Daedric Puppet: I hope you readers enjoyed that chapter, I honestly am considering redoing the first 5 chapters so the story has more 'meat on it's bones' so to speak and so I can go more in-depth on Shaylum's character and values as a person, as well as the people he associates with. Well I'm gonna continue with the story. Please enjoy and feel free to criticize if I accidentally break the lore. I'm generally pretty careful when it comes to that, but I'd rather be sure.
Some time passed as Natalia and myself assisted the soldiers and mercenaries that were cleaning up the proverbial shit show it was currently. Primarily, she and I were tasked with helping the wounded and putting out tent fires and after we were relieved of that, we assisted the caravan merchants with gathering up their remaining supplies. Within a few hours the caravan and it's mercenaries were on their way to Nalbina, while the prisoners the Imperials had apprehended were being put on a cart North to Arcadia with an heavily armed escort that had showed up after the end of the skirmish.
"Serves 'em right, dishonorable scum." Natalia spit on the ground in the carts direction, seeing the prisoner I apprehended in the back of the cart, the whole right side if his face battered and bruised, with one hand on his thigh, that hand being chained to every other prisoner in the wagon and his other cradling himself while chained to the person in front of him. And everyone on that side as well. He staring at me with the utmost contempt, clearly very angry that the fun he was having with his little band was over.
I met eyes with him and merely shrugged.
"Shaylum, I say we eat. I'd like to get the bad taste of this situation out of my mouth as quick as possible." Natalia said, sounding very displeased with what had transpired.
"I agree."
She and I silently walked over to the Teleport Crystal, no longer in the center of a great trading Post, but the place of a pointless massacre, overshadowed by pure greed and dishonorable intent. I sat down and opened my satchel, unwrapping a piece of the season Behemoth roast I had purchased from Gastly a few hours prior. I stared at my food. I had no appetite. Just this… sick feeling… I heard Natalia eating and I knew she'd question me if I didn't. I took a bite and carefully chewed, Gastly's cooking tasted the worst it ever had. And the problem with that, is that it never is bad. I forced myself to swallow it.
I could feel it. I was shaking. The sick feeling got worse and worse, spreading to my brain.
I choked, tears streaming down my face as I put my food down.
"FUCK! FUUUUUCK! WHAT HAVE I DONE!!!??" I wailed, hating myself as the reality of what I had done tore me apart. "I…I…The one who ran…I shouldn't have…he—"
"May have been just a kid, but he tried to kill you. He knew what he was doing and when the hard reality of his decision hit him, he realized his mistake. You did what you had to Shaylum, so don't blame yourself. For my sake at least." I wiped the tears away and looked at her.
"But…"
"No Shaylum. Think. He, with all those fucking assholes in the hills collectively decided to come to down here, murder and rape innocent people for fun and money. Fuck them. They don't deserve sympathy." Natalia spoke very in a calm, yet stern tone. My heart and mind seemed to believe this, the sick feeling that overcame me slowly dulled over a course of a few minutes, but still remained. We continued eating, every few minutes I had tears come and Natalia would comfort me.
"Thank you Natalia. I appreciate your help and support." I smiled at her with genuine kindness. She looked away, a ghost of a smile tugging at her lips.
"No problem Shaylum. Let's find the guy who put out the Behemoth bill. Hopefully he wasn't killed." Natalia stood up suddenly and followed suit, wrapping my foodstuffs and putting it back in my satchel.
"He's a member of the Moogles Guild I think, so he shouldn't be to hard to find." I said, trying to sound a little more confident in my words.
"Guardsman." I stopped a patrolling Imperial who was wearing a badass looking helmet and an even cooler cape.
"Aye, citizen?" He asked, his voice muffled by his helmet.
"Do you know where the Moogles from the Guild are?" I asked.
"Aye, that way." The Imperial lifted his arm and pointed to one of the few undamaged tents, a tall blue one unscathed by the battle.
"Thank you for your time Sir…?"
"Judge Gabranth to you, Dalmascan." The man spoke with a hard and unforgiving tone, sounding even more gruff than he had before. Judge Gabranth turned towards the road heading to Nalbina, myself noticing a black chocobo, tall and proud and more than likely equally as mean as he was the previous two things. The Judge mounted up on the overgrown bird, a small retinue of guards converged on him as he directed his mount and his comrades down the path towards Dalmasca's border
"Wow. I met a Judge. The brother of the Kingslayer at that." I said, feeling strangely star-struck at the unexpected encounter with the twin sibling of Basch Fon Ronsenburg, Dishonored Captain of the Dalmascan Knights, sentenced to death for regicide for slaying King Raminas, The King of Dalmasca.Not sure how I feel about that.
"Alright, well, let's go." I said, starting to walk towards the tent that the Kingslayer's brother pointed to, Natalia in tow. I looked around at the camp, seeing how barren it looked without civilians and tradesmen. I shook my head.
"Anyone home? We're from Clan Centurio about a bill that was posted for a Behemoth." I called into the tent, rather than barging in on them. I waited for a response,
"Come in."
Natalia entered first and I followed, seeing three Moogles sitting with solemn expressions.
"Only two?! The hell is Montblanc thinking sending only TWO hunters?!" The middle Moogle, wearing a blue vest and red dress pants, his belt of special tools around his waist, spoke skeptically in an angry tone.
"He didn't. It was on the board at The Sandsea in Rabanastre." I said, earning an a look of disbelief from all three.
"What!? I told that bastard of a courier to go to Montblanc, I even paid him extra. Fucking fuck! Day keeps getting better!" The Moogle on the left, wearing a red vest and black dress pants, with the same belt as the first, sneered with ungrateful sarcasm.
"How much if a problem is this beast posing to your operation?" Natalia inquired, seeking more information on our hunt.
"A catastrophic problem, that's what! That goddamn monster has halted our progress for the last month and we are ungodly far behind! We got a sculpture of King Raminas to make for Queen Ashelia for the Main Plaza of Rabanastre and we only have two weeks left because of this whoreson if a Behemoth, so we are sorry if we are skeptical that there are only two of you, but that thing is a force not to be trifled with! We ask that you think your decision through before accepting. If you wish, you may turn us down but can still accept, provided we have a week left at least." The Moogle on the right elaborated on the gravity of their situation while retaining his cool a little better than his friends. " The beast resides at the top of the hill, right on the plateau. It snatches Vultures out of the air that flying into it's territory so it never comes down here, but I fear with the apprehensive guards watching the hill, that allowed The Highwaste Marauders to attack. So we all assume that those bastards somehow captured a Behemoth and sent it here to distract us."
"That's a little far fetched, a lowly gang of killers and thieves catching a Behemoth. Likely a very unfortunate coincidence." I said, sounding unsure of their proclamation.
"We originally thought the same, but then we thought about it. What's a Behemoth's best sense?" the middle one asked.
"Smell." Natalia answered.
"Right. And what smell do they love the most?"
A bone-chilling roar erupted from outside the tent, the ground starting to rumble in tune with earth shaking steps.
"Blood." I finished, realization hitting me. "Looks like we gotta accept now. Go, hide!" I exited the tent with Natalia backing me up.
"Get yourself on a good vantage point. Far outta it's reach. You're likely gonna be healing me a lot. Take my dagger just in case. Attack on my signal, no sooner, no later." I handed Natalia my Gladius, before gazing up at the hill leading to the plateau. Rocks we're crumbling from the cliffs as each step put more and more tension in the humid air. The sun was close to setting, the orange Ray's of the sun reflecting off the gargantuan silver Behemoth as it revealed itself, slowly, almost lazily stomping it way down the cliffs. Soldiers scrambling to make ranks, officers barking orders at their soldiers to hurry themselves. It stopped before the line of troops blocking it from enter the encampment, as if inspecting them. Then it began to glow.
"RUUUN!!ITS USING MAGI-" I was too late, as multiple white bolts.of light crashed down from the sky, every man blocking the Behemoth we're killed instantly, their armour crumbling to the ground in pieces.
"By the Gods…" I bolted to cover, knowing taking it head on was completely suicide. I needed a plan. Quickly, while the monster was inspecting its kills, I snuck over to one of the water Shrines, the one closest to the path the Behemoth came from. The monster lifted it's front leg, it's claws appearing to be a foot long each as it swiped aside the many pieces of armour, bones and metal clanking and clunking against one another, a reminder of it's strength. The place was too wide open, I couldn't sneak around without being seen and he'd eventually smell me. I had to think of something fast. I looked at what I was taking cover behind.
I had an idea.
As quietly as I could, I slowly climbed up the side of the water shrine, eventually getting to the lip just before the point on top and holding myself there. Using my right hand, I opened my satchel and carefully looked around, seeing Natalia wave at me from the just above the ridge that the Behemoth's came from. Not a bad spot at all. I removed my roast from my bag a tossed it lightly, tumbling to the ground with a thud as I scooted over to hide. I peeked through the intricate spacing in the shrine, allowing me a visual on my Target with out giving away my position. It sniffed the air in my direction, lowering it's head and seeing the partially wrapped foodstuff. I looked at Natalia, raising one finger as I watched her draw her bow, still waiting on my signal. The beast began to approach, every step it made shook the structure I was on as it sniffed the air even stronger. Carefully, while watching it getting within range, I pulled myself onto the very top of the shrine which was at least twenty five feet or a little more, with a tiny square platform in the top. Silently, I drew my Kotetsu and looked at Natalia as the Behemoth began to eat my food. I held my katana in a reverse grip with both hands and leapt, bringing the handle behind my head and burying it in the Behemoth's back.
A heart stopping roar of anger erupted from the Behemoth as it reared with me still holding on, whipping itself around viciously it an attempt to throw me. Four arrows in quick succession pierced the Behemoth's back, making do a harsh 270 degree spin, tossing me almost effortlessly to the ground several feet away. Alarms in my brain screamed at me to get to my feet as the Behemoth closed in, getting in range and slashing at me with it's claws as I scrambled to my feet, ignoring the blow to the head I just took from falling as I drew my blade, feeling blood dripping down my face slowly. I slashed towards it as it swing it's arm, cleaving it's claws off and causing blood to spray from it's fingertips as I followed up with a brutal cleave across the face, making it rear once more. Arrows from Natalia pelted its back, also remembering my Kotetsu was still there as well.
"Blizzard!" I cast the spell, but rather than a blast of ice, it was constant stream of freezing magick. The Behemoth lunged forward, attempting to impale me with it's enormous protruding horns, but I quickly evaded, still blasting it with ice magick as I began to circle it. The Behemoth screamed at me, ripping up the ground at it took chase with murderous intent. I bolted towards the beast suddenly, it seemed to flinch just enough for me to slash it across the face once again, this time taking an eye for my troubles. The Behemoth screeched and whipped around, smacking me with it's tail and sending me careening into the hard metal shrine,
"FUUUUUCK!!" I raged at my pain, but soon enough, a small, gentle light began to cover my form, my pains numbing and my ache dulling. The Behemoth, during my unintentional sit-down, was still reeling from the last attack I delivered. Pulling myself to my feet and seeing my Defender sitting on the ground ahead of me, I raced forward, limping at first then powering through to a full Sprint as I picked up my weapon. Continuing my advance, I watched as the Behemoth stared me down with one eye and raised it's hindquarters. I lt lunged, whipping it's whole right side at me, but I saw it coming, leaping into the air and gripping my katana still buried in the Behemoth s back and retrieving it, yet another roar exploded from the monster. I landed gracefully and faced my opponent, seeing Natalia pelting with more and more arrows. Fire began to bleed fro the Behemoth s mouth as it took breath. I threw down my weapons and conjured the strongest blizzard spell I could, the fireball exploded through my defense and sending me skidding back, just barely grabbing my Kotetsu before it was out of reach.
Having no other alternative, I rushed it again, another fireball rocketed towards me as I did so. I met it head on and sliced it with my katana, sending two halves of the attack behind me and exploding on contact with the ground. My weapon handle down by my waist, I pointed the blade forward as I came within range of the Montrosity.
And paid for it dearly.
It performed a Behemoth's signature attack, one that many called Heave. It drove it's horn into the ground, followed by it's head and lifted a large amount of earth under me with a powerful upward snap of it's neck, I smashed my back first off the horn as I was launched thirty feet, flailing as I ascended.
"NONONONONO!!!!" I screamed desperately as I struggled to right myself against the pain, feeling gravity take hold and seeing the Behemoth leaping up to impale me.
"AERO!!" I cast with all the magick I could muster up, propelling me harshly to the side just as I nearly met my end at twenty feet in the air and slammed hard against the dirt, bouncing and skidding another few feet away as the Behemoth came crashing down, having not recovered from missing it's Target came down like a goddamn meteor, I only knew this cause I felt it. I tasted blood. Great. Forcing my eyes open and crying out in agony, I pushed myself of my right ride with my left arm and faced the sky on my back, my ribs hurting like a bastard, having a road rash on top of those internal injuries didn't much help either.
"Shaylum! SHAYLUM!!" Natalia yelled from the ridge, shortly after, I felt several warm sensation and a glow cling to my form as I dragged myself to my feet, feeling my wounds slowly regenerating back to normal. I swiftly withdrew a Hi-Potion from my satchel and quickly drank it for good measure, picking my katana off the ground and rushing over to my great sword. The Behemoth was starting to come to, even while Natalia pelted it with arrows, the beast having at least twenty protruding from multiple parts of it's body.
It was time to end this.
Calling upon what little magick power I had left, electricity shot up both of my weapons. The Behemoth snapped it's head towards me, it's eyes radiating an eerie crimson red glow as it growled fiercely.
"YOU WANT SOME? COME ON THEN!!" I challenged, the Behemoth huffed a breath of fire in response, slamming its good front leg forward and roaring at me, its very tone shaking the ground, but not my resolve. I made the first move, wielding both my weapons and rushing the Mark head-on, a fireball erupting from it's mouth while I did so. I cleaved through it with a single wide swing with my Kotetsu in my left hand, the Mark capitalizing on my current vulnerability and rushing after the flame it an attempt to surprise me. I leapt up as it thrust it head forward in an attempt to impale me, twisting myself upside down and slashing it's right horn clean off with my Defender, dodging out of range as it flicked it's head at me as in retaliation as I landed facing it and leaped backwards. As soon as my feet met the ground, I ran towards the Mark, it's neck wide open. I threw my katana like a javelin, stabbing it in the throat and seeing a powerful electrical shock discharge across it's body, making the Behemoth roar in agony as it was reeling once more, on it's back feet and clawing at it's own neck, trying to rid itself of it's new, unwanted protrusion.
My heartbeat quickened at the opportunity.
With one, final leap, I whipped my Defender back and slashed the monster across the throat, cleaving through skin, flesh, bone, flesh and soon once more. I landed gracefully, standing up straight and listening as I heard a thud, followed by a ground shaking crash. I swung my great sword once and raised it high
"WE FUCKING WON!!!" I screamed in triumph, excitement and pride that my plan had worked out in such an overwhelmingly positive fashion. My ribs burned with agony and I could still taste blood, but I didn't care. I felt unstoppable. So unstoppable, in fact, that I didn't even notice the ground coming up to meet me.