Author's Notes: Okay, here I am in Camp Coker as a camp counselor. Teaching younger Boy Scouts basic First Aid and other merit badge courses are getting to me. Only three days on the job and I'm really losing it.
I'm sorry to the readers about not being punctual in updating. I only have a laptop with me and I'm sharing a lodge with three other counselors. Being a staff member sharing a lodge is way better than being a regular Boy Scout living in the woods. But enough about my skill as an Eagle Scout.
I will now divert your attention from my summer job to the next chapter of "Song of the Sacae."
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Chapter 4: Blood of the Tribe
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"GUY!"
Lying several feet away from a terrified Florina was the body of Guy. The pink-haired Falcon Knight stood there, horrified. She looked over her shoulder several times, each time fearing that an unknown killer might strike out.
This cannot be...
Guy, the Swordmaster, had proven himself many times over in combat. Many times he had saved Florina and other people from death, just by swooping in at the last moment with his Killing Edge. But this time, someone better must have beaten him.
Who could it have been? It most certainly couldn't have been Karla since she and Bartre fell for each other shortly after meeting. No, the cuts and slashes were most definitely of Sacaen origin but of all the people Florina had met, none had the specific style that was carved into Guy's body.
Perhaps... Guy did it himself...
Stepping carefully toward the body of the formerly living Swordmaster, Florina nearly sicked on top of Guy's body. There was a great slash wound across the chest of the Sacaen, splitting Guy's tunic asunder. Blood stained it and caked the earth but something intrigued her.
Out of the wound, blood continued to leak of Guy's life essence. The head moved slightly and a small groan of pain and agony escaped the lips of the fallen man. The eyes fluttered open but could scarcely keep open.
"Flor... Florina?" Guy rasped. He moved his left hand, stretching out to Florina, seeking for solace and a lifeline. Looking at the hand, Florina couldn't help but feel more queasy.
The hand was severely injured. His forefinger was missing and blood slowly seeped from the injured stump. Dirt caked the wound, causing the brown earth to be stained with the blood of the Sacaen. But the wound to Guy's finger wasn't all there was. Along the back of his hand, a deep cut was in it. It was slowly healing but bugs would continue to crawl into it, drinking his blood.
"Guy!" Florina screamed. The Falcon Knight quickly knelt down and caressed the fallen Swordmaster's head. "W-w-what happened?"
Guy lurched forward and coughed up a small amount of blood. "I do not know..." he weakly said, looking into her eyes. "A stranger, an old man, was being menaced by a wild youth." He then went into another coughing fit, forcing more of his blood mixed with his phlegm to come up.
"Guy... please... don't speak too much," Florina scrabbled for the small pack she carries on the back of her waist. Fishing for something, she panicked when she realized that she left her elixir with her Pegasus. With not much of a choice, she pulled out a vulnerary.
"Hang on, Guy," Florina said as she administered the minor curing agent. Uncorking the top of the brown container, she tipped it onto Guy's lips. Looking into those pained eyes, Florina's heart nearly stopped.
Those green iridescent pools...
Florina felt as if time was slowing down. Bugs, those annoying bloodsucking minions of darkness, no longer hummed in the background. The wind, instead of lashing about them with fury, was now gently caressing them.
Looking back at her through his pained eyes, Guy could sense the world slowly collapsing onto him. The canopies of trees, were slowly swimming in and out of his vision. Gods, the singing of the birds were fading also. Everything was reeling before him and whirling about him as if he was drunk.
"Is this it?" Guy murmured softly in between sips of the vulnerary. "Is this how death feels?"
"Guy..." Florina murmured as she slowly removed the empty vulnerary from his lips. "Please... hang on... for my sake..."
Guy struggled to fight the darkness. "I.. I don't think... I can hold on..." Guy grinned weakly at Florina. "I'm fighting it... but I fear..."
"Don't speak like that!" exclaimed Florina as she blinked back tears. "I'll call for my Pegasus. She'll have the elixir. Fight the darkness! Fight it!"
Guy shook his head slowly. "Don't be too sure..."
There was a strange pale look on his face. Florina was sure that Guy was slowly dieing from blood loss. Surely, the elixir, it will make him recover. Yes, surely that pale blue liquid will heal him.
Placing two fingers in her mouth, Florina gave a piercing whistle which Guy even winced. Hearing the sound of flapping wings, Florina began to call for her Pegasus.
"Here, Huey!" she yelled as she waved her arms for its attention. "Come on down!" The Pegasus gave a snort as it plummeted down gracefully. At the last second, it did a spiral and landed gracefully on its hooves onto the earth.
Florina immediately wasted no time searching for the elixir. Racing against time, she ripped through the pack on her Pegasus. Digging through the cornucopia of strange items that she never even thought she packed, she finally found a blue vial. While she was at it, she also found a hefty wad of bandages and some rubbing alcohol.
Immediately, she gathered these healing items into her arms and raced back to Guy. When she got there, Florina couldn't help but scream.
A beast, a beast of strange mutation, leered at her. This creature stood taller than either Florina or Guy and was hunched over. On its hands were the longest claws that either both seasoned warriors have ever seen in their travels. It was standing next to Guy, ready to sink its yellow and bloodstained jaws into the incapitated Sacaen. Guy weakly tried to knock the creature away but the beast snarled, forcing Guy to attempt to curl up and roll away.
Scanning through her memory of wild creatures of Elibe, Florina realized what this monster was. It was a Bugbear, a creature that was created from the mutation of dark magic infused into a regular bear. Myths and legends surrounded these beasts. Florina herself had heard of the scary tales when she was a child but never in her worst nightmare had she thought she would ever encounter these monsters.
The Bugbear, with long lines of drool falling from its overlong fangs, continued to toy with Guy. The Swordmaster shouted in agony as a long claw raked his right leg, causing further damage to his already incapitated leg. A great streak of crimson Sacaen blood oozed from the once disturbed wound, staining the Bugbear's claws and the earth upon the three breathing beings stood upon.
Florina could feel the stifled air about her slowly caving in on her. She was slowly accustomed to the business of slaying Morphs and their followers but she had rarely ever slain a creature of Nature, even if a Bugbear is of Nature's descent. All she had with her was a common Steel Sword, one that she always keeps ready. But as quietly as she tried to be, the rasp of the sword leaving its sheath caught the monster's attention.
The Bugbear slowly turned around to look at her, growling as it furrowed its beady yellow eyes. With a menacing step forward, it gave a roar of defiace. It slowly stalked towards Florina, fear rooting her to the spot. Giving a whimper of fear, Florina couldn't even move. Her legs, turned into jelly by meeting a monster of legends, didn't obey her commands.
The dirt colored furred beast was soon towering over her, claws ready to consume her whole. But before it could make another move, a sudden blur of brown zoomed past her ear, sinking into the monster's mouth.
An arrow...
The Bugbear roared in rage, leaning back with its claws in the air. Another arrow whizzed through the air like a maddened hornet. The blur of ashwood sunk into the roof of the Bugbear's mouth, piercing the brain. The dark pupils within the yellow eyes turned misty and the eyes rolled upwards. Giving a pitiful moan, the Bugbear collapsed on its back, causing a great cloud of dust to rise.
Florina slowly moved her head around, rooted in the spot of fear. Blocking the sun with her eyes, Florina was surprised to see who had saved her and Guy. A shadowy being on a horse slowly cantered toward her.
"... Florina... Guy... I thought I'd find you both here," Rath said in his quiet way. Dismounting, he rummaged for a moment in his horse's pack. Pulling out several Elixirs and bandages, he glanced at Guy. Looking at Florina, Rath handed her a small vial of water.
"He'll live. There's been rumors of a certain Swordmaster wandering these parts seeking a challenge," Rath said as he uncorked the blue vial in his hands. Sitting Guy up against his knee, the Nomad Trooper poured a little bit of the Elixir down the fallen Swordmaster's throat. Guy suddenly coughed and looked about in confusion.
"What... what happened?" the disoriented Swordmaster mumbled as Rath laid his head on the ground.
"G-g-guy?" Florina finally spoke after she finished drinking the water. "I-i-i was g-g-going to stop here for a break when I-i-i found you l-l-like this. The B-b-bugbear was g-g-going to eat you."
"Hm... A bugbear?" Rath strode over to the carcass. "It looks like a bugbear, but it isn't."
"What do you mean?" Guy asked as he slowly sat up with one arm resting on his right leg. "It most certainly looks like one to me." Rath scratched his neck for a while. Drawing his Silver Sword, he poked about the body. Finding a vial around the neck, he looped it around the sharp blade. Giving a sudden heave upon the chain, he severed it. The fur slowly disappeared, shrinking into the body that laid before the three.
Fur disappeared into the body as the snout and eyes of the Bugbear also disappeared. They all slowly faded into mist and a strange yellow glow bathed the body. A breeze blew and the yellow glow slowly pealed off.
Florina gave a surprised gasp. Before them was no longer a beast that was the terror of all legends and folktale. A body of a young Sacaen laid before them, ravaged by a arrow through his neck.
Guy immediately recognized the body before him.
"Feng!" Guy crawled next to the fallen comrade. Guy ripped apart Feng's shirt. Rolling Feng over onto his stomache, Guy stopped and turned a pasty color.
"Feng... why?" Guy began to lose control of his emotions.
"Who was he?" Florina said quietly as she slowly sat next to Guy. The broken and wounded Swordmaster couldn't help but wipe the tears from his eyes by using his shoulder.
"He was..." Guy said thickly as he traced the wound on Feng's back. Why, of all Sacaens, why Feng? Why was Feng under the guise of a Bugbear? If only fate had fallen upon a Ganelon thief instead.
"He was my brother..."
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"There's been reports of monsters like these sprouting up all over Elibe. Shadow Mages have been sighted Etruria, Undead Legions sprouting in the battle plains of Lycia, Sandworms reemerging from their millienia slumber the Nabata Desert," Rath looked at Florina out of the corner of his eye.
"Ghost Pirates have appeared from the Western Isles, Incubis have also suddenly appeared in the Ilian Mountains and these Bugbears in the Sacaen Plains," Rath continued as he examined the carcass. "Only one thing is strange."
"And w-w-what would t-t-that be?" Florina asked nervously. "It's evident t-t-that the entire Elibe c-c-continent is being attacked by these m-m-monsters. W-w-what is there m-m-missing?"
"I know!" Guy exclaimed as he pounded his fist into his open hand. "Bern!"
"Bern?" Florina looked confusingly from Guy to Rath. "W-w-what's Bern have to do w-w-with these monsters?" Rath nodded his head at Guy.
"Bern seems to be the only nation without any problems from these monsters. It may be safe to say that the root of the problem seem to come from Bern."
Suddenly, a rustling noise emerged from the bushes. Rath quickly drew his Silver Sword and crouched in defense. Florina gave a small squeak and shakily drew her Steel Sword. She slowly edged towards Guy, who was trying to get up. Cursing fiercely at the earth, Guy drew his Wo Dao and planted it in the ground, heaving himself up on his right leg. He then ripped his sword out of the earth by the hilt while leaning his weight of his right side. Guy then unconsciously stepped in front of Florina.
Rath gave a low click, calling his horse to come near to him. The Arabian complied and trotted to where Guy and Florina were standing.
"Get my bow, Guy," Rath ordered in a very low tone. Guy immediately dug into the pack and found Rath's Rienfletche. He then tossed the bow along with several arrows to Rath. Catching it all in one hand, Rath quickly sheathed his sword and drew his bow.
"When I give the signal," Rath whispered to Guy and Florina. "Charge in and finish it off. The last thing we need is another living Bugbear." Guy slowly edged closer to the rustling bush with Florina shaking in tow.
The young Swordmaster limped forwardly slowly, trying to minimize the noise his numbed leg was making as it was dragged across the floor of the woods. FLorina couldn't help but breathe faster as the two slowly inched closer to the shaking bush. Looking fearfully back at Rath, Florina mouth: "I can't do it!"
The Nomad Trooper gave no notice as he carefully slid one of his arrows onto the Rienfletche. Barely rasping, the black-flighted arrow was ready for take-off. Taking a deep breathe through his mouth, Rath slowly stretched the string. Aiming ever so carefully, he waited for Guy and Florina to be in position.
Time seemed to slow down Florina. She could feel the blood pounding in her system as more and more andrenaline poured through her veins. Sweat coated her brow as more of the salty liquid appeared in her palms. Her grip was slowly slipping but she tightly grasped her Steel Sword, ready to administer justice to the Bugbear.
(What am you doing!) her mind screamed at her from the depths of her conscious. (This is an absolute suicidal action! Get out!)
A nerve prickled on her back, causing her to tremble.
The rustling seemed to grow louder as it continued to shake, making it resemble as if the creature behind it was more than one. Florina couldn't help but give a whimper of fright from behind Guy's back. The Swordmaster looked back to see a pair of begging green eyes.
"P-p-please..." Florina said as quietly as her shaking voice could. "C-c-could you go and k-k-kill it quickly?" Guy nodded his head solemnly.
Rath couldn't help but wonder if the creature behind the bush was really a Bugbear. But under such circumstances where all their lives are in danger, the Nomad Trooper couldn't afford to waste time in luring it out. Wood rasped against wood as he maintained the steady grip on his bow. Out of the corner of his right eye, he couldn't help but notice Florina taking slow and quiet steps away from where Guy was.
"What are you doing!" Rath hissed between his teeth. Florina gave a small squeak and quickly ran behind Rath. The Nomad Trooper was ready to turn around to scold the Falcon Knight.
"Why?" Rath hissed as he removed the arrow from his bow. "Guy's already injured bad enough! He needs help!"
"W-w-well, I'm too s-s-scared!" Florina cried as pearly tears rolled down her alabaster cheek. "W-w-what if the Bugbear j-j-just only wanted to p-p-play?"
"Aaaaaaagh!"
His head whirled around to see the commotion. Rolling on the ground was Guy and an elderly warrior, both trying to choke the other before the other would choke him. Rath quickly stepped in and pulled the old man off of Guy. The young Swordmaster sat there on the ground rubbing his throat and sucking in the blessed pure air of the Sacae.
The old man fought the grip which Rath had about his neck. Rath yelled as the ancient one bit his hand, forcing the Nomad Trooper to let him go. The old man scrabbled to his feet, not before snatching Guy's Wo Dao from the ground. The old man quickly adopted the most basic of swordfighting stances, the Tiger.
"Tiger Stance, eh?" Rath leered as he too went into a fighting stance. With his left leg about three feet behind the other leg and with his left knee bent slightly. Rath held his sword in his right hand and his other resting near the hilt.
The old man rushed forward with speed that Rath never had seen from one so ancient. Caught off guard, Rath barely blocked the first overhead swing. The old man swung upwards barely nicking Rath on the cheek. A thin trickle of blood appeared just barely below Rath's right eye, trailing down his cheek. The Nomad Trooper wiped his blood away with his free hand, allowing fresh blood to pool around the wound.
Rath then leaped forward, thrusting hard at the direction of the old man, aiming for the elder's waist. For someone seemingly into his winter years, the old man nimblely dodged the attack, leaping backwards to block with Guy's Wo Dao. Raising the sword upwards for a second strike, both blades clashed against each other. Both men leaned heavily against the other's swords, grunting and heaving with all their might. Rath then gave a sudden burst of power, forcing the old man back several steps.
The old man crouched his back leg, keeping his front leg slightly bent. Raising his sword arm upwards slightly to where the blade angled downwards, he made a gesture for Rath to strike first. The Nomad Trooper raced forward, throwing all caution that was left in him to the four winds. Striking deftly at the other's blade in an attempt to force it out of his grip, Rath began his onslaught. But all his slashes were to of no avail. No matter what direction and how much speed Rath put into his attack, the old man kept on dodging and blocking the blows, occasionally countering. Rath soon found himself forced against a tree, trying to dodge blows.
Guy limped forward, ready to attack the old man. The hilt of the Wo Dao made contact with the top of his skull, causing Guy to waver for a moment. The Wo Dao hilt struck him once more on the head, causing the injured Swordmaster to collapse upon the ground. Florina gave a scream at the sight of blood arising from Guy's forehead, causing Rath to derive energy from anger.
Rath quickly leaped forward at his opponent's unprotected back. Giving a howl of rage at the old man stooping to the level of further injuring an already injured warrior, he quickly found himself staring at the tip of Guy's Wo Dao.
"Do not test my patience, young master," the old man said gruffly as he held the blade without wavering. "I have come bearing news. Both of good and bad."
"Put away that sword, old man," Rath said as he knocked the blade away with his own. "Then I will listen to what you have to spout."
"Agreed, young warrior."
The old man deftly tossed the blade next to Guy. The Wo Dao planted itself tip first into the dirt next to Guy, quavering with the force of sinking into the earth. The old man reached within his brown robes and pulled out a scroll.
"Who sent this?" Rath asked as he was given the scroll. The old man didn't say as he started to walk away. Quickly, Rath broke the seal and opened the scroll.
"What's it say?" Florina asked as she helped Guy up. The fallen Swordmaster gave a groan as he rubbed his head.
"What the hell happened?" Guy asked groggily. "Where's that bastard of an old man?"
"Forget him." Florina and Guy looked at Rath curiously. Rath crumpled the scroll in one swift clench. Rath's glare was one of which could scour the skin off of a Flame Dragon. The scroll remained crumpled and hidden in his fist.
"I must head to Badon..." Rath said as he quickly gathered his bow and sword. He strode past Guy and Florina with his bow slung across his shoulder and the sword sheathed at his side. The Nomad Trooper then started packing his equipment into the saddlebags on his horse. The crumpled scroll was also tipped into the bags.
"What for?" Guy asked as Florina hung onto his arm. "What did the scroll say?" Rath looked at his stallion fondly and patted it on its neck before turning back to his fellow Sacaen and the Falcon Knight.
"It is a personal matter I must attend to," Rath said as he grinned falsely. "It's something that I must only know of. I'm sorry that I can't tell you two what it is but I must travel to Badon."
"We'll go with you," Florina said as she grabbed Rath by the arm. "Who knows what may lie in wait for you, seeking revenge."
Rath gave a short forced laugh. "Florina, you have a wild imagination. Why would anyone dare to slay the next Chief of the Kutolah Tribe?"
"Maybe someone does want you dead," Guy said darkly. "You'd best have at least someone else to have along." The Swordmaster drew his sword and stuck it in the ground. "Even though you're my Chief, I'll disobey you and follow you."
"Aye, and me too!" Florina said fiercely as she also drew her sword. "You may need me to take care of a speedy foe!"
"No!" Rath barked out, causing both of his friends to jump slightly. "It is a personal matter! What give you two the right to jump into my business? Hm? Guy, I thought you were at least somewhat responsible for yourself. Go back to the tribe and tell my father to keep you in line." The Nomad Trooper than rounded upon Florina.
"I thought the mercenary wings of Ilia knew better than leaping into business that is none of theirs! You'd best return to your sisters and continue your mercenary business. I really hate to pierce your Pegasus with one of my arrows, Florina. Please, I beg of you two to stop and desist. This business is mine and mine only!"
Rath leaped upon his stallion and quickly rode out of the glade. But something fell out of his packs. When Florina and Guy finally arrived at the edge, breathless and worried, they found only the crumpled scroll. Rath was already halfway gone in a column of dust, riding southwards to the Lycian border.
I'm sorry to the readers about not being punctual in updating. I only have a laptop with me and I'm sharing a lodge with three other counselors. Being a staff member sharing a lodge is way better than being a regular Boy Scout living in the woods. But enough about my skill as an Eagle Scout.
I will now divert your attention from my summer job to the next chapter of "Song of the Sacae."
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Chapter 4: Blood of the Tribe
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"GUY!"
Lying several feet away from a terrified Florina was the body of Guy. The pink-haired Falcon Knight stood there, horrified. She looked over her shoulder several times, each time fearing that an unknown killer might strike out.
This cannot be...
Guy, the Swordmaster, had proven himself many times over in combat. Many times he had saved Florina and other people from death, just by swooping in at the last moment with his Killing Edge. But this time, someone better must have beaten him.
Who could it have been? It most certainly couldn't have been Karla since she and Bartre fell for each other shortly after meeting. No, the cuts and slashes were most definitely of Sacaen origin but of all the people Florina had met, none had the specific style that was carved into Guy's body.
Perhaps... Guy did it himself...
Stepping carefully toward the body of the formerly living Swordmaster, Florina nearly sicked on top of Guy's body. There was a great slash wound across the chest of the Sacaen, splitting Guy's tunic asunder. Blood stained it and caked the earth but something intrigued her.
Out of the wound, blood continued to leak of Guy's life essence. The head moved slightly and a small groan of pain and agony escaped the lips of the fallen man. The eyes fluttered open but could scarcely keep open.
"Flor... Florina?" Guy rasped. He moved his left hand, stretching out to Florina, seeking for solace and a lifeline. Looking at the hand, Florina couldn't help but feel more queasy.
The hand was severely injured. His forefinger was missing and blood slowly seeped from the injured stump. Dirt caked the wound, causing the brown earth to be stained with the blood of the Sacaen. But the wound to Guy's finger wasn't all there was. Along the back of his hand, a deep cut was in it. It was slowly healing but bugs would continue to crawl into it, drinking his blood.
"Guy!" Florina screamed. The Falcon Knight quickly knelt down and caressed the fallen Swordmaster's head. "W-w-what happened?"
Guy lurched forward and coughed up a small amount of blood. "I do not know..." he weakly said, looking into her eyes. "A stranger, an old man, was being menaced by a wild youth." He then went into another coughing fit, forcing more of his blood mixed with his phlegm to come up.
"Guy... please... don't speak too much," Florina scrabbled for the small pack she carries on the back of her waist. Fishing for something, she panicked when she realized that she left her elixir with her Pegasus. With not much of a choice, she pulled out a vulnerary.
"Hang on, Guy," Florina said as she administered the minor curing agent. Uncorking the top of the brown container, she tipped it onto Guy's lips. Looking into those pained eyes, Florina's heart nearly stopped.
Those green iridescent pools...
Florina felt as if time was slowing down. Bugs, those annoying bloodsucking minions of darkness, no longer hummed in the background. The wind, instead of lashing about them with fury, was now gently caressing them.
Looking back at her through his pained eyes, Guy could sense the world slowly collapsing onto him. The canopies of trees, were slowly swimming in and out of his vision. Gods, the singing of the birds were fading also. Everything was reeling before him and whirling about him as if he was drunk.
"Is this it?" Guy murmured softly in between sips of the vulnerary. "Is this how death feels?"
"Guy..." Florina murmured as she slowly removed the empty vulnerary from his lips. "Please... hang on... for my sake..."
Guy struggled to fight the darkness. "I.. I don't think... I can hold on..." Guy grinned weakly at Florina. "I'm fighting it... but I fear..."
"Don't speak like that!" exclaimed Florina as she blinked back tears. "I'll call for my Pegasus. She'll have the elixir. Fight the darkness! Fight it!"
Guy shook his head slowly. "Don't be too sure..."
There was a strange pale look on his face. Florina was sure that Guy was slowly dieing from blood loss. Surely, the elixir, it will make him recover. Yes, surely that pale blue liquid will heal him.
Placing two fingers in her mouth, Florina gave a piercing whistle which Guy even winced. Hearing the sound of flapping wings, Florina began to call for her Pegasus.
"Here, Huey!" she yelled as she waved her arms for its attention. "Come on down!" The Pegasus gave a snort as it plummeted down gracefully. At the last second, it did a spiral and landed gracefully on its hooves onto the earth.
Florina immediately wasted no time searching for the elixir. Racing against time, she ripped through the pack on her Pegasus. Digging through the cornucopia of strange items that she never even thought she packed, she finally found a blue vial. While she was at it, she also found a hefty wad of bandages and some rubbing alcohol.
Immediately, she gathered these healing items into her arms and raced back to Guy. When she got there, Florina couldn't help but scream.
A beast, a beast of strange mutation, leered at her. This creature stood taller than either Florina or Guy and was hunched over. On its hands were the longest claws that either both seasoned warriors have ever seen in their travels. It was standing next to Guy, ready to sink its yellow and bloodstained jaws into the incapitated Sacaen. Guy weakly tried to knock the creature away but the beast snarled, forcing Guy to attempt to curl up and roll away.
Scanning through her memory of wild creatures of Elibe, Florina realized what this monster was. It was a Bugbear, a creature that was created from the mutation of dark magic infused into a regular bear. Myths and legends surrounded these beasts. Florina herself had heard of the scary tales when she was a child but never in her worst nightmare had she thought she would ever encounter these monsters.
The Bugbear, with long lines of drool falling from its overlong fangs, continued to toy with Guy. The Swordmaster shouted in agony as a long claw raked his right leg, causing further damage to his already incapitated leg. A great streak of crimson Sacaen blood oozed from the once disturbed wound, staining the Bugbear's claws and the earth upon the three breathing beings stood upon.
Florina could feel the stifled air about her slowly caving in on her. She was slowly accustomed to the business of slaying Morphs and their followers but she had rarely ever slain a creature of Nature, even if a Bugbear is of Nature's descent. All she had with her was a common Steel Sword, one that she always keeps ready. But as quietly as she tried to be, the rasp of the sword leaving its sheath caught the monster's attention.
The Bugbear slowly turned around to look at her, growling as it furrowed its beady yellow eyes. With a menacing step forward, it gave a roar of defiace. It slowly stalked towards Florina, fear rooting her to the spot. Giving a whimper of fear, Florina couldn't even move. Her legs, turned into jelly by meeting a monster of legends, didn't obey her commands.
The dirt colored furred beast was soon towering over her, claws ready to consume her whole. But before it could make another move, a sudden blur of brown zoomed past her ear, sinking into the monster's mouth.
An arrow...
The Bugbear roared in rage, leaning back with its claws in the air. Another arrow whizzed through the air like a maddened hornet. The blur of ashwood sunk into the roof of the Bugbear's mouth, piercing the brain. The dark pupils within the yellow eyes turned misty and the eyes rolled upwards. Giving a pitiful moan, the Bugbear collapsed on its back, causing a great cloud of dust to rise.
Florina slowly moved her head around, rooted in the spot of fear. Blocking the sun with her eyes, Florina was surprised to see who had saved her and Guy. A shadowy being on a horse slowly cantered toward her.
"... Florina... Guy... I thought I'd find you both here," Rath said in his quiet way. Dismounting, he rummaged for a moment in his horse's pack. Pulling out several Elixirs and bandages, he glanced at Guy. Looking at Florina, Rath handed her a small vial of water.
"He'll live. There's been rumors of a certain Swordmaster wandering these parts seeking a challenge," Rath said as he uncorked the blue vial in his hands. Sitting Guy up against his knee, the Nomad Trooper poured a little bit of the Elixir down the fallen Swordmaster's throat. Guy suddenly coughed and looked about in confusion.
"What... what happened?" the disoriented Swordmaster mumbled as Rath laid his head on the ground.
"G-g-guy?" Florina finally spoke after she finished drinking the water. "I-i-i was g-g-going to stop here for a break when I-i-i found you l-l-like this. The B-b-bugbear was g-g-going to eat you."
"Hm... A bugbear?" Rath strode over to the carcass. "It looks like a bugbear, but it isn't."
"What do you mean?" Guy asked as he slowly sat up with one arm resting on his right leg. "It most certainly looks like one to me." Rath scratched his neck for a while. Drawing his Silver Sword, he poked about the body. Finding a vial around the neck, he looped it around the sharp blade. Giving a sudden heave upon the chain, he severed it. The fur slowly disappeared, shrinking into the body that laid before the three.
Fur disappeared into the body as the snout and eyes of the Bugbear also disappeared. They all slowly faded into mist and a strange yellow glow bathed the body. A breeze blew and the yellow glow slowly pealed off.
Florina gave a surprised gasp. Before them was no longer a beast that was the terror of all legends and folktale. A body of a young Sacaen laid before them, ravaged by a arrow through his neck.
Guy immediately recognized the body before him.
"Feng!" Guy crawled next to the fallen comrade. Guy ripped apart Feng's shirt. Rolling Feng over onto his stomache, Guy stopped and turned a pasty color.
"Feng... why?" Guy began to lose control of his emotions.
"Who was he?" Florina said quietly as she slowly sat next to Guy. The broken and wounded Swordmaster couldn't help but wipe the tears from his eyes by using his shoulder.
"He was..." Guy said thickly as he traced the wound on Feng's back. Why, of all Sacaens, why Feng? Why was Feng under the guise of a Bugbear? If only fate had fallen upon a Ganelon thief instead.
"He was my brother..."
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"There's been reports of monsters like these sprouting up all over Elibe. Shadow Mages have been sighted Etruria, Undead Legions sprouting in the battle plains of Lycia, Sandworms reemerging from their millienia slumber the Nabata Desert," Rath looked at Florina out of the corner of his eye.
"Ghost Pirates have appeared from the Western Isles, Incubis have also suddenly appeared in the Ilian Mountains and these Bugbears in the Sacaen Plains," Rath continued as he examined the carcass. "Only one thing is strange."
"And w-w-what would t-t-that be?" Florina asked nervously. "It's evident t-t-that the entire Elibe c-c-continent is being attacked by these m-m-monsters. W-w-what is there m-m-missing?"
"I know!" Guy exclaimed as he pounded his fist into his open hand. "Bern!"
"Bern?" Florina looked confusingly from Guy to Rath. "W-w-what's Bern have to do w-w-with these monsters?" Rath nodded his head at Guy.
"Bern seems to be the only nation without any problems from these monsters. It may be safe to say that the root of the problem seem to come from Bern."
Suddenly, a rustling noise emerged from the bushes. Rath quickly drew his Silver Sword and crouched in defense. Florina gave a small squeak and shakily drew her Steel Sword. She slowly edged towards Guy, who was trying to get up. Cursing fiercely at the earth, Guy drew his Wo Dao and planted it in the ground, heaving himself up on his right leg. He then ripped his sword out of the earth by the hilt while leaning his weight of his right side. Guy then unconsciously stepped in front of Florina.
Rath gave a low click, calling his horse to come near to him. The Arabian complied and trotted to where Guy and Florina were standing.
"Get my bow, Guy," Rath ordered in a very low tone. Guy immediately dug into the pack and found Rath's Rienfletche. He then tossed the bow along with several arrows to Rath. Catching it all in one hand, Rath quickly sheathed his sword and drew his bow.
"When I give the signal," Rath whispered to Guy and Florina. "Charge in and finish it off. The last thing we need is another living Bugbear." Guy slowly edged closer to the rustling bush with Florina shaking in tow.
The young Swordmaster limped forwardly slowly, trying to minimize the noise his numbed leg was making as it was dragged across the floor of the woods. FLorina couldn't help but breathe faster as the two slowly inched closer to the shaking bush. Looking fearfully back at Rath, Florina mouth: "I can't do it!"
The Nomad Trooper gave no notice as he carefully slid one of his arrows onto the Rienfletche. Barely rasping, the black-flighted arrow was ready for take-off. Taking a deep breathe through his mouth, Rath slowly stretched the string. Aiming ever so carefully, he waited for Guy and Florina to be in position.
Time seemed to slow down Florina. She could feel the blood pounding in her system as more and more andrenaline poured through her veins. Sweat coated her brow as more of the salty liquid appeared in her palms. Her grip was slowly slipping but she tightly grasped her Steel Sword, ready to administer justice to the Bugbear.
(What am you doing!) her mind screamed at her from the depths of her conscious. (This is an absolute suicidal action! Get out!)
A nerve prickled on her back, causing her to tremble.
The rustling seemed to grow louder as it continued to shake, making it resemble as if the creature behind it was more than one. Florina couldn't help but give a whimper of fright from behind Guy's back. The Swordmaster looked back to see a pair of begging green eyes.
"P-p-please..." Florina said as quietly as her shaking voice could. "C-c-could you go and k-k-kill it quickly?" Guy nodded his head solemnly.
Rath couldn't help but wonder if the creature behind the bush was really a Bugbear. But under such circumstances where all their lives are in danger, the Nomad Trooper couldn't afford to waste time in luring it out. Wood rasped against wood as he maintained the steady grip on his bow. Out of the corner of his right eye, he couldn't help but notice Florina taking slow and quiet steps away from where Guy was.
"What are you doing!" Rath hissed between his teeth. Florina gave a small squeak and quickly ran behind Rath. The Nomad Trooper was ready to turn around to scold the Falcon Knight.
"Why?" Rath hissed as he removed the arrow from his bow. "Guy's already injured bad enough! He needs help!"
"W-w-well, I'm too s-s-scared!" Florina cried as pearly tears rolled down her alabaster cheek. "W-w-what if the Bugbear j-j-just only wanted to p-p-play?"
"Aaaaaaagh!"
His head whirled around to see the commotion. Rolling on the ground was Guy and an elderly warrior, both trying to choke the other before the other would choke him. Rath quickly stepped in and pulled the old man off of Guy. The young Swordmaster sat there on the ground rubbing his throat and sucking in the blessed pure air of the Sacae.
The old man fought the grip which Rath had about his neck. Rath yelled as the ancient one bit his hand, forcing the Nomad Trooper to let him go. The old man scrabbled to his feet, not before snatching Guy's Wo Dao from the ground. The old man quickly adopted the most basic of swordfighting stances, the Tiger.
"Tiger Stance, eh?" Rath leered as he too went into a fighting stance. With his left leg about three feet behind the other leg and with his left knee bent slightly. Rath held his sword in his right hand and his other resting near the hilt.
The old man rushed forward with speed that Rath never had seen from one so ancient. Caught off guard, Rath barely blocked the first overhead swing. The old man swung upwards barely nicking Rath on the cheek. A thin trickle of blood appeared just barely below Rath's right eye, trailing down his cheek. The Nomad Trooper wiped his blood away with his free hand, allowing fresh blood to pool around the wound.
Rath then leaped forward, thrusting hard at the direction of the old man, aiming for the elder's waist. For someone seemingly into his winter years, the old man nimblely dodged the attack, leaping backwards to block with Guy's Wo Dao. Raising the sword upwards for a second strike, both blades clashed against each other. Both men leaned heavily against the other's swords, grunting and heaving with all their might. Rath then gave a sudden burst of power, forcing the old man back several steps.
The old man crouched his back leg, keeping his front leg slightly bent. Raising his sword arm upwards slightly to where the blade angled downwards, he made a gesture for Rath to strike first. The Nomad Trooper raced forward, throwing all caution that was left in him to the four winds. Striking deftly at the other's blade in an attempt to force it out of his grip, Rath began his onslaught. But all his slashes were to of no avail. No matter what direction and how much speed Rath put into his attack, the old man kept on dodging and blocking the blows, occasionally countering. Rath soon found himself forced against a tree, trying to dodge blows.
Guy limped forward, ready to attack the old man. The hilt of the Wo Dao made contact with the top of his skull, causing Guy to waver for a moment. The Wo Dao hilt struck him once more on the head, causing the injured Swordmaster to collapse upon the ground. Florina gave a scream at the sight of blood arising from Guy's forehead, causing Rath to derive energy from anger.
Rath quickly leaped forward at his opponent's unprotected back. Giving a howl of rage at the old man stooping to the level of further injuring an already injured warrior, he quickly found himself staring at the tip of Guy's Wo Dao.
"Do not test my patience, young master," the old man said gruffly as he held the blade without wavering. "I have come bearing news. Both of good and bad."
"Put away that sword, old man," Rath said as he knocked the blade away with his own. "Then I will listen to what you have to spout."
"Agreed, young warrior."
The old man deftly tossed the blade next to Guy. The Wo Dao planted itself tip first into the dirt next to Guy, quavering with the force of sinking into the earth. The old man reached within his brown robes and pulled out a scroll.
"Who sent this?" Rath asked as he was given the scroll. The old man didn't say as he started to walk away. Quickly, Rath broke the seal and opened the scroll.
"What's it say?" Florina asked as she helped Guy up. The fallen Swordmaster gave a groan as he rubbed his head.
"What the hell happened?" Guy asked groggily. "Where's that bastard of an old man?"
"Forget him." Florina and Guy looked at Rath curiously. Rath crumpled the scroll in one swift clench. Rath's glare was one of which could scour the skin off of a Flame Dragon. The scroll remained crumpled and hidden in his fist.
"I must head to Badon..." Rath said as he quickly gathered his bow and sword. He strode past Guy and Florina with his bow slung across his shoulder and the sword sheathed at his side. The Nomad Trooper then started packing his equipment into the saddlebags on his horse. The crumpled scroll was also tipped into the bags.
"What for?" Guy asked as Florina hung onto his arm. "What did the scroll say?" Rath looked at his stallion fondly and patted it on its neck before turning back to his fellow Sacaen and the Falcon Knight.
"It is a personal matter I must attend to," Rath said as he grinned falsely. "It's something that I must only know of. I'm sorry that I can't tell you two what it is but I must travel to Badon."
"We'll go with you," Florina said as she grabbed Rath by the arm. "Who knows what may lie in wait for you, seeking revenge."
Rath gave a short forced laugh. "Florina, you have a wild imagination. Why would anyone dare to slay the next Chief of the Kutolah Tribe?"
"Maybe someone does want you dead," Guy said darkly. "You'd best have at least someone else to have along." The Swordmaster drew his sword and stuck it in the ground. "Even though you're my Chief, I'll disobey you and follow you."
"Aye, and me too!" Florina said fiercely as she also drew her sword. "You may need me to take care of a speedy foe!"
"No!" Rath barked out, causing both of his friends to jump slightly. "It is a personal matter! What give you two the right to jump into my business? Hm? Guy, I thought you were at least somewhat responsible for yourself. Go back to the tribe and tell my father to keep you in line." The Nomad Trooper than rounded upon Florina.
"I thought the mercenary wings of Ilia knew better than leaping into business that is none of theirs! You'd best return to your sisters and continue your mercenary business. I really hate to pierce your Pegasus with one of my arrows, Florina. Please, I beg of you two to stop and desist. This business is mine and mine only!"
Rath leaped upon his stallion and quickly rode out of the glade. But something fell out of his packs. When Florina and Guy finally arrived at the edge, breathless and worried, they found only the crumpled scroll. Rath was already halfway gone in a column of dust, riding southwards to the Lycian border.