I don't know why I decided to chase after the two guys who had broke in. I had promised myself I wouldn't keep doing things like this. Harming others, but who cares. I'm surprised enough I was able to rewrite my own memories before I had given Fritz the reigns to my day again.
And even more surprised I was able to leave him in that white room. But I better not hear any complaining. After all if I had left it up to him Father Oren would have a hole in his chest.
Behind me, I can hear the crackle of the fire and Father Oren's hushed prayers. That old man fought with words from his god, and I, I fought with every fiber of my being. I shook my head, charging into the darkness that blanketed Hoff Village. The cool night air would normally bring relief, but tonight it just emphasized the chill that had taken up residence in my bones.
The two men's footprints were easy to track in the soft dirt road. I followed them to the outskirts of the village where the dilapidated buildings became fewer and fewer and gave way to a lush forest. The moon played hide-and-seek with the clouds casting eerie shadows that danced on the ground.
A branch snapped and behind me appeared the pink haired brat from Eldridge. Before I could do anything she held her finger up to her lips.
"Shh," she whispered, her eyes darting around the gloomy woods.
I studied her for a second, taking in her ragged appearance. She was without her usual pomp and grandeur, her usual fiery pink hair now dull under the dimly lit moon.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, my tone dry.
She looked puzzled for a moment. "Are you the same monster who destroyed my village?" Back at your house, your entire demeanor was different."
I smirked for a moment tossing my brown hair aside. Erasing memories and letting that loser Fritz handle things sure helped a bit.
I raised my shoulders slightly feigning an air of innocence. "Maybe." I grinned.
Her face dropped as her eyes seemingly recalled the horror from just days prior. "I brought these men here, hoping they would kill you. But the orb… she tells me your something outside of her comprehension. I made a mistake and I am leaving. There's seven of them in total, the two men who assaulted you are named Carl, and Mack. Good day."
Without waiting for my response, she turned and vanished into the gloom of the forest. Her words echoed around me, stirring a shadowy unease. Seven men? And what was that about an orb?
Strands of doubt began to weave their way through my mind. With a shake of my head, I pushed them away and focused on the task at hand. I needed to find Carl and Mack before they could gather their comrades and launch another assault on our village.
I followed their trail further into the forest, drawing on the instincts that had saved me countless times before. The light of the moon shone down through the canopy of leaves, guiding me deeper into the wilderness.
Suddenly, a low murmur reached my ears. The sound was indistinct at first but as I moved closer, I could make out hushed voices. Peering through the underbrush, I saw them: Carl and Mack along with two others I didn't recognize.
"Neel, we've got to get the hell out of here sir. I think we fucked up big time, that kid… He-He looked me in the eyes with such hatred."
Carl was saying, his voice teetering on the edge of panic. His well-built silhouette shivered uncontrollably beneath the moonlight. "I don't know what he was, but he wasn't human."
Mack quickly joined in. "Look boss that kid's fucked up, ya'know what he said to me? That if that Rose bitch was hurt in any way he'd rip me apart."
"A normal response for a kid talking about his mom…" Neel interjected.
"Nah boss… A bruised throat ain't nothing serious… The kid's a healer, so why wouldn't he jus-
"Bang." I whispered, my finger right over Mack's skull.
An instant later what used to be a fully formed human head was reduced to blood, specks of bone, and brain matter splattered across the forest floor. The force of the blast sent Mack's body crumpling to the ground, lifelessness taking hold almost instantly.
Carl, and the other man let out horrified gasps, stumbling backwards in shock and fear. Their eyes were filled with terror as they tried to process what had just happened; their comrade was alive one minute and brutally killed the next.
Neel however leaned against a tree as he whistled. The rest of his men dropped down from the trees. All of them rough looking individuals no doubt.
"Well, well, well," Neel drawled, a sardonic smile playing on his lips. "Looks like the healer has some bite after all." His sharp gaze connected with mine, a cold glint in his eyes that was far too sinister to be natural. "You've made a grave mistake, boy."
I stood still, glaring at him. The same murderous intent from earlier animated my eyes now. I shrugged nonchalantly, an empty smile etched onto my face. "Have I? So what?"
Neel's smirk grew wider; he seemed both amused and intrigued. He leaned back against the tree, crossing his arms over his chest as he took me in. "I like your spirit kid. It's a shame we're on opposite sides of this."
The tension in the air thickened as the other men circled us warily. Their swords were drawn and they watched me with guarded expressions. Carl had backed away towards the forest line, his face pallid and covered in a sheen of sweat.
"You killed one of ours," said one of them stepping forward – a burly man with wild hair and a gnarly scar down his cheek. "No more games."
"I only made good on my promise," I retorted coolly. I felt the familiar rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins. My body was taut like the string of an archer's bow ready to strike.
"Enough!" boomed Neel. "Stand down Griggs!"
The man called Griggs grumbled but stepped back into formation.
With a swift motion, Neel pushed himself off from the tree and walked towards me.
"Say, kid… Over six, or under?" He asked pushing his hands into his pants pocket.
I paused for a moment, not understanding exactly what he meant. "U-uh… Under?" I responded
"Well, well, well," Neel chuckled, shifting his weight from foot to foot. His eyes sparkled in amusement. "Let's see what you got."
He pulled two small dice from his pocket and tossed them on the ground. Both die landed heads up with two fives.
He did a small fist pump in celebration as he picked the die up. "Snack eyes!" He exclaimed. "Too bad kid, too bad. Should have gone with the over." He finished turning away from me.
The men he had been with quickly grabbed their gear and scampered away. I was utterly confused, just what the hell was this guy talking about?
"What are you doi-
A sharp pain pierced my side, then another, and another, and another. This continued ten times, massive nails erupted from the ground striking my body.
I let out a cry as I crumpled to the forest floor, my body wracked with pain. Blood stained the ground underneath me, seeping into the earth as I clutched at my side, trying to stem the flow. The world spun and it was all I could do to stay conscious.
Neel turned back towards me at my outcry, that sly smirk still etched on his face. "Hope you learned a lesson tonight, kid," he said nonchalantly. He then tilted his head towards the darkness where his men had fled. "Let's go boys. We're done here."
As they disappeared into the night, leaving me alone in my suffering, a wave of anger surged through me. This wasn't over.
I forced myself to sit up, just barely managing to stay upright. Looking at the damage inflicted upon me, my self-healing must kick in soon or I would surely die here.
But instead of heat spiking throughout my body, as it usually did when I healed, it remained cold - extremely cold. My vision began to blur and a creeping chill clung to my limbs.
***
"Boss, are you sure it's a good idea to just leave him there?" Griggs asked.
Neel simply shrugged as he kept walking, his men struggling to keep his pace. "No idea, but I'm not going to stay and watch. Besides those are enchanted nails. They drain magic from whoever they touch."
Carl jumped with giddy joy. "That's payback for Mack!" He spat out towards Viktor even though they were already a ways away. "But boss how do those things even work? I mean that kid's supposedly crazy strong."
Neel chuckled again, tossing his dice into the air and catching them. "Over/Under, that's what I call the ability. I don't even remember where I got these bad boys from. But whenever I ask over or under on a certain number if I win my opponent goes down-no questions asked."
"There must be a trick," Griggs said, puffing out his chest. "Could you use these dice to take down the king himself?"
Neel laughed heartily, slapping Griggs on the back. "Perhaps, but we'd have to get close enough to ask him over or under first, wouldn't we?"
Carl shuddered. "That sounds like a death wish to me," he admitted.
Neel turned around, looking back at the young man they had left in the forest. His laughter faded and his smile turned into a frown. "We'll see how long he lasts," he said quietly.
***
Back at the clearing, I was struggling just to maintain consciousness. My body was cold and my vision blurred as I reached for one of the nails that pierced my side. With gritted teeth, I tried to pull it out but found it lodged too deeply into my flesh.
My hand dropped, limp and useless at my side as a wave of exhaustion washed over me. It was then that I heard a soft rustling noise from behind me. The sound was almost imperceptible amidst the noise of the night.
"Who's there?" I whispered weakly.
A figure appeared before me from the shadows, cloaked in darkness. It stepped forward allowing the moonlight to reveal its face.
Cascading blue and white hair graced my vision. Paired with a face I had seen only once in Viktor Kirchner's tattered memories.
"Magus Cade!?" I shouted.
The man nodded his head as he cast a simple yet effective healing spell over my body.
The soothing warmth spread through my veins, pushing the cold away. I could feel the nails loosening their hold, and with another spell from Magus Cade, they disintegrated into thin air.
"Why...why are you helping me?" I managed to mutter as the pain started to lessen.
He looked at me, his blue eyes peculiarly warm yet distant. "You have potential, kid," he said. His voice was like a whisper in the wind, almost musical. It reminded me of the bards' songs that were sung in quiet taverns on chilly winter nights.
"I've been following you from a distance for a while now. You've got something most don't have... a spark." He paused, slightly tilting his head. His gaze was fixated on me with clear curiosity and intrigue.
"But...why?" I pushed myself up into a sitting position, wincing slightly as sore muscles protested.
His gaze softened for a moment before he stood up smoothly. "You remind me of someone I used to know... The way you fight and how determined you are," he confessed. "And more importantly that Oren guy has been filling my mailbox asking for a mage to come to this village for months."
He then reached down pulling the nails from my body, which surprisingly didn't hurt all that much.
"Anyway. Let's get you looked at."
Next Chapter: 41-A Mentor