I nocked an arrow, took aim, pulled, aimed once again and released. The arrow flew true and hit a beetle resting on a tree trunk.
Damn. First shot! No need for more training. I'm just built awesome!
I walked towards the tree and plucked out the arrow, noting that it was still in good condition. A couple of wipes on the nearby bushes and the bug guts and tree sap stuck on the arrowhead was cleaned.
I had decided to retreat to the forest earlier to practice with the bow and arrow but only now realize I am a bonafide survival genius.
Yeah. It must have been all those survival games I played in my previous life.
(A/N: No. It was not, don't try to survive in a forest or shit like that because you played a bunch of games...)
Climbing a particularly tall tree, I squeezed myself between two large branches and covered myself with some long leaves as camouflage and dozed off for a short nap.
***
It was not a short nap.
I had fallen asleep near dawn and when I woke up it was already dark once again. What woke me up was a large 'CRACK' sound that reverberated across the whole island.
Huh. Thats not inauspicious at all...
Lampooning aside, the 'crack' sound felt quite familiar to me. Like a wood breaking in two but there was a taste of... binding? Jail? Bondage? Restraint.
Slight memories entered my mind.
Uh oh. It's opening... Oops?
In my mind, I try to think of where the sound originated from and drew a vector towards the village.
Okay. I'm not in the path, I should be safe for now. But I can't just wait here can I?
Ugh. This is annoying.
After some consideration, I decided I can't just leave the villagers alone. They had been nice enough to take care of me so I can't just act like some ingrate and ignore the additional danger coming their way.
Taking a roundabout path, I once again entered the village in the cover of the dark. Summoning some dark fog to dissipate my sillouhete, I snuck around till I smelled something.
Smells dangerous. Better take another detour.
As I stopped to try to think of another path, hoping to find weaker prey, a commotion took my attention.
"The legion! They're already here! Shit! Release everyone. Make sure everyone understands that they must be willing to help defend or else we'd all be food for the dead legion!"
Oh. Looks like they know who is the more dangerous enemy?
I climbed on to the roof of a hut to get a better view and soon was met with the sight of an army of zombies and wraiths marching in formation.
Further towards their destination, near the stalls where the produce was usually cut and cleaned, tied up villagers sat on the ground while surrounded by armed men.
I noticed none of those tied up had the smell of beyonders.
Those who initially rioted (I'm going to start calling them rebels from now on) had placed the villagers in between them and the approaching undead.
Ropes were cut and the villagers were given sticks and clubs to wield, before pushing them to the front.
Ah. The rebels plan to use the villagers as meat shields. That's not good.
I nocked an arrow and waited for the rebels to free all the tied up villagers before shooting at the rebel closest to me.
With most of their focus on the incoming undead, the rebels were surprised when one of them suddenly fell down, an arrow stuck in his head.
"Now's your chance! Escape here!" I shouted and shot another arrow, causing some rebels to take a step back to avoid getting pierced.
Fortunately, the villagers were quick to react and immediately ran towards my direction. The rebel I had killed had caused a gap in their formation, earning us a chance of exit.
I further shot more arrows to prevent more rebels from getting close to the villagers.
Unfortunately, I couldn't ensure everyone's escape and some of the men who had been given weapons decided to sacrifice themselves and stayed in the back to buy more time, blocking the rebels from attacking the undefended backs of those retreating.
A rebel, holding a metal ship anchor, lifted it up to throw at the defending villagers but was stopped by a pat on his shoulders. "Save your strength. It's not the whole legion. Just a small team. We'll handle them first. Then get back at the escapees later."
The one who had stopped him was the one with the strongest scent. He wore a bright flowy red robe and was blindfolded with blood stained bandage. Turning his face in my direction, he tilted his head and smiled like a creep despite having a handsome, some would almost say pretty, face.
Oh shit. He saw me. Forget!
I almost stumbled off the roof as most of my spirituality was rapidly drained.
*
In a dark room, he was chewing on the eyeballs of a tied up victim. Despite the loud screams of pain from the victim, his voice, with the addition of chewing, was clearly heard by me, "In the shadows, there is no need for useless things such as sight... As a matter of fact..."
The person then used his own fingers and dug out his own eyes, and ate them too...
*
The blindfolded man paused, faced the approaching undead, then touched his blindfold, before facing me again, this time with furrowed brows, doubt clear in his face.
Fuck me! Why can't you just forget about me instead? Eh those undead are getting closer, time to book it!
I jumped off the roof and followed the escaping villagers. Distracted by the more dangerous foe, the rebels even ignored the men who had initially stayed back and soon they joined us.
Looking back, the rebels must have underestimated their enemies as blasts of ice caught some of them unawares. Even before clashing, the human side already had some casualties.
Not my problem for now!
Whoo. Everyone made it out! That's good! Hope things will always work out this well!