Minx allowed the voices of the plants to fill her ears as she trusted those around her to keep an eye out. She asked her beloved plants to take her back to when the monstrous beasts first appeared.
Her mind was quickly filled with images.
A flash of light came from the sky and a gray cloud appeared on the land where the lightning struck. When the air cleared, a being stood there. He was tall, large and menacing.
He stood easily 30-feet tall. He had hooves for feet and spiraled horns on his head positioned like that of a bull. He had no exposed skin but a glossy black fur that resembled obsidian. His voice was a rumble like thunder that made everyone in hearing distance tremble and fall to their knees. He declared himself a god and demanded the people worship him.
This planet had no god for centuries. The humans were struggling but three hundred years before this, the fairies arrived and turned the planet around. The land was flourishing and people were finally healthy and living in peace.
The humans refused to bow down, especially to a tyrant. Someone was sent to get a fairy in hopes they would save them from this self-proclaimed god. By the time the person returned with a blond male with wings, the city was leveled with no evidence the humans ever existed.
Botha, he had called himself.
Not long after this, beasts started appearing. Small, weak at first. Then they got stronger and stronger. They attacked human towns and cities. Small skirmishes at first. As the beasts grew in size and power, they became more bold.
Minx watched as the plants played the memory for her. Homes smashed, trampled, incinerated, and worse. Innocent men, women, and children were slaughtered as though their lives meant nothing. The facial expressions she experienced ripped her heart out.
The sheer terror, children torn from their mother's arms screaming for the safety she was supposed to provide them. Husbands stood bravely in front of certain death as their families pressed themselves into walls that vanished moments later as the onslaught continued. Names were screamed from trembling lips as tears ran down faces. They stood frozen in fear and watched their loved ones be devoured before their eyes only to suffer the same fate moments later.
Suddenly there were hands… "Minx!"
She screamed then realized the sound was familiar. Shalt. She sat atop Caser's back and sobbed heavily for what the people had been forced to endure at the hands of this so-called god. She didn't even have the whole picture yet and, already, her blood began to boil.
Minx didn't even register they had stopped until a pair of strong, familiar arms wrapped around her, rocking her and stroking her hair softly.
She finally relaxed a little. "Thank you, Midas…" She pulled away slowly and wiped away her tears. He fished a square white cloth from a pocket somewhere she didn't see and handed it to her.
"You may want to catch that nose of yours before it runs so fast it leaves your face…" he grinned.
She giggled and blew her nose, handing the soiled cloth back to him. He took it with two fingers and held it at a distance. She watched as a bit of earth formed at the bottom tip. Before her eyes, Midas used his powers to wrap the cloth in an earth ball then put it back in his pocket.
She looked around and noticed Yenthar was already talking to people who were all staring at them rather than paying attention to the deputy. She felt Shalt climb down behind her then he offered his hand up to her. She could have flown off but decided to accept the kind gesture.
As she turned toward the people, she took in what their village looked like. This place was far worse than the last one. The buildings were at best half standing. Less than half had any semblance of a roof.
Minx forgot she needed to introduce herself and immediately began asking questions she felt were important.
"Please tell me you don't live in these ruins. Do you have underground shelters? I don't see any food growing… In fact, I haven't seen any animals. Are you able to hunt?"
Yenthar smiled politely as he turned to the three people who came out to greet them, "this is Princess Minx and Prince Midas. They have just returned to us from a faraway land to help us combat the evil that plagues our world."
Minx looked stunned for a moment then realized what she did. She smiled bashfully, "my apologies."
She turned to those who came with her, "this tall, pale man is my chief assistant, Shalt. This pale-skinned fairy with the rather large and brilliantly red wings is Jaykon. This brown-haired man who looks like he could lift a maccavity is Biff. Aqua is the sandy-haired guy over there who looks like he's skipped too many meals. Next to him and a few inches taller is Dufus."
She giggled softly, "since I'm sure you don't know what a maccavity is, here are four of them," she said with a flourish if her hand. "The biggest one is Caser."
He stepped forward and offered a tentacle. Minx had to demonstrate what he was looking for. The three men were all kinds of confused, looking around as if questioning their own reality.
"Next to him and slightly smaller is Griddlebone. His mate. The other two smaller ones are their two children, Adam and Alice."
Minx noticed the looks on their faces and decided to continue, "no human should be forced to live under such conditions. What are you in most need for?"
One trembling sandy-haired man stepped forward, "Valone in my name, Your Highness. We need a miracle. A monster visits us every month, attacks until he eats his fill and leaves again. He should return tomorrow…"
The man's voice dripped with despair and her mind instantly conjured her own question. Which is worse, watching our loved ones die then being eaten yourself or knowing your loved ones will be eaten in front of you and you can't stop it…