The day approached its end quicker than one could realize. The sun that once shines brightly at the center of the sky, is now on its way to the horizon. The color of the sky now shifting to purple and orange.
With the passing hours, the water in the river started to rise. Forcing the hunters to live the waterline and start investigating the riverbanks and nearby bushes.
The three men searched the area, walking through tall grasses that grow along the river banks. Using his battle-ax to clear a path, the old man led the way. Each step was careful and precise, due to the somewhat blinded vision they have, because of the grasses around them. Following behind him is Brennan, holding his bow equipped with an arrow, ready to fire away in case of an attack. And lastly, Darius walked behind them. A hand wrapped around the hilt of his sword.
"Are you sure there are more?" Darius asked with a monotone voice.
"No, but we're already here, we might as well check. We have to make sure that we eliminated all of them, otherwise more people will just keep dying." The old man explained.
"Then why not search the entire forest?" the young man asked.
The old man chuckled, "If you gain the power of a god maybe you can."
Darius knitted his brows, thinking that the old man was just exaggerating.
"There's so much more out there, creatures that you might have never heard of before, monsters that linger in the dark waiting for the right moment to strike. Darius this will be the first lesson that I could offer to you, you can't always charge in without a plan or support. No matter how strong you become, there will be a time where you will need a helping hand. Again, maybe if you're a god, then go ahead."
Darius could feel his tongue go dry, the old man wasn't wrong. He only managed to kill Ravana because he gained some help. Did I get ahead of myself? He asked.
The old man halt, his right arm extending to the side to stop the two from their path.
"Well what do you know…" the old man mumbled. As he chopped the grass, they finally saw what he was referring to. It was a nest, a giant blub of frog eggs. Each was about the size of a human head.
"We have to make sure that all of them are properly destroyed," the old man said, walking over the nest. Using his battle-ax, he started breaking the eggs. Hacking each one a few times to make sure that the monsters inside are dead.
On the other hand, Darius used his sword to stab the eggs. The moment the blade touched them, they turn black. The poison worked its way through, killing the monsters before they could even grow.
"Does your sword always glow whenever you kill a monster?" the old man asked.
"What" Darius was puzzled, staring at the blade… it was indeed glowing. "Well… this has to be the first time." The young man stared at the blade, without any idea what was happening.
"Ah!" Brennan shouted from the distance, taking the other's attention.
The eggs started popping in a quick phase, juvenile frogs suddenly started jumping everywhere.
"Don't let any escape!" the old man commanded.
Brennan started shooting the frogs as they scurry away. Arrow after arrow whistling into the air, faster than one could even blink. His precise and excellent marksmanship never failed to amaze Darius. Each arrow finds its intended target, embedded at the center of the head.
On the other hand, Darius and the old man started killing the frogs before they could even getaway. Leaving the ones that escaped to Brennan's arrows.
Darius fell to the ground, not caring about the slime-covered ground he was sitting on. "Finally they're all dead," he said between ragged breaths.
"What a relief" Brennan also collapsed next to him, his quiver now empty.
"Luckily we manage to kill them all," the old man said. "Now we can go back to the village to have some hot meal and proper rest."
Those words are music to his ears, Darius couldn't even remember when was the last time he had the chance to rest properly. After traveling for at least a month to Alexander, he went straight back home after Ravana died. After another month of travel, only to find out that his family was slaughtered by unknown culprits, the thought alone intensifies his fatigue. His heart filling up with bitterness and grief.
Soon he will catch up, soon he will have his revenge on the people that took away everything from him.
Darius found himself back within the premises of the village he despises, the streets are now dark, the people are no longer to be found, the street lights shedding a faint glow of red, silence had taken over the place.
"Where are we going?" Brennan asked.
"The center, we will collect the reward" Brennan replied.
"Reward? I didn't know you collect payment…" Darius was astonished, stopping on his tracks.
"Now, now, don't act so shocked. I don't want to hear a self-righteous respond between the lines of, that's wrong or that's not a savior would do." The old man casually replied.
"I'm not like Brennan so I will spare you from such response, but I did find it surprising. I thought you are different from typical bounty hunters." Upon hearing this Brennan gasped, but didn't take it as an offense.
"In some ways we are, but what can I do? Between the living and travel expenses, there's also the matter of weapon expenditure. If a hunter is underarm he might as well charge into battle buck naked and with those monsters out there, you'll just become a fine meal."
"I suppose you have a point" Darius nodded.
"A point?" the old man chuckled. "You know damn well I was spot on."
The purple-eyed man stayed in silence, admitting his defeat.
The three hunters arrived in the center, in front of the wooden double door they stood. Taking the initiative, the old man knocked on the door.
Which was immediately opened, "Ah Mister, we had been expecting you. How was the job?" a thin man asked, brown hair and sunken cheeks.
"It was done, they were dead as requested by the village leader. It will be safe to go in the river again." The old man reassured him.
The other person handed the pocket of coins, "Thank you for your service" he said, a faint smile curving his lips.
But as soon as he saw Darius, his expression changed into shock. A deep scowl took over his smile. "His…" he began, but the old man stopped him.
"I know, but he's my apprentice now. He will become a hunter soon enough, you don't need to worry about him." The old man said as he took the reward.
Darius stared at the man coldly before leaving, his purple orbs sending shivers to the other's back.
A look that could take a life.
"Where are we going now then?" Darius asked as he tagged along.
"It's late therefore, we will stay in an inn but we will leave at daybreak. We will go back to my house near Sentry." The older man said as they took a sharp turn for the alleyway.
Arriving at the inn they had previously stayed in, the two hunters noticed the change in the atmosphere. The loud and cheery conversations stopped, the waitresses stopped walking, every single person inside halted their activities, and just stared at the three of them. With deep scowls on their faces, dull calculating eyes, and brows pinched together.
"This is new, how come they are angry" Brennan whispered close to Darius.
But little does he know, the purple-eyed man already knows why.
"You're from here?" the old man asked, while Darius only nodded. "No wonder, especially with your previous… hmmm… predicament" The old man sighed.
"We have two rooms paid but we will add another," the old man said placing three silver coins on the counter.
Unfortunately, the keeper shook his head, "You can stay in the rooms you had previously rented but him…" the keeper eyed Darius.
Darius glared, "Fine by me," he said before turning around to leave.
"What about a gold for the night," the old man offered, making the keeper hesitate.
"Fine what about two gold coins?" he said placing the coins over the counter.
Sweat formed in the side of the keeper's face as he looked around, hesitantly he nodded. Without a single word, he waved at the waitress. Titling his head at the guest, in return, the waitress looked at Darius. Pursing her lips she nodded, worry evident in her face, making the man glare.
"T-this way please," she said leading the way. But Darius only looked her way, not budging from his place.
"Come on," Brennan went behind Darius and push him forward, making him sigh in defeat.
As the night grows deeper by the minute, Darius loses more sleep. Sitting at the side of the bed, he held the necklace in his hand. He doesn't have any memory that could explain what it is or how it became his mother's possession.
For goodness sake, he doesn't even know why he kept it.
But he has this unshakeable gut feeling, that this will soon answer his questions.