Hi All
I hope you're all enjoying some time off at this time of the year. Normally this would be the business of our writing season, but I have decided it's time for a break, and I am taking time off. I can't wait! I have a new writing series I want to start working on.
When we last left the crew, 
Lucien had no idea what had just been created. He had made it his life’s mission to identify the creatures left in the wake of the creature before him, but this one was new, and he knew why. It was the first time that a Lifedrinker had dared to defy the beast, the original hunger. This thing was meant to hunt his kind. If it left this forest, the disaster it would create would be untold.
“Can’t we talk?” he said.
The spindly creature perked up at his voice and seemed unsure of what to do next. It swung its head up to look at the elk. The elk craned its neck back, so that its snout touched its back, and its antlers sunk into the ooze of the body. Lucien wasn’t sure if the thing had eyes, but he was sure that it saw him in some way.
“Mortals talk. Make promises.” The head rolled to the side and then fluidly the beast turned to look at him. “Empty, fruitless, painful promises. There is no time for talk but there is always time to feed.”
It bugled again and the spindly creature launched itself at where Lucien had been, but the Lifedrinker had already moved to a safer location.
“What if my promises aren’t empty?”
The elk’s head once more lolled in the direction of his voice and the antlers momentarily shifted up its skull to reveal sky-blue eyes, which didn’t resemble those of an elk. The only part of it that still retained what it once was.
“I know you.” Came the gurgled voice as the elk tried to locate him.
Lucien continued to move. Keeping an eye on the spindly creature and the elk, he kept himself hidden. He didn’t want them to catch him. Not yet.
“And I know you.”
“You were there. You made me this!” the last word was drowned out by a mixture of a bugle and a scream.
A second spindly creature dragged itself out of the maw of the first and sprinted to the elk to feed off the gore that ran from its sides. Lucien needed to take control of the situation, or he would be overwhelmed and soon.
The elk started ramming into trees, wrapping its undulating body around them to climb to find Lucien, but the Lifedrinker was a step ahead the whole time.
“I can return you to the way you were before.” He said as he moved.
His departure from his spot wasn’t a moment too soon, as bone and antler shards were fired at him.
“You lie! The Gods have abandoned me!” The elk continued to thrash around the forest as the second spindly creature joined the first in their hunt for Lucien.
“Not all of them. You named a brother, and he isn’t alone.”
“He is here to kill me!”
“No. I think he didn’t know you still lived but now does.”
The elk calmed and swung its head to where Lucien was. It now knew exactly where he was. If Lucien didn’t break through to it now, then he was in trouble. He had allowed the creature to make things that could hunt his kind. If he couldn’t convince it, then he would have to destroy it, and he had no idea what that would do to him and his kind.
The spindly creatures ran back to the elk, hopped on its back, and were suddenly pulled back into the fetid ooze.
“Tell me more of your pretty lies. I listen.”
Mortis had no idea where he was. He had been standing on the battlements watching the hungers and undead creatures storming and the next he had been pulled through the stonework. Yet, he wasn’t. His senses were confused with where he found himself. He felt as if he were floating yet his feet were firmly planted. He couldn’t see anything, and he heard nothing but a faint whisper that seemed to be circling him. He tried to put everything he saw before he fell into context but struggled to understand.
This place is magic.
The voice was grating on his nerves. Mortis raised a hand to his eyes and rubbed at them, hoping to get some sort of vision back.
I have never seen a place such as this before. A literal realm made of shadows.
Now Mortis understood but he didn’t understand how it was possible. Trix must have used her ability to pull him into her realm. Why though? Were the children now unprotected?
The children are fine.
Two voices were saying this. One was the voice of the thing that had invaded his senses and the second was Trix.
“You have balefire eyes; you won’t see in my realm as all light is snuffed out. You are fine. The children are fine.”
“Why here?” he muttered, banishing the other voice deeper in his subconscious.
“It was the only way to protect us. Nephew decided to cast a spell to destroy the undead and hungers in the area. I barely managed to grab you and Sebastian before the spell started. You may have gotten a little singed.”
Allow me to grant you some sight.
Mortis wanted to groan at the voice that was finding ways around his defences but was grateful when his vision was returned to him. Surrounding him was a ballroom with scatterings of chairs. Trix was sitting in one while Sebastian was lounging on another. Everything was in various blacks, greys, and whites. The light that filled the room was from a massive moon that was visible through an equally large window.
“What is this place?” he whispered as he looked around him.
“My sanctuary.” Said Trix as she got up to take him by the elbow to lead him to a chair, so he too could sit.
“The boy is a danger.” Growled Sebastian as he swung himself to have his feet hanging over the armrest, while his back rested against the other side.
“If his uncle had been around, he would have better tutelage. He needs guidance, not your ire.” Snapped Trix.
Sebastian was taken aback by her harshness and only nodded his head in reply.
“How long do we stay here?” asked Mortis as he sat.
“Until he tells me it’s safe.”
“Does he know that?” grumbled Sebastian once more.
Now that is a good question, but it's not for me to answer! Have fun Zak!
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Mortis Custos
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