Dan's head ached. It felt painful. It was like he had just woken up from a hangover. Dan sat up straight to see where he was. He looked at the bed he was sleeping in. A bed made of leaves woven together as a mat.
Even the blanket he was using was made of... sticks? Dan looked around to see where he was. He was inside a hut that was made from mud. The room was pretty empty apart from the few leave beds and stick blankets that were neatly folded in the corner. There was also a giant metal trunk that had a heavy padlock on it.
As Dan stood up his head screamed at him and ordered him to sit down, which he did not. No could order him around not even himself! If that made any sense for some reason.
Dan was wearing his birthday suit, letting his meat hang. He walked towards the door that was also made of sticks. He pulled it open and walked outside.
The sunlight from the setting sun hit his body as he blinked several times to see where he was. Wait! Sun!
"What the fuuuckkk!" Dan said out loud.
"I'm glad to see that you are healthy enough to curse!" a voice said.
Dan looked around to see a woman sitting on a rock. There were several woman and children sitting next to her. Most of the woman blushed as they saw Dan Junior sleeping down there. There was only one word that came to mind when they saw it, big!
The woman had near flawless skin and did not seem to care about Dan Junior. Her hair was in a bun and had a small wooden stick holding it together.
"I don't know you but I feel like I should be grateful to you," Dan said.
"Well, that is only natural since I am the one who nursed you back to health."
"Thank you," Dan said.
After a few seconds of looking around at the scenery Dan was impressed. There was a big river with powerful fast flowing water. The water crashed into the giant rocks in front of it. The atmosphere was benign and beautiful, but that did not stop Dan from being cautious about the river. He did not trust any large bodies of water due to his fear of drowning.
Dan walked to the lady who did not seem to be a day over 25 and sat down next to her on the giant rock.
"If we are trapped in the abyss then where does the sun come from blankii?"
"Before I answer your questions, please put on some clothes. Your clothes have been cleaned and resewn for you. They are on top of the metal trunk."
"Oh my bad!" Dan stood up and grabbed a pair of baggy shorts from his inventory. He had stocked up on lots of clothes and they were safely tucked away in his inventory. He put on his trousers and sat back down.
Dan looked at the children who were small girls who were staring at him. Had this been earth then Dan would have been arrested by the FBI long time ago.
"Ok blankii, can I get some answers."
The lady smiled and turned to Dan before speaking. "For what reason do you call me a blankii?" she asked.
"Well is that not what you are? You look really young but from my estimations you seem to be around 90, am I correct?"
"Well you have completely seen through me, how did you know?"
"I just know," Dan looked around before turning back to the woman.
"Where is the young child that was with me?" he asked.
"Do you mean the one that fights with the giant sword?"
"Yes."
"He woke up three days ago, he should be out hunting with the others now, they should be back anytime now."
"What about the pink eyed girl?"
The lady seemed to hesitate before speaking but let it out. "She's dead! We buried her along with the others!"
Dan was silent for a moment before standing up. "Where is her grave?" he asked.
"It's quite a while from here, how about Yuna here guides you there?"
"Ok."
"Yuna, take him to the graveyard!"
The girls giggled and pushed one another until finally one of them stood up. She was wearing a loose plain red with stripes of orange here and there dress. Her hair was also in a bun. Dan's eyes were pulled by the giant breasts resting on her chest.
"TITTTTIIES" Dan shouted. He had not seen breasts in quite a long time and it was affecting him. "Sorry," Dan apologised. "Let's go!"
"No, on second thoughts Yuna sit down, one of the boys will take you there when they come back!" The woman said.
Dan shrugged and sat down along with the girl who seemed to be disappointed.
"What is your name blankii?"
"Hum, my name is Hum."
"Hum, that is a pretty dumb name, is it not? Well my name is-"
"Dante, I know the kid told us."
"Well I prefer if you called me Dan instead or daddy, I do not mind either." Dan winked at the girl who stood up earlier making her blush and bury her face in the another girls back. Most of the girls giggled and murmured talking to each other.
"Very well Dan, what happened to you guys? You guys were injured to such a degree. The kid was asleep for three days while you slept for 12."
"Well sorry for being a burden, I know 12 days is a lot but I was in the middle of a fight and I could not stop." Dan said as he pointed to his head.
"What kind of fight?"
"The one for me, myself and I."
"...."
Dan disrupted the silence once more as he spoke. "Hey do you anything about this tall creature, shadowy, clingy and shady as hell?"
"Please describe it better, for all I know you could be describing yourself."
Dan explained to the lady the creature that seemed to have been following him around. She was frowning and her frown only deepened when he told her that it looked different every time he saw it again. When Dan told her about the creatures huge fear of fire, her face was full of fear. It turned pale and nearly all colour left her face.
"Hey blankii, you good?"
"Me? yes 100%, you on the other hand? Who knows if you will even live to see tommorow!"
The lady started to explain to Dan who was concerned.
Apparently the creature was called a Kiplam. It literally translated to mockingbird from the elf language. It was a creature that was formed after a newborn child was killed. Negative emotions such as greed, anger, vengeance and hatred only made the creature stronger and more sentient.
Unless you wanted to be stalked the creature for all eternity then the only thing that could be done was run.
"Did you talk to it? Please don't tell me you talked with it?" Dan could sense the exasperation in her voice so he answered her.
"Yes, several times."
"That was your first mistake, fighting it was your second mistake and leaving it in that wall of fire was your third, what did the creature say to you?"
"Well it just mimicked me, it was really annoying."
The lady tutted and shook her head. She felt bad for Dan, his friend just died, he was injured and in the abyss and now there was a kiplam after him.
"It was not mimicking you, it was..." Hum stopped speaking as she thought that Dan would not like what she would say.
"It was what?" Dan asked. He was really curious now. Even the children and girls were listening to their conversation and wanted her to continue.
"Oh look, the boys are back!" Hum said as she pointed towards a hill. Dan turned around and could see in the distance. Charlie and several muscular men pulling a giant cart full of what seemed like monster carcasses.
Charlie looked different to Dan for some reason but he just could not put his finger on what it was.
"Blankii, you have a really good eyesight, are you an elf?" Dan whispered into her ear. He didn't want the other people hearing him.
"..."
"Well? Are you or are you not?"
"No I am not, I am a half elf, nearly everyone here is, how did you know?"
Dan stopped himself from snapping her neck. Had she told him that she was an elf Dan did not care whether she nursed him to health he would have killed her.
Her 'incomplete blood' was what saved her from this race motivated psychopath. Just like elfs Dan did not consider half elf's as elfs.
"I just know."
_________
Dan and Charlie were standing in front of grave. It was among the hundreds that one stood out. All the other graves had headstones but ironically it was the one that did not have a headstone that stood out.
The graveyard was silent and eerie. It was weird for some reason to Dan to be at a graveyard during dusk. The sun was taking it's sweet time setting. The atmosphere was something out of a person's memory.
Near perfect, saying that it was beautiful was an understatement since it. Although this is where the fallen rest, for some reason Dan felt at ease. It felt like home, his true home. Not a home where there were people who would barge I to his room and annoy him.
"Do you miss her Charlie?" Dan asked.
Charlie tilted his head to look at Dan, it was the first time he actually said his name. Usually he would call him either kid, hey or you but never by his name.
Charlie looked back at the grave that had a small rock on top of it. "What kind of question is that? Of course I do! I loved her with my heart!" At least that is what he wanted to say but the only one word came out of his mouth.
"Yes!"
"So do I! It's a shame she died so early, I thought she would outlive me!" They spent a few minutes in silence until Dan got tired. He knelt down and grabbed the stone on top of the grave. He held it tightly and then placed it back only this time it was covered in darkness.
He then turned around and left leaving Charlie standing and staring at the grave.
'It truly is a shame that she died so early, I was planning on making her stronger and then killing her, looks like i have to extend your life to make you stronger!'
_________
AUTHORS NOTICE
End of volume one!
After 50 chapters of writing as a writer I think I improved please tell me how much you think I improved.
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