The journey back was demanding. Each step Fishy took felt as if it could be his last. He walked with heavy steps whilst he grunted and lived with the mountain of pain that was enveloping him. He walked nonstop. During the heat of the blazing sun, and even in the cold of the night when various monsters came out. Each creature looked at Fishy as he walked passed. It may have been part of their survival instinct that told them not to get involved with Fishy, but even the ones at the top of the food chain didn't want any involvement with him.
The moment he stepped foot in the village, as the two moons lit the village for them. Fishy's face smashed against the ground with the girl and Ziu on top of him.
"Fishy?" Clara said after leaving her house from hearing a noise.
"What happened?!" She screamed as she got closer and saw the wounds that covered his face. Scars along his body that were yet to heal and broken bones that poked through, slowly moving back into place on their own.
"Take them inside…" Fishy said as he pushed himself up. Handing the girl over to Clara whilst he carried Ziu in himself. "Where's Beauty?" he asked as if it was the only thing on his mind.
"She's still here… she's with the elder..."
Clara looked at Fishy as if she didn't want to respond to his question. She looked at him as if he was a stranger to her. The usual Fishy she knew wasn't the same as the person that was standing in front of her.
Fishy walked into his house with Clara and dropped Ziu on his bed alongside the girl, he gave Clara clear instructions before having to run off again.
"Make sure nothing bad happens." He said before storming off and interrupting the elder's conversation.
"I see you made it back alive." Beauty said as she drank her tea with a straight back. Looking down on Fishy who was in no mood for jokes.
"What was that thing?" He asked.
"That was a Colossal Marionette. A summon from a vampire."
Fishy didn't reply because he felt it was unnecessary. Beauty could feel how serious Fishy was. The whole village could feel his anger.
"Maybe if you were more prepared..." Beauty said, causing Fishy to try and punch her before she could react.
"You sure you want to be doing that?" She said, crushing his recently repaired fist in her hand.
"Why did you get me to do this?" Fishy asked. "Why send us out there to die when you could easily have dealt with it?!"
"Calm down, Fishy…" The elder said, trying to stand up only to fall down. "We are in strange times… do not blame her…"
Fishy scoffed at what the elder was saying.
"Vampire's are nearly extinct." Beauty added releasing Fishy's bruised swollen hand.
"So?" Fishy challenged, "Why does it matter to me."
"You might have to choose a side." She said as she began to move towards the door. "I'll be leaving now."
"WAIT!" Fishy stopped her using magic to force the door closed. "Teach me!" he begged.
Beauty looked at the person that was in front of her. A man who witnessed death a thousand times. A man who acts arrogant but isn't afraid to throw away any pride he has. Assuming he had it all figured out. It was possible to blame everyone around him for giving him false hope. Everyone who called him the strongest gave him false hope. But he only just found out how weak he was.
"You remind me of someone," She said, almost smiling. Her smile was as warm as it should be for a woman of her beauty.
"But no," She added, dropping the smile.
"Why no?" Fishy asked.
"Can you run a village and train with me at the same time? If I was to train you, I wouldn't hold back."
"I'll do both! I'll work to make sure that I can do both!"
"Ha..." Beauty giggled. "What a stupid idea…" She said with the same condescending smile.
"Alright, Follow me. I'll test you."
# # #
At the top of a hill that looks down on the village. Fishy and Beauty stood far apart under the silent night sky. From the bottom of the village, Clara and the elder stood next to each other. Watching the ants on top of the hill.
"Here's the deal..." Beauty began to speak as if she was talking to a child. "If you can land one hit I'll train you."
Fishy took that as the start sign and dashed ahead, forgetting about his broken legs. Even as he put himself in immense pain, he pulls out a sword he stole from the village and flung it towards Beauty. Beauty tilted her head to let the sword go past her. But as it did, Fishy ended up behind and grabbed it, slashing at her head.
"Boring…" Beauty said as she held the sword in between two fingers without looking. "But you are getting faster. And smarter."
Fishy ignored the comments he heard and leapt back, knowing he could go on the offensive. He lifted his hand and created a blazing tornado that brought daylight to the village, hoping it would do something.
"Gates of hell…" Beauty said as she stepped out the fire without even a scratch. "Very powerful magic… To think that most would pass out after one use of it… and there you were… using 100 in an hour. Scary stuff…"
Beauty kept approaching Fishy who was getting restless. His face was getting more and more strained out of frustration.
"STOP MOCKING ME!" He yelled as he went in for another swing.
"Mocking you?" Beauty said as her expression suddenly changed. The aura she emitted was unlike what everyone saw. A vile feeling entered the villager's stomachs as they stayed in their houses. Beauty stared at a charging Fishy and dealt a quick blow to the stomach. Quicker than he could react.
As Fishy rested on Beauty's shoulder, coughing and hacking up blood, Beauty spoke to him.
"I assure you, I would never mock you. You are far more powerful than you know, Fishy."
Fishy, who was as close as he needed to be, took his right hand and swung as wide as he could. But it was useless.
By the time he looked up, he was staring at a pair of butterfly wings. Two wings that reflected the moonlight and paralysed Fishy.
"The deal is off," Beauty called to Fishy who was struggling and grinding his teeth.
"NO!" He said as he tried to force himself to move. "I CAN KEEP GOING!"
He kept grunting and grinding until he managed to move his leg and charge forward again.
"You broke free…" Beauty said as she quickly delivered another punch to Fishy's stomach, knocking him out cold, resting in her arms.
"You never fail to amaze me, Fintan…"