Chapter 5: The Burnt Village
Marieyn:
"No.. no.. stay away from me.. don't come closer." I ran along a dirt road, my heart filled with terror.
"Hehehe… come, where do you think you're going? We'll have some fun…" One of the tavern men chased me, twisting his mouth like a chameleon, a wicked smile covering his face.
"No.. ah... no... someone save me.." I screamed for salvation, hoping someone would hear.
But luck betrayed me; I stumbled and fell to the ground, my fear rising and my pulse quickening. I tried to get up, but when I turned my face I found him standing before me cruelly.
"Hehe.. my dear, where did you think you would run? Today, even if the hero himself came, he wouldn't protect you." He said and pounced on me.
"Go away.. no... get away from me." I pushed with my trembling hand, but to no avail. I felt despair and my tears flowed imagining a gruesome end. Suddenly a voice boomed that returned hope to my soul.
"Hey.. what are you doing to my wife? Step away from her immediately." My husband was not far, and if he ran he could reach us within seconds.
I looked toward him, tears flooding my face, "My dear... save me."
"Don't worry.. I'm here.. nothing bad will happen." he said as he pulled out an iron axe with a wooden handle.
"Oh.. wonderful.. I can crush you before that." The attacker stood up, one of Boss Grong's men, brandishing his curved blade.
"Come then, let me see your strength." My husband ran like a madman, his face full of fear, raising the axe with both hands.
When he was about to reach, he swung the axe toward his opponent's head.
But before it hit its target, his movement suddenly stopped.
"Nooo..." I gasped, my hand over my mouth and tears streaming. "My huuusband…!"
"Too weak.. I even yawned before I split you in two." the attacker said as my husband's body was split, his entrails spilling onto the ground.
"Oh.. well." He turned toward me slowly. "Where did we stop? Ah, yes.. now you'll enjoy." He lunged toward me again, but I refused to surrender and fought with all the strength that remained.
"Come on, don't be so stubborn.. chew."
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Rika:
My father spoke in a gentle, tender voice: "O my two little girls, Papa and Mama will go out for a while, so stay here and do not go out no matter what you hear."
"My dear, it's your turn now." He stepped back, his eyes shining; I didn't understand his expression.
Then my mother came. "My clever daughters, your mother loves you very much, even though you two are mischievous. Don't fight. When we return I will tell you bedtime stories. Come to your mother." She hugged us tightly and began to cry.
My father appeared and hugged us all — what a wonderful feeling, my mother and father and my sister and I together. But why is mama crying? It's just the hiding game, isn't it?
"Come on my dear, it's time to leave." The hug ended and they stood up.
"Dad... Mom..." my seven-year-old sister said when she saw father close the closet.
After a while of waiting I heard a knock at the door.
Dong dong dong.
"Is anyone here? It's the butcher, I want to give you some meat for free."
Dong dong dong.
"Is anyone there?"
Dong dong dong.
"Alright, if you don't open I'll get angry… then I'll sell your meat."
Suddenly I heard a thud and something falling.
"What do you think now…"
"Go to hell, get away from my family."
"Arrghghgh."
"Tch... another man didn't give up. Let's hope your wife won't be like him, I really need the money."
"Hmm…"
"Don't come near, I'll kill myself."
"Alright.. be reasonable, don't rush.. we'll settle this peacefully."
"I said stop."
"No. Damn it, she gutted herself, where will I get money?"
"Damn... damn... I swear that when I reach the next house I'll cut off each one's hands."
"Ugh... regret won't help now, why is my luck so bad."
I didn't understand whose voice that was, what happened to my mother and father? I'm scared. I hugged my little sister and began to cry silently.
After several seconds the strange man stopped talking, and he looked at my little sister and she said: "What's wrong? Is it over? Will they return?"
"I don't know, father told us to wait until he returns." I patted her head.
"Alright." She smiled a bright smile with traces of tears.
We waited a long time and my sister's patience began to run out.
"Dad is very late. I've waited so long. Let's go out, maybe Dad is playing hide-and-seek with us and is tricking us by hiding, let's look for him." she said with rosy cheeks and a shiny smile.
"But... Dad said..." I hesitated.
"Come on, don't be boring now, surely Dad is playing with us." She stood up and went to open the door.
"Wait…" I said.
"No…" My sister opened the door without looking ahead. "See? There's nothing strange, right?" she asked me. I couldn't find what to say; my blood went cold and my mouth dried from fear — is he here? Who is this? Father? Mother?
"What's wrong with you? Are you sick?" She noticed my face wet with tears, crawling backward and I extended my hands pointing toward the door.
My sister, unaware of what was happening, followed my finger's direction to look — a huge man stood smiling devilishly, his body covered in blood stains.
"Wow... they deserved to die to hide such treasure. I'll make a fortune. Who said I'm not lucky... hahaha."
My little sister began to wet her dress. Oh, father and mother... where are you?
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Old Man Roderick:
"Please... please.. have mercy on me.. I have only two grandchildren, there's no one else to take care of them.. please, have mercy on us." I grabbed the legs of one of Boss Grong's group members, pleading for intercession for me and my poor grandchildren.
"Old man, haven't you lived enough? What do you think about bidding farewell to the world, and I will take care of your grandchildren." An evil smile appeared on that man's face when he spoke.
"No.. no... please mercy.. please." My face blanched, a fearful pulse in my heart after I heard his words.
"Goodbye.." He drew his sword from its sheath and pointed at my back. Then he stabbed the sword into my back with no mercy in his eyes.
I was pinned to the ground by the sword, an excruciating pain appeared in my middle, but I did not die immediately. Thus I could see that man heading toward my house. This is what I can offer you, my grandchildren, of time... I hope you managed to escape…
After the man reached the door, he did not bother to knock or beg to have it opened. He lifted his leg and struck with all his strength, causing the door to open naturally but very quickly. He entered through the door.
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Fynn:
"Children, grandfather is waiting outside. Hurry up and go play with him." A different voice appeared while I was hiding under the bed of one of the rooms in the house. I covered my ten-year-old terrified sister's mouth, and from time to time tried to calm her. "Don't worry, everything will be fine. It will be over when he leaves." A little sweat appeared on my face as I thought of my grandfather.
After a while of waiting and listening to the man's voice who seemed to be enjoying what he did, as if he were playing hide-and-seek with us. Will he not give up?
My patience began to vanish into thin air. Suddenly, as if the man had responded to my calling, he reached the room where I was hiding under the bed.
I could see the man's legs in front of the bed. "Shhh..." heavy sweat appeared on me. My sister's face turned blue from fear or from suffocation, I didn't know.
"Tch... where are they? Could it be that old man lied to me about their presence? I swear I'll tear him to pieces." the man said angrily.
I rejoiced at the opportunity that he might leave us. But, unfortunately, the opposite happened. Suddenly the man lowered his face and looked under the bed. "I've found the rats... heehee."
"Come, come to the new shepherd." The man put his hand in order to grab and pull my sister. But what he didn't know was that I had a knife in my other hand to stab it into his hand.
"Arghgh... arghghgh... what?!" He pulled his hand quickly from the hole to find that it had been stabbed with a knife.
"Argh... you filthy rats! You have some nerve... you will see..."
That man raised his leg and sent a kick toward the bed to expose me and my sister.
I must get up and attack him. Or so I thought, until the man sent a kick to my stomach.
"Argh..."
"How dare you... how dare you challenge my master.." He continued and sent another blow toward me.
This is painful... this is painful.... this is painful. I feel nauseous. As soon as he saw me, at his feet I began to cry and beg.
"Sorry... sorry..."
"My ass is hairy.... be grateful, just because of my poverty and your little sister being somewhat pretty. You will fetch a good amount of money... tch."
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Arthur:
'This is awful... what is happening here... like the films back on Earth.' I thought as I watched Boss Grong's men killing, beating, and burning houses.
Why?!... why is it only... I ended up in a world like this... there is magic, so-called abilities, that's a good thing, but not this good.
Damn my luck, I didn't do anything bad, and I end up as a slave. Before this I was a young master of a powerful family. Things turn like the seasons, truly.
I remember one bad thing I did: I stole my mother's money when I was ten years old. Because of that I got beaten on my butt until it turned red.
I don't think that's the reason I ended up here. Wait! Is it because of the indecent magazine under the bed? ... Also I don't think so. It's definitely my luck.