Terlem was remote village on the eastern side of the northern continent of Europa. It was a sleepy place, where people performed simple jobs, tending to their work, and living quiet, peaceful lives. Most of the plain houses were orderly placed in the central region of the village, along with the shops that made up the village market. There were a few houses that strayed farther away from the rest, smaller huts that released a sense of spiritual peace.
A small forest surrounded the village, stretching for only a few miles before the next village. Great trees rose from the hard, moist ground, green leaves swaying in the summer winds. Such forests were a common sight in this part of the continent, and divided Terlem from other similar villages located nearby. It was a dangerous place for normal people, but also a major source of income as it was the only place that the common construction material was found. Wood.
An old man was walking into the woods, holding a large axe made completely of iron. He was heavily built, with strong muscles that rippled as he swung his axe at the nearest tree. His bright-white hair showed off his age,cut into a close cropped military style, covered with sweat. There was a scar running over his eye, leaving him blind on the right. The axe got lodged deep within the tree, nearly halfway through. The old man pulled out the axe with a sigh.
'I guess I really am getting old. Should have listened to Dusan when he told me to reti...'
Just then, a small flash of light distracted him. As he turned, he saw a young kid standing around 50 metres away. He was slightly woundedon his head, blood staining his bright golden hair and running down his forehead. He had a thin figure, his body covered in lean muscles that would be barely visible even if he flexed them . His bright golden eyes looked around frantically.
His clothes looked really old, a brown tattered robe that covered his body up to his knees and a pair of trousers of the same color that seemed to have been part of larger pants that were ripped apart shabbily. Considering his small stature and young face, which was barely visible from the distance, the old man guessed that the kid was around 10 years old. Who would have hurt such a young child? The old man got the answer faster than he expected.
'A stage-1 demon. Quick, hurry up and call for reinforcement, I will hold it off.'
A voice was heard somewhere behind him, followed by the sound of quick footsteps as a young man ran forward to the old man who turned to see him approach. Another person was running away towards the village to call reinforcements.
The man that approached him wore a long, green traveler's robe, which poorly hid the few pieces of shiny silver armor that the man wore. It was almost like he wanted to show off his new, shiny armor without actually showing off. Only a few people who wore similar clothes, and given the appearance of the young man, the air of importance he had around him, the old man knew who this person was. Loudly, he asked the young man
'Group leader, what is going on?'
The man stopped near the old man and spoke while taking in gulps of air
'Stage...1...demon...sir Fre'
Holding up a hand, the old man looked in the direction that the group leader pointed with his chin. Directly in front of the young kid stood a giant creature that was previously hidden by the trees, thrice the height of the young kid, dark brown with multiple burn marks, dark as the night sky.
The giant looked like a mishappen human, with muscles being swollen to the point of popping. Its large protruding belly shook every time it moved, and its face was grotesque, with a large mouth that stretched to the extreme ends of its face. The rest of its face was fortunately not visible to most people due to the distance , although it might as well be that it lacked eyes and ears.
Even in the slightest sense, it was impossible to think this creature was human. Just the sight of this hulking being, the invisible aura of malevolence around, caused people to shake in their boots. The old man wasn't scared in the slightest. In his long years, he had seen many such demons, and man stronger ones. He spoke in a casual tone
'Can you kill it? I am too old to help, and anyway, I have already retired. Although I do feel bad for that kid.'
'That kid, what is he doing there? Oh, now I have to do my job and save him. I was planning on waiting till replacements arrived, but I guess I have to kill it now. Stupid demon's, forcing me to work. May I, sir?'
'Why are you asking me, go and do it. Why do you want to ask this old man for permission? I can barely chop this log of wood.'
The Group leader hid a smile at the old man's words and unsheathed his sharp steel sword. Just then the demon lunged towards the kid, its claws going for his neck. The Group leader quickly ran towards the demon, much faster than before. The kid jumped back, barely avoiding the claws, then leaped to the side of the demon.
The demon turned to face the kid, but being so much bigger also made him that much slower. The kid sent a punch to its bulging stomach which it blocked with its forearm howling in pain as a burn mark was left. It then retaliated, swiping with its claws, hitting the kid on his left arm, and sending him flying towards the nearest tree. The force of the strike was so great that the tree collapsed, and the sound of bone breaking was heard.
The demon then raised its fist and threw a punch, catching the kid off guard. Seeing the fist, the kid frantically tried to jump back, but ended up tripping over himself and falling. Before the punch could land, however, a sword swung through the air, and through the demon's burnt forearm, cutting skin, muscle, and bone. The demon screamed in agony, holding the stub of its forearm in its other hand.
The knight stood in between the heavily injured kid and the hulking demon. The demon roared in anger, and as it rushed forward, the knight took a defensive stance. The demon took its severed forearm and shoved it back. It shouldn't have been humanely possible for the wound to heal so quickly, but the demon was a demon, not a human. Although it has not completely healed, the front part was already hanging from the stub. The knight leaped forward, and the demon sent a swipe with its claws, which luckily missed, as the knight landed on the demon's neck, one leg placed firmly on its shoulder, the other hanging down. He pierced down with his sword to maintain balance.
This demon really did not have either eyes or ears, and its nose was like a snake's, holes in the middle of its cruel face. It had slimy skin, similar to that of a slug. Slashing with his sword, the knight aimed for multiple parts on the demon's back. The sword barely managed to cut through the demon's flesh, and as the knight landed on the ground, he knew something was wrong. Demon's usually travelled in groups.
His fears were true, because from the woods two more demons rushed forward, both of them slightly smaller than this demon. That was the only difference, for both these demons shared the first one's ugliness and its bloodlust. The knight knew that he was doomed, but suddenly something else bounded out of the woods, right behind him. Someone else. At his back stood four other knights, all wearing cheap leather armor, with a few pieces of silver filling in the gaps. Although he was happy that someone had arrived to help him, he was also angry at the knights. They did not get to wear silver armor, only he did. He was the leader, after all Both sides charged and as they fought, he realized that the black burnt spots could be pierced more easily. Giving out this command, he rushed into combat. They had numbers, speed, and skills. Even the kid joined in, wiping away the dry blood that had stuck to his face and punching the demon from behind since he did not have the strength to take one on. Not in his curent situation.
The fight should have obviously gone in their favour, yet they somehow lost. The Group leader himself slayed one smaller demon, and his second-in-command killed another one. But the first demon was still here, injured but living. While his men were not dead, they all had major wounds and broken bones. He himself could not stand, not without one leg. The demon reached forward with the massive hand that he had cut off. Ready to crush his head. If only Sir Frederick had joined the fight.
Then the demon was cut in half, straight through its stomach, blood splashing over the leader's face. The demon was dead, but there was no assailant to be seen. Then he heard a voice behind him.
'Guess I still had some strength left in this old age'
'Sir Frederick, thank you.'
The old man, Sir Frederick was a retired Stage 3 knight, was a celebrity in this small village. However, he did not like the fame and the adoration of his fellow villagers and therefore worked in the Fortress Ctiy till he reached the age of 85, and the great Dragon Knight personally ordered him to retire. All the younger people of the village had aspired to become like him, including the group leader and all the knights that work under him.
The knight turned his neck to see the Sir Frederick walk up towards him, sweat covering him, leaning forward while using his axe as a staff. He walked right past the leader, and the other knights, straight towards the kid. the kid himself was more injured than the knights and had almost passed out from the pain. The old man knelt down so he was face to face with the kid and asked
'By the will of the Lord of Light, what is your name?'
The kid just stared at Sir Frederick, not showing any sign that he understood anything he spoke. Sir Frederick then pointed at the kid, and then moved his hand around, trying to ask his question symbolically. The kid seemed to understand and opened his mouth.
'X...X...'
The kid shook his head with a perplexed expression. The old man was shocked. Not only did the kid not know the common tongue, that even most stronger demons knew, he did not even know his own name. This kid was also able to fight off a stage 1 demon, and did he leave those burn marks?
There was too much to know, not to mention the danger this kid might pose to society if left alone. A lone person capable of fighting off the weakest demon was something most common people of the village couldn't handle. Especially if the assailant was an amnesiac who neither knew how to hold back, nor how to recognise proper enemies. If only he had guidance from someone who has a lot of time, and a past in the field that utilizes his unknown abilities.
'I will adopt him as my grandchild.'
Sir Frederick then picked up the kid in his arms and walked off.
'Could you call for people to pick us up as well, Sir Frederick? Or. you know, carry us as well?'
Sir Frederick shook his head while smirking, and then set his axe on a tree, before leaving. He had not finished chopping that day's quota of wood.
'Sir Frederick, please. I will die from bloodloss. And boredom first.'
ps.Stage 1 < Stage 2 < Stage 3 < Stage 4. Just because they are in the same stage does not mean their power will be equal while in combat.
- ANONYM