Return of the Fallen Volume 9 Chapter 20
After slaying the soldiers by the stream as well as the Mage and the chief, Zephris learned that his family may have already been captured. Without hesitation, Zephris raced into the dense forest. His muscles screaming at him, a mix of burning fire and numbness, he pushed forward anyway. Every so often he ran into a beast and with an insane look on his face, he would cut these animals down again and again as fast as he possibly could before running wildly toward the village.
Even though his mother had fled away from the village to escape the forest, the chief’s words had pulled at Zephris’s instincts. The chief had claimed that a separate group of soldiers went after his mom and sister. The amount of time for them to escape should have long passed but, Zephris knew his mother. She was already tired and she had to carry his sister with her while running.
(Mother could barely keep going. Those soldiers are different though. Even though I led them through the forest by the nose, they still managed to stay at pace and that was many hours. They could last that long while wearing full suits of armor, while mother was already on the verge of collapse. I don’t trust the chief fully but there’s no reason to lie and tell me they’ve been captured. I can simply sneak around the outskirts of the village. If they aren’t there then everything should be fine. I’ll leave the forest and find them. Checking the village before leaving though is an absolute must.)
Zephris continued through the forest without rest.
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Several hours later, Zephris was a short distance from the village but before he had even reached his old home.
“NOOOOO!”
A desperate scream coming from the direction of the village.
Zephris tried to speed up but his body was breaking down and he could hardly even breathe now. A few minutes later, a vine pulled Zephris up and into a tree silently. Once he was in the tree, he could see into the village and was immediately shocked.
(So much…blood!)
Whether it be down on the ground or in the villager’s homes up in the trees, the scene of blood was everywhere. Fires burned all around and the smell of smoke and blood covered this place. Zephris hadn’t been able to see the fire or smoke from before due to the thick forest but now that he was this close, a horror show was on full dispaly.
Bodies were all over the place. Butchered, defiled, and mutilated. Men, women, and children, there was no discrimination between victims. The scream from a moment ago was from a young woman. A soldier was dragging her across the ground, ripping up her clothes and flesh as they went.
The woman screamed some more before the soldier finally got tired of it and pushed his blade deep into her stomach.
“BITCH! SHUT UP ALREADY!”
The woman spit up blood with a painful expression before going limp and then completely still.
Zephris felt sick. All of the mutilated bodies, it was as if the entire village had been slaughtered. Zephris thought he was more mature than others and after taking the lives of man, he even felt colder in both his heart and mind but the moment he saw this sight, his body folded underneath him, and the full contents of his stomach left him as he vomited on the tree.
His body shook and he could feel no more strength within him.
(The chief was right. These soldiers slaughtered the villagers. Does this mean they found out what I did and are taking revenge? Is this all because of me?)
Zephris thought he didn’t care about the villagers. He thought they were cowards and since they did nothing to help his family, he felt they deserved death but the moment he actually saw it, his thoughts flipped. Seeing so many innocent people die so horrendously, who could wish this on anyone.
(Is this all my fault? I….)
As his mind began to swirl into darkness, a voice shouted out.
“We know you’re there! Come out now or we’ll kill the woman and girl!”
Zephris was shocked.
(They know I’m here. Wait, kill the woman and child.)
Zephris managed to gather enough strength to sit up and look back down into the village. Just as he looked downward, a group of soldiers dragged both his mother and little sister out by the hair and threw them down hard onto the ground. His little sister Alta was crying profusely and had cuts all over her arms and legs, while his mother’s shirt was completely ripped away, revealing bruises and fresh cuts all over her upper chest and back.
The moment they were tossed to the ground, Chela wrapped Alta in her arms and protected her from the fall. She held Alta tightly with a vicious look on her face as if she would kill anyone that dares approaches her child. One of the soldiers saw this defiant and dangerous look and proceeded to walk over and kick her in the side of the head.
*Thud*
The kick sent Chela flying and she crashed into the ground. Her head was bleeding but she didn’t care about her injuries at all. She rolled over and tried to crawl toward Alta but then another soldier walked over and stepped hard on her back and placed a blade underneath her neck.
“Keep it up you elf bitch. I’ll slit your throat and then the little one right after.”
Chela’s movements paused as she took this threat seriously.
The other soldiers laughed watching this.
Zephris tried to gather his magic at this moment but found that he had none left. Not only that but the strength of his body had already left him and he was only managing with his will alone.
(I have to help them. Mama, Alta.)
Zephris no longer had any ingredients from the forest nor did he have any plan.
(I can’t just sit here, I have to help them.)
“Still not coming out. Fine! Kill the woman.”
The soldier pinning Chela to the ground smiled hearing this but just before he actually sliced her throat, someone shouted.
“STOP!”
This shout both scared Zephris as well as brought relief.
(Father!)
Grek limped slowly toward the entrance of the village. Zephris went from instant relief to absolute fear. His father was limping and was covered from head to toe in wounds. He looked as if he would die at any moment.
The moment he appeared in front of the village, a few arrows were already pointed at him along with spears, swords, and staffs. Even with these weapons bearing down upon him, Grek remained calm as he entered the village.
Zephris was surprised. The Mages all had their staffs ready to go but none of them attacked. Were they not trying to take revenge when it was serving itself up on a silver platter. Them holding off confused Zephris but then one of the soldiers spoke.
“Yes good, come in nice and slow. Looking at you up close like this, I still can’t believe that you actually killed Lord Ogastx. Even after seeing what was left behind, it’s still unfathomable but the evidence makes it a fact. Knowing that you’re capable of killing Lord Ogastx makes you the most powerful man here. That, in turn, means that after what we’ve done, there would be no way you would simply let us go so we had to do this stupid show of force.”
Grek walked another step closer and the soldier grabbed Alta by the neck and placed his blade on her neck.
“Not another step. Throw that nasty sword of your away, thousand-man slayer.”
Seeing his daughter and wife treated in such a harsh manner, left Grek furious but he could only comply. Even if he were at full strength, to rescue both his wife and daughter from such a distance…it was far too risky. Taking his sword, he tossed it back into the forest.
The moment he did this, a wave of relief spread through these soldiers and Mages. Still, not for even a second did they lower their weapons.
Grek glared at the soldier.
“Now release my wife and kids.”
He said these words calmly but the threat in his voice sent shivers down these people’s spines. Even after throwing away his weapon, Grek still seemed as dangerous as ever, and the tension only rose.
The soldier gave his fellow soldiers a look before looking back at Grek.
“What guarantee do we have that you won’t kill us the moment your wife and child go free!?”
Grek was silent for a moment, causing the atmosphere to feel extremely heavy.
“All I can give you is my word that I won’t kill you.”
The soldier didn’t feel any better hearing.
“Your word, that’s it!?”
Grek spoke coldly.
“The last man who questions my word, and tried to force my hand was Ogastx, and he did not have a good end. My word was something even Ogastx could not overcome. When I say something then it means it’s IRON. I suggest you don’t push things any further.”
No one could dare move hearing this. They were all too afraid. How could they believe such a thing? They all were guilty of such unfathomable cruelty and yet this man would simply let them go because he said he would. After seeing the marks and injuries on his wife and child, he said he would still let them all go free. Everyone was afraid this was some sort of trick and couldn’t trust Grek. Since they couldn’t trust him, they naturally grew even more nervous and the tension was unbearable. So unbearable that one of the archers could no longer hold their bow properly and accidentally slipped.
*Thwoop*
An arrow went flying and struck Grek directly in the back and it pierced out through his chest.
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