BLUE MOON FESTIVAL!
In the grand kingdom of Cerebvaul, once every few moons, the people gather in jubilant celebration for the Great Moon Festival, a night dedicated to honoring their revered king from long ago. It is a time of splendor, where the air hums with music, laughter, and the scent of spiced delicacies.
The world beyond the kingdom, however, tells a different story. Humans reign supreme, ruling vast stretches of land, while mythical creatures, once believed to roam freely, have become little more than whispered legends. Those who are discovered rarely meet kind fates. Many are captured, displayed as curiosities, or worse, vanish into the shadows of human greed.
Tonight is no different.
The streets of Cerebvaul shimmer under the cold, silvery glow of the moon, the festival lanterns casting a golden warmth against the darkness. Vibrant flowers, their petals rich with color, drape over railings and doorways, giving the town an almost ethereal beauty, a fleeting magic in a place otherwise built by men.
Food vendors line the streets, their stalls brimming with roasted meats, sweet pastries, and bubbling spiced wines. Merchants call out to the crowds, eager to sell their wares, rare trinkets, handwoven fabrics, and glittering jewelry meant to catch the eyes of passing festival-goers. Travelers and townsfolk alike bustle through the lively thoroughfares, their excitement palpable.
Among the most anticipated visitors of the festival is the Blue Moon Circus, a troupe famed for showcasing the strange and the mythical. Their arrival is met with awe and unease alike, for they bring with them the rarest of sights, creatures thought lost to time, wonders trapped within gilded cages.
No ticket are required to witness the spectacle, the promise of the extraordinary is enough to draw in the curious and the bold. There is plenty to see, plenty to buy, and for some… perhaps plenty to fear.
Tents and nets align the forest edges by the town. Trinkets of unusual designs rest on tables. Some even hang from above. Some with price tags and others more rare just for show. Fires lit along the paths. While venders from the Circus go about their usual routs to prepare for tonight's display.
A few sit idly by playing songs on their lutes. Some even on harps. The music bringing in such an atmosphere of wonder and even hints of danger.
With how the night was playing out, everything was ready and set to go. People funneled in quite quickly from the town.
There was no short of eyes lurking on some of the smaller entertainments provided for tonight. A woman dancing before the crowed her hole body on fire, or was she the fire? Her overseer watched from afar as people looked in awe at her fluid movements. Her grace lighting the every bit of darkness.
At another side, a man sits above a lamp. His arms crossed and his skin a blueish hue. He seems grumpy but his voice boomingly expressive says otherwise. He talks with one guest at a time, he is a genie, and granting wishes is clearly what he's here to do.
But not at a free price, and it seems he only humors the rich.
Then there's a tiny girl and talks with animals. She doesn't seem mythical in the slightest. She seemly looks human, and might likely be human. She allows people to pick the animals in the various cages to speak with and ask them questions. Some guests even bring their own for her to speak to. She seems to have quite the viewing with customers that have returned to her allot to talk with their animals.
But closer to the large stage setup rests a heavy set of chains. They follow the ground and reach up to collars and shackles that hold still a large white Stag. Their horns curve heavily. Between them a sigil in blue lit magic rests hovering over the animals head.
Their overseer of this entertainment is carefully stood nearby as well, eyeing the very beast.
Standing before the crowd in awe, a massively large white furred Stag. Adorning their neck is a bone decorated necklace with blue gems, one such resembling a tree. The stag tries to steer himself away from the hands that outreach for him. His snout muzzled to keep the beast from nipping at fingers that lurk his way. The name displayed on the sign just beside them is Nocthirn.
It describes the large stag as being a forest guardian.
Nocthirn seems steady enough that he's not completely thrashing and trying to hurt the humans, but his movements and snorts from his nostrils tells that he is not happy to be shackles and displayed. His red eyes bore into the very souls around him. Of course none seem to understand or care much. Those that pay get the chance to come up and touch his fur!
The chains rattle as he moves, but always locks him in place if he goes to far.
In the grand kingdom of Cerebvaul, once every few moons, the people gather in jubilant celebration for the Great Moon Festival, a night dedicated to honoring their revered king from long ago. It is a time of splendor, where the air hums with music, laughter, and the scent of spiced delicacies.
The world beyond the kingdom, however, tells a different story. Humans reign supreme, ruling vast stretches of land, while mythical creatures, once believed to roam freely, have become little more than whispered legends. Those who are discovered rarely meet kind fates. Many are captured, displayed as curiosities, or worse, vanish into the shadows of human greed.
Tonight is no different.
The streets of Cerebvaul shimmer under the cold, silvery glow of the moon, the festival lanterns casting a golden warmth against the darkness. Vibrant flowers, their petals rich with color, drape over railings and doorways, giving the town an almost ethereal beauty, a fleeting magic in a place otherwise built by men.
Food vendors line the streets, their stalls brimming with roasted meats, sweet pastries, and bubbling spiced wines. Merchants call out to the crowds, eager to sell their wares, rare trinkets, handwoven fabrics, and glittering jewelry meant to catch the eyes of passing festival-goers. Travelers and townsfolk alike bustle through the lively thoroughfares, their excitement palpable.
Among the most anticipated visitors of the festival is the Blue Moon Circus, a troupe famed for showcasing the strange and the mythical. Their arrival is met with awe and unease alike, for they bring with them the rarest of sights, creatures thought lost to time, wonders trapped within gilded cages.
No ticket are required to witness the spectacle, the promise of the extraordinary is enough to draw in the curious and the bold. There is plenty to see, plenty to buy, and for some… perhaps plenty to fear.
Tents and nets align the forest edges by the town. Trinkets of unusual designs rest on tables. Some even hang from above. Some with price tags and others more rare just for show. Fires lit along the paths. While venders from the Circus go about their usual routs to prepare for tonight's display.
A few sit idly by playing songs on their lutes. Some even on harps. The music bringing in such an atmosphere of wonder and even hints of danger.
With how the night was playing out, everything was ready and set to go. People funneled in quite quickly from the town.
There was no short of eyes lurking on some of the smaller entertainments provided for tonight. A woman dancing before the crowed her hole body on fire, or was she the fire? Her overseer watched from afar as people looked in awe at her fluid movements. Her grace lighting the every bit of darkness.
At another side, a man sits above a lamp. His arms crossed and his skin a blueish hue. He seems grumpy but his voice boomingly expressive says otherwise. He talks with one guest at a time, he is a genie, and granting wishes is clearly what he's here to do.
But not at a free price, and it seems he only humors the rich.
Then there's a tiny girl and talks with animals. She doesn't seem mythical in the slightest. She seemly looks human, and might likely be human. She allows people to pick the animals in the various cages to speak with and ask them questions. Some guests even bring their own for her to speak to. She seems to have quite the viewing with customers that have returned to her allot to talk with their animals.
But closer to the large stage setup rests a heavy set of chains. They follow the ground and reach up to collars and shackles that hold still a large white Stag. Their horns curve heavily. Between them a sigil in blue lit magic rests hovering over the animals head.
Their overseer of this entertainment is carefully stood nearby as well, eyeing the very beast.
Standing before the crowd in awe, a massively large white furred Stag. Adorning their neck is a bone decorated necklace with blue gems, one such resembling a tree. The stag tries to steer himself away from the hands that outreach for him. His snout muzzled to keep the beast from nipping at fingers that lurk his way. The name displayed on the sign just beside them is Nocthirn.
It describes the large stag as being a forest guardian.
Nocthirn seems steady enough that he's not completely thrashing and trying to hurt the humans, but his movements and snorts from his nostrils tells that he is not happy to be shackles and displayed. His red eyes bore into the very souls around him. Of course none seem to understand or care much. Those that pay get the chance to come up and touch his fur!
The chains rattle as he moves, but always locks him in place if he goes to far.
"Over there, they have the best kabobs you can ever imagine! And that way, they have this grilled salad thing. It is shockingly good for street food. Of course, we cannot forget to pick something out for Granny," Felix said, striding ahead through the crowd confidently. "Something not too expensive, not too cheap, and absolutely not tacky! Perhaps something in orange. She loves orange even if it does not match her complexion whatsoever."
Jude followed his cousin slowly, each step taken with care as he stepped out with his left leg and then shifted slightly to bring his right leg forward, the unbending wooden foot in its shoe clumping down solidly. Felix drew farther and farther ahead, not even realizing he was leaving his cousin behind. Jude couldn't say he minded all that much. In a crowd this bustling and busy, it was almost easier to fend for himself than to try to follow someone. He paused for a moment next to a stall selling necklaces to catch his breath and adjust his leather bag that hung over one shoulder and settled at his left hip. The glimmer of bright stones drew his gaze, and he looked up to see jewels gleaming far brighter than his own blue-grey eyes ever could. Watching them sparkle in the light felt almost like a poem, but he had no words for it.
"There you are! Why did you stop?"
Jude dropped his gaze to see Felix glaring at him. "Granny might like one of these," he said the first thing to come to mind.
Felix glanced up at the necklaces and scoffed. "They may be pretty, but with that shoddy craftsmanship, it'll be apart in a week. Come on. There are some bangles up ahead she'd like."
Jude gave the scowling woman behind the stall an apologetic nod and followed his cousin. "Maybe we should split up. It'll be easier to cover more ground that way," he suggested.
Felix laughed and put his arm around Jude's shoulders. They were about the same height and width, but Felix was slightly thinner with bony arms that clenched like steel. "Come on, cousin! We only see each other once a year for this festival! We should be making the most of it! I know you're a dower fellow, but surely even you cannot take the glitter and gleam out of this event. We're young and currently free! Let's enjoy ourselves."
"I suppose so," Jude agreed grudgingly, mostly because he had no choice.
"That's a good lad!" Felix said cheerfully. "Why don't we go look at some of those stands where they make those marvelous little creations out of the red wood?"
Jude frowned, finally pushing back against his cousin a little. "I remember them from last year. If they are the same people, they have no regard for the forest they chop down."
"Says the man who literally lives in a logging camp for a railway," Felix said dryly.
"There is a difference between harvesting what is needed in a way that respects the forest and using every splinter given and whacking away haphazardly to gain a few trees to make cute trinkets," Jude argued. "What happens when there are no more trees of that red wood? What will they do then? Move on to another type to whack into oblivion?"
Felix shrugged. "A tree is a tree, and I see no difference in it, but if you are truly so passionate about it, very well!" he said airily. "We shall go to see the animals instead!"
He was not so certain that was any better, but how was he supposed to argue against his lighthearted city cousin? Jude let him lead the way, and thankfully, Felix finally let go of his shoulders and walked more slowly. The pair wandered slowly through the crowded aisles, steering well clear of the odd little girl spouting nonsense she said the animals said and eying the others through their bars and cages and chains.
"They really are quite pretty. I should ask Father if perhaps we could get one of those colorful birds for Granny," Felix remarked.
"I doubt she'd like cleaning up the feathers, and the bird would not appreciate the cage for long," Jude pointed out.
Felix waved a hand. "Then she can let it fly throughout the house! How much trouble could one bird be?"
Spoken like a man who had never spent five minutes near a bird, Jude thought. He turned away and stood looking at the animals. One caught his eye, and he frowned. Moving cautiously, he made his way through the crowd and found a clear spot where he could see through to the deer-like creature standing in shackles. How strange. How ethereal. What was this thing doing here? What was it, and why did it gleam with magic? How did it hold that magic between its horns like that?
Jude followed his cousin slowly, each step taken with care as he stepped out with his left leg and then shifted slightly to bring his right leg forward, the unbending wooden foot in its shoe clumping down solidly. Felix drew farther and farther ahead, not even realizing he was leaving his cousin behind. Jude couldn't say he minded all that much. In a crowd this bustling and busy, it was almost easier to fend for himself than to try to follow someone. He paused for a moment next to a stall selling necklaces to catch his breath and adjust his leather bag that hung over one shoulder and settled at his left hip. The glimmer of bright stones drew his gaze, and he looked up to see jewels gleaming far brighter than his own blue-grey eyes ever could. Watching them sparkle in the light felt almost like a poem, but he had no words for it.
"There you are! Why did you stop?"
Jude dropped his gaze to see Felix glaring at him. "Granny might like one of these," he said the first thing to come to mind.
Felix glanced up at the necklaces and scoffed. "They may be pretty, but with that shoddy craftsmanship, it'll be apart in a week. Come on. There are some bangles up ahead she'd like."
Jude gave the scowling woman behind the stall an apologetic nod and followed his cousin. "Maybe we should split up. It'll be easier to cover more ground that way," he suggested.
Felix laughed and put his arm around Jude's shoulders. They were about the same height and width, but Felix was slightly thinner with bony arms that clenched like steel. "Come on, cousin! We only see each other once a year for this festival! We should be making the most of it! I know you're a dower fellow, but surely even you cannot take the glitter and gleam out of this event. We're young and currently free! Let's enjoy ourselves."
"I suppose so," Jude agreed grudgingly, mostly because he had no choice.
"That's a good lad!" Felix said cheerfully. "Why don't we go look at some of those stands where they make those marvelous little creations out of the red wood?"
Jude frowned, finally pushing back against his cousin a little. "I remember them from last year. If they are the same people, they have no regard for the forest they chop down."
"Says the man who literally lives in a logging camp for a railway," Felix said dryly.
"There is a difference between harvesting what is needed in a way that respects the forest and using every splinter given and whacking away haphazardly to gain a few trees to make cute trinkets," Jude argued. "What happens when there are no more trees of that red wood? What will they do then? Move on to another type to whack into oblivion?"
Felix shrugged. "A tree is a tree, and I see no difference in it, but if you are truly so passionate about it, very well!" he said airily. "We shall go to see the animals instead!"
He was not so certain that was any better, but how was he supposed to argue against his lighthearted city cousin? Jude let him lead the way, and thankfully, Felix finally let go of his shoulders and walked more slowly. The pair wandered slowly through the crowded aisles, steering well clear of the odd little girl spouting nonsense she said the animals said and eying the others through their bars and cages and chains.
"They really are quite pretty. I should ask Father if perhaps we could get one of those colorful birds for Granny," Felix remarked.
"I doubt she'd like cleaning up the feathers, and the bird would not appreciate the cage for long," Jude pointed out.
Felix waved a hand. "Then she can let it fly throughout the house! How much trouble could one bird be?"
Spoken like a man who had never spent five minutes near a bird, Jude thought. He turned away and stood looking at the animals. One caught his eye, and he frowned. Moving cautiously, he made his way through the crowd and found a clear spot where he could see through to the deer-like creature standing in shackles. How strange. How ethereal. What was this thing doing here? What was it, and why did it gleam with magic? How did it hold that magic between its horns like that?
Nocthirn jerked violently against the chains, his powerful form straining against the cruel metal that bound him. His breath came in heavy, labored exhales, nostrils flaring as his sharp eyes locked onto Jude. For a fleeting moment, the struggle ceased. He stilled beneath the weight of that gaze. There it was, an unspoken connection. He could feel Jude’s wonder, the silent tremor of concern that wove itself into their thoughts. And then, a voice.
Not his own. Not Jude’s. But many. Soft, whispering, and pleading.
The voices of the spirits stirred seemingly all around, a gentle chorus of longing, each one desperate for Nocthirns freedom. Their cries echoed in Jude’s head alone, reaching out, seeking, yearning, yet no one else could hear them.
A visitor approached. A woman, drawn by the strange, untamed beauty of the beast before her. She reached out a tentative hand, eager to touch what should never have been held captive. Nocthirn recoiled. The sharp tug of his movement rattled the chains, but before he could pull away entirely, a metallic screech filled the air.
The overseer, ever watchful, cranked the shackles tighter. Cold iron bit deeper into his hide, forcing him still as the woman stepped closer. Her fingers brushed against his fur.
Then, in a sudden, violent surge, he ripped free!
The air cracked with the sound of breaking iron as one of the chains snapped clean off! A guttural cry tore from Nocthirn’s throat, a sound raw with desperation and defiance. His body twisted, hooves striking wildly, his horns catching the last of his bindings. With a fierce jerk of his head, the remaining chains coiled around his great antlers, and shattered.
The overseer paled.
Panic erupted like wildfire. He lunged, scrambling to seize the last remaining tether, but it was too late.
Standing now on his hind legs, Nocthirn lashed out, his front hooves slamming down to force the crowd back. Gasps and cries of alarm filled the tent as people stumbled over one another in their frantic attempt to flee. Yet despite the storm of movement, Nocthirn did not strike them. His rage was clear, his desperation undeniable, but his fury did not turn cruel.
His gaze flickered back to Jude.
And then, he took off. With a hefty leap right over the man!
The crowd erupted into pure panic. Spectators shoved past one another in their haste to escape, while staff, terrified and unprepared, scrambled to recapture their prized Guardian.
Nocthirn tore through the pathways, horns catching on banners and festival stalls, ripping them apart in his frenzied flight. Decorations collapsed, sending colorful fabric and wooden displays crashing into the dirt. Staff lunged with ropes and poles, but each attempt was met with swift defiance, his antlers swinging wildly, his hooves shattering whatever stood in his way.
Then a few men with special ropes ran towards Nocthirn.
One pushing Jude in their hurry to get to the wild beast.
Despite the attempt in the end, Nocthirn was unable to escape. The men that chased the white stag tossed out their ropes and swiftly they caught onto the stags horns, and a few on their legs. These magical ropes were able to pull the beast down.
Nocthirn was unable to run any further.
The crowed of frightened people watching in awe. While some mythical beings of the circus seemingly looked down in sadness, or some couldn't watch at all.
Not his own. Not Jude’s. But many. Soft, whispering, and pleading.
The voices of the spirits stirred seemingly all around, a gentle chorus of longing, each one desperate for Nocthirns freedom. Their cries echoed in Jude’s head alone, reaching out, seeking, yearning, yet no one else could hear them.
A visitor approached. A woman, drawn by the strange, untamed beauty of the beast before her. She reached out a tentative hand, eager to touch what should never have been held captive. Nocthirn recoiled. The sharp tug of his movement rattled the chains, but before he could pull away entirely, a metallic screech filled the air.
The overseer, ever watchful, cranked the shackles tighter. Cold iron bit deeper into his hide, forcing him still as the woman stepped closer. Her fingers brushed against his fur.
Then, in a sudden, violent surge, he ripped free!
The air cracked with the sound of breaking iron as one of the chains snapped clean off! A guttural cry tore from Nocthirn’s throat, a sound raw with desperation and defiance. His body twisted, hooves striking wildly, his horns catching the last of his bindings. With a fierce jerk of his head, the remaining chains coiled around his great antlers, and shattered.
The overseer paled.
Panic erupted like wildfire. He lunged, scrambling to seize the last remaining tether, but it was too late.
Standing now on his hind legs, Nocthirn lashed out, his front hooves slamming down to force the crowd back. Gasps and cries of alarm filled the tent as people stumbled over one another in their frantic attempt to flee. Yet despite the storm of movement, Nocthirn did not strike them. His rage was clear, his desperation undeniable, but his fury did not turn cruel.
His gaze flickered back to Jude.
And then, he took off. With a hefty leap right over the man!
The crowd erupted into pure panic. Spectators shoved past one another in their haste to escape, while staff, terrified and unprepared, scrambled to recapture their prized Guardian.
Nocthirn tore through the pathways, horns catching on banners and festival stalls, ripping them apart in his frenzied flight. Decorations collapsed, sending colorful fabric and wooden displays crashing into the dirt. Staff lunged with ropes and poles, but each attempt was met with swift defiance, his antlers swinging wildly, his hooves shattering whatever stood in his way.
Then a few men with special ropes ran towards Nocthirn.
One pushing Jude in their hurry to get to the wild beast.
Despite the attempt in the end, Nocthirn was unable to escape. The men that chased the white stag tossed out their ropes and swiftly they caught onto the stags horns, and a few on their legs. These magical ropes were able to pull the beast down.
Nocthirn was unable to run any further.
The crowed of frightened people watching in awe. While some mythical beings of the circus seemingly looked down in sadness, or some couldn't watch at all.
Jude pitied the creature. He was not entirely convinced this whole animal menagerie was not some sort of charade to cheat people from their money or just a silly show at best, but the animal as an animal was real enough, and it was being cruelly treated. No creature should be kept in these kinds of conditions.
Then came the voices. Chaos. Chaos and fear. Voices in his head! Jude jerked, nearly losing his balance. What did they want with him? Was he hallucinating? What was going on? He stared at the stag, eyes wide as he tried to comprehend something that his mind refused to acknowledge was happening. Deer could not use mental voices in other people's heads! (He did not realize that was not what was happening.) They could not feel like a human could. They could not connect on a human level! None of this should be happening!
And then the creature was loose.
Felix let out a yell and dove out of the way while Jude stood transfixed. The snapping of chains rooted him in place as fear surged through him. He saw the white belly of the beast soaring over his head almost as if the creature had known not to knock him over. The loosed chains flung away, nearly striking him as they clattered to the ground. Felix suddenly reappeared at his side and grabbed him, half lifting Jude as he dragged him out of the path of the stampeding people. Jude gasped for breath and gripped tightly to Felix as they tried to maneuver out of the crush. He lost sight of the stag but heard the shouts of the men who chased it. He hoped it would get away.
It did not get away. He could hear their shouts of victory even as Felix - winded, disheveled, and wide-eyed - half guided and half dragged him toward a corner of the festival where there were no screaming people. Felix got him sitting down, and Jude could breathe again.
"What happened?" demanded a voice.
Ah. His father had arrived.
"One of the c-creatures got loose," Felix stammered. "It nearly slaughtered us! We were right there in its path! It broke its chains and everything!"
"Every year those dollards insist on bringing those beasts into the city," Felix's father huffed. "Every year I petition to have them banned, but they are an established tradition, and no one except me sees the danger!"
Jude's father ignored him and focused on Jude. "Are you alright?" he asked, his grey eyes piercing right through Jude.
"I am fine," Jude assured him quietly, avoiding his gaze. "I am only shaken. Felix was able to steer us clear of any true danger."
Felix's chest swelled. "I was rather heroic, wasn't I?" he preened.
"Well done, my boy!" Felix's father praised him. "I am going to take this to the council. Surely now that one of their wretched beasts has gotten loose, they shall see how lax they are. Such a danger. They should all be put down!"
"The creatures of the forest should be respected for what they are and not punished for acting as they are designed," Jude's father said, his voice rumbling from his barreled chest.
Felix's father waved a hand. "Yes, yes, yes, respect the animals and all of that. I will respect them outside of my town and when they are not attacking our children. Come, Felix! We have people to talk to!"
Jude watched as they walked away, still trembling slightly. Those voices... what were they? And why had the stag looked at him like that?
Jude's father watched his wife's brother strut away with his son in tow and heaved a sigh. Turning, he looked down at Jude with a deep, incomprehensible look and then offered him a hand. "Come. Let's get you back to your aunt's. There's no point in staying here longer."
Jude guiltily accepted the hand up and leaned on his father heavily while he found his footing with his wooden foot. He was only too glad to end this day as his leg ached and his ears burned and his shoulders felt the weight of every single person around him, but he hadn't wanted it to end like this. The pathetic defective one dragging everything down once again. He said nothing, head lowered as he followed his father toward where they were staying for the yearly festival.
Then came the voices. Chaos. Chaos and fear. Voices in his head! Jude jerked, nearly losing his balance. What did they want with him? Was he hallucinating? What was going on? He stared at the stag, eyes wide as he tried to comprehend something that his mind refused to acknowledge was happening. Deer could not use mental voices in other people's heads! (He did not realize that was not what was happening.) They could not feel like a human could. They could not connect on a human level! None of this should be happening!
And then the creature was loose.
Felix let out a yell and dove out of the way while Jude stood transfixed. The snapping of chains rooted him in place as fear surged through him. He saw the white belly of the beast soaring over his head almost as if the creature had known not to knock him over. The loosed chains flung away, nearly striking him as they clattered to the ground. Felix suddenly reappeared at his side and grabbed him, half lifting Jude as he dragged him out of the path of the stampeding people. Jude gasped for breath and gripped tightly to Felix as they tried to maneuver out of the crush. He lost sight of the stag but heard the shouts of the men who chased it. He hoped it would get away.
It did not get away. He could hear their shouts of victory even as Felix - winded, disheveled, and wide-eyed - half guided and half dragged him toward a corner of the festival where there were no screaming people. Felix got him sitting down, and Jude could breathe again.
"What happened?" demanded a voice.
Ah. His father had arrived.
"One of the c-creatures got loose," Felix stammered. "It nearly slaughtered us! We were right there in its path! It broke its chains and everything!"
"Every year those dollards insist on bringing those beasts into the city," Felix's father huffed. "Every year I petition to have them banned, but they are an established tradition, and no one except me sees the danger!"
Jude's father ignored him and focused on Jude. "Are you alright?" he asked, his grey eyes piercing right through Jude.
"I am fine," Jude assured him quietly, avoiding his gaze. "I am only shaken. Felix was able to steer us clear of any true danger."
Felix's chest swelled. "I was rather heroic, wasn't I?" he preened.
"Well done, my boy!" Felix's father praised him. "I am going to take this to the council. Surely now that one of their wretched beasts has gotten loose, they shall see how lax they are. Such a danger. They should all be put down!"
"The creatures of the forest should be respected for what they are and not punished for acting as they are designed," Jude's father said, his voice rumbling from his barreled chest.
Felix's father waved a hand. "Yes, yes, yes, respect the animals and all of that. I will respect them outside of my town and when they are not attacking our children. Come, Felix! We have people to talk to!"
Jude watched as they walked away, still trembling slightly. Those voices... what were they? And why had the stag looked at him like that?
Jude's father watched his wife's brother strut away with his son in tow and heaved a sigh. Turning, he looked down at Jude with a deep, incomprehensible look and then offered him a hand. "Come. Let's get you back to your aunt's. There's no point in staying here longer."
Jude guiltily accepted the hand up and leaned on his father heavily while he found his footing with his wooden foot. He was only too glad to end this day as his leg ached and his ears burned and his shoulders felt the weight of every single person around him, but he hadn't wanted it to end like this. The pathetic defective one dragging everything down once again. He said nothing, head lowered as he followed his father toward where they were staying for the yearly festival.
As the festival night stretched into its long, weary hours, the air gradually lightened once more, as if the chaos had been nothing more than a passing storm. Music resumed, laughter bubbled through the streets, and the scent of roasted meats and sweetened pastries drifted through the festival grounds. The townspeople chose to forget.
But behind the shimmering façade of celebration, in the shadowed depths beyond the bustling tents, Nocthirn was dragged away. No one seemed to care, at least those that it did not effect directly.
They did not parade the beast back into the public eye either, they did not dare remind the revelers of his fleeting defiance. Instead, they pulled him beyond the bright lantern glow, past the grand displays, and into the storage grounds. A place where the unseen remnants of the circus lay hidden.
Among them stood cages on wheels.
One, reinforced with thick iron bars and ancient, pulsing runes, had been prepared specifically for Nocthirn.
The moment the doors clanged shut, the magic bound him inside for good again.
Nocthirn exhaled, his great body slumping with the weight of his own futility. His massive antlers scraped against the bars, the rough texture grinding against cold steel as he tested the resistance. The answer was immediate, unyielding,. No surprise there. His strength alone would not shatter these bonds.
With a weary sigh, he folded his legs beneath him and lay down, his breath slow, his body still. Resting. Not in surrender, but in quiet defiance.
The overseer loomed beyond the bars, rage curling his lip. His voice cut through the dimness, a sharp, bitter thing, filled with venom and victory.
"You will never see freedom again, you hear! Never!."
But Nocthirn did not react. He did not flinch. The words washed over him, meaningless. They always said the same thing.
Whether he raged or remained silent, the outcome never changed. Nocthirn had long since abandoned the fantasy of freedom.
The night dragged on.
The echoes of revelry returned, filling the distance with careless joy. The festival carried on as if nothing had happened. Eventually, the laughter faded into hushed conversations, then into the soft quiet of a world winding down.
People went home. They shut their doors. They fell into sleep.
But Nocthirn did not rest.
He watched as man around him continued their festival preparations for tomorrow. Fellow beings of wonder and magic passing him with regards of sorrow or none at all. They all seemed like shadows of themselves too.
His crimson eyes gleamed in the dimness, unblinking, piercing through the dark. His ears flicked, attuned to the faintest sound, the shifting of distant footsteps, the murmurs of the night, the rustling of unseen things once everyone had calmed down from the nights events.
Then, somewhere else, the voices they were reach out once more.
Finding Jude, of course when the man would rest, when they would least expect their call.
The whispers returning.
They started soft, as if stirring at the edges of a dream. A presence at the back of the mind, gentle fingers brushing against consciousness. But soon, the murmurings grew, pressing, pleading.
"Free the Stag."
"Free the spirit."
"Free us!"
The voices layered over each other, growing urgent, desperate, no longer a request, but a demand. They clawed at Jude’s thoughts, pulling, pulling until in a burst of vision, the stag would flash in their mind.
A towering, spectral shape, bathed in the pale glow of the moon, wild and untamed.
The stag would step closer to Jude, red eyes boring into them from above.
In a moments blink, that stag stood over Jude as a man, or what looked like a man. But with antlers, and red eyes to match.
But behind the shimmering façade of celebration, in the shadowed depths beyond the bustling tents, Nocthirn was dragged away. No one seemed to care, at least those that it did not effect directly.
They did not parade the beast back into the public eye either, they did not dare remind the revelers of his fleeting defiance. Instead, they pulled him beyond the bright lantern glow, past the grand displays, and into the storage grounds. A place where the unseen remnants of the circus lay hidden.
Among them stood cages on wheels.
One, reinforced with thick iron bars and ancient, pulsing runes, had been prepared specifically for Nocthirn.
The moment the doors clanged shut, the magic bound him inside for good again.
Nocthirn exhaled, his great body slumping with the weight of his own futility. His massive antlers scraped against the bars, the rough texture grinding against cold steel as he tested the resistance. The answer was immediate, unyielding,. No surprise there. His strength alone would not shatter these bonds.
With a weary sigh, he folded his legs beneath him and lay down, his breath slow, his body still. Resting. Not in surrender, but in quiet defiance.
The overseer loomed beyond the bars, rage curling his lip. His voice cut through the dimness, a sharp, bitter thing, filled with venom and victory.
"You will never see freedom again, you hear! Never!."
But Nocthirn did not react. He did not flinch. The words washed over him, meaningless. They always said the same thing.
Whether he raged or remained silent, the outcome never changed. Nocthirn had long since abandoned the fantasy of freedom.
The night dragged on.
The echoes of revelry returned, filling the distance with careless joy. The festival carried on as if nothing had happened. Eventually, the laughter faded into hushed conversations, then into the soft quiet of a world winding down.
People went home. They shut their doors. They fell into sleep.
But Nocthirn did not rest.
He watched as man around him continued their festival preparations for tomorrow. Fellow beings of wonder and magic passing him with regards of sorrow or none at all. They all seemed like shadows of themselves too.
His crimson eyes gleamed in the dimness, unblinking, piercing through the dark. His ears flicked, attuned to the faintest sound, the shifting of distant footsteps, the murmurs of the night, the rustling of unseen things once everyone had calmed down from the nights events.
Then, somewhere else, the voices they were reach out once more.
Finding Jude, of course when the man would rest, when they would least expect their call.
The whispers returning.
They started soft, as if stirring at the edges of a dream. A presence at the back of the mind, gentle fingers brushing against consciousness. But soon, the murmurings grew, pressing, pleading.
"Free the Stag."
"Free the spirit."
"Free us!"
The voices layered over each other, growing urgent, desperate, no longer a request, but a demand. They clawed at Jude’s thoughts, pulling, pulling until in a burst of vision, the stag would flash in their mind.
A towering, spectral shape, bathed in the pale glow of the moon, wild and untamed.
The stag would step closer to Jude, red eyes boring into them from above.
In a moments blink, that stag stood over Jude as a man, or what looked like a man. But with antlers, and red eyes to match.
Jude's aunt, his mother's sister, fussed over Jude and his father both, feeding them far more than was necessary considering they'd both had festival food, but that was just how she showed love. Jude endured it for as long as he could before excusing himself to lay down in his cousin's room where they were sharing the bed for the night. Felix was still nowhere to be seen, and if he arrived home before the sun rose, everyone would be surprised. He sat on the bed and carefully undid the straps that harnassed his wooden leg to his fleshy thigh. The six inches of stump below his knee wiggled slowly, stretching out in relief at finally being freed of the leather cage. The lambskin padding the cup of the wooden leg where his stump sat did a lot to help ease the discomfort, but nothing was ever truly comfortable, especially not after multiple sweaty hours. He set his leg aside where Felix wouldn't stumble over it and laid down.
As he stared at the dark ceiling occasionally lit up by the lights of the festival despite the distance, he could not help but think of the stag. It had to all be a show, right? There was no way that stag or any of those other creatures could possibly be in any way magical. Other people talked and whispered of magic and the horrors it could bring, but he was a strong skeptic that such a thing had ever truly existed, let alone existed here and now in those cages controlled by random carnie folk. What would be the point? Why would they want to keep something like that caged up for one show a year? Why not let it run wild and free? Especially that stag. Surely, it could not live long in those confines whether or not it was a magical beast. And why had it looked at him like that? WHy had it looked at him like it recognized him? Or like it expected something of him? He was not certain what it was doing or wanted, but it had felt like it had connected with him. It was such a silly idea: a so-called magic deer connecting with a human! And those voices... no, they hadn't echoed in his head. It was just some random yelling from the crowd. That had to be it. He closed eyes and turned his face to the wall. It was nothing. Just the adrenalin from nearly getting trampled by a deer. That was all.
It took him a while to drift off. Then the dreams began. Whispers in his mind. Something urgent. Something pressing. Something pleading and demanding at the same time. Something that refused to be ignored.
A strange, demonic man appeared, standing over him, glaring down at him. What could it want from him? He was no one! Nobody! What did it want? To eat his heart? To steal his soul?
As he stared at the dark ceiling occasionally lit up by the lights of the festival despite the distance, he could not help but think of the stag. It had to all be a show, right? There was no way that stag or any of those other creatures could possibly be in any way magical. Other people talked and whispered of magic and the horrors it could bring, but he was a strong skeptic that such a thing had ever truly existed, let alone existed here and now in those cages controlled by random carnie folk. What would be the point? Why would they want to keep something like that caged up for one show a year? Why not let it run wild and free? Especially that stag. Surely, it could not live long in those confines whether or not it was a magical beast. And why had it looked at him like that? WHy had it looked at him like it recognized him? Or like it expected something of him? He was not certain what it was doing or wanted, but it had felt like it had connected with him. It was such a silly idea: a so-called magic deer connecting with a human! And those voices... no, they hadn't echoed in his head. It was just some random yelling from the crowd. That had to be it. He closed eyes and turned his face to the wall. It was nothing. Just the adrenalin from nearly getting trampled by a deer. That was all.
It took him a while to drift off. Then the dreams began. Whispers in his mind. Something urgent. Something pressing. Something pleading and demanding at the same time. Something that refused to be ignored.
A strange, demonic man appeared, standing over him, glaring down at him. What could it want from him? He was no one! Nobody! What did it want? To eat his heart? To steal his soul?
Nocthirn’s hand rose slowly, deliberately.
His movements carried no hostility, no trace of aggression, only a steady, silent intention. A single finger extended, pointing directly at Jude.
The moment his fingertip pressed gently against Jude’s forehead,
The world shifted.
Jude’s vision erupted in light, and suddenly, he was no longer in his own body. No longer in his room. Instead, images surged through his mind, vivid and undeniable.
He'd see himself. Standing before the great cage that the white stag was trapped in. Reaching out with quick hands, the vision of Jude would open the cage! Freeing the large beast.
The message was clear, more than words could ever convey. Free the Stag. Then, nothing.
The vision dissolved as suddenly as it had come, vanishing like mist at sunrise. The dream or vision, whatever it was, it was over now. Gone like that. The man too, he was gone. Instead around Jude now was Felix's room. Same as before.
The voices still clung to his thoughts, insistent and unrelenting. Whispering. Begging.
"Free the Stag." "Free the spirit." "Free us!" The weight of their plea settled deep.
The question now was, would Jude go to free the stag, would they fulfill these beckoning requests and dreams.
Far away, locked within the iron bars of his prison, Nocthirn waited.
He knew he could not escape alone. The runes etched into the cage were old, powerful. They burned against his presence, denying him access to the natural forces he had once commanded. His magic was shackled. His strength meant nothing.
So, he waited.
Waited for the whispers to find their way into the young man’s heart. Waited for the spirits of the forest to push him toward the path of freeing him.
Oh, how he missed it, his home.
The trees, with their mighty limbs reaching toward the sky. The scent of damp earth, of wildflowers swaying in the breeze. The quiet ripple of streams, the rustle of leaves, the soft padding of creatures moving through the undergrowth. His duty had been to protect them all, to watch over the land that had existed long before mankind had claimed dominion over it.
But now… what had become of it? Without his care, what mess had the forest fallen into? The thought weighed upon him, heavier than the chains that bound him. Nocthirn let out a slow breath, his red eyes half-lidded, gazing at nothing. Would the young man come? Would he listen? Would he set him free? There was nothing left for Nocthirn to do but wait, and hope.
This would be the first time he'd ever reach out to a mortal, to ask them for help. His resentment of them made it hard to do so in the first place.
His movements carried no hostility, no trace of aggression, only a steady, silent intention. A single finger extended, pointing directly at Jude.
The moment his fingertip pressed gently against Jude’s forehead,
The world shifted.
Jude’s vision erupted in light, and suddenly, he was no longer in his own body. No longer in his room. Instead, images surged through his mind, vivid and undeniable.
He'd see himself. Standing before the great cage that the white stag was trapped in. Reaching out with quick hands, the vision of Jude would open the cage! Freeing the large beast.
The message was clear, more than words could ever convey. Free the Stag. Then, nothing.
The vision dissolved as suddenly as it had come, vanishing like mist at sunrise. The dream or vision, whatever it was, it was over now. Gone like that. The man too, he was gone. Instead around Jude now was Felix's room. Same as before.
The voices still clung to his thoughts, insistent and unrelenting. Whispering. Begging.
"Free the Stag." "Free the spirit." "Free us!" The weight of their plea settled deep.
The question now was, would Jude go to free the stag, would they fulfill these beckoning requests and dreams.
Far away, locked within the iron bars of his prison, Nocthirn waited.
He knew he could not escape alone. The runes etched into the cage were old, powerful. They burned against his presence, denying him access to the natural forces he had once commanded. His magic was shackled. His strength meant nothing.
So, he waited.
Waited for the whispers to find their way into the young man’s heart. Waited for the spirits of the forest to push him toward the path of freeing him.
Oh, how he missed it, his home.
The trees, with their mighty limbs reaching toward the sky. The scent of damp earth, of wildflowers swaying in the breeze. The quiet ripple of streams, the rustle of leaves, the soft padding of creatures moving through the undergrowth. His duty had been to protect them all, to watch over the land that had existed long before mankind had claimed dominion over it.
But now… what had become of it? Without his care, what mess had the forest fallen into? The thought weighed upon him, heavier than the chains that bound him. Nocthirn let out a slow breath, his red eyes half-lidded, gazing at nothing. Would the young man come? Would he listen? Would he set him free? There was nothing left for Nocthirn to do but wait, and hope.
This would be the first time he'd ever reach out to a mortal, to ask them for help. His resentment of them made it hard to do so in the first place.
Jude woke with a start and set up, panting and sweating. What was that? What was that?? Had he been cursed? He didn't believe in magic, but this felt like a curse! There was a demon-deer-man-thing in his dreams telling him to release him! It had to be some kind of trick, right? How could he listen to some dream and steal a deer-thing from someone? They rather deserved to lose the deer and all of their other animals considering how they treated them, but theft was still theft! And how was he supposed to help them? How was he supposed to free this deer-man? And what if this deer-man was evil? What if he released an evil spirit?
He leaned over and gripped his head, the voices still echoing in his head and giving him a faint headache. No, the deer-thing wasn't evil. He was certain of that. If anything, it was a neutral, like any animal. A deer wasn't good or evil, nor was a hunting cat or a bear or any other creature. Morality was a human burden. Animals were just animals. If he released the creatures, it would not be releasing an evil spirit. That much he could be certain of even if he did have a headache and weird voices in his head.
"What are you doing?" Felix moaned next to him. "If you're going to be awake, be awake somewhere else."
Jude looked down at his cousin. He hadn't even realized Felix had gotten back. "Felix, if you had the choice of either following the law of the land or the law of morality, which would you do?" he found himself asking.
"Whichever one lets me get more sleep," Felix groaned.
Jude gave him a hard nudge. "In seriousness!"
"Moral, alright?" Felix grumbled. "That's what the right answer always is, isn't it?"
"Thank you. Will you please pay my bail?" Jude asked.
"Fine." Felix rolled over and stole all the covers as he pulled them around himself.
Jude carefully slid to the edge of the bed and reached into the corner to grab his crutch and his wooden leg. He still wasn't certain what he was doing of if this was the right thing, but he attached his leg, stood, and cautiously limped out of the room. No one was awake or noticed as he made his way to the front door, not even his father sleeping on a mat next to the dimmed fire. This may be a mistake, but he technically hadn't done anything yet.
Slowly and cautiously, using his crutch to ease the weight off his sore bad leg, he made his way through the mess of the festival toward where the side show had been. Maybe when he got there inspiration would strike. That, or he'd head back home and no one would know the difference.
He leaned over and gripped his head, the voices still echoing in his head and giving him a faint headache. No, the deer-thing wasn't evil. He was certain of that. If anything, it was a neutral, like any animal. A deer wasn't good or evil, nor was a hunting cat or a bear or any other creature. Morality was a human burden. Animals were just animals. If he released the creatures, it would not be releasing an evil spirit. That much he could be certain of even if he did have a headache and weird voices in his head.
"What are you doing?" Felix moaned next to him. "If you're going to be awake, be awake somewhere else."
Jude looked down at his cousin. He hadn't even realized Felix had gotten back. "Felix, if you had the choice of either following the law of the land or the law of morality, which would you do?" he found himself asking.
"Whichever one lets me get more sleep," Felix groaned.
Jude gave him a hard nudge. "In seriousness!"
"Moral, alright?" Felix grumbled. "That's what the right answer always is, isn't it?"
"Thank you. Will you please pay my bail?" Jude asked.
"Fine." Felix rolled over and stole all the covers as he pulled them around himself.
Jude carefully slid to the edge of the bed and reached into the corner to grab his crutch and his wooden leg. He still wasn't certain what he was doing of if this was the right thing, but he attached his leg, stood, and cautiously limped out of the room. No one was awake or noticed as he made his way to the front door, not even his father sleeping on a mat next to the dimmed fire. This may be a mistake, but he technically hadn't done anything yet.
Slowly and cautiously, using his crutch to ease the weight off his sore bad leg, he made his way through the mess of the festival toward where the side show had been. Maybe when he got there inspiration would strike. That, or he'd head back home and no one would know the difference.
Nocthirn lay motionless in his cage, his body still, but his mind restless. He waited. He Hoped. Would the human boy come?
His red eyes flickered toward the slivers of sky visible through a break in the trees. High above, the stars stretched endlessly, untouched by the filth of iron bars and human cruelty.
He knew these stars. Had seen them from his own forest, countless times before. The sight brought a dull ache to his chest. A reminder of everything that had been stolen from him. With a slow, measured breath, Nocthirn lowered his head, his great antlers casting crisscrossed shadows over his pale face. The moonlight, though soft, caught the white of his fur, giving him an ethereal glow even in captivity.
And still, he waited.
Elsewhere, the festival grounds had nearly emptied. The once-bustling streets, thick with laughter and cheer, had grown quiet. Vendors packed away their wares, securing goods and taking stock of what remained before the caravan moved on. They never stayed long. A night or two at most. By morning, the festival would be gone, leaving only trampled grass and echoes of its revelry.
The staff, exhausted from the night’s festivities, had begun to retire to their tents and wooden wagons, their watchful eyes finally growing heavy with fatigue. Some lingered near the fires, voices hushed, enjoying the last embers of the evening before sleep took them. They were unaware of the plan unfolding in their midst.
Though… some, perhaps, if they knew, would not stand in its way.
Some might even secretly root for it.
Jude was lucky. Most of the night’s watch had gone to sleep. Most. But not all. The boy would have to tread carefully if he was to do what the voices demanded, what his own heart now wavered over. Would he go through with it in the end? There was still time to turn back. Would he set the stag free? Or chicken out? The night was deep, the stars watching. Even as Jude would move into the night, the voices seemingly guided him.
They would whisper, "go here" or sometimes, "go there." Some would warn him, not to do things, like walk into the light, or accidentally bump against an item. They would warn him of dogs too! Which there were plenty in the night. Many used to guard the tents, others used to scare the mythical beings into behaving. But, most were asleep. Which is why the voice spoke up in Jude's mind to ensure the boy would make it safely to the guardian!
Even when shadows flickered across tents and stone. Those that were still awake at this hour of the night might as well have been drunk too! With a rich voice calling out in joy. "What a night, hell and everything went so well. I love this place .... damn shame. That stupid giant deer though. Always causing trouble." A hiccup escaped the man. "Ah, tah hell with it though. That beast ... that ... thing .... why couldn't they catch another unicorn, or ... I don't know ... anything that's less." He would hiccup again. "Mmm, less troublesome." The man finished. Their friend just humored them.
The voices spoke again to Jude. Telling them to head to their left. "Go now, deeper ... hurry human, ... hurry." They whispered. As if calling to him just ahead. "Free the Stag, free them." As tents thinned and voices dulled down. More and more cages were about the grounds. With many creatures inside, all sorts of ones. Even the fire woman from earlier, she was huddled in the corner. Head on her knees. Her flames dwindled some, clearly not as bright and lively as it had been when she was dancing.
She gave Jude a passing glance before lowering her head again.
While the cage that held Nocthirn lay head. Just out of site from the others. Inside lay the white Stag. Red eyes already locking onto Jude!
His red eyes flickered toward the slivers of sky visible through a break in the trees. High above, the stars stretched endlessly, untouched by the filth of iron bars and human cruelty.
He knew these stars. Had seen them from his own forest, countless times before. The sight brought a dull ache to his chest. A reminder of everything that had been stolen from him. With a slow, measured breath, Nocthirn lowered his head, his great antlers casting crisscrossed shadows over his pale face. The moonlight, though soft, caught the white of his fur, giving him an ethereal glow even in captivity.
And still, he waited.
Elsewhere, the festival grounds had nearly emptied. The once-bustling streets, thick with laughter and cheer, had grown quiet. Vendors packed away their wares, securing goods and taking stock of what remained before the caravan moved on. They never stayed long. A night or two at most. By morning, the festival would be gone, leaving only trampled grass and echoes of its revelry.
The staff, exhausted from the night’s festivities, had begun to retire to their tents and wooden wagons, their watchful eyes finally growing heavy with fatigue. Some lingered near the fires, voices hushed, enjoying the last embers of the evening before sleep took them. They were unaware of the plan unfolding in their midst.
Though… some, perhaps, if they knew, would not stand in its way.
Some might even secretly root for it.
Jude was lucky. Most of the night’s watch had gone to sleep. Most. But not all. The boy would have to tread carefully if he was to do what the voices demanded, what his own heart now wavered over. Would he go through with it in the end? There was still time to turn back. Would he set the stag free? Or chicken out? The night was deep, the stars watching. Even as Jude would move into the night, the voices seemingly guided him.
They would whisper, "go here" or sometimes, "go there." Some would warn him, not to do things, like walk into the light, or accidentally bump against an item. They would warn him of dogs too! Which there were plenty in the night. Many used to guard the tents, others used to scare the mythical beings into behaving. But, most were asleep. Which is why the voice spoke up in Jude's mind to ensure the boy would make it safely to the guardian!
Even when shadows flickered across tents and stone. Those that were still awake at this hour of the night might as well have been drunk too! With a rich voice calling out in joy. "What a night, hell and everything went so well. I love this place .... damn shame. That stupid giant deer though. Always causing trouble." A hiccup escaped the man. "Ah, tah hell with it though. That beast ... that ... thing .... why couldn't they catch another unicorn, or ... I don't know ... anything that's less." He would hiccup again. "Mmm, less troublesome." The man finished. Their friend just humored them.
The voices spoke again to Jude. Telling them to head to their left. "Go now, deeper ... hurry human, ... hurry." They whispered. As if calling to him just ahead. "Free the Stag, free them." As tents thinned and voices dulled down. More and more cages were about the grounds. With many creatures inside, all sorts of ones. Even the fire woman from earlier, she was huddled in the corner. Head on her knees. Her flames dwindled some, clearly not as bright and lively as it had been when she was dancing.
She gave Jude a passing glance before lowering her head again.
While the cage that held Nocthirn lay head. Just out of site from the others. Inside lay the white Stag. Red eyes already locking onto Jude!
This was ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous! Now he was hearing voices in his head constantly. Maybe he should go see a doctor. Or a priest. Where could he find a priest? Or some sort of anti-magic person. Where could he find that? He didn't even know what that sort of person would be called. What would happen if he denied the voices? Would his brain melt? He would really rather not lose his brain just yet. Reluctantly, he followed the directions appearing in his mind and ducked awkwardly through the mostly empty walkways, nearly holding his breath when he heard voices. When this was all over, if he survived, he needed to go see a doctor or something and get his mind evaluated.
The deer creature was in sight. He paused, looking at the flame creature. He glanced around and stepped closer to the flame creature's cage. She was so... he did not have a word to describe what this was. His heart squeezed seeing the creature or person inside. No one and nothing deserved this kind of life. If this could even be called a life. He reached out and brushed the bar of the cage. It was wrong.
The voices would not be denied. He pulled himself slowly away from the cage and tiptoed as best as he was able to the deer's cage. He looked around the bars and took it all in. This was massive! And intense. The voices wanted him to free this creature, but how? He found his way to the lock and ran his hands over it thoughtfully.
The deer creature was in sight. He paused, looking at the flame creature. He glanced around and stepped closer to the flame creature's cage. She was so... he did not have a word to describe what this was. His heart squeezed seeing the creature or person inside. No one and nothing deserved this kind of life. If this could even be called a life. He reached out and brushed the bar of the cage. It was wrong.
The voices would not be denied. He pulled himself slowly away from the cage and tiptoed as best as he was able to the deer's cage. He looked around the bars and took it all in. This was massive! And intense. The voices wanted him to free this creature, but how? He found his way to the lock and ran his hands over it thoughtfully.
Nocthirn spotted the boy the moment they rounded the corner. His red eyes locked onto Jude, watching, waiting. He did not move, did not stir, simply observed.
However when he saw Jude become distracted. For a moment, their gaze lingered on something else, someone else.
The fire dancer. That poor woman, taken from her kind. He did not know here story fully. She had always been to quiet, so she never share it.
Nocthirn could feel Judes sorrow though. it was a quiet despair in the human’s heart as they looked upon the woman. Another caged soul, forced to perform really. He wished that human could help her to, but alas that was not his goal, and he would let the human decide that afterwards.
Even as Jude hesitantly approached his own cage, he could see their steps careful, uncertain. Even as they knelt before the cage, fingers reaching toward the lock. Overserving it. Nocthirn’s head remained motionless on the cold, solid floor of the cage. His breathing was slow, steady. A beast waiting for the moment to strike.
And then, the voices came again. Soft as wind through leaves. Urgent as a heartbeat. Beckoning.
"The lock, undo the lock. It is special, it is a riddle, it can be solved. Think mortal." The chimed and faded away. There was no keyhole. No visible mechanism to pry open.
Only a circular device, its shape familiar, a compass. It honestly was a compass. The dial at its center could turn. And on the back, an inscription. The riddle.
Spin me twice in the direction most opposite of the sun’s rise, once where the sun sets, and back again.
Seemed simple enough, if you knew were the sun raised and set in these lands.
Now the question was ... could they solve it and free the Stag. There was no key to get luckily. So snooping around would not be needed. But, the riddle had to be solved! It couldn't be that hard right?
Nocthirn’s crimson gaze never wavered, watching, waiting.
The moment of truth was near. Even some of the other mythic watched. Yet none of them dared to speak.
But the, voices arose. Staff, they were coming this way!
There were places to hide, barrels, boxes, under the cages and maybe in a bush! But anywhere not in the open.
These voices got louder. "I thought I heard something over here." The one man rounded the corner. Seeing the fire lady at first. He then looked over at Nocthirns cage. "Maybe you're just hearing things." The other man walked out, he gently ran his hand along a barrel full of wine.
However when he saw Jude become distracted. For a moment, their gaze lingered on something else, someone else.
The fire dancer. That poor woman, taken from her kind. He did not know here story fully. She had always been to quiet, so she never share it.
Nocthirn could feel Judes sorrow though. it was a quiet despair in the human’s heart as they looked upon the woman. Another caged soul, forced to perform really. He wished that human could help her to, but alas that was not his goal, and he would let the human decide that afterwards.
Even as Jude hesitantly approached his own cage, he could see their steps careful, uncertain. Even as they knelt before the cage, fingers reaching toward the lock. Overserving it. Nocthirn’s head remained motionless on the cold, solid floor of the cage. His breathing was slow, steady. A beast waiting for the moment to strike.
And then, the voices came again. Soft as wind through leaves. Urgent as a heartbeat. Beckoning.
"The lock, undo the lock. It is special, it is a riddle, it can be solved. Think mortal." The chimed and faded away. There was no keyhole. No visible mechanism to pry open.
Only a circular device, its shape familiar, a compass. It honestly was a compass. The dial at its center could turn. And on the back, an inscription. The riddle.
Spin me twice in the direction most opposite of the sun’s rise, once where the sun sets, and back again.
Seemed simple enough, if you knew were the sun raised and set in these lands.
Now the question was ... could they solve it and free the Stag. There was no key to get luckily. So snooping around would not be needed. But, the riddle had to be solved! It couldn't be that hard right?
Nocthirn’s crimson gaze never wavered, watching, waiting.
The moment of truth was near. Even some of the other mythic watched. Yet none of them dared to speak.
But the, voices arose. Staff, they were coming this way!
There were places to hide, barrels, boxes, under the cages and maybe in a bush! But anywhere not in the open.
These voices got louder. "I thought I heard something over here." The one man rounded the corner. Seeing the fire lady at first. He then looked over at Nocthirns cage. "Maybe you're just hearing things." The other man walked out, he gently ran his hand along a barrel full of wine.
"I would think if someone would stop yammering in my brain!" Jude muttered as he examined the lock. Sun rise and sun set... that seemed simple, almost too simple. Did it matter which way the lock was facing? Did he need to make sure it was facing North, or was he overthinking it and the top of the lock was north? It made more sense that the top of the lock would be north, but magic seemed to like to make things complicated. That was all he knew about magic.
Staff coming!
Jude nearly dropped the lock, which would have been a noisy clang. He nearly snapped at the voices for startling him until he realized their warning. Time to hide! He glanced around. He could not move fast enough with his weak leg to get to the barrels. Instead, he dropped flat and half rolled, half scrambled under the cage. It was a tight fit, but he could make it! Just in time. He lay on his stomach trying not to breathe in the dirt and dust.
Feet walked right near him. He listened to the men talk as the feet moved. Please go away. Please go away. There was nothing to see here. Go to bed. It is so late it is early. Time to rest.
Staff coming!
Jude nearly dropped the lock, which would have been a noisy clang. He nearly snapped at the voices for startling him until he realized their warning. Time to hide! He glanced around. He could not move fast enough with his weak leg to get to the barrels. Instead, he dropped flat and half rolled, half scrambled under the cage. It was a tight fit, but he could make it! Just in time. He lay on his stomach trying not to breathe in the dirt and dust.
Feet walked right near him. He listened to the men talk as the feet moved. Please go away. Please go away. There was nothing to see here. Go to bed. It is so late it is early. Time to rest.
The two men idled by, chatting.
"Dang it you fool, draggin me out here for nothing." The one man spoke crossing his arms.
"Hey I thought I heard something okay? Better to check right?" The other shoved the man back for complaining. And, after a moment of looking around but not really finding anything the two walked over. The grass and dried leaves under their boots crunching with every step.
"Stupid, can't believe you" one mumbled in the distance.
Their voices faded away.
The stag in the cage gently rubbed his horns against the bars. And all was quiet again. Many of the mythic beings now watched in anticipation for the mortal being to set Nocthirn free. If they even could? Nocthirn himself didn't speak. but the voices and hushed whispers would again reach out to Jude .
"Gone, their gone! Hurry! The lock."
They were ever persistent. "Undo the lock, soooolve the riddle."
Nocthirn watched with red eyes glinting. Locked onto Jude when they would come out of hiding.
Now was the time, now or never. Luckily it seemed the rest of the folks that ran this place were asleep or away.
"Dang it you fool, draggin me out here for nothing." The one man spoke crossing his arms.
"Hey I thought I heard something okay? Better to check right?" The other shoved the man back for complaining. And, after a moment of looking around but not really finding anything the two walked over. The grass and dried leaves under their boots crunching with every step.
"Stupid, can't believe you" one mumbled in the distance.
Their voices faded away.
The stag in the cage gently rubbed his horns against the bars. And all was quiet again. Many of the mythic beings now watched in anticipation for the mortal being to set Nocthirn free. If they even could? Nocthirn himself didn't speak. but the voices and hushed whispers would again reach out to Jude .
"Gone, their gone! Hurry! The lock."
They were ever persistent. "Undo the lock, soooolve the riddle."
Nocthirn watched with red eyes glinting. Locked onto Jude when they would come out of hiding.
Now was the time, now or never. Luckily it seemed the rest of the folks that ran this place were asleep or away.
He jumped at the insistent voices in his head, his fingers digging into the cold earth below as the wagon supports dug into his back from above. "Would you be quiet?" Jude whispered in irritation to the voices. "This is stressful enough as it is without trying to figure out if the voice I am hearing is in my head or not!"
He waited, holding his breath, for the count of five. Then, not hearing anyone returning or other people around, he crawled stiffly out from under the cage and absently brushed himself off as he approached the lock once more. He lifted the lock and chose to imagine the top as being north. Spin twice one way, once the other way, and back again. It did not say how many times was "back again," so he assumed it was once. Carefully, he used only his fingertips to spin the dial to the west twice, then east, and back once more. That should do it! He hoped. He tried to remove the lock.
He waited, holding his breath, for the count of five. Then, not hearing anyone returning or other people around, he crawled stiffly out from under the cage and absently brushed himself off as he approached the lock once more. He lifted the lock and chose to imagine the top as being north. Spin twice one way, once the other way, and back again. It did not say how many times was "back again," so he assumed it was once. Carefully, he used only his fingertips to spin the dial to the west twice, then east, and back once more. That should do it! He hoped. He tried to remove the lock.
Nocthirn watched the boy. His red eyes, sharp and unblinking, followed every movement as Jude reached for the lock. It was subtle at first, the way the air seemed to shift, how the faint glow pulsed from the intricate mechanism as the boy carefully turned the dial.
One spin. A second. On the third, the glow flickered… then fizzled out. The lock remained shut.
A failure after the forth spin.
Nocthirn’s expression didn’t change, but his body tensed. His long, deer-like antlers cast jagged shadows against the walls of the cage as he lifted his head.
Then came the warning. A slow, steady pulse of red light. The lock flashed, once, twice. Rhythmic, like the heartbeat of a beast stirred from slumber.
Nocthirn rose to his hooves. He shifted. His body, previously still and waiting, took on a restless energy. Something was wrong. Even the ever-present whispers, the voices that murmured in Jude’s mind had gone silent.
Then, a new voice. Not the voices. A real one, someone was speaking to Jude.
"The lock, it's going to go off." There, in the dim firelight, stood the dancer, still in her cage.
The woman who had performed earlier, draped in fire and sorrow. She lingered just out of reach, her presence quiet yet intense. A flame flickering against the dark. She had been watching. Spying.
"Turn it three times to the North," she instructed, her voice hushed but firm. "That will reset it. Shut off the alarm."
"Hurry, before everyone's alerted." The dancer’s ember eyes, full of unspoken warnings, bore into his. She cared enough not to let him get caught.
Nocthirn, from within his cage, remained motionless. Waiting. Watching.
One spin. A second. On the third, the glow flickered… then fizzled out. The lock remained shut.
A failure after the forth spin.
Nocthirn’s expression didn’t change, but his body tensed. His long, deer-like antlers cast jagged shadows against the walls of the cage as he lifted his head.
Then came the warning. A slow, steady pulse of red light. The lock flashed, once, twice. Rhythmic, like the heartbeat of a beast stirred from slumber.
Nocthirn rose to his hooves. He shifted. His body, previously still and waiting, took on a restless energy. Something was wrong. Even the ever-present whispers, the voices that murmured in Jude’s mind had gone silent.
Then, a new voice. Not the voices. A real one, someone was speaking to Jude.
"The lock, it's going to go off." There, in the dim firelight, stood the dancer, still in her cage.
The woman who had performed earlier, draped in fire and sorrow. She lingered just out of reach, her presence quiet yet intense. A flame flickering against the dark. She had been watching. Spying.
"Turn it three times to the North," she instructed, her voice hushed but firm. "That will reset it. Shut off the alarm."
"Hurry, before everyone's alerted." The dancer’s ember eyes, full of unspoken warnings, bore into his. She cared enough not to let him get caught.
Nocthirn, from within his cage, remained motionless. Waiting. Watching.
Jude quickly followed the woman's instructions and flicked the dial three times to the north. What he'd done should have worked, so why hadn't it? He bit his lip. People had already been alerted, so he might as well move quickly rather than carefully. He still tried to take some care as he turned the dial again, this time going the opposite of what he'd done the first time. That had to work, right? Please let it work. He didn't think his heart could take anymore stress.
The sound of the lock clicked gently with every turn again. This time, the glow remained. It shimmered all across the lock, and finally it unlatched with a soft click noise.
The fire maiden stared from her cage. Her eyes locking into that latch. Seeing the boy grant Nocthirn freedom. It actually seemed like all the creatures within range watched with captivated eyes at the site of the lock opening up. Giving way to Nocthirn's freedom. Even the mythical being itself within the cage stood and stared with fixed red eyes.
Once the lock was off the latch holding the door. Nocthirn wasted no time. He used his horns. Rubbing against the cage door and pushing it open with ease. Of course he was careful of Jude. Not wanting to hurt the boy. He despised humans, but not enough to hurt them aimlessly. So now that the cage door was open and his massive form strode out with steady legs. The feeling was welcoming.
Nocthirn could only think how he might blow this chance to escape. So he had to do all he could to get away this time. But, he had one thing he wished to do first. Wish was to reward the boy for freeing him. He could not do this without their aid. He was sure the human was already tired of the voices. Given he could sense their unease whenever they reached out.
Firstly, Nocthirn stopped just before Jude. Despite his deer form. The glowing sigil between his antlers shined bright. Nocthirn bestowed a blessing upon Jude. As a gift for his freedom.
The feeling of a slight chill surrounded Jude. There was also a faintly hue of silver and blue-ish light emitting from Jude's own body.
Nothing seemed different at first. At least until Jude would walk. Only then would the young man notice a difference. Nocthirn could not give back the leg which Jude was missing. However. Instead, in its place was something different. It was a leg of wood, but instead of an attachment, it was now a solid piece. And it moved and flex just like any leg could. It didn't even hurt.
Nocthirn hurried off, leaving no time for talk. He jumped away! Hurrying into the night, his white form like a ghost among the forest trees and brush. None of the drunken men suppose to be watching them even heard his escape. That left the few entertainments to sit and watch as one of their own gained their freedom.
The lady of fire, the dancer. She sat, a small smile on her face despite her despair. She whispered to Jude. "Hurry, you should go. Before you are caught." Encouraging Jude to escape from this place as well!
The fire maiden stared from her cage. Her eyes locking into that latch. Seeing the boy grant Nocthirn freedom. It actually seemed like all the creatures within range watched with captivated eyes at the site of the lock opening up. Giving way to Nocthirn's freedom. Even the mythical being itself within the cage stood and stared with fixed red eyes.
Once the lock was off the latch holding the door. Nocthirn wasted no time. He used his horns. Rubbing against the cage door and pushing it open with ease. Of course he was careful of Jude. Not wanting to hurt the boy. He despised humans, but not enough to hurt them aimlessly. So now that the cage door was open and his massive form strode out with steady legs. The feeling was welcoming.
Nocthirn could only think how he might blow this chance to escape. So he had to do all he could to get away this time. But, he had one thing he wished to do first. Wish was to reward the boy for freeing him. He could not do this without their aid. He was sure the human was already tired of the voices. Given he could sense their unease whenever they reached out.
Firstly, Nocthirn stopped just before Jude. Despite his deer form. The glowing sigil between his antlers shined bright. Nocthirn bestowed a blessing upon Jude. As a gift for his freedom.
The feeling of a slight chill surrounded Jude. There was also a faintly hue of silver and blue-ish light emitting from Jude's own body.
Nothing seemed different at first. At least until Jude would walk. Only then would the young man notice a difference. Nocthirn could not give back the leg which Jude was missing. However. Instead, in its place was something different. It was a leg of wood, but instead of an attachment, it was now a solid piece. And it moved and flex just like any leg could. It didn't even hurt.
Nocthirn hurried off, leaving no time for talk. He jumped away! Hurrying into the night, his white form like a ghost among the forest trees and brush. None of the drunken men suppose to be watching them even heard his escape. That left the few entertainments to sit and watch as one of their own gained their freedom.
The lady of fire, the dancer. She sat, a small smile on her face despite her despair. She whispered to Jude. "Hurry, you should go. Before you are caught." Encouraging Jude to escape from this place as well!
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