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Description

Act One

Chapter One

“The Woodcutter.”

    The wind came from the west and rustled the leaves of the trees and joined the creaking sounds of the trunks. A small wood cabin on the edge of town came to light, the last shadows of the night clung to its far side as first light from the morning began to creep into the windows. Despite the curtains it could not be held at bay and the cabins solitary resident began to stir. Her body called out to keep her eyes shut and to stay in bed where it was warm and safe. Dreams hung at the corners of her memory and invited her to return to them. Her dreams were mostly just her working in the forests, she had very little else to dream about. The haze of sleep began to fade as her mind began to clarify and won over her body and she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

    She was tall and well-muscled with tan skin and vibrant orange hair, framed with long pointed ears that angled up and out. She had deep amber eyes and a plain face that looked not unsimilar to most in the town. After a long stretch she walked across her small cabin from her bed, there wasn’t much room but there was not much to fill it with anyway. She stepped outside, enjoying the feel of gravel and grass under her feet as she collected her wind dried clothes from the line outside and brought them in. She put most of it away in a wooden trunk and quickly dressed in a sleeveless blue tunic and black pants. She tied a pair of red ribbons to her biceps and tucked thick work gloves on her belt before fastening it in front of her. On the wall was a canvas painting of several orange figures who were depicted floating above the lands in a circle.

    “May the Grand Immortals watch over me.” She said as she gently put both hands on the canvas at the bottom. “May I prove worthy of their paradise with the work of my two hands, my stout heart, and my precise mind.”

    By the door was an axe. It had a long handle made from the soulwood tree and a head of enchanted steel. It was her prized possession and as part of her as her hands or feet. She picked it up and looked down at it in her hands, feeling the grain and the familiar weight of the tool. It was perfectly balanced to her, and she leaned it over one shoulder before stepping out of her cabin. She stopped for but a moment to look over the lands of her home. It was but a small part of the paradise the Grand Immortals called Haydonvale, and it had been her home, her world, her everything for all of her life. She did not have much, nor did she need it. She was a woodcutter and would always be a woodcutter until one day she would return to the swirling ether, and someone would take her place. The woodcutter smiled before heading off to see what they day would hold for her.

    Just beyond the small cabin was a path that led into town. It was a hub for all of the caretakers where they coordinated their tasks and worked together in a community. Though it was still early, and the sun was new in the sky there were many out and about already. Farmers were delivering their stock; blacksmiths were heating their furnaces and traders were setting up their stalls.

    “Good morning, Woodcutter Twenty!” A familiar voice said as the woodcutter walked by. She was a thin woman with long bluish white hair and kind garnet eyes. “Thank you for your help the other night with the firewood.”

    “It is my job.” Woodcutter Twenty replied with a smile as she looked over the traders table, selecting a large peach. “It was no trouble at all.”

    “Well at least let me thank you with something special for your lunch.” The trader said as they reached under the counter, eventually producing a small package wrapped in cloth and tied with a ribbon. “This should give you the strength to cut down anything with that axe of yours.”

    “Thank you, Trader Seventeen.” Woodcutter Twenty replied as she accepted the box, she tied the ribbon to her belt before continuing on and starting on her peach.

    The buildings of the village were a multicolored mismatch of small houses all built around a central area. In the center was a large stage and upon it an orange robed man talked to a pair of younger villagers as he prepared to speak. Woodcutter Twenty stopped, though she had made her prayer at home she decided she would take just a moment to see the morning affirmation before heading to the job square.

    “Greetings all of my children of the Grand Immortal’s paradise!” The orange robbed elder said as he raised both of his long thin arms toward the sky. “It warms my heart to see so many energetic faces ready to start a new day and to carry out their purposes as set out in the Tome of All. We all are finite beings beset on the winds of time just like the leaves that blow through our town. One day we may be here the next we will not, what is important is what we build along the way. Whether you are a baker, a cobbler, or a farmer, your contributions help the community and the Grand Immortals. Never forget that we are the caretakers of this paradise and need to ever prove our place here.”

     Woodcutter Twenty leaned against a post as the elder continued the affirmation. She found his words comforting as she always did. She was happy to have her place in the world and that gave her comfort. She never had to worry about what she would do or who she would become. When she was born the elders chose from the Book of Tasks and a designation that was in need. The previous Woodcutter Twenty had passed away the season before and she took his place. She filled a need for both her community and the Grand Immortals, and she was thankful for her place.

    “Remember the chaos and peril that lies beyond the Leylines and the boundary wall.” The elder continued. “We and those inside the Leylines and their protections are lucky to be safe from the evils roam beyond. The Grand Immortals protect us and for this we serve as their caretakers. We are the Envaii, and this is our way. We must follow our tasks, stay strong in our convictions and remember the deception of Raisa.”

    “Raisa who turned their back on paradise!” A Thatcher called out. “Raisa banished to the Island of Shade he will not temp us!”

    “Very good my child.” The elder replied with a smile. “Let us all go now to our tasks and as the sun sets this evening may we feel we have earned our place.”

    The gathered villagers bowed their heads to the elder and held out their hands to the east, toward the sanctum of the Grand Immortals. After a moment of silence, they began to disperse, quickly heading to the Job Square. It was just beyond the center of town and consisted of a mass of tables where all of the representatives of the tasks of the particular village gathered to coordinate their work for the day. Woodcutter Twenty made her way to the logging table where her fellow woodcutters were already waiting.

    Woodcutter One stood up on a box, giving out the orders from a manifest before turning to Woodcutter Twenty. “Woodcutter Twenty! I need you to head west to where the rivers meet. The builders are preparing to build a new shrine and need some trees cleared and logs procured.”

    “There should be enough material just past the bend to make up for what they need if I don’t get enough from the clearing.” Woodcutter Twenty replied. “It should not be a problem to complete this task.”

    “See to it Woodcutter Twenty.” Woodcutter One said before moving onto the next task to be assigned.

    Woodcutter Twenty headed out to the area she was assigned. The river was a beautiful brook that came from the mountains before the boundary wall. She enjoyed when she got a chance to walk along on her way to work. She didn’t usually allow herself much time to wander or explore, there was a lot of work to do as a woodcutter and that was her priority. She found it hard to find time for herself, many her age were working to start families and moving into larger homes, but she never seemed to have the time or focus. Thankfully they were at a time where most jobs were filled and the choice to have a family or not was not as urgent as previous generations. Woodcutter Twenty had been alone most of her life, her parents lost to her before she even began to train in her assigned vocation. Thoughts of them rose into her mind but she forced them back down, she had work to do.

    Woodcutter Twenty met up with other villagers near where the rivers met and discussed with them what was needed. It was still early into the project and mostly they needed things cleared. She set to her task, cutting down tree after tree and marking them to be taken to the makeshift mill nearby to be shaped into whatever materials builders needed. Woodcutter Twenty was strong and well skilled, many trees needing only a few strikes before creaking and falling precisely where she intended them. By mid-day she had felled over three dozen trees and was preparing to move on further up the river. She decided it would be a good time to take a break and see what she had been given for lunch. She sat down on a tree stump and unwrapped it. It consisted of a fresh baked biscuit, some berry jam and some cured meats. It was a delightful lunch and Woodcutter Twenty enjoyed it as she looked out over the river.

    The sound of the rushing water mixed with the wind creating a calming cacophony of sound that calmed her nerves and delighted her ears. However, a strange sound suddenly mixed in, something unexpected and unfitting from the other sounds. Woodcutter Twenty paused, trying to focus on it. There was another, this time louder and it was unmistakable what it was…a scream. Woodcutter Twenty stood up, trying to find where it had come from. Was there a building accident? Had someone fallen into the stream? She heard another sound, something alien and new. It was like the running of feet through brush but too fast, too feral. She heard a growling and turned, seeing some manner of creature barreling toward her. The beast was the size of a Envaii but thin and grey skinned. Its head was like that of a dog and its front arms were overlong and contained long fingers with razor sharp claws. It had a long spiny tail that bobbed behind it as it ran. It was heading right toward Woodcutter Twenty and its sharp fangs glistened with drool like a hungry predator anticipating a meal.

    Woodcutter Twenty had never seen such a being, flashes of stories of creatures beyond the boundary wall came to mind but she had never heard of any making their way into Haydonvale. The creature closed the distance to Woodcutter Twenty in seconds and readied to pounce. Woodcutter Twenty didn’t know what made her react or why she decided to do what she did, but she reached out, grabbed the handle to her axe and brought it up. As the creature leapt, she swung with all of her strength, the axe head cutting through flesh and bone was no harder than going through soft wood. The creatures head and body were separated and fell to either side of Woodcutter Twenty.

    Before she could even think about what had occurred, she heard a pair of growls from either side. Two more creatures, both like the first began to slowly circle her. She looked around as they surrounded her, holding her axe in both hands. They likely would attack at the same time, not giving her an advantage against one or the other. Woodcutter Twenty would have to evade as she struck at one of them and hope she could then rally to defend against the second. As anticipated both creatures leapt at her at the same time. Instead of attacking she went into a roll, both creatures missing her where she stood before. As she righted herself, she swung as hard as she could, her axe slicing deep into one of the creatures’ stomachs causing it to yelp out in pain. It struggled to limp off when it landed but immediately fell to the ground, bleeding into the dirt and leaves.

    The second creature was not deterred from the attack on its packmate and lunged after Woodcutter Twenty. All she could do was bring up her axe and block it, keeping its fangs away from her face as she fell to the ground. One of the creatures’ claws slashed up at her, raking the right side of her face. The pain was blinding and Woodcutter Twenty fought to stay focused. She could not give any leeway to the creature, or it would certainly finish her off. She grabbed the creature’s neck with her hand, struggling to push it away. The beast was not as strong as Woodcutter Twenty, but it was ferocious and fought to get another angle to slash at her again. She strained with all the strength she had to get some distance between her and the creature. She turned the handle of her axe outward, letting go of the shaft for a spit second as she slid her hands closer to the axe head. She slashed outwards, cutting the beasts neck, spilling its dark red blood all over her chest. The creature went limp in Woodcutter Twenty’s hand, and she quickly tossed it to the side as she struggled to get to her feet.

    Woodcutter Twenty had no way of knowing how many more creatures there were, and she slowly circled just in case. She felt hot blood dripping down her face and her vision out of her right eye was blurry and unusable. She had no way of knowing if it was permanent or not, but she would have to worry about it after she was out of danger. There appeared to be no more creatures around her, but the sounds of screaming could still be heard on the wind.

    Her feet took off without waiting for her mind to guide them. She was running, axe in hand toward the source of the screams. Soon she reached the work camp and there were signs of blood but luckily no bodies. She ran to the side and up a hill to a small ridge she knew quite well. Lacking her full vision, she needed a higher vantage point to see what was going on. She saw a group of villagers, all clumped together running along the small valley that ran parallel to the river. They were bloodied and frantic. There were about a dozen in all, and it seemed like the creatures had made a few exploratory strikes at them but had not yet dragged anyone off.

    Though there were about six creatures chasing them she saw several more on the other side of the ridge, waiting to corner the group of villagers and ambush them. Woodcutter Twenty knew there was a cave at the end of the ridge and likely that was where the villagers were going. It would seem a good idea to hide there but the cave was not very deep, and the creatures would soon get in and pick the villagers off one by one. Woodcutter Twenty didn’t know what her plan was but all she knew is that she needed to get ahead of the creatures and in between them and her fellow Envaii.

    Woodcutter Twenty had never been in a fight before nor had she any experience in doing what she was doing but still she was driven on regardless. The others were fueled by their urges to run but something deep inside Woodcutter Twenty made her want to fight. She pushed her legs as hard as she could, moving faster than the creatures as they staked their prey. As the villagers reached the cave she slid down from the ridge, stepping out in front of the cave entrance.

    “Woodcutter Twenty!” One of the architects called out. “Quick, come inside!”

    “They will get in.” Woodcutter Twenty replied. “Find a place to hide inside, I will buy you as much time as I can.”

    “You can’t!” The architect called out. “You are just a woodcutter.”

    “I can cut anything.” Woodcutter Twenty called out.

The architect joined the others inside as Woodcutter Twenty prepared herself. The rocks to either side of the cave mouth came to shoulder level and the rock above was too slick to be traversed. She could not be attacked from anywhere but ahead and that would be her only advantage other than her axe.

    It did not take the creatures long to decide that only one person lay between them and a great feast. They attacked one by one, lunging forward trying to get at Woodcutter Twenty and bring her down. However, she would not move, she would not yield and anything that came in range of her axe was cut. She could not plan, there was no time to think, she just swung and swung, cutting anything that was close enough to be cut. She could feel the pain from her face wash over her but still she fought. She knew that to let up one bit meant death for her and all she was protecting, and she would not give up unless she was forced to.

    It felt like time slowed to a crawl and her muscles ached and her body felt like it was going to come apart at the seams. She had lost count of how many creatures had attacked and she had cut. After beheading a creature, she raised her axe and readied for the next, but this time there was no more. All that was before her was an arch of bodies and not one beast still stood. Her heart still raced, and she begun to try and calm herself down. Pain echoed through her body, growing more intense as she took long deep breaths.

    From inside several Envaii came out to see what was happening and why the growls from the creatures had suddenly stopped. Woodcutter Twenty turned to them, covered with the blood of countless beasts and her own.

    “Woodcutter twenty.” One of the builders said in shock as she looked at all of the fallen creatures. “What have you done?”

    “The task ahead of me.” Woodcutter Twenty said before the pain and fatigue washed over her, clouding her vision, causing her to lose consciousness and slump to the ground before the people she had saved.

-

Description

Act One

Chapter One

“The Woodcutter.”

    The wind came from the west and rustled the leaves of the trees and joined the creaking sounds of the trunks. A small wood cabin on the edge of town came to light, the last shadows of the night clung to its far side as first light from the morning began to creep into the windows. Despite the curtains it could not be held at bay and the cabins solitary resident began to stir. Her body called out to keep her eyes shut and to stay in bed where it was warm and safe. Dreams hung at the corners of her memory and invited her to return to them. Her dreams were mostly just her working in the forests, she had very little else to dream about. The haze of sleep began to fade as her mind began to clarify and won over her body and she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

    She was tall and well-muscled with tan skin and vibrant orange hair, framed with long pointed ears that angled up and out. She had deep amber eyes and a plain face that looked not unsimilar to most in the town. After a long stretch she walked across her small cabin from her bed, there wasn’t much room but there was not much to fill it with anyway. She stepped outside, enjoying the feel of gravel and grass under her feet as she collected her wind dried clothes from the line outside and brought them in. She put most of it away in a wooden trunk and quickly dressed in a sleeveless blue tunic and black pants. She tied a pair of red ribbons to her biceps and tucked thick work gloves on her belt before fastening it in front of her. On the wall was a canvas painting of several orange figures who were depicted floating above the lands in a circle.

    “May the Grand Immortals watch over me.” She said as she gently put both hands on the canvas at the bottom. “May I prove worthy of their paradise with the work of my two hands, my stout heart, and my precise mind.”

    By the door was an axe. It had a long handle made from the soulwood tree and a head of enchanted steel. It was her prized possession and as part of her as her hands or feet. She picked it up and looked down at it in her hands, feeling the grain and the familiar weight of the tool. It was perfectly balanced to her, and she leaned it over one shoulder before stepping out of her cabin. She stopped for but a moment to look over the lands of her home. It was but a small part of the paradise the Grand Immortals called Haydonvale, and it had been her home, her world, her everything for all of her life. She did not have much, nor did she need it. She was a woodcutter and would always be a woodcutter until one day she would return to the swirling ether, and someone would take her place. The woodcutter smiled before heading off to see what they day would hold for her.

    Just beyond the small cabin was a path that led into town. It was a hub for all of the caretakers where they coordinated their tasks and worked together in a community. Though it was still early, and the sun was new in the sky there were many out and about already. Farmers were delivering their stock; blacksmiths were heating their furnaces and traders were setting up their stalls.

    “Good morning, Woodcutter Twenty!” A familiar voice said as the woodcutter walked by. She was a thin woman with long bluish white hair and kind garnet eyes. “Thank you for your help the other night with the firewood.”

    “It is my job.” Woodcutter Twenty replied with a smile as she looked over the traders table, selecting a large peach. “It was no trouble at all.”

    “Well at least let me thank you with something special for your lunch.” The trader said as they reached under the counter, eventually producing a small package wrapped in cloth and tied with a ribbon. “This should give you the strength to cut down anything with that axe of yours.”

    “Thank you, Trader Seventeen.” Woodcutter Twenty replied as she accepted the box, she tied the ribbon to her belt before continuing on and starting on her peach.

    The buildings of the village were a multicolored mismatch of small houses all built around a central area. In the center was a large stage and upon it an orange robed man talked to a pair of younger villagers as he prepared to speak. Woodcutter Twenty stopped, though she had made her prayer at home she decided she would take just a moment to see the morning affirmation before heading to the job square.

    “Greetings all of my children of the Grand Immortal’s paradise!” The orange robbed elder said as he raised both of his long thin arms toward the sky. “It warms my heart to see so many energetic faces ready to start a new day and to carry out their purposes as set out in the Tome of All. We all are finite beings beset on the winds of time just like the leaves that blow through our town. One day we may be here the next we will not, what is important is what we build along the way. Whether you are a baker, a cobbler, or a farmer, your contributions help the community and the Grand Immortals. Never forget that we are the caretakers of this paradise and need to ever prove our place here.”

     Woodcutter Twenty leaned against a post as the elder continued the affirmation. She found his words comforting as she always did. She was happy to have her place in the world and that gave her comfort. She never had to worry about what she would do or who she would become. When she was born the elders chose from the Book of Tasks and a designation that was in need. The previous Woodcutter Twenty had passed away the season before and she took his place. She filled a need for both her community and the Grand Immortals, and she was thankful for her place.

    “Remember the chaos and peril that lies beyond the Leylines and the boundary wall.” The elder continued. “We and those inside the Leylines and their protections are lucky to be safe from the evils roam beyond. The Grand Immortals protect us and for this we serve as their caretakers. We are the Envaii, and this is our way. We must follow our tasks, stay strong in our convictions and remember the deception of Raisa.”

    “Raisa who turned their back on paradise!” A Thatcher called out. “Raisa banished to the Island of Shade he will not temp us!”

    “Very good my child.” The elder replied with a smile. “Let us all go now to our tasks and as the sun sets this evening may we feel we have earned our place.”

    The gathered villagers bowed their heads to the elder and held out their hands to the east, toward the sanctum of the Grand Immortals. After a moment of silence, they began to disperse, quickly heading to the Job Square. It was just beyond the center of town and consisted of a mass of tables where all of the representatives of the tasks of the particular village gathered to coordinate their work for the day. Woodcutter Twenty made her way to the logging table where her fellow woodcutters were already waiting.

    Woodcutter One stood up on a box, giving out the orders from a manifest before turning to Woodcutter Twenty. “Woodcutter Twenty! I need you to head west to where the rivers meet. The builders are preparing to build a new shrine and need some trees cleared and logs procured.”

    “There should be enough material just past the bend to make up for what they need if I don’t get enough from the clearing.” Woodcutter Twenty replied. “It should not be a problem to complete this task.”

    “See to it Woodcutter Twenty.” Woodcutter One said before moving onto the next task to be assigned.

    Woodcutter Twenty headed out to the area she was assigned. The river was a beautiful brook that came from the mountains before the boundary wall. She enjoyed when she got a chance to walk along on her way to work. She didn’t usually allow herself much time to wander or explore, there was a lot of work to do as a woodcutter and that was her priority. She found it hard to find time for herself, many her age were working to start families and moving into larger homes, but she never seemed to have the time or focus. Thankfully they were at a time where most jobs were filled and the choice to have a family or not was not as urgent as previous generations. Woodcutter Twenty had been alone most of her life, her parents lost to her before she even began to train in her assigned vocation. Thoughts of them rose into her mind but she forced them back down, she had work to do.

    Woodcutter Twenty met up with other villagers near where the rivers met and discussed with them what was needed. It was still early into the project and mostly they needed things cleared. She set to her task, cutting down tree after tree and marking them to be taken to the makeshift mill nearby to be shaped into whatever materials builders needed. Woodcutter Twenty was strong and well skilled, many trees needing only a few strikes before creaking and falling precisely where she intended them. By mid-day she had felled over three dozen trees and was preparing to move on further up the river. She decided it would be a good time to take a break and see what she had been given for lunch. She sat down on a tree stump and unwrapped it. It consisted of a fresh baked biscuit, some berry jam and some cured meats. It was a delightful lunch and Woodcutter Twenty enjoyed it as she looked out over the river.

    The sound of the rushing water mixed with the wind creating a calming cacophony of sound that calmed her nerves and delighted her ears. However, a strange sound suddenly mixed in, something unexpected and unfitting from the other sounds. Woodcutter Twenty paused, trying to focus on it. There was another, this time louder and it was unmistakable what it was…a scream. Woodcutter Twenty stood up, trying to find where it had come from. Was there a building accident? Had someone fallen into the stream? She heard another sound, something alien and new. It was like the running of feet through brush but too fast, too feral. She heard a growling and turned, seeing some manner of creature barreling toward her. The beast was the size of a Envaii but thin and grey skinned. Its head was like that of a dog and its front arms were overlong and contained long fingers with razor sharp claws. It had a long spiny tail that bobbed behind it as it ran. It was heading right toward Woodcutter Twenty and its sharp fangs glistened with drool like a hungry predator anticipating a meal.

    Woodcutter Twenty had never seen such a being, flashes of stories of creatures beyond the boundary wall came to mind but she had never heard of any making their way into Haydonvale. The creature closed the distance to Woodcutter Twenty in seconds and readied to pounce. Woodcutter Twenty didn’t know what made her react or why she decided to do what she did, but she reached out, grabbed the handle to her axe and brought it up. As the creature leapt, she swung with all of her strength, the axe head cutting through flesh and bone was no harder than going through soft wood. The creatures head and body were separated and fell to either side of Woodcutter Twenty.

    Before she could even think about what had occurred, she heard a pair of growls from either side. Two more creatures, both like the first began to slowly circle her. She looked around as they surrounded her, holding her axe in both hands. They likely would attack at the same time, not giving her an advantage against one or the other. Woodcutter Twenty would have to evade as she struck at one of them and hope she could then rally to defend against the second. As anticipated both creatures leapt at her at the same time. Instead of attacking she went into a roll, both creatures missing her where she stood before. As she righted herself, she swung as hard as she could, her axe slicing deep into one of the creatures’ stomachs causing it to yelp out in pain. It struggled to limp off when it landed but immediately fell to the ground, bleeding into the dirt and leaves.

    The second creature was not deterred from the attack on its packmate and lunged after Woodcutter Twenty. All she could do was bring up her axe and block it, keeping its fangs away from her face as she fell to the ground. One of the creatures’ claws slashed up at her, raking the right side of her face. The pain was blinding and Woodcutter Twenty fought to stay focused. She could not give any leeway to the creature, or it would certainly finish her off. She grabbed the creature’s neck with her hand, struggling to push it away. The beast was not as strong as Woodcutter Twenty, but it was ferocious and fought to get another angle to slash at her again. She strained with all the strength she had to get some distance between her and the creature. She turned the handle of her axe outward, letting go of the shaft for a spit second as she slid her hands closer to the axe head. She slashed outwards, cutting the beasts neck, spilling its dark red blood all over her chest. The creature went limp in Woodcutter Twenty’s hand, and she quickly tossed it to the side as she struggled to get to her feet.

    Woodcutter Twenty had no way of knowing how many more creatures there were, and she slowly circled just in case. She felt hot blood dripping down her face and her vision out of her right eye was blurry and unusable. She had no way of knowing if it was permanent or not, but she would have to worry about it after she was out of danger. There appeared to be no more creatures around her, but the sounds of screaming could still be heard on the wind.

    Her feet took off without waiting for her mind to guide them. She was running, axe in hand toward the source of the screams. Soon she reached the work camp and there were signs of blood but luckily no bodies. She ran to the side and up a hill to a small ridge she knew quite well. Lacking her full vision, she needed a higher vantage point to see what was going on. She saw a group of villagers, all clumped together running along the small valley that ran parallel to the river. They were bloodied and frantic. There were about a dozen in all, and it seemed like the creatures had made a few exploratory strikes at them but had not yet dragged anyone off.

    Though there were about six creatures chasing them she saw several more on the other side of the ridge, waiting to corner the group of villagers and ambush them. Woodcutter Twenty knew there was a cave at the end of the ridge and likely that was where the villagers were going. It would seem a good idea to hide there but the cave was not very deep, and the creatures would soon get in and pick the villagers off one by one. Woodcutter Twenty didn’t know what her plan was but all she knew is that she needed to get ahead of the creatures and in between them and her fellow Envaii.

    Woodcutter Twenty had never been in a fight before nor had she any experience in doing what she was doing but still she was driven on regardless. The others were fueled by their urges to run but something deep inside Woodcutter Twenty made her want to fight. She pushed her legs as hard as she could, moving faster than the creatures as they staked their prey. As the villagers reached the cave she slid down from the ridge, stepping out in front of the cave entrance.

    “Woodcutter Twenty!” One of the architects called out. “Quick, come inside!”

    “They will get in.” Woodcutter Twenty replied. “Find a place to hide inside, I will buy you as much time as I can.”

    “You can’t!” The architect called out. “You are just a woodcutter.”

    “I can cut anything.” Woodcutter Twenty called out.

The architect joined the others inside as Woodcutter Twenty prepared herself. The rocks to either side of the cave mouth came to shoulder level and the rock above was too slick to be traversed. She could not be attacked from anywhere but ahead and that would be her only advantage other than her axe.

    It did not take the creatures long to decide that only one person lay between them and a great feast. They attacked one by one, lunging forward trying to get at Woodcutter Twenty and bring her down. However, she would not move, she would not yield and anything that came in range of her axe was cut. She could not plan, there was no time to think, she just swung and swung, cutting anything that was close enough to be cut. She could feel the pain from her face wash over her but still she fought. She knew that to let up one bit meant death for her and all she was protecting, and she would not give up unless she was forced to.

    It felt like time slowed to a crawl and her muscles ached and her body felt like it was going to come apart at the seams. She had lost count of how many creatures had attacked and she had cut. After beheading a creature, she raised her axe and readied for the next, but this time there was no more. All that was before her was an arch of bodies and not one beast still stood. Her heart still raced, and she begun to try and calm herself down. Pain echoed through her body, growing more intense as she took long deep breaths.

    From inside several Envaii came out to see what was happening and why the growls from the creatures had suddenly stopped. Woodcutter Twenty turned to them, covered with the blood of countless beasts and her own.

    “Woodcutter twenty.” One of the builders said in shock as she looked at all of the fallen creatures. “What have you done?”

    “The task ahead of me.” Woodcutter Twenty said before the pain and fatigue washed over her, clouding her vision, causing her to lose consciousness and slump to the ground before the people she had saved.

-