Sasha walked through the filthy streets of Lescatie. Since the day she sent Druella the info on the caravans, Lescatie starting reverting into its previous state. No, it was now in an even worse state than before.
With the economic boom of Lescatie, the slums had become far more habitable for even the poorest of folk. But now it was back to being a place of filth and disease. Even the wealthier areas of Lescatie were starting to become like the slums.
Caravans and travelers stopped coming to Lescatie a few weeks ago, which was a screeching halt for Lescatie's economy. The Order long since figured what was happening. But no matter how many soldiers, heroes, adventurers, or mercenaries they sent, they never returned.
So now The Order was holding itself in the city, not letting anyone leave or enter. Even worse for Lescatie, it's nobles were disappearing left and right which made it harder and harder to keep Lescatie under control. They could not afford to lose anyone.
Sasha kept her head down and muttered to herself, "Just stay calm, this will all be worth it in the end. They'll thank you in the end...right?"
"Hey! Wha...what are you talking about Sasha?" Sasha looked up to see who was talking to her. It was a man in rags she knew well She had helped him get a job to better himself. She thought they wouldn't be living in slums anymore.
"Oh, you know. Praying to God that the lives of Lescatie's people improve." Lied Sasha, feeling a bit of herself die inside when she did so.
"Heh, that's always been you Sasha," Chuckled the man who starting walking away, "Always thinking of us common folk."
Sasha stopped him, "Excuse me, but I thought you no longer lived here in the slums."
The man turned to look at her, "Well yeah I was, but boss had to let me go cus he couldn't afford to keep the business running. Next thing ya know, I couldn't afford rent, so now I'm stuck here again."
"I see," Sasha looked down a little in shame before looking back up. "Well, I am sure things will get better."
"Yeah, as if. Still, it's nice to know at least one of us has that kind of hope still."
Sasha couldn't say anything else as the man walked away. Doubt starting to come back to her. Was this really for the best? Pretending to still be with The Order and lying to all those who trust her?
No... No, she could not doubt herself now. The mamono could not be evil, all they desire is human companionship. How could that be evil? Besides, she's gone too far to quit now.
Sasha could feel a cough coming up but managed to hold it back. Even in public, she must appear strong and healthy, for their sake.
(-)
Gael pulled out his map and looked to the distance. He could now see two mountains in the distance. If his map is correct then he must now be at the edge of this empty desert.
For a moment or two, Gael thought if he should summon himself to speed his rate of travel. Without The Dark Soul lending its power to him, everything overtime started getting harder and harder to do. On top of that, without The Dark Soul helping him in summoning himself, it becomes more and more painful to even do it after each use.
On his own, his body was far too old and damaged for this, but just this once he'll deal with it. Taking in a deep breath, and concentrating as hard as he could, he started summoning himself. Constantly deforming and reforming across the land at a fast rate.
Eventually, it became too painful and too difficult to do. So, with a loud grunt, he stopped right in front of a large forest. Pain throbbed throughout his body. If it wasn't for his curse, he would have been on the ground unconscious.
Deciding not to push his worn body and further, he slowly walked forward on all fours. There was one thing in the back of his mind as he entered the forest though. He could not be sure, but he was certain something was calling for him. It almost felt as though the more he kept going forward, the more he was sure something was calling for him.
Maybe he was going mad again, who knows. The voices were not going to tell him anyway.
Through the forest, Gael went. Eventually, he found what looked to be a man-made path. Once again, he started feeling his age again. He remembered when the first roads were made. When civilization took its first steps. However, at the end of every cycle, they became overgrown and forgotten, and so new roads would be made.
Even though they most certainly would lead to a city of some kind, Gael knew it was best not to stay on them. It would be rather easy to spot him, especially being one of his size.
Staying low to the ground as he crawled, Gael followed the road from a distance. Making sure to keep himself as hidden as he could be in the forest.
For miles Gael crawled in the woods, making sure that the road was still visible beyond the trees. Soon he spotted something near the road.
A multitude of clothes had been strung about the road, and many chests and containers left on the road as well. It was clear to Gael what had happened. Seems the strange creatures known as mamono infested this land as well. No doubt they were nearby.
He continued to walk forward while keeping an eye out for the creatures. Eventually, he spotted something in the distance, something that made his blood boil.
A long line of humans all in chains, being brought to a large podium. A mob of mamono swarming nearing them and dragging them away. Gael could hear the human's pleas and cry for help and refusal of the mamono, but the mamono did not care. If he were to guess the number of mamono were in the camp, it would be near a thousand.
Gael could not help but to be reminded of his own fate, and what it was like to have no true freedom. He had to do something but... then he would be bringing attention to himself. Reluctantly Gael decided that it was best to move on while he still could.
But then things don't always go as you expect.
The crowed of mamono moved onto the next man, but the competition over them became very heated. Some were arguing, and some were clawing and fighting each other. Yet such reckless behavior was not stopped which was rather odd for Gael and his experience in an army. Then again, these mamono were already bizarre creatures in the first place.
Gael spotted one of the humans near the end of the line. They looked around and then started running. None of the mamono noticed at first, but then a pig mamono from the crowd spotted him and then started chasing after him.
(-)
"I thought these roads were safe," Muttered Illad to himself. After all these weeks of being in the newly formed Gren Caravans, not once did they face any danger from monsters. But now out of nowhere they were ambushed and were overwhelmed, even though they outnumbered the monsters two to one.
Illad looked around. seems all the monsters were too busy with one of their men, fighting over the sorry fool like animals. The other men could not help but watch in despair at their situation, but Illad saw an opportunity.
With them all being busy with their 'food', that meant he could make a run for it undetected. So, he did exactly that.
His chains rattled as he started running, leaving the other men behind, but none of the monsters were too busy yelling at each other to hear. That is until he glanced behind and saw one of the orcs looking up. Without a word, she started chasing after him.
Illad cursed under his breath, now running with all his might. "No...no no no no no. why did you have to notice me now?" Growled Illad to himself.
Slowly the orc started getting closer as Illad got more and more tired. "GOT YOU!" Yelled the orc as she caught up and pounced on him.
Without hesitation, the orc turned him around. "GET OFF M-" The orc forced his mouth shut. Illad's eyes widened in horror.
He had no clothing on him anymore meaning the orc could easily begin raping him. "Heh, looks like your livelier than those other ones!" Spoke the orc.
Illad tried to struggle with every ounce of his strength, but the orc kept him pinned down. No matter how hard or how long he struggled the result was the same. "YES! KEEP STRUGGLING!" Yelled the orc.
What sort of sick, twisted creature was this? She wanted him to struggle, but was it because she enjoys him struggling in vain or does she want some sort of challenge? No matter which one it was, he knew that there was no hope. Eventually, he stopped and gave up. The orc looked at him with disappointment but still held him down.
A few moments passed as the orc waited for him to struggle again but did not get anything of the sort. With nothing else left to do, she started to mount him. Slowly Illad closed his eyes, now giving up not only physically but mentally.
He made on final prayer, a last attempt of salvation, "Dear God... save me...please..."
...
...
THUNK
...
...
Illad felt something splash across his face, a bit of it landed on his mouth. He could taste it, the taste of blood.
Hesitantly he opened his eyes to see a now dead orc, with a crossbow bolt lodged right into her left eye. A look of confusion adorned the orc as she fell backwards onto the ground. A loud thud echoed through the camp.
Shaking more than a wheel on a bumpy road, Illad turned around. The thing he saw was not something from this world. It looked like a red hooded giant, but that giant whole in its chest...
The giant crawled towards him like an animal before it picked up him by his chains. It whispered in his ear. "You... you will keep going. Do not stop... Do not...rest" Then in an instant, the chains crumbled in the giant's grip.
In both fear and awe, he got up and complied to the giants commanded, running into the woods without looking back. As he ran, he could only wonder if his prayer was just actually answered.
(-)
As the human fled the scene, one by one each mamono noticed Gael. As they got into positions, none of them could think of what to do. All pf them behing afraid of him. The archers hurried to their bow and arrows but dared not fire at him.
A tall pig mamono walked out of a large tent at the centre of the camp. Her smirk turning into a look of surprise the moment she laid her eyes on Gael. "What are you lot doing!? Attack him!" Yelled the tall mamono.
"Bu-" Came one of the mamono who turned to face the tall one.
"No buts, and don't you dare question my authority!"
"Y-yes Ma'am Captain Dalhu!"
Like a mob of fools, the mamono started charging at him. The archers as well prepared to fire at him, but even from the distance he was, Gael could tell that their aim was shaky.
The mob kept coming towards him, but he stood there and waited. Some arrows landed on him, but all it did was aggravate him a little. The mob that was speedily approached him made a loud battle cry, but it meant nothing to him.
Then, the moment the mob got close enough to strike him, he acted.
Pain sored in Gael's back as he stood straight and placed both hands on his great sword. Taking in a deep breath, Gael brought upon them his version of karmic justice. With the horde in full charge, they did not have time to react as his broken blade came towards them.
With a large thrust of his blade Gael decimated a large number of the infantry. Quickly some mamono got behind and surrounded him. Gael replied to this by implanting his blade into the ground and crushed of a few mamono, and then pulling himself up into the air.
All of the mamono looked up in surprise. That led to their deaths as Gael brought his blade back down on them. Instantly more were crushed under the weight of both Gael and his blade.
Two groups of infantries tried to flank him after he landed, but Gael leapt back and swept them up with his blade. Severing them many of them in half.
At long last, the archers got a clear shot and fired a volley of arrows. Gael reacted fast, grabbing one of the mamono and used them as a meat shield. The mamono in his grasp moaned at each arrow that landed on her. "Disgusting..." Muttered Gael. He then slammed the mamono into the ground, killing her.
Before the archers could react, Gael lept towards them and decimated their ranks. Gael could see in their eyes that they were on the verge of retreating. The few remaining infantry mamono at long last tried something, forming a defensive line in front of Gael and did not blindly charge.
"ENOUGH!" Yelled the tall orc, who Gael now assumed to be Dalhu. "YOU INFANTRY, GET OUT OF MY SIGHT. ARCHERS YOU STAY HERE AND PROVIDE SUPPORT, I'LL DEAL WITH THIS MONSTER MYSELF!"
Following her commands, the infantry started running from the scene, but the archers stayed. Gael looked back to Dalhu who he could now tall was almost as tall as him. At least as tall as him being in his current slouched position.
"Your him huh? The Red Hood, the one who supposedly killed the Pharoah Hehoteb." Gael did not respond at that. Seems his title of old would not cease haunting him even now. "No matter. In the name of her highness Druella, I, Dalhu, WILL PUT AN END TO YOUR SLAUGHTER!"
Without another word, Dalhu charged at him. Gael blocked the attack with his blade. The archers fired away as Gael held back Dalhu's next attack. Gael gritted his teeth and found a moment to bring his blade down on Dalhu. She saw it coming and dashed back, Gael's blade turning the spot it landed into rubble.
Seeing another opportunity, Gael pulled out his crossbow and fired at the archers which took out a good few of them. "HEY, EYES ON ME MONSTER!" Yelled Dalhu as she swung her blade at him.
Gael leapt back but was not fast enough as Dalhu's blade slightly scraped him. His anger growing more and more.
Dalhu would not let up however as she continued to charge at him. Gael quickly brought his blade down again, which Dalhu also once again dodged. But this time Gael was expecting it.
Gael laept into the air again, catching Dalhu a little bit by surprise, but only a little. Like a hammer on the anvil, Gael came down onto Dalhu.
Dalhu lept back to dodge the attack. A loud boom echoed across the forest as Gael landed, Smoke bursting out around where Gael was. A short moment passed before crossbow bolts flew out of the smoke, killing off the few archers left. Then a white golden disk shot forth towards Dalhu.
Dalhu ran forward and slid under the disc before continuing her charge. The smoke cleared revealing Gael merely standing still. Not realising the trap that had been set. Dalhu held her blade with both hands and swung downward onto Gael.
In an instant Gael reached over and grab her by her arms.
"GRRR LET GO OF ME YOU MONSTER!" Screamed Dalhu as Gael raised her up, her feet slightly above the ground.
Then Dalhu heard it. Dalhu could only look over her shoulder to see the disc coming straight back to her. Then it was gone.
"WHAT WAS THAT TRICK YOU MON-" Dalhu stopped. Pain coursing through her lower body, and blood suddenly coming out of her mouth. Her lower body fell to the ground, and then Gael dropped her.
"What...are...you..." weakly asked Dalhu, her vision going dark. Her soul now entering his body alongside her companions...
Geal looked down on Dalhu's corpse, expecting the voices to start yelling at him. But they did not. Strange, he was sure they would see this as losing their little bet.
Without saying anything else, Gael reached over and picked up the keys off Dalhu's belt.
Gael started walking away from the battlefield and into the forest. The men hurridly undid the chains on them. Before running off, all of them watched Gael as he disappeared into the forest
And so, the legend of The Red Hood grew even further. And a new tale was made, the tale of how an Angel sent by God came and killed Dalhu, the strongest of the orc mamono.
(-)
At the border of the great forest of Lescatie, a group of kunoichi arrived. Eventually, they spotted tracks, very big tracks. Too big to be human but were clearly not of mamono.
"Seems you are still in our sights, Red Hood."