were his valkyries, his spear held at his right - lazily leaning on his shoulder.
His destination being the looming castle ahead, he could sense his brother in it with many others.
Any stags that got close got immediately killed by one or two of his valkyries, with him sometimes engaging when a large group of armed stags approaches them, the results being quite explosive.
Those around them panicked, the doe and other females already submitted to caribou rule merely stayed on the hands and knees frozen in shock. The crows, male and female, ran off away from Mannaz’s group – the male crows either running away alone or helping the female crow’s too tired to walk by carrying them, the reason they didn’t fly was because all the wings have been bound by leather belts.
The younglings didn’t engage seeing how easily the adults were disposed off so stood still in shock.
Mannaz was aware of all the living beings in this kingdom and their states of mind and body, which made planning all the more easier, “Diana, Mary, Susan and Thrüd fly to the west side of this kingdom, you will see a couple of rectangular buildings and once you do kill all the caribou within them and free the prisoners from their…machines” Mannaz instructed they nodded and immediately flew into the sky to their mission destination.
What he could sense in those buildings made him internally shudder, and there was more “Amanda and Kara, head north past the castle and further over the wall, you will see a small farm land, burn it to the ground and leave no survivors” they nodded “You got it boss!” said Kara before taking off with her fellow valkyrie in the skies.
“Mannaz…” said Lena, “I know” replied the silver stag already sensing the large force of caribou heading towards them “Kill them all!” he commanded, and threw his spear which skewed tens of stags, it’s momentum not lost as it flew through the caribou in it’s path and pierced more of them – the runes engraved on it glowed as it was consumed by a yellow light and like a laser flew back to Mannaz hand after a few turns and sharp corners.
The caribous charge faltered “My God! What was-“ one of the stags ahead of the army was silenced by Lena running her spear through their skull, many of her warrior doe following her in their excursions of the stags blocking their path to the castle.
Back within the castle –
“What is happening out there!?” Dàinn demand now adorned with “armour” and wielding his great hammer, he kicked open the castle doors revealing the outside chaos, behind him several runemasters and stag warriors followed.
His gaze swept across the chaos seeing winged warriors kill the many caribou trying to fight in the streets, his rage boiled and in a burst of speed that left a dust behind he aimed to crush one of the winged invaders with his hammer.
Dàinn’s eyes widened as instead of a red paste he saw instead the face of a white silver stag who blocked his strike, with some effort judging by his strained expression, Dàinn jumped back in shock “How did you?!-“ he scowled “Who are you and what tribe did you come from!?” he held his hammer with a firm grip ready to attack.
The silver stag before twirled his spear before settling on a stance “Who I am doesn’t matter, I’m just an invader with a goal, surrender or join your father” Mannaz replied calmly, Dàinn did not like what he just heard “You!?-“ an aura of gold burst from Dàinn’s body, wrapping around him with eyes that looked like blazing suns “I’ll feed your corpse to our beasts!!”
And thus the two divine sons of Dvalinn clashed, around them thousands of caribou stags fought against the hundreds of valkyries, the stags to their horror were steadily losing.
Mannaz uttered “Chain! Thurizas alternate(defensive force)! Enhanced Isa alternate(Stop)! Laguz(water)! ”
Creating a large translucent half bubble around with said connected runes on it surface, Mannaz spear tip met Dàinn’s swing which creates a shockwave that would have blown the ground and all those around them away, but the bubble Mannaz created absorbed it.
Dàinn’s eyes widened when Mannaz matched his attack with seemingly no issue, “How?!” Mannaz pushed with him and went for the attack not bothering to answer Dàinn’s confusion, he was nothing but a blur as with an astonishing display of speed his spear was hairs away from Dàinn’s neck-
Sparks flew as Dàinn’s smacked it’s blade of its mark with his forearm guards, now it was Mannaz turn to be confused ‘What?...he couldn’t have reacted to that!’ His thoughts were cut short as Dàinn swings his hammer to cave in Mannaz’s skull.
Mannaz used the moment from Dàinn’s earlier deflection to twirled his spear so that the blunt end of it could carry his strike.
Another shockwave was absorbed by the bubble.
They were nothing but blurred movement and sparks, the bubble protecting those outside from the storm it contained, both sides were relentless.
Dàinn released an angered cry as he swung his hammer in an upward arc, which Mannaz dodge with ease, the missed attack creating a powerful gust of wind.
Mannaz’s confusion continued to grow nearing frustration, ‘He maybe a bit stronger but I’m faster, much faster, how is he keeping up?! I can see and have exploited his openings yet still!” Mannaz was easily capable of detecting the many openings Dàinn’s attacks left, openings that would have resulted to Dàinn’s immediate death but every time he went for the killing strike it felt he was moving deep under water – his movement slowed just enough for Dàinn to catch up and parry his attack.
Despite the obvious foul play in Mannaz mind, his magic sense detected no abnormalities! His magical senses are telling him nothing is wrong, but at the same something is handicapping him and giving Dàinn an advantage!
Dàinn pushed Mannaz away “By the great winters how you keeping up with me!?” Dàinn asked perplexed ‘I should be asking you that!’ Mannaz thought “Is it possible you are another stag god? I felt a weird kinship when I laid my eyes on you!” continued Dàinn who then glared at the silver stag “So why?! Why be my enemy!”
“I wouldn’t mind no longer being enemies under the condition you stop making all the female species of this continent your sex slaves!” Mannaz respond?
Dàinn was caught offguard by that “Are you mad?! What your saying is nonsense! This is NATURE!! The males must rule over the females, as the females must service the males with their bodies!”
“The real nonsense is what this disgusting culture has been feeding your head!” said Mannaz enraged ? Dàinn laughed and laughed “I meet a fellow stag god and they end up a foolish traitor!”
“Hear me soldiers witness our duel as my victory shall banish the mad god and fix the minds of all his whores to their true calling!!” Dàinn declared, Mannaz raised a brow ‘Is he serious? Does he think a loud announcement wou-!!’ they stopped fighting, all those outside the bubble, the stags and valkyries ceased their battle and all gazed at the occupants in magic half sphere.
Mannaz was shocked ‘What the girls doing!? They were winning!!’ now all of a sudden they looked at his battle with Dàinn, they gazed with a look that says they’ve placed their fates on will win the duel, further filling Mannaz with confused dread.
Dàinn’s runes on his body glowed a bright gold as they were further enhanced granting his greater strength.
“What are you doing!!” Mannaz voice boomed catch everyone’s attention, “W-what do mean sir?” asked on of his valkyries timidly, drawing a nasty scowl from him “Why are you not fighting!?!”
“Is it not obvious? They recognize that our battle will determine the victory of war without need of further bloodshed” said Dàinn as if it was obvious, but Mannaz won’t have it “Cease this foolishness valkyries! You were winning! With no loses on your side!!”
Mannaz words caused most of the doe to stagger as they furrowed they brows almost as if they’re facing a mental battle something Mannaz noticed ‘Something invaded their minds? And made them place all their cards on chance?!’
‘Wait…chance?’
In the middle of the frozen conflict Lena and a few others began to shake followed by the remaining valkyries, they ground their teeth and closed their eyes as if they were experiencing a battle of will.
Dàinn found Mannaz outburst ridiculous “Are you blind? Doe beating stags? Females can’t stand before the might of a-“ he couldn’t finish as the valkyries released a series of war cries as they once again begin their assault killing the caribou around, those they still lived panicked and tried to match their assault.
“What!!”/”Luck …” said both Dàinn and Mannaz at the same time.
Dàinn turned to Mannaz his anger clear, but Mannaz’s features were calm and relaxed ‘ I see now at least a part of it, his divine authority is luck, but luck alone shouldn’t…unless there was something else - something that ensures victory favour’s Dàinn like ones ability to find fortune .’
“Luck and Fortune! Algiz !” he said
Mannaz senses burst with new knowledge at his revelation, Dàinn’s core became even more clear to him as knowledge of his divine power enters his mind.
Even the area around him, his senses picked up the golden waves emitted by Dàinn, said waves tweaked the reality around him to ensure Dàinn comes out undefeated.
‘Holy shit!!!’
Dàinn’s bright glowing eyes of gold were on Mannaz as he charged at him ,unaware of how his divinity was helping him in his battle, as he is engulfed in golden power.
Mannaz dodged, he felt how Dàinn’s divine authority tried to slow him down or ensure a mistake was made by him ‘As the saying goes knowledge is power’ he used his magical talent to ‘borrow’ some of Dàinn’s authority, it felt like how he gained access of the sun's power, to loosen it’s affects on his performance and by doing so….
“Aaargh!!!” Dàinn released a cry pain as on his side a large gash was seen with large quantities of blood gushing out and painting the snow red “Dammit! Argh!” he tried to stop the copious bleeding by applying pressure with his left hand and tried to hit Mannaz who was behind him with a swing of his war hammer, but it was too late.
Mannaz blurred and Dàinn lost his right arm, the stags outside the bubble looked on with horror.
Mannaz continued to slash across Dàinn’s body showing a God-like display of speed and skill, Dàinn’s body was riddled with open gashes as he was on his knees, his entire fur matted red - only his divinity keeping him alive.
Dàinn’s breathing was hoarse , he was gravely injured and had no weapon on him, he howled in pain, struggling to turn his head and his bloodshot eyes at Mannaz “This c-cant be happening! No, no, no ,nooo!(He coughed out blood) I was destined to bring the caribou glory!! I won’t let you, I WON’T LET YOU BRING RUIN TO MY FUTURE!!!”
Proving his status as something above mortals he charged with renewed strength and with a crazed look in his eyes, Mannaz posed his spear to end him.
“Hraaaah” roared Dàinn uncaring of his injuries, and with a wet sound Mannaz spear pierced Dàinn’s chest stopping his charge.
Dàinn coughed blood, he looked down the spear that ran through him and then at Mannaz’s closed eyes “N-nh-no…”
“Sowilo”
Mannaz spear glowed an orange-red light as curving energy trails went out and in the spears surface like rings. The temperature rises significantly as even the ground melted and was a boiling yellow-white.
A bright light blinded all of those outside the bubble and with it a heat akin to the hottest summer washed all over them, then it stopped, the valkyries and few remaining caribou who have dropped their weapons in surrender looked on to the now gone magic bubble.
Mannaz stood with spear still stretched to a now empty space.
Dàinn was gone, completely incinerated.
End
