Chapter 6: Run or Fight

* I felt silly to have accepted the help of this doctor without flinching and the look Jess had been giving me since we left reminded me of it over and over. But if there was a slim chance of saving her then I was a taker. Of course once at the camp everyone began to stare at me. Our camp was quite large with a majority of bad color. The others were mixed with ordinary citizens of the duchy who did not adhere to their ideology. As far as I knew the North did not belong to anyone. It was a vast mountain range that had become the powder keg of this continent. But given the relentlessness of the duchy to want to seize it, it could only be a large reserve of natural resources *.

-You're okay ? * Lars asked *. You look out of breath. I can carry your bag if you want.

-No thanks. You just have to....

* I couldn't take it anymore. A few steps in front of the tent where my mother was supposedly hospitalized treated with traditional medicine, I began to suffer the consequences of my reinforcement donation, it must be said that I kept it for a long time in case we were followed *.

- Go sit down.

* Jessie got rid of my bag as I sat down in front of the tent. The old witch then arrived and gave me her usual hateful look. Athena had really reincarnated me in the wrong tribe. But never mind that it only makes the challenge more exciting, especially since I'm curious to know how Elysion was going to turn the tide. Then lost in my thoughts the old skin accosted me and planted its stick in front of me *.

- Or were you a young demon. You were only allowed to hunt until 5 p.m. But it is clearly dark there.

* Jessie and Lars stared at me for fear that I might say something stupid, but the old woman didn't scare me. Mine as a mother in my old life made me crash worthy of an MMA champion so this one looked like the 2nd division of league 1 to me *.

-Answer. What's in this bag.

-It's none of your business, old lady.

* I got up dragging my bag but the second I passed her she pulled it by force which made some boxes of medoc fall. All eyes were on me as the old woman looked at me with horror. No longer having a choice, I nodded to Jessie *.

-Go ahead, I'll cover you. * I screamed *.

* Jessie came out of the ranks and rushed to the backpack before disappearing into my mother's tent *.

-Hope these meds are worth it. * She said *.

-Pray to God. * I replied *.

* I put myself in front of the entrance with my old rifle on the cheek, preventing anyone from approaching. Seeing this, they started to move back in fear *.

- Softly Nahel. * Said a man *. It's not a toy that you hold there...

- I know very well Uncle Omar that's why he's pointed at you.

-Even if you fire this gun can only fire one shot at a time.

-That's why I keep bullets between my fingers. * I replied *. So yes you will come. At 3 or at 4 same. But I will have already weighed 2 or 3.

* Pure bluff. I should have been an actor in my old life. Exhausted as I was, I couldn't do anything against them except hold them squarely. What made them hesitate was the fact of having seen me unhinge a herd of deer 6 weeks ago. Continuous non-stop shooting by inserting one cartridge after another. No doubt that in the best of my form I could have easily crushed them *.

-Nahel, I don't know what's happening to you, but you're going to land THIS RIFLE RIGHT NOW.

-I knew this child is cursed. * Screamed the old woman *.

* I was fed up with this chorus it had to stop. If I wanted to build an army worthy of facing the duchy, I would have to gain the confidence of others *.

-Will you're going to shut it up with your demon ? * I tell him bluntly *.

* My way of expressing myself shocked more than one *.

- Oh Did you saw me grow horns on my forehead eh? Demon demon you've been screaming this since I was born but you're just too dumb to realize I'm a normal kid.

* Good joke but they don't know either *.

-Nahel watch your tongue. * Said my uncle *.

-Look at me. * I say, lowering my gun hand on my chest *. Is it the look of a demon that you see? * I screamed *.

* I felt most of them intimidate by my words but I didn't stop there *.

-I hunt twice as much game as any adult. I'm the best tracker, the best scout the best runner, I'm good at housework and I even know how to cook, holy shit.

* Do not believe it too much, in my old life I ordered pizzas, the maximum of cooking was an egg. But then tears began to flow from my eyes *.

-All I ask is to be able to heal the one that gave me the least.

* And I was sincere. This woman, not my mother, was too nice a person to die in this lost hole. I refused to let her end up training by this camp and its customs from a dubious era. My uncle had approached and wanted to take my rifle from me, but I raised my head and gave him a murderous look *.

-Don't touch my gun, old man.

* The pressure I put on him made him take a step back. It was then that my father arrived, gun in hand, his cowboy hat on his head *.

-Elias is doing something. * Said my uncle with his foreign accent *. Your son has gone mad. He pointed a gun at the old one and threatened me with his uncle.

* My father came towards me ignoring my uncle. My heart began to beat dreading the punishment. It is true that for once I had crossed the line. But he stared at the crowd *.

-I don't see how he got mad.

* Definitely this father was the best *.

-Tell me Omar, how far would you go to save our mother if she was sick?

-I will climb the highest mountain if I have to.

-Exact. So what's wrong with him doing the same ?! Children love their mother it is in the natural order of things and if necessary he will break all the prohibitions to protect her.

* I felt them retract upon hearing his words *.

-But you are just a bunch of cowards who only hide behind the words demons and cursed to justify their own incompetence. My son is not on that side.

* He took me squarely in his arms and raised my arm up *.

-Hold it well. His name is Nahel Keith Rashford. And the next one calling him demon again will have to deal with me. * Shouted my father *.

*I was shocked. My father's words had silenced them all and they were banned. At that moment Jessie came out of the tent sweaty *.

-Aunt Mara felt better now. Her fever has subsided.

* Hearing this a broad smile crept on my lips. After that I watched at his bedside for days. Her health has improved significantly since *.

- In the end, you were right, Dr. Draxler. *I said*.

-You Must have seen Keith in tears when he found his mother healthy Doc. * Lars mocked *. It looked like a madeleine.

* I stuck out my tongue at him literally like a kid then gave him the middle finger which left him speechless. I gave him a sly smile and then returned to my story *.

-By the way doctor, I noticed you packed your bags. Are you going on a trip?

-Oh yes it's true that you don't know. * He said as he searched on a shelf *. The peace conference ended up being successful.

* Oh damn .... The conference. It's been a week now I had completely forgotten. And I still haven't done my report to Athena. The poor must stress to death *.

-It was a disaster. * Said the doctor *. Well, I shouldn't say that as Elysion's doctor, but I think it was a bad idea.

-What is happening ?

-The duke wants to redeploy his troops from the North to the West and push the invader out of our lands. The war continues. In addition, it provides for the withdrawal of troops from the North to come to the aid of those in the West.

-Yaaaas ...

* Lars and Jessie started to feast, waving all over the room, but I couldn't laugh. Maybe because I had seen how this little bastard from Ares' envoy was. Once the situation in the East is stable these bastards would then have plenty of time to impose a peace treaty to their advantage on Sunthunder and once that is done the next target will be * ...

-No no no....

-What's wrong Keith, you're not happy? * Jessie asked *.

-There is nothing to celebrate. * Continued Draxler *. I heard one of the commanders say that since he was posted west he was going to mount an expedition north to burn down a rebel encampment northwest of here.

-To the northwest ? * We were surprised *.

*Impossible. How do we get them? Someone betray us? Later on witch hunts you had to hurry to prevent them. On the way, I was careful not to use my donation, especially since, according to the doc's statement, the attack would take place in the evening around 7 p.m. The hardest part was convincing my father and the other members of the camp. Once there, I took refuge in the tent where my father and other lieutenant was, including my uncle *.

- You again? You'll also tolerate him interrupting our meetings now.

-I hope it is....

-Gather everyone in the yard I have to talk to you.

* It was done in a few minutes. We do not discuss the chief's orders. Now that I had their attention there was still the badass part. I took a breath before speaking *.

-My brothers my sisters I believe that since the day of my birth you do not love me. And that's good because I don't like you either.

* And even I do not hide it *.

-But if there's one thing I'm sure it's that I care about this camp that my father took so long to build. So, stupid as you all are, I'll do my best to help you no matter what.

* I felt they were in a hurry to get to the point so I wasn't going to keep them waiting *.

-Every hour while I went hunting Lars caught a patrol of the man in green.

* The word man in green designating the soldiers of the duchy I felt that they understood *.

-The latter said they had spotted our camp and wanted to launch an assault for revenge. Lars can you tell me exactly what time?

- Around 7 p.m. * He replied promptly *.

-If this is the truth there is only one thing left to do. However, I am not the leader or master of your destiny so I let you choose the course to follow.

* I got off my pedestal and leaned back next to Jessie, keeping my gun to my shoulder. Although I let my father speak, everyone was staring at me *.

-Are you sure of your information? * Asked my father *.

-Lars responds. * he say, nudging him on the elbow *.

-As if the almighty himself had whispered it to me. * He said touching his strange locket *.

-Very well. Since it's like that .... EMPTY THE CAMP * He ordered in an energetic voice *.

* Of this simple order the whole camp was on the point of emptying itself. We were probably going to have to flee and hide in the mountains. I won't be seeing Draxler again for a while. Though, a lightning flashed through my brain and it wasn't a new ability. I approached my father confidently and stared him straight in the eye *.

-P ... Father tells them to leave the camp as it is.

-Listen son this is really not the time. Especially since we'll discuss your driving later.

* I pulled his shirt off, forcing him to look me in the eye *.

-Let's ambush them.

* I think my father had never heard anything so crazy. The proof is he was speechless. In the evening our friends from the Duchy showed up at the time of the meeting. It was a convoy of 3 trucks two cars and a few motorcycles. On paper that gave a hundred soldiers from the duchy very angry against twenty homeless campers. But experienced campers and hunters *.

-This is just another hunting trip. Do not be afraid.

* I don't know how he managed to convince them, but I almost ended up believing that he was an envoy too. On arriving the chief of soldiers got out of his sedan. Finding a completely deserted but intact camp without the slightest sign of flight. As if the inhabitants had turned to dust *.

-But what is that? Where did they go. * He yelled *.

- Can someone be warned? * Proposed a soldier *.

-No it's impossible.

-Yet it seems to me very deserted my commander.

- Obviously he's deserting, I'm not blind. In short, look for traces.

* Pissed off the commander spilled the chicken soup Lars had left for later. I felt him come up suddenly but I motioned for him to stay cool. It was then that a place caught the chef's attention. While heading towards my father's tent he did not see the thread that I had placed on the ground. He triggered my trap and an explosion sounded *.

-It was what ? * Asked one of the soldiers *.

* He was right to ask. After all, his boss was lying on the ground dying. I gave the signal to the elders and they headed towards the sentries left behind near the vehicles *.

-What was that? * Lars asked me *.

* I gave him a smirk *.

-This shit my friend, it's called a claymore.

* Aaah the claymore. It is because it caused damage to Vietnam. As a reminder, a claymore is above all an extremely heavy two-handed medieval sword. But since the 20th century it has become an anti-personnel mine. A case filled with nail that simultaneously disperses over more than 1000 meters seconds. Even if mine was far from equaled that of the American army, a case filled with nails and 1/4 of dynamite is enough for me. This poor guy was covered in it from trunk to face and was crying for help despite the nails at the back of his throat. The other soldiers coming to his aid unleashed the other claymores in their turn.

- It's crazy they are panicking. * Said an adult *.

* Obviously. Night vision still does not exist. And it was not with two torches that they were going to light up. In addition, the elders had in accordance with the plan correctly slaughtered the sentries without making noise and bringing back the ammunition boxes *.

-It's the one you wanted isn't it? * Asked my uncle *. It is only wooden sticks.

* A mean smile spread over my face *.

-Oh no no. This is a grenade. * I replied *. You pull out the pin * I say pulling it out *. and you have 5 seconds before everything breaks out.

* I swung the wooden stick squarely which exploded in mid-flight but wounded a few soldiers. Seeing its devastating power, this backward band began to throw them on the camp. If I say retarded it's because apart from Lars and I none of them had removed the pin *.

-What did I do to deserve this? * Thought I *.

* Anyway 2 in 10 grenades was more than enough to create panic. The soldiers started to flee and those who did not fall into my uncle's traps were shot like rabbits by the sniper unit and my father. The battle lasted less than ten minutes with in all and for all zero deaths in our ranks but many wounded in the enemy. The cry of victory echoed in the mountain and Jessie pounced on me, hugging me very tightly *.

-We did it we did it. Thanks to you we recovered their vehicle and their weapons. *She says*. Without losing anybody else.

* I don't think I had been so happy for a very long time *.

-Hm I see you two are surprisingly close.

- Don't be jealous, Lars. * She said giving him a mean wink *.

* But she finally squeezed him in turn and I saw her cheeks blush *.

-You are too suceptible my little Lars. * Thought i *

* After the battle I contacted Athena to report back to her. I didn't have a special medallion, I just had to make a fire in the bush and presto her spirit appeared. Spirit that I have sometimes wanted to put in a bottle given the size *.

-Athena I ....

- I already know. * Did she cut it *. You were right. War is inevitable.

-I don't know if it's his doing but if he's a 10 year old boy he's really amazing.

-You have nothing to envy him. The plan you drew up tonight was worthy of Vlad Tepes' guerrillas

-You really like to compare me with pyschopaths eh?

- Anyway the fact is that you have succeeded in awakening 2 of your gifts even before your maturity. And tonight you offer your first victory to my glory. * She said as I felt the energy around her panic *.

-Do not turn on Athy we are at the very beginning. * Tell him I'm embarrassing *.

-Athy? Anyway, what do you plan to do now?

-Mountains, forests, arduous paths. Isn't that obvious? * say I giving him my friendly smile *. I'm gonna turn the North into a fucking Neo Vietnam. Haha

* At that moment I felt that she had a few cold sweats seeing the head I was pulling but I was pounding my balls royally *.

* Definitely I love this world *.

* End of chapter *