"What is your name ma'am."
"My name is Rose Bell. You can just call me granny Rose, as do most." Eric studied the woman that had already calmed down. Being dragged around by orcs and then facing the future of becoming a breeding tool was horrific.
'She seems pretty strong for what she just went through.'
"Can you tell me about this part of the land. My sister and I have only been around for awhile as we were trained at home. This is our first journey."
The woman smiled, "I have no issues explaining it for sir, you did save our lives. We are at the Southeast of the continent. You probably already know that we are in Shattered Goliath continent of the lesser Realms. The war between the corrupted and the alliances has made times turbulent. Many of the human settlements are disappearing for one reason or another. The wars have broken out the worst with the North and West."
"The biggest city in this region is Dragon Fish City. It's as big as a county. Multiple races live there in harmony while the many other populations sprung up after that city. You'll know you're by the city because of their monumental walls."
"People are antsy these days, humans the most. Many people say that other races are trying to blot out our connection to certain stars in order to weaken us."
Eric was silent, digesting all the information that was given to him. The old woman seemed more than happy to talk as though she found an old colleague.
'I knew about our continent but nothing about our geography. For all the books mom had me read she was rather tight lipped about where we were staying. The corrupted ones, the fallen, the dark gods. I remember those stories. Both fiction and historical. They're back and how strong are they? Ughhh, things just keep getting more complicated.'
"Have there been any changes to the Creed of Myriad Races?"
"Hahaha, I can see your parents really taught you an education, a youth asking such questions." The women was silent for a moment before sighing.
"Yes there has been a change, certain races have been forbidden from mating. The pact that formed that creed has been a shit show since the very conception of it. A pissing contest of who has more power and who can't you love." The woman was silent as she reminisced, her eyes grew foggy.
"I met a fella once that I was quite stricken with. He was tall and handsome, unfortunately he had the blood of the giants in his veins. Damn shame my mother and father were prudes. They wouldn't have it and forcefully married me to someone." Hearing such a bitter tale, Eric shook his head.
Yet the woman merely glanced at him with a side eye. "You should do a better job of hiding that your girlfriend is a spirit beast. The agreements of old and the powers that be are restless. Remember the purges little one, it didn't matter if they were friends. All that mattered was that their blood was different."
"How-How did you?" Flustered Eric was about to ask the woman more questions when the wagon was jolted. With a loud Bang and the sound of splitting wood, the carriage was ripped apart.
In front of the wagon was a strange looking creature that looked one part man, three parts golem. It's mouth wide with mainly molars. Drool flowing from it's mouth like a waterfall, while it laughed oafishly.
Eric immediately transformed and rushed forward to face the creature when he was tackled and then thrown from the side by a huge creature. Eric flipped in the air multiple times as the creature threw him so hard his ears hurt.
Using his feet to push of against a tree, Eric flew forward again and saw what it was that threw him. A minotaur standing large at 7ft tall with rippling muscles. Eric could hear the screams of the women as he saw Sil fighting against an imp.
The creature bounced around and blew fire everywhere, turning their section of the forest into a hellscape.
'A bastard golem, a nivarean Minotaur, and a Green Fire Imp. This is like a squadron of...' Eyes flashing with recognition Eric bit his lip as he used [Primal Flight] his body moving like a shadow as he aimed to get to the women as fast as possible.
"Fuck, Fuck, Fuck, let me make it!!!!" Seeing the circle on the ground, Eric knew he was too late. Biting his lip he dodged the stone obstructions the bastard golem threw his way. The Minotaur got into an all fours stance ready to charge as steam came out of it's nose.
"Sil to me NOW!" Sil could feel the danger and her skin broke out in goosebumps as she saw the nearby occultic circle envelop the women. Red flared from the ground as the women scrambled about scared, yet it was as though a bubble had been placed around them. No noise and no way out.
A shadow in the distance spoke in a hoarse and dry voice "SACRIFICEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!"
The circle became a reddish black as the women disappeared, the circle becoming pitch black as Eric reached Sil. Snatching a thousand-mile talisman from his ring of holding he crushed it. The two disappeared in a blink.
Baaaangggg!!! From the circle arose a tall slender figure with four horns. It screamed so loud a sound wave passed through the sky, killing the birds in the air.
Tumbling to the floor was Eric and Silvee. The two of them filled with expressions of fear. Eric's chest rose and fell as though the boy ran a marathon, Sil herself was sweating immensely.
"Eric, what was that?"
"A squadron of Demon raiders. They shouldn't be here. How is it possible that they're here. I-I-I-I thought they were banished."
"Eric, I'm not dumb..... but I haven't read nearly as many books as you have. What are you talking about?"
"The many races have had a lot of problems with one another but five of them in particular were beyond what anyone was willing to deal with. They were labeled as the forbidden races. I only know that the demon race was one of them because there are some complexities with them."