Was this fate? He just appeared from thin air, like a night in the day, an answer in the question. Did he come from the city? Did he come from my dreams? From my past? Why did he come here? Was it to kill the monsters, or was it something else...? Is it fate? Did he come here because of fate? Fate?
Tusk whipped up his ripped black cloak past my bewildered head. He looked down with his red eyes and glaring force. Then, almost like he was a fallen angel, he jumped off the ridge and slid down into the valley of monsters, his cloak flying up against the wind like devil wings. As he slid he looked at all the mass monster murder and blood. He looked at all the creatures strung along swords and shields, mercenaries running from the screeching sirens coming from the Monster Gate. He slid and stopped suddenly in the center of the stampede as his cloaked cape warped back to its original position.
Ceauli, Lin, Manda, and Chinin all quickly made their way out of the valley with bags filled with bloody parts and monster gems. They stopped at the top of the ridge where all the mercenaries regrouped to heal up and plan out their next attack before the reinforcements would arrive. But as they all stood up on that hill, stitching their wounds, and taking a much-needed breather, the sight of a shadow fell upon the Monster Gate.
A man alone, his right hand gripped tight around his katanas roped hilt, his left hand against the sheath as he pressed down on its long curved edge. He waited as the screeching intensified and the brown-furred creature climbed out of the Monster Gate.
"Is that man going to fight the boss all alone?" asked Lin surprised and slightly pissed.
Chinin looked at all the wounded mercenaries who were slowly carried out from the battlefield and onto the sandy fields around them, "someone should call the guards or the Monster Hunters quick. The mercenaries won't have enough time or energy to take that thing out, by the time they get back together they'll have to retreat."
"That's probably the reason that man down there is fighting. To give the others time to retreat," added Minda as she looked out at the crowding mercenaries as they laid out in the whirling winds.
"But we should still go call for help, we don't want to be stranded out here, especially with an abnormal boss down there. Who's the fastest in the group?" cried out Ceauli as she looked around the sandy dunes for any mercenary still able to move, but before she could even land one eye on one person, she stopped on me. "Hoefen! Hoefen!" she screamed out as she ran toward me with open arms.
I sat alone on the other end of the ridge. She slid down to my left side as I turned my head slightly to the left, while still keeping contact with the shadowed man down below.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"You're the only one with energy to spare. All of us are tired and most of the other mercenaries are injured or can't fight anymore. You're the only one who can run to the Mercenaries Guild and get the Monster Hunters Party."
I looked down at Tusk. His short black hair silently stuck in sweat and focus as the giant four-legged Monster climbing out of the Gate. Its two front legs and two back legs were covered in dark brown fur along with its large oversized body and disproportional tiny head. It was a creature that resembled a massive dog, while also being the image of a demon, with sharp horns sticking out the top of its head, devilish lizard eyes flickering in and out of gaze, and a spiked tail that swung like a whip. Once its body fully emerged from the Monster Gate, the swirling storms within closed up, leaving it to be the last monster left to fight.
"Who is that man?" asked Lin as he sat back and panned across the monster blood-filled valley in awe and confused frustration.
"No clue, probably just another mercenary lookin for some extra cash and honor," grumbled Manda.
"But one man can't take down a boss, it takes at least ten Monster Hunters or fifty mercenaries," replied Chinin with horrible off-the-top-of-the-head statistics.
As the group of three discussed this man's confusing self suicidal jump into the pit of the Monster Boss, the other mercenaries on the scene also continued with the same conversations. They discussed who this man was, why this man was doing what he was doing if he could actually beat the boss, and how they themselves could escape this unwinning fight. It was a hell hole of human emotion and terror as the ginormous Devil Dog clawed itself toward this shadowed man in his ragged cloak and dark black armor.
"He's just going to die," I said in disbelief as Ceauli begged to my side, her hands tugging at my grey cloak as I watched the battle ensue.
---
The Devil Dog jumped up on its hind legs as itt raised its two strong front paws to attack. The long sharp nails and dark brown fur coated against the burning sun. The reflections burning a bright shining yellow into Tusk's eyes. All he saw was Yellow. All he saw... Tusk jumped back as the claws came thundering down.
SMASH!
He extended out his sword within a fraction of a second and sliced away at the god's paw. His legs in the air as stone and rubble flung past him.
Slice!
He hit the paw right on the fur, but it wasn't able to make a deep enough cut to injore it.
"ROAR! SCREECH!"
The Devil Dog screeched and roared out in pain. It then looked down at Tusk. Pure hatred and red and death in its mind. All it thought about was killing Tusk. And that's exactly what Tusk wanted. So it opened up its mouth to bite at him. But like before he was waiting for this moment. For the moment when its hardened fur flesh would be revealed to its underneath gooey insides. But just as he placed his sword back to his side and readied himself to do a magical lighting attack, the Devil Dog closed its mouth and went in for another paw strike.