𝕬𝖗𝖈 2 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖋𝖑𝖆𝖒𝖊 𝕳𝖚𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖗
𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 21: 𝕯𝖊𝖒𝖔𝖓 𝕽𝖎𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖘
Anthony travelled southwest, to the land of Mouta as his bird had instructed.
He walked to the top of a high knoll to get a view of where he was headed. Behold a village stood there before a large river that glimmered in the sun, shining like a billion shard of diamonds.
It seemed peaceful, farms and herds surrounding the village, smoke rising from their chimneys.
Anthony continued marching along the mossy ridges down and towards the village.
The sound of clattering pots mumuring and laughter echoed the houses of the village. Anthony scanned through the area barely anyone to talk to and no clues of any demon energy.
After a prolonged work, he finally came up to a peaceful market, shops planted everywhere on the street, the people wore good cloth, and sold exotic varieties of materials.
A man in his forties came up to him stretching out a clothing, "pure textile red laident... It's is fire proof, soft..."
"Do you know about the disappearance?" Anthony cuts in.
The man gives a loathing look before turning to walk away. "Damn business killer," he mumbled leaving Anthony.
"That was rude," Anthony said walking away. He goes a little deeper down the street until he reached a man in his twenties sweeping the front of his building, humming and rejoicing with himself.
Anthony approached him, "ugh, good sir," he began calling the man's attention. "I am a Veken demon hunter. I come for the issue of disappearance..."
"Wait!" The man barked out, interrupting. "You yapping to me about that crap story!"
Anthony furrowed his eyes looking gobsmacked. "What... Crap story?" He asked anxious to know.
"Oh I see," the man began elaborating, "the town leader made up a story of how people go missing every night at the great river... He said it was demons. But from my own opinion, it's all a lie because Demons don't exist!" He chuckled softly, "crazy old idiots."
His words stunned Anthony. "Please, I need directions to where the disappearance occurs."
The man gives Anthony a baffled look sizing him up. "You are crazy, what are you six? I don't have time for this, I don't care if people die, as long as it doesn't affect me," he snarled. "Get the damn out of my front putrid bug, I have a business to run!"
Anthony had enough already, he shoved the man back with his left, sending him sprawling on the ground.
"You're insane!" Anthony reprimanded.
"Hey!"
Anthony turned back to see five hefty men approaching him, they were smiling and giggling among themselves, holding daggers as weapons. Their beards and cloths were tardy and torn and their face holding hostility.
Anthony stood unfazed, gave a smile and said, "please I don't want any violence, run while you are chanced! All I want is to protect the innocent."
They all laughed heartedly feeling they were intimidating Anthony, "we rather stay to welcome you to Mouta!" One of them boomed with his thick voice.
"Maybe we can even get some sweet cash selling that sword of yours!" Another said, the others replying with a short chant.
Anthony shook his head. "Awww! Words get stuck between your waxed ears. My fist will make sure to break through."
The men bore down on Anthony, one lunging for him dagger raised high overhead. Anthony planted the sole of his foot on his chest before he could attack, sending him crashing into his fellow attacker.
Another thrusted his dagger for Anthony. He sees this coming and clamps unto his attackers wrist tightly clenching hard.
"Ahhhhhh!" The man writhed in pain as his wrist gave a cracking noise, his hands involuntarily drops his dagger.
With one hand Anthony took him of his feet and whisks him into the others sending them all to floor on their backs.
Getting the message, they squirmed to their feet breaking into a sprint away from Anthony.
Anthony turned back to the man, "your turn!" He muttered with a dark gloomy tone.
"Please don't hurt me, i will pay you anything, just tell me how Much you desire!" The man begged desperately.
Anthony detested the mentality of the man, "the world is more than material possessions, people also exist and need protection from other beings... Now shut up and take me to the great river."
The man nodded reluctantly. Anthony clamped unto the man's shoulder softly yanking him up to his feet further dusting him up.
The man was surprised Anthony didn't maltreat him after all he had done to him. "Why?" He asked perplexed breaking free from Anthony's grip.
Anthony looked at him and only smiled, "we are all we have in this world against demons, my duty is to protect you and everyone in Mouta... Let's appreciate that."
The man didn't understand what he said. Anthony was truly a Veken hunter deserving whatever honour bestowed to him, the man thought. "I will take you there, only to see if the stories about demons are true," the man spoke proudly not wanting to give in to Anthony's kindness.
"Thank you," he turned to Anthony, what an intoxicating zeal, whoever raised him, didn't raise him right.
...
Anthony and the man sat at the beach staring at the calm river. The cool night wind sent chills up his spine.
Whatever kind of demon that resided there, hadn't come, yet. He had walked the shore line, smelled, vibed and tried to find tracks, but found none... All that was left was to wait.
He stared at the moon shining at it's fullest, somehow it reminded him of home. Who would have known his future would have turned out this way, Ron would laugh and say contemptuously, 'always relying on mum, let's see how she would get you out of this'.
He shook his head of the thought not wanting to dishearten himself.
Anthony turned to the man from the bar wanting to take his mind off his thoughts. He was sitting not too far off, lost in thought and looking crestfallen. He had insisted on staying to see a demon in flesh not caring of the risks to his life. For some reason he had a sense of responsibility to do so.
"Are you sure of this?" Anthony called out to the man.
The man nodded, "I want to," he coldly replied. "I have dwelled in greed and hate all my life, now I feel... Confused."
Anthony smiled, "good to hear," Anthony rose to his feet sniffing an awful scent. He listened and hears the waves become slightly violent, the disarray in the wind pressure... Something was coming.
ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝔹
"What's... Wrong?" The man rose up fast, alerted by Anthony's sudden behavior.
Anthony heard the crunching of sand along the shoreline dozens of feet away, coming their way.
He took in a deep breathe and held it, wrapping his right around the hilt of his sword, knowing fully well his opponent plan was a surprise attack, which he could use to his advantage.
Boom!
A sword cut through the air for Anthony who swings back parrying the attack with sparks flying off, sending the demon crashing to the ground a few feet away.
The demon rose to it's feet smiling, it only had trousers on, pale ash skin, huge blue horns, dark blue hair, sharp roles of teeth, and two long blades imbedded in it's fists.
Anthony was stunned to see that, according to the old ranking the Western Kingdom thought, this was a Delb and would be able to create weapons from it's body.
"Hamhamhamha!" He gives an hostile laughter swinging his blade recklessly for Anthony's knee which he blocks easily with his sword. Anthony in turn drives his elbow through the demons face dazing it.
Anthony swung his sword for the demons neck, but it recedes by leaping backwards.
"I am not good at short distance battles, you just keep on trying na take off my head, but far enough!" He cackled maniacally. "I'll gut you!"
The demon launches into the air with an explosion of wind disappearing from Anthony's sight.
Anthony's mind raced calculating every possibility, at least it would fall down a straight line. He widened his stance, wrapping his hands around the hilt of his sword, strengthening his grip.
"Look out!"
Anthony turned around swiftly to see the demon flying towards him blades first, he raises his sword and with a great swing parries the demon's attack.
"Damn!" The demon muttered retreating by leaping back a few feet. 'This hunter would have been dead, if not for that guy!' He yelled within himself watching closely at Anthony who stood exhaling hard and staring eyes full of blood lust at him.
The demon gave a wide grin before bursting into laughter, "your heart rate speaks you are scared to have seen me appear behind you!" He jerked his head back letting all the waves of his hair fall back in place, "hahaha! You really thought I could only fly in one direction? Still wondering how I got behind you so fast huh?"
Anthony said nothing only studying the demon.
The demon cackled "my rocket legs give me ultimate agility and strength!" He bends down in a crouching position. "I am unstoppable in air and tonight you will be my first score!" He proudly said.
Anthony shook his heard, "you talk too much!" He strengthened his grip around his sword contemplating whether to attack or stand in defence.
'If he went on the attack, with the skill of the demon he would be leaving himself open, but considering how wreckless this demon seemed to be, maybe... Just maybe he could find an opening!'
Anthony stood his ground glaring at the demon.
The demon shot up into the sky again disappearing instantly.
Anthony took all his surrounding to thorough vibing, he held in a long breath and waited patiently.
From above! Anthony wasted no time rolling away from the spot he stood. The demon plummeted down and landed feet first where Anthony stood before, sending dust flying everywhere.
Anthony sees an opening swinging his sword for it's belly. "Tsk!" His sword grazed the demon's gut before it launched back into the air.
"Darn!" Anthony barked. 'This was no use, the moment he dodges an attack the demon would retreat back into the sky if the battle continued this way he would loose all his stamina and probably die, this didn't bode well!'
The demon bores down on from above it throwing it's leg for his shoulder. Anthony blocks the attack readily with his sword sending sparks of light everywhere as he cuts off the demon's leg. The demon doesn't retreat, it digs it's other foot into the ground and throwing it's fist blade for Anthony's gut.
Anthony recoils back the blade making a shallow cut on his uniform. "Tsk!" Anthony gasps as the demon instantly regenerates it's other leg. The demon attacks again throwing it's knee for Anthony's chest and at the same time launching his fist for Anthony's shoulder. Anthony braced himself for impact.
The demon blade dug deep into Anthony's shoulder whereas his knee to Anthony's gut. Anthony gave a groan as he wrapped a hand around the demon's wrist tightly clenching it.
"Fuck!" The demon was stunned by the force at which Anthony held him. He could hear his wrist give a split cracking noise. He tried to pull out of Anthony's grip, but it wouldn't bulge. The insane grip of this hunter was just damn strong.
"Get the hell off me!" The demon struggled stamping it's legs onto the ground and pulling back to break free from Anthony's grip. Nothing would work, "bloody die!" The demon said forcefully pushing his blade into Anthony's shoulder.
"Ahhhh!" Anthony cried out in pain, he had the demon where he wanted him, all he just had to do now was to land a fatal attack.
𝙲𝚘𝚖