Credit to Mek who proofread this. Thank you for reading ^_^

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Chapter 3: Books

“L-Let me go!”

“P-Please, I only a mere slave!”

As the gnolls searching the parameter, they found another three young slaves, it was Mud, Ash, and Blood. Unlike the other group, they were not heavily beaten as the gnolls planned to interrogate them.

Dirt, Crow and Raven trying hard to conceal themselves, the gnolls didn’t found them by some miracle. And the gnolls couldn’t even imagine that Dirt’s squad was closed to them from the start.

As their new captives held high by his henchmen, the gnolls leader closing into the young slaves to interrogate them.

He faced the fragile-looking Mud when he about to ask questions as his experience told him that this kid like Mud would be most likely blabber some information.

As the gnolls' leader approaching, Mud's body starts to tremble while his eyes looking down in fear. The gnoll's leader let his face in close proximity to Mud.

As he saw the big vertical scarred across the hyena face, big but roughly lined canines, and the nonstop saliva dropping. Mud can’t help but trembled heavily as he peed his pant and tears start flowing from his eyes.

The gnoll's leader just chuckles as he saw Mud's reaction before he spoke in a playful but demanding voice.

“Your name?”

Mud couldn’t bring his voice out as the terrifying gnolls questioned him.

“ My bad, I guess it’s rude in the human's culture to ask for one name without giving my own.” The gnoll coughs a few times before he continues in a softer but more terrifying voice.“I am Rakk, now tell me, YOUR NAME.”

Mud realized his life was on the line, if he didn’t answer this time, Rakk may lose his temper and actually kill him. Mud gathered his courage as he tried to speak.

“M-Mud”

“Nice to meet you, Mud. Why did you guys playing around here? you know, it’s dangerous around here.”

“H-Hunting.” Mud said with a low voice as he felt somewhat guilty every time he spoke.

“What?! I didn’t hear you.”

“W-We came to hunt foods because we younger slaves always lack foods in war.”

“ I see, how smart. How many of you are here?”

Mud doesn’t answer immediately, he was a scaredy-cat but he was a kind-hearted kid who would never hurt anyone else. As he looked down to the ground, his trembling get worst and tears flowing out from his eyes non-stop.

*sniff*

“T-Three.O-Only we three went out….. *sniff* Only we three went out hunting tonight”

“Really?” Rakk immediately realized Mud was lying as his team already caught three other kids just before Mud group was caught. As Mud was in a panic, he didn’t notice the three unconscious boys on the ground, just beside one of the gnolls.

Rakk tried again to squeezed out the truth from Mud, as he tried to contain his temper, Rakk grit his teeth before he spoke again with rougher beastly voice. “ You shouldn’t be lying boy, cuz you suck at it. Now tell me how many of you brats in this forest!”

“T-Three, it’s the truth.”

“You filthy, stupid, humans brat! Who you are trying to fool!” Rakk tempered flared as he cried while showing his sharps roughly lined canines.

Without any mercy, Rakk kicks the poor boy in the stomached as the boy body flung a few meters away. Rakk then drew his sword as he swiftly cut Mud's body into two. In a second, Mud turned into a lifeless corpse.

“Take that shit with us, he can be our foods….” Rakk looked at the other kids intently before he continue to speak.

“...Because you know, we gnolls love corpses.”

Rakk bloodthirst brought a shiver to the other two captives that witnessed it. The silence onlooker, Dirt’s squad also can’t believe what they just saw.

As Rakk about to interrogate the other captives, Dirt starts to load arrow to his bow while taking his aim.

“What are you doing?!” Crow spoke in a low tone as he can’t believe what Dirt about to do.

“They will start searching and eventually find us anyway, better ambush them now.” Dirt explained. As his long time buddy, Crow immediately understands Dirt’s reason.

With the element of ambush, they may take out one of the gnolls by surprise. And they could immediately join forces with the other two and fight five versus five. Far better than if they were caught later and have no choice but to fight three versus six, without the element of the ambush to boot.

“I-I will follow whatever you guys decide,” Raven said in a low tone as he loaded his arrow.

Crow took a deep breath as he about to do something crazy, he loaded his arrow and aimed the same target of Raven and Dirt.

The three of them need to successfully kill one of the gnolls before engaged the battle so they could get a five versus five scenario instead of five versus six.

Their aim was a laidback gnolls that leaning on the three just five steps from Rakk. “Here goes nothing,” Crow muttered as the three of them launch the arrow at the same time.

Woosh!

Woosh!

Woosh!

“Arrgh!”

The three arrows precisely landed on the gnoll neck. The humanoid hyena didn’t immediately die but it was confirmed that his life was on the line.

As they drew their weapons, Dirt, Crow and Raven swiftly jump out from the bushes and attacked the two gnolls holding their comrades.

Dirt and Crow used their basic military swords while Raven uses his dagger. As they were released from the gnolls, Ash and blood quickly took out their dagger.

Dirt and Crow took the vanguard while Raven, Ash, and Blood protecting the two rear. As he saw Dirt, Rakk smirk as he spoke.

“Heh, I knew there’s more of you, no formidable leader from the brats we caught.”

As Rakk about to ready his battle stance, Dirt and Crow immediately attacked. Rakk managed to barely defend against Dirt’s sword attack but the sneak attack from Crow had scratched his skin.

The other gnolls tried to attack Dirt and Crow but the other kids somehow managed to keep them busy.

“Heh, how formidable for a kid!” Rakk start to step up his game and fought seriously. Compared to ordinary humans, gnolls' physical traits were extraordinary.

The young slaves fighting with militarily trained adult gnolls was something unfair even with the equal five versus five.

Regardless, the young slaves managed to hold their ground against the gnolls. It was mainly because of Dirt's extraordinary combat prowess and Crow cunningness.

The other young slaves, although not as formidable, managed to interrupt every attack from the other gnolls with their flawless battle formation.

They never received any official training, but as the veteran hunting party that used to go through life and death while defending against dangerous monsters, they established themselves as young warriors.

“I will handle these two, you guys kill those brats first!”

As they listened to their leader, the other four gnolls start to focus their attacks on the three kids. ‘Crap, we need to end this fast.’ Dirt thought as he knew his comrades could not hold the gnolls for long.

Although good bringing the battle in a stalemate, the other young slaves don’t have much individual combat prowess. Fighting four gnolls at once was reckless in the first place.

Dirt exceptionally good swordsmanship combined with Crow unexpected sneak attack, Rakk has been busy with the two. His pride as the commanding officer was somewhat shattered as the two brats in front of him made him fight seriously.

He had injury all over his body while defending from both attacks. Although the injury only on scratches level, he knew he would lose his life the moment he gets careless.

As Rakk was cornered and Dirt and Crow start to get an upper hand. A gnoll appeared from Dirt’s back.

“Dirt, be careful!”

Thankfully Crow managed to get in time and defend the attacked, he quickly glances at his party to find out what happened. And he was corrected, two had heavily injured and one was lying on the ground, probably dead.

“S-Sorry, Crow”

“Shit, Dirt! You handled the boss, I will handle his dogs.”

“Okay!”

Crow rushed towards Rakk’s henchmen. As someone who used sneak attacks, one on one duel was unfavorable to him, Crow preferred crowds who do not prepare for sneak attacks.

As his party drew the attention of the gnoll, Crow quickly unleashed a sneak attack on one of the gnolls backed.

Wiish!

“Arrgh!”

The attack succeeded, critically injuring the gnoll and taking him out of the fight

“Are you sure about this, I am quite a skilled swordsman.”

Without answering Rakk, Dirt kept on unleashing a flurry of heavy attacks. As he was not as busy anymore, Rakk could composedly fight back with better footing.

The tender age of fifteen doesn’t stop Dirt from holding his ground while dueling the gnolls high ranking military officer.  Dirt fighting Rakk, and Crow fighting the henchmen, the gapped between the battle event were gradually widened.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

It was because of something Dirt and Crow have agreed upon. Something they agreed to survive, something they have decided long ago. Both Dirt and Crow remembered it in their mind as they executed their last survival plan.

‘If by some chance, we were cornered by the enemies…..we will go our separate ways’

Crow secretly moved the battlefield away from Dirt and Rakk while Dirt doing the same thing. By the time they covered enough distance, both of them would run for their life.

It was the way to separate the enemies and make sure they were chased by the least amount of enemies.

Everything was decided by luck, if the henchmen decide to stay and protected their leader, Crow has the chance of escaped while Dirt most likely would die. If the opposite happened, Dirt would be survived. And if they just get chased by their respective opponent, their survival chance was fifty-fifty.

‘NOW!’

As Crow and Dirt covered enough distanced, Dirt started to turn his back and run. While Crow signaled Ash and Blood to start running.

“They are getting away!”

“Let’s just chase, Rakk can handle that kid alone.”

With two heavily injured boys on his side, Crow purposely ran slower while he occasionally defended the two from their chaser attacks.

As his view turned hazy and his body gets heavy, Blood finally collapses. The gnolls, take this opportunity by distracting Crow with the two of them as one of them rushed to Ash.

Crow was busy defending against the two gnolls joined attacks. The heavily injured Ash could do nothing to defend against the remaining gnolls downward slashed. As Ash limb was cut by the gnolls, blood gushed out turning his body lifeless. 

The death of his remaining comrade made Crow in despair as he was left alone with three gnoll soldiers in the middle of the woods.

****

While he ran away from Rakk, Dirt suddenly turned his back and swung his sword towards the chasing Rakk when he noticed Rakk was alone.

He knew he could not outrun Rakk beastly legs using his young humanly legs. Defeating Rakk in a duel was his only way out of the situation.

Although startled with Dirt's sudden attack, Rakk could defend Dirt’s attack on reflex. Rakk countered by kicking Dirt’s stomached, knocking Dirt’s body a few meters back.

Before Dirt could get up, Rakk continues to charge as he knew to let Dirt to gain his footing was dangerous. His swift attack slashed Dirt’s body although it was not a clean-cut as Dirt managed to graze away from the attack.

The difference in battle experience was clear as Dirt could only defend Rakk's relentless attacks while he tried to gain his footing.

Before he knew it, his body was slashed all over. Showered by his own blood, his clothes get heavy as the thick blood soaked his clothes.

His body felt numb, his motor worked had slowed down, his eyes getting hazy. Regardless, Rakk mercilessly continues to swing his sword.

*huf* *huf*

“For forcing me to fight seriously, I praise your skill as a young warrior”

Rakk's word doesn’t reach Dirt as he was half-conscious. He remained standing was only on his will alone. As Rakk unleashed his final attacked, Dirt’s view turned black.

.

.

.

.

.

As the battle result unfolded, Rakk the gnoll took on his opponent's body with him. He had minor injuries all over his body. He was exhausted from fighting the unknown boy. Regardless, Rakk carried Dirt's body with him as eating on their opponent's corpse was gnoll warrior’s greatest honor.

In the darkness of the night, Rakk vanishes in the thick woods while carrying his battle trophy.

*****

His thin body doesn’t hold much strength, he was only a bit more nimble than the rest. But with his cunning mind, he always managed to sneak behind the enemies and accurately hit their vital points.

Unfortunately, Crow was not that great in a duel, not to mention one versus many battles. But he was desperate. There were three gnoll soldiers after his life. Escaped was near impossible as he was surrounded.

Regardless, he would not surrender. He continues to fight with all of his might. His entire body was wounded, blood gushed out everywhere.

As he was tripped and his body fell to the ground. He thought ‘This is it’ when the gnolls attacked together trying to finish him off.

Before the gnoll blades reach him, he saw something. He widened his eyes as he realized what he just saw. As if time was stopped, he grinned widely and got a new resolved.

He saw the final member of their hunting party hiding between the tree roots. The boy holding his mouth with both of his hands while he tried to hold back his tears. In between the tree roots, he saw the boy trembled in fear, trying desperately to hide his presence from the gnolls.

Crow just saw ‘hope’, he may not survive the fight but he got the resolved to keep on fighting. By supporting his body with his left hand, Crow suddenly somersaulted while kicking one of the gnoll heads with his left foot.

In reflex, the gnoll that was kicked swung his ax randomly. It doesn’t take Crow’s life, but his thin left leg was cleanly cut from his lower knee.

While gritting his teeth as he felt mildly painful, Crow nimbly moves away from the danger. Using his sword as the third leg, Crow gained a footing while staggering.

*huf* *huf*

Everything happened so fast. Crow still couldn’t comprehend that he just lost his left leg. When he realized the situation, his face gets paler, cold sweat broke through his body, blood started to gush out from his wound and he started to feel extremely painful.

But he doesn’t scream like a mad man, neither he lost his will to fight his enemies. He tried to stay conscious as his face got paled from the blood loss.

He knew Hans fated was on his hand. If Hans managed to escape and alert the army about the gnolls, at least their death was not in vain.

He couldn’t move much with his current conditioned. Regardless, he tried his best to lure away the gnolls from Hans.

Hans knew he should escape immediately after Crow took away the attention of the gnoll. But he couldn’t stop his fright. He couldn’t stop his body from trembling and he couldn’t move a step away from his hiding place.

He had two options, either to hide and hoped the gnolls do not notice him. Or ran while Crow took away the attention of the gnoll.

One of the gnoll's famous racial traits was their sharpened sense. The former option was the more dangerous one as the gnolls most likely would found him.

The later took more courage. Survival chance was slimmed. Still, the chance to live was higher. Hans knew that very fact, he just lacked the courage to move.

As he saw how desperate Crow was trying to lure away the gnolls, Hans knew he had to do it. In his mind, he had tried countless of escape routes, and every time he was caught.

He had no time anymore. He had nothing to lose as ninety-nine percent he would most like died. And that one percent heavily depended on how he escaped.

When Hans built up his courage. He swallowed his saliva, he wiped his sweats, he wiped his tears. He was ready as he cautiously took one step away from his hiding place. And when he saw the chance, he ran with all of his might.

*Bushu*

As Hans made his escaped, the gnolls heard the sound of the bushes behind them. They knew immediately it was one of the young slaves from a whiff of his scent.

“Jarr, Gaff, check it out.”

“Heh, no need to ask.”

“Another rat!.”

Jarr and Gaff immediately after the last young slave leaving one gnoll soldier behind to deal with Crow.

As both of his teammates left, Carf made an evil grinned while his saliva dripped from his mouth wildly. He thought ‘ This brat is as good as dead, I will finish him off and feast on his corpse later!’.

Crow's face gets paler as his blood loss got more severed. It seems it took everything he had just to breathe and stood up. His thinned body made him look like a critically ill patient whose waiting for their last moment.

Regardless, he smiled. He couldn’t smile widely as his face muscle start to get stiff but his enemy knew he was smiling.

“Is it enough?”

“Are you kidding me?! I am enough to finish off a near-dead brat.”

“No, I’m talking about your friend. Chasing him with two people, is it enough?”

“Seriously, are you trying to lengthen your life by talking to me?”

As he heard Carf remarked, Crow could only smile. He realized the gnolls underestimating Hans. That was good as it would increase Hans's survival rated. But he couldn’t resist speaking his mind.

Maybe because he was on the brink of death or maybe because he just wanted to brag. Like a whisper of the night wind, Crow left a questionable remarked.

“Every night….. That kid……. always had a new book”

*******

7 months ago I wrote this fiction until here. Don't expect this to be updated as much as my other fiction.