Nathe had already gotten his gear before coming to meet and defend us. Even though he slept in. He grabbed all his money, which wasn't much considering he liked to celebrate after a job. Sadly he could not find the others money due to the fact that they all hide it from each other. Which isn't surprising considering that they're thieves. Well, they were.
I look to my left as we walk on the road to the next town. Nathe's stature is indeed large. The kind where it makes you wonder why he' became a thief instead of a mercenary. I mean, the guy is carrying a spiked club on his shoulder for crying out loud! And he walks with a slight sway, as his muscles are too big. Seriously, what did this guy eat as a child?!
"So Nathe, how'd you become a mercenary?" I ask.
Nathe shrugged his shoulders. "At the time I needed money. Like you they hired me after I asked. I get a thrill from stealing and smuggling. The thought that I could get caught at any moment. That everything can go wrong in a single second and cause a huge fight. I love it."
"And sleeping in." Alex mumbles.
I briefly look at him with a glare to shut him up. He shrugs in return.
"But at some point, the thrill started to die, and my eyes started to open. I saw what my thieving was doing. So many families and business, ruined, because of me. Imagine walking down the street to see a child asking for food because you're the one that made his family fall. But that job we did. Or when smuggling stuff to people, like magical equipment and items, to a person who doesn't know how to use them. And even if they do, they still cause harm to others."
"You're just riddled with guilt aren't ya?" Alex says.
"Alex!" I scold.
"What?!" He shrugs with wide eyes. "It's true. Look, Nathe, you have to face the facts. Nothing you can do will rectify what you done. The best thing you can do is run away."
"Alex!"
"What, it's true. Aren't we doing that right now?"
"I thought we were seeking freedom. As I've always wanted to be an adventurer. And you wanting to get away from your… Oh, I see."
Alex smirks. "Look at us. A bunch of runaways. We should call ourselves that. 'The Runaways'" He widens his hands the air.
Nathe shakes his head. "That sounds too discouraging if we want people to hire us. What about… 'The Fierce Trio'?"
"That's not bad." Alex points at him in agreement.
"I thought we were adventurers. Not mercenaries." I say.
"Well, how else are we suppose to get money to feed ourselves?" Alex asks.
"We can hunt animals and sell their meat and skin."
Nathe and Alex look at each other and burst out laughing.
"You guys are dicks. You know that?"
"If we come across a monster, then maybe we can get a good amount from it." Nathe wipes away his tears.
Suddenly I hear a loud, thunderous thumping coming our way. I stop and focus, hearing the breaking of trees. Suddenly a large beast burst through and appears before them on the road.
"Like that one." Alex points.
The large, dark brown furred beast raises his hand high, forming a fist. Then he brings it down.
"MOVE!" I shout, shoving Alex away and leap back.
The beast's fist cracked through the road, on the spot where they just were. Looking at it, I see that it's features are just like that of a bull, except with more and thicker hair. And hands instead of hooves.
"What the hell is a minotaur doing all the way here?!" Alex shouts. He rolls forward, under and away from it's sweeping arm.
"That's a minotaur? Aren't they supposed to be smaller?" I shout back.
"Usually they're the size of trees!"
"This is bigger than a tree!" I leap again at another strike.
"I thought minotaurs are supposed to be in Graéndic. That country is a month's ride."
"This one must of – oh shit!" He jumps back. "He must have been lured by something. Or transported."
I really hope it's not the latter. Otherwise someone wanted it here specifically, near a town.
I look around to see Nathe climbing the highest tree. He positions himself then jumps. His jump was so high and long that he was able to grab hair on the neck of the beast. However, the minotaur noticed him and tried to shake him off. But Nathe's grip was too strong. With the mace still in hand, he starts bashing at the neck. It's deep cries of pain sounds off for miles. It goes to grab him with his right hand, only for Alex to shoot it. It glares at him.
"I don't know why his angry. It didn't even get through his skin."
"Oh look. We found something your gun can't do." I smile.
The minotaur's attention goes back to Nathe. Suddenly, I get an idea.
"Hey, Alex. Can you get him angry again? You know, towards you."
"I don't want to do that."
I stare at him.
"Fine. But only for a sec, because I don't have much bullets left."
Alex takes aim again. He targets a spot. He fires. "Bullseye! Get it?"
"Just make sure he tries to hit you."
"Wait, what?"
Angry at it's now bleeding eye, its palm comes down as if it were swatting a fly. Luckily Alex had already jumped out the way. I jumped on its hand and started running up its arm. I withdrew my sword. As I run up I slice through the Brachioradialis. It cries out in pain again, pulling its head back as it clutches the injured arm.
It seems to have quite a tough neck. Because despite his strength and weapon, Nathe hasn't been able to make a deep enough damage to make a critical.
At this point I've reached the shoulder. I run smoothly along his neck and slice the part of the neck that is least hairy. Another cry, and it grabs the wound on its neck to keep the blood in. I've already jumped and land on its head. I walked to position myself, raise my sword with both hands. I stab. I stab deep between the eyes, right to the handle. At the same time Nathe had reached its spine and turned it to splinters. It collapses to its knees and then forward with a loud thud.
The three of us gather together to admire the graceful death. Nathe with crossed arms and a wide stance. Alex has his hands on his hips, while I… I just stand there with arms by my side. This was something a normal person could not do. But we did it. Because we're not normal. We have an agile tank, a sharpshooter, and me with heightened senses and physical attributes. Being stronger than I look with great endurance. A natural fighter.
"I think we have our money problem solved." Alex says.
"Their heads are worth a lot." Nathe imputs. "And if we sell the heart as well…"
The two mean look at me. I'm confused. "What?"
"Well, you have a sword."
"Yeah. And a knife."
Silence.
I sigh. "I am not doing this by myself. And you can use that club to smash through the ribs.
"Yeah, money!" They men cheer.
"We better not get any blood on us." I'm afraid how people react when they see us.