(Still deep in the forests in the north of Magnolia) (Jesse's POV)
I knew this had to be a joke. It was nearing the SECOND night of being in this forest, and I still hadn't figured out how to get out of this damned place. In fact I had been circling this one spot for the past eight hours, finding the same path, with the same mark, on the same tree, in the same forest.
I growled in anger as I saw the mark on the large oak tree once again for the twentieth time that day.
I swung out hard and punched the tree in frustration, and frowned at the feeling of my skin breaking on contact with the bark. I looked at my bruised and bloodied knuckles and shrugged, turning to the tree and punching it again.
I continued this for about five minutes, venting my anger at the tree, until my hands were dripping with blood, streams flowing down my knuckles freely.
Finally sated, I turned and slid down the side of the tree, ignoring the blood that had covered a good portion of the bark. I sighed in annoyance and sniffed, trying to check for any families signs of civilization that I might have missed the last ten times I used my heightened dragon senses.
I smiled at the scent of burning wood, remembering the several dark guilds I had left burning just like that with that exact smell.
My eyes flew open and I looked around, burning wood meant fire, and fire meant people. I immediately jumped up, and started to sniff some more, taking in the forest scents while tracking down the burning smell.
I shot off as I found it, around a half mile away, and I could almost taste the food that they might have, and feel the sense of relief when they gave me directions. And if they didn't... I'd make them.
I slowed as I got closer, and tuned my ears to any noise that might be around. Force of habit you might say to any situation that seems to good to be true.
Almost immediately I picked up voices, and got closer to hear what they were saying.
"So, you think that wierdo figured out your spell yet?" A voice said with a chuckle, quickly followed by a much higher pitch, albeit male voice.
"Nah, that wierd flying buffoon probably won't figure out we've got him in a trap for at least a couple days. Plus, that will give us time to figure out what he has on him, hopefully a good amount of jewel."
I narrowed my eyes as the high pitched one spoke some more, talking more about how stupid the flying boy with bandages that covered a good amount of his body and black hair looked while he landed. This was followed by a good amount of laughs and chuckles, at least a dozen or more sources.
I crept up closer, my blood boiling at this point and got a good look at the group, immediately pinpointing the leader, who was the same man with a high pitched voice. He was a wee bit skinnier than the rest of his crew, and taller. Besides that he looked the same as all the other men, hooded and clothed up.
I looked around the campsite they had built and rolled my eyes, these men were bandits. It was almost sad how easy it was to see, but not many people carry bags and bags of cash to just put out into the open like they are showing them off. Oh and they had some hostages, probably a better indicator in hindsight.
It took me all of a second to figure out what I was going to do, and it was a perfect plan. Improvise and hope it works.
With that plan in mind I got closer, and put my hands into the black, slightly worn shorts, and walked right into their campsite, smiling.
In seconds they responded, all standing up and pulling swords from scabbards, staffs from their backs, and knives from their sheathes.
I put my hands up in surrender and smiled, tilting my head to the side slightly with my eyes closed.
"No need for those, I'm just here to pick up a few things, I'm sure you can accommodate." I said kindly, opening my eyes to the leader walking forward, hands behind his back.
"And what would that be?" He asked sharply and I winced, putting a finger in my ear.
"Well for one, talk quieter. Your voice is so high pitch you could put a fan girl to shame." This comment made some of the men snicker, and the man in front of me growl.
"And for two, I'd like all your treasure, and your hostages." As I finished the leader snorted, and then full out laughed. This was followed by all of his goons laughing with him.
I continued to smile as he caught his breath, and then shook his head while chuckling.
"Your an idiot, if you think we are just going to give you everything we have." He laughed as he said this, and gestured for his men to advance, while he himself backed away.
"In fact, your an idiot for coming here, get him boys." He finished and turned, walking. Back to where he was sitting.
I continued to smile as the first man swung at me with a sword, aimed at my head.
I was still smiling as I dodged to the left and grabbed him by the arm, and twisted, causing him to the drop his sword as his elbow popped out of place. I kicked him forward, screaming in agony, and ducked. A large great sword sung over my head, leaving its wielded unbalanced as I turned, and swung my fist straight into where the sun don't shine.
Leaving that man to crumble to his knees, I turned to find three men running at me, each one grabbing an arm, and one kicking the back of my knees, forcing me to kneel.
Through all of this I continued to smile, even as another man ran up and punched me in the face. I laughed and he punched me again, which was followed by a kick from another guy, and another punch from god knows where.
This continued for a few minutes, before finally a big guy with a sword stepped into my view, and held it to my throat.
"Any last words punk?" He asked and I snickered.
"Yeah, that's a nice big and shiny sword you have, but I bet all the boys tell you that." I finished and he growled as a few of the guys laughed. With that I bit my lip, hard enough to cause blood to drop down my chin. This made the man pause in cutting my head off, as he stared at me swishing the blood around.
"What are you doing, Trying to bleed yourself to death?" He asked and I snorted, shaking my head.
I swished the blood around a bit more, nodded and then took a deep breath and spit the blood at the sword man's stomach. Usually that would only be a stain, but my blood is a little different.
With an agonizing grown the man clutched at where the blood had struck his stomach, and watched as the hardened and sharpened barbs of blood sunk into his flesh, before disappearing from his skin.
I grinned as he looked at me incredulously, trying to figure out what I did. I simply smiled at him.
Shaking his head, he brought his sword up again, aimed for my head, and swung down.
The man holding my left arm squealed in alarm as he dodged a strike by the large sword, falling back on his rear. The next man could only look at the injured man in surprise before he fell back too, a large sword slashing him in his stomach. With that I stood up and stretched, taking in the horrified swordman's look as he looked back and forth between the two injured men.
The other eight or so men started backing up as the large man didn't even lift a finger as I approached him, patting him on the shoulder.
"I'll be taking my blood back now." I said simply and before the man could even utter a word, I slammed my palm onto his stomach, pulling out the sharpened barbs of hardened blood. I left the man to collapse in pain as I put the barbs into my mouth, and swallowed them, turning them back into liquid.
I turned to the rest of the men and grinned, digging my nails into my arms, causing blood to flow freely over my bandages.
"My blood is pumping fast tonight." I said quietly and threw my arms out, sending newly hardened bloody barbs into the crowd of men, who then started to attack each other.
I turned away from the sound of battle and started to advance on the leader, who had been standing and watching the whole thing unfold in disbelief. He brought his hands up in terror as I calmly walked closer, taking note of the magic circles appearing on his hands.
"Stay back, I know explosive magic and I'm not afraid to use it!" He yelled and I chuckled darkly, grinning as I got closer.
"You know nothing besides a few parlor tricks. Your simple misdirection spell was one of the more powerful spells you have in your arsenal, and that won't work here." I said while laughing and threw my hand forward again, watching as three blood barbs slammed into his chest.
"What have you done to me?!" He yelled as he brought his hands down, the magic fading.
"I can't control my movements!" He yelled again and I nodded, snickering.
"That's a simple effect of my magic, I control blood, it is my element." I laughed out and he walked a little to the side, grabbing a small knife, and holding it to his neck.
"What.. Are you?" He quietly asked as I lightly held the blade to his neck, digging it a little, slowly drawing blood from his neck. I snickered as I answered and shook my head.
"I'm the blood dragonslayer, Jesse Drakken." I said simply and his eyes widened in surprise and fear, right before I slammed the hilt into his skull pierced his wind pipe.
Not wanting to watch the poor devil churn in his unconsciousness, I turned away and took in the dozen other unconscious men laying on the ground, all with various injuries. I sighed as I raised my hand, causing every barb in their body to come back to me, liquefying on contact.
"These guys were weak, took me seconds to take over their bodies, and with such a minimal amount." I said simply and went over to the hostages, a couple of women tied up, and ripped their ropes off their hands.
They took the cloth away from their eyes and looked in amazement at the unconscious men, before looking at me in amazement.
"Don't worry about me, take the goods they stole and put them to something useful." I said simply and walked off, In the direction of lights in the distance, as darkness started to fall.
"Those men are better off knocked out by my hand..." I said quietly, leaving the men to their unconsciousness.
"My brother wouldn't have let them walk away..." I finished and continued walking, the blood covering me liquefying and re-entering my wounds, clotting so the skin can re grow.
Yeah, that's what my plan was, two dragonslayers, and both very organic based. Hope you enjoyed.