Hero Scout 48 chapter 48 - Faithless Faun

"Kenji, you've been like this for an hour. Shouldn't we get going?" Violet whispered, patting his furred head just as Tenko had his fluffy ears.

"This is bad you guys...this Far King... he is going to wage war against the humans. He planned to ensare us in his enchantments too most likely, this faun didn't know for sure but it wouldn't be the first time."

"Kenji, you'll have to make more sense than that. What do you mean it wouldn't be the first time?"

"Those demonic satyr for example, they serve the Far King too. He has enchanted them to be slaves to his will, and forces them to trade pieces of their soul for power, to make them better warriors. Those captured monsters too, it doesn't matter how aggressive they are, if they trigger his enchantments he can enslave them to his desires indefinitely. Just imagine it Violet, an entire army of zealous monsters!"

"Then we'll break out Gold Beans, Grey and then run away!" Tenko added, "all the way to Tariak and warn the guilds!"

"We don't have the time to do them both. We have to split up," Kenji said ,turning to see the pair respond with squinting eyes.

"Last time you pissed off the Warden Company with your stunt and we both had to fight seperated. Splitting up was a bad idea then, and it's a bad idea now," Violet snapped as if that were the end of it.

Approaching as the little faun, Kenji held her hands and looked all the way up into those slitted lilac eyes.

"This is different. The Far King has rules to his powers, triggers that can be avoided. With this Faun's memory I can get around them, and looking like this I'll be able to both activate the enchanted path and enter the Far King's realm without raising suspicion. This is the only way, and meanwhile I need you two to get the warriors of Tariak ready, with the amount of creatures the Far King is assembling... it'll be a huge battle. The first in a grand war if we don't stop the Far King here."

They both stared at him with doubtful expressions.
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"I'll save our new friends, collect some information and then come meet you. It'll be simple, there is no reason for concern."

"Tenko doesn't like splitting up again. Tenko hates it!"

"Come on Tenko, let's go. If this is the only way..."Violet sighed, and mounted Tenko's furred back. Whispering their goodbyes, Violet rode Tenko away and out of sight.

Once they were well away, Kenji got started. As a Fairy Faun of the 'Pathfinder' class, Kenji soon discovered one of the hidden enchanted paths that changes positions all around the Forest regularly.

Catching a ride, he trotted along towards the Far King's realm.

As he travelled Kenji tried to get accustom to the 'Rules of Hospitality' that summerises the triggers of the Far King's magic.

Essentially, anything that could be interpreted as acknowledging a favour compelled the individual to comply with a boon in turn. The Far King abused this system to trick unwitting travellers into eternal servitude for a simple meal, dance, or even by offering to take their coat for them at the door.

Even now that he was aware of these things, Kenji would have to be careful not to say 'thank you' or any other phrase that could be considered acknowledgement of a favour given.

Next were the enchanted Activites, dancing, duelling, eating and the like. So full of enchantments that the Fae nobles both lived and breathed, such activities could enchant the unwitting into a dreamy trance like state that could easily be turned into permimant subservience.

And lastly were the Fae themselves, this Faun considering then the same as angels, high spirits, devils, and minor gods in the otherworldly nature of their powers. To say the least, Kenji decided that to interact with one for too long would be incredibly dangerous. They were one of the few races who might be old enough to have the ability to identify a Forbidden Mimic, and their enchantments the rare varieties of magic that could reveal him for what he truly was.

Making good time, Kenji's hooves trotted along the flower road all the way up into the mountains. Soon he came to a jade hedge high as castle walls and a gate of seafoam green steel.

Fauns of all types trotted in and out in a constant tide, with another gate to the left and right.

The left gate was covered in spikes, sourrounded by thorned bushs and angry demonic satyr. That path too was travelled by hordes of monsters, carts if newly forged weaponry and demonic satyr with burning weaponry ready for war.

The path to the right had a golden gate, with satyrs wearing fine steel armour to either side as an honour guard to the dreamy men and women flowing in and out. Kenji couldn't breath as he was entranced by the beauty of the dancing figures, covered in flowing white cloth, silken skin and colourful hair styled into various outrageous forms. Some were grand pink clouds, others tall bird houses and more filled with rotting fruit that emitted the sweet smell of honey.

Entering through the servants gate along with the other Fauns, Kenji gaped to find silver towers thrusting from carefully manicured gardens and high into a sky strangled by twisting branches to create a perpetual dusk. There was no sign of the other paths, only Fauns, as if he had entered a portal without realising it.

Hastily Kenji followed the others in trotting down trails that led into holes deep in the earth. Somewhere in the burrows of the mansions above he would find the orphans entrusted into his care, and hopefully some hint as to how to stop the Far King's armies from conquering the sourrounding lands to convert their people into enchanted thralls.

Chapter end