MoonBlade

MoonBlade: Chapter 6: A Strange Party

CHAPTER 6

A Strange Party

Airic didn't dare move. He even silenced his breath, least it offend their attacker. Barely a few feet in front stood Angela, as still as him. She was in shock. Her eyes were locked on the arrow in front of her eyes, inches away from her face. Airic too stared at the piece of wood, mapping its direction. Unfortunately, their attacker had chosen well and used the innumerable bushes to blend into the forest. But how long would he just wait there? And why was he- Of course!

"Angela, run!" Airic yelled as hard as he could. The effect worked and Angela was jolted into action. She stumbled only for a moment but immediately followed her brother's orders. Had their attacker's weapon already been loaded, that fumble would have been Angela's last. Fortunately, it wasn't so. They'd never heard the weapon being reloaded. It bought them a few precious moments. But would they be enough? Airic knew that it wasn't possible. But here in came his second plan. Gathering more courage in that moment than he ever had in his life, Airic jumped into the bushes, screaming his heart out.

He was expecting an arrow right to the chest but instead, he crashed into a man. Without a thought, Airic launched himself into a fury of kicks and punches. The attacker was taken aback by Airic's actions and suffered a lot at the hands of the kid before recovering...but he did recover. Sure, Airic had managed to land three quick blows to his head but from the looks of it, the man had survived a lot more. All it took from him was one push and Airic was thrown to the ground. He hadn't even fallen completely to the earth when he caught himself staring at the tip of a loaded crossbow.

For the first time, Airic was able to see the face of his attacker, and it wasn't a very pretty one. For starters, his messy hair, which poked right into his eyes, had lost all signs of luster and hanged on like an old carpet. His mouth was opened wide, displaying the tattered lips and beast-like teeth. And then of course, was the smell. Airic might as well have died due to his breath rather than the crossbow in his hands, a death that was going to be generously granted to him.

Saving himself the sight, Airic closed his eyes. The blow would be quick and hopefully, painless.

"Say your prayers, boy."

Of course, the man didn't mean it literally, but just for the sake of it, Airic prepared himself. For the last time in his life, he absorbed all that he could, from the chirping of the birds to the sound of the creaking crossbow. And finally,

"Brawl, stop!" roared a rugged voice.

At first Airic didn't realize what was happening. But then, from the corner of his eye, he saw the man taking his finger off the trigger. He was saved!

The bushes were ruffled and suddenly, burst out a man no smaller than the one holding Airic down. The newcomer wore the same kind of animal hide as on Airic's attacker, except that the one on him wasn't rotting away. Indeed, the differences were quite apparent. The newcomer was a tiny bit taller, a little older and certainly a lot more handsome. And also the thick eye patch hanging loosely over one of his eyes gave him a rugged war-hardened look. At his command, the man atop Airic, apparently named Brawl, moved away grinding his teeth and faced the newcomer.

"This scavenger was after my food!" He screamed. Airic didn't like the way he was pointing that crossbow towards him.

"Food that you've laid out like a trap!"

Their coarse words sent fresh chills down Airic's spine.

"Trap or no trap,' the man yelled, 'I hold the right to kill these thieves."

Airic took in a heavy gulp.

"Yes, that you do,-'

He was about to faint.