I glare daggers at the tipsy merc's back as he stumbles out of the building before finally finding it in me to breathe a sigh of relief. However, I can't shake the ominous feeling that something is about go really damn wrong. "Mali, let's pack this. We're leaving tonight." I decide with a scowl. "Mali? Ehh... Okay. Right." She consents after just a moment's surprise at the nickname - which helps me find something positive in this whole situation. I'm probably getting a bit too attached aren't I.
With a brief shake of my head I decide to postpone thinking about all of the implications of my latest revelation and start shoveling our purchased food, canteens, fresh clothes and firemaking tools into my bag. I intentionally pick out the heaviest things of the bunch to make sure the burden won't be too heavy on her. I don't think she picks up on my trickery. "Hey Stein, sorry for leaving so soon and thanks for your help. Means a lot to me, I mean it." I address the inn's owner as he comes out of the kitchen with a few bottles of liquor and promptly get a nod in return. "Shame you gotta leave so soon, but... I get it, I really do. Hold on just a lil' bit longer though, I got something for..." his voice drifts off as he focuses his brown eyes at Malinka. I spy something sentimental behind the gesture but he quickly shifts his attention back to me with an obviously faked cough. "For you." He then promptly disappears down the stairs into the cellar.
Malinka and I don't talk much during the roughly two minutes he is absent, as we're both focused on packing our bags as tight as possible, however she does start to hum a tune about halfway through. I don't think she even realizes she is doing it, but I'd be a liar if I said I didn't like it. The cheerful nature of the tune helps lift my spirits and distract me from the sinking feeling of things going horribly wrong at any moment. Soon, Stein is back, carrying a scabbard - and a blade inside. Nothing about it is particularly remarkable, but I recognize it anyway. The one from the room we rested at. The scabbard's leather is plain but well maintained, with no decorations to speak of and the same could be said for the sword that is stored inside. A steel longsword if the length of the scabbard and the handle are any indications. I know weapons like this one. Simple, effective yet elegant. A weapon of war and not a decorative wallhanger.
He sits down and with a reverance I did not expect from him carefully places it on the table between the three of us. He doesn't look at either of us as he speaks. "This sword once saved the life of a miserable man and gave him someone to spend the rest of his life with. I.." He hesitates, clearly weighing his words carefully. A moment later his face turns into an annoyed scowl and he turns to stare straight at me. "I think it's time it protected someone again. Take it and leave before I change my mind." He stated in a defeated tone and stands up, leaving for the kitchen again. I'm sure I see tears in his eyes as he briefly glances in our direction before slamming the door behind him.
----------------------------------------
"But why did he sound so angry?" Malinka asks me just as I let the inn's doors close behind us. "The answer is very complicated I think. He probably didn't want to ever give this weapon away Mali, but he also wanted us to have it. People's feelings can be strange like that." Her eyebrows furrow again. "Shouldn't we at least thank him?" I shake my head in response. "No, that would only make it harder for him. Are you sure it's strapped properly?" I receive a prompt eyeroll at the topic shift. "Yes mom." My heart skips a beat. "You asked me three times already."
I don't know how to react to this feeling, to being called mom. It does something to me, but I don't have time to think about it. We should be leaving this town, and my ominous feeling has not improved at all. Instead, I grab her hand and start moving towards the exit on the opposite side of town where we came from. "I'm asking you because I don't want you to hurt yourself when it slaps you on the head because it's badly secured." I speak with a bravado I do not feel, all of my focus and worries centered on the little one besides me.
We don't even take five steps before I hear the voice I was worried about. "STOP!" The same voice from barely fifteen minutes ago. The voice of the tipsy mercenary. "Mali, behind me." I quietly tell the girl and feel her hands hold onto the back of my travelling coat, before turning around to face the man I wanted to see the least in all of Ravensbrook. And his cohort of goons. All with weapons drawn.
He raises his shortsword and points it directly at me. I notice the poor posture he has while wielding something that could end lives and I can't help but scowl. Brilliant, not only am I dealing with a drunk, but an idiot to boot. "We checked the Veda witch! There's no record of you coming in! How did you get in here?! Who helped you!" he borderline growls at me with undisguised hate and contempt. "What do you mean no record in the Veda? We were checked in like everyone else!" I accuse him right back before realizing that any aggression I show could lead to a conflict. That cannot be allowed to happen. I won't allow any harm to come to Malinka. One, Two, Three I chant in my mind to help me stabilize my voice.
Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
"LIAR!" He shouts as his friends fan out, surrounding two two of us. I feel my body go tense and instinctively reach my hand under my coat, to where I keep my weapons of choice - a pair of daggers. However, I manage to catch myself and force the arm back to it's place by my side. But in the brief moment it took me to compose myself, Malinka shouted right back. "Don't call her that! Don't talk to mom like that!"
"Hey Dave! That's Stein's sword!" One of the goons points at the little one covering behind me. "What?! Fuck! You monsters already murdered someone!" The Dave guy waves his sword threateningly in our direction. "No, no! Wait! You misunder-" I try to correct the situation, raising my hands akin to surrender to show that we mean them no harm. "FUCK YOU! SHUT UP, SHUT UP! I WON'T HEAR YOUR LIES! THERE WAS NO MOTHER AND DAUGHTER PAIR PASSING THROUGH RAVENSBROOK IN THE LAST SEVEN DAYS." Dave shouts over me as a something - a rock? - hits the right side of my head. I feel warm wetness slowly seep from my temple, and I know this situation is screwed.
Dave lowers his tone and posture, clearly preparing to charge and his posse follows suit. He rants on about justice against 'you vile creatures' and preaches vengeance. I don't care and pay his words no attention. "Mali. Run, don't look back and remember that I'm a shadow so you are never alone." I hear sobbing, but Malinka - the little girl - my precious angel - my everything - does exactly as I say. She runs, and I let slip the dogs of war.
----------------------------------------
> PoV: Drunk Mercenary David
The world is gone, replaced with impossible darkness. I feel nothing except the air freezing in my throat. I hold onto my sidearm as we charge forth to protect Ravensbrook from this vile creature masquerading as a human. There's twelve of us, but we should be sixteen. We lost four to another torment just a few days ago, and yet these abominations can't give us a god damn break. I remember where the monster stood and swing the light sword yet hit nothing but air.
"Jason! Take Tom and go after the other one! We can't let them leave!" I bark orders and look around. The emptiness seems to stretch on forever, but I notice it. A pair of white eyes filled with hate and contempt looking directly at me as I shout, and I know I've made the right decision. "No! I won't let you hurt her!" screams the monster, still bothering to use the voice of a human female. How disgusting, trying to pluck at my feelings even after we've forced it out of it's disguise.
The monster charges at impossible speed, seemingly flickering in and out of existence, as each of its step covers inhuman distance. I throw myself in its way just in time and tackle it to the ground. My fingers feel numb, as if I was touching the cold embrace of death itself. It's no good however, and I have to let go almost instantly to avoid a dagger aimed straight at my throat. The monster flickers again, now standing above me, and goes for another strike with the blade aimed at my unarmored body. I feel the time slow down as my power activates. One second. That's all I have, one second of time stretched into eternity to find some way to save my life.
And soon I spot it. One of my men is coming from the side, I just need to avoid lethal injury and it will soon be over. I pivot my body and let the dagger sink into my shoulder instead. The pain is unimaginable, almost as if my very insides are withering into nothingness but I see my gambit was worth it even as I collapse on the floor. Four of my men surround the creature and take their shots. Two strikes land, the other two are parried by the monster's inhuman speed. It bleeds, and we will defeat it.
The void we're in seems to waver as the Torment is struck with the might of our steel. I blink, and one of my men falls to it's blades. I force myself to my legs as two more of mine fall yet it still faces six more. The alcohol has numbed my sense of pain enough to where I can move even with the grievous wound and I step closer. The beast's arm is lopped off at the price of three more lives.
Dark liquid of nightmares seeps from it's wound as it slays yet two more, but suffers a wound across it's leg. Finally it collapses and the realm it brought us into does so with it. In front of me lie the bodies of most of my companions and the final one holds the creature restrained. It is time to make this filth pay for all the lives it has cost us.
"Abominable monster." I curse it's very soul as I drive my sidearm through it's skull.