Chapter 3: Bloody Business
An air of dread seemed to emanate from the old man behind the large oak desk. Dimitri had noticed it when he saw beads of sweat roll down the town elder's forehead and the observant visitor knew exactly why there was such a tension. Directly after entering the chamber Dimitri was interrogated very frantically by the mayor about the outlandish stranger's relationship with the silver eyed witch. An answer similar to one given to the boy outside escaped the tired traveler's mouth as he set his backpack down and pulled off his head coverings. Holding his goggles and scarf Dimitri settled into the plain wood chair in front of the old-fashioned bureau. Sighing, the huntsman closed his eyes for a long moment then reached for the canteen slung at his side. He took a short gulp while running hand through his short black hair. The visitor then leaned forward to look at the town elder in the eye.
Regaining his nerve the aged official looked back into of the pale man's rough face and noted the scars on his left cheek. Reports and complaints had appeared of the Claymore's arrival just an hour ago. Many were pleas to dismiss the witch, but some also called for a strange man seen with the Claymore to be chased out of town. Now this man sat before him appearing to be resting from a long journey. Despite the weary look, the foreigner still could be dangerous judged the chief.
"What brings you to Zebith?" questioned the mayor in a guarded tone.
"I am what you might call a voyager from a kingdom in the Far East," began the roguish nobleman in a thick accent. "I have been ordered by my monarch to map and explore this region for traders wishing to exchange wares among your people."
"So you are a cartographer who requires a map?" the elder suggested with noticeable twitch of his moustache.
"Yes eh-exactly, I'm glad you understood so quickly," elatedly replied the supposed emissary. "Would you kuh-kindly let me see a map that covers the most land?"
"Certainly, this mention of trade does intrigue me."
A collection was brought by the plump wife of the town elder and though there was no copy of the map Dimitri chose, it didn't trouble him. Taking out a burgundy journal and pen the wasteland roamer listened to directions given to the Holy City and other surrounding towns. Sheets ripped from the journal and some clear tape much to the amazement of the medieval era serfs were used to create the base of the map. The actual redrawing of the map solidified Dimitri's claim of being a mapmaker. The eye for detail was taught to him by his mother who had adopted it in memory of her husband.
'Father's books were full of sketches and diagrams such as this,' the son of the Metro remembered. 'Many of them I copied into my journal now that I think about it.'
The full weight of his memories did not take effect until the new map was finished. Remorse like a snake crept into the man's heart. The idea that he would be stranded on this world forever, never to return to his homeland and find the Dark Ones was unsettling to the stalker. Such thoughts were quickly tucked away for Dimitri reasoned they would most likely hinder him from more practical and urgent issues. The fact he had forgotten to ask the town elder about a place to stay and the prospect that he may be able to replenish his provisions baffled the usually pragmatic survivalist.
"Thank you very much for your help; I will convince the merchants of my nation to trust you and treat you with respect once I return from my expedition," said Dimitri with a smile as he lifted himself from the old proprietor's desk he had decided to use. ", I have one more request if you don't mind."
"Not at all, I'm all ears," replied the aged official in a friendly voice. "My name is Lawrence by the way."
"Is there any place I may be able to stay for the night?"
"Oh…um no probably not…to tell you the truth, the townspeople already have grown to be intimidated by you simply for your appearance alongside the Claymore."
Not surprised at all, the foreigner sighed as he opened a moderate sized pocket on his backpack and stuffed his new map and journal inside. Further questions would only have the same results Dimitri presumed, so he bid Lawrence farewell and exited the way he had come. The sun was near the horizon now and probably would be setting within an hour or so. Feeling tired but not exactly beating down his door, Dimitri lumbered out into the street examining his meager options.
It was around this time a young man the desperate scavenger recognized from before as a possible relative to Rocki materialized from around the corner of a homestead. A glint of hope showed in Dimitri's eye as he trotted toward to the youth dressed in a dark brown tank top and trousers. At first glance of the ominous man approaching, the older looking teen turned to run.
"Please stop, you are a relative of Raki's yes?" shouted Dimitri at seeing his chance of sleeping comfortably prepare to slip away.
Luckily the boy did stop at hearing the question and faced Dimitri with a visage of innocence. Upon reaching him the wasteland journeyman was overcome by a sensation he had only felt once before. Halting directly in front of the source who had short hair the same light brown colour as Raki's, Dimitri remembered the phenomenon had come from Clare when they first met. Another important detail resurfaced as well that the Claymore had mentioned.
"All yoma and half-yoma retain an essence or energy called yoki. My kin and I can sense yoki when it is being used for battle or retaining the form of a human."
'This ability, could I possess it somehow?' pondered Dimitri. "And if so that means this person must be… a yoma?'
While dwelling on the possibilities Dimitri noticed the boy's eyes shift from left to right and attain a look of anxiety.
"Uh you mentioned my brother?" asked the young man in an anxious tone.
"My name is Dimitri," said the wary nomad still with traces of his Russian enunciation. "I was told by your brother Raki that I might be allowed to stay with your family for the night."
"My names' Zaki and, I-I don't think my Uncle would approve, you being seen with the silver-eyed witch and all," replied the farmhand who went on to say "Have you seen Raki recently by the way? I'm looking for him."
The answer that Raki was last seen running after the Claymore made Zaki appear even more distressed which made Dimitri more suspicious. However the supposed older sibling did agree to show the stranger to his uncle's home. After several minutes of walking the two arrived at the door of a moderate sized cobblestone house. A knock on the door and an introduction as awkward as getting caught with a stripper of Venice by one's mother lead Dimitri to the dining room of Zaki's uncle named Leo. Fortunately the brown bearded man was hospitable and was actually interested in the Claymore's activity.
"Um actually before we talk about her I'd like to ask Zaki a few questions," Dimitri began as he sat at a sturdy, wooden table while Leo prepared some tea on an 18th century looking stove to his left.
The stalker had strategically placed his Duplet shotgun on the table and since neither of the two others in the room knew what a gun was they assumed it was a tool for…something.
"Please, don't take this the wrong way but Raki told me of your parents' fate and-." Dimitri started to explain.
"He told you…a total stranger about that!" retorted Zaki as the tea kettle began to squeal.
"Zaki do not snap at our guest!" scolded Leo while pouring the tea into clay cups. "It was Raki's decision and you know how he always trusts people."
"Fine…I'm sorry Dimitri for lashing out…please continue," muttered the teen with a sigh.
"It's alright I understand what it means to deal with great losses," Dimitri stated, making him take a long swig of tea to hide a flash of guilt he suddenly felt. "Anyway I wanted to ask you about what happened when Raki and yourself were noticed by the yoma that evening."
"I puh-panicked of course and passed out just like my brother…"
"And you woke up to an empty home, void of any sign where the yoma might have gone?"
"Yes…I have no idea what happened…honest."
"I have one more thing I'd like ask of you young one," declared the still skeptical interrogator. "Hold out your right hand for me."
The next action would be a major risk. The strange sensation had continued emitting from Zaki since Dimitri had met him. It would make a mess of things but the nuclear huntsman had to be sure. "Yoma have purple blood therefore they will always avoid dangerous tasks to lower chances of them being injured." Clare had said this important fact in a voice just above a whisper after leaving the forest. Drawing a short blade from his boot, the stalker gripped the child by the wrist.
'He's not human,' Dimitri told himself. 'I have to right.'
Time seemed to slow down once the Russian brought the knife in sight. Zaki tried to pull away, but Dimitri held the young man's arm down with all his strength. Leo's eyes grew wide and he took a step closer, but in an instant the deed was done. Dimitri's dagger impaled Zaki's hand to the table. Blood flowed freely out of the wound, but it wasn't crimson in colour. Leo froze in shock as a deep inhuman howl erupted from Zaki. Immediately a metamorphoses began as the injured infiltrator quaked. Its entire body expanded, became taller, and fangs clicked into place. Gradually the skin tone of the changeling turned a deep maroon as its eyes turned yellow and the pupils became primal pinpricks.
"Shit!" cursed Dimitri as the beast ripped its hand away from the blade embedded into the table top causing purple fluid to spray out of the gash.
"YOU BASTARD!" screamed the yoma while using it's left fist to crush the table separating it from its prey. "HOW DID YOU KNOW?!"
Dimitri watched his Duplet shotgun soar to his left, but before seeing it land a fist nearly the size of his head struck him in the chest. The blow flung the scrounger into a wall, but he refused to lose consciousness. Laughing now, the yoma made his fingers flat intending to gut the man who had ruined his disguise. It did not foresee that the other individual would attack. Wielding an axe that was by the stove, Leo thrust his weapon down into the yoma's back making a roar escape from the daemon that seemed to shake the entire building. Before the axe user could react, he found that the yoma had plunged its forearm though his belly. Blood immediately began to gush from Leo's convulsing mouth which produced a smile on his murderer's face.
"I'll eat you later," the beast murmured as it let the corpse fall to floor and pulled out the axe from its backside. "And now to take care of-"
A dagger pierced the yoma in the right eye making him groan, but his tolerance to pain had obviously increased. It didn't matter to Dimitri however as this yoma appeared to not be a fast healer. The assumption came from the fact that the creature's right hand was still split and bleeding. After his opponent ripped the blade out of its socket Dimitri drew his revolver from a hidden holster at the back of his belt. The abomination dropped the axe and lunged at its quarry only to have the other eye shot out forcing the monster to miss. The gunslinger quickly ducked into a low dive of his own as the brute soared over him. Landing on his Duplet he had spotted next to the stove, Dimitri hastily raised himself on to one knee and aimed at his target in one fluid motion.
"I'M GOING TO TEAR THAT BIG BRAIN OF YOURS RIGHT OUT OF YOUR SKULL!" screamed the blind yoma as it turned and leapt at its prey a second time.
Both barrels of the shotgun fired at the beast causing its head to explode into bits of grey matter, flesh, and bone. Purple life juice sprinkled the shooter's face as he watched the body of the freak skid to halt on the stone floor at in front of him. Dimitri stood up and kicked the carcass a few times to see if anything would start to regenerate. After fa few minutes of no movement he spit on the headless remains and looked around at the damage the dining room had suffered. Purple liquid coated the center of the wall behind where the yoma had leaped. The dining room table was in halves and its owner was lying face up in a pool of his own blood.
After surveying the place Dimitri shambled over the Leo's body and stooped down to face the dead man. It was the fifth time someone had died because of him. The regretful stalker gently held Leo as a memories of similar circumstances flooded his mind. Dimitri mused he was cursed perhaps to always survive at the cost of others' lives. Using the greatest of care the grateful visitor closed his host's eyelids. In that moment of anguish the dining room door was kicked off its hinges followed by the entrance of a Claymore and a farm boy.
Author's Note:
Just gotta say it took me about 4 or 5 hours total to create this. I'm just really picky about my action scenes. I actually wanted to write more for this chapter, but I realized an aftermath would be a lot more interesting as its own stage.
Here's a question I got for you reader:
What do you think Clare's reaction will be to finding a human that can kill Yomas?