Feral Mage: Chapter 4

Bryce walked into the mayor’s building carrying the troll’s head. Before the door had closed he heard someone speak.

 “It really is dead,” the woman behind the desk exclaimed as she stared at the head.

 “How?” one of the guards asked.

 Bryce gave a friendly smile, though questions like that meant it was time to leave Sawtown. He didn’t like people figuring out that he was a feral mage.

 “Suffocated it then cut off its head,” Bryce answered vaguely. “Almost got me. The bastard healed quick.”

 “Please, follow me,” the woman said as she stood from the desk. She stared at the troll’s head a moment longer before she moved.

 Bryce followed as the guards stared dumbfounded at him.

 The mayor laughed as he held the head. While Bryce looked over the debt contract and bag of gold he had been given.

 “You just made the town a ton of money. We can get the logging camp operational again and harvest the old growth there now that his bastard is gone,” the mayor said.

“Careful,” Bryce warned. “I might ask for a bonus.”

 The mayor laughed.

“I’m almost inclined to give you one. Almost.” the mayor turned to him. “Do you care if I keep this? I want to mount the bastard on my wall.”

 “It’s all yours,” Bryce said as he stood to collect the debt contract and gold. “It’s no use to me.”

The meeting with the mayor had taken longer than Bryce liked. Mostly because the old soldier tried to pry the story of how he killed the troll out of him. Bryce just gave him a half-truth that pinned much of his success on luck. With gold and contract in hand, he made his way back to the tavern.

He was startled by Vex when he walked through the door. The wolfkin was sitting at a table with Snowflower as she ate but was no longer covered in blood and filth from the pen. Her hair was washed and he could now tell that it was light brown in color. The animal hides she had been wearing were replaced with a simple dress, that showed off her womanly figure.

Vex looked up from her plate and smiled at him, cheeks puffed out with a mouthful of food. Her eyes were amber in color and her nose was dotted with freckles. He was surprised at how beautiful of a woman she was. That thought was interrupted as Vex bashed a rib bone against the table to break it before she slurped the marrow out of it. Bryce shook his head and made his way to their table taking a seat next to Snowflower.

“So, I just got…” Bryce started to say before his attention shifted to Vex.

The wolfkin stood from her chair to walk over to Snowflower, grabbed her chair, and dragged it nosily away from Bryce. Then Vex placed her chair next to him and sat down. Bryce looked at the wolfkin for a moment as he felt her tail thump against his side. She smiled at him as she picked up another rib.

“So, like I was saying,” Bryce started again. “Just got back from meeting with the mayor. You’re debt-free.”

Bryce tossed the debt contract to a bewildered Snowflower, who quickly grabbed it and read it over.

“You knew?” she asked, startled.

“Mayor ratted you out,” Bryce answered.

Snowflower bit her lip and looked up at him.

“My name’s Alice,” she said.

“Nice to meet you, Alice,” Bryce said with a smile. “Well now that you’re free, what are you going to do?”

Alice looked lost in thought for a moment before she stood.

“Please wait here, I’ll be right back,” Alice said as she rushed from the table.

Moments later she returned with a coin purse and set it on the table before Bryce.

“I wish to hire you to take me north to the snow elf lands,” Alice said as she pushed the purse to Bryce.

“No,” Bryce said as he recalled the very scary swordswoman up there.

Alice gave him a pleading look.

“Please, Bryce. You’ve done so much for me, but I need to get out of here. You saw what almost happened,” Alice said.

Bryce sighed and lifted the bag of coins, feeling its weight.

“I can escort you to the Red Pine Kingdom, forest elf territory. It’s the closest of the elven lands and you’ll be safe there.”

“Deal,” Alice said as she held out her hand, which Bryce shook.

He opened the purse and took out two gold coins before handing it back to her. Alice gave him a confused look.

“Mercenaries get paid by the day during escort contracts. Two gold is the standard for such contracts, with a bonus being paid if there’s trouble,” Bryce answered.

He turned and looked at Vex.

“I follow,” Vex answered his unspoken question.

“I figured as much,” Bryce said before looking back at Alice. “Go pack. I’m going to get Vex some gear. I take it you want to leave as soon as possible?”

 Alice nodded before racing away again with her purse.

“Alright, Vex,” Bryce said as he stood and the wolfkin followed him. “Let’s go shopping.”

He was gathering basic supplies for the trip while Vex tried on some leather armor the shop clerk had handed to her.

“Bryce,” Vex said once she left the fitting room.

Bryce turned and looked at her. The smiling wolfkin looked very much like a seasoned ranger, with her bow and leather armor. At least she did at a quick glance. He frowned as he examined the armor more closely. His frown shifted to the clerk who was looking nervous.

“This isn’t journeyman quality,” he said with heat in his voice. “I said nothing below journeyman.”

Bryce took the bow and examined it before setting it back on the counter of the clerk.

“Same with the bow.”

The clerk glared and then mumbled.

“Good enough for a damn beastkin.”

“I don’t like to be cheated,” Bryce said with a glare.

The clerk crossed his arms and smiled.

“I’m friends with the town guards. Don’t think you want to cross me,” the clerk threatened.

“I don’t give a shit,” Bryce answered and he heard Vex growling behind him.

“You will,” the clerk said before shouting. “Guards!”

A second later the shop door opened and three guards walked in. They scowled at Bryce, except for one that stared at him with widening eyes.

“Is there trouble here?” one of the guards asked as he walked up to Bryce and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. The man had a look on his face that told Bryce he was looking for a fight.

“That’s the troll guy,” the wide-eyed guard said as he pointed at Bryce. “The one I told you about.”

The guard who was looking for a fight glanced between his fellow guardsman and Bryce. He paled as the itch to fight left him and took a step back.

“Sorry, sir. My mistake,” the guard said as he looked at the clerk. “No trouble here.”

The three guardsmen quickly left the shop and a grinning Bryce turned back to the clerk. Moments later he and Vex left the shop with a high-quality journeyman bow and leather armor, which the clerk, now with a broke nose, heavily discounted. Vex’s tail wagged as they left and she said a bunch of things in her native language while looking at him, but refused to tell Bryce what any of it meant.

Alice was waiting for them when they got back to the tavern, a small pack swung over her shoulders.

“Alright, let’s head to the stables,” Bryce said before looking back. “Do either of you know how to ride a horse?”

They left Sawtown in a wagon pulled by a pair of mules. Bryce should have guessed Vex never rode a horse, but he was surprised to learn Alice hadn’t either. The trip would be longer because of the wagon and they would have to stay on the main roads, which always meant a higher chance of running into highwaymen.

The plan was to head to the nearest city of Witchfall and then take a riverboat from there to the Red Pine Kingdom. That would make the trip about two weeks.

“So, how did you kill the troll?” Alice asked from the back of the wagon.

Bryce thought about how best to answer when Vex did instead.

“My Bryce was brave,” Vex declared as she turned in the seat to face Alice. “He didn’t hide, or sneak attack. He walked to the troll and fought it. Then he ate it’s soul.”

He was surprised at the amount Vex had said, then it dawned on him what she had said, and groaned.

“He ate its soul,” Alice repeated softly from the back of the wagon.

“Yes,” Vex declared happily.

Alice was silent for a moment and Bryce hoped she just believed the wolfkin was a little crazy or messing with her.

“You’re an Aspect mage,” Alice finally said.

Bryce looked back at her.

“Yes, though most people don’t know that name,” Bryce answered. “Most call those who use my magic Feral mages or Monster mages.”

“I had a book as a child. It talked about all the different schools of magic and the mages that come from them. Aspect mages were one of the more…unique ones and it stuck with me.”

“Well, it’s something I don’t like people knowing,” Bryce stated. “Also, Vex, don’t call me ‘My Bryce’, please.”

Vex turned and looked at him.

“No,” she said before she started saying it over and over again. “My Bryce, my Bryce, my Bryce.”

She didn’t stop until Bryce gave her some dried meat from the supplies to distract her. The first day on the road was uneventful thankfully and they made good time. Though Vex was more trouble when night fell and they made camp.

“Vex. No,” Bryce said to the pouting wolfkin from his bedroll.

“Why?” Vex asked as her ears drooped and her tail tucked.

“You have your own bedroll. You’re not sleeping in mine,” Bryce stated.

Vex said some stuff in her native language.

“Going to tell me what any of that means?” he asked, though knew the answer.

“No,” Vex said as she dragged her bedroll so that it was next to his and laid down on it.

He looked towards Alice, but she just shrugged as she crawled into her bedroll. He really needed to find someone who understood beastkin and could fill him in on what was going on.

Vex was sleeping on top of his bedroll when morning came and growled at him as he tried to roll her off. They packed up and were on the road again after a quick breakfast. They arrived at the first small town in their path before noon. A small farming settlement called Hayland.

The town was about the same size as Sawtown had been, but more established. The buildings were made of stone and wood instead of rough logs. Bryce had passed through the town originally and knew where the tavern was. What was different from last time though was the banner that someone had hung up from the tavern to the building next to it.

The Amazing Janna!

The banner depicted a dark-haired woman with fox ears and three tails behind her. Below it, a kitsune, who matched the image stood on a large ball juggling four knives as her tails waved behind her. Bryce realized she was using her three black tails to keep her balance on the large ball as it rolled.

A crowd of people watched her as she performed her trick. Bryce grimaced, a show like this outside the tavern meant it would be packed. He pulled the wagon up the tavern and lashed the mules to the post.

“Thank you, kind folks of Hayland!” the kitsune, who Bryce guessed was named Janna, said as she caught the knives and jumped off the ball. “I will only be in your lovely town for today, so don’t miss out on the amazing feats of Janna!”

“We should stay and watch!” Alice said excitedly.

Vex watched the kitsune curiously, or her three tails to be exact. After a moment the wolfkin gave a nod of agreement with Alice.

“You girls can watch. I’m going to go talk to the bartender and see if there’s anything we need to be wary of on the road.”

Tavern owners were one of the greatest assets to mercenaries. They heard from travelers where trouble was and could lead a merc to a new job or away from trouble.

Bryce walked in and, like he guessed, the tavern was packed. Though most of the folks were crammed by the tavern’s windows to watch the kitsune outside.

“What you having?” the bartender asked as he walked to the bar.

“Beer and three hot meals,” Bryce answered as he placed a coin on the counter.

The bartender nodded and quickly poured him a dark ale. Bryce tasted it and was willing to bet it was a local brew made from what Hayland grew.

“Heard any interesting rumors?” he asked the bartender as he placed another coin on the countertop.

The bartender cleaned a glass and eyed him wearily.

“Looking out for anything in particular,” he asked.

“Traveling. Just want to avoid trouble,” Bryce answered.

The bartender set the glass down.

“Trouble in the west, several towns have had people murdered at night. They find the bodies hacked up the next morning.”

Bryce raised an eyebrow.

“That doesn’t sound like something bandits would do.”

“No, it doesn’t. Some kind of monster, but no survivors to report what kind.”

 Bryce hid his smile as he sipped his beer.