Dusk Territories: Always Burning by Deston Munden Page A

had in his possession. No one, and Ragnar meant no one, else could have been sent through the Plagues and survived. The tactical advantage was perfect and Beastmaster could have easily handled Crisium and Tyrus. What the hell went wrong? Heron and Juvenico shouldn’t have come back.
    Heaving heavy exhales, Ragnar entered the cavern that served as his bedroom. He removed what was left of his armor and his boots, tossing them with a large clatter on the cave floor. Then just stood, axe in hand, seething angrily at his lack of success. He’ll pay one day , everyone is going to pay one day , he thought. Breathing became loud and heavier in his lungs with the thought of ripping their heads off their shoulders.
    “OOOH! Raggy’s home!!!”
    Ragnar frowned. That voice, he knew that voice. He craned his neck.
    Sitting cross-legged on his gigantic bed was a smaller woman of an almost girl-like height even to a normal man. Her bluish-black hair tumbled down her back in pig tails. Her face was also very childish with round eyes, small chin, and very light skin. Ragnar saw that this girl seemed oddly out of place in this world. She dressed in a short colorful skirt, black shirt, a pink sweat shirt wrapped around her waist, and simple black shoes. In the other world, she would just look quirky. In this world, it was unsettling how she looked like a teenager where everyone else dressed for practicality.
    She had a smile on her face with an open book in her lap. Ragnar quickly recognized that book as his personal journal and growled. “River—“he said between clinched teeth. “What. Are. You. Doing ?!?”
    River, the small girl, giggled madly. “Raggy, I didn’t expect you to come home this soon!” Her high voice squealed in amusement. “And you are a mess,” she sung. “Come over here!”
    Ragnar walked over, not because she told him to. He did so to snatch his journal away. Just cut her head off, he thought with his axe in one hand. Cut it off and be done with it.
    “Oh silly. I was just looking. You draw pretty well.” She chuckled again.
    “What are you here for,” Ragnar roared. The yelling had no effect on River. An opposite effect happened. She went into a small
    “Someone missed snack time.” River shrugged, happily. “Good thing I’m a good guest!”
    River hopped off the bed, and skipped to a corner of the room. Like she was some Vegas show girl, River stretched her arms as wide as she could to present her present: a man tied up, covered in scars. The man was shivering in fear, already broken beyond repair. “I give you, dinner!’ The gagged man gave out a muffled cry. “Silly, you won’t even feel it!” She smiled at Ragnar. “But first,” she put her finger up, “you have to come here.” An over exaggerated pout slid on her face, one of her many mask. “No complaining.”
    Ragnar gritted his teeth, approaching the young girl half his size. “You’re so TALL, Raggy! Kneel down silly, you’re like…” She struggled with the word in her head, instead leaning on abstract hand motions. “Like a giraffe!”
    “That’s very eloquent,” Ragnar remarked, bending down.
    “Not everyone was a doctor! Now, close your eyes!”
    “Alright.” Again, Ragnar did as he was told. This time he wasn’t sure why. Just deal with her. She’s here for a reason.
    Unexpectedly, River began licking the blood off the man’s face. She had to step on her tip-toes to do it, but she managed. The warm muscle of her tongue caressed his face, being ever so careful of his prickly beard. There were times where her tongue just stayed in one place. Those lengths of time were even inappropriate for a person licking candy. But she enjoyed it. She enjoyed the liquid on her tongue as much as he liked muscles in his teeth. “I’m done! You can open your eyes now.”
    “Now, what’re you here for,” Ragnar said, wiping some of the saliva from his face.
    “Oh!” River scratched the back of her head, as though she struggled