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30 – Extortion

I was startled by the sounds of the crackling wood branches. Opening my eyes, I avoided doing anything rush so not to attract attention.

“Sssh! I said, fucking quite!”, a male voice resounded.

It was dark and my vision was limited. Likewise the other group that was moving behind our house haven’t noticed me because I was lying on the ground. “I can’t see, maybe we shall fire the torch?”, I heard a female voice whispering to the others. “Not yet, let’s go a little bit more... After we are far away from the house!”, another male voice muttered back.

There were 7 people and four of them were carrying something. One of them was moving ahead of the group while two who seemed to be females, as I saw them wearing skirts, were moving behind the group.

They had walked quite a while when I grabbed my katana and began to walk after them before I lost them from my sight. Normally, I wouldn’t follow anyone and I’m a person who stays the heck away from another person or group’s business affairs.

However, this time it was different. First of all, our house was located far away from the campus while it was not the only place to do shady stuff. That was why the first question popped up in my mind “Why are they here?”.

Next thing that came to my mind was “Are they going to frame us?”. You know they may carry a dead body or some kind of valuable thing. If it is found behind our house, then the first to be question would be me and the rest.

They went into woods and red light was reflected out of the forest. Although it was small and dim light which couldn’t be observed from far away, but was enough to lighten the place. I bent down and began to crawl to the place.

The outer part of the forest was filled with big oak trees. Inch by inch, I was sliding through the grass like a snail. I reached behind a big oak tree and began to monitor the people.

A male student with big build was mercilessly hitting the person lying on ground. “Enough, enough!”, another male student cried out and added “We need him alive!”. “Hmph! whatever”, the student with the big build bent down and took the bag out of victim’s head.

“Arman”, I whispered. His mouth was covered tightly with a rope so that he can’t talk. Both of his arms were bound tightly near his waist from backside. Arman wanted to move, tried his best but couldn’t as his legs were tied with rope too. Actually the more he moved, the more he moaned in pain.

“Grab him”, one of the female students ordered. The one with the big build seized Arman’s shoulder and made him sit on his bottom. “Do you remember me?”, female said looking at Arman. He nodded quite a few times.

Another one was going to hit on Arman’s spine, when the girl stopped him. “I don’t want to hurt you Arman!”, she said. “None of us want to hurt you.. Do we?”, she said and looked at others. They were laughing and nodding.

I still couldn’t understand why they had Arman in this situation.

“Your grandfather is old. In few years he will die... Maybe more than a few but he will eventually. You are the only heir to the Crux Trading Company, and we as your friends would want to protect you. Wouldn’t we?” she asked again. All of them were laughing sinisterly.

“Now, this thing which happened”, she said spreading her arms and showing around. “It was not to hurt you. We just wanted to show you what may happen to you... In here, in academy and after the academy... There are bad people out there who would cut your arm or leg... Who is going to protect you if something like that happens?”, she was manipulating a 12 year old kid using his fears.

“Are we friends?”, she asked Arman looking at his eyes. Arman’s face was covered in sweats as big as bean seeds. He was sweating as if the melted snows were flowing down the mountain.

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“Untie the rope so he can reply”, she ordered. One of the male’s went forward to untie the rope covering Arman’s mouth.

I’m not a hero. I don’t like hero’s. I knew Arman for a few days. He is not a bad kid but not a bright one either.

I’m a realist. I wouldn’t go against 7 students for Arman’s sake. There was nothing that bound us together except the house we are living in. We ain’t no friends, either.

Nevertheless, I’m an opportunist. I was going to take the advantage of the situation. If there is a gold mine under my house, I owned it and I would rip apart any hands that made a move on that mine.

“Extortion”, I said out loud and walked out from behind the oak tree. All of them were frozen and shocked. I could see that reflected on their faces. Unsheathing my katana, I walked to stop few meters away from them.

“Who the hell are you?”, the main girl shouted. “Does it matter?”, I said and continued “Does my identity change the dare situation that you guys are in?” I took a breath and followed my talk not giving them chance to retaliate “Moreover, does my identity would cover up for your criminal activities?”.

“Kids”, I whispered to myself. I could handle them with words. No need to sh... Instantly, the student with big build tried to jump onto me. Unfortunately for him, my right arm moved instinctively. Katana slashed in the blink of an eye, and cut his right arm into two.

“ARGHHH”, he screamed in pain and fall down to ground. Blood was spurting out of his arm while his hand that was cut moments before stayed motionless.

“And I though there won’t be a need to shed blood!”, I told in cold manner. Fear, despair, anxiety, anger, grief, adrenaline rush had done their job on my opponents.

Meanwhile, Arman was sitting like he has been hit by a lightening.

“I hope you guys have a potion to heal him!”, I said calmly. “I....I... I have”, the other female said, shivering in fear. I made one step back and with my left arm pointed her towards the guy with big build.

She made a hand move and two potions appeared. Blue and green glass bottles showed up in her hand out of nowhere. She ran to the student and poured contents of both potions into his mouth. Slowly his cries ended and his arm regenerated.

Everyone was in shock. They were devastated. Crying and trembling.

“Does anyone know that you guys are here?”, I asked the main girl. Her head moved right and left, meaning nobody knew. “Good, I can kill you all and not even a soul will know what had happened!”, I said and grabbed from second girl’s hair.

Our noses almost touched each other. Tears were flowing out of her eyes but she didn’t cried out loud. “Do you want to die?”, I asked her. “No..No.. Please”, she cried. I released her hair and she fall down to my feet. She was begging for her life.

“All of you are better mages than me... But I have a sword.. A sharp sword!”, I said calmly. “Repent.. Ask him to forgive you all”, I said pointing my katana at Arman. “Else you all die”, I stopped.

I could see that they were older than us by one or two years. It was not the right way to treat kids. As this experience will be engraved in their memories for a long time. They will do their best to avoid Arman or me in the future. “I have crippled them mentally, haven’t I?”, passed my mind. Some of them could even commit suicide. But who cares?

They begged Arman, as if he was a God and they were his worshipers. After few minutes, I said "Get the fuck out of here!".

They scattered and ran. Ran, ran and ran. Dribbled and hit the ground. They clashed with oak trees. But they ran. They ran for their lives!

P.S: An early release which I enjoyed writing..

P.P.S: Tell me your thoughts, which parts could I improve? Where not to focus at all?