Walking feels... sluggish. It's been a while; now the sun, visible in the sky, was shining through the branches onto my face. But the forest wasn't entirely green...
Fall is coming... I think. Maybe I'm getting the seasons mixed up... The forest—now that I'm walking through it—is just too much for me to take in. But I keep going. The path is still ahead of me. Do I really have to follow it? I could just stay here. My neck turns toward a large tree trunk. That looks cozy.
Simple animals wandering around. A few birds but nothing special. No rodents or any other quadrupeds. I remember now... I love foxes. They were always helpful with rodent control around the house. Wait—that's a cat. Maybe. No, definitely a cat.
I think I owned one at one point in time. My memory's vague. Strange. I recognize all sorts of plants as I walk along as if I don't know what they are until I see them. My head feels like a thick fog... a wall of tar... I feel limited but at least I still know how not to get lost. South... I'm moving south. That I know.
My gaze eventually fell on a puddle, with a little water left in it. And half a boot print close enough next to a tree root. The tree's bark was old and lightly covered with small patches of moss, but a faint white mark was evident at the base, where mushrooms must once have been.
That's a strange place to look for mushrooms.
-------------------(Not much time later)-------------
A kick scattered dirt over the small fires of the makeshift camps, reduced to small cinders and ash during the night. But you can never be too careful with fire in the woods.
A tall girl with curly brown hair picked up her already repacked duffel bag. "Are you done yet?" Her hands casually hung from the pockets of her coat, her face turned to her brother.
The younger boy was on one knee, zipping up his not-so-little backpack, nodding back at his older sister. "I packed up the rest of the rabbit you caught yesterday." the boy says followed by a yawn and scratching his head. "I wish we could have gotten more sleep..."
The girl just smiled gently and ruffled her hair, tousling the black strands tinged with red tips. "Oh come on, you big baby. We need to get moving. Even though we've gone far enough we still have to stick to the timetable."
His throat felt tight, but his spirit grew stronger by the moment, eager to follow his older sister's lead and make sure they both survived. "Oh yes, I'll do my best." says the boy with a somewhat cheerful grin. "Do you think anyone else found something interesting along the road?"
That question makes the girl ponder an answer. After nearly ten months separated from their brothers and sisters and being mostly on the road...they have nothing to show for it...just the kids struggling to pitch in and do whatever they are told. A few more murders here and there. One or much more robberies but they didn't count any.
"I hope at least they have something useful to share. By my belief it would have been fantastic to have two slobs like us show up, carried on the shoulders of that blood- golem-thingy. Right in Moyl's face! That little fucking bitch. Degrading herself by bedding members just to gain their favor.
The boy locked eyes with his sister, his gaze filled with seething ecstasy and a touch of anger... "Are you thinking about Moyl or Qit again?" His words had comically shattered the girl's sky-high mental image. "She's a trashy slut. Just get over it." His hand swung impatiently toward her, and this time they both just set off among the trees and saplings.
Not a second longer. "Shut the hell up, you eternal virgin." Her kick landed hard on his butt, sending a jolt through his right cheek, almost sending the boy's small body stumbling forward.
"Anyway—Qit..." Her finger played with the strands of her hair, her eyes pretending to look around for something, but her voice rang out confidently. "HE KISSED ME FIRST! She just saw us and then she sucked his dick just to get to me!" Her voice crackled, followed by a growl. Back in the capital, when the cult was still united and undisturbed by its internal profanities—which were still unknown to the general public—the young people could join one another in body or marriage, thereby furthering the doctrine and... bringing new followers into the world in their name.
But let bygones be bygones. Fuck Moyl. Hoping that bitch was dead in a ditch or worse.
Her sight shifted to the boy's face. "Maybe if you were smarter with words you could get a girl. You're 17 already." the pouty girl crossed her hands over her chest.
"Ehhh..let's just get going"
Before anyone could say another old joke or make a nasty remark, the girl hears a noise. She spins around and stands back to back with her brother who had reacted the same way, daggers drawn and ready to skin someone.
She glances for a moment at her brother, his spear raised and ready to hurl one of his spells. This proved now with certain she hadn't imagined the brief disturbance.
"There! Behind the bush!" the boy exclaims pointing his spear ready to cast a spell. Wait...is that... "Wowh...it's the statue...I mean our golem."
Surprised just as her brother is, she lets her guard down without heed for whatever might happen. "How do you think it found us?" a simple but important question with a probably impossible answer.
"Maybe this is somehow connected to me or the book." The happy brother approaches his handiwork as his sister's hand pulls him back.
"Before that thing crushes that big head of yours, check if you can control it." With a suspicion based on the fact that the golem was wearing a garment she recognized as Anna's was wearing before she cut her throat. " It's wearing the girl's coat from last night."
The brother on his toes with his guard up searches through the book and finds the chapter on the golem. Ritual, requirements... Aah here... Before or after the golem becomes mobile a spell for control and restraint must be cast by the creator.
"Du wirst befolgen, was ich dir sage, und nichts weiter!"
After the last of his words, the statue starts to approach but the boy suddenly commands. "Stop."
The faceless statue slammed its feet into the ground at the boy's command. As it didn't move or made a sound- not that it could had without a mouth- the girl was still skeptical but she had her hopes in someway. "Make it do something else." she asks her brother with an eager cheer.
"Ehh..punch that tree." The brother points to a nearby tree.
Clearly carved from stone, the statue moved sluggishly toward the pointed target. Taking a final step into the tree's range, it swung a long right hand and split through the young fresh fibrous wood. The statue still stared at the tree, all three of them, watching as the young trunk bent and fall.
The blow is slow but being made of stone, it managed to pulverize the wood!!
Impressed, the girl is satisfied with their project turns to her brother with a smile. "Heh, looks like you're more skilled than you know."
The boy just nodded. "Yes this thing is really amazing!!" a smile full of cheer showed all over the boy's face. "Turn around." The statue follows his order and turns to face the young man.
The girl still feeling on the edge, also speaks a command."Raise your left hand." But the golem isn't doing anything. "This sucks... I guess it's following only your orders."
Nothing but a shrug showed from the boy. "Well I casted the control spell...Maybe I can find one to give you co-ownership.."
"Nah maybe later..right now it's perfect as it is." The sister reach to her brother and starts rubbing his head. "Nice one bro." she says followed by a soft smile."But let's go."
Listening to his sister, the brother gets ready to follow. "Still want to use the golem to rob some people?"
"What else is this moving pet-rock good for?" Says the girl with an wicked smile. "It's easier this way. You and I take out troublesome targets and the golem gets the weak ones."
As she takes an extra step, an idea pops in her head.Then she drops her bag on the ground.
"Also good to carrying our luggage. HA."
"Ohh...true!!" The boy also drops his bag."Carry these for us." and gets going after his sister
As was told the golem picks up the bags and follows the siblings.
---------------------(Later before evening)------------------
Hrr...how long do I have to follow 'em..they only talk about crimes and that little.. tramp who's their acolyte... cultists..They leave a nasty taste in my mouth...Huh..I don't even have one...and my hearing...still nothing but I can hear the boy very clear. That spell...It's supposed to give them control over me but it didn't..
His hand had clenched into a fist.
I can kill them...but how? Simply looking at the girl I can tell she's fast and good with those daggers. She may fail to hurt me but she's sure to give the boy backing and he'll definitely fuck me up with some spell.
"Aaaah I'm tired...and I'm hungry... I'm going to find something to eat.." The girl exclaims and reaches into her pockets and finds a shiny thread. "I'll set a trap...maybe I'll catch something later and take it when we get back on the road." As she finishes talking she leaves.
"No problem. I'll set the camp and start the fire." Turning back at me he say. "Put the bags down and step back."
Once I leave the bags down I do as he says I start thinking.
I can take him right now. He doesn't have the spear within reach and the book is in his bag..Easy..But what about the sister..I kill him now but the sister comes back..she surely won't attack me head on..or she won't risk it and leave as soon as she sees the boy is dead. I barely can hear anything. I'm too easy to avoid in a case like this. I must wait longer.
My train of thought is cut short by the boy. Particularly the spell he uses to light the fire.
A wordless spell. Easily conjured with a flick of the fingers. Looks like a spark.
A branch's simple rustle signals that the sister is back."Nothing..but I set the trap. Maybe we get something in after an hour or so." The boy's sister let herself fall on her rump, stretching to loosen her muscles up after hours of walking and just relaxing on the grass. They continued chatting, but again, only the boy's voice came through clearly to my ears.
"Should we stop when you haven't caught anything?" The boy's voice was first to pull my mind out from my inner monologue.
"Well I wanna sit down for a sec and we haven't had a propper rest last night soo..." She stood up and reaching for her bag. "You do whatever you want—I'm getting my sleeping bag out."
The young boy just frowned, but refrained from saying anything to his sister and simply let out a sigh. "Well I'm gonna go find some water." He, too, pulled his bag closer. After unzipping it, he took out a sizable canteen and strapped it to his belt, followed suit with the girl's bag, and grabbed her same looking item. "Come with me."
Hmmm...this is good...this is my chance..I move with the boy but I speed up my stride. Right when he's in my reach.
Sorry boy.
Without any sign I grab him by the head with both hands. Before he makes a sound of panic I squeeze, puncturing his fragile skull with my fingers, and it cracked and split open like a apple.. Brains and blood spread on my hands. Once I let go, the body falls to the earth and thrashes in its last moments. Afterwards... the blood on my hands is absorbed as before, and the same sensation occurs.
Everything happened in no more than five seconds. In the sixth.. the girl's shock was replaced by terror and then rage..
"You....y-you killed my brother!!" rage boiling she pulls out the two daggers and jumps high to attack.
Much faster and strong than I predicted. I roll to dodge and watch as the knife shreds through a tree trunk with ease. Damn it...a magical enhancement on those things? No..she's just that strong with a good knife.
Another full-blown fit of rage followed by a charge.
I don't have time to dodge...I must protect myself as much as I can! I cross my hand ready for the attack but she rolls and plunges that dagger into my knee. I try a punch but no resolt. She dodges and kicks hard enough to break my now damaged member.
Crap.
She gets on top of me and gets ready to drill holes in my head but I block the first blow with my left hand and hit the exposed rib on her left side. For a second, she winced in pain and after she gets the control of it, she cuts at my hand. Leaving behind a mere stump as the shap edge split my arm, dust and debris flying through the air.
Panic hits me but I realize I have a good grip on her right hand. I squeeze it hard and watch as it cracks under pressure.
"AAAAUAAH!!!" She screams and drops the dagger.
Using my free hand I grab her by her shoulder and with what's left of my right I smack her hard across the face. The blow draws blood and from the horrible expression she makes she realizes she's lost her eye.
The sense of panic overwhelms her and she attempts to slip away but makes matters worse when she unwittingly drops onto her right hand and breaks it completely, bending at an ugly angle.
This is only getting uglier and uglier.
She crawls wounded, trying to escape but turns around after a few feet. "Don't you come near me!!" she yells, tears visible in her one good eye and a trembling voice. But I don't stop.
I pick up the dropped knife and with one smooth movement cut deep along in her thigh. On her last rush of adrenaline she kicks her other foot in my face and I feel it crack. No pain but it cracked.
Then I realise. The blood on my hands after I killed the boy was sucked dry. So I drop the dagger and stick my hand in the wound in her leg.
Her screaming could wake the whole forest if I could hear it. So much pain finally overwhelms her and she falls on her back, losing consciousness under the stress of torment or blood loss becoming clearly threatening.