On the Shorebanks

<Footsteps leading to the room where the listener and Carmine are>

Ah, Cypress. You've come back.

Of course I did! I had to know how they're doing.

Well, not great, admittedly.

<Shifting body to point>

Whatever got them was vicious. The fact they're even alive at all is nothing short of a miracle.

There's a huge bite mark out of their left shoulder and neck. It seems to have bled profusely for a bit, so the puncture was very deep.

What's strange is that an almost identical set of scars is mirrored on their right shoulder.

I don't recognize the teeth marks. Clearly they are sharp and meant for hunting, but they don't really fit most animals I know. My closest guess is a wolf, or maybe a fox. I tried to disinfect as much as I could.

The river upstream is much, much more powerful than it is down here. If they really had fallen in, they would have been battered around quite a lot by the waves and rocky riverbed.

There's significant internal bleeding to match.

W-wow. They've really been through a lot. Poor thing...

Sure have. That's not even the strangest part, though.

<Move the bedcovers on the listener>

<Cypress gasps>

Look at their hands.

Strange, right? The tips of their fingers almost look burned or rotten. There's a few lines that creep further onto their hands, too. From what I can tell, they still seem to be perfectly healthy. No amount of washing seems to be taking off those spots, though. Whatever is on there is on there good.

{Pause}

Come to think of it, they did say something about their hands when they woke up...

Wait, what? They woke up after we brought them here?

Sure did, kiddo. Eve was helping me tend to their wounds when they did.

They...they weren't right, though. Panic. Crazed. I guess that wouldn't be too surprising! I'd be spooked too if I woke up somewhere new!

It was fine at first...but they saw their hands and got really spooked for some reason. They kept clawing at the backs of their hands talking about how they had to "rip out that string". I don't know what they were talking about. There's no string there...

They tried to stand up and leave on foot, believe it or not. I had to hold them back down into the bed. Kept raving about having to run away and keep moving. This poor soul is convinced something is chasing them. Maybe whatever it is that bit them.

It was clear that they were in no state to cooperate, or think clearly. Eve, bless her soul, had the quick solution of using Orange Regalia spores to make the stranger go to sleep. Seems to have worked...

How awful! They must be so scared to be here.

When we found them...well, I don't really know what I thought. I think if they were trying to get away from what's chasing them that badly, that they must be really brave.

Surely they knew it was a dangerous idea, jumping in like that! The monster or beast after them must have been really scary. I hope they find peace soon...

I do too. Our main concern is getting them to a hospital in the city. I know some first aid, but there are a lot of problems I can't fix. We're still trying to figure out some sort of transport to get them there. I think there's only two or three working cars out here in this area.

You said they were trying to contact their parents, right? Did you get a name, or something we could use to contact someone? Maybe we can bring help here instead!

Hmmm. Hmmm. Now that you mention it, they did say some kind of name at one point. What was it...

[Pondering noises]

Light something? No...

Kilt...no...

Kill? No...

Kiln! Something about Kilnforger!

{An eerie silence settles in, like the air itself has stopped moving}

Doctor Carmine...

D-did you say Kilnforger?

Like, you're 100% sure that's the name they said.

Almost positive! It had such a distinctive ring to it. Hard to forget.

{Pause}

Cypress...your skin has lost a lot of color! Are you feeling alright?

I-

I don't know.

You're not particularly interested in the religious world, right?

The Kilnforgers...

They're a duo set of gods. Real ones. Their power and influence is unbelievable. They've been extremely important for a lot of charitable acts in the past 20 years or so!

Oh I don't know, Cypress...

Those books you're always reading can always inspire the imagination!

No, doc. I-

I've met them.

Their shrine is maybe a two day journey on foot from this village into the Forbidden Forest.

I went there maybe six months ago. They had many visitors there. It was decorated so beautifully...

The Kilnforgers apparently have been alive for hundreds or even thousands of years! They had other children there, too...

If we really do have one of the Kilnforgers here with us...

I don't want to anger two of the most powerful gods on the continent by accidentally hurting one of their children!

Surely taking them back to them is the better move, right?

Hmm.

You're absolutely certain these Kilnforgers exist?

As certain as the air we breathe.

I'm not usually too keen to entertain the idea of fairy tales, but...

If you think we should take our patient there instead...

I guess I'll believe you. You seem pretty serious.

We'll do so tomorrow. We need them to at least stabilize first before moving them on foot out into possible danger.

<Loud series of crashes, clattering, and stuff being smashed in the distance; a room or two away>

{Snarling} Mate.

<Heavy footsteps from far away getting closer>

Cypress, did you hear that?

Y-yes.

Get behind me. We'll stay in the corner away from the stranger.

I...I think we might have just found what was after our visitor.

{Pause}

<Footsteps grow quite close>

<The door is obliterated off its hinges. Not just broken down off the hinges, but completely splintered>

{Still scary} My mate.

How dare you hide amongst these pests.

<Footsteps approaching the listener; crunching of wood shards>

Thank goodness you're asleep, adelfi.

It will make taking you home all the easier...

No more running away from me now! I've got you right where I need you.

With me.

<Shuffling of bed covers; listener is picked up>

Ahh...

Peace of mind at last.

{Pause}

{Turning to face Cypress and Carmine} And as for you two...

You have stolen my adelfi away from me, and away from the world.

Healing them is the job of me, their mate. Not the works of some pitiful humans.

{Cold} You could never treat them like they deserve to be.

I ought to burn this village to the ground with a fire that can never be extinguished. But...you relinquished my love to me without resistance.

I will spare most of you from certain death.

But for you two...

You've touched my mate. My adelfi psychi. My everything. You've defiled their precious body with your wretched hands.

W-we just wanted to help them recover from the river—

{Through a growl; interrupting} I don't care what you thought you were doing. They aren't yours.

Our bond would have kept them safe until I arrived. 

I'll...

I'll...!

I'll teach you not to touch what isn't yours!

<The sounds of two spells being cast>

<Growl/grumble>

There.

Be thankful you're even alive. I'm sure my adelfi would be furious if I killed you outright.

I've cursed you both. Feel anything in those hands of yours? Probably not. I've paralyzed them.

Now you can finally keep them all to yourself. Hmph.

I'm taking my adelfi somewhere that's actually safe. Don't you dare think of following us. I won't hold back from shredding you with my claws if you do.

My human. My mate.

<Emmoni, still holding the listener, carries them out of the room and calmly walks away>

{To listener; fade out as they leave the room—might not even be able to hear the whole paragraph} Shhh...It's okay now adelfi...Your erastis has you. We'll be going to our new home now. You'll come to love the den in time...I'm sure of it. Keep dreaming of us, okay? You'll feel so much better with me at your side...

{Extended pause}

I...

I think we need to go find the Kilnforgers you were talking about.

I'm scared this won't be the last we see of that...that...

-that DEMON!

END.