Chapter 31

Walking through town, Mercury kept an eye out for the monster. But after hours of searching, the group came up empty handed.

(Damnit!) Mercury yelled at himself. (How hard can it be to find a single monster?)

(I'm gonna assume you haven't found anything.)

Glancing back, Makoto stood with her arms crossed. Her hair was brown, it's natural color.

(Didn't know you were behind me.) Mercury told her. (You find anything?)

Makoto shook her head as she shrugged.

(Daenerys hasn't found the monster yet, either.) Makoto informed him. (But she has found a place to rest her head. She said she was beyond tired and went into one of the Inns.)

Mercury rubbed his eyes.

(I'm about to turn in as well.) Mercury said. (It's getting late.)

(I'm gonna keep looking around a bit.) Makoto said. (See if I can't find something. I'll join you soon.)

(Stay safe.)

(Aren't I always?) Makoto asked with a cheeky grin. (See ya in a bit.)

Waving, Makoto walked off.

A few minutes later

Getting a room at one of the Inns, Mercury took off his gear and clothes, except for his pants, and climbed into bed. Instantly, his eyes closed and he drifted off.

Three hours later

Awoken by the sound of the door opening, Mercury instantly grabbed his dagger and jumped to his feet, figuring it was an intruder. He quickly lowered it, however, when he saw it was Makoto just entering the room.

"Sorry, Makoto." Mercury apologized. "I didn't know it was you."

Makoto simply waved her hand, dismissing it.

Approaching Mercury, Makoto gently pushed him onto the bed, climbing over him immediately. Taking her top off, and allowing her 'assets' to bounce freely.

"Makoto..."

Leaning forward, Makoto kissed Mercury with an immense lust. She didn't even ask permission before forcing her tongue passed his lips.

Pulling away only for breath, Makoto leaned forward, her breath tickling his ear.

"Leave everything to me."

Mercury's eyes shot wide open as he shoved Makoto to the ground. Getting out of bed, Mercury grabbed his dagger before dragging the woman by the hair, raising her neck to his blade.

"Who are you?!" Mercury shouted.

"M-Mercury!" Makoto shouted in pain. "You're hurting me! Stop!"

Mercury grit his teeth, pressing his weapon firmly against her throat.

"Don't test me! Makoto can't speak, so who are you?!" Mercury shouted.

Makoto let out a quiet "hmph" before suddenly breaking free of Mercury's grasp. Moving to the opposite side of the room, Makoto suddenly changed before him. Turning into the nude, winged woman from the murder victim Inn.

"I thought she just spoke softly." The woman said, wrapping her wings around herself. "Watching you two was strange. You seemed to communicate without saying so much as a word. That's one of the reasons I chose you."

"I don't care why you 'chose' me." Mercury said. "You're the thing I have to kill. That's all I need to know."

"'Thing'?" The woman repeated the word. "Boy, have you never seen a Succubus before?"

"First a Wendigo, now a Succubus?" Mercury said softly to himself. (Are all the mythical creatures from my world real in this one?)

The Succubus opened her wings as she stretched her arms.

"Anyway, I'm going to devour you now."

Rushing Mercury, the woman tried to attack with her razor sharp claws. Leaning back to avoid it, Mercury slashed the Succusbus' throat, causing her to jump away in defense.

Covering her neck, she glared at Mercury. Mercury only grinned in response.

"You think you got me?" The Succubus said as she removed her hand from her neck. Seeing it heal almost immediately, Mercury took his fighting stance. "You're gonna have to get creative."

Rushing Mercury, the Succubus grabbed him.

Outside the Inn, a tired Makoto made her way to the door. Before she reached it, however, the window on the second floor suddenly burst as the Succubus and Mercury fell out of the room. Landing on the dirt covered ground, Mercury slowly got back up, the falling having knocked the wind out of him. As for the Succubus, she immediately stood back up, her wings wrapped around her once more as she watched Mercury.

Once he got his footing, Mercury lowered himself to the ground, planting his free hand firmly in the dirt as he held his blade backwards.

Bursting into action, Makoto joined Mercury, wielding her sword.

"Is that any way to treat a lady?" The Succubus pouted. "You should be nicer."

Mercury's face twisted in confusion.

"Fucking, what?"

Flexing her wings, the Succusbus took off, kicking up a blinding amount of dust. Mercury and Makoto both shielded their eyes. Once it died down, the two saw that the Succubus was nowhere in sight.

"Damnit!" Mercury grit his teeth. "Shit."

Turning around, Mercury went to take a step when a sudden pain rushed up the left side of his body. Stumbing forward, Mercury took a look at the source. A large shard of glass was sticking out of his side.

"How the hell didn't I notice?"

With a shaky hand, Mercury gently pinched the piece of glass between his thumb and index finger. A sharp pain rushed through him as he tried to take it out, causing Mercury to fall forward.

As he hit the ground, the shard dug further into his side, causing more pain.

Closing his left eye, Mercury forced back a scream of pain.

Joining his side, Makoto saw the shard of glass sticking out of Mercury. Instantly, Makoto pulled the shard out, causing Mercury to yell out.

"Fuck!" Mercury shouted at he punched the ground.

The pain was short lived as a warmth filled his body. Opening his eyes, Mercury saw Makoto kneeking beside him, a green glow coming from her hands that hovered over the wound.

Soon, the wound closed.

"Thanks, Makoto." Mercury said as he got to his feet. "Since when were you able to pull that off?"

(While searching for that Succubus, I passed by a spell shop.) Makoto replied (I went inside and the owner showed me a book of spells that was for sale. I bought it, and the first, most basic one, was a small wound healing spell.)

"Well, y'know, thanks."

Heading back to his room, Mercury put on his clothes and gear before returning downstairs.

(Are we gonna go after it?) Makoto asked.

"Tomorrow." Mercury replied. (Now that we know what it's after, from both the previous victim, and myself: it might be after men in their late teens/early twenties.)

(Are we baiting it out?)

(I don't like it, but that's most likely what'll have to happen.) Mercury answered.

As the two walked, raindrops began to fall from the sky. It started off gentle at first, but quickly became a massive storm. Even though the two were quickly drenched, and Mercury was low on energy, they walked back to the mansion.

(Should we seek shelter?) Makoto asked.

(No.) Mercury replied. (I just wanna get back home.)

Makoto's ears folded back as she held a hand over her chest, worriedly.

As the two walked, Makoto's ears twitched as she heard quiet sobbing coming from an alley.

(Merc.) Makoto grabbed his sleeve, getting him to stop. (I think someone's hurt.)

Mercury looked down the alley. It was dark and eerie.

"Yeah, I seen how this movie ends. Hell, no." Mercury said.

Makoto glared at Mercury.

(Someone could be hurt.) She said firmly before storming into the alley.

"Tch. When we get killed, expect an 'I told you so'."

Makoto rolled her eyes.

Following her into the alley, Mercury kept his guard up. Hearing the sobbing himself now, Mercury began to doubt his initial thoughts and wonder if someone really might be hurt.

Coming to an abandoned building, Makoto found a way inside. Mercury followed close behind.

"Well, let's see what it is." Mercury began searching for the source of the sobbing.

Finding a set of rotting stairs, Mercury cautiously climbed them. Once on the second floor, Mercury headed toward the end of the hall, the source of the crying.

"Please don't be a creepy ghost kid. Please don't be a creepy ghost kid. Please don't be a creepy ghost kid." Mercury repeated quietly to himself as he opened the door.

"Hah!" A gasp came from the opposite side of the room.

A girl, around the age of ten, was sitting on the floor, hugging her knees and crying. She was wearing rags and her hair was messy with sticks and soot. Atop the girl's head was a pair of panda ears.

Seeing Mercury, the girl cowered in fear, but she didn't move an inch.

Seeing her in such a state, Mercury knew he had to approach this situation as gently as possible.

"Hey." He said softly. "Hi." Mercury knelt down at the center of the room, giving the girl more than enough space to feel comfortable. "Are you lost?" He began.

The girl was too scared to answer.

"What're you doing out here?" Mercury asked.

Again, the girl gave no reply.

"I'm not gonna hurt you." Mercury told her. "I just wanna help. How did you get out here? Do you know you way back home? Can-"

Mercury was interrupted by a sudden flash outside, followed by the sound of thunder.

Suddenly, the girl cried out, falling over onto her side.

(She's scared of thunder.) Makoto said, finally entering the room herself.

(Seems so.) Mercury agreed. (What should we do?)

(I can handle this. She might not trust you since you're human.) Makoto told him.

(I'll follow you're lead, then.)

Slowly, Makoto approached the girl. Upon seeing her, the girl cowered, but was soon comforted by Makoto's warm smile. Gesturing to the spot beside the girl, Makoto silently asked permission to sit beside her. The girl shrugged her shoulders in response.

Sitting beside her, another flash of lightning lit up the room. Quickly, Makoto placed her hands over the girl's ears, helping to muffle the thunder.

As the thunder boomed, the girl didn't even flinch.

Seeing Makoto successfully helping the girl, Mercury sat down in the center of the room. Deciding to leave it for now, Mercury didn't bother to ask his questions. Hanging up his cloak on one of the rafts, Mercury laid down on the floor.

Soon, the trio fell asleep as the rain lasted all night.

The following morning

With the storm now a gentle sprinkle, Mercury, Makoto and the girl, began to wake.

Groggily, the girl sat upright, rubbing her eyes.

Mercury was already sitting up, fully awake as was Makoto.

"Hello, again." Mercury said, giving a warm smile.

Now that the storm had passed, the girl was at ease much more than yesterday.

"H-hello..." she said shyly, clearly nervous about being around strangers.

"Y'know, I bet your parents are worried about you being out all night." Mercury said. "I-"

"My parents..." the girl said softly. "Aren't my parents..."

"Hm?" Mercury tilted his head.

The girl began to sob quietly. Makoto looked to Mercury, her face filled with worry.

"My parents... aren't my parents..." the girl repeated.

"What do you mean?"

"Parents... aren't supposed to... sell their kids..." the girl said between sobs.

(She was sold?) Makoto's eyes began to tear up. (That's horrible!)

(That's beyond fucked.)

Mercury clenched his fists as the girl sobbed.

"What's your name?" Mercury asked her.

Sniffling, the girl took a second before answering.

"Anastasia."

"Alright, Anastasia, why don't you come back with us?" Mercury offered.

Anastasia sobbed even more.

"I can't." She said.

"Why?" Mercury asked softly.

"The men who bought me are looking for me." Anastasia replied. "I know what happens to girls who are bought." Anastasia began to cry harder. "The other men were talking about it. I heard what they said. I-I-I-I'm scared!" Anastasia wrapped her arms around Makoto.

"Don't worry." Mercury told her softly, getting Anastasia to turn to him. "We're the best body guards around. We won't let those mean men anywhere near you, right, Makoto?"

Anastasia looked up to see Makoto nod in agreement.

"So, how about it?" Mercury asked.

A few minutes later

Walking down the street, Makoto and Mercury both held one of Anastasia's hands. Having wrapped his, now dry, cloak around Anastasia, the trio made their way back to the mansion.

Before they could get a third of the way there, they were stopped by a group of men.

"Oh, thank goodness!" The man said in fake relief. "Anastasia!"

Before the man could get any closer, Mercury drew his dagger, the tip tickling his neck.

"She told us everything." Mercury said, skipping right to the point.

"W-w-w-what?" The man stuttered. "We're her family!"

Mercury stared at the man, unconvinced.

"Really? You're really going that route?" Mercury asked. "Okay, fine." Mercury quickly slashed the man's face twice in a second.

Stumbling back, the man held his face, glaring at Mercury.

"For every lie, I will cut you." Mercury said.

Instantly, the other men approached, only for Mercury to use his slow ability. Slashing and disarming each of them, the all fell to the ground. Holding their wounds, Mercury dropped the weapons at the leader's feet before returing to Makoto and Anastasia's side.

"Now, tell me why I shouldn't kill each one of you right now." Mercury growled. "Give me one good reason."

"We're not-"

Before he could finish, Mercury slashed him again.

"I-"

Again, Mercury slashed the man's face.

Makoto had Anastasia facing her, not allowing her eyes to witness Mercury's punishment.

"We're-"

Mercury cut the man's eye, causing him to stumble backwards.

"Those who deal in trading people deserve no forgiveness." Mercury stated.

"She's a filthy demi-"

Before he could finish, Mercury slit the man's throat. Clutching his neck, the man crumbled to the floor.

(A human in demihuman territory.) Mercury thought to himself.

(This section of Siltvelt isn't really cared for by the government here.) Makoto said. (I bet some of the guards were bribed to let these slavers in.)

(You agree with me on this, right?) Mercury asked her. (You believe they deserve to die?)

(Without a doubt.) Makoto replied. (These kind of men are the reason I was an orphan. Like you said: they deserve no forgiveness.)

(Alright. Shield Anastasia's eyes. Afterwards, I'll explain everything to the officials. For now,) Mercury walked up to the nearest slaver and raised his dagger, ready to pierce the man's neck. (I'll deal with this.)

Mercury quickly plunged the blade down on his neck.

End of chapter 31