Malady didn't even have time to scream. One second she was fine then the next, she had a horn in her gut. After piercing her, the deer spun it's head to dislodge the burden on it's horn. Vylet was frozen, still processing what just happened. Seeing malady thrown off the deers horn snapped me back into reality and i summoned some green mana. Willing the grass beneath the deer to grow into vines and wrap around the deers legs. I also summoned some more mana and willed the earth to get soft beneath its legs and make it sink. Barely a moment has passed and I was able to immobilize the monster. It thrashed wildly, unable to free itself from the ground. I jogged up next to it and brought my sword down on its neck. My new and barely used sword barely cut halfway through, even with the enchantments. The creature screetched and thrashed about with even more enthusiasm than before. I swung the sword down again, harder this time. It's head hit the ground and it's body shivered but with most of it in the ground and bound by vines, it couldn't fall over.

Vylet had moved to malady and was trying to stop her bleeding. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were wet. I ran to the other side of malady, cloaking my hands in green mana I slowly let it soak into her wound. I sense the damage to her organs and focused on them. Directing the mana to her injuries, willing the mana to replace damaged flesh and bone. Im not the best at manipulating green mana but I can at least save her life.

More noise coming towards us, Vylet readied her knives as more animals were on their way. Her expression showing fear and then terror as they got closer to us. My focus on the mana working inside malady's body kept me from seeing the awful sight approaching our group.

The creatures were charging at us. Sweat dripped from vylets face, her tail still and her fur was standing as if she was hit with lightning. The things running at us were running at a ridiculous pace, trampeling anything and everything in the way. Even each other. I stopped malady's bleeding but i couldn't completely fix the wound. I dressed it as well as I could and I started muttering in the forbidden language. Channeling what's left of my mana into the words, a light red glow appeared around my legs. A warmth entered my legs, they felt stronger. Malady felt increasingly lighter as the effect spread around my calves.

"Vylet"

"Y-yes?" She said while trying her best to hide her fear.

"Run"

My heartbeat is the only thing I hear as I run with everything I have. Malady's limp form on my shoulders. Vylet right beside me. Her speed is amazing, one of the gifts from her heritage I guess. With this speed it's a miracle that cult could catch her at all. My feet were nothing but numb attatchments to my legs, as the feeling left them long ago.

I kept running until my legs gave out. Rolling so i dont injure Malady, I fell into the dirt. Looking around to make sure we were not still in danger, i realize that in my haste to escape i didn't notice the change in scenery. Instead of plains, we were now surrounded by rolling hills. Remnants of wooden walls and huts scattered around broken trees that are probablly from that forest we left. Vylet was lying on the ground nearby, sweat dripping off her forhead. Her hair matted with dirt and her clothes torn, revealing scratches and bruises on her legs and arms. Malady was passed out next to my head, the smell of blood and my own sweat was strong in the air.

I need to get her to a healer soon or she will die.

I only managed to stop her bleeding and repair some of her organs. If she doesnt get someone experienced to heal her, she wont last long. I force myself up despite the pain in my legs and walk over to the exhausted beast girl. Opening my bag i pull out a water skin and gulp it down, feeling the slightly cool liquid go down my throat was almost addicting in my state of exhaustion, i had to stop myself from drinking all of it.

I hand the water skin to Vylet, who accepted it happily. Draining most of its contents, she hands it back to me.

"what are those monsters? i've never seen anything like them. Father's never mentioned anything about them on his hunts and none of the books ive read describe anything like them."

"I dont know. I've never seen their like either. But exposure to pure mana like that can change anything. Ive heard of an experiment where a group of mages released pure mana on a flower they had taken from the nearby woods."

I pause to take another sip of water, put it back in my bag and walk to Malady.

" After a couple seconds the flower was no longer any of the recognized breeds of flower. As the experiment continued the plant got farther and farther from anything that can be called a flower. The pure mana changed it.

Twisted it.

By the end of the experiment the flower's petals had turned black and it was walking around trying to attach its self to the mages close to it."

Vylet shiverred, but got up and dusted herself off. She walked over to help me with Malady.

"The village we were going isnt really far from here. Hopefully the people there are still alive.... and still people."

Vylet nodded

She helped me pick up Malady and we head in the direction that i beleived the town was in.

**************************************************************************************************

"VOLD!!!"

A manor not far from where Finch's group is, a young fat noble is yelling himself hoarse.

"VOLD!!!! YOU USELESS SHIT GET IN HERE AND HELP ME!!!!"

*creak* the door to the noble's study opens and a thin, wirey man in an immaculate suit walks in. His short gray hair, had been arranged to hide his bald spot, although poorly. The suit he was wearing was perfectly fitted and well kept, but was by no means expensive.

"VOLD!! you..

YOU IDIOT!

WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG!"

The fat nobles words were practically dripping with malice. Spittle flew in Vold's direction with almost every word, luckily Vold was not within distance.

Vold bowed slowly and deeply,

"Sorry young master, i apologize for the delay."

"Well? EXPLAIN!

What is more important than to come when your betters call?"

The butler raised his head and looked at the young noble. The noble boy was not yet ten years of age but already rotten. His young face that used to filled with nothing but smiles was now sporting only scowls and a double chin. A crop of yellowish hair slithering off his head, and into his shirt. Which was made of cloth so expensive it could pay a peasents wage for 2 years. His pants were just as expensive and went to his bloated calves. His father had been too engrossed in his work to notice the boy. The mother wasnt any better, she encouraged his attitude and hatred for those not of noble blood. She wholeheartedly beleived that nobles were better than everyone else, specifically her family.

" The master called me so i answered his call."

"Father called you?" His pudgy face twisted into a grimace for a moment, then returned to his usual scowl.

" Well, no matter. You still should've hurried"

"My apologies, young master. What might i help you with?"

Vold had been serving this family from a young age and hated every moment of it. The family he served was responsible for a large peice of land with two towns and a small valley. His parents had sold him to them so that they buy food. This family was a trash heap of corruption, not one member of this family was uninvolved with their nefarious dealings. The father, a war criminal and a tyrant. The mother is a racist, peasent hating, sadist. The son, a fat, idiotic waste of skin and his sister who i beleive has gotten into the illegal slave market.

The fat noble raised a stubby arm and pointed a sausage like finger at a small huddled figure in the corner of the room.

"This servant maliciously pulled a hair out of my head as i was getting my daily brushing. I want him flogged and fed to the dogs."

Vold looked at the poor servant. A skinny shrivelled man, covered in scars and old tattered clothing.

"I shall see it done."

The servant looked terrified. Vold called in a couple of other servants and had them take him away.

"anything else, sir?"

The noble thought it over.

"have a maid bring me some tea and cake."

"very well"

Vold turned around and left the young noble. Telling the closest maid to bring the fatass his snacks, he left in the direction the servants took that man. Down the stairs and into the basement, he went. Dodging servants hurrying to their many destinations, he went down another set of stairs into the dungeon. The servants had bound the man's hands together and were leading him into a small cell in the wall. The dungeon wasnt used by most of the family, mostly only the mother and daughter used it to help with their "activities". So most of the unfourtunates left down here are abandoned and left to rot. The only reason they were putting him down here is because the dogs had already ate, so they had to wait till tomorrow to kill him.

The servants led him into the cell, removed his bindings and left. The man seemed to have resigned himself to his fate. His face burried in his hands and he sat on the floor and sobbed softly. As soon as the servants left and no one else was around, Vold opened the cell. The mans sobbing stopped immediately and looked up at me. All the sadness on his face had disappeared, replaced by a crooked smile.

"i know, i know. The plan was for tommorow night, but the bastard kept moving and complaining about me being too rough with his Delicate hair. He pulled away and the brush must've caught a strand of hair."

"well, at least no one figured anything out. Is everyone at least in place?"

"yes, i made sure just in case."

"good. here."

Vold took out a small key and handed it to the man who took it and hid it in a small pocket on his blouse.

"that key is for your cell, you know what to do. tommorow when they bring you food. we will begin."

"for the people."

"for the people"

Vold left and locked the cell, as he walked down the hall he could hear the soft sobbing once more.

Tommorow. we will begin.