"Should I hunt one more, if I'm on it?" I think to myself, rembering the exhaustion of climbing the mountain still fresh in my mind.
And the thought of returning with hunting only one monster in tow feels awfully abysmal. So I looked at the horizon where the sun was still shining brightly in the sky, and prepared myself to hunt another monster.
"I must hunt one more monster if I'm on it." I declare, clenching my fist and punching forward with my newfound determination.
"Creak" "Shook" "Shwa" "Burstle"
But the sudden abrupt sound of rustling filled the air, leading me to instinctively assume a defensive stance.
"Who? Show yourself." I demanded, as I could feel there wasn't any monster hiding in that place. However my heart was racing with a mix of anxiety and turmoil.
"Show yourself. If not, I will attack you." I shrieked again. Hiding every ounce of fear on my back.
I recall hearing rumors that bandits targeting adventurers who were on the fields. And now, I'm confronted with this dire reality, oozing sweat began to drip down my body and my entire being trembling with panic.
"Ohh, stop, stop you don't have to attack us." A familiar voice sounded.
"I'm here just to train myself more, before entering the Academy." My eyes widen as I recognize the individual infront of me. Owen was standing there with his creepy smile. Followed by his two minions Simon and Oshwil.
"What do you mean?" I inquire, finally realizing who where the eerie stare belonged to at that time. It was Owen and his minions who had been following me the entire time.
"I was simply training when I heard the fighting noise. I had know idea our hero Ard was such a good fighter; my respect toward you had been increased more...." Owen said, his words dripping with sarcasm.
"Cut the bullish*it." I snap, my patience turning thin. "Why were you following me this entire time?" I demanded my gaze locked on his.
I realize that if I don't stand my ground this time, he won't let me go. Even if I do not fight he will crush me. I don't have any choice but to take him head on.
He stares at me, his face completely turning cold and harsh. His eyes reflect the hostility that hidden deep within him, and I'm left wondering why...
"Hey, Ard do you know, I always felt disgusted by you. A forsaken child living in our God-blessed village. It feels disgusting."
"Your rusty tattered clothes and your dilapidated house make me vomit." He sneers, and his words piercing my soul.
"I simply can't even think. When I was small, my father measured me up to you. Becoming someone like you. It makes me laugh."
"Do you know how many people in our village want to drive you out for not having any skills?" he continues, making my mind reeling from his mocking tone.
"Are you aware that our village is known for its divinity? Where twelve gods descended to defeat the evil god." He repeats this with a condescending tone.
"Your mere existence makes our village an unblessed place," he spits, laughing and approaching towards me with an air of superiority.
Listening to him and seeing his eyes gleaming in malice, my entire body tremble with rage and contempt. Making my eyes burn with fierce intensity in anger.
I don't want to hear his words but they echo in my mind fueling my fury. With that....
...The scene appeared in my mind very clearly when I turned age ten. I live out my days giggling and tagging along with my friends, a memory that haunt me for all this year's.
One month passed and the cruel scene reappeared in my mind, refusing to let me forget.
The inexplicable feeling of being ostracized, the active avoidance of my friends and villagers, it all came flooding back.
That scene couldn't be any further from the truth, and Owen's words had echoed it in my mind, as a harsh reminder of the reality I was facing.
Come to think of it, I'd heard a group of people talking about me behind my back. A whispher that constantly reminded me of my insolation everyday.
"A creep."
"A disaster boy."
"The forsaken child," the words that stung me a painful reminder of my place in the village.
Still, I tried to reconcile with them even approaching them for help, but no one wanted to strike up any good relationship with me.
"Here's take this and leave." Owen sneered, tossing a few copper coins at my feet.
"I can talk with your parents. You have left with some adventurers." he said with a grin, while his minions chuckling at my situation.
"Well, better hurry, " he added. "Before my mood change."
He knew as well as I did that money was everything to me, but he was wrong about one thing...
"I won't leave." I declare sounding firm and resolute.
[Yes! I won't leave this village abandoning my parents.] I steel my heart and dug my heels into the ground, refusing to back down against his threat.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't hear what you just said?" He said pretending to have a deaf ear as his tone dripped with condescension.
"Urrr, Urrr." My frustration was building as I can feel some intense gaze upon me.
"Don't forget," Owen continues his voice filled with hatred, "that you are useless. A cretin like you, abandoned by the gods, was unnecessary. You are excessive. Do you understand? Or do you still believe you're talented and valuable? Is this really difficult to fully understand?
"Okay!, I'll teach you." His voice dripped with sadistic pleasure as he suddenly bellowed,
"Summon, Hellhound." A portal suddenly appeared on the ground and disappeared. Following by a vicious jet-black hound emerging from the darkness fixing it's eyes menacingly at my direction.
"That's right!" Simon chimed in. "My mother always felt discomfort when she saw you talking & playing with my little brother." he continued,
"You always fool around, walking and running around in our village, destroying the peace brought in our village by the twelve gods." He accused his tone dripping with disdain.
"It really is just as young chief Owen had said, you know," Oshwil added, "Your mere existence becomes our problem. If you just disappear from this place, we won't be trying to hunt you down." he sneered, as their collective words crushing down from its weight.
Ahh, this was their idea, breaking me apart from the inside and dealing thorough damage to my crumbling mentality.
They want to crush me into this place to want to drill my nonexistent self into the very marrow of my bones, erasing me from existence.
Reminding that I was the weakest and tiniest creature living in this world a mere speck of dust in this grand beautiful world.
My sole existence was a declaration against the gods. A defiant rebellion that refused to be silenced.
I wasn't allowed to be pleased or allowed to live.
I have known this for the past six years, six long years with deep suffering and persecution.
I was a thorn in the eyes of the villagers. My sole existence made them discomforting every day.
The world blessed by the gods I'm the only irregular, the reincarnation of the devil. The cursed child of the evil god.
But I didn't refuse it, nor did I accept it. I simply existed, not caring about their thoughts nor do caring about their perspective on me.
I have seen their glares piercing throughout me every day. Their chuckles, their hatred even their murderous intent I felt it all every time I walked into the village.
But, I didn't care as I wanted to live my life with my family.
But even if I had to perish I would decide about that on my own. No one else would take that choice away from me.