It was just an usual training session between Cerberos and his father.
(Your claw lack power, my son. You were consumed by fear and can’t even use 10% of your power) (The middle head)
(But father, you are bigger and faster than me. I can’t even imagine to get a hit on you.)
(That’s not the reason for your weakness, my son. Always remain calm, even in turbulence times. Remember, fear will cloud your mind and anger will blind your judgement. Now come at me one more.)
(But father …)
“Father …”
Cerberos open his eyes, only to find himself alone in the Hideway.
(Oh right, father has disappeared. I’m by myself now. )
After the hunt last night, Cerberos has covered all of his tracks before returned to rest in the cave. He knew that people is most active in daylight and slow in the dark, that’s why he only goes out after sunset.
When he is outside, it’s already in the middle of the night. He start following people’s traces, only to find them all assembled in 3 big camps.
(Strange. Did they give up searching for me?)
Cerberos know every camps have at least 50 persons in there, he going there alone will be suicidal. Don’t know what to do next, he jumped to a tree, sit down and observe the forest, the place once used to be his home, his playground, now filled with enemies and dangers.
Cerberos know full well he can get out of this forest alive if he want to ,that may be his dad’s intention when he told him to go to the Highway. But the voice of vengeance keep calling him, asking him to pass judgement on the enemies.
(Sorry dad, I can’t live up to your expectations. Maybe I’m not fit to be your son after all.)
Cerberos keep sitting on the tree, reminiscence about his dad and his memories in this forest, forget about how quickly time has passed.
Suddenly, he pick up a familiar scent in the air, a scent of blood. Out of curiosity, he follow the blood to the North. As he keep running, the smell of blood become thicker, he know where he is heading.
It is an elves hut, with an old elf live with her granddaughter in it. Cerberos had observed that hut many times in the past, he wanted to make contacts with them but his father stopped him, state that
“People tend to afraid of things that they don’t know,my son. It’s better for them to live without knowing of our existence”
Finally arrive at the source of blood scent,he carefully observe the hut from the outside, the door is forced open and there is noise coming from inside. He can sense there is a present hiding away, not far from the hut and 3 presents inside, one has very weak breath.
He slowly walking toward the hut, making sure there are no traps in the way. The noise become clearer.
“Muhawhaha, never thought I would stumble on this. This must be my lucky day”
“Please …. Why … did ….you”
“Why? Grandma, you never know how much the noble will pay for an elf little girl, do you? I can retire after selling off this kid”
Inside is a bald muscular man tying a young little girl, while her grandmother crawling on ground, coughing blood with a stab on her chest.
How despicable!
Humans really is the worst.
A new flame of anger sprouted from inside Cerberos. He dash forward to the bald man, jump up and use his 2 front legs to pinch him down, however.
“Guarghh”
It hurts.
Why.
“Muwhahaha, the big fish finally come. Max, come here”
The presence that Cerberos sensed outside, is coming closer.
“By the way, you must be surprise about this right” The bald man gave a nasty smile while taking out his leather armor, reveal a spiked chain mail inside“This thing is quite heavy to wear, but it’s necessary to take you out, dog. You caused quite a trouble for us. Oh, and don’t you worry about moving, each spikes in this armor have paralysis poison that can even take out an elephant”
Paralysis? No wonder I’m losing my feeling over my legs.
The tying up little girl‘s eyes is filled up with horrors while her grandma’s breath become weaker by the seconds. Cerberos know she won’t make it pass this night.
How ironic, Cerberos never think the first time they make contact will be the last.
Not for long, the presence outside that Cerberos sensed earlier appeared at the doorway, it is another human with a bow in his hand.
“Oh god, we did it Georg, the beast is down”
“It was not we did it, it was I did it. Wait, Max, what are you doing”
“What else, Chicon told us to give the signal as soon as the beast down”
“Fool. Think about it,Max. Why should we share the rewards with those lazy ass, while we risking our lives out here. This beast’s bounty is 100 gold coins, it means 50 gold coins for each of us.”
The man with the bow hesitate for a while, then slightly nod
“You’re right,Georg. With 50 gold coins I can find a good wife,buy a house and say goodbye to this dangerous job”
“Cool man, you will not regret this decision.By the way, can you check up the condition of the kid. She’s been quiet so far”
“Sheeessh, Georg. Do you have to make it bloody everytime? We were asked to be a bait, not a kiddna….”
*Stab*
In everyone’s surprise, the bald man stabbed the new guy from behind.
“Georg … How … Why”
His body slowly collapse to the ground.
“Sorry,Max. For 50 gold coins, I’m willing to stab my own father” Then the bald man turn to Cerberos “Your turn now, little doggy. The bounty is “Dead or alive”, it’s time for you to …”
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But in place of Cerberos stand a young boy with dog ears, dog tail and white fur cover his body.
“I can’t believe I have to use the form that I hate so much” The young boy talking to himself with a disappointed expression on his face.
“You, who the hell are you”
In just a blink of eye, the young boy already stand next to the bald man.
“The dead don’t need to know” and bite off his head.
“Disgusting mortal blood”
With blood still on his face, he free the tied up young girl and turn around, attempted to leave. But the old woman’s hand stop his feet
“Please … take … care… of … her”
This woman’s life force surprise Cerberos. With the amount of blood she lost, she should be dead long time ago. The only thread hang her with the life, is the worry for her granddaughter’s future.
Cerberos look straight at her eye for a while, then give out a short answer
“I will”
As if a weight has been lift off, her expression become softer
“I … had always … wanted … to meet … you …and”
She can’t finish that sentence. Her body become as cold as icy and doesn’t move anymore.
The soul of forest's daughter has finally return to earth.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Next morning, at adventurer’s main camp, another meeting is underway. However, unlike yesterday, the whole camp is enveloped in silence, everyone has a grave expression on their face.
This is the third time Chico read the reports. 2 dead bodies of the ones they sent was found in an old hut, 1 stabbed to death, the other was bitten to death .Another body of an old elf was found near, buried underneath, stab to death too. There is trace of another person living with that old elf, no body found, indicated to be alive.
What does the trace on dead bodies say? They killed each other, or atleast, one kill another. That dog can’t use weapon, if he can, he doesn’t need to bite people to death.
Chico stared at the reports for a while, before breaking the awkward silence.
“Who nominate these 2 for the operation?”
“It was this old man, they belong to his party”
“Hey, you agreed to it too. Don’t put all the responsibilities on me”
“Yeah, because you said “they have experiences living in forest”, you never said that experience because they were BANDIT”
“How the fuck would I know? They never told me that when they join the party. We just found the clues on their bodies”
(I’m … surrounded … by imbeciles)
Chico is trying to control his anger, if not, he fear he will start to attack everyone on this meeting.
These fools, they don’t realize how grave the situation is. That imbecile bandit, not only he failed the mission, but he kill a Wood elf in their territory, and let one escape.
If the Elves catch wind of this, it is war. And if the Emperor catch wind of this? He will offer our heads, especially my party just to calm the elves down.
“What should we do now? Should we use that tactics again?”
(You are even more stupid than a rat. At least a rat know not to jump into the same trap twice in a short time)
“That’d be a great idea. This time, we should place multiple baits and only use the ones we trust”
(Seriously?)
I should cut this conversation off. Any further than this will be dangerous. But what can I do?
Option 1: Spread out like first day and bet on our luck we can find it’s hideout before it killed all of us one by one? No, I don’t have that lenient of time. These cowards will run away if the same thing at 1st day happen again.
Option 2: Use bait and trap again? Just a waste of time. Every seconds pass, the chance of the dog and the elf already escape become higher. Damn it, since when did this hunt become a race again time?
Last option: Burn down this whole forest.
…………….
Is there no other way?
Hm, wait a minute. Did I forget something?
Chico read the report again.
There is blood on the chainmail we prepared, but no blood trace leading outside.
What does this mean?
The dog’s wound close instantly or
That escape elf is helping the dog.
Which mean, they are staying together now.
“How about this? Us leader will act as a bait. We are certainly stronger than normal and more reliable too”
(Damn. These fools still continue this pointless topic.)
“Ehem” (Chico)
The whole camp become quiet .
“Before I say what’s on my mind, I want to make sure, does any of your team have wood elves as member?”
“No way, they say they’d better die than teaming with us” A goblin said.
“Those prideful bastards. They said they don’t need money for their lives and describe us as slaves of money” A human said.
“They called us brute with no brains, we show them the difference of our power, in practice” An orc said.
“A good elf is a dead elf, that’s always my motto” A dwarf said.
Perfect.
Look like the elves’s pride has brought hatred to themselves.
“Listen closely, everyone. We are going to burn down this forest”
The whole camp turn to silent again.