Chapter 5: From Bad To Worse.

“I know this place,” Tsuukai said to Maria who was sitting in front oh him.

“So?” She said sarcastically turning her torso around.

“There is a small, but dangerous town up ahead. Only swine live there, but they usually have interesting information,” Tsuukai said grimly.

“So that’s our next destination?” She replied in a smile.

“Yes there is clearing in the forest up ahead the dragon can hide there,” He not telling Maria that he wasn’t planning on her to join him. Maria only nodded a reply as she climbed up near the large beasts head. Whispering softly he told her friend the plan. How does that dragon understand her, I didn’t know dragons could be taught the words of men, Tsuukai thought to himself staring at what was going.

The dragon landed softly on the green grass in the forest clearing. The two warriors hopped off the dragon Tsuukai in front. He walked over to the woods knowing the path he had to take. Taking notice to the girl following behind him he addressed her quietly.

“You can’t come,”

“And why not, I am not a child I am almost as old as you,” She said scowling hands on hips.

“You don’t know this place like I do you could get hurt.”

“I thought you didn’t care if I got hurt?”

“What, I never said that.”

“You implied it,”

“Will you just stop already. Your not coming and that is final if something happened to you,” he choked on his words for a second but his chain of thought came back,” if something happened to you I wouldn’t be able to escape on the dragon.”

“That’s not all,” She said staring him down intently, “Aww you care about me. I feel so warm.”

“Enough!” He said almost screaming, “Listen,” his voice lowered,” You don’t know what they will do to you if the find you alone. They would rape you on the spot then kill you without a second thought I am not about to take that kind of chance I cannot defeat Stacia without your help you know that. Just stay with the beast I can handle this on my own.”

“Listen I can take care of myself. I am coming I am old enough to make my own decisions.” She said in a tone that made Tsuukai know there was no changing her mind.

“…” he stared intently hoping to find some sort of doubt in her eyes he could work with, but she was determined and almost fearless,” Fine,” he scowled turning around walking briskly towards the lush forest. Maria jogged behind trying to catch up.

* * * * *

The queen sat on her throne a deep evil slowly advanced to her. “Ah you have back,”

“I have to check up on my plan,”

“I assure you everything is in order,”

“Are you sure,”

“Yes the one we seek is on his way to the village. We have our spy planted there to relay some false information.”

“That’s odd,” He said his voice showing a hint of anger, “I didn’t know there was two,”

‘What do you mean. Speak Shinu”

“I don’t remember that girl being part of the plan, why was I not informed the master of shadows had found himself a partner.”

“Why should you be it won’t interfere with our plans.”

“How do we know this girl wont come wise to us, I know Tsuukai well enough to know he wont but she could be a problem.”

“If the girl steps in the way to much we will deal with her like we would any other bump on the road.”

“You had better make sure she doesn’t. I will be back soon.” With that he turned and walked away almost disappearing as he walked.

* * * * *

“Are you sure you know where we are going?” Maria asked breaking a long silence.

“Yes,”

“You sure I could have sworn I have seen that tree before,” She said point to an old looking tree.

“Maybe you have tree’s have ways of getting around you know,” He stated blankly.

“What?”

“You will see far weird things then moving trees by the time we are done,” He stated chuckling a little.

“I don’t think I want to.”

“It does not matter we are here,” He replied as the reached the edge of the forest. The shining light blinded them for a second before the vision focused on sign. ‘Welcome to…’ the rest was scratched out or broken off. They walked threw the dusty streets Tsuukai paid attention to every person on the road gawking at Maria as if daring them to try anything. Maria herself did not look afraid just sad that so many people lived like pigs in such a place.

“Charming place they have here,” Maria whispered into Tsuukai’s ear.

“I have seen worse,”

“I don’t want to know,” She finished as the reached the town bar. Without even thinking Maria barged ahead slamming open the twin swinging doors. The brown wood opened fast as everyone in the bar’s attention turned to the beautiful women entering it.

“Eh what do we have here,” A dirty bearded man san said standing up his hand reaching for inappropriate parts of Mari’s body. Before he could touch anything a cold steel was at his neck ready for the kill.

“Touch her and I slit your throat!” His voice showed he was not bluffing.

“Well if it isn’t the great Tsuukai Ita, back from your usual killing spree,” He said in a laugh that was cut short as Tsuukai’s blade began to press into his flesh. “Protective about your girlfriend eh, don’t be she is to good for ya anyways.”

“Another word from you, and it will be your last,” He said his eye’s narrowing. The man said nothing after that knowing full well the anger of the Master Of Shadows. “Now that that is done,” He said throwing the man to the floor and walking over him. Maria just watched the scene until these words as she slowly followed the Black Rider. “I…We have some for information, I know you have some.”

“I don’t know nothing,” I drunk man said standing up, but fell on his face a moment later.

“As I was saying we need information about someone known as the Infector.”

“Ill tell ya for one night with your friend,” A man said in a laugh. His laughter was over a second later a dagger was imbedded into the wood right beside his head.

“Next time I wont miss. Now I know someone her knows something.”

“I do,” A old man said standing up, “I have heard tale of an old book that tells her secret on a mountain castle far, far north form here. I would venture up there myself, but I am to old.”

“Tell me old man why should we trust you,”

“I know the ways of Stacia the world will end if I don’t help you me with it. I have no reason to lie.”

“Very well, you know what will happen if you are lying I assume,” The old man only shook his head. ”Good then we will be on our way,” Tsuukai said motioning for Maria to exit. “One more thing,” Tsuukai said turning his head,” Tell no one of our visit it must remain a secret.” Where his final words

When they where final out of the bar Maria took that chance to speak. “A lovely bunch in there,”

“I told you they are slim,”

“Then why are we following their lead,”

“Because it is the only one we have! If we don’t we will be as lost as we where before we have to try.”

“I suppose you are right,” She said a sound catching her ear. ”What’s that?”

“Huh” The master of shadows replied confused when he heard it to. The whole ground seemed to be shaking “RUN!” He said taking off into a bolt Maria right beside him.

“Why…what is it,” She said trying to keep up.

“Forest trolls friends of Stacia no doubt,” His voice almost over shadowed by a hard stomping behind him. The creatures where about fifteen feet tall ugly, and green, their teeth rotten and hair a shiny gold, seven of them found there way into town and where Tsuukai and Maria where. They where fast on there tail as they ran into the woods unbeknownst to worse dangers that lurked ahead.

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Puck and the Tricksters
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