"Shards, we have a problem. See those dots over there in the distance? They're grave rats and they've spotted us. There's nowhere for us to hide now, we can only try to circumvent them. Failing that, we'll have to outpace them through the night," Crow cursed. He spat in the stagnant water at their feet, green spittle floating on the surface.
"Why not fight?" Talus asked.
"Isn't it obvious? We're outnumbered, lad. I don't expect you to be able to fight for shite, seeing you drag yourself out from a pile of corpses. My arm ain't what it used to be. That's why I'm so adamant in retiring. If we fight, we die," Crow replied, snatching the guide pole from Talus's hands and veering direction.
His heavy footsteps suddenly betrayed his age, Crow wasn't a young man anymore. Beneath his thick beard speckled with grey, wrinkles creased his face. The fur-lined cap on his head obscured thinning in the recesses of his hair. Talus continued to watch the dots in the distance but followed after Crow.
The midday sun rose high in the sky, and Crow was becoming increasingly agitated. He threw constant glances in the direction of the growing dots that had altered course to intercept them. His body became more tense as time passed, while Talus remained unperturbed, observing Crow's changes in behaviour. Crow suddenly tripped in their rush, catching himself on his hands and knees, before quickly scurrying back to his feet. He cursed, noticing the other party had seen it happen, increasing their speed accordingly.
"Shards, they definitely know we have something good now. I'm sorry lad, I can only slow you down. If you hurry on ahead, you might be able to make it out intact. Take this with you. I might be able to talk my way out of it and catch up to you outside the wetlands after they give me a pat down and take what they think's valuable," Crow apologised. He clutched at his chest, panic etched across his face, unable to find the Radiant Blood Flower. His eyes narrowed as they settled on Talus, watching him with a blank expression, understanding dawning on him. "No matter, it seems I must have dropped it somewhere in the marsh. No one will go back looking for the flower. Haul ass and meet Thalora, she won't be hard to find. Just look at the first bar you come across, she likes to scry the action at a safe distance. Hey, what do you think you're doing?!"
Talus instead turned to walk towards the silhouettes growing on the horizon. Crow splashed after him through the shallows in a rush, catching his arm. Talus turned to look down at him with an underlying disdain for Humanity that wasn't visible on the surface.
"I won't be doing that. Judging by your earlier course corrections, Thalora is in that direction, and those Humans are standing in my way," Talus replied.
"Has swamp-rot got to your brain, lad? Your wits are addled. Did you not listen to me before when I said we're outnumbered?" Crow exclaimed, trying to pull him backward.
"Understand something, Human. The Magi have gone, I need not cower and hide any longer, not from the likes of these, or you. Unhand me before you learn to regret," Talus warned, an alien glint in his eye. Crow reluctantly released his hold, hesitantly stepping backward. "Kill them."
Talus spoke the command aloud, causing Crow to flinch in confusion. He couldn't see the ripples propel themselves forward, the Fae servitors eager to satisfy their Monarch's every desire. It was the entire purpose of their existence. Talus continued to walk, confidence in every stride now that he no longer pretended to be unable to see his footing underneath the water.
Crow froze with indecision, looking in every direction for a way to escape. With a heavy sigh, he chose to follow. The laden pack bounced on his back as he scurried to catch up. His face contorted into a grimace as they got close enough to see the others' faces. Crow exhaled sharply, recognising one of the people.
"Thalora! She's in bad company, those are some of the local head honcho's men, not grave rats," Crow hissed in surprise. Hearing this, Talus cocked his head to the side in consideration.
"Do you wish them to live?" Talus asked, leaving the decision to Crow without the proper information.
"Thalora always gets herself into these messes. That's why she owes me a favour or two, I have to keep digging her out of gambling debt and other ridiculous scenarios. Insufferable woman, but it's always handy to have the goodwill of a Magi on your side. I don't care what you have planned for the rest. Or, how you intend to pull it off. Sigh, if you have the chance, spare the woman," Crow answered, not quite believing that Talus was even a threat to the group of criminals.
"So be it. You heard, spare the woman," Talus casually spoke without raising his voice as if the attendants were still right beside him. There was no visible acknowledgement until three men surrounding Thalora simultaneously dropped.
"What in the shards just happened? Huh? No, w-what are you? Stay back! We're under attack by demons! Ahhhhh!" The last man screamed, he spun and began to flee, splashing up huge amounts of water.
An intangible form was briefly revealed in the droplets, allowing Crow to see the outline of a servitor. He fervently rubbed his eyes in disbelief, and when he opened them again, the man was already dead, floating face down in the water with no visible wounds.
That last Human was more perceptive than I have previously given them credit for. My servitors must touch upon the Mortal Realm to interact with it. He would not have seen them directly, merely seeing the ripples of their actions against his peers. Admirable, for a Human. The Magi Thalora does not even seem to think she must check the Mirror Realm. She's wildly swinging around in search of something immobile right in front of her eyes.
Crow's face became slack, weakly collapsing to his knees as the shock hit him. He stared at the spot where he had glimpsed the eldritch outline despite the fact it had moved on. Four bodies drifted in the shallow current, one sinking into deeper water.