Ken's Perspective
What is going on! I am just a hunter; my family and I live in a small cabin a half days ride from a small village. My biggest worry is having to use our reserve of pickled meat or if the Buners daughter will dance with me at the harvest festival again this year. That thing on the mountain, the thing clutching to my chest, the feeling that my eyes will be ripped out if I open them, those shouldn’t be things I have to worry about. They are impossible, stuff from fairy tales and legends, not things that happen to ordinary hunters.
Those mushrooms I ate the other day were bad, that’s it! This is all a fevered dream. Yet it all feels too real for a dream. The claws digging into my chest and the rough fur beneath me. the feeling of the beast muscles tensing with each step, the warmth of the boy sitting in front of me.
Giean Beastlord. yet another thing from legend. The Beastlords, a family of Beast tamers dating back to when the continent was still young. It is said that when a Beastlord walks by even kings lay themselves prone at their feet. That doesn’t even account for the personal legends of the boy in front of me. How he captured the capital of Persival unaided and turn the tide of both the Nevian and Gaulet wars. The only SS rank adventure on the continent the bards often sang songs of his various exploits.
What does he want? Where is he taking me? I feel the Mana Beast below me begin to slow. Risking to open my eyes I am overwhelm by the sight Infront of me. A wall of white stone so pure in colour it looks like packed snow. Stretching into the sky, I tilt my head back as far as I can but the top stays out of view. The baby lifts its head from my shoulder letting out a quiet mew as it takes in the wall as well.
Calling it a wall might be wrong for it does not seem to be a man-made structure. No seams break it surface suggesting it is a single piece of stone. But weirder than that is that it has no jagged surface, it is perfectly smooth. The wind and rain have not cut grooves in its surface, nor have any animals burrowed into it for their home.
I expected to slow down as we get closer to the cliff but the wolf begins to pick up speed again. I scream as the beast leaps on to the wall and runs up the sheer cliff face moving faster then it had across the grassland. I don’t even have time to close my mouth before we reach the top and I roll off the beasts back onto the cool short grass.
Giean hops off in front of me. I try to slow my heartbeat as I stare at his feet, despite his savage appearance his feet are well kept. Thick calluses protect the bottom but the nails are trimmed and polished, without grime under them or between the toes.
My mother said you can always tell the quality of a person by the condition of their hands and their feet. I am still not convinced on that rule but would be curious to hear what she would say about Giean’s feet.
“You going to lay their all day?” Giean asks the melodic sound of his voice more apparent now that he is talking casually.
He reaches out his hand and I take it. I was right, even when his face is passive his eyebrows make him look angry.
I look back over the cliff and see the grasslands spreading out before us, a rolling golden sea. I have never seen so much open space before. I turn my attention to the horizon; they are not there. For the first time in my life I can not see the heaven path mountains.
I shiver but it has nothing to do with the cold breeze. I have never been so far from home before.
The other 2 Mana Beast land on the wall in front of me. I start to back away but they give me no heed walking right past. For the first time I take in the top of the wall. the ground is covered in a thick green grass trimmed short with sporadically placed trees that have green needles instead of leaves.
In the center of the wall is the largest house I have ever seen. A full log building four stories tall with a sloped roof. The building is so wide each log must be a full tree. Its windows, varying in shape and size, are placed sporadically without any sense of reason.
Next to the building sits what looks like the stable for the Inn in the village. However, this one is much larger, twice the size of the house next to it. Not made of full logs but milled lumbar, I cannot understand how someone can build something so huge in such a place.
The only thing that brings a sense of normality to this place is the two-story house placed less then a minute walk from the stables. It is surrounded by farmers fields that extended along the wall for a good furlong and right to both edges of the cliff face.
“Where are we?” I ask as I follow Giean towards the big house.
“My house on top of the beast wall.” he says nonchalantly.
This really is the beast wall. The legendary monument created by the first of the Beastlord name to protect the world from the powerful Mana Beasts he was raising within.
I can’t help but stare in awe as we approached the house. Ten of the cabin I share with my parents and sister could fit inside and this house is all his.
As we approach, I spot a woman in a loose black dress hanging laundry from a line. When she notices us, she hurries back to the house for a moment before making her way to greet us. the smile on Giean’s face almost doesn’t seem angry as the woman gets closer. With his eyebrows that is saying something.
I wonder who she is as Giean keeps us moving towards the house our pace unchanged. From that I doubt she is a lover, maybe family? I had heard rich people often have servants but Giean seems happier about seeing a servant then I normally picture rich people to be.
As the woman gets closer my jaw drops. Not only is she around my age but she is gorgeous. The loose-fitting black dress with large white pockets on the front did nothing to hide the graceful curves of her body or her pure natural beauty. Skin, perfectly smooth and clear with a healthy sun kissed glow. The wavy chestnut hair that cascades around her shoulders, glossy and shimmering in the sunlight. Blue eyes that shine like twin lakes on a calm summer day placed perfectly over her radiant smile. Teeth white and straight like ivory clade knight standing at attention.
I don’t even have a point of comparison for her. To put the girls from back home on a pedestal with her would be comparable to having them compete in a beauty contest with cattle. She is an angel the like of which I have never seen before.
“My lord, I am most relief to see that you have returned safely.” The Angel says getting into a deep curtsy in front of Giean. It isn’t that she doesn’t acknowledge me, I don’t think she has noticed I am here.
Giean lets out an audible sigh as his shoulders slouch. I notice that except for the bird perched on his shoulder the rest of the Mana Beast that travel with Giean had walk past the Angel without stopping. How dare they not bask in her beauty.
“Jill how many time do I have to tell you!” Giean pleads, “Please call me Giean, only the old man is allowed to call me lord or master.”
“Of course Master,” Jill said as she straightens showing her resistance and determination.
Giean simply sighs again as Jill gaze flows over me and the baby dragon that had repositioned its self to clinging to my back its head peaking over my shoulder. I realize that my shirt was ripped in the front to the point it shows most of my chest.
Normally I wouldn’t be ashamed of my body but standing next to a shirtless Giean I cannot help but shrink. He isn’t overly built but that makes it worse, each of his muscles is toned to the perfect definition. Honeycomb has a less rigid structure then his abs. The only thing I have more of then him is chest hair and that isn’t even apparent due to the tribal tattoos that cover most of him. I don’t have to be too embarrassed however since Jill is already looking back at her master before she can see me blush.
“I see you have brought guests, shall I make some tea?” Jill asks, not waiting for answer before she starts leading us to the house.
As we made our way to the house, I watch the other Mana beast hop off the wall. while I am curious about what is on the other side, I feel better staying next to Giean and more importantly, following Jill.
“Your hair is not in your usual braids. Did you make that much mess with breakfast?” Giaen teases. The un-servant like shove Jill gives him suggests that he isn’t too far off.
Their banter carries like that of two old friends as we made out way to the house. Before we headed inside, Jill goes over to the laundry she had just hung to dry earlier. Selecting a green silk shirt off the line she closes her eyes before touching it. I watch as steam rises from the fabric before she takes it down and neatly folds it. She hands it to me still warm.
“it is a little big, but better then what you are wearing.” She says before passing through the open door.
She used magic; I have never seen a person use magic before. Giean servant is a mage. All these thoughts flashed through my head as I quickly change before following them inside.
“Grandpa I was going to make the tea.” Says a whiny voice that sounded a bit like Jill’s.
Giean is already seated at the table in his hand a book from one of the full bookshelf’s that lined an entire wall of the kitchen.
“I was just acting preemptively as any good Butler should. When the master is approaching with guest one should put the Tea on before going to great them.” Says an old man in a black suit with an impressive white handle bar mustache and a head of pure white hair.
“I didn’t know he had a guest until I saw them and at that point, I could not disappear without greeting them.” Jill refutes.
I stand awkwardly in the doorway as their fight plays out. Between her friendly demeanor with Giean and this display with the butler Jill is quickly shattering my impression of maids.
“Your cousins would have been able to sense it.” The old man says under his breath.
Jill staggers. “I did not ask for it,” she whimper, “if not for Master Giean-”
“Exactly!” the man practically shouts, “If not for Master Giean.”
“Enough Gerald.” Giean says as he slamms his book on the kitchen counter. His voice was not loud but the room seem grows colder with those two words.
Gerald says no more as he pours the tea into the cups. Jill pulls out a chair, her face sad as she motions for me to sit. As I take a step forward the last thing I notice before the world goes black is that there are 6 cups set at the table.
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