The Crimson Claymore

*Disclaimer*

First I would like to thank all of my fans who have faithfully stood by my side.  Thank you for all the votes and comments, and thank you for reading the work I have been focusing on for the past 7 years. Please vote & comment with ideas and any corrections since I'm a horrible editor, though I'm trying. I have changed things in my novel, edits, rewrites, and seperating my long chapters into smaller ones. I've also changed the name of ranzaks to draeyks. Which you'll see on only the first half of my edits on here. Lastly, thank you Evalau for finding my work and enjoying it enough to con Wattpad into featuring it. Thank you everybody.

*End*

Chapter 1:

By Craig A. Price Jr.

            His claymore was in his hands, glowing red, sparkling as he twirled it about to deflect blows from axes all around him. And yet, even as he defended himself against the black scaled reptilian draeyks, the blazing orange eyes he saw in his dreams the night before were still the only thing on his mind. He felt as if those eyes were watching him still, and he could almost swear to have seen them through the thick forest surrounding him. Three draeyks lay dead on the ground surrounding him. The stench of distilled vinegar and rotten eggs brought an awful taste in his mouth, taking away the scent of pine that he treasured so much. Only two of the creatures remained, both cunning warriors, but frightened at his skill with a blade. He didn’t understand why he was having such a hard time killing the savage creatures. For the past three years Searon had been slaughtering a few each and every day, yet it never seemed like it would be enough. There was only one of him and there seemed to be thousands of the wretched creatures. Sometimes it felt as if they would never die, but keep coming back to haunt him in his sleep.

            He charged the two draeyks in front of him, focusing all of his rage for the creatures. Energy compressed into the fury of his clenched fists, passing through them and into his claymore as it grew brighter and brighter with such ferocity of a crimson glow that was nearly blinding even to himself. Each of the creatures blocked his incoming strikes with so much precision that it had him baffled. He tried changing the degree in which he slashed the blade, but the attempt seemed even more useless than what he was doing before. A flash of orange stole his attention as he looked into the oak trees beyond. Before he even heard the click of the crossbow, he felt the searing heat of a bolt entering his left shoulder. Gritting his teeth over a shout of pain, Searon tried to shake off the tingling burn that was running through his veins. He stepped forward, ready to be done with the savage creatures.

            Now three stood in front of him, two with axes held high, and another further back with a crossbow in its grasp. He hated the creatures for all they had done to him, and the fury seemed to overcome him, causing his mind to blackout once more. When he was a child Searon enjoyed playing with snakes and lizards, but now it seemed as if all he wanted to do was destroy them. His reasons were valid, yet he couldn’t find anyone with the same passion against the creatures as he. Searon felt alone in the world with his hatred and his need for vengeance against the draeyks; it was why he sought them out, willing to destroy them for anything: food, coin, whatever could be spared.

It was for coin that Searon found himself here today, soaked by raindrops under a blanket of storm clouds while thunder rattled the ground around him. His boots felt slick against the wet leaves and mud, yet he held his ground. He took a step back and sheathed his claymore in its scabbard. The two creatures in front rushed at him now that he was weaponless. He quickly ducked and dove away from them as the crossbowman locked a bolt into place. One draeyk brought its axe down towards Searon’s head. He reached up and grabbed the weapon as a bolt pierced his forearm. His teeth clenched as a great moan of anguish escaped his mouth, but he did not let go. Despite the excruciating agony, he continued forward, allowing his rage to turn his pain into numbness. He kicked the draeyk in the gut, causing it to drop its weapon, which he was able to snatch before it hit the ground. He twirled the axe in his hands and chopped the overgrown lizard’s scaly skull in two.