"Ready?" Fatania asked. Trenton gave a nod.

Azura just shrugged. She had low expectations for their meeting with the elf. It felt like a waste of time to her. The elves weren't to be trusted. Trenton was fine, but the rest could go back to their groves and shove sticks up their asses for all she… wait a second. When elves said they 'loved' the forest, did they… How much love were they referring to? She regarded Trenton in a whole new light. Azura debated whether she should ask or not.

Fatania turned toward Tallous. "We'll be gone for a while. I want extra security in case this is some sort of trap."

"Sure, Mom."

"You're on duty Tallous. Use my proper title."

"Mooooother Fatania," Tallous said, drawing out mother. She lightly thwacked him on the head.

"Smart ass."

"I learned from you."

Azura yawned at the interplay and redirected her mind away from elven perversions. She turned to more practical thoughts. Could she get a sandwich before they left? As if sensing her boredom and not wanting her to wander off, Fatania inverted her mana pool. She started a fast run toward the meeting spot, Trenton trotting behind her. Azura watched them go for a minute as she yawned again before moving. She instantly caught up and matched their pace. The only thing Azura was sure of was that nothing of interest would happen at all.

***

The deer-kin pretending to cultivate nearby stopped as the Magebane and Mother Fatania left Azure's Rest. He waited a full minute before lazily getting to his hooves. Calm. He had to stay calm. This was it. The chance the herd has been waiting for. He made his way back to the den with a casual stroll. He was barely able to resist the urge to run.

Tallous frowned as he watched the deer-kin leave. There was nothing suspicious about it. Kin were coming and going constantly. Yet, there was just something off about the kin. He couldn't place a claw on it. He'd been noticing it from all the deer-kin since yesterday. Mom was too busy with her grand plans. Hamal was focusing on his cultivation. Azura… couldn't pay attention to anything that wasn't food. Perhaps it was just his imagination. Then again, Mom always said never to ignore one's gut. If they did, that was when the blade would sink into their backs. Well, since he was in charge, why not investigate a little…

***

Breakfast was a simple affair for the deer-kin. The herd gathered in the den for meals. They ate from large bowls filled with leafy greens. It was the same for almost every meal. What more could one ask for beyond the occasional fruit? Those poor predator kin didn't know the joys they were missing. Fish, bah. Smelly and slimy. Why the Magebane lusted after such food was beyond Nicolas. Why eat fish when locally grown cabbage, rich in mana, was available? Some kin were beyond reason.

Nicolas took another bite when one of the deer-kin scouts burst into the hall.

"Elder! Fatania and the Magebane are leaving. They are taking the elf with them to meet someone. From what I overheard, it sounds like it'll be away from Azure's Rest and Deepmere."

The Elder grinned. "Perfect. We couldn't ask for a better chance. Let's move out."

Nicolas swallowed before rising. This was it then.

"What about my things?" Kelsa whined.

"Leave it. All of you take nothing with you besides empty baskets to collect supplies. Everything you could want will be provided by Dageth later," the Elder said.

"But…" Kelsa began.

"Just do it!" The Elder barked, making the deer-kin jump.

Nicola ignored them as a surge of excitement flooded him. His new life would begin now. It all depended on them escaping. Nicola had to get his herd away from Azure's Rest. He quickly grabbed an empty basket and threw it over his shoulders. It was time.

***

Tallous watched with one of his sisters as the deer-kin left their den. All of them. They had baskets that foragers used to collect supplies.

"Hmm," he tapped his claw on his chin as the deer-kin went into the mana forest. Nothing was overly suspicious about their behavior. Deer-kin were prey-type kin. They often traveled in large groups to gather supplies. However, the timing bothered him.

"What do you think?" He asked his sister, Fawn. She was the second oldest of Fatania's children. He was the eldest, and although Hamal had outshone him, he felt no jealousy. Powerful kin would help secure the family. That was what was important. Not some ranking based on birth like some idiotic humans obsessed over. Who cared who was first? What mattered most to them was who was most capable. Hamal, while younger, was undoubtedly that.

"Looks like they want to earn more allotment points," Fawn said with a shrug.

That could be true, still…

"Let's follow. It's probably nothing, but I want to see… Also, grab a few of the family, just in case."

***

Nicolas was nervous as the herd moved on. The herd traveled at a relaxed pace to complete the illusion of foraging. They even stopped and spent some time partially filling their baskets. However, it would soon be evident that something was amiss. They were moving too far away from Azure's Rest. Until now, they could claim they were distracted while foraging and got further away than anticipated. That excuse may no longer hold up. Four figures suddenly appeared just ahead of them, as if Nicolas's worries summoned them. Rat-kin…

Nicolas recognized Tallous. Everyone could, considering the rat-kin's prodigious size. The other three he didn't recognize. This was bad but not hopeless as long as Hamal wasn't with them. He'd been keeping a close eye on the rat-kin. The liquid cultivator was busy learning his new powers. They had a chance.

"Afternoon," Tallous said, leaning against a tree. "Got lost?"

"No. Just gathering supplies," Nicolas said, hiding his worry as he kept moving forward.

"You're getting far from Azure's Rest," a female rat-kin said.

Nicolas didn't recognize her. He shrugged as he kept moving forward. He portrayed as much confidence as he could muster.

"It's fine," Nicolas said. "I think we might have better luck farther away. The area around the village has been picked clean."

Tallous frowned as Nicolas kept approaching. "It's more dangerous around here."

"That is why I bought the herd with me. With this many, we should be safe."

The bluff was a good one. Everything sounded plausible, if somewhat unusual. The rat-kin were looking unsure. It might have worked if it hadn't been for Kelsa. The terrified kin wasn't watching where she was going and tripped over an exposed root. That would've been fine, except her belongings spilled out of the basket. She must have snuck some of her personal items into it before they left. The confession spilled out for all to see. Nicolas didn't wait for the rat-kin to react. He inverted his mana pool, launching himself at the rat-kin.

"What is…" Tallous began, then stopped as Nicolas's fist impacted his chest, throwing him back. The large kin crashed into a tree, which only seemed to piss him off. The other rat-kin weren't as lucky. Nicolas was an elite cultivator; the difference in their power was immediately apparent. With speed the lesser cultivators couldn't hope to match, Nicolas's hoof impacted the female rat-kin's chest. Bones broke, and vital organs ruptured as the kin was hurled backward into some thorny plants. A bloody mist floated between them. Nicolas suppressed his horror at his actions. He didn't mean to kill her.

"FAWN!" Tallous screamed in fury as he charged. Nicolas only had a moment. He needed to take out at least one more. The other two rat-kin tried to back away. Only one of them made it. With a powerful snap kick, one of the other rat-kin's skulls caved in from the impact, his brains decorating the forest floor. Nicolas suppressed his revulsion. He could feel disgusted with himself later.

"NO!!!" Tallous thundered as he crashed into Nicolas. The elite cultivators wrestled as the onlookers watched, stunned.

"Go!" Nicolas shouted. The herd obeyed. They inverted their mana pools, running straight for Deepmere at full speed.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"GET HAMAL!" Tallous shouted at the last rat-kin. Nicolas felt himself lifted off the ground as he was hurled away. A large rock ended his flight as he painfully crashed into it. A quick roll saved him from Tallous's follow-up blow, which sent shards flying from the boulder. Nicolas stood up as he regarded his opponent. Tallous wasn't as powerful as he was. Nicolas made sure to memorize all the kin in groups in five and lower. Tallous was in three, yet he was the more dangerous of the two. With the training all rat-kin had, they were deadly beyond their cultivation prowess.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this," Nicolas said as they circled one another. "I didn't want anyone to get hurt."

"Sorry?! You're fucking sorry!? You killed my family!"

"I did it to save mine!"

"Bullshit. What did some mage buy you off?"

Nicolas was silent. That was a little too close for comfort. However, it appeared to be all the confirmation that Tallous needed.

"God's below, that it isn't it? You're running off to the fucking mages!? Wasn't being their slave once not enough for you!?"

Tallous charged at him. It wasn't a ferocious charge from blind rage. This was all grace as the rat-kin kept his center of balance low, two daggers appearing in his hands. Nicolas grabbed a small magical trinket from his robe. It resembled a small citrine that shimmered with internal mana. An arc of lightning erupted from the trinket, striking the rat-kin full on. The effect on the powerful rat-kin was brief, but it was enough for Nicola to slap both daggers from Tallos's numb hands before landing a blow to the rat-kin's throat. A powerful hoof kick sent the rat-kin stumbling backwards.

"I'm no one's slave!" Nicolas spat. "I want a future for my herd! You won't even try to make peace with the mages! How can there be peace if you never extend your hand?!"

Nicolas closed in on the rat-kin, his blows reinforced by his dense mana, driving the larger kin back. Tallous roared, taking several blows as he closed the gap, grappling with him in a bear hug. Nicolas felt the air being pressed out of his lungs.

"While you have your hand extended, the other guy can sink a blade into your chest," Tallous snarled.

"Then… you…" Nicolas gasped. "Have… to… keep… trying. Peace is… worth the risk." His vision started going black as he lowered his head to Tallous's chest. Nicolas snapped his head up with a vicious jerk, his small antlers gouging flesh. Tallous screamed, stumbling back, his hands grasping the ruins of his left eye. With a final kick, Nicolas hit the rat-kin, who flew into a tree, which splintered from the impact. This time, he didn't get up. Tallous panted heavily as he glared defiantly at the deer-kin as the tree came crashing down to the side.

"I'm sorry. Tell her that. But my family comes first. I won't follow her into a war that will ruin all."

With that said, he ran after his herd. Nicolas put all his power behind each step as he ran on. If the rat-kin brought Hamal, every single one of them would die. He was sure of that.

***

Azura yawned. It had been nearly an hour, yet the elf wasn't here. The location was, ironically, the farm they had raided just after the kin were enslaved. It brought back bad memories. Was it intentional on the elf's part, or was it just bad luck? Perhaps it was best that the elf was late. If he had been here when she first arrived, violence would've been her response. She had time to calm down since then. She yawned again… maybe too calm.

"Where is he?" Azura huffed as she leaned against the brunt structure. The message was to wait in the ruins of the farmstead so they would be out of sight. Too paranoid for her tastes.

Fatania didn't say anything. She was spending her time cultivating. Trenton seemed too nervous to do anything. So, he answered her instead.

"Elves like their politics. This would be seen as a sign of his importance and rank by being the last to arrive."

"That just makes him late and annoying."

"Well, that too. You must remember Sylvar is over three hundred years old. Until recently, he was considered a high-ranking elite warrior, on par with a noble. The game is in his very nature."

"I don't care about…" Azura trailed off cocking her head. "I can feel a source of blood approaching. It must be him."

"About time," Fatania grumbled, getting to her feet.

Less than a minute later, he was there. The elf paused when he saw Azura, his stride taking a brief but noticeable pause. His gaze drifted to Fatania, then to Trenton, where it lingered.

"You wanted to see me?" Azura asked. They agreed to let her do the talking. The less they give away, the better.

"Yes. Thank you for seeing me, Magebane," Sylvar said, focusing on her. "I wish to discuss collaborating together to fight the mists."

"What makes you think I need help?"

Sylvar snorted. "I'm not slow like some humans. You are powerful, but you're alone. You need me and my elves."

"I'm not alone," Azura said, gesturing to Fatania and Trenton.

"I see." Sylvar gave Trenton a disapproving look. "Yet, he is only one. My elven warriors are far beyond his capabilities."

"I have my kin," Azura pointed out.

"Yes, but they can only do so much. I do congratulate you on finding a way to increase their mana pool density. It's unbelievably potent. I imagine they can cast many spells before their small pool is empty. If you could share the source of that power, together we could repel the mists."

"Trade secret," Azura said.

"I already know how it's done."

Azura paused. Her ki-empowered body prevented her heartbeat from altering its steady rhythm.

He knew? Was the secret out?

"Oh? And how's that?"

"It's a standard elven tactic. Empty your pool, and then fill it with a dense source. Either from the flesh of a powerful mana beast or from a dense leyline. I imagine the traitor over there taught you this secret." He gave Trenton a dirty look.

"So what if I did?" Trenton asked.

Weren't misunderstandings wonderful? Azura thought to herself as she suppressed a smile.

"Who are you? How could you betray our grove, even if you are a cripple?" Sylvar asked, giving his missing hand a dismissive snort.

"Aren't you doing the same thing?" Azura pointed out. She wasn't sure if Trenton wanted his identity out or not. She would leave that up to him.

"It's not the same. I'm willing to work with you to defend Deepmere from the mists. It's different."

"You must be truly desperate if you came to Azura for help," Trenton said. Then Trenton straightened as if a weight fell from his shoulders. "My name is Trenton Fallenleaf. I served under Ulvandia before her… untimely sickness. I have renounced our grove and have willingly joined with the Magebane."

Wow. I didn't think he would do it, Azura thought, impressed. Sylvar didn't share her view. The look he gave the other elf was one of pure loathing.

At least I'm not bored anymore…

***

Sylvar could barely stomach the traitor standing there. How could an elf abandon their grove? Sure, he'd come here seeking aid. His goal was simple. Defeat the mists so he could save his elves. That was all he cared about. He would accept the Magebane's help, despite his disgust, if that were the only way to save them.

"Why should I trust you?" The Magebane asked.

Good, now they were approaching the heart of the negotiations. Sylvar had to admit the Magebane was a good bargainer. She genuinely appeared not to care about the forces he offered. What nonsense. Who wouldn't want his band of elves on their side?

"I'm willing to work with you to save the lives of my warriors. I hate to admit it, but you are the most powerful fighter I've seen. Working together, we can repel the mists."

"Why don't you leave?"

"Huh?" Sylvar asked. He surely misheard.

"If you want to save your elves, leave."

Sylvar lowered his opinion of the Magebane a little. Clearly, she had the wrong impression of elves. Or perhaps the traitor gave her a misconception of elven loyalty.

"Our orders are to protect Deepmere. Once that is done, we can return to our grove."

The Magebane watched him for nearly a full minute. Was it something he said?

"I don't believe we can work together," she said simply. Sylvar blinked. What? Was she insane? Who wouldn't want to ally with elves? They were the elites. Perhaps she didn't understand how great he and his allies were.

"My elves are worth ten times the same number of Deepmere mages. A thousand times your kin mages. I doubt your kin there could cast more than two dozen enhancement spells before exhausting her mana pool." It might be a lot more than that. He'd never felt mana so dense before. It was hard to believe that so much mana could be held within a single mana pool. It was so potent that any spell might go out of control. How many kin died from spell misfires trying to tame such powerful mana? How did she do it? Did the Magebane find a hidden leyline? Such a potent leyline was something wars would be fought over. She must be rotating the kin out of there constantly to empower them. He might not need the Magebane if he could find it.

"It's not your worth that is the problem. Although, I don't see what you could offer. It's that I don't trust you. I can't have an ally that would stab me in the back. My purpose is to save my people. Your goal is to obey your grove."

The Magebane turned away, not giving him a second look. After a brief nod, the rat-kin and elven traitor followed. Sylvar watched them go, stunned. He'd been rejected. He was an elite elf. They should be begging for him to join them. What just happened? Numbly, he got back on his horse, heading back to Deepmere.

***

"That was a waste of time," Azura mumbled as they ran towards Azure's Rest.

"That's not true. We got several important pieces of information," Fatania countered.

"Like what?"

"Well, they don't know the truth about cultivators yet. They think we're some mages you've been stuffing with dense mana. At least, that was what that elf thought. I imagine everyone has their own ideas, but that tells me the knowledge is safe for now."

"I was thinking the same," Trenton said.

"Oh… yeah, I thought so too," Azura said. She ignored the looks the two gave her. "So what else was there?"

"What? I'm sure you figured it out already," Fatania said. "Why don't you tell us already?"

"Uh… he didn't like Trenton," Azura said.

"Who does?" Fatania asked. Trenton gave her a hurt look, only to receive a playful punch to the shoulder. "A jest. You're alright for an elf."

"I'm honored," Trenton deadpanned.

"So, what's the other things?" Azura asked.

Fatania sighed. "We know they are getting desperate. This confirms that the elves and Dageth are leaving. He was cautious not to say how many elves he had, but if he was here asking for help, there can't be many left."

"Oh. I should've asked him."

"I doubted he would've answered," Trenton said. "He would've responded vaguely and tried to move the conversation along. I doubt he has more than thirty. Probably less if he's been disgraced."

"Then why did we even bother coming here?!" Azura asked, frustrated. This had been a waste of time.

"For the last thing," Fatania said patiently.

"And what's that?" Azura asked, annoyed.

"Training."

"Huh?"

"You're our official leader. In the future, you'll have to negotiate with others who matter. This time, it was just some elf who thought he was far more important than he really was. Next time…" Fatania gave her a shrug. "Who knows?"

Azura was silent. Things made a lot more sense. She was wondering why Fatania wanted to come along.

"How'd I do?"

Fatania stuck her paw out, wiggling it back and forth. "You did okay. I have some notes for you to go over. We'll practice later."

"Yay…" Azura said sadly as the boredom threatened to return in full force, which she could not tolerate.

"Hey Trenton, do elves shove sticks up their ass?"

Both Fatania and Trenton tripped as the question caught them entirely off guard.

Ah, much better, Azura thought as she was subjected to a lesson, which was more of a rant from Trenton, on the depths of elven perversions.

Ten minutes later, Azura resolved to get a bar of soap and scrub out her ears... vigorously.

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