Banished Pt. 07

"Was everything always spinning like that?" she asked.

"Here; try slicing through this rock," I offered, but as the blade cut through it, I frowned again.

Just how much did it take to deplete this core?!

Bianca resumed stabbing at Raul's armor, when suddenly, we heard a dull metallic clang, as opposed to the more lively sound that her jabs usually made, and this time, as she aimed a stab at one of the rocks, the knife rebounded off of the thing, and clattered out of her hand.

"Nate... I, uh-" she began, and as she fell, I moved quickly, catching her once again before she could hit the floor.

Her body went limp in my arms, and I quickly gathered up the knife, before whisking Bianca away to the nearby sleeping area which had been prepared for us.

Thankfully, everyone was either asleep or on watch, and as I rested her down onto a little bundle of rags, she held on to my hand.

"Come... put me to bed," she mumbled, her hand quickly slipping from mine, and I leaned down, and kissed her on the forehead.

"I'll be back in a bit," I promised, as I headed back to Raul to retrieve the armor, then over to the supply cart, which was now being repaired by a couple of Kobalt workers under Gisela's supervision, along with an annoyed looking Casey.

"Are you done playing with your girlfriend?" she asked sarcastically, and I quickly nodded.

"Bianca's out cold. By the way, Raul just told me some stuff," I said, as I quickly recounted his words to her.

"Originator? I've never heard the term... or anything about a monster which 'spawns' others. I have heard about monsters so tough that only groups of experienced otherworlders stand a chance against them, but I've never seen an actual case, so as far as I knew it was just a theoretical thing that might not even exist."

As Casey finished speaking, she stifled a yawn, and I shot her a disapproving look.

"You've been so active today that I keep forgetting you were stabbed. Go get some sleep, already," I chided, as I shooed her off to bed.

"Fine, fine; but I don't think it's the stab wound that wore me out," she leaned in to whisper, and I snickered at her as she trudged off toward the sleeping area.

"Gisela. How bad is it?" I asked, as I moved to her side.

"It is repairable; temporarily."

I nodded, before casting a glance back toward the princess' camp.

"Is the princess asleep?" I asked, and she nodded.

"I know you desired to offer consolation, but princess requested not to be disturbed," Gisela warned, and I frowned.

"This whole thing really upset her that much, huh?"

Gisela nodded.

"Will you be entertaining a goddess tonight?" she asked, and I pondered for a bit.

"Maybe. You said space was prepared for me over there, right?"

Gisela nodded.

Maybe I could spend some time there with Cameron? After her watch was over?

At my request, Gisela showed me where the prepared spot was, while also pointing out where she would be sleeping, so that I could wake her if I needed anything throughout the night.

I thanked her for the gesture, then headed back to the otherworlder's sleeping area, to check on Bianca.

"Mmh, Natey? You came," she purred, as I settled down next to her, and she crawled into my lap, and curled up there, humming contentedly as I stroked her sleek, black hair.

"I did say I would," I replied.

Casey stirred and cast a quick glance in my direction, before shaking her head disapprovingly, as she turned and went back to sleep.

"I know," Bianca mumbled sleepily, "but people lie to me all the time."

She went quiet for a bit, before speaking again.

"Did I do good today?"

"Yes. Exceptionally so," I praised her, as I continued to stroke her head reassuringly, and she gave another contented 'hm'.

"Natey... you wouldn't hurt me, would you?"

"I would certainly try not to," I offered, and she pouted a little.

"I meant... hitting me," she clarified. "I know I can't have you all to myself... but I don't mind. As long as you promise. Promise you'll never hurt me?"

"I promise," I answered, and she relaxed again, her breathing eventually evening out into soft little wisps through imperceptibly parted lips, as she drifted off to sleep.

"Do you need a cuddle as well?" I called, and Casey turned, frowning at me, before slumping back with a sigh.

"I already told you. I have no intention of being on anyone's 'list'," she shot back, and I snickered a little, as I crept over to her side.

"If my advisor is getting trouble sleeping, then it's my duty to make sure she gets enough rest to be effective in her role, no?"

She grumbled as I rested a hand on her hip, but after a few moments, I felt her fingers creep timidly to meet my hand, and I took her hand in mine as she pulled the hand closer to her chest, and she let out a sigh, as I began to stroke her back, with soft, soothing strokes.

We remained like that for a bit, before she rolled over onto her back, and turned to look up at me.

There was a searching look in her eye; as if she was trying to find the words to say something, and I was about to ask what it was about, when a call alerted me to something on the other side of the camp.

"What was that?" Casey asked, as I looked over in the direction of the disturbance.

"I'll go find out," I replied, as I got up and headed across the camp to where a small group of Kobalt were gathered.

When I got there, I noticed that there were several gazes directed upwards, to the tree branches that hung above us, and as I spotted Gisela I hurried over to her side.

"Did something happen?" I asked, and she furrowed her brow worriedly.

"A Kobalt is missing."

"Hunter?" I asked, and she shook her head.

"A common from Kleiner Hein," she replied, and I frowned.

The cluster?

Then, was it a spy? Or did something happen?

"Why is everyone looking up?" I asked, and Gisela bit her lip nervously.

"The hunters claim he was asleep, and did not leave. They fear that he was attacked by something..."

"A geisterung?" I asked, and she shook her head.

"Die Aufhöcker," a nearby hunter cut in, and Gisela let out a sigh.

She seemed about to speak, when a call alerted us again, and as we began to move in that direction, we heard a scream.

Most of the hunters followed the scream, but as I stared off in the direction of the initial cry; I saw something...

The shifting of branches as something moved across them.

It was subtle at first, until a loud noise alerted me.

What the hell? I thought. Did it just jump from one tree to another?

I followed the movement as it shifted from tree to tree, but in the darkness, I could barely make out a thing, until the trail led me to a tree which emitted a faint sort of glow of its own.

The movement paused for a second, and as I focused on the tree, trying hard to spot anything out of the ordinary, I suddenly noticed a wicked pair of eyes, very much like the eyes of the 'geisterung' creature that we'd faced off against earlier.

I swallowed uncertainly, as the creature's gaze seemed to be fixed squarely on me, until it reacted to some movement behind me, and in a flash, it leapt away with incredible agility; grabbing onto a branch and swinging itself across to another tree, and disappearing into the bushy canopy there.

For a second, I considered following the thing, but something in my gut told me that that wasn't a good idea.

"Herr Nathan! The common has been found," Gisela began, and as I turned, I could tell from the panicked look in her eyes that though the missing man had been found, all was not well.

"Show me," I said, and I darted after her to a gathering crowd, and as we parted the group, the sight of the Kobalt man came into view.

His neck was a mangled mess; as if something had ripped his throat out from the side of his neck, and as I moved closer, I noted that a spot over his elbow had been torn open, but unlike the wound on his neck, this one was done with a more surgical like precision.

As I examined the man, Casey moved to my side.

"Casey... you said the Kobalt have cores, don't they?"

She nodded slowly, her eyes on me as she tried to gauge the reasoning behind my question.

I examined the man a bit, then turned to Gisela.

"Was his core removed? Before I came here?"

She shook her head, then indicated to the would on his arm.

"He fell from somewhere above; like this," she said, and I turned to Casey.

"It took his core," I muttered, and her eyes went wide as she finally understood the reason behind the look of grave concern look on my face.