Act I
"It'll become colder soon sister, we don't have enough warm clothes and blankets." I spoke my mind as we sat inside the winter shelter I built with the help of half of the koryos band, while the other half gathered what we needed.
I lucked out that these people have such a culture that men stayed in the camp to build it up, while raising plants and animals. While the women went out to hunt or raid for what the clan needed.
"You mean pelts, brother? Do you want us to raid again?" She asked, catching the attention of those with us inside the shelter. It made me look around, seeing the eagerness in their faces. I wasn't surprised as it's been a month since we raided a small farming clan taking some of their wild grains and weapons.
"No, I think we should trade most of our horses for pelts and more food." This made those around me turn less happy and some actually looked hostile. But no one had dared to say anything yet as the Koreyonos had yet to speak.
"Because we won't be able to keep them alive the whole winter." The Koreyonos spoke, which made me nod. We had eleven horses but only nine people in our koryos. At most the shelter I built can only stable three horses, and those nine people comfortably.
"Yes, I want to trade them in for supplies. So that after winter we will all be stronger and able to raid for more horses and those would be the ones we will offer as prizes." I explained, most of the koryos looked confused, others were satisfied while some hid their reactions as they looked towards the Koreyonos for her decision.
"Do you even know which clans we can trade with brother?" My sister in this realm, the key of me beating this challenge asked, it made me smile.
"I do not, but you do." My eyes met hers as I saw a weak sparkle inside them.
Act II
There were only four of us, the rest stayed in our shelter. The day was bright, as the sun had just finished its first quarter. I was already wearing two layers of pelts as clothes, one was made from the hide of an elk acting a great coat, while the other from the leather of a horse which acted as a skirted undervest.
We were wearing rough wolfmasks, as we rode, every few moments two of those that rode with us struck two hollow sticks together while our Koreyonos would blow on a hunting horn.
We did this as we circled a camp three times before stopping at a close by hill that looked over the camp. From what the Koreyonos said this was also part of the Koryos rite, if done properly and with a clan allied to your birth clan they will give the Koryos enough respect to not kill us on sight.
Women and men armed with axes and spears came out of their homes, while the old and the young quickly hid inside those homes. The band that formed was small, just ten strong adults armed and dressed well, while others of their clan went to their clan horses, securing them from any surprises.
"Chieftess of the Sky Talon clan! We wolves of the Forest Bear clan hunt for pelts and winter food! By the wolf father we will bring you horses!" This was yelled by the Koreyonos, the leader of this Sky Talon clan stepped forward. She was tall and her long braided hair had already shown greying, yet even I can tell she can crush my skull with that massive stone axe in her hands.
We stood at a kind of stalemate for a few breaths, those around the chieftess started whispering to her. Luckily by how the winds were traveling I was able to make sense of some of their whisperings but not enough to know their intentions.
"Leave! You wolves! Your wolf father will have his Due!" With that, those gathered by the chieftess started throwing spears, but each one of them did not reach us, that was when the Koreyonos and the other two started playing their instruments as we left.
"Thank you Sky Talon Clan!" I yelled to our backs, as we rode away, the action made my sister and Koreyonos strike me on my back telling me to shut up and ride.
Act III
It was the next morning, I was given the honor to trade in the first group of horses which was the four worst of the lot. They were old animals with one being lamed in one of her legs, unusable as a riding horse.
We met halfway in a clearing, I saw the sacks of supply placed in the middle of clearing and the villagers of clan Sky Talon hiding at the other side of the clearing behind bushes and trees.
I motioned for the two with me to collect the supplies while I moved to give the four other horses to those we were trading with. It still feels odd how ritualized this all was, I mean I understand these people needed to rationalize supporting the children they sent into the woods to act as bandits but still it was a weird culture.
"I, wolf of the Koryos, bless your clan in the name of the Wolf Father." I said while throwing red sand towards those waiting for their horses, they didn't flinch accepting the blessing. I can see some tearing up with literal sand in their eyes as I gave them the reigns of the horses.
They gave me fierce looks before they turned around without any words, leaving me there. Words I wanted to say stuck at my throat, as I also turned back. As I did I heard screaming of pain, others crying as I rode faster towards my companions.
"Understand their culture, Understand their culture, Understand their culture." I kept saying to myself as if it was a mantra as I rode with my companions, their faces showing concern. I really don't like how savage these people are.
Why did the dreaming place me in this primitive horse land bronze age? Why not somewhere like old kingdom Egypt? Or mycenaean Greece? Then I thought about it and then gave a breath as atleast I wasn't some plantation slave in a river civilization or a galley slave in a coastal civilization.
Act IV
I was alone as I walked under the orange and red canopy of a forest preparing itself for winter. I had a long bow in hand made by one of the other boys in my Koryos, I steadied my breath as I remembered that kind boy.
It was hard, but I tried not to remember their names and forget their faces. . . It was the only way I thought of to not get overly attached. I shook my head, focusing as I saw a trail. The steps were heavy which means I'm hunting an adult. I followed its droppings, the disturbed vegetation and the occasional foot print.
"Damn you monster!" I heard the powerful war cry of a woman, this made my back stand straight as I looked around seeing nothing, that was when I remembered an old trick and closed my eyes and listened. There was a struggle, weapons striking bone and flesh pounding metal.
I started moving, placing back the normal arrow of flint into my quiver as I summoned my special arrow, my [Hunter's Arrow] the first dream essence I had received. I have yet to get any other, I'm not sure but it should be because I've only killed unranked animals, after dealing with that failed raid because of that horrific evil spirit.
I started jogging, keeping a steady pace as I followed the sound of battle. Shriek* I heard the bone chilling familiar sound of the Horror that destroyed a camp, and almost killed me.
I quickened my pace, it took me a moment as I reached a clearing seeing two figures fighting for their lives. One was wielding a mace of black stone, while armored in bronze scale. The other a monstrous thing, the warrior was fighting a horror much like the one I killed, except rather than an elk its skull head was that of a boar.
They were in a dread bind, the horror pinning the warrior to the ground while the warrior resisted using her mace to push back the horror's clawed hands while avoiding its jaws by moving her head.
I took a breath, a very deep one as I focused, my arms high before pulling my bow. My focus was on the Horror's back, then I released as I felt the weight of the bow too much for me to pull and then I went for another arrow and then the next.
SHRIEK* It shrieked in pain as my first arrow struck and then the rest of the mundane arrows struck around it, some striking its limbs or back but most only grazing it.
The warrior took the chance of its momentary distraction kicking it off her as I stopped shooting trying to get closer to the battle, but before I could reach close enough to do something. The warrior had already struck down the Horror that was still on its back.
Thud* With that the clearing was quiet, the only thing that sounded was the warrior woman's heavy breaths and my steps as I tried to get closer but stopping at a handful of meters from the warrior and corpse.
"Boy, what is your name? I want to learn the name of the child of the Wolf Father that saved my life." It was hard to notice when she was fighting the Horror, but now being so close to her, I finally realized how large and tall she was as I looked up, as she looked down with a fangful smile.
Act V
"Child of the Forest Bear clan, I do not know of your clan, but I still thank you for your assistance." The warrior spoke with a noble bearing as she cut out two soul cores from the Horror, with a skull crushed like a water melon on the beach. One of those cores she had tossed to me, It tumbled on my chest before I was able to catch it.
"I am Klafa of the Fire Hoof tribe, a champion of the Bear mother." She said proudly as she sat down and I did the same, she must be tired from fighting an Iron rank Horror alone. She must have been a strong unranked to be able to fight something like that.
"Here I'll show you how to use that soul core, you need to press it on your chest and then crush it like this." The warrior Klafa spoke as she demonstrated her words. The small glowing crystal shattered, turning into steam before quickly floating into Klafa's chest.
I did the same, crushing the soul core. It was easy, it felt like a soda can as I crushed it in my hand, then the same thing happened. Soul stuff floated and then seeped into my chest making me feel hot as if a pretty girl was touching my crotch, but after a few seconds the feeling was gone.
There was a quiet between us, after both of us had fully consumed the soul core. She was regaining her breath, my mind running wild from what she was, but after a moment I remembered my manners as I offered her a water skin, she nodded and smiled as she drank from it.
"Why did you fight this evil spirit sister Kafla? With your strength, it would have been simple to have run away from it." My words made the warrior shake her head, before giving back my water skin, It felt like almost half of the water was gone.
"It is my duty, young wolf. I am a champion of a cult, it is our divine mission to slay the taint that Chaos has unleashed into our lands." Her voice spoke with the reverence of a priest as I listened to her. For some reason all my attention was caught by her words.
"One of these taints are these evil spirits, people and beasts turned abominations. If left unpurged they'll start feasting on smaller clans, becoming stronger until eventually they will turn into greater evils capable of slaughtering entire valleys." With that she paused, her serious eyes and curved mouth softening as she patted my head.
"But do not worry young one, seeing you gives me hope for our valley's future." With that she stood up and picked up the corpse of the Horror, pulling out the arrows I shot at it, leaving them to me before turning around and started walking away.
"When you have become a man, look for me in my tribe. We always accept anyone with courage such as yours, in their heart." That was her last words as I looked at her back, until she disappeared into the woods. I looked down at my arrows and saw that they were filthy with grey blood.