Inside the dimly lit cave covered in water and mud, two warriors cut each other’s flesh in a contest to the death. Tommy’s longsword dropped from the heavens, splitting the dirty water in two. Butcher’s hatchet rose from below, throwing mud into Tommy’s eyes, impairing his vision.

“Are you scared of the dark?” asked Butcher.

“No.”

“Are you scared of death?”

“No.”

Suddenly, Butcher's massive body disappeared into the knee deep water, and in less than a second, he rose up behind Tommy.

“You should be!”

Butcher’s hatchet dropped on Tommy’s blade, forcing him to his knees. Before the next strike could land, the teen tackled the beastman into the muddy water, looking for an opening. It was a mistake.

Somehow, inside the murky waters, Butcher slipped out of Tommy’s grasp and kicked him in the stomach with such force the boy went flying half-way to the cavern’s ceiling. Tommy lost his breath but landed on his feet, albeit barely.

“So stubborn.”

“Do you want to know… What I’m actually afraid of?”

“Tell me.”

With a grin which squeezed his large cheeks towards his ears, Butcher took a seat in the mud and leaned forward. He knew Tommy was stalling for time, but he did not want to hurry.

‘First they stall, then they beg, then finally, they scream.’

………………………………………..

It was a warm summer’s day, a Saturday to be precise. Tommy woke up early, before anyone else, and quietly sneaked out of the house. Again, he had not eaten, but he preferred it that way. The beatings had stopped a long time ago, but the harsh words and scoldings did not.

The 10 year old boy was thin as a twig, but he was all smiles as soon as he gained some distance from his home. He did not let the hunger bother him, for his future looked bright.

Thanks to Mr. Griffin’s tutelage, he would one day leave this wretched village, join an academy, and make a name for himself. What kind of a name, and what path he would choose, the youngster was still undecided.

Outside the tiny village, across the stream on a large grass field, there were two large oak trees where his class was usually held. The sun was just now rising, so only Natalie arrived before him. She was swinging a wooden sword, practicing her thrusts.

The two children waved at each other, but Tommy did not join her in practice. His stomach was rumbling, and his body felt weak. To get through today’s class, he picked a spot underneath the oak trees and soon fell asleep.

“Mr. Griffin!” An hour in, he was woken up by his friend’s call. “Have you come to practice?”

“No.”

“Will you teach me…?”

“No.”

“Pretty please!”

“Classes start in an hour. Buzz off, Natalia.”

Before the girl could correct him on the spelling of her name, Mr. Griffin grabbed her by the nape and casually threw her almost a dozen feet towards Tommy. Natalie landed on her feet, a testament to her training. She then tried to run back to him, stopping only when she noticed something approaching in the distance.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

There was a tiny caravan coming towards them, traveling on grass, as if roads were a foreign concept. It was made up of three worn down wagons, dragged by even worse looking horses.

There were men in the first wagon, goods in the second, and a large cage in the third, with tied up beast-people inside it. As if they were no different from the bags in the second wagon, the men and women with whiskers and tails were stacked on top of each other up until the very top of the cage. Some of those on the bottom did not seem to breathe.

“Stop,” said Mr. Griffin once the caravan got close. The mustached coachman of the first carriage bowed and tipped his hat.

“Good day, Sir. You must be the village’s guard, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I believe my associate has informed you of our passing.”

“Yes, you may pass.”

“Good.”

“But the last carriage stays here.”

The coachman’s friends stood up, and one of them even pulled out his sword. Their boss then raised a hand, and they slowly sat back down.

“Good Sir, there must be a misunderstanding.”

“There isn’t.”

“We’re working for…”

“Don’t care.”

“We’re backed by…”

“I know.”

“Then, surely…”

Mr. Griffin started pulling out his sword, and the kids ran for cover behind the nearest oak tree. Suddenly, the grass around the old man went flat against the ground, as if smashed by the weight of a hundred horses. The beasts themselves kneeled on the ground, some of them falling over and throthing at the mouth. Even the bandits hunched their backs, gritting their teeth in an effort to stay conscious.

“The breath!” Natalie pointed at her teacher.

“No, this is a level above.”

“Stop… Bastard…”

“Why should I?”

“We’re backed by General Siegfried.”

“By law, so am I.”

“Then why… Why are you doing this!?”

With no hint of a smile, the old man lifted his longsword high above his head.

“Because I can,”

Half a minute later, Mr. Griffin was freeing up the slaves, and the kids ran up to him. With a complicated expression, Tommy pulled his shirt and asked:

“Why did you do that?”

“Like I said to the bandit...”

“Why?”

This time, the old man paused. He observed the youngster’s clenched fists and the glint in his eyes, and then spoke: “I will teach you to be just as strong as I am. When that day comes, and these types cross your path, will you just stand there and watch?”

“No!” Tommy’s response was so loud and sudden it made Natalie flinch and drop on her bum.

“Why?” asked Mr. Griffin.

“Because it’s not right! I will not let anyone get hurt. I will punish the wicked and protect the weak. I will…”

“Why?”

Out of nowhere, the boy started sobbing.

“Why?” Mr. Griffin placed a hand on his head.

The boy cried for a while longer, but he eventually gritted his teeth. He brushed off the tears, held in his snot, and answered with his trademark, perfect smile:

“Because I can.”

………………………………………..

“... That’s it?” Butcher snarled after Tommy stopped talking. “Boy, if you think I’ll spare you because of your master’s supposed feats …”

“You misunderstand. The point of that story was not to applaud Mr. Griffin’s might or to explain why I must bring you to justice.”

“Many have tried, and they’re now part of my collection.”

“The point was to answer your question.”

Tommy breathed in and activated the warrior’s breath. He knew he could not best this enemy in his current condition. Specifically, the terrain was not to his advantage.

“Are you gonna finish your point, or should I pull out your tongue?”

Tommy charged forward, striking from above with such might that Butcher was forced to get out of the way. Looking miffed, the fat man circled around the youth and tried to decapitate him.

Instead of blocking, Tommy jumped back, and the butcher followed.

He chased him all the way across the cave, stopping only when they reached the entrance to a tunnel. Seeing Tommy jump out of the water and stepping into the tunnel, on solid, almost perfectly dry ground, Butcher bit his lower lip and frowned.

“What I began to realize that day,” said Tommy as he slowly retreated into the tunnel, “was that there’s something much more frightening than an angry parent, slave merchants, or even a deranged killer.”

“Pray tell,” Butcher hissed, with no other choice but to follow. An unusually sad smile appeared on Tommy’s lips.

“It’s standing by,” he spoke clearly. “It’s watching from the sidelines all my life as others suffer, relieved that it’s not me who’s in danger.”

“A savior’s complex, that’s not particularly uncommon.”

“No. I do not have what it takes to be a hero. However, I will not permit fear to turn me into human trash like you.”