Chapter 27: That’s…a Big Bull
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Chapter 27: That’s...a Big Bull
An hour later, Tala had a headache.
Den was already tending to the oxen, and the wagons were comfortably circled for the night, but Tala was still trying to wrap her mind around the concepts in the introduction of the item creation book.
She threw her hands up. This is maddening!
She heard a throat clear and looked over the side of the wagon.
Renix?
The mageling looked up at her from beneath dirty blonde hair. Master Trent asked me to come check on you. Will you be joining us for dinner?
Tala sighed. He was afraid Id made another star and was sleeping off the fatigue. Tell the old man Im coming.
Renix frowned. Mistress Tala, he is still younger than many magelings still beneath their masters. He is a prodigy! I expect hell be an Archon by thirty, or just after.
Tala sighed again, swinging down onto the ladder, satchel and hat firmly in place. I meant no disrespect, Renix. I was just meaning to tease.
Oh He looked away, seeming slightly embarrassed.
I apologize, and I think that it is admirable that you defended your masters good name, and a credit to him that you think so highly of his abilities. She tapped her lips with one finger, contemplating. Though, I suppose having a high opinion of the man who is training you could be a form of narcissism are you vain, Renix?
Renix started; he seemed to have been staring at her finger. What? No! I mean no? Wouldnt a vain person claim to be humble?
True, true. She shrugged. Then, I guess well never know.
They stood for a moment, then Tala quirked a smile. Dinner, right? She gestured towards the chuckwagon, which was already serving people as quickly as they walked up. After you.
Renix colored, for some reason, and spun to stride towards the open side of the wagon. Tala followed, her headache already fading.
They were able to walk directly up to get their food, and Brand gave her a concerned look, as he handed her a plate that was mounded especially high.
Talas eyes widened when she saw power flickering through the meat. She leaned forward to whisper her question. Brand? What is this?
Renix had already headed towards the table at which the Mages were already sitting. Brand leaned forward and spoke quickly, as others were coming up behind her. A thunder bull was slain, today, and we were able to harvest some meat before a large pack of blaze wolves drove the harvesters off.
How much did you get?
Only about forty pounds, raw. He sighed. Just enough for tonights meal.
You use three-quarter pounds of meat per person? Well, including me thats 51 people, but still
He pointed at the ground meat patty on bread. It reduces by close to a quarter when cooked, and people are hungry on the road. He shrugged. We might have some extra, because no one else has been eating like you. He smiled cheerily.
Tala had to admit that her plate was the only one she could see with two sandwiches. Fair enough. Thank you, Brand.
He bowed slightly. You are too kind, Mistress Tala.
Talas eyes flicked to the woman who had come up behind her. One of the richer passengersTraveling with her husband, if I remember correctly. Tala nodded to Brand in turn and turned to go.
Mistress Tala, is it? The womans voice was soft but carried a tone of authority.
Tala turned to face the woman. Yes. May I help you?
The woman wore a simple, elegant travel dress of deep green linen. It was clearly very clean, if not new. The neckline was low, but not indecent, and the toes of soft leather slippers peaked out from under the embroidered hem. Tala kept herself from glancing down at her own outfit, which consisted of clean pants and a shirt with a stab slit stitched shut over her upper left breast. Tala still wore no shoes, but that was by choice.
After a moments silence during which the woman seemed to be examining Tala in turn, Tala cleared her throat. Im sorry, can I help you? I really am quite hungry. She lifted her plate just slightly, to emphasize the point.
The womans eyes returned to Talas face. Yes, of course. Are you the one theyre calling the Iron Vengeance, or some such thing?
Tala felt her cheeks heat and blessed her iron salve for its added camouflage. Ive not heard that one, but it sounds like it might be meant for me After a moment, she continued. SoCan I help you?
The woman sighed, then glanced around and noted that no one else had come up to get food behind her. I want a thunder bull horn.
Tala took a moment to absorb that. To the side, now behind the womans back, Brand was nodding and giving Tala an affirmative gesture. Alright. Ill see what I can do. Brand smiled, and the woman seemed to relax. Even so, Tala found herself frowning. What fee would you be willing to pay for this harvest?
Well She swallowed. Two gold ounces?
Talas eyes widened, and she was about to accept enthusiastically, but Brand was shaking his head. Tala changed tact. Two? Are you sure?
Well, I dont need a full horn
And I have to fight a magical creature to get it. Its not like I can just rip off a piece of the beasts horn and run away. She might actually be able to do that, but it was unlikely to succeed long-term.
The as of yet unnamed woman seemed to deflate, just slightly.
Lets start over. Im Tala. What is your name?
You may call me Janice.
Janice. Tala nodded. In order to get you a thunder bull horn, I must slay the beast and have time to harvest from it. As we cannot halt the caravan, that means that I cannot guarantee time to harvest other pieces for which I have use.
Janice sighed. Fine, fine. That makes sense, I suppose. Five gold ounces?
Tala didnt let her gaze move to Brand, but she could still see him, as he shrugged. A reasonable price. Could work. Do you need both horns?
Janice shook her head. No. One will be more than sufficient. Thank you.
Tala nodded. I wonder what she wants it for. I will do what I can. We have an agreement?
We have an agreement.
Before shed turned in for the night, shed secured Brands assurance that if she brought down a thunder bull, with enough time to work, he would jerk as much of the meat for her as possible. She, in turn, promised to help in the harvesting of the bones and other parts.
Dealing with Atrexia had been surprisingly easy. I suppose Ive pushed her to the point that shes given up? Trent had taken a bit of convincing, but as hed said before, he couldnt actually stop her.
Thus, when she woke in the cool pre-dawn air, and rose to find a single thunder bull staring back at her from the next hill over, she was overjoyed. It looked to be a lone, young bull, likely newly out on its own. It did look a little frazzled, or stressed? Can cattle look stressed? Maybe harried
She shook her head, refocusing. I cannot be this lucky. Keeping her eye on the bull, she decided to charge the cargo-slots first, just in case something went terribly wrong.
It was hard to force herself to focus, but she did it, taking a little longer than the day before, due to her distraction and newly wakened state. Shed gotten used to having time to stretch and bring her thoughts under control before charging the cargo-slots, and the alteration of the pattern added to her minds disgruntlement.
Finally, she had her gear stored, the shield leaning where shed promised to leave it, and she realized: I have no way to kill a thunder bull.
She groaned, scratching the center of her forehead, a frown creasing her features.
Ive a knife, but that wont kill it any quicker than a bee sting would me.What do I have?
To her joy and surprise, she could still feel the barest lingerings of the ending-berrys power, which shed eaten the morning before. Nearly 24hrs, eh? That was good. Well, truth be told she had no idea what that actually meant, but it wasnt bad she hoped.
She refocused on the bull, peaceably chewing its cud less than a quarter mile away. Think, Tala. How can you end the beast? Her eyes widened, and she found herself grinning. The ending stick.
She fished the short stick out, quickly looking it over to ensure that the iron salve containment hadnt been broken. It hadnt.
How do I make this an effective weapon? She could break it in half, but then shed have two shorter sticks, and shed be faced with the same problem, later.
Then, she had a thought.
Grinning to herself, she pulled out the larger, rougher vial and opened it. It fits!
Using her knife, she careful scraped the iron salve off of one end of the stick, and as soon as she saw the ending sticks power, clearly radiating through, she thrust it into the iron vial, using the vial's cord to hook on a nub of the little stick.
There. Contained.
It wasnt perfect, and shed have to work out a more secure way to store it long term, but for now? It was a good plan.
Humming happily to herself, she strode out of the camp, angling out to circle slightly to one side of the bull.
One of the guards had to have seen her depart, but no one spoke to her or tried to prevent her departure.
It took her less than five minutes to draw near to the massive animal, and she found herself pausing, little more than fifty feet away.
Thatsa big bull.
The beast was easily twice the size of one of the caravans oxen, and it was eyeing her, a look on its face ofnot curiosity. Like a bird eyeing a stick that was resting beside a pile of seed. Oddly specific comparison.
She shook her head, considering. It cant see any magic about me. If their mage-sight, or whatever their equivalent is, is more sensitive than most humans, they might even use it to see what is or is not a creature or a threat. They could use that to determine the nature of anything they faced. She almost laughed. I might just look like some strange bit of mud that is flowing its way.
It was now or never, and she wasnt sure how the beast would react if she turned her back on it.
She strode forward, the stick in her right hand, her left clutching the vial atop it, the cord no longer holding it in place.
Forty feet.
The bull bent down to take another mouthful of grass.
Thirty feet.
It looked up, eyeing her.
Twenty feet.
It shifted, orienting its head her way, its back end swinging around away from her.
Ten feet, it lowered its head and let out a low chuff of questioning inquiry.
Tala lunged forward, ripping the vial free.
Now, the bull could easily see the power radiating from the ending stick, and it released a tremendous bellow of challenge. The beasts head, lowering defensively, was just above her eye level.
Her mage-sight saw power tearing through the beast, quickly building towards an attack, directed at her.
The ending stick struck home, as she thrust it into the top of the bulls skull.
In that instant, quite a few things happened at once.
First, Talas mind came truly, fully awake, and she remembered something. Ohright the ending stick dissolves things
Second, the power in the ending stick exploded into the bulls skull. The ending sticks power was shaped to work as part of a larger tree, so it attempted to draw in more power to throw into the dissolution of the bull. It found none, and the iron salve prevented it from pulling from Tala, herself. In that instant, the stick eviscerated itself, draining itself entirely, even breaking apart the bonds within its cellular structure in a final desperate attempt to strike down its target.
Talas hand closed on almost empty air, her fist filling with a puff of iron dust.
Third, the bulls own, internal magics strongly objected to being dissolved, and waves of reinforcing power swelled to defend the great creature.
The result was both spectacular and horrifying.
The ending stick had spent its power, its very existence, to obliterate a circle of the bulls head roughly two feet wide and four inches deep. Just deep enough to fully expose that portion of the bovines brain.
The bulls scalp and cranial cap had puffed to dust. The brain beneath was surprisingly large, fairly folded, and very much alive.
It was then that the bulls counterattack manifested, and its species name- thunder cattle -was proved applicable. As she saw the power flicker forward, Tala closed her eyes.
Lightning struck from the clear sky in a column four feet wide, utterly enveloping Tala in light and power.
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Chapter 27: That’s...a Big Bull
An hour later, Tala had a headache.
Den was already tending to the oxen, and the wagons were comfortably circled for the night, but Tala was still trying to wrap her mind around the concepts in the introduction of the item creation book.
She threw her hands up. This is maddening!
She heard a throat clear and looked over the side of the wagon.
Renix?
The mageling looked up at her from beneath dirty blonde hair. Master Trent asked me to come check on you. Will you be joining us for dinner?
Tala sighed. He was afraid Id made another star and was sleeping off the fatigue. Tell the old man Im coming.
Renix frowned. Mistress Tala, he is still younger than many magelings still beneath their masters. He is a prodigy! I expect hell be an Archon by thirty, or just after.
Tala sighed again, swinging down onto the ladder, satchel and hat firmly in place. I meant no disrespect, Renix. I was just meaning to tease.
Oh He looked away, seeming slightly embarrassed.
I apologize, and I think that it is admirable that you defended your masters good name, and a credit to him that you think so highly of his abilities. She tapped her lips with one finger, contemplating. Though, I suppose having a high opinion of the man who is training you could be a form of narcissism are you vain, Renix?
Renix started; he seemed to have been staring at her finger. What? No! I mean no? Wouldnt a vain person claim to be humble?
True, true. She shrugged. Then, I guess well never know.
They stood for a moment, then Tala quirked a smile. Dinner, right? She gestured towards the chuckwagon, which was already serving people as quickly as they walked up. After you.
Renix colored, for some reason, and spun to stride towards the open side of the wagon. Tala followed, her headache already fading.
They were able to walk directly up to get their food, and Brand gave her a concerned look, as he handed her a plate that was mounded especially high.
Talas eyes widened when she saw power flickering through the meat. She leaned forward to whisper her question. Brand? What is this?
Renix had already headed towards the table at which the Mages were already sitting. Brand leaned forward and spoke quickly, as others were coming up behind her. A thunder bull was slain, today, and we were able to harvest some meat before a large pack of blaze wolves drove the harvesters off.
How much did you get?
Only about forty pounds, raw. He sighed. Just enough for tonights meal.
You use three-quarter pounds of meat per person? Well, including me thats 51 people, but still
He pointed at the ground meat patty on bread. It reduces by close to a quarter when cooked, and people are hungry on the road. He shrugged. We might have some extra, because no one else has been eating like you. He smiled cheerily.
Tala had to admit that her plate was the only one she could see with two sandwiches. Fair enough. Thank you, Brand.
He bowed slightly. You are too kind, Mistress Tala.
Talas eyes flicked to the woman who had come up behind her. One of the richer passengersTraveling with her husband, if I remember correctly. Tala nodded to Brand in turn and turned to go.
Mistress Tala, is it? The womans voice was soft but carried a tone of authority.
Tala turned to face the woman. Yes. May I help you?
The woman wore a simple, elegant travel dress of deep green linen. It was clearly very clean, if not new. The neckline was low, but not indecent, and the toes of soft leather slippers peaked out from under the embroidered hem. Tala kept herself from glancing down at her own outfit, which consisted of clean pants and a shirt with a stab slit stitched shut over her upper left breast. Tala still wore no shoes, but that was by choice.
After a moments silence during which the woman seemed to be examining Tala in turn, Tala cleared her throat. Im sorry, can I help you? I really am quite hungry. She lifted her plate just slightly, to emphasize the point.
The womans eyes returned to Talas face. Yes, of course. Are you the one theyre calling the Iron Vengeance, or some such thing?
Tala felt her cheeks heat and blessed her iron salve for its added camouflage. Ive not heard that one, but it sounds like it might be meant for me After a moment, she continued. SoCan I help you?
The woman sighed, then glanced around and noted that no one else had come up to get food behind her. I want a thunder bull horn.
Tala took a moment to absorb that. To the side, now behind the womans back, Brand was nodding and giving Tala an affirmative gesture. Alright. Ill see what I can do. Brand smiled, and the woman seemed to relax. Even so, Tala found herself frowning. What fee would you be willing to pay for this harvest?
Well She swallowed. Two gold ounces?
Talas eyes widened, and she was about to accept enthusiastically, but Brand was shaking his head. Tala changed tact. Two? Are you sure?
Well, I dont need a full horn
And I have to fight a magical creature to get it. Its not like I can just rip off a piece of the beasts horn and run away. She might actually be able to do that, but it was unlikely to succeed long-term.
The as of yet unnamed woman seemed to deflate, just slightly.
Lets start over. Im Tala. What is your name?
You may call me Janice.
Janice. Tala nodded. In order to get you a thunder bull horn, I must slay the beast and have time to harvest from it. As we cannot halt the caravan, that means that I cannot guarantee time to harvest other pieces for which I have use.
Janice sighed. Fine, fine. That makes sense, I suppose. Five gold ounces?
Tala didnt let her gaze move to Brand, but she could still see him, as he shrugged. A reasonable price. Could work. Do you need both horns?
Janice shook her head. No. One will be more than sufficient. Thank you.
Tala nodded. I wonder what she wants it for. I will do what I can. We have an agreement?
We have an agreement.
Before shed turned in for the night, shed secured Brands assurance that if she brought down a thunder bull, with enough time to work, he would jerk as much of the meat for her as possible. She, in turn, promised to help in the harvesting of the bones and other parts.
Dealing with Atrexia had been surprisingly easy. I suppose Ive pushed her to the point that shes given up? Trent had taken a bit of convincing, but as hed said before, he couldnt actually stop her.
Thus, when she woke in the cool pre-dawn air, and rose to find a single thunder bull staring back at her from the next hill over, she was overjoyed. It looked to be a lone, young bull, likely newly out on its own. It did look a little frazzled, or stressed? Can cattle look stressed? Maybe harried
She shook her head, refocusing. I cannot be this lucky. Keeping her eye on the bull, she decided to charge the cargo-slots first, just in case something went terribly wrong.
It was hard to force herself to focus, but she did it, taking a little longer than the day before, due to her distraction and newly wakened state. Shed gotten used to having time to stretch and bring her thoughts under control before charging the cargo-slots, and the alteration of the pattern added to her minds disgruntlement.
Finally, she had her gear stored, the shield leaning where shed promised to leave it, and she realized: I have no way to kill a thunder bull.
She groaned, scratching the center of her forehead, a frown creasing her features.
Ive a knife, but that wont kill it any quicker than a bee sting would me.What do I have?
To her joy and surprise, she could still feel the barest lingerings of the ending-berrys power, which shed eaten the morning before. Nearly 24hrs, eh? That was good. Well, truth be told she had no idea what that actually meant, but it wasnt bad she hoped.
She refocused on the bull, peaceably chewing its cud less than a quarter mile away. Think, Tala. How can you end the beast? Her eyes widened, and she found herself grinning. The ending stick.
She fished the short stick out, quickly looking it over to ensure that the iron salve containment hadnt been broken. It hadnt.
How do I make this an effective weapon? She could break it in half, but then shed have two shorter sticks, and shed be faced with the same problem, later.
Then, she had a thought.
Grinning to herself, she pulled out the larger, rougher vial and opened it. It fits!
Using her knife, she careful scraped the iron salve off of one end of the stick, and as soon as she saw the ending sticks power, clearly radiating through, she thrust it into the iron vial, using the vial's cord to hook on a nub of the little stick.
There. Contained.
It wasnt perfect, and shed have to work out a more secure way to store it long term, but for now? It was a good plan.
Humming happily to herself, she strode out of the camp, angling out to circle slightly to one side of the bull.
One of the guards had to have seen her depart, but no one spoke to her or tried to prevent her departure.
It took her less than five minutes to draw near to the massive animal, and she found herself pausing, little more than fifty feet away.
Thatsa big bull.
The beast was easily twice the size of one of the caravans oxen, and it was eyeing her, a look on its face ofnot curiosity. Like a bird eyeing a stick that was resting beside a pile of seed. Oddly specific comparison.
She shook her head, considering. It cant see any magic about me. If their mage-sight, or whatever their equivalent is, is more sensitive than most humans, they might even use it to see what is or is not a creature or a threat. They could use that to determine the nature of anything they faced. She almost laughed. I might just look like some strange bit of mud that is flowing its way.
It was now or never, and she wasnt sure how the beast would react if she turned her back on it.
She strode forward, the stick in her right hand, her left clutching the vial atop it, the cord no longer holding it in place.
Forty feet.
The bull bent down to take another mouthful of grass.
Thirty feet.
It looked up, eyeing her.
Twenty feet.
It shifted, orienting its head her way, its back end swinging around away from her.
Ten feet, it lowered its head and let out a low chuff of questioning inquiry.
Tala lunged forward, ripping the vial free.
Now, the bull could easily see the power radiating from the ending stick, and it released a tremendous bellow of challenge. The beasts head, lowering defensively, was just above her eye level.
Her mage-sight saw power tearing through the beast, quickly building towards an attack, directed at her.
The ending stick struck home, as she thrust it into the top of the bulls skull.
In that instant, quite a few things happened at once.
First, Talas mind came truly, fully awake, and she remembered something. Ohright the ending stick dissolves things
Second, the power in the ending stick exploded into the bulls skull. The ending sticks power was shaped to work as part of a larger tree, so it attempted to draw in more power to throw into the dissolution of the bull. It found none, and the iron salve prevented it from pulling from Tala, herself. In that instant, the stick eviscerated itself, draining itself entirely, even breaking apart the bonds within its cellular structure in a final desperate attempt to strike down its target.
Talas hand closed on almost empty air, her fist filling with a puff of iron dust.
Third, the bulls own, internal magics strongly objected to being dissolved, and waves of reinforcing power swelled to defend the great creature.
The result was both spectacular and horrifying.
The ending stick had spent its power, its very existence, to obliterate a circle of the bulls head roughly two feet wide and four inches deep. Just deep enough to fully expose that portion of the bovines brain.
The bulls scalp and cranial cap had puffed to dust. The brain beneath was surprisingly large, fairly folded, and very much alive.
It was then that the bulls counterattack manifested, and its species name- thunder cattle -was proved applicable. As she saw the power flicker forward, Tala closed her eyes.
Lightning struck from the clear sky in a column four feet wide, utterly enveloping Tala in light and power.
Chapter 27: That's...a Big BullAn hour later, Tala had a headache.Den was already tending to the oxen, and the wagons were comfortably circled for the night, but Tala was still trying to wrap her mind around the concepts in the introduction of the item creation book.She threw her hands up. This is maddening!She heard a throat clear and looked over the side of the wagon.Renix?The mageling looked up at her from beneath dirty blonde hair. Master Trent asked me to come check on you. Will you be joining us for dinner?Tala sighed. He was afraid Id made another star and was sleeping off the fatigue. Tell the old man Im coming.Renix frowned. Mistress Tala, he is still younger than many magelings still beneath their masters. He is a prodigy! I expect hell be an Archon by thirty, or just after.Tala sighed again, swinging down onto the ladder, satchel and hat firmly in place. I meant no disrespect, Renix. I was just meaning to tease.Oh He looked away, seeming slightly embarrassed.I apologize, and I think that it is admirable that you defended your masters good name, and a credit to him that you think so highly of his abilities. She tapped her lips with one finger, contemplating. Though, I suppose having a high opinion of the man who is training you could be a form of narcissism are you vain, Renix?Renix started; he seemed to have been staring at her finger. What? No! I mean no? Wouldnt a vain person claim to be humble?True, true. She shrugged. Then, I guess well never know.They stood for a moment, then Tala quirked a smile. Dinner, right? She gestured towards the chuckwagon, which was already serving people as quickly as they walked up. After you.Renix colored, for some reason, and spun to stride towards the open side of the wagon. Tala followed, her headache already fading.They were able to walk directly up to get their food, and Brand gave her a concerned look, as he handed her a plate that was mounded especially high.Talas eyes widened when she saw power flickering through the meat. She leaned forward to whisper her question. Brand? What is this?Renix had already headed towards the table at which the Mages were already sitting. Brand leaned forward and spoke quickly, as others were coming up behind her. A thunder bull was slain, today, and we were able to harvest some meat before a large pack of blaze wolves drove the harvesters off.How much did you get?Only about forty pounds, raw. He sighed. Just enough for tonights meal.You use three-quarter pounds of meat per person? Well, including me thats 51 people, but stillHe pointed at the ground meat patty on bread. It reduces by close to a quarter when cooked, and people are hungry on the road. He shrugged. We might have some extra, because no one else has been eating like you. He smiled cheerily.Tala had to admit that her plate was the only one she could see with two sandwiches. Fair enough. Thank you, Brand.He bowed slightly. You are too kind, Mistress Tala.Talas eyes flicked to the woman who had come up behind her. One of the richer passengersTraveling with her husband, if I remember correctly. Tala nodded to Brand in turn and turned to go.Mistress Tala, is it? The womans voice was soft but carried a tone of authority.Tala turned to face the woman. Yes. May I help you?The woman wore a simple, elegant travel dress of deep green linen. It was clearly very clean, if not new. The neckline was low, but not indecent, and the toes of soft leather slippers peaked out from under the embroidered hem. Tala kept herself from glancing down at her own outfit, which consisted of clean pants and a shirt with a stab slit stitched shut over her upper left breast. Tala still wore no shoes, but that was by choice.After a moments silence during which the woman seemed to be examining Tala in turn, Tala cleared her throat. Im sorry, can I help you? I really am quite hungry. She lifted her plate just slightly, to emphasize the point.The womans eyes returned to Talas face. Yes, of course. Are you the one theyre calling the Iron Vengeance, or some such thing?Tala felt her cheeks heat and blessed her iron salve for its added camouflage. Ive not heard that one, but it sounds like it might be meant for me After a moment, she continued. SoCan I help you?The woman sighed, then glanced around and noted that no one else had come up to get food behind her. I want a thunder bull horn.Tala took a moment to absorb that. To the side, now behind the womans back, Brand was nodding and giving Tala an affirmative gesture. Alright. Ill see what I can do. Brand smiled, and the woman seemed to relax. Even so, Tala found herself frowning. What fee would you be willing to pay for this harvest?Well She swallowed. Two gold ounces?Talas eyes widened, and she was about to accept enthusiastically, but Brand was shaking his head. Tala changed tact. Two? Are you sure?Well, I dont need a full hornAnd I have to fight a magical creature to get it. Its not like I can just rip off a piece of the beasts horn and run away. She might actually be able to do that, but it was unlikely to succeed long-term.The as of yet unnamed woman seemed to deflate, just slightly.Lets start over. Im Tala. What is your name?You may call me Janice.Janice. Tala nodded. In order to get you a thunder bull horn, I must slay the beast and have time to harvest from it. As we cannot halt the caravan, that means that I cannot guarantee time to harvest other pieces for which I have use.Janice sighed. Fine, fine. That makes sense, I suppose. Five gold ounces?Tala didnt let her gaze move to Brand, but she could still see him, as he shrugged. A reasonable price. Could work. Do you need both horns?Janice shook her head. No. One will be more than sufficient. Thank you.Tala nodded. I wonder what she wants it for. I will do what I can. We have an agreement?We have an agreement.Before shed turned in for the night, shed secured Brands assurance that if she brought down a thunder bull, with enough time to work, he would jerk as much of the meat for her as possible. She, in turn, promised to help in the harvesting of the bones and other parts.Dealing with Atrexia had been surprisingly easy. I suppose Ive pushed her to the point that shes given up? Trent had taken a bit of convincing, but as hed said before, he couldnt actually stop her.Thus, when she woke in the cool pre-dawn air, and rose to find a single thunder bull staring back at her from the next hill over, she was overjoyed. It looked to be a lone, young bull, likely newly out on its own. It did look a little frazzled, or stressed? Can cattle look stressed? Maybe harriedShe shook her head, refocusing. I cannot be this lucky. Keeping her eye on the bull, she decided to charge the cargo-slots first, just in case something went terribly wrong.It was hard to force herself to focus, but she did it, taking a little longer than the day before, due to her distraction and newly wakened state. Shed gotten used to having time to stretch and bring her thoughts under control before charging the cargo-slots, and the alteration of the pattern added to her minds disgruntlement.Finally, she had her gear stored, the shield leaning where shed promised to leave it, and she realized: I have no way to kill a thunder bull.She groaned, scratching the center of her forehead, a frown creasing her features.Ive a knife, but that wont kill it any quicker than a bee sting would me.What do I have?To her joy and surprise, she could still feel the barest lingerings of the ending-berrys power, which shed eaten the morning before. Nearly 24hrs, eh? That was good. Well, truth be told she had no idea what that actually meant, but it wasnt bad she hoped.She refocused on the bull, peaceably chewing its cud less than a quarter mile away. Think, Tala. How can you end the beast? Her eyes widened, and she found herself grinning. The ending stick.She fished the short stick out, quickly looking it over to ensure that the iron salve containment hadnt been broken. It hadnt.How do I make this an effective weapon? She could break it in half, but then shed have two shorter sticks, and shed be faced with the same problem, later.Then, she had a thought.Grinning to herself, she pulled out the larger, rougher vial and opened it. It fits!Using her knife, she careful scraped the iron salve off of one end of the stick, and as soon as she saw the ending sticks power, clearly radiating through, she thrust it into the iron vial, using the vial's cord to hook on a nub of the little stick.There. Contained.It wasnt perfect, and shed have to work out a more secure way to store it long term, but for now? It was a good plan.Humming happily to herself, she strode out of the camp, angling out to circle slightly to one side of the bull.One of the guards had to have seen her depart, but no one spoke to her or tried to prevent her departure.It took her less than five minutes to draw near to the massive animal, and she found herself pausing, little more than fifty feet away.Thatsa big bull.The beast was easily twice the size of one of the caravans oxen, and it was eyeing her, a look on its face ofnot curiosity. Like a bird eyeing a stick that was resting beside a pile of seed. Oddly specific comparison.She shook her head, considering. It cant see any magic about me. If their mage-sight, or whatever their equivalent is, is more sensitive than most humans, they might even use it to see what is or is not a creature or a threat. They could use that to determine the nature of anything they faced. She almost laughed. I might just look like some strange bit of mud that is flowing its way.It was now or never, and she wasnt sure how the beast would react if she turned her back on it.She strode forward, the stick in her right hand, her left clutching the vial atop it, the cord no longer holding it in place.Forty feet.The bull bent down to take another mouthful of grass.Thirty feet.It looked up, eyeing her.Twenty feet.It shifted, orienting its head her way, its back end swinging around away from her.Ten feet, it lowered its head and let out a low chuff of questioning inquiry.Tala lunged forward, ripping the vial free.Now, the bull could easily see the power radiating from the ending stick, and it released a tremendous bellow of challenge. The beasts head, lowering defensively, was just above her eye level.Her mage-sight saw power tearing through the beast, quickly building towards an attack, directed at her.The ending stick struck home, as she thrust it into the top of the bulls skull.In that instant, quite a few things happened at once.First, Talas mind came truly, fully awake, and she remembered something. Ohright the ending stick dissolves thingsSecond, the power in the ending stick exploded into the bulls skull. The ending sticks power was shaped to work as part of a larger tree, so it attempted to draw in more power to throw into the dissolution of the bull. It found none, and the iron salve prevented it from pulling from Tala, herself. In that instant, the stick eviscerated itself, draining itself entirely, even breaking apart the bonds within its cellular structure in a final desperate attempt to strike down its target.Talas hand closed on almost empty air, her fist filling with a puff of iron dust.Third, the bulls own, internal magics strongly objected to being dissolved, and waves of reinforcing power swelled to defend the great creature.The result was both spectacular and horrifying.The ending stick had spent its power, its very existence, to obliterate a circle of the bulls head roughly two feet wide and four inches deep. Just deep enough to fully expose that portion of the bovines brain.The bulls scalp and cranial cap had puffed to dust. The brain beneath was surprisingly large, fairly folded, and very much alive.It was then that the bulls counterattack manifested, and its species name- thunder cattle -was proved applicable. As she saw the power flicker forward, Tala closed her eyes.Lightning struck from the clear sky in a column four feet wide, utterly enveloping Tala in light and power.
