The clashing of steel rang through the air.
I clenched my sword in both hands, metal screeched against metal as I guided the raider's blade with the broadside of mine—my arms trembled underneath the cushioned blow.
I took my first step forward, led by the edge of his blade, I slid past his sword's hilt.
I held my breath as I twisted my entire body into this single swing.
I had passed his guard, leaving him with no options—as my blade dug into his right side.
Tsk… too shallow!
Blood splattered around, as I removed my blade, and went for a second strike burying my blade.
No second had passed as my blade dug into the same wound.
My grip loosened as my blade sank into his wound.
It's done.
Along with that thought a soft mutter could be heard,
"Da-mn…" Followed by the sound of his body hitting the cold, dark forest floor.
My gaze followed his body, illuminated by the sunlight reaching him—most of it couldn't pass through the leaves that covered the sky.
I turned my back, and walked away from his cooling body.
I made my way through the countless trees, remembering the path I had taken.
"I drifted farther than I'd hoped," I muttered.
My breath was heavy, as I stumbled through the woods—my entire body covered in blood, that was not mine.
My legs trembled with each step I took, with my throat burned by the cold air.
The physical difference will always be too big.
While chipping away at that difference using my techniques worked, I still had no other way of fighting.
"Huff… these fights are too tiring," I murmured, kicking the fallen branch in front of me.
I need to grow up soon.
My eyes burned as the sunrays came from the thinned path ahead of me, I narrowed my eyes and kept walking—burning the feeling of my handle into my hands.
The foul, lingering smell of iron crept in with each step I took.
Followed by the sight of the blood-stained men.
Finally… I am back.
I took a deep breath as I walked past the bodies of both enemies and allies alike—making sure not to stand on them.
I could already see the footprints left on top of them.
It's a wonder that I could safely travel with them.
I lowered my sword, that was followed by my gaze while I passed the corpses.
Should their lives be wasted like this?
It was a thought that separated me from those living in Kage—it was childish thought formed in a world in which living wasn't guaranteed.
Something caught the corner of my eye. I crouched, and reached for the pouch that lay exposed from his inner pocket.
*It's my ally, so it should not be a problem.
It was an unspoken rule between mercenaries,
If it's your ally, it's finders keepers.
I noticed the other survivors staring at me, clicking their tongues as I crouched over the body.
I was not the only one who heard it—the man surrounded by the three bodies heard it as well.
A man towered over all of them, thrice my size—the leader of this group.
Wode is the reason I could survive between those beasts...
A heavy voice echoed through the trees—carried by the wind, as all our enemies laid on the ground.
He spoke slow and deliberate, "Those who remain—take your findings, and gather to move."
It was clear he was the most experienced here—glistening in his steel armor, that covered his upper body, and lower arms.
None of the other fifteen had anything like that, most of them wore leather gear, holding a plain iron sword.
I can't even afford that. I lifted my arms as I looked at the linen outfit I wore, where wind could pass between both armpits.
It's enough, even for the northern winters…
Rustling came from the corpses, drowned out by their swearing as they moved on to the next corpse.
We were lucky it was just a group of eleven. If they had been just a bit more experienced… I looked down at the corpses spread before us.
There are just nine of us left now.
"Let's leave now—we're almost there!" Wode ordered, his hands still clenched around the weapon he held, while the rest of us had already freed our hands.
We all came over, and surrounded Wode, he started splitting the group equally among the three carriages—and we continued onwards to Kage.
I'm glad it's Wode and Ren.
Even when it was my first time meeting Wode, he was the only one around whom I could leave my hands empty, with Ren being only other one who didn't look at me strangely.
I turned towards Wode—who still sat with his sword clenched in his hands.
This was the first raid we experienced during these travels. So why is he still on edge?
As I met his eyes, I turned away, and looked back at the spot we had left behind.
"Hmm?" I wiped my eyes.
The corpses still look hazy?
Not just the corpses, the area surrounding them became difficult to see through as well.
It was a fog that had appeared—one that swallowed the entire view we had left behind.
Something feels off…
My face tensed up as I realized it,
It's hiding something within.
As soon as I thought that, a silhouette appeared in the fog.
Even when we moved further, it got clearer.
It looked like a hound, that was covered in shadows—blending in with the fog surrounding it.
It exuded a calm bloodlust as it hid its intentions, while closing in on us.
But it did not work—its intentions were clear.
What is that…?,
One.. two… three…
With each number I counted, another one appeared—other shadows behind that beast. The counting halted at seventeen.
How many more are lurking in that fog...
My elbow hit the carriage walls, as the carriage started to jolt around, the blows grew more frequent and powerful,
Even the horses feel it…
They are aware of it… right?
I wanted to turn around, and look at Ren who sat opposite of me.
What is wrong?
It was as if my body did not want to turn around, forcing me to keep looking.
I drove myself to turn away, and saw Ren already looking.
Perf—
Something covered my entire sight as I turned towards Wode.
I jerked back, but was instead pulled the other way.
And I flew deeper into the carriage.
Huh? Wode?
He jumped forward, his blade shining in front of him.
That shine moved across the carriage, a bonk could be heard as a the upper part of the beast sprawled at my feet before it disintegrated.
"Watch out." Wode still held his stance, keeping his blade shining in front of him.
A blade big enough to cover half the carriage.
He knew what to do.
Ren who sat right of the rear got up as well, and took his stance almost next to Wode.
Both of them covered the view in front of me.
They need to protect themselves.
It was not a fight to protect their allies, no.
It was a fight to save their own hides. Using one another to earn money to see the next day—that was how those in Kage had to live.
The only thing that matters is my survival.
I followed their lead, and took my stance.
I can't help them now, but if someone needs to switch out…
I looked in between the two men into the far-off distance.
The corpses were not visible anymore, we had covered enough distance already—but the fog was still thickening continuing to swallow the trees surrounding us.
The beasts had stopped their approach,
Are they scared?!—
As I thought that, the shadows started to behave strangely. They followed the one in front, and pressed their stretched bodies onto the road.
It looked like something was climbing out of their spines as they increased in height.
Are they still the same beasts?
They were not hounds anymore— I had to compare it to something, it was a horse.
But one similarity stayed.
The repulsiveness it exuded—one that stood in direct contrast to human instinct.
One that I had been in contact with for my entire life.
The one in lead was bigger than the rest as it approached us at a speed incomparable to before—followed by those behind it.
That should be their leader.
It knows what it does… is its instinct stronger than the others—
It was as if it knew that the form of a horse was superior in a chase.
Or is it intelligent…?
The distance between us was lessening at a frightening speed.
Our horse had to pull three people, the cargo, and the carriage itself—a weight too much for a single horse.
I was unable to rein a horse, nor help Wode and Ren—I was simply useless.
The leader of the pack had started to get into Wode's reach.
It has to be killed, before it shapeshifts again.
They stood there—keeping their eyes locked on it, even when its breath could reach us.
The one thing they had to do, they did not—going against all instinct.
"KILL it! You can reach it!" My voice trembled as I was covered by their shadows.
I won't wait for it to kill us.
"SHUT UP!" Ren screamed while keeping his eyes in front of him.
I froze, blinking as I looked at him,
Why does it sound like I am the crazy one…
"Sigh… you wouldn't understand it anyway." He added.
"These are …"
His voice cut away, but I could hear his tone.
I gave up understanding—it was impossible for someone like me.
The others had not lived long enough in Kage for it to affect them.
Wode took a step back as he got in its reach—standing side by side with Ren.
If I stood there I would have struck the beast immediately…
There was more to it, something limiting them from attacking it.
They knew what it was, leaving me with no other choice than to entrust them with my life.
But out of nowhere, flashes of red spewed around me.
Followed by screams—screams that pierced my ears as they echoed through the carriage.
Before my body understood, I already did.
The beast had settled its jaws into Ren.
In between the screams, the crushing of something solid could be heard—but no flesh was taken off.
It used its massive jaw and coarse teeth, those were not meant for tearing meat—it was a horse's teeth after all.
But the weight was enough to lock Ren into place.
He screamed, and continued hitting it with his hilt—forcing himself not to kill it.
But he knew, freedom was not an option.
The beast would not let go of its prey.
He turned towards Wode, and tried to catch his eyes,
But Wode was focused on the road in front of him.
He had no time to waste on Ren.
He continued turning—and I met his trembling eyes.
He looked at me with blurred eyes—tears distorted the light that entered.
A quiet plea—a void filled his eyes.
He already knew what was coming.
"HELP ME!! HELP ME!!!" Each scream was louder than the last.
"Please…" he said, looking down into my eyes.
Huh?
A sparkle emerged from the depths of his eyes—eyes that stopped their trembling as they stared into mine.
My eyes felt heavy.
I should look away—
A hand appeared—one big enough to cover my entire sight.
It closed in, and I stepped back.
My head shook as the impact traveled through it, stopping me in my tracks,
Was I that close to the wall?
Both of my hands clenched my sword,
What should I do…
Kill—no. It's too rash in this situation… The six days we'd spent together flashed by as I saw the floor boards we stood on.
I could feel the tips of my hair move, as his fingers reached them.
I pulled my sword next to my side,
His fingers curled, reaching the first strands of hair.
I tightened my grip—tight enough to lose the feelings in my fingers. And lunged forward, aiming to pierce the shoulder that reached for me.
Huh!? I lost my balance, as my weight dispersed into the air.
Was Ren not supposed to be here?
I looked around, readying my blade for its second strike.
But Ren was nowhere in the carriage, not even the beast could be seen.
I lifted my head up, and saw Wode's arm stretching out of the carriage, leading my gaze towards Ren, who had fallen out of the carriage—taking the beast with him.
"This was the most rational decision," Wode muttered, hoping I couldn't hear him.
"Thank you…" I looked up at the brawny man in front of me.
"He was a danger—it had to be done," Wode replied, his gaze didn't meet mine as he kept staring down the beasts.
We almost died… A gap had been created between the beasts and us, a chance provided by Ren.
The strange pressure I felt from the beast—the pressure befitting a leader—started to slim down.
It felt as if a weight had been lifted off my chest—the air itself felt lighter.
But it was obvious,
It's too good to be true. I couldn't lower my sword.
And as I expected, a feeling conquered the air—followed by a pressure.
A pressure unlike before.
It was a pure one,
A beastly one,
One without the slightest resemblance to anything human.
This was raw ferocity.
It was disturbing.
It was simply murderous intent—growing with each passing second.
"I see…" Wode muttered,
"He screwed us over. We need to speed up. Now!"
Ren probably did something to the leader as he died… I'm sure he killed it.
It was my first time even encountering beasts,
"What is going to happen?" I looked up at the gigantic man who held his sword out in front of him.
His blade trembled as he took steps to balance himself.
I am not the only one…
"I don't know. I just know not to kill the leader."
He swallowed,
"Whatever is coming now—is uncharted territory."
Wode's eyes widened while he looked at me,
Is it my expression…?
I brought my trembling hand to my mouth,
My lips were curved up—everything in front of me was sharp.
It was an expression unfit for this situation.
Unfit for me—a child.
Wode who looked back into the distance with his trembling eyes, gave orders,
"Tjer you guard the back, while I rein the horse." The tone of his voice fluctuated as he walked past me.
What is happening… even he is afraid…
I lifted my sword, and took the stance that I was taught.
I took a deep breath, and made sure that my voice was steady—and said,
"I will."