A Gentleman’s Guide to Fantastic Beasts: Chapter 11 (Patreon)

A Gentleman’s Guide to Fantastic Beasts: Chapter 11

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Commissioned by Citino

Wordcount: 2500

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Wealth.

Influence.

Power.

Humanity has always squabbled and fought for all three.

As tribes, we sought out the best lands and hunting grounds, killing those who would take them from us without question. Those who led soldiers and controlled violence became chieftains and leaders, and demanded tribute from those they protected, so that they can gain power. The power to call upon more soldiers, to entrench themselves, and to turn their gazes outward to more lands.

Humans latched onto potential, nourished it, and sought out more.

When the people grew content, when the ruler could no longer ask of his people to fight for the power he wished to gain, they would invent reasons to fight. It began with the creation of territories and lines, then to clashes of culture between the “normal” and the “other,” and finally the “allied” and the “enemy.”

Having spent many of my years in the Great Desert, learning of the As’Kari and their history, I knew that the humans in this world was the same as the last. They fought in order to gain more, husbanded their newfound wealth, and invested it towards gaining more. However, perhaps due to the nature of the realm that the As’Kari lived within, I found the actions more acceptable.

In a vast, inhospitable land filled with monsters, I understood why the people wished to fight, bleed upon the sand, and grow. The Great Desert could not support more peoples, if the tribes continued to compete forever. Hegemon over the sands and its resources were necessary for a civilization to flourish upon the sands.

Whomsoever established dominion over the Great Desert didn’t matter, but the fact that dominion was established did, thus I looked upon it favorably.

However, it was plain to see that the polity that the knight fought for did not do so with such noble intentions.

And, so, I felt nothing but disgust when we reached the first town of the knight’s people.

A mining town beneath the farthest branch of the immense, world tree that held back the monsters and the darkness.

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The walls came over the horizon before we saw the gate. It was a hulking construct composed of white stone. Ballistae lined its topmost ramparts, and as we neared it, I found its midsection studded with fortified balconies upon which soldiery could fire upon any and all that approached its base. The base itself had a cleared boundary before it. It was free of forest, studded with multitudes of stone obstacles which would prevent any disastrous charge, and between those obstacles and the wall was a deep trench filled with pikes and refuse.

It was a monstrous defense, meant to protect the mine that it encircled and little else, yet in the forest that surrounded it were refugees.

Those who survived the onslaught of monsters that came from the unabating darkness.

They came upon the Knight as she approached the walls.

“Please, take my children!”

“Protect us!”

“Throw those creatures aside and do your duty!”

They clamored towards her from hovels composed of wood and stone. The masses were dirty, ill-fed, and many had wounds bound in dirtied bandages. Many stank of excrement and blood, and more than a few coughed and walked with a sickly gait.

However, the presence of the knight invigorated even the sickliest of the gathered crowds, and many rose to impede our path towards the gate with its upturned bridge.

The Knight continued unabated, despite the calls of the crowd. She strode beyond them, making the part in her presence alone.

They grew furious at her apathy.

But they could not act against her.

So, they turned to those who were once the knight’s prisoners.

“Dirty, filthy creatures!”

“How dare you ride, while we lay in the muck!”

“Leave her, and be forgiven of your sins, or perish!”

Though not a single word was shared from the knight or the people, the other races were forced to endure the hatred of the masses ignored by their protectors. Their anger, which could not be aimed upon at the strong and well-armed, were instead directed towards my recent patients.

And, my recent patients welcomed it.

Their forms were taking in the hatred of the disparate, desperate masses which surrounded them and they were gaining pleasure. I felt their satisfaction at seeing the state of the people that surrounded them. Having been once slaves and prisoners, they were most likely mistreated, but now they strode upon the As’Kari’s gifts back to their homes, with the word of a Knight backing them, and they were armed.

In the filth and squalor born of the world’s ending, the peoples of the world sought to use their malice upon each other, instead of monsters.

The sordid sight nearly made me weep.

However, I chose instead to take stock of the maladies present and what could be done to overcome them.

Weeping and disdain did nothing.

But taking action here and now would save lives.

I took stock of the matter, while accounting for my own resources.

There were multitudes of campfires and pots in the area. Firewood was readily available, and there were bowls filled with food, so nutrition was no issue.

However, their shelters reminded me too much of the trenches. The ground was muddy, and the scent of excrement filled the air, while most of the homes were hovels of earth topped with sturdy wood and leaves. In such conditions, those with injuries were likely to find their wounds infected, and their demise imminent.

Triage was necessary.

Though my heart ached to not tend to the children or elderly, in the shadows of the growing crowd, death loomed over those who I did not see to immedietly.

So, I disembarked from Cornelius with the intent to start rendering aid.

Before I could utter a single word, chaos erupted.

A tide of bodies rushed towards me and my unmoving steed. Many had hungry gazes, but more looked upon the cloth, supplies, and other such thing my steed carried. Not only that, but amongst the sudden rushing bodies, there were those with more opportunistic intentions. They eyed the weakest of those rushing towards me, evaluated them, and looked for targets of opportunity.

The Knight ceased and turned toward me in panic, while the rest of the group stopped.

They feared for me, because their journey rested upon my compliance, therefore they wished to assist me.

Knowing that their assistance would lead only to tremendous violence, I chose to act swiftly and decisively.

I called upon my power, let it flow through me, and then out of me through my words as I had seen Kan’Is do many times.

I spoke a single word in the Knight’s tongue.

“Halt.”

Kan’Is had used this technique to speak to his people. Even with his titanic frame, his lungs did no permit him to project his voice over a crowd hundred large. Therefore, he relied upon his immense reserves of power, invigorated his words, and let them loose to resound for the entire tribe to hear.

I spoke softly, but intended for my singular word to shock and disorient the incoming tide.

So, I filled my voice with power.

The results were beyond my expectations.

The word was heralded by an intense wind conjured seemingly from nothing, as it left my mouth. The mud at my feet was washed away from me by sheer force, whilst the sudden rush of wind tore off lesser branches from trees. My voice collided with the bodies of the masses as well as my companions, and they were all pushed away from me, before the singular command reached them.

A singular command that all obeyed the instant it was heard.

As one the mass of individuals came to a halt before me. Those who froze misstep fell forward, while others desperately attempted to remain standing in unbalanced positions.

However, they were not the only ones affected by my usage of Kan’Is’s technique.

My companions and their steeds froze, as did Cornelius. The Knight ceased moving in the middle of drawing her blade, while she was turning her steed to put herself between me and the masses. The others’ hands were reaching towards their weapons, and they were readying themselves to disembark. Fortunately, none of them were particularly quick, and so they were left upon their steed without issue.

Under normal circumstance, I would have pleased with the outcome of my actions.  The ability to stop violence in an instant was one that dearly wished for.

But my words also reached the children and elderly who fled at the first sign of violence. Many children fell awkwardly, in ways that would bruise or cause fracture, but they would survive such things with ease.

The same could not be said for the elderly individuals who fell, as they struggled to comply with demand mid-step.

I took it upon myself to right them with my threads, before once again speaking to all who would head my voice.

This time without the same power with which I had filled my singular word. Kan’Is’s means and methods were unknown to me. His voice inspired confidence and attention, whilst mine seemed to summon instinctual fear.

“There will be no violence. I will aid who I can.” Many gazes turned towards me, as the effect of my voice faded within a few heartbeats, leaving only lingering fear and apprehension. I did not waste the effect, as loathsome as it was, and with my threads I took all the weapons I could see. Many stared and struggled as their weapons were seized, but my threads were meant to bind monsters with far more strength than them. Not only that, but even if they matched my strength, their weapon would break before my threads. “Come to me, injured and sick, I will tend to your wounds.”

There were many other things that needed to be done. Latrines, bathing areas, and true shelters needed to be made. A palisade from the woods were necessary, and perhaps even cleared zones of forest solely so that the ballistae atop the walls can assist the people in their battles. The land was bountiful and rich, and there was a source of water somewhere, which would allow for a strong redoubt to made in the shadow of the massive walls.

A redoubt strong enough to protect these people, until matters were settled within the walls to their advantage.

There was a shuffling amongst the crowd at my words. Hesitation and fear filled them, but there was also a semblance of respect and awe that kept them all from fleeing from my presence. The Knight knew enough of me to plead and beg with me to join her princes and princesses in the protection of her people. It stood to reason that even the common folk would be capable of understanding the talents I had.

As they meandered and fretted, I began to use my threads to set up camp, to start a fire, and to start the creation of poultices.

The Knight finally acted when she realized my aims.

“No. You cannot stay here!” Since she learned I learned her tongue, she has kept silence in my presence, and deigned to not even speak to her former prisoners. But words flowed forth from her now as she realized that her mission was in jeopardy. “The dangers—

“The dangers these people are forced to face will be faced by me.” I knew not the reason why the walls would not open for these people. Perhaps there was a good reason for their continued squalor and despair, which in turn saved lives beyond the walls. I understood that a ounce of prevention was better than a pound of cure, that perhaps keeping these people out saved more lives than letting them in, but so far I saw no evidence towards that particular end. Therefore, I believed them victims, who were ill and wounded, thus I would help them. “Speak to the chieftain of this place. Explain to me why they let these people die, instead of offering them shelter. If the reasoning is sound, I will assist them as much as I am able, and continue to follow you.”

An elderly man came forward. Upon his leg was old, worn… but clean bandages. Boiled and reused, but clean. The blood upon his leg was fresh as well. He cared for himself very well, and had the courage to accept my help, so I laid upon the mud a carpet for him to sit. Then, I began to do my duty as a physician, and help those with ailing health.

“And… what if there is no sound reasoning for these people’s place here?” The Knight’s voice was tight when she spoke again. Frustration tinted her voice, and she leveled a glare at the immense wall that loomed over us below dimmest light of the arcane arbor. “What then?”

“Then, I will search these lands for people who have need of me, rather than follow you where you wish for me to follow. I will do more good saving lives of those left behind, than serving cruel tyrants.” With a floating blade, I cut through the bandages and revealed the bleeding wound. It was a raking, jagged, and deep wound that was healing well, despite existing within a pigsty. The elderly man winced and groaned, but I took note of his sharp gaze, muscled frame, and clean scent. This man knew how to care for himself. “Do you understand, Knight? You must make sure that I do not come to decide that is the right course of action.”

My threat lingered in the air, as I offered the elder a bit to bite upon, and called upon my poultice, skein of cooled water boiled the night prior, and my needles to prepare for sutures.

The old warrior grabbed the bit and placed it into his mouth and allowed himself to lay flat on the carpet.

I began my work to aid the first of many, before the Knight made her decision, and began to walk towards the high walls.

She will do her utmost to ensure my cooperation, so I made myself content with the project I had at hand.

After journeying through so many destroyed villages, with companions who hated each other so fiercely, I felt nothing but contentment as I began to work.