A/N: This chapter contains some of the darker aspects of humanity. Graphic descriptions are present and will be upsetting to some.

Chapter Six

It was dark when both men and beasts arrived at the outskirts of the wood. Dingo took the lead, taking them down a small, well-hidden game trail into the center of the grove. A few short minutes later, they left the path and slowly crept to the edge of a large clearing. Dingo’s intelligence seemed to hold up, as two rather ugly and bored looking men stood guard at opposite ends of the camp, staring out into the woods. Quite a few ratty tents stood in various states of disrepair, the largest and least damaged of which was pointed out by Dingo as “the Lion’s den”, as the leader had so named it, following his bandit moniker. The raiders had taken to calling it ‘Cock’s Rest’, in honor of where their dick of a leader laid his head at night.

Jay quickly formulated a plan. He would take out the guard on the East side of camp, while Dingo took the West. Once those two were dealt with, they would sweep the tents, silently slaying anyone inside. There were supposedly twelve women and children in the camp, ten of which could be seen huddled together near a smoldering fire, bound at the wrists and feet. Jay’s eyes narrowed dangerously at the missing two captives, making Dingo swallow nervously. As a relatively new member he had never been allowed to take any liberties with their prisoners, both prior and present, which was probably the only reason Jay had decided to spare him.

Bane and Kara huffed slightly before laying down to watch the carnage. It seemed they would not be needed, but Jay would most likely allow them to snack on a few bandit corpses, as long as they weren’t too disease infested, so they decided to stick around and watch the two humans at their work.

Jay melted back into the shadows as Dingo slowly made his way, as stealthily as he could to the first guard. Jay had given him back one of his daggers as they travelled as-well-as the bow he had received, the last of which Dingo now held loosely in his hand, an arrow knocked and ready. Jay watched as Dingo got into position before rapidly, but silently, rushing the lookout from his flank, sinking his dagger deep into the man’s throat before he could call out and slowly lowered the man to the ground.

A light thump was all he heard as Dingo sunk an arrow through the other man’s eye, instantly killing him. Jay had to give it to the former bandit, at least he was competent with a bow. Jay moved as a shadow through the camp, silently marking empty tents with a slice through the front fabric and slitting the throats of three sleeping men, before he met Dingo at the side of the leader’s tent. Grunting and the sound of bodies slapping together could be heard through the thin fabric.

Jay seethed, his hazel eyes darkening to a deep black as Dingo shrunk back in fear. Jay threw open the tent sash, observing the scene in an instant. A large, hairy and naked man was mounted atop a young, pretty teenage girl whose eyes stared vacantly into the canvas above. That alone would have been enough justification for Jay to deal with the bandit harshly, however, Jay spotted the other missing victim as well, in the far corner of the tent. A girl no older than nine lay in the dirt, her small, naked body covered in purple and black bruises, congealing blood pooled around her from countless small cuts, the light from her eyes having long been snuffed out.

A cold, dark rage settled into Jay’s heart, his bloodlust radiating throughout the tent. He grasped the man by his hair and pulled him off the unresponsive teenager with a primal growl, dragging him outside with shouts of surprise and pain. Every bruise, every cut, every scar that marred that little girl's body would be repaid tenfold. He would feel the same pain and desperation, the complete lack of hope that she had felt, before his soul fled his body. Only then would Jay feel justice had been upheld.

Dingo rapidly retreated, the fear at seeing Jay’s eyes earlier paled in comparison the pure fury and bloodlust cascading throughout the camp. Jay tossed the still naked and squirming man next to the campfire before drawing two daggers and staking his wrists to the ground, causing a chilling scream to echo throughout the night.

“Dennis.” Jay’s sudden calm and collected voice made Dingo shudder, an unnatural chill creeping up his spine. “Go find some clean blankets and cover the one still alive after checking her for injuries. After that, bring me two more daggers and cut the women and children free. Take them to the meeting place. I will join you shortly with the one inside.” Dingo did not miss the significance of Jay using his real name and quickly fled to follow his instructions. The bandit leader had ceased his screaming, instead opting for pain filled moans and whimpers between sobs pleading for his life.

The Drenz had crept up warily after feeling Jay’s bloodlust from where they watched in the woods. They had never felt such rage and thirst for death from their adopted human and looks of worry could be seen in their eyes. Kara crept up to the main tent and poked her head inside before rapidly retreating with deep, throaty growl. Bane caught the message and both took up positions beside Jay as he stared down at the cowering worm before him.

The prisoners looked on in fascination at their savior. Tall, handsome and wild, cloaked in fur darker than the abyss itself, righteous fury etched across his features as he stood over their tormentor, his two massive black beasts at his side. Every single woman and child etched his image into their mind. Shira’s instrument of justice, delivering them from evil and protecting them in their most dire moment. It was thirty minutes later when Dingo, pale as a ghost, exited the tent and led the prisoners away, assuring them Jay would catch up, bringing the missing girl with him. Jay did not want them to see what he was going to do next.

He waited several minutes before he knelt down next to the whimpering man and whispered in his ear. “What I am about to do to you is so much less than you deserve for the pain you have caused. May you spend an eternity with Vratix personally attending you in the abyss.” For the first time since arriving, Jay invoked the name of one of gods. Carl and Nial had spoken at length with him about the various deities and the ideology surrounding the invocation of a deity’s name. Speaking their name with true intentions brought your situation to their attention. Naturally, doing it too often was generally frowned upon and could easily get one cursed with the ire of the divine. Jay was not particularly keen on bringing attention to himself, but dire situations demanded appropriate response, and asking for Vratix, the god of death and the abyss, for his attention was well worth the risk in his opinion.

Jay removed a third dagger from its sheath in his boot before he crouched down at the bandit’s feet. He latched on to each leg to prevent struggling before impaling each ankle into the earth with the two daggers Dennis had delivered, causing another bout of screaming to come from the “Lion’s” mouth. Jay took his own dagger in his right hand and slowly worked his way up from the man’s feet. After ripping out toenails one by one, toes were slowly and methodically removed, occasionally stopping to insure the bandit remained conscious. From there, Jay sliced open the man’s knees, removing the kneecaps before digging the point into the nerve centers in the thighs. The bandit passed out for the first time.

Upon waking, Jay proceeded to skin the man alive, methodically removing the skin from each leg before cauterizing the open flesh with wood from the campfire. An additional three times the bandit’s consciousness faded away, only to awaken shortly thereafter to blinding, unyielding pain. Grabbing fabric from one of the tents, Jay grasped the bandit’s manhood before slicing it off and shoving the member deep into the man’s throat before cauterizing the wound. It was deathly quiet. The bandit’s voice had given out long ago, the crackling of the fire the only noise to be heard as the Drenz watched with stoic countenance.

Jay sliced open the man’s stomach, leaving the cavity open to the environment before scraping the dagger along the sensitive nerve endings on the ribcage. Jay went to work on the rapist’s hands, removing nails before methodically removing each digit. Jay finally stabbed into the man’s armpits, hitting the major nerve centers before slicing his eyelids off, carving MURDERER into his chest, and RAPIST into his skull.

Vratix must have listened and responded, as there should have been no way for the man to survive that much pain and blood loss for such an extended period of time, yet still he breathed. The surrounding area was a layer of pooled blood. Jay cleansed his hands with bandit canteens of water and wine before retrieving the deceased girl’s body from the tent. Bane and Kara dug a large hole at the edge of the clearing beneath a large oak tree where Jay delicately placed the broken body. After replacing the displaced dirt and carving a brief memorial into the tree, Jay began rooting through the camp, packing away food, water and anything of potential value. Weapons, coins and anything shiny went into his pack.

Jay stood and stared down at the man’s barely conscious eyes one last time. “If you were a lion, then I was a dragon,” was all he said as the bandit breathed his last. Jay headed into the woods, carrying the sleeping young women in his arms, his black Drenz shadows following closely behind.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daphenious and Shira were both staring in sick, abject wonder as the scene unfolded before them, unable to remove their eyes as one mortal methodically dismantled the other. At the completion, both were immensely pale as they watched the man make his way across a field of grass carrying a broken girl in his arms. They paled, not in horror of his actions. Shira, as the goddess of justice, felt the torture was well within bounds for necessary retribution, while Daphenious was just amused at the interesting human doing interesting things. They paled not for the gruesome display, but for the name he had spoken.

Moments later, Vratix, the eldest brother swept in to the room. Long black robes flowed around him like shadows made cloth as he strode up to the world view. Black hair fell straight to the center of his back, and piercing, ice blue eyes surveyed his siblings pale countenances from an alabaster face.

“I know what you have done and what you plan, my naïve younger siblings.” Vratix cut straight to the point. “Shira, your hand lingers over him. Know, I, as well, have marked him. His call to me gives me right. Until your own influence can break my hold, I will be his shadow. The pale rider shall follow him wherever he goes.”

As quickly as he came, Vratix departed. Shira, nearly in tears, turned to Daphenious for support and was swept up in her elder brother’s embrace.

“Do not cry little sister. It is unbecoming of a god.” Daphenious comforted. “We will break his claim over the mortal. I swear it.” Daphenious spoke in soothing tones, stroking Shira’s platinum blonde hair. She sniffled once before composing herself. Daphenious was right, this was no time for sorrow or pity. If they wished to free the man, they would have to plan and act quickly before Vratix sunk his claws in further.

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A/N: I want to give a big shout out to Slayersky123, MadnessKing and ZanthaV for the reviews and feedback. It's a great motivator and incredibly helpful to me to see what people like and dislike about the story.

I also want to take the time to let everyone know, things like this chapter will not be the norm. I'm telling a fantasy story, not writing a horror film, but it is also necessary to note that this is not a happy-go-lucky world and bad things can and will happen. It also served as an excellent way to expand on Jay's character.

I'm honestly a little nervous about the reception for this chapter, so I would really appreciate thoughts. I check and read every comment and review, so know that your opinion will be seen.

Thanks,

Imbalance