In the dark forest 4 shadowy figures flashed, using trees as covers. They were following a hooded figure who was walking in front, but he was covering considerable ground considering he was walking.
The figure was moving like he was unknowing of his entourage, but that wasn't the whole truth
`Damn this cult leader is paranoid, he got these inhumans patrolling the town all day and all night, I can't even get close before they notice, and what's up with their senses and speed, what type of creature are they? They aren't vampires.` The hooded man thought.
He had been observing since the weird blood ritual 1 month ago, and the whole town is now filled with fanatics, sure the people are alive and not suffering from famine, but are they really themselves?
He can tell these cultists aren't here to help and collect interest, no, they are here to eat all, maybe not now, maybe not tomorrow, but eventually they will strike, and then he will be there to stop it, preferably before it happens.
He has listened in on the preaches that Thorn has and its a perversion of the original catholic doctrine. It's twisted beyond recognition. It's all just to serve their needs, entire phrases meanings have changed, sure they sound similar, but the meaning is distorted.
But the townspeople are eating it, but he has already recognized that after the whole blood ritual 1 month ago that they are a lost cause. But he wants to stop this cult, before it becomes another vampire race, since these are more terrifying than any vampire he's ever met. They are raising the townspeople just to feed on their souls, like they are cattle.
Back in the town, Thorn is getting filled in on the situation by a Husk, he smiled to himself and thought, `It seems we got ourselves a self-righteous hero.` Since he got information on this hooded individual increased patrols around the town. He wanted to understand the motives this hooded figure had, and it seems they don't align with theirs.
After a while the patrols who had been following the hooded figure came back. Thorn had been thinking and had come to a conclusion, "Next time you see him inform the hunting party, this guy needs to go." Thorn said with dismissal.
The hunting part had a Herald in charge and 3 Apostles and 5 Acolytes as subordinates, he didn't believe they couldn't kill some supernatural creature with that lineup, even that vampire they had fought before if he met this lineup, surprise attack or not wouldn't matter he couldn't win.
While Thorn was building faith and belief, Loyd was building capital, he and the merchant had cooperated on a lot, and the rumors about their tireless workers and good success rate in transporting goods had become great marketing.
They were swimming in money but that didn't help if you wanted to buy food since… there is no food to buy. The people who have food left over are not selling it, because who knows how long this famine will last.
So they had to find alternative methods, one was rabbits…
They imported them from all over, and being a transportation guru was helpful in transporting rabbits.
The rabbits were surprisingly… fertile animals. And since they had money they bought houses and rebuilt them for an inhouse breeding ground since letting them go semi wild was risky and rebuilding some old houses as a breeding ground made it easier to guard and prevent hungry townsfolk from poaching the stock prematurely.
They could be fed on stuff humans didn't eat like tree fodder which is dried leaves then there was stuff like, grass, dandelions, nettles, kitchen scraps, hay. It was all stuff that humans normally wouldn't consume but rabbits could thrive on. And the tireless Husks were perfect collectors.
And in 3 months they would have food, then just rinse and repeat, plus, production ramps up with more breeders and the breeders needed to be protected they could not cull to many females since that would be counter productive and every litter a few females needed to be saved so they could replace the older ones later. Maximum efficiency.
The months passed, and since the merchant had made the town where Thorp was his trading company's headquarters the flow of people was healthy and it was helping the economical situation in the town considerably.
The merchants planting of is HQ on town signaled stability and opportunity in town so more and more people with lucrative professions were attracted, smiths, cloth sellers, moneylenders, peddlers.
The circulation of wealth turned and from the majority going out it went in. The influx of people ment influx of money.
Plus the merchant had fixed roads, dug wells, built storage barns, etc.
And with the rabbit scheme this all led to a town that was actually thriving.
People poured in, and with them they brought coin, labor and new life. The markets were busier, the inn's benches no longer empty, and even the poorest could find work and food where there before had been only hunger.
Thorn stood and glanced over the reborn town and felt the tithe of soul was increasing daily, the more people entered town, the more people were possible new believers in the lord.
The hooded figure had not been seen recently, although it would be hard to notice him now since the town has a much larger influx of people and if he just joined some group entering the town he would be hard to notice.
Just then he felt a connection to a Husk disappear, it was just outside of town. It was hard to see that far, with only the help of moonlight. Thorp quickly called the hunting party over and told them to head over there and see what happened.
Thorp could bet that it was the hooded figure that must have gotten into a confrontation with a husk.
And he was right, over in the forest just outside town, the hooded figure was seen running through the forest as he cursed under his breath.
He had approached one of the cult fanatics to maybe get some information or see if they could be saved, but the fanatic attacked him on sight. He didn't get a word out, and it was strong, way stronger than a normal human, plus that he was kinda caught off guard by the sudden attack with no hesitation from the other end which got him injured.
The injury wasn't serious but it did draw blood, and considering the senses of these fanatics he wouldn't be surprised if they could track him. And he wanted to put as much distance between himself and them as possible. That was why he was running the way he was.
Just as he was thinking this he heard the sound of breaking the air behind him, by pure instinct he dodged to the side and narrowly dodged a dagger thrown at the back of his head.
Turning his head to look behind him he saw a party of 9 people coming toward him. The one at the front excluded a real aura of danger and was also what seems like the one who threw the dagger.
He recognized them as cultists. He was surprised they could get here so fast. They must have some connection so they feel when one of their own has been killed.
He turned around and kept running, but it was useless. They were as fast as him and they also seemed tireless.
He gritted his teeth and moved towards a clearing. He was going to have to fight them, it was dangerous but he couldn't keep running.
After he entered the clearing he kept running to the other end then he turned around and was face to face with the 9 cultists. They all took out daggers and stared at him.
He looked into their eyes and couldn't help but feel chilled, scare value vise, vampires were nothing compared to these cultists, it was just something eerie about them.
They moved in unison towards him, then one on the furthest left and right side moved, leaping in his direction with the daggers ready. He took the initiative and moved towards the one on the left side and a brawl broke out.
The dagger came in an upwards swiping motion towards the side of his face. He barely had time to turn his head away and with a side step he sent a punch towards the face of the cultist who didn't even flinch. He stomached the punch to the face as a cracking noise could be heard, the cultist stopped and then moved his head towards the robed figure again and then spit out a tooth in his direction and once again pounced on the robed figure.
The robed figure looked in shock, did these things feel no pain? He just spit out a tooth.
He was in an even more of a dilemma since another one was closing in from the other side. He moved with speed and took a step backwards then punched toward the one coming from the right side. The cultist upon seeing this swung his dagger at the robed man's arm, the robed man saw this and leaped backwards.
He saw they were now right in front of him, he knew he couldn't win, not like this. He sighed and said, "I didn't wanna do this, I just got these clothes." Then he removed the robe and threw it to the side, as the robe landed on the ground his body started to change or shift.
He rapidly grew hair and his form expanded, upon seeing this sight the Herald sent a message to Thorp.
Thorp who got the message headed out he wanted to see this monster for himself.
The robed man now fully changed was a huge wolf with dark hair and brown eyes. He was growling towards the two cultists in front. But they didn't back down, they leapt at each other and the two cultists got slapped by the wolf's claw.
The other cultists upon seeing their peers fail hurriedly surrounded the wolf and started to target legs and the face, the Herald upon seeing this scene simply stood and watched, every now and then he would interfere with some TK, send rocks, branches or even interfere with the wolf directly.
One of the cultists got bitten across the abdomen and then flung across the clearing then came a thud… then there was just silence, laying there his body not responding but slowly his body started to twitch as he stood.
Even after he stood up his body was twitching but slowly the twitching receded as he made his way back towards the wolf.
The cultist's clothes on his upper body were soaked and in tatters. The amount of blood he lost would have, at least if not killing a normal person, sent them into hypovolemic shock.
This scene kept appearing in the clearing: the cultists got a mortal wound then got up after recovering.
The wolf got visibly annoyed at the scene, and it didn't help that there was an ever increasing amount of wounds that kept appearing on his body.
Just when the wolf felt the most desperate, Thorn appeared, the cultists stopped attacking the wolf, but the wolf didn't get the memo as he bit into one of the cultists and once again flung him across the clearing.
Thorn didn't bat an eye at the scene and said, "Hello, Mr wolf man, I believe this is the first time we have met officially at least."
The wolf stopped and just stared and then huffed in response.
Thorn looked at him and said, "You are not going to change back? I have some questions for you." The wolf just growled in response feeling humiliated.
Thorn sighed and said, "You forced me." As Thorn said this the wolf got into a defensive position but it was too late, and it was too injured.
A dagger flew out and cut him along the side, it was not a mortal wound, but that also wasn't the point, the wolf staggered but didn't fall.
Thorp smiled and said, "You think I missed?" The wolf's eyes widened at the question.
"Did you think I would come here without a leash already forged for you?"
Just as he was contemplating if the mocking words were a mind trick to mess with him he felt dizzy and his vision darkened.
Thorp smiled and said, "The dagger was covered in potent poison, have a good sleep."
The last thing he saw was Thorn's smile, lit in moonlight, colder than any winter night.
Thorp, now staring at the man's unconscious body, looked over at the cultists and said, "Carry him back." after he said that he turned around and left.
The cultists looked at each other and then two people stepped forward and grabbed either of the man's arms and dragged him back to town.
The man had no idea how his self-righteous hero act would cost him.
But… he would soon find out.
He would wake again. But not as himself.
CHAPTER END.