Chapter 17: The Aftermath
Rema had left, walking stiffly back toward the children's Coach, her anger barely contained. Hira watched her go, then exhaled deeply, immensely relieved to still be alive. The weight of the moment sank in fully. His hand instinctively went to the throbbing lump on his head, testing his balance and the extent of the damage. Every dull ache reminded him just how close he'd been to death—either from the monsters outside or from Rema's wrath within.
He winced, a wry, half-smile touching his lips despite the pain. A demand for new shoes is still better than getting my head torn off, he thought. The quiet, domestic kind of trouble was infinitely preferable to the apocalyptic fury he had just survived. He knew he had bought himself time, but the questions raised by the attack meant that time was now their most valuable, and shortest, commodity.
As Rema's powerful presence finally faded into the distance, the bodyguards and their Leader began emerging cautiously from behind the coaches. Their armor was dented, clothes torn, faces streaked with dust and sweat. They moved quietly, their eyes instinctively avoiding the bloodied ground where the monstrous bodies lay twisted and still. The stench of iron and scorched flesh hung thick and heavy in the air, a grim pall over the forest clearing.
Before anyone could speak, Hira straightened his posture and spoke firmly, his voice cutting through the silence. "Leader, could you move all the coaches some distance away? We need to clear the scene immediately. If my daughters, see what their mother did to those monsters and bandits, they'll lose their innocence right here. We must keep this… reality from them."
The Leader nodded quickly, his voice still tinged with awe. "Yes, Sir Hira. I understand completely. That spectacle is not fit for children, or frankly, for anyone."
He turned to his men, snapping out of his stunned silence and regaining the sharp tone of command. "You heard him! Move! We need to maintain distance immediately. And send someone to move all the coaches from here so no one can see it. Given the total passenger count—thirty passengers spread across the three Ekkas (fitting up to 6 people), four Coaches (fitting up to 10), and the one Large Coach (fitting up to 22)—we must prioritize their comfort and safety. Those who aren't injured—check every passenger. Ensure everyone's safety and calm any unrest. Those who are hurt—report to the front Coach and get first aid. You three—help the driver move the coaches to a safer distance. Once you're done, regroup here. We need to sweep the area and confirm no bandits or monsters are still alive by mistake. Go, move, move!"
The men scrambled to obey, their professional training kicking in despite their fear. Orders rippled through the line, and soon the chaos gave way to coordinated, if frantic, motion. Within moments, the clearing was filled with the sound of boots crunching dirt, wheels creaking, and low murmurs of reassurance to frightened passengers.
Only the Leader and two of his most trusted lieutenants remained nearby, watching Hira with a mixture of curiosity and restrained, bordering on fearful, respect.
The Leader folded his arms, eyeing his men. "Don't you two have injuries that need treatment?" he asked sternly.
"Yes, sir, we do," they both said quickly, "but before that… we have some urgent questions for Sir Hira."
The Leader exhaled through his nose, clearly torn between maintaining discipline and satisfying his own burning curiosity. "Hmm. Hira, these two are my best men. The one on the left is my left-hand man, and the one on the right is my right-hand man. You can just call me Leader. We also have some questions, if you don't mind."
Hira brushed some dirt off his sleeve, his hand careful not to disturb his bruised temple, and gave a cautious nod. "You can ask. I'll answer to the best of my abilities—if I think it's safe to answer." He cast a nervous glance over his shoulder, a habit born of years of hiding, just in case Rema was watching from afar.
The Leader gave a small, knowing grin. "Fair enough. We all have wives to fear." He turned to his men. "Before you start asking—how exactly do you know his name?"
The left-hand man stepped forward quickly. "Sir, the driver said his name aloud during the fight with the masked bandit. We happened to be nearby and overheard it as he called for help."
"Is that so?" the Leader said, nodding. "Then fine. Continue."
The right-hand man cleared his throat, his professional demeanor giving way to genuine perplexity. "Sir Hira, you mentioned earlier that the masked man could control monsters. How is that possible? Monsters don't obey humans—especially not those formidable beasts. They don't obey ordinary magic users. What kind of power compels them to ignore their own massive pack sizes and territorial instincts?"
Hira let out a humorless chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "You can ask your teacher that question. It's not exactly a secret to the powerful, but I think Leader here will explain it better another time. If I start explaining the history and methods of beast-binding, the ancient bloodlines, and the required sacrifices, we'll be here all night. And if that happens…" he smiled wryly, a genuine flicker of fear in his eyes, "my wife will get angry again. And believe me, that's far more dangerous than any monster or any Ver-Dan attack."
The two lieutenants shared an uneasy laugh, immediately understanding the veiled threat. "Understood, Sir Hira. We'll ask the Leader another time," they said in unison, bowing slightly.
The Leader smirked faintly, then took a step closer to Hira. His expression softened, the commanding edge fading for a moment. "Hira, one question of my own. Those children and daughters you mentioned… Mira and Hina… are they truly yours?"
"Yes," Hira replied immediately, a genuine, warm smile lighting his face despite the blood and exhaustion. "Two daughters."
"Ah…" the Leader said quietly, his tone carrying something like deep respect—or profound pity. "You're a strong man then, Hira."
Hira blinked, confused by the ambiguity. "Strong? For fighting off the bandits? Or for surviving her?"
The Leader chuckled darkly, clapping him gently on the shoulder. "Both."
Hira sighed in relief, though he still wasn't sure if that was meant as a compliment or a solemn warning.
The Leader withdrew his hand, his expression turning grim, focusing entirely on the logistics of the threat. "You can go now. We will finish coordinating the relocation of the coaches. You need to go wash yourself and change your clothes. I will go and report the ambush to the driver and immediately begin preparing the necessary documents to inform the kingdom. Though the bandits were weak, they were still professional criminals, and their presence suggests there can be more than one group operating in this region. If all of them have access to Ver-Dan—a form of dark magic we haven't seen in decades—then it's much more troublesome," the Leader said in a serious, concerned voice, the weight of the potential future threat settling heavily upon him.
Hira nodded slowly, his eyes meeting the Leader's. "Then we'll need to be ready for worse things to come. The Ver-Dan implies we are hunted."
"Okay, I will go then," Hira said, nodding curtly, and then quickly left toward the driver's Coach, eager to get away from the blood and the lingering questions.
He turned to leave, his steps unsteady but determined. The metallic scent of blood lingered, carried by the cool night breeze as he walked toward the driver's Coach. He needed to wash the dirt and gore off, to clear his head before facing Rema or the girls again.
After some time, all coaches moved to a safe distance, positioned strategically so no passenger could feel scared or disturbed by the sight or lingering sounds of the battlefield.
Some bodyguards were helping passengers, tending to minor injuries, and managing the inevitable panic.
On the other side of the original clearing, a new group of bodyguards, having completed their security checks, regrouped with the Leader. Together, they ventured back to the macabre clearing where Rema had fought.
The whole area was heavily stained with blood. The bodies of many monsters had been cleanly cut in half, evidence of the vines' terrifying precision. But this was not what truly shocked and scared them. It was the horrific pile of bodies gathered together in the middle like discarded garbage—a total, horrific mess where the limbs and torsos of the bandits and the monsters were completely indistinguishable. Rema's method had been utterly devastating.
All of them were deeply scared; some even got cold feet and struggled to remain standing.
But the Leader barked orders to gather every body and every part. The clean-up was slow and stomach-churning. After gathering the pulverized remains, they piled them high, doused them in oil, and set the mound ablaze. The fire rose high, its light cutting through the moonlit forest, erasing the horrific evidence.
The campsite had quieted by the time Hira reached the front Coach. The driver was already unhitching the horses from the main cart, his expression weary but calm. "Sir Hira," he greeted respectfully. "Is everyone safe?"
Hira nodded. "Yes. Thanks to Rema. And the man you heir for as guard"
The driver hesitated, glancing around nervously. "Ah… yes, Madam Rema. I saw what she did. I'll never forget it."
Hira chuckled softly. "Neither will I." He reached for a flask of water hanging near the driver's seat and poured some over his hands, rubbing the grime away. The water ran red for a few seconds before clearing.
As he cleaned himself, he looked up at the sky. The moon was bright, silver light cutting through the drifting smoke from the massive pyre. For a fleeting moment, everything seemed calm again. But the air still held a sense of unease—a warning of something bigger stirring in the shadows.
In the silence that followed, the night wind whispered across the barren field, carrying away the last traces of battle. Somewhere far beyond the horizon, something dangerous stirred, as if the chaos of this night had been a signal to the very powers that utilized Ver-Dan.
Something was coming.
And for the first time in a long while, Hira realized that their journey across Givnu Island had only just begun.
—_—END—_—