Hero Scout 88 Chapter 16 - Pitchforks, Torches, And A Witch.

"Thank you to the Hero's Guild, for rooting out the evil curse that had afflicted our people. To think we were being controlled and corrupted? May the Three be blessed!" Kenji might not believe in the Three, but their mention certainly got a huge roar from the crowd.

Caster waved back at them, his collection of Warden Company members and adventurers sourced from the Hero Guild standing right behind. Many of the newcomers looked perplexed with what was going on, but the veterans held to stoic stances, having placed their faith in Caster's leadership.

"And thank you to the guardians of the land, mighty Furbolgs, who have vacated their sacred glades and rites of protection to go forth into the field and a.s.sist humanity in dealing with the shadow that stretches across all of Essenark!"

The Furbolgs roared, some few believing their Grandfather had become the Mayor while others simply seemed to have a wet appet.i.te for war. A concerning change - removing the harmonious Furblogs from their glades had swiftly devolved them into violent creatures reminiscent of the werewolves themselves, who growled from behind Grankash who stood right behind Kenji.
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"Thankfully the Witch's attack on our people was dispelled with the Furblog's arrival. The Witch sought to bend me to her will, to sour my rule, and to corrupt our lands. I thank you, creatures of tree and fern, for saving our souls from d.a.m.nation!"

Another clap, too few of them from the guards and hunters. Those that had survived had largely fled, their true loyalty exposed like a bleeding vein. They were never the Mayor's men, but part of the puppets cage the Mayor had worked within. No doubt they were already close to the Witch's domain, having fled while Kenji gathered his forces, and in Grandfather's form administered his healing powers to pull many back to full health after the terrible battle.

"The Hunter General...has not been so brave," Kenji whispered as if admitting a hard truth. "After the deaths of the last few of our enemies, our current Hunter General was informed by the Witch that she caused each's death in turn of those last few to hold his station. Then after threatening him like the last, finally a man of Essenark cracked, and he has fallen under her sway. I would hear a cheer for those that had rather die than fall to her clutches-" and a cheer promptly came "- and would ask that you fight free of guilt when we are forced to slaughter the traitors, for our enemies have chosen their lot, with the devil of the dark. And we have ours, with the bright light of the Three, may their blessings bring us victory!"

Having well enough of cheering, Kenji directed his peasant mob to follow along with his great many allies. Through the forest they went, the Mayor having been well aware of the rough area that the Witch lived.

As well as the number of her p.a.w.ns, which now included the majority of the greatly expanded force of Essenark Hunters. The werewolf raid on their slaving camp had been a great blow, but even paired with rooting out those enemies nestled in the Townhall the Mayor's memories indicated many more still remained.

"Grandfather, we should rest. Your too sick, you're- Grandfather?"

As the Mayor, Kenji turned to Arti with eyes welling with tears.

"Do not hate him," Kenji plead.

"Hate who - the werewolf? Because we-"

"Don't hate your Grandfather."

Arti's eyes rounded, "Grandfather, are you ok?"

Kenji put a paw on the youth's shoulder, still bound in some th.o.r.n.y vines gifted by the wicked Thorned spirit. But even that spirit was but a mere stepping stone to the past, a shadow of the blazing hot power that lay just beyond the fog of the Furbolg past.

"Child, I do not believe we currently have the strength to defeat the enemy. They will have an army of werewolves and human hunters, a few products of the Witch's evil practices too. We will fail, if we attack as we are."

"Then why do we attack at all? Our people are still strong, let us turn around and go far away - unless...you couldn't mean Grandfather, the Queen of Thorns...?"

It broke Kenji's heart, yet he nodded. He had found the existence of the Queen nestled deep in the Grandfather's memory, yet it had been presented to him as if a gift from the dead Furbolg. The ghost of his mind sent warmth and rea.s.surances, there was no other way.

"Uncounted years of our own path end now. It is time for the Berserkers to awaken from our slumber, and reign once more as Ruler's of Battle," for the Furbolgs were not an entirely separate species at all. There was a reason these 'werewolves' were not the type to turn under a full moon, nor spread their curse with a bite.

For they were not werewolves either, but skinchangers. What race they had changed from even Grandfather did not know, but both the Furbolgs and Werewolves had been designed to be weapons of war until they became divided due to some unknown event.

And in the ashes, the Furbolgs had arisen, with the aid of the Queen of Thorns, a cruel G.o.ddess who had driven them to a battle fervour that had drowned entire kingdoms in blood. Rejected so that the Furbolg race could live a humbler life, she had waited ever since.

"Today is the day, that I hoped would never come. It seems we Furbolgs can be a people of peace no more. Spread the word, those who would welcome the Queen's arrival may stay. Those who wish to remain true to the land should return, where they might wait out the wars amidst the peace we shall create."

"It will be as you say. By the time we have arrived all will have given their answers," lowering his head, Arti withdrew. And as Kenji approached the great swathe of withered forest that was the Witch's domain, he did so with a heavy heart knowing what he had done.

That to save them, he had taken a people who had broken their chains to be free - and driven them right into the mental cage of a creature of war. The Queen of Thorns.