The air on the way to the mill burns my eyes and makes it hard to breathe. Ferra and I sprint as much as we can but the thick smoke makes me wanna puke.
Can't even see the roof of the building through the huge pillar of smoke past the trees. A crash shakes the ground and we rush forward coughing and hacking into the dirt lot around the mill.
People are running and yelling with buckets of dirt, almost half the roof has crumpled in.
"Gōki! There's still people inside!"
Lirien's voice pulls me out of the mess, he's kneeling next to a guy with a leg that's twisted like a tree root.
"Be care-"
Ferra's voice disappears under all the yelling and creaking in the building when I run in. Pulling my shirt over my nose helps me breathe a little, but I can't see for shit in all the smoke.
A hand grabs at my ankle weakly, the rumbling around us makes my skin itch, there's no time to be careful. I grab his arms and pull hard, it's a smooth movement, but a little snapping hitch makes my stomach tight.
Hoisting the man up he is lighter then I'd expect, he cries softly into my shoulder as I move toward the exit.
Holding my breath and running as fast as I can, I hear it.
"Wait! Help me ple-!"
The building groans, there's no time to look back, closing my eyes and running as fast as my legs will go is the only option.
Something crashes against me, splinters and heat across my forehead, screaming all around me before a violent crash trips me to the ground.
Pulling the man under me, ready to be buried, but it doesn't happen.
"Gōki…Gōki! Are…ok…are you ok? Hey!"
Soft hands rub my back and Ferra's voice slowly pushes through all the chaos. The guy in my arms gasps as I release him from my death grip, he looks younger than me, sobbing and hugging himself.
I sit up and see the treeline a few feet ahead of me, the broken rubble of the mill far behind me now.
Ferra pats my back, "You were amazing Gōki be careful with him…l-let's take him over to Lirien"
The kid's right leg bleeding pulled a few inches longer than the left, it dangles in a way that feels wrong…but he's alive.
Saving one person leaves a dirty taste in my mouth…I know I heard someone else, but the rubble of the mill doesn't leave me feeling like they are alive.
My head feels a little fuzzy, Ferra helps me bring the kid over to Lirien, there's a long line of people waiting already.
"Sorry kid..."
Just a whisper, can't even tell if he heard me, looks like he passed out.
A few guys are poking around in the rubble but it looks like there were no survivors, at least it took care of the fire when it fell.
Ferra doesn't say anything, just sitting with me, her hand over my shoulder. Shit...I'm supposed to be making her feel better at times like this...
...I just hear that voice at the end again and again...
...Who were they...
"Dammit. Gotta get some energy and get shit done!"
I hop up and pull Ferra to her feet, she doesn't ask me how I feel, I'm glad I don't have to lie.
There's a pair of big carts here, it's enough to carry the people who are having a hard time walking. A lot of folks are laid out on top of whatever blankets or cloth we could find, it's going to be a rough ambulance ride.
A few of the others start chatting after a while, a lot of asking why, or how, same old bullshit but it drowns out the crying, but one guy asks a question no one was thinking about.
"Where is everyone?"
"Someone must have seen the smoke right?
It is weird, even the class president didn't make it, Aniki is probably drinking or hunting, but Merrik is serious. Looks like we get all the credit for being the heroes.
All the credit...for this broken mill and pile of corpses...fuck! Where the hell were they, Aniki would have been able to grab that other guy, Merrik would have planned it out better.
Sulking doesn't help, but it's hard to do anything else.
A bassy 'Mooooo' nearly knocks me out of the back of the wagon, big cows with round twisty horns are getting latched to the front of the wagon.
Ferra and I walk along the side while we slowly rumble back toward town, Lirien sits in the wagon watching the injured folks. It's nice to be away from all the wreckage.
The bumpy dirt roads make the wagon creak, every time it shifts someone groans or yelps. Just gotta focus on getting this done, Then i can finish the fence, and have a romantic dinner with Ferra.
She's walking close...She'd probably let me hold her hand if I tried...Is it weird with what's going on
There's something dinging away while we walk, like someone smacking a big metal plate with a hammer, maybe someone finally got off their ass to call everyone together.
The cart stops dead and everyone gets real quiet, listening to the banging. A few of the people in the cart seem to get agitated.
Lirien pops his head over the side and gives Ferra a serious look, before turning back and yelling to the group.
"Ok everyone! We know you're hurt but you're going to have to head back without us!"
No one argues, but it feels like a waste of time over some bells.
"What's the problem? we're almost back let's just drop em off with Rina and-"
"It's the alarm Gōki! We have to get moving NOW!"
Lirien sounds serious, he jumps down and starts running toward the town, Ferra gives me a wave and takes after him.
My lungs feel weak from the smoke and the road feels longer than I remember. A scream mixes with the clanging bell from one of the nearby houses.
Lirien doesn't stop when I charge toward the house.
"Ferra! You find out what that is with Gōki, I'm going to find Gralkus!"
She yells something to him just as I brace my shoulder and crash through the doorway, the wood splinters and a chunk of door flies into a little table in the entryway.
"What the fuck! Go next door! Boss said to spread out dumbass!"
My arm goes numb for a few seconds, a pain creeping up as I round the corner toward the living room. One of the ladies I'd seen at the bar a few times is on the ground, her shirt and dress are ripped open with blood pouring out of her bruised nose.
An ugly middle aged fuck has a knife to her throat, his hand is stuffed up between her legs, He smirks at me like he's showing off.
"Hey hey! You decided to join up! Learned your lesson after Raymond Kicked your ass huh? Water under the bridge, once I'm done with her you get your turn rookie. hahaha-"
Sprinting to him, I plant my shoe into his face to shut his mouth, the woman starts panicking and runs toward the entryway while I wrestle him for his knife.
"Y-you can go first! Ju-just stop you fucker!"
He's old but he's strong, I manage to hold his wrists but he's wiggly, smashing my forehead into his nose barely slows him down.
A boot slams down into his closed hand again and again, the finger bones popping against the knife handle until he let's go. Ferra grabs the dagger and jams it into his neck with a grunt.
He looks so confused, he keeps coughing and spitting blood all over me.
Trashing around I just hold him to the floor, every big movement pushes more blood out of his neck, I close my eyes, I don't wanna watch this, his movements become weaker and slower until his arms go limp.
Turning to look away before I stand up, the sobbing woman runs to me across the room, she doesn't even bother to cover her chest wrapping me into a hug while crying and thanking me.
The room feels hazy...my head feels light...the throbbing in my shoulder hurts every time my heart beats...it's so quiet...
Ferra slaps me on the back and all the sound rushes back, the woman blushes covers herself, Ferra leads me back outside.
"Don't worry Gōki, it's just first time jitters hahaha!"
She nudges me with her elbow, reaching out to grasp my hands tightly.
"We need to go help Lirien...It'll be ok Gōki! Your a hero today, it's what I like best about you, you did the right thing."
Her words are slow, I don't know if i believe them, her hands are so warm, with a big deep breath I notice the town bell has stopped.
She turns around quickly and pulls me toward the tavern, everything feels a little foggy but there's no stopping.
Smoke is coming from a few spots in town.
Somewhere in the distance I can hear yelling, but finding Lirien and the others comes first.
Merrik calls out to us from one of the windows we pass by.
"Ferra! Gōki! What the hell is going on? Your covered in blo--!"
Excited voices cut him off.
"Hey it's Gōki!"
"Look he already got one I bet!"
The kids huddle near the windows, waving and cheering, Trying to wipe the blood from my hands and face just smears it, everything smells like iron.
"Merrik, there was an accident at the mill, but we didn't see anyone else on the way. Take the kids out there, we need to find Lirien.
He doesn't look happy about it, but nods and brings the kids out after a minute.
The children all have real swords today, they look ready to use them, hopefully that's my imagination.
"You...you have a nice little warband today Merrik...Going to fight the evil magistrate? heh...we will accept no casualties."
The joke feels empty, but the kids seem excited enough about being soldiers.
He smiles just a little, puffing out his chest, aiming his sword at toward the mill.
"Ok everyone! You heard him! we're off to secure the lumberyard!"
The kids cheer and march off in what passes for a formation, he gives me a solemn nod before following them.
Ferra laughs and poses like an officer giving a salute, she's cute enough to pull it off.
We manage to get a good view of the tavern from behind one of the houses, Ferra keeps telling me we gotta be careful, but something doesn't feel right about skulking around.
Outside the place I can see a bunch of people, Lirien stands out like a sore thumb on his knees next to a few others from town. Should have made him stick with us; he's too damn easy to hold hostage. The rest look like the thugs that kicked my ass before.
One person towers over the rest, he's twice my size. Like a fat, piss yellow Oni, muscular with a big club and little round knubby horns. Has got three suits worth of torn up armor and leather stuck to him like a patchwork blanket.
Some of the thugs argue next to the prisoners, a couple are banging on the door to Trav's, at least Lyria is probably safe inside.
A voice calls out and Ferra clicks her tongue, grabbing a knife on her belt.
"Hey who the fuck are you t-"
She flicks her wrist and the knife flies into the man's stomach.
"Shit too low!"
Ferra turns and pushes me the other way when he starts coughing and screaming for help. Two steps into the road and I hear a familiar voice.
"It's tha poufy haired fuck tha brok my teef!"
The bald guy...shit is 'that' Raymond? Not a chance in hell I would have joined up with these dick heads.
All eyes are on us, baldy looks pissed, the Oni stares quietly with what I think is a scowl but his double chin makes it hard to see.
One of the thugs walks forward, a lanky guy, has a couple knives on his belt and big shiny iron plates over his chest all wrapped up in leather and cloth. He points a long curvy sword at me and smiles in a way that makes me wanna kick his ass.
"Your the whoo~~ole reason, That the boss bothered to even show up, two boys disappear lookin' for a mage? Maybe...but funny funny how you pick a fight with us at the bar later too...It's disrespectful."
He keeps walking with a swagger I've seen too many times picking fights back home. He's too well dressed to be some chump, if I'm going to do this better ask dad for help.
The moment my hands wrap around my belt buckle the swordsman poses, his hand stretched out toward me. Ferra grabs my hear and tugs my head to the side, A metallic glint flies past my face.
"Oh shit-"
She runs forward in the blink of an eye, another small knife plunking off of her own.
He doesn't get upset, he leans forward as she lunges and catches her wrist when she tries to stab him, holding her in the air.
She reaches to her belt and his sword moves through her like she was made of air, faster than my legs could carry me, faster then she ever expected, so fast that I'm not even sure it was real.
He drops her to the ground, the diagonal cut from her hip to shoulder splaying open even as I kneel and try to push everything back into place. Her eyes move to me and focus for just a moment while I try to press the wound closed.
Her eyes are open, that's good! She's still here!
"Lirien!"
No one even tries to stop him from raising his arms and chanting, but nothing happens, he looks shocked...
"What the fuck are you doing fix it! Please!"
He sucks in his lips and looks to the ground.
Ferra's eyes are still open...staring at me...she's looking at me waiting for me to help her...she...
But her eyes don't follow my movement, they just stare up into the sky, empty.
"Use your magic! God Dammit you have magic!"
My throat feels tight, all i can do is yell for her to stay, she just has to stay long enough for the magic to work.
Warm wet metal rests on my neck.
"You brought this on yourself, be a good lesson to the others."
I squeeze her one last time...All her warmth spills out into my jacket...there's nothing else I can do...
The door of the tavern explodes open, Aniki knocking away the men like toys. He roars and rushes toward me, he swings his hammer downward, the swordsman barely catching it with his blade. The sword curls like aluminum foil as the hammer crushes it into his head, folding his skull into his chest in one smooth motion.
His shadow covers both of us, Aniki kneels and grips my shoulder, his bright yellow eyes piercing me through my blurry tears. He shakes his head slowly and stands to face the Oni.
"Sorey...Gōki..."
His words are heavy, it's the first time I've heard him sound so empty.
He takes a stance in front of us ready to fight the whole group.
"Wait! Quit fightin' dammit! Ain't this enough?"
Gralkus marches out of the tavern holding his shield and a mace.
"Ya' wanted revenge, an' ya got it didn't ya'? You know it's ah' deep well o' shit ya' stepped in attackin' here even if ya' think it's justified!"
He looks toward me and Ferra for just a moment, and his voice breaks a little.
"I...we don' need any more kids dying!"
He want's us to just give up...maybe he's right...why even bother...
The Oni shoulders his club and pushes through the thugs, leaning over Gralkus, his voice is deep and breathy, it booms like he's speaking from the bottom of a pit.
"We stepped in shit...Nothing to do now...But wipe it off!"
The club swings down, Gralkus barely catches it with the shield, but the Oni pushes through and crushes him beneath it, the shield folding and splintering along with him.
"You people will learn...The compact will forgive me...I am strong...and you will serve in your weakness..."
He looks into the tavern with a jagged, toothy smile.
"You shall serve me well..."
A muffled sobbing from inside, it sounds like Lyria...
...Is...Is he going to kill her too?
What if it's worse than that...
Ferra...Gralkus...who's next? No! Fuck that! Not anyone else, I won't let him!
I set her down as gently as I can, The wound reopens when I let go, she would understand.
The Oni stares into the tavern, he's distracted, this might be my chance.
I unhook the buckle and grip it tightly, running toward him as fast as I can. My throat hurts, my eyes burn, but I feel strong, strong enough to crush that lumpy piss colored head in.
He sees me coming, none of the thugs try to stop me, he leans forward sticking out his chin, this mother fucker!
"Don't you look down on me you son of a bitch! I'll kill you!"
I felt it, the wind pushing around my hand, the whole world tilting in that one punch, the biggest roundhouse I could ever throw into that shit head's jaw.
He catches my punch with his fat round cheek, it just rests in the skin of his flabby jaw like leftover dinner.
His thick sausage fingers wrap around my chest and squeezes, I feel my ribs popping, like I've been kicked and stabbed again and again all through my chest. The blood rushing to my face and hands, I feel like I'll pop. The world is blurry and dark, for a second all I see is that shitty ugly grin before he throws me into the wall of the tavern. I hear the splintering wood but...I can barely see the ground anymore.
There's screaming...yelling, Lyria? Aniki? Ugh...I keep coughing, my lungs are ripping open.
A big clang shakes the world, Aniki and the Oni slamming their weapons against each other.
Someone is crying, things are clearing up a little, Lirien is holding me and whispering, his face is all twisted up, I try to pat his arm but my hands don't want to listen and just slap at him.
"D-don't hu...t yorsel..."
He nods and wipes his eyes, he finishes up after a moment, I can breathe a little now...but my body feels heavy...My leg is bent funny...shit...Aniki will have to handle things...
Everything's blurry, Ferra will tease me if I miss anything...
Aniki Swings hard, he's shorter then the Oni, but is way better at fighting.
The thugs yell and scream, one gets too close and is thrown to the ground by his bosses backswing. Aniki hammers the fat sack of shit in the side...good, fuck him up.
Someone Throws something and Aniki swats it away, the Oni club comes down hard and swipes his right arm, cracking and twisting around the club before falling limp.
I try to scramble up from the ground, my leg sliding against the dirt, there must be something, I need to help.
Lirien stands up, slowly waving his arms and saying something. Aniki keeps fighting with one hand, dodging and kicking at the Oni, but without the hammer he can't hurt him.
The twisted arm slowly starts snapping back into place, Lirien's voice cracks but he doesn't stop when his own hand begins to creak. He chants faster, a faint glow taking him, little spider webs in the air form between them.
His right elbow bends backward, much further then Aniki's did, the bones turning to pulp twisting and curling before shriveling away into wet meat and shattered bones. Blood runs down from inside his sleeve and he slumps down clutching it, he yells.
"Drashka! Finish it!"
He curls into a whimpering ball as the words leave his mouth, Lyria screams.
"Trav! Let me go let me go let me go! Lirien! Gōki! Everyone is going to die!"
The Oni swings down missing by a hair and smashing a hole into the ground, Aniki steps on the club and swings across the Oni's Jaw, I hear a snap, his neck twisting before he crumples to the ground in a heap.
The thugs panic, running and screaming, Aniki turns to look at me and Lirien.
"Ya did gud boyz...le'z getcha' fix'd up."
He Kneels down next to Lirien scooping him up before doing the same to me...The ride is bumpy...but...This time I think I'll be able to sleep.