"Go away!"
"Leave me alone.", whispered a barely breathing Nero, but it was to no avail, Victor heard nothing. Though by some divine intervention he stopped, deciding this would be the perfect time to flaunt his power and crush the opposition's morale, he turned his back on the semi-conscious elf, once again boasting his greatness.
"I am unbeatable! You see this?! Another of your pathetic alien asses killed by me. HAHAHAHAHA, is this really the best you have to offer? Part of me thinks you lot like the pain. And to think he was smiling at first. Idiot. That or he's completely nuts, send your warriors now. These 'chosen' must be something completely different or else I'll be really pissed off. If they're anything like that fool...."
He gestured at the body behind him, Nero's mind however was far far away.
- - - - -
A boy with unkempt half white half black short hair barged through the crowds on his heels a single very aggravated chef chased after him.
'Around this corner and I'll be safe.' The young boy thought.
"Fine then if that's how this must play out." The male grasped the boy by his hair and delivered a strike that threw him to the ground.
"Gahhh no please I'm sorry I shouldn't have stolen. I was just so hungry, I had no shards to pay with and it was one piece of meat. Please just leave me alone.", begged the small shaking Ilfvan, flinching and trying to back away as the chef closed in, raising a fist to strike him again.
Just then a young girl with verdant pupils threw her body between the two, "Heyyy! Waaiit! Please sir, stop. Don't hit him. I deeply apologise for his stupid actions. I promise to discipline my idiotic friend here and I won't let him out of my sight again."
The chef faltered and lowered his fist then responded to the girl all whilst holding a sharp glare with the boy behind her, "This is a disgrace. Stealing then thinking you can waltz away from me unscathed?? I am only letting this go because I must be getting back immediately." He paused then spoke directly to her. "You must keep him under control, both of you must learn your place, you are worse than filth, remember that. Now leave, I'm not to even glimpse either of your faces for at least 3 sunrises."
Quickly bowing her head, the girl blurted out "Thank-you sir we'll be going now sir." With that the children hurridly scampered away into the forest beyond the paved streets of the city, out of sight.
- - - - -
"What the hell were you thinking, getting caught like that? I give you one job, you really are useles." Once they'd reached the tree hollows marking the border between the city and the wild, the girl snapped. "Ugghhh I hate you! If you get me in trouble then I'll do much worse to you than what that chef would've! You'll beg for the sweet release of death if this gets back to the master."
The threats were nothing new to the boy, yet he still quivered in fear at his 'friend's' outburst shrinking back and making himself as small as he could. This was just the way things were. On Medeis if there is no one to raise a young Ilfvan they are tossed into the forest, left at the mercy of nature, or worse.
The boy, of course, was one of the unlucky, made to work for outlaws of the wild. Only the toughest would survive as they had to fend almost entirely by themselves while at the same time providing for the criminals who held power over them, with only a single partner to rely on.
The power dynamics were ruthless though, the more savage of the two would treat their partner as an underling, a slave.
The boy had drawn a particularly short straw when partnered with this green eyed girl.
'I hate you too, just please leave me alone.' The boy thought, as their paced slowed. Taking the chance to further complain:
"Why did I have to get partnered with an incompetent wretch like you huh?"
"I'm sorry I'll do better next time."
"No that isn't good enough, know that you won't eat tonight, I sure as hell won't share with you."
"I never expected you to."
She whirled around and hit the boy with a small club. "Don't talk back to me! For this insult I'll beat you until you can't walk, now move it, we've gotta get back to base before night falls."
They hurried through the ever dense forest floor, guided by their memory and wits alone, they arrived at the outlaw's camp just as the darkness swallowed the horizon.
"Wait here." The girl ordered as she went to talk to the head of the gang. She lowered her head and presented him a pouch of shards, skillfully pickpocketed from the crowded streets of the city continuously complaining about her 'dead weight' partner before claiming her rations and bowing once more before heading back to the pair's shelter.
"Make a sound and I'll kill you, I need to work up an appetite and punish you for earlier, so this way I can do both at the same time. This way!" From there she dragged the boy behind their shelter into a small clearing and raised her club, he knew what was coming but dared not struggle lest he further get on her nerves. Blow after blow his body shuddered until one particularly hard "Thwack" to the head had him fall to his knees, unconscious.
Satisfied the verdant eyed girl hoisted the club over her shoulder and went to go eat, leaving her knocked out 'friend' to the cold. All the way
imagining methods to torture the poor boy tomorrow and wondering if there was a way to permanently make him disappear.
- - - - -
He came around later that night, the fires had long since burnt out and after limping over to inspect the dishes only the tiniest scraps of meat were left upon the bones of the gang's meal, it would suffice, 'Not like I have any other options.' He thought.
The boy wolfed down what he could before returning to the shelter, there his companion lay asleep gently snoring in a pile of furs stolen from his side. He crept to an empty space in the corner furthest away from her and pulled a makeshift cloak over his shoulders, taking comfort in the slight warmth it provided he looked over at her. Then after briefly thinking about smothering her in her sleep, he dismissed the notion and promptly collapsed.
The blood red sun was once again situated high in the sky by the time the boy came to.
The dissatisfied scowl on his partner's face told him that he was already getting on her nerves. Seeking to rectify this as quickly as possible he bolted up, leaving the cloak behind, to get them some water.
"Ughh it's about time. Get back quickly! You've kept me waiting long enough." She called after him.
He nodded and groggily jogged to the stream with canteen in hand, the hushed whispers of the other gang members went unnoticed, nearly silent to his ears.
'Something about a plan? Ah like I care.' He thought, filling the container and taking a few gulps before rushing back. He found the girl uncharacteristically prepared for the day already.
"Quickly give me that and get ready we're going." She said as she snatched the water from him and drank her fill.
"When?" He asked slightly taken aback.
"Right now, grab your stuff, we've got a job."
"Can I at least eat-" thinking better than to question her, he stopped and simply obeyed. He hurridly grabbed his backpack, the now empty canteen and a blunt dagger then waited for his partner's next orders.
From what he could gather that 'plan' from earlier very much involved the entire gang, including him. A rival outlaw of the boss was infringing on the turfs of practically every other crime syndicate in the city. Deciding they'd had enough, all of the majorly influential criminals called a temporary truce to bring down a common enemy.
The goal was to drive them into one area by increasing gang activity across all but one district of the city and then surround the chosen area with multiple top fighters and numerous foot soldiers who would watch for misdemeanours and disruptions from the perimeter. Once the upstart had been identified every available criminal would surround them and from there dispose of the menace.
The gang coalition's members were organised into teams and the boy and his companion were placed with a pair of male Ilfvan two Medeis rotations older than them. They didn't talk to him very much and were each armed with a single high grade combat knife. At equal ability the new faces and the girl, recognised immediately who the weakest of the group was.
- - - - -
"You, look after our things" One said.
"If you see anything come and get us, you wouldn't be much use to anyone in a fight." The other ordered.
Seeing no argument from the green eyed girl he nodded and assumed his position.
"Abandon your duty and I will actually kill you this time!" She whispered into his ear.
Once arriving at their assigned post - a selection of stout, sturdy trees overlooking a string of shops - the three more senior of the four stuck the boy with the entire lookout duty while they took turns throwing small pebbles or sticks at the back of civilian heads. Their antics hardly caused an uproar but a number of annoyed expressions popped up in the streets within the tree's view.
'Figures that I'd be made to do all the work. What did I really expect though? Not like I'd prefer being with that lot.' The boy sighed as he looked out on the scene below.
As the late afternoon set in it became clear that after only having a few gulps of water that morning, his throat was parched.
'It's been half a day aannnd nothing. Screw this I'm getting some water.' Making sure the others were occupied with something far from the nearest fountain he took out his canteen and went to refill it.
- - - - -
"How long was I gone!?
What on Medeis happened!?"
The boy audibly gasped when he returned to his tree top to find the streets below completely deserted and multiple pillars of smoke coming from the direction his group were not moments ago.
'Did they find something? Are they still alive? Should I go help? Could I run?' Questions raced through his mind.
After a few long breaths and much internal confliction the boy's curiosity got the better of him. He made his way down the tree with dagger in hand and ran towards the smoke, sounds of clashing metal filled his ears. Being able to make distinctions in such small details, he all of a sudden became very conscious of the noise of his footsteps. Not wanting to draw attention he began to take small shallow breaths and snuck his way quietly to observe the fray.
A smell he knew well, assaulted his nose. 'Fresh blood!' He rounded a corner leading into a large courtyard to see mounds of newly slain corpses, all different gang personnel.
After a moment his mind clocked his exposed status and raced as his survival instinct kicked in with full force. 'Shit shit shit! I need to find cover, where can I hide?' The boy's wide panicked eyes were drawn to a decently sized shrub which he jumped behind in a split second.
It took a while to mentally process what he was met with behind the vegetation. There they were, all three. With their mouths agape. Eyes dull. An almost surprised look on their faces. His group. Dead.
It certainly wasn't sorrow he felt more like shock. All of the time he had spent with the girl was now part of the past. He felt somewhat empty. But in no time he'd forgotten the bodies, he found himself focusing primarily on the shiny new knives in front of him. A sinister grin swept across his face. 'Guess you won't be needing these anymore, don't mind if I do. Thank-you very much for your "friendship".' And without another thought he ripped the two knives out of his partner's hands, never once looking back.
The young Ilfvan very nearly forgot his circumstances and was only made aware of what was going on but metres in front of him, when the shrill cry of two swords locked in combat pierced the air. He jerked his head up to see the leader of his gang clash with a mysterious figure. She looked much worse for wear than the crime boss, yet the boy was under the strong impression that all of the corpses that surrounded him were felled by her blade.
After panting for a while she notice of her wounds and the warrior seemingly retreated, dashing down an alleyway. The boy's boss threw back his head and laughed:
"There! All of the others died to that intruders hands, but did I? NO! I made her run away. HAHAHA I'm simply that powerful and intimidating. Serves her right for trespassing on my territory."
He chuckled to himself proclaiming his might, before bellowing in the direction she fled. "AND DON'T YOU COME BACK!"
It was of course at this moment that she decided to come back, and from behind him thrust her sword clean through the criminal's chest.