Dead Moors,

Royal Wagons,

“Preafect! Help me.” The councilor yelled as the wagon hit another ‘bump’.

Kido couldn’t help but chuckle as he stuck his head under the canopy for a little perusing.

Whew, he whistled out loud.

Eggs, eggs and… Ooh, weapons. Nice.

The eggs jostled in their crates, top halves exposed and showing no signs of kelp or other seaweed that grew so ferociously in the flooded river. At a brief glance, he estimated there to be fifty of them in this wagon alone. They were a lot bigger than he had expected, roughly the size of a man’s head.

But his biggest surprise was that they were scaled, or at least had the ridges of scales.

Marvelous.

They were like giant emerald jewels, each a slightly varying colour and camouflaged to match the riverbed. But where the light touched, they glinted a dark green sheen like healthy kelp.

They must have been incredibly tough, for none had broken even after a few had been thrown from their casks and rolled around.

Get out of there you wretch! And give me your hand.

Kido ignored the cur and carried on his rummaging through the cargo. His reach was limited to the front goods only as he hung on tightly to the entrance awning. Moving some of the soft pelt’s asides, he uncovered loot more to his liking.

Two baskets of upright ornately painted Javelins, each painting containing a different version of some generic hunt. Four red silk tasselled polearms, secured to the posts and a big bamboo basket full of razor bolts. He also found what he assumed to be the councilor’s small box of used cores, tucked away to the side of the basket. They too were leaking Ki.

Now if I could just find… aah there they are.

Two beautifully painted dual-boned crossbows, secured to the canopy ceiling with leather thread. Both completely smooth to the touch, thanks in part to the Sheraak leaves and a generous portion of its resin. They were entirely transparent but for the bones they were carved from, but even then, the bones had smaller carvings etched into them.

Kido helped himself to one, testing its weight. Heavy, as expected. They were designed for Chi to be channeled through them after all, hence the boiled Sheraak leaves.

The wagon shook again, slowing down and this time an ominous creak accompanied the peasants’ dying screams.

“What is all this?” He called back, “a battlewagon. All it’s missing is a ballista tied on the back and you’ll have yourself a new sport. You’re supposed to be harvesting the Emperor’s seaweed.

“Guards. Guards!”

Curious, Kido stuck his head back out checking on them too.

“Gone,” he snickered.

“Probably not the wisest having them hang onto the backside of the wagons, hey Councilor. Or is your privacy more important than the safety of your men?”

The man just glared at him from his prone position, looking back to check for himself.

“Almost as smart as allowing all of Qaelangs peasantry to reach the gates before you? Now, if only someone had a method of alerting the royal wagons early, without disturbing the uneducated peasantry?”

“Say, I don’t know… A red banner of old, maybe?”

Kido popped back underneath the canopy and helped himself to some of the cores in the chest, whilst leaving the councilor dangling as he pondered the Preafects words. One could never have enough good quality cores, and this was a veritable treasure trove.

Each the size of a large grape, they were probably all level 5’s and 6’s, but now was not the time to check as he turned them off and pocketed them. On his second handful, he paused, his fingers scraping against a smaller box. It was cold to the touch and decorated with mother of pearl, its lid locked tight.

Breaking it open, he nearly gagged. Dropping it back into the core pile.

Bone flowers, lots of them.

Kido grimaced, at the pungent smell and hissing of flame, minus the actual flame. His first impulse was to kick the disgusting things out of the wagon altogether, but held off, knowing the Ki would do a much better job of neutralising the Lepratic growths. Besides there would be no telling what a Beast would mutate into should it eat one of these, let alone a whole bunch of them.

He stepped back out, holding a core up for the councilor up to see.

“Found your box, you filthy addict.”

The man’s eyes flashed with rage as Kido approached but made no motion to help.

“Now,” he sighed. “Now, would be so easy. To take that ugly head of yours. But then I have to consider how my lord will look upon my actions should I ruin this great charade of civilisation.”

“you dare…”

Kido squatted down right in front of the councilor, pulling out his Doa blade and silencing the man immediately as the blade glowed.

“See, everyone knows when a Doa dagger is unsheathed, blood has to be spilt. It's more than a law, it’s a truth. Break a truth, and you destroy your place in this world.”

“Kind of like slaying the Emperors man infront of all those people on the walls.” The councilor spat back. “You think you can get away with breaking that truth? Or would they be enraged at the grave insult to He who holds back the Taker’s insatiable appetites?”

“Oh councilor,” Kido chuckled, “you play this game so well. A poor example, but I can see where you’re coming from. How about, giving an order to the men and then having the entire army see it go ignored, by a rutting wagon man?”

The madman actually smirked, and in doing so, marked himself for death.

Kido shook his head.

He cares nothing for my lord even in the face of death. A death he imposes on himself by not empowering his core. Why? Is this brain rot or is it something else?

“Fine! I apologise. But you’re still not getting any goods from me, you hear? Those are the Emperor’s belongings and you’ll not have them. Now can you PLEASE help me up?”

“By your hand, you refuse my lord to save face, by your hand you soiled it. You threaten lawful order and yet, by your hand, you dangle here on the edge of a wagon.

“You leave me no choice, councilor.” Kido said as he backed away refastening his mask.

“I’m warning you, Preafect.”

If you do not play by my lords’ rules, why should I play by yours? Save yourself councilor.

“You’re making a grave… Eeee!”

He nearly fell off as a peasant crashed into him whilst trying to jump onto the wagon. Kido watched with morbid curiosity as the peasant fell away beneath the wagon. It was an odd thing for him to feel anything for these peasants, and even stranger timing. But he felt his gut clench as he watched the peasant’s desperation turn to one of horror and pain as the wheels broke his body.

How close a member of the Emperor’s own Council, had come this day to being ended by a coreless peasant. He wouldn’t say his respect for them grew in any significant manner, but he did for the first time take note of them in a new light.

To think, that one of these might actually be capable of killing a Sacred Artist.

First Thorn,

The Muddied Boot,

Culus’s eyes bulged as the great primordial Beast fell away. All he had been able to make out was something huge emerging from the mists, as the city had collectively gasped. He had known it instantly to be a Beast of some sort, its entire head covered in bone.

But when that light had shone from its mouth, everyone had seen that nightmare's face. All around him, people pressed both hands to their eyes and then the sky. Praising the Emperor and whispering thanks for his divine intervention, quickly he did so likewise.

Out of the blue Davi quietly spoke.

The hides that come in from these waves have such wonderous colours to them Culus. The rarest are the ones that change colour in your hands depending on how the sun strikes it. Those ones are the priciest, almost always most expensive than good armour from a dull hide.

“Wha…what?” Culus blinked, not understanding where this was coming from. “I’m pretty sure that won’t be the case with that giant Beast, if they can recover its hide.

Davi smiled, “Its colours weren’t dull Culus. What I would give to be allowed to work on one of those shifting colour ones.

“Okay buddy,” Culus frowned.

That thing had almost wiped out the Emperors servants and he’s admiring its pelt?

Earlier you said I was distracted, by all the shiny colours. Colours make me happy Culus. Judging by the price and how the Watch only lets their professional tanners work on them, it makes a lot of people happy too.

What’s your point Davi?

I’m not the one distracted Culus. We’re hired to do a job and I pay close attention to it. You however, recognised each of those alarms and now you watch Sacred Artists like someone were preparing you a full bowl of rice.

“Davi, everyone…”

“I’m not asking about everyone,” Davi cut him off. “I’m asking, why you, are paying so much attention to the Watch?”

Culus tore his eyes from the caravan and looked over his best friend as if he were missing something here. Davi still clutched the remaining bundle of grass and looked on below, but if Culus were to guess he would say he had his undivided attention right now.

This is what I get for careless words.

The moment of silence lingered for a while longer before he finally replied.

“We just see things differently Davi, that much is obvious. How much of it is due to my accident, I don’t know. You’re actually one of my earliest memories, asking me why I was wearing so much cloth.”

Culus snorted at the flashback of the obnoxious orphan boy approaching him, he was the only one that had.

“Maybe it was my difference from everyone else that made me pay extra attention at trying to fit in. Or that by starting all over again with no memories, I just noticed things about people from a teenager’s point of view.”

Maybe it’s your repurposing that makes you such a good leader.

Culus laughed out loud.

“You’re the only one who thinks so, Taker’s pit, not even I do. If anything, it has brought on trouble and suspicion from the Nests. Besides, it would be a pretty useless repurposing that gave me the role of a gutter rat.”

“No, what little memories I have are plenty enough, thankyou. And for the thousandth time, it wasn’t a repurposing. She said it was all part of the same accident, some Beast. That any memories from before are gone forever. It was probably why she was always crying…

He whispered that last part, as a dark muttering stirred in the crowd. Eyeing Davi suspiciously for the turn the conversation had taken, he looked to see what the muttering was all about. What he saw hardened his resolve like never before.

That was it, as sure as ever, a sign from the Giver.

The crowd openly gasped now and even Davi stiffened, looking away.

By the Nine, Culus. They just rode over them. They’re still doing it,” he protested.

“I know buddy," Culus lamented. " I know."

“It'll always be this way until someone makes them stop, makes them pay for shit like that. You can’t see clearly from here because of the long grass, but I think you know what those larger Beasts are eating out there, Davi.”

“One day... One day I’m going to be the most powerful swordsman this world has ever seen. Then I’m going to put a stop to all this madness and end the suffering once and for all. I’ll take all the uncored and we'll leave this place forever.”

“Then we’ll see who tends to their paddies. We’ll see who they tax into slavery and repurpose into errand boys? I’ll cross the moors and I’ll kill anyone who comes looking.”

“Nothing will stop me.”

“Being uncored might,” Davi whispered.

Culus paused, eyeing Davi with an irritated look.

“That’s why I pay attention to the Watch," Culus sighed. "You know they offer free coring for two years of service?”

“Woah! Hold on now, Culus,” Davi stammered. “I really don’t think that’s a good idea man. More than half of those people die in the Watch’s coring process, we’ve seen the wagons. In all of Qaelang, Naming Day has fewer casualties than the Watch does.”

“You either die out there in the belly of a Beast, or you die in here starving, trying to better yourself in a Coring tub. I don’t want to sound cruel Davi, but they were weak. That won’t be me.”

“How in the world can you know that?”

“You, yourself have said it. No matter how hungry we’ve gone, I’ve never once had the shakes. I’ve never gotten sick and I was the only one who survived that roof run last year.”

If anyone is going to survive free coring, it’s going to be me. I’m not ignorant of the dangers. I’m well aware you have to serve two years on first wall to pay it off, but it’s only two years.”

Davi shifted uncomfortably, two years without Culus. The Runner clan would not fare well without him.

“You would join the Watch even after they killed her? What then?”

Culus clicked his tongue in frustration.

‘What then’ is entirely irrelevant. By the time I’m done, it’ll be the most dishonorable thing in the world to harm an uncored. I’ve dedicated my life to protecting our Nest and in doing so, have done things I’m really not proud about. Protecting loved ones never ends Davi.”

Looking around scowling to see if anyone was paying attention to his outburst, Culus breathed deeply, before calming himself and continuing.

They didn’t kill her Davi. She didn’t let them. A trivial matter, I know. But it matters most to me. She was… fearless in the end.

I’m sorry Culus. I know, I was there. I’m just saying… The Watch aren’t the good guys here. I’m pretty sure they don’t really care about protecting us.”

Culus chuckled. “Careful, that’s some controversial thinking there Davi. You might get in trouble.”

“Hey, they whacked me first.” He protested

“I’ll join and get my core. Practice that breathing thing they do and learn some proper Xiu Shen. Maybe get some armour along the way, but that’s it.” Culus insisted, “I’m not going to belong to them.”

Culus smiled at Davi’s words, losing track of his thoughts as he noticed the other Wagons begin passing by the first. It had slowed down significantly.

“You don’t think you’ll forget about us?” Davi mumbled

“NEVER!” Culus gripped him by the shoulder. “How could you even say that?”

“You’re talking about leaving Culus. No one comes back, no one has ever come back. And you always dedicate yourself like a Monk to your ideas once they set in.”

“Davi, I’m not leaving, I’ll be right there.” He pointed to the wall. “Besides, this is just the first part of the plan, and only necessary for a core. Barring a miracle, the Watch are the only way.”

Slowly Davi turned and looked up at his lifelong friend. After a year of mopping around, Culus was finally back. He had that vigour in him again, but Davi liked this idea even less than all the others combined.

“Well, here’s hoping for a miracle brother. I knew you were planning something, it’s why I’ve stuck this close to you. I’m with you to the end Culus, you know that, but this is really dangerous.”

“I agree, the Watch are like ants. Where one dies another comes along and replaces it, but that’s why it has to be me who does it. Then all other corings can be done at the schools, maybe even the High School," he laughed. "But we just don't have the money to start there yet."

Davi nodded his head in silence. He knew Culus led from the front, but more often than not he suspected it was mostly due to his irritating habit of trying to make sure everyone else was doing it right.

Noticing movement on the Shoguns turret, he grimaced. He knew this part, everyone knew this part.

“I’ve never known ants to pull fire out of the sky, Culus.”