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Hero Killer
First Kills

First Kills

So he sheathed his sword, and the air around him seemed to grow heavier, the once lively forest now shrouded in an unnatural darkness. The trees, once bathed in moonlight, were now silhouettes, their branches swaying like dark, reaching fingers. A chilling silence followed as the forest seemed to hold its breath.

The others that had come with him quickly conjured light orbs, their warm glow flickering like tiny stars, dispersing across the carriage and casting eerie shadows on the men. The contrast between the cold dark and the warm lights made the scene feel both unsettling and surreal.

“How did you find me?” Travis asked, his voice tinged with suspicion, his narrowed eyes scanning them all. His hand subtly rested on the hilt of his sword, the faintest hint of a threat in the gesture.

“Well, you should learn how to suppress your mana while you're unconscious. It'll help you if you're planning on being an Adventurer,” Mike said, his tone casual, as if offering friendly advice. “But let’s not talk about that. Are you in need of any essentials right now?”

“Yeah, man, I’m pretty hungry,” Travis replied, the words barely leaving his mouth when his stomach growled loudly, echoing in the small space. The sound was so sudden and intense that the men flinched, sweat forming on their brows as their eyes darted nervously to each other.

"Wow, you have such a weird stomach, no offense though," Mike said, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips. "Well, we have food back in the carriage if you want. Also, what's your name? Oh, my name’s Mike,” he added, stepping forward, extending his hand.

“Travis,” the young man responded shortly, nodding stiffly as he shook Mike’s hand.

“Well, Travis, why don’t we go back to the carriage and have some food?” Mike suggested. “Then we’ll discuss whether or not you can travel with us.”

Travis didn’t say anything more. He gathered his belongings and followed the group back to the carriage. The interior was cramped, filled with rough-looking men sitting on benches or standing, their eyes momentarily glancing at him as he entered. He nodded to them in greeting before sitting near Mike, who immediately reached for a bowl of steaming food.

“Alright, then,” Mike said, pushing the bowl toward him. “Here’s some food. Don’t worry, it’s not poisoned. But I’m sure you won’t trust me if I just say that, right?”

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“No, not really. I wouldn’t care if you poisoned me,” Travis replied bluntly, taking the bowl and digging in. The warmth of the food spread through him as he wolfed it down, the hunger from his long travels finally being sated.

Mike chuckled quietly, sitting back and watching him eat. He had saved himself the trouble of convincing Travis that it wasn’t poisoned, and was oddly amused by the boy’s lack of concern.

After a few minutes, Travis set the empty bowl aside, his hunger finally appeased. “Good,” Mike said, stretching lazily. “Now tell us, where are you headed, Travis? I’m curious. A kid like you, traveling all alone...”

“I’m headed to Eldermoor for now,” Travis said, his voice steady, though his thoughts were racing. He paused, taking another pot of food and continuing to eat. “But my main goal is the Capital.”

“Wow, so you’re headed to the hub?” Mike raised an eyebrow. “You know, if you travel by foot, you'll arrive there in a couple of months, right?”

“Nope. I’ve never been outside my village,” Travis answered, a slight twitch in his eye betraying the lie. It wasn’t true, but he needed an alibi, something to avoid further prying.

“Ah, so you’re a country bumpkin,” Mike said, almost with a hint of amusement, sighing as if the situation were somehow a disappointment.

Travis froze, his grip tightening around the bowl. ‘Wait, I don’t want to go down this road,’ he thought.

‘I need to ditch these guys. I’m not going to make my journey cliché.’ He pushed the bowl aside, then asked for some water, his mind already plotting his next move.

One of the men passed him a glass, and Travis gulped it down in one go, letting out a satisfied sigh.

"Haaa... Well, thanks for the help. The food was good. See you all when I do," he said, standing up from the bench.

He started to head for the door when suddenly, a masked man lunged at him, grabbing his arm and yanking him back into the seat.

“You think we’d just let you leave after eating all our food?” the masked man growled. “How about some payment? You’ve got nice gear on you,” Mike said, his voice low and serious now. He tapped one of his men, who handed him a gleaming silver dagger.

“This old gear?” Travis scoffed, eyeing the dagger with disdain. “It’s not even worth that dagger of yours,” he said, slumping back into his seat, a smirk playing on his lips.

The men around him slowly drew their weapons, their eyes cold. Travis’ stomach tightened, the air thickening with tension. “Wow, I didn’t expect that. So what are you guys, anyway?” he asked, his voice deceptively calm.

“Well, we’re just ordinary guys who do thievin’ for a living,” Mike replied casually, as though explaining a job.

“Thugs. You all are thugs. Just say that instead of trying to sound like philosophers,” Travis shot back, his voice tinged with sarcasm.

Mike paused, staring at him for a moment, then shrugged with a surprised look on his face. “Yeah, I guess we are thugs now that I think about it.”

Travis couldn’t help but sigh. He looked around the carriage, counting the number of men. Twelve. Including Mike. His eyes flicked to the door, which was a mere few meters away. He could make a run for it, but they’d be on him in seconds.

He took a deep breath, his aura flaring as his mana surged through his body. The air seemed to hum with power, and in an instant, Travis drew his sword. The men lunged at him, but he was already gone, moving faster than they could react. In a single fluid motion, his sword sliced through the air, decapitating one of the men in the carriage. Blood splattered across the walls, and the room was filled with the sickening sound of a body hitting the floor.

' Fuck that's disgusting! But i told myself that I'd kill anyone who got in my way 'he thought.

“Guess I’ll have to fight my way out,” Travis muttered, his voice low and steady as he wiped his blade clean, his eyes burning with determination.

TO BE CONTINUED