Silent Garden Last Fragment

As Saleme was carried across the grassy land his complaining only got louder. “Oh come on let me down, I outrank all of you!” He shouted wiggling to get free from guards grasps.
“I am warning you if you do not let me down the world will be doomed and you will die most painfully extremely painfully like majorly painfully!” He snapped at the guards only for them to laugh at him.

“Okay that is it I am threatening, if I am returned to the library I will burn it down!” He snapped.
“Plus unlike everyone else in the castle I am the only one who can translate the old books on the idols so unless you want me to burn ancient tomes I would put me down!” He demanded this time hitting the soldiers back with his hands.

Mizzix crouched lower in his hiding spot in the tree, listening to those around him. The voice had sent him to this spot on the outskirts of Quill Town, and now he was awaiting his next message.

"Follow him."


"Follow who, creator?"


An image of Saleme formed in his mind.

"Great, the one being imprisoned. This may be harder than I thought." Mizzix muttered to himself. He stood still in the tree, awaiting to see if Saleme would free himself.

Sukob sniffed the air, detecting multiple scents in the area. Aside from Saleme and the five guards, there was at least three individuals. Two didn’t seem close enough to intervene immediately so he left the scents alone. One scent was stronger than the others, Sukob deeming it due to proximity. He imagined an alquerque board and placed all of the discernable scents atop it. He furrowed his brows, Saleme was hollering. “What a noisy weakling,” Sukob surmised in distaste, watching the scene between Saleme and his captors unfold. He slithered across the floor silently, his only betrayer the tall grass. “I’ll kill him first so I won’t have to hear his cries,” Sukob thought, readying himself to leap. Seconds from pouncing Saleme uttered the magic words that would save his life:

“Plus unlike everyone else in the castle I am the only one who can translate the old books on the idols so unless you want me to burn ancient tomes I would put me down!” He demanded this time hitting the soldiers back with his hands.

There was a twinkle in Sukob’s eyes. Though the thought of Saleme lying crossed his mind, it didn’t deter him from acting quickly. Bursting into a quick sprint, Sukob leapt form the grass and bit into one of the Elven guard’s neck. The sudden attack startled the other guards, one elf and three humans. Immediately piercing his jugular vein, he stood up and spit the elf out to the side of the group. Sukob slashed toward the other Elf’s neck, connecting with his claws. The guard dropped to his knees, clutching his neck. He faced toward Saleme, “Don’t worry, I’ll save you!” Sukob announced, flashing a fake smile. He dropped into a defensive stance as the three Human guards began to surround the leopard Beastman.

Arch watched as the beastman attacked the guards quickly taking out the two elves.

"uh Vent." He thought "you might want to alert others of the royal guard that their uh... idol tome translator ... is being 'saved' by a beastman and he's vicious. He's already taken out two guards and the other three might be in for some fast and furry combat. He's a killer."

Vent hummed "thanks Arch, I'll send out an alert. What are you going to do."

"uh as much as I like to help the two fallen guards and try to restore them if possible, uh I don't want to get in the middle of the fight besides it's not like everyone wants me to work on them."

"if you can save them Arch do it." Vent muttered

"okay..." Arch muttered "I'll see what I can do."

Vent would look around the entrance into town to see if any other royal guards were nearby.

Raija's muscles tensed as the man being carried off started to flail a bit, faint sounds coming from his direction. She couldn't make out the words, but recognized them as pleas. A prisoner screaming for help didn't seem out of the ordinary, so she kept her eyes on her mark. Watching closely, she narrowed her attention to the beast's hind legs, waiting for his pounce. Soon enough, the beast jumped into the air for his target. This was the same time Raija's dagger could be heard whizzing through the air towards the group. in a quick burst of light and a tuft of feathers she appeared in the air in front of Sukob and the guards with dagger in hand. "My apologies." She said turning to throw the dagger into Sukob's neck.

“Don’t worry, I’ll save you!”


Raija's eyes widened as the beast began to speak, the dagger leaving her hand soon after his words left his mouth. She gracefully landed on the floor as the blade zipped past Sukob's neck into a tree behind him. "This changes things." She said observing the two dead elves around him. "I thought you were just an animal, but it seems you're a beastman. For what reason did you attack these two elves?" She inquired as she looked at the human guards surrounding her and Sukob. "I don't think you all should stay." She warned the guards, waiting on Sukob's response. 

Mizzix's eyes widened as the situation turned from worse, to farce, to worse again.

"Why must you test me, Creator." He cursed, before his attention was pricked by the arrival of a carriage on the road.

= = = = = = 

An ornate, beautifully upholstered carriage was being gently trotted down the road, and stopped a short distance away from Saleme, the guards, Sukobe, and Raija. 

A small sire hopped out, and ran up to the group, wringing his hands and bowing.

"I don't mean to interrupt, fellows, but my passenger needs urgent access to the town, on special visitation from Oasis, seeking audience with-"

"Honestly, Tritontite, just let the guards do their job and kill the commoner. I'm sure we can wait a few moments." A loud, imperious voice called from the carriage. The voice's owner peeked out through the window as she spoke next.

"I'm sure they'll be quick with offing the vagrant, if only they....Saleme?!"


There was a pause before the head shot back into the carriage, and then the door was flung open, and a beautiful sire woman walked out, her body covered in living flowers, and her flaming red hair flowing like water.

She approached the group regally, smiling widely. As she approached them, she waited a moment, then frowned and coughed. Tritontite jumped, and then, seemingly remembering, picked a small harp from his pocket, and began to play it softly, while speaking in a bored tone.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I announce to you and may you bask in the beauty of, Miss Eideara Monsoon, Second of Her Name among the Summerhaze clan, and heir to-"

"Yes, yes, alright, Tritontite, that's enough. But Saleme! This is exactly the human I wished to see! I have urgent business with him. I beseech you, noble guards, please release this little wretch, and allow him to be safely in my custody instead. The Oasis has urgent and important business with him and his...."

She gazed at Raija and Sukobe a moment. 

"...his staff."

She noticed the dead elves on the floor, and tutted. "Well, accidents will happen. I'm very eager for this human to join me. I do hope this won't become a trend."

The gleam of Raija’s dagger jettisoned through the open air caught Sukob’s eye. As it passed his neck, Raija appeared in front of the remaining guards and Saleme. Sukob emitted a low growl, growing fed up with the interruptions. First it was the Tome Decipherer, now it was this female Hunter Human. As he sized her up, he could hear Saleme chattering in the background.

"don’t kill anyone!"
“cripple them.”
“don’t get blood on the books.”

Sukob exhaled slowly, his yellow eyes never leaving Raija’s gaze. The leopard beastman inched toward her, all the while releasing and retracting his claws. He towered over her standing at 8’4”. “I killed them because they were too weak to stay alive. I’ll do the same to you, lest you prove otherwise,” He threatened. As he got into an offensive range to attack, one cowardly guard began to flee. “Tysh faygmehk. Oui lyh'd nih vnus sa*,” Sukob muttered, preparing his leg muscles for a chase.

Surprisingly, the guard disappeared behind an ornately decorated carriage. It sauntered along the road until it stopped a small ways next to the growing group of people. After a small Sire exited the vehicle, Sukob let out a roar. Truly, everything about this town was irritating. Now they even let Sire scum enter? In too much disbelief to utter any words, Sukob watched in awe at the event transpiring. A Sire Princess of sorts, all but delivered directly into his claws. Trying to quell his growing bloodlust, Sukob only hung on a few of her words.

“…human I wished to see!...safely in my custody…The Oasis…important business...”

Seems the Tome Decipherer has befriended a Sire. Sukob retracted his claws while looking between Tritonite and Miss Monsoon. If I am to acquire the tomes, he’ll prefer his friends to be alive. Sukob looked back at Raija and the remaining human guard. “Famm, ev E lyh'd gemm dra vecr janseh... oui femm cesbmo ryja du tu*.” Sukob immediately closed the distance between him and the guard. In the same motion, he pierced the armor plate with his forearm and lifted the guard into the air. The guard gurgled blood out of his mouth, spitting it at Sukob’s face. The leopard’s expression remained steadfast as he threw the human to the ground. He met with everyone’s eyes. “Tome Decipherer. I’ve saved you. I shall travel with you to find the Tomes,” He said, not accepting anything aside from an ‘okay’ an as answer. Sukob descended to the ground and began chewing on the deceased guard’s arm. He glared at the Sires then back at Saleme. “I’ll let you catch you up with your acquaintance.”

Al Bhed Translations
*Damn weakling. You can’t run from me
*Well, if I can't kill the fish vermin... you will simply have to do.