Letting her lead he followed…

 

Through the rubbles into the foundation that held a building into the sand. As they went deeper into the building the stench of garbage slowly wafted up into his nose, getting stronger with each step he took. For him it was just too intense to bear, but he held back his complaints and did not so much as flinch.

Where is she leading me?

She led him through a tunnel of concrete slabs that got smaller with every step and out into a room, a dump.

The room only had pillars and the floor was coated with the washed up filth from the town, possibly brought in by the winds and people dumping.

He inspected the place and saw a makeshift bed from trash and pillow of stone, making him realize this was her home, she had no family.

No wonder her stench.

She was living in the most obscured place, underneath the building. Dangerous!

If the building gave way she would be lost to the rubbles. Nothing changed in his expression, even now knowing the girl’s living conditions, but knew it was bad.

He looked down at her.

The room wasn’t where she led him to. Rather the sight it held.

At the corner of the room there was a small window. She led him to it.

“… Here?”

His eyes were on her.

She looked up at him then to the window, let go of his hand and took a seat on the trash pile she called a bed.

He turned to the window taking a few steps closer. It had a view to the side of the building he stood, eyes fixated on.

The occasional people moved in and out—that was the other entrance into the building, without using the front.

The way in. I’ll take it that:

“… Is that the place I need to be?”

 This is the other way in. It’ll be pointless since they know I’m already in here not to mention the hunters waiting on someone suspicious. And apparently it is me! Later then!

He thought to himself to get into the place later using that way in.

 

Now what to do with her?

What’s this?

Over the span of living on his new earth he had no attachments; he had no emotions, for people will pass as he would not. Even if it were not so he just didn’t care.

But this feeling was new. Attachment or Gratuity? He wasn’t sure.

It’s only been a few days and he cared enough to think of giving something in return.

He felt he needed to do something for the little girl.

But what to do?

He thought to himself as the girl led him back into the street.

She had her eyes set on their destination, the Inn, and nothing would sway her eyes.

He still had her hand in his as they slowly made their way back…

“Hey kid!!!”

A deep male voice called out to him.

He turned to see a three man party; a gargoyle, a serpent person and an elf a few of meters back, armed.

They’re an odd bunch.

Indeed they were. It’s not rare to see a party of different races, but to see a bunch like them is one you would call rare for certain.

Gargoyles are mostly soloists, considering how their brute strength rivals Orcs and Ogres; they consider other people to be setbacks.

As for the serpent people, with their looks and mysteriousness other races found them untrustworthy.

Even more weird was seeing an elf partner with races they called “impure”. Of all races Elves were the worst, considering themselves the purest and most beautiful race, but deep down they were rotten… At least that’s how it was throughout the years he had been wandering.

So much has changed; a lot I don’t really know about.

Seeing them the girl hid herself behind the young hunter peeping out.

The gargoyle wielding the large long sword lets it slide off his shoulder and, chang, sticks into the ground.

Gargoyles are a race of monster people, grotesque, thick ashened skinned, they come in sizes like men but larger; also some have wings and others don’t. This particular one did not.

“You’ll be coming with us!”

And why would I be doing that?

“Come quietly or we cut you down” Blankly stated the elf.

The elf loosened his grip to the whip made of spines and the coil fell to the ground.

Unlike Allora this serpent person had only the arms humanlike with long claws, head that of a cobra’s and he bore fangs.

Correction:

      Lamias are not the same as Serpent people. Lamia’s had their upper half human looking and the lower part: snake, but the serpent people were all in all snakes with just the arms—also one of the rarer races in the world.

“Haaaarrgh” hissed the Serpent person.

“You really don’t want to do this” The young hunter replied.

“Run” He said to the little girl letting go of her hand.

He parted the jacket and pulled out the knife strapped to his thigh.

The little girl stood looking at him as she did the day they met, her hands clasped together to her chest. He pose and expression looked rather out of place.

“Go. Hide. Don’t be here right now”

She was frozen in place, just staring.

“… Go!"

The elf lashed his whip at him as the other two rushed towards him.

He quickly grabbed the girl to his chest and uses his knife to knock the whip to the side.

What the hell am I doing? Why did I save her? This is not me.

He jumped back to get out of the way of the barrage of lashes that followed.

The girl was now stuck with him in battle. She clung to him tightly as his left hand pressed her to his chest.

Twerp twerp twerp. The rain of heavy lashes was easily evaded with a few moves and dodges.

Before he could take a stand another attack was on the way, this time the serpent person.

Slice… Streaks of silver cut through the air.

The snake person attacked with claws, a front slash. The hunter evaded with a jump and lands a spin kick right into the serpent person’s head. It thrusted the serpent person straight into the large concrete slab, smashing it into rubbles.

The gargoyle had already launched his attack after the serpent moved.

Immediately landing, the young hunter’s eyes caught the broad sword in a downward slash.

A cut like that would kill the little girl. A split second to react, a slight move to the side, the hunter turned his blade on the cutting edge to meet the long sword. The sword glides, blade on blade to his knife, and cuts into the ground. The gargoyle was stunned.

The hunter leaped forward to counter but the gargoyle quickly reaches to his side, pulled out a 14 inch slim short sword which was strapped to his side, held it up to his face to block.

Crack… Slice. The hunter’s knife cut through the gargoyles short sword and connected to his cheek leaving a cut. The gargoyle’s eyes wide, stunned as he saw pieces of his blade float before him.

That’s one tough blade. The gargoyle thought.

Sniff, sniff. The scent of blood trickling from the gargoyle’s cheek reached the hunter’s nose.

“Blood! It smells good.” came the distorted voice from within.

Immediately the gargoyle grabbed the hilt of his longsword with both hands and swung it around.

Clang… The hunter was quick to react holding up his knife to receive the side of the longsword. The impact reverberated through his body and flung him into the air, from nowhere the tail of the serpent person slammed into his back sending him the other direction... he flipped himself around for his feet to touch the ground, pushed back a couple of feet before stopping.

Twerp… He evaded the whip jumping high up and it connected to the ground. A side spin in the air and—Smash—he landed so hard on the whip and shattered the part closest off.

The gargoyle rested his sword to his shoulder and stretched out his hand.

“You’re strong, agile. But you can’t take us all at once, especially with the child… Surrender and the child lives”

The hunter switched the knife to his left, grabbed the girl with his right and took a stand.

“You waste your breath, Br’ir’uc” Said the Elf, exasperatedly.

“I see no need to harm a child, Afaghis… Your choice hunter.”

It was a hard choice to make. She was already in harm’s way and their aim was to use her to break him. Either way, letting her go or giving up, she would still be a target. But no expressions escape him looking them straight on. The thought crossed him to let her go, left to her own fate but his body would not allow him.

Like hell I would!

The hunter tightened his grip to the knife and locked his stance. His blank expression, unscathed.

“Very well then” said the gargoyle

The broadsword’s tip hit the ground.

Now I know something is definitely wrong with me.

 

BOOM

“What was that?”

“Did you hear that?”

“What do you think is going on over there?”

“Mhm?”

“Hey did you hear that?”

“Over there.” Gestures one.

“What’s with the smoke over there?”

It was an unusual sound in this quiet town, but quite familiar.

Everyone stopped in their tracks looking in the direction where the sound came from.

Allora stuck her head out of the doorway to have a look. She saw customers and shop owners looking to the thick white smoke in the distant.

“What’s going on?” Allora said to herself.

“A fight?” She heard a passerby say.

“Let’s go check it out”

“Hey hurry up!”

“Hey Ally, what’s caught your attention?” One of the waitresses called out to her.

“Looks like something’s going on out there.”

People dashed in that direction to see what the commotion was. Shop owners who had nothing to do also followed.

 

In a matter of seconds the place was surrounded by people to spectate the raging bout.

Allora was last to arrive.

She weaved through the crowd to see what was going on.

 

Swish, the claw missed the hunter’s face by half an inch when he pushed himself back.

Now the young hunter was caught between three.

Dodge, block and evade wasn’t enough. As much as he could have taken them at a go he had someone to protect.

Allora saw him in battle and something else. Something that slowed him…

“…?”

…The little girl that had her eyes tightly shut, clinging to him. Allora’s was scared at the same time surprised as she saw what he did to keep her safe.

Slice, ching, Twarp. These were the sounds that he heard when blade and claws connected to his skin and fabric. Afaghis’ whip was broken but still effective, his smooth movement with the whip showed he was a master at it.

The hunter managed to evade the lashes as he fought off the other duo.

They were a veteran team, from their battle strategy. They were strong together.

They came at him to blindside for one to land a strike.

What a kid! Still able to freely move with the little girl in his arms.

Then he heard.

Let me out. I will end them.

It was that distorted voice in his head. Something dark he had locked inside for over a century.

“No!”

He planted his feet firmly into the ground as the gargoyle lunged forward to stab with his longsword. Like before, he glided his blade along the edge of the sword, he used the hilt of his knife and lands a hit right to his face. The force dragged Br’ir’uc a couple of feet back but his stance held him firm to the ground.

Trying to take advantage of the moment, the serpent swung his arm from behind however the hunter lunged himself forward for a somersault. In the mid split his left leg connected to the chin of the serpent person.

He used his hand, still on the ground, to propel himself towards the gargoyle. A quick response he held up the side of his longsword to block the impending hit, a vantage for the hunter he used his momentum to ricochet off the sword into the air, flipped and landed a back kick into the serpent person pushing him towards his comrade.

The kick added a ground for him to do a spin and faced them before landing. Touching the ground he dived straight for them without hesitation.

Time slows down when—He sees a smile bloom on their faces.

“Watch out!!!” Screamed Allora.

Turning to his side he caught a glimpse of a head with two horns—a faun, the demihuman race of goatmen, known as Satyrs. They have almost human-like faces with horns sticking out of their foreheads, fur and hooves and a short stumpy tail—too close.

It was too late; the speed of the beast of a man could not be evaded.

 There are four of them!! Where did he come from? I was caught up in the fight so I couldn’t sense him.

It was a great strategy! The three held back their man so they could distract the young hunter so the faun could deliver the final blow. He could not hear nor sense anything because he was so focused on the fight; keeping the little girl safe. The noise, from blades clashing and the riot of the spectators was all distracting.

WHAAAM!!! He was catapulted into the air.

 

“Not bad kid.”

Watching from one of the buildings, in one of the floors above Taro watched everything befall. He had been there swinging his sword, training when he heard the battle ensued.

“I can’t wait for our fight. That is if you survive them.”

He turned and walked away to continue his training.

 

Blood running down the side of his face, he could see drops of his blood float in the air with him. The girl was out of his hand, falling away from his reach.

Everything went white in his eyes, a flash of bright light.

I feel… so… hungry.

 

○●○