The Changing

by Jeremy Laszlo

  Here in the small chamber, out of reach of the luminescent moons in the sky, with the deed done, Borrik’s mind-numbing need to sow his seed began to subside as realization took him. Images of conquest assaulted Borrik from all of his troops accompanied by the feeling of satisfaction and need. Even a couple of his other female troops had somehow managed to rouse the male in the encampment and forced him to bear his seed within them. All of Borrik’s troops with him this night seemed to have garnered their satisfaction in a feral need to proliferate their species. Though what would come of such breeding Borrik had no idea. The thoughts and memories and images from his pack should have sickened him, and in fact a small portion of Borrik felt the need to retch at the thought of what had just occurred. However, as a pack mentality, it was of necessity that they bred, an instinct driven not by desire but by the need to survive. No matter how much Borrik knew that the action was wrong, however, he was no longer a priest, nor was he any longer human, and this he realized was something that he was going to have to come to terms with. How Seth might react to such news was of concern to Borrik. He knew that this was not a secret to keep, and he would have to explain in detail this particular encounter to his master. Fortunately for Borrik, though, it was an isolated incident, in a deep remote portion of the forest, where word was unlikely to reach civilization or where fear might breed hatred for Seth and his troops. Redressed in his armor, Borrik exited the small cottage to find his pack looking both satisfied and refreshed. Not wanting to linger at the site of their horrific deeds, Borrik guided his troops further east with a thought, and took off sprinting as fast as his massive legs would carry him.

  Chapter 7

  Desolate Deeds and Breathtaking Beauty

  Garret traversed the city of Valdadore moving quickly and with purpose. Having shed his armor, he strode down the wide streets of the city feeling light of body, but heavy of soul. The deed he was prepared to do was one that he did not look forward to; in fact he loathed even the idea of it. He had imagined within his mind how it would play out time and time again, though each time he felt that his imaginings were not near enough to being sincere, or that any of them would actually transpire in real life. Though blessed by the mighty god Gorandor, Garret felt small and ashamed as he neared the inn named The King’s Herald. It was his brother who had inadvertently killed Lord Sirus, the leader and commander of the Knights of Valdadore. Yet it was Garret who would have to carry that news to the wife of the heroic knight. He hoped he could lend at least some small comfort to the newly widowed inn proprietor. Garret tried to picture tears streaming down the beautiful woman's face as her body was wracked with sobs, but much to his dismay, even his imagination could not prepare him for what might lay ahead. For try as he might, Garret simply could not conceive realistically what the beautiful, dark-haired woman might look like when grieving, having only ever experienced her breathtaking smile and intoxicating curves in a positive light before.

  As Garret neared the inn, a great sound resounded from deep within the building and steam issued out of the mouths and nostrils of the many carved men and beasts that made the decorative facade of the building. Remembering his first time viewing this spectacle accompanied by his twin, Seth’s girlfriend Sara and their friend Ashton, brought back fond memories but created grave worries of what was to come. Still no news of Seth had reached the city. Borrik and all of Seth’s other wolf troops were on the prowl looking for their master who, as far as anyone knew, was dead. Yet Garret held hope that his brother would be recovered and someday this would all just be a memory to tell their children and grandchildren. However, before that day could ever come, Garret had to get through this one. Steeling his resolve, Garret pulled the massive door open upon its hinges and stepped into the luxurious inn, hoping Sasha had not already heard the news.

  Striding across the polished floor of the reception area of the inn Garret glanced through the doorways both to the left and right for any sign of Sasha. Not seeing her, he pulled the woven cord dangling from the ceiling triggering a bell somewhere higher in the structure that resounded throughout the vast stone building. Attempting to prepare himself for the worst, Garret paced the floor nervously awaiting the widow of his fallen mentor. Several moments later Garret paused in his pacing as he heard the familiar clicking of Sasha's signature high-heeled boots across the dining room floor off to his left. Though Garret believed himself as prepared for the worst as he could possibly be, what happened next destroyed any semblance of resolve Garret could have attempted to hold on to.

  As Sasha swept into the room, her eyes swollen with grief, she stumbled slightly as recognition swept across her face briefly, a slight smile parting her lips. Garret realized immediately he had arrived too late, and Sasha's abnormally pale, grief-stricken face would turn out to be the least of Garret’s worries. Striding somewhat unevenly into the room, her arms clasped behind her back, adding even more heft to her already ample bosom, Sasha paused and stared blankly at Garret for a moment as if trying to puzzle out just what to say. Seemingly coming to a decision, Sasha moved again as if to embrace Garret. As she closed the distance, Sasha unclasped her hands from behind her back, revealing at the same time both her gruesome deed and the reason for it.

  "I'm so sorry, Garret, for you to see me this way, but I love him more than life itself," Sasha said in a near whisper.

  As Sasha trod the final step she reached out her arms, bleeding heavily from each wrist, and stumbling again she fell into Garret’s arms. Seeing the situation for what it was, Garret caught the falling woman in his arms, and for a moment the shock of the situation left him frozen, knowing not what to do. But instantly Garret’s conscious mind was set aside as his instincts took over. Heaving Sasha's limp body into his arms Garret turned and began to run with her towards the door. Praying to the mighty god Gorandor, screaming the prayer as he ran, Garret began to shimmer and with a concussive boom exploded in size, his body becoming akin to steel as he hunched over to fit within the confines of the corridor, and wrapping his massive body around Sasha he tried to protect her from what was to come.

  Without slowing and without hesitation Garret careened into the massive wooden door, driving his shoulder through the wood, sending splinters flying in all directions as portions of the stone wall exploded around him. His feet leaving impressions in the stone cobbled streets, the giant man of steel raced towards the castle proper, blind to everything but the task at hand. As his giant form pounded down the street, windows shattered from the vibrations of his footfalls and people screamed and dove from his path in an attempt to flee a certain death beneath him. Leaving a trail of shattered glass, ruined road and screaming citizens behind him, Garret raced without pause to the castle. Ducking low Garret slid beneath the gated portcullis, sending the guards reeling in panic as he rose back to his full height again, stretching out his strides.

  As Garret closed the distance between himself and his destination, he focused on the power coursing through his body. Sealing it away broke the connection between himself and the god he served. Shimmering once again, with a loud popping sound like a cork shot from a bottle, Garret again resumed his original form as he continued the last few strides to the tower of the various orders of mages. Not waiting for the enchanted door to swing open and admit him, Garret lowered his shoulder once again in preparation of the impact. Connecting with the door, this time in his normal flesh and blood, Garret’s shoulder and arm exploded in pain as the door gave way. Shattering his collar bone and dislocating his shoulder did not even give Garret pause. Racing down the main hall of the first floor Garret shouted for help, all the while bearing Sasha's lifeless body with his remaining good arm.

  Rushing down the hall, shouting all the while, Garret was somewhat relieved as a head poked out from a doorway ahead, and realizing the source of the commotion in the hall, the man stepped out of the room he had been in revealing the white robes of his order. Garret ran until the last second, and leaning back upon his heels came to a sliding s
top on the polished stone floors of the mage’s tower, nearly colliding with the healer who bid him place Sasha on the floor where they stood so he could assess her wounds.

  Shaking his head in defeat, the healer looked to Garret with dismay upon his face and without so much as a prayer to his goddess began to speak.

  "I am sorry, friend," the healer stated. "I will be of little help to you now. She is already gone, and even if she wasn’t, my healing abilities are very limited. My gift is of another nature."

  "What do you mean, gone?" Garret nearly screamed in anger at the frail looking man before him. "She was standing and talking just moments ago. Any healer with half of a shred of talent could have her back on her feet within moments.”

  "Perhaps you are correct," the cleric admitted. "However, my talent for healing resides not so much in the flesh as in the spirit, and the only other healer within the city walls at this moment to my knowledge is Karishtala herself, though I know not where she is.”

  Garret knew the man's words to be true. The rest of the cities’ healers were with the main force of the army who were at this moment marching back to the city, the same way he had come not long before.

  "So there is nothing you can do for her?" Garret whispered, knowing himself defeated. "You have to do something!" Garret demanded attempting to keep his voice from breaking. Death seemed to have surrounded him over the last few days.

  "There is one thing I might do, though I have a feeling it will be more for you than for her," the healer replied.

  "Do it," Garret begged.

  Reaching down to cup Sasha's face in his hands, the healer leaned back his head and began to pray. As his chant grew in volume and in speed his hands began to glow with pale white luminescence. The healer then turned himself to look at the dead woman in his hands, and Garret watched as both the healer and Sasha opened their eyes, their gazes locked upon one another. It was an eerie sight to say the least, with Sasha's lifeless eyes rolled back in her head, showing only the whites, yet even so they seemed transfixed on those of the healer. If that were not enough, the dead woman's mouth began to move as if she were speaking, but no words escaped her lips. Garret watched on in horror as the healer continued to cup Sasha's head in his hands, and they appeared to have an entire silent conversation. Then apparently finished with his task, the healer released Sasha's face, and Garret watched as her eyes again closed and any sign of life left her. The healer's prayer changed in tone and intensity as the glowing ceased in his hands and, with a shudder running through his body, Garret watched knowingly as the healer locked away the power of his goddess. Then the healer once again opened his eyes, this time turning to face Garret.

  "Sasha was a very lovely lady, wasn't she?" the healer asked.

  "Yes she was," Garret replied, looking at the healer with confusion clearly on his face.

  "She spoke fondly of you, Lord Garrett," the healer began. "She said to tell you she was very sorry you had to find her in such a condition, but wanted you to understand you have in no way failed her nor her husband. In fact, she said she needed to be with him now and so took her own life willingly. She wanted to thank you for your attempt to save her, and also asked me to pass on a further request if you are willing to hear it." The healer stated, pausing for his answer.

  Garret was a bit taken aback, and for a lack of words simply nodded his head in response.

  "Sasha told me you are an honorable man, more so than any other her husband had ever met. She told me that her husband was very fond of you, and believed that one day you would accomplish things more grand than he could ever imagine. Sasha wished to ask you to look after her and Sirus' daughter for her. Her name is Linaya and she can be found within the castle," the healer concluded.

  Garret again simply nodded his head in response. He would of course carry out the last wishes of his mentor's wife. Speaking briefly to the healer, Garret was assured that Sasha’s body would be prepared in time to bury with her husband's armor, laying them both to rest. Garret placed her body upon a large stone table in a room designed for such activities, , and silently saying a prayer to Gorandor for the fallen woman and her husband, Garret spun upon his heel and strode back out to the castle to locate his new charge.

  Sundown and the meeting that came with it was only an hour away. Garret did not look forward to countless hours of politics. Nor did he have any desire to deal with those striving to gain power and wealth through the deaths of their friends and allies. However, having a greater purpose at the moment, Garret took no time to process the emotions swirling within him, instead concentrating on the task at hand.

  Passing through the various courtyards and gates surrounding the castle in waves of defensive structures, Garret strode into the massive stone building with one arm hanging lifeless at his side, a man of singular purpose. Knowing the best resource for the answers he sought would be among the staff of the castle itself, Garret simply wandered the halls until he found a young woman sweeping a vacant corridor. Questioning the woman, Garret was able to establish the location of Linaya’s chambers upon the third floor. Garret navigated the castle quickly knowing his time was growing ever shorter, but he slowed momentarily realizing what it was he was about to do. Once again Garret was the harbinger of bad news, having to tell this woman not only of the death of her father, but also of the loss of her mother. Garret hoped, as he approached the door to the woman's chamber, that this encounter would not turn out the same as the last.

  Pausing a moment outside the chambers that were said to be those of Linaya’s, Garret took a deep breath and raised his remaining good hand and knocked loudly upon the unadorned wooden door. As Garret waited for any sound from the other side, he realized just how much pain his ruined shoulder and collar bone were causing now that the adrenaline was leaving his body. Trying to ignore his discomfort, Garret knocked once more. After waiting again for several moments Garret concluded that Linaya must be elsewhere but as he turned to stride back the way he had come, he heard the latch on the door click as it was released from inside. For the second time that day, Garret turned to witness a vision that he could have in no way been prepared to behold.

  As Garret turned back to face the opening door, a young woman stepped into the expanse of the hallway of the like that Garret had never seen before. Immediately Garret knew the woman before him was Linaya, as the resemblance to her mother was more than obvious. However beautiful Garret had believed Sasha to be, her memory was diminished greatly in comparison to her daughter. It was true the two women shared the same basic bone structure and figure, and even their faces were shaped very similarly. But for every beautiful trait the mother had, the daughter had it as well, only in the daughter it was perfected and personified in a way as to leave Garret both astonished and breathless having never beheld a sight as beautiful as Linaya, the daughter who now had lost both of her parents.

  Gathering his thoughts as best as he was able, Garret found that words had completely escaped him, at least momentarily. Trying to not look a fool, he took a few steps to close the distance between himself and the woman whom he was supposed to look out for. Upon closer inspection, Garret could now distinguish rings around the young woman's eyes, proof that she too had been grieving the loss of Sirus, though Garret was perplexed at the fact that even the puffiness around the woman's eyes and the redness of her nose seemed somehow to be beautiful, as if her beauty was so pure as to make even her flaws attractive. Knowing so long as he held her beauty within his view he would remain unable to concentrate, Garret turned his gaze to the floor before starting to speak.

  "M'lady Linaya, forgive me this intrusion," Garret began, and continued without awaiting a response, not wanting to break his resolve. "My name is Garret, I served among the knights with your father, and considered your mother a friend. Though I mourn with you, I must admit that I cannot find the proper words with which to tell you that I must bring you more bad news. Your mother, Lady Sasha, was so overcome with grief that she took her own life. She pa
ssed away in my own arms to be once again with your father as I was rushing her to the mage’s tower seeking a healer to treat her wounds."

  Garret stood a moment longer, his gaze locked upon the floor at the woman's feet. Moments passed in silence as Garret stood transfixed in place like a newly erected stature in the corridor, but not wanting to seem uncaring he finally raised his head to meet the gaze of the beauty before him.

  Linaya stood with her fist clenched to her face obscuring most of her nose and open mouth. Though beautiful as she was, the horror and pain that had overcome her features was nearly too much for Garret to bear. Tears streamed down Linaya’s small face. So in shock was the young woman that she could not relax her muscles enough even to sob, and with her world falling apart around her and the inability to take a breath, Linaya’s legs gave out beneath her and she crumpled to the floor in a heap. Garret reacted instantly, falling to his knees. Gathering up the small woman in his good arm, he pulled her into his chest and simply held her hoping to take some of her pain into himself. Linaya still remained unmoving, having become rigid again once upon the floor. For many moments Garret feared the woman had endured more than her heart could handle, and he feared for a second time this day a woman would die in his arms. But this fear was proved groundless as Linaya’s body shook with grief and her pain was released in a torrent of sobs and tears unlike anything Garret had ever imagined possible from a woman so small. So pure was Linaya’s pain that Garret too began to cry, her pain opening wounds in his own soul he had been ignoring for days. After near an hour Linaya adjusted herself to relieve some physical strain, and without so much as an attempt to rise, wrapped her arms around Garret’s neck, hugging him like a child might her father. She cried into his neck quietly as his own tears fell unchecked upon her hair.