Chapter Seven
Help Comes in Many Forms
Have I truly left this earth for good? Can I finally have rest from this eternal nightmare I would suffer if I were alive. "Worthless Maggot, open your eyes fool we are both still alive. Your little plan failed you are still my vessel and you're not one step closer to finding out your past…" My eyes flutter open underneath my own will this time. I look and see the stars glowing above me. Shining so full of light and yet so cold and unforgiving as well… I turn my head to the right and notice a small fire going with some clothes by it… Wait clothes? I look under the survival blanket I am in and realize two important facts very quickly…. I am suddenly freaking cold first of all and those are my clothes by the fire!
"How in the hell did I get like this?" I look around, desperate to see how I could have made it to this spot after nearly being killed… I try to move but intense pain shoots through my whole body I fall to the ground almost blacking out. "You imbecile did you forget so quickly our body was nearly destroyed back there!" I ignore his comments, blindly searching for the answer I need... I again try to move, this time my body reacts harshly to my stupidity, I scream in agony and then my vision goes black…
"HmmHmmHmHmmmmm, Ladada-dada…" I wake to soft humming and singing… Who is that I wonder I try to move but the pain returns I wince and decide to just lay there. "Ladadada-dadada…" I listen to the slow tune no words to it just a simple lullaby would be my guess sung from mother to child. I listen to the tune slowly letting my mind wander then suddenly remember… I have no clothes on underneath this blanket… I snap open my eyes and see another pair of brown ones looking back at me…. "ACK! What the hell!" "Hehe! He is awake now!" A young girl says to some one else… "What do you mean now?"
I ask wondering who the heck she is and who she is talking to… The young girl appears fifteen, she has brown hair and brown eyes, her face is soft and so is her voice she is wearing a simple hunters grab that is bright pink in color. I momentarily think of gouging my eyes out to help they get some relief from the horrendous color…. I know she isn't a hunter or she has just become one, no Hunters face is that soft after a few months of doing this profession… "What do you think I mean moron? Geez this guy is so dense why did you have to save him Mint? "W-What did you just say?" My eyes become wide and I snap my head in the direction she was talking and there I see the young Hunewarl girl again… Mint… "You have got to be kidding me…." My face turns flat no expression anymore as I speak. To the young girl it appears comical she slightly giggles at this and then walks away… My face still holding that "This sucks" appearance on it.
I see Mint turn to me with a smile on her face and a giggle. I turn my head away from her and wonder what the hell is going on and why she didn't just let the Hildet kill me when it had the chance. "What's your name?" "Gahh! What the hell!" That other damned girl has scared me again she just continues to laugh. "Hehe I asked what your name is silly?" "If you must know its Colt…" I reply with my voice trying to remain monotone with her. "Hmm. You don't look like a Colt… You look more like… Terry! That's what I will call you Terry!" She says this with a smile on her face. I continue to stare at the girl in disbelief. What the fck is going on… I wonder to myself, "For once we are in agreement…" I ignore that comment and continue to focus on my current problem... Getting my clothes back where they belong, on my body… I hear footsteps echoing through the foliage and dead leaves. I go to grab my weapon but remember it was destroyed… Also the fact that my body shoots another bout of pain through itself doesn't help either. The girls seem to notice as well. They both drop into defensive positions as the sound gets closer though I hear a new one, a soft thump sound as if a heavy object is bouncing against…. Leather? "Yay! He is back Marc is back!" The smaller girl say's and heads towards the sound of the foot steps. "If you are wondering what her name is, it's Alexis, Colt…" I turn my head to face Mint once again… Same as last time I saw her, cute… "I will agree with you on that as well Hunter." "…Thanks…" I reply the words having to be forced out of my mouth, the hatred still burning there from what happened…
She looks at me as if I am cold…. She turns and goes back to what she was doing… "I don't know what has changed you Colt… But I wish I knew…" I say nothing and continue to stare off into the sky. Alexis and the one she called Marc return his arm around her by the waist. "Hello Marc I trust you were satisfied with your exploration for the day?" Mint says smiling. "Hmm not really I still didn't see any one else and I haven't found out where exactly we are yet but I have a general idea. Oh I see our friend he is awake… I thought he would have been out longer." He extends his hand to me "I am Marc or some call me Eriror." I take his hand and tell him my name. He looks at me for a minute with puzzlement in his face but it quickly vanishes with a sudden breeze. I look past his head and find out what the other noise was that I heard… It was his weapon strapped to his back, a Zanba.
"Hey Mint, Alexis, can you leave us for a minute I believe our friend would like his clothes back on Heh." "Yes that would be a welcome change from this awkward position…" They then collectively before the girls left cast a round of Resta on me each in turn. I feel some of my bones coming back together with pops and groans. It isn't exactly the most pleasant feeling, but soon enough I can wiggle my toes again. The two girls leave and Marc throws me my clothes, he turns after words to give me some privacy. "You know Colt your lucky, if Mint hadn't been with us we never would have turned off that trail in search of you when she recognized your voice."
"Really?" I ask in utter confusion… My clothes are back on now although all my ribs and leg bones are still tender. My left arm is still in a sling as well. "Yes. Without her you would have been dead for sure… She told me of how you two were separated, a little over a week ago. She says she woke up the next morning and saw yours and two others foot prints leavening the camp site, she says it also looked like a fight had taken place between you and the other people." "….."
I remain silent after that and tell him I am fine and fully clothed. "That's better wow, where is your weapon?" He asks… I tell him of how it got broke by a Red Sato owned by Cranberry. "Heh you got in the way of its daily mauling of Sage didn't you Hahaha!" He continues laughing and I join as well. The girls come back, quietly and Alexis goes to Marc's side, Mint stands next to mine, I back off a couple of inches still unsure of what to believe…
"Well it seems we are all able to walk now so let's say we eat?" Marc Suggest Alexis beams at the idea and Mint smiles… I simply shake my head and say I need to be alone with my thoughts for a moment. I walk away from the group out of the camp site making sure to go in a straight line as not to lose my way… I soon come upon an over hang that outlooks a small river about twenty feet above. I sit on the edge of the over hang and go through my data files again stored in my gauntlet. I check the ones I took from the hunters Guild to see if any are relevant to my new predicament but know show any files of a green HUcast registered there or show any of my sister, other then the quest that is still being offered…
I scroll away from that part and go to check my inventory of items I have with me. Suffice to say I have none what so ever…
"Hey aren't you going to join us?" I turn towards the sudden voice and see its Mint again… I turn back to the sunset and watch it solemnly… My emotions grappling with themselves on what I should do… "Mind if I sit?" I shake my head no to her and she sits beside me, her arms wrapped around her legs.
She stares at the ground for awhile. No words pass between us at all just time. "Why have you become so cold Colt?" The question stuns me and I turn to her now unable to break away from her gaze or answer her… "That night, the last night you saw me I was attacked by someone…" She looks at me I spy it out of the corner of my eye… Is that a look of concern…? No it can't be she was the one that attacked me…
Wasn't she…? Doubts cloud my mind… "I have become cold because when I looked up from the muddy gulch that I was forced to roll into that night, I looked up into the figure of you carrying a Heart of Poumn…" I let this sink in to her I see the reaction on her face… Are those tears she is crying? This doesn't make any sense? I thought she was the one that attacked me! Wasn't she?
I return my gaze back to the sunset… It is beautiful, I think of Mint's face smiling as I look upon it… What am I thinking! Didn't she try to kill me…? Didn't she? "Do you truly believe I would do that to you Colt?" She asks genuine hurt in her voice… I turn my head away from the sunset and her to stare into the shadow of a nearby tree…
I do not answer her, my mind still plagued with that question. I hear a sobbing coming from her; she gets up quietly and leaves me again… As she rise and walks by a single tear of hers falls on my right shoulder… I stare at the ground now my mind plagued with torment over what to believe… A sudden scream pierces the calm tranquility sending birds out of the nearby trees into the slowly darkening sky. I jump with a start, it came from the camp! I quickly take off at a run; I strap my Secret Gear on to my right arm since my left arm is useless in a fight.
I come upon the sight to see hordes of Bartel, Barbel scattered around the camp. I also spot two groups of Gulgus five in each group, both led by one Gulgus-Gue. I stare in horror at the number of monsters swarming the area. I can hardly believe it… "Gahh damn beasts!" I hear Marc cry as he swings his Zanba slicing anything that got to close in half. Alexis is behind having drawn a Bloody Arts blade to defend his backside. I quickly look around and find Mint fighting off some Barbels. She tries to push her way to Marc and Alexis but each time she gains ground she loses two more feet due to the crushing number of Barbels.
Her Heart of Poumn rakes across one beast chest after the next sending blood spray and matter every where as she does this. I see she may be over run soon not from exhaustion but pure numbers. I run towards her, just as she slashes down another Barbel I step in front of her and intercept the blow of a Bartels claw. "What are you doing?" She asks in surprise and shock. "What do you think I am doing? I am giving you a chance to help get Marc Alexis and yourself out of here!" She looks at me, tears start to from in her eyes "But, but we can't just leave you here to die!" "Look and listen to me! I am no good to the group I am wounded and can not hold a weapon to help fight! All I can do is defend against them! You must help Marc and Alexis out of here so you can re-group and come back later to see if I still live!" "Does this mean..?" "Yes, yes it does… Now GO!" I scream shoving the Bartel back with all my might sending it sprawling into three others of its kind.
Mint runs to Marc and Alexis' aid and slashes through the ranks of the beasts surrounding them… Good they are going to live… I am glad… The Bartels have gotten up again and advance on me… "Come on then! Let's see what you got in you!" I scream to them hoping to draw the attention of the other beasts as well. It begins to work all of what is left of them slowly begin to move around me… I bring my right arm up again and again as the Bartel slashes at my chest.
Suddenly I feel the slash of a Gulgus horn rake across my back. I scream in pain as he knocks his head into my rib cage as well. The other monsters stop and then move closer, The Bartel begins the onslaught again… This time lower towards my mid section… I block as best I can now more begin in the attack multiple blows come from all sides I can barley dodge and block at the same time… I soon become tired and want to stop but know if I stop death will be waiting for me there. I continue on the weaving ducking and blocking, this intercept dance of death where the wrong move will be your last… I dodge to left my hear a cry behind my and turn to block… I am not fast enough and the claws of a Barbel rake across my rib cage sending my sprawling to the ground twenty feet away…
I spit up blood again… "Damn I just had these fixed to…" I laugh to myself a little at the last comment as the horde moves in to kill me… The triumphant Barbel roars in satisfaction as it brings its Claw up for the final strike… I close my eyes and hope everyone else got away, I whisper one final phrase "Mint… I am sorry I ever doubted your trust… I am sorry."