V2Ch110 New Hostage

When Aquila realized that the end of the beach was within sight, she seemed to sober out of her amusements. She stopped ahead and turned to face us.

"Lake, Babur. I think I've made up my mind."

She took a breath.

"I'd like to know something first."

She leaned forward a bit before she stood up straight.

"Even after you saw me stealing from your backpack... Do you really want me to come with you?"

"Well. Never know, your skills could come in handy."

She cocked her head to the side.

"That's not an..."

"Yes. I would like you to come with us."

After seeing so many birds with extremely limited emotional faces, it was amusing to see her smile.

"Then, I guess that's settled."

She turned her side to us and looked out over the ocean.

"I'm going with..."

*Shink*

"...You...?"

An arrow had pierced her chest. I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing. Her eyes went wide and she stumbled forward.

"SURROUND THEM!"

A voice called out from the edge of the swamp.

I moved forward to catch Aquila before she could fall forward.

"Aquila?!"

No response. She was already dead.

"Ny'll kill them..."

Babur's voice was slow and calm but, there was a fury behind it that I had never heard before. I gently lowered Aquila's head to rest in the sand. I stood to face our aggressors.

I feel as though my thoughts are calm and collected but, my face... It feels twisted and contorted. It's as if I can't hold back my emotions through my own will. Both fury and sadness were overtaking me. Like a battle of the titans, they fought over which one would prevail and show on my face.

I hadn't known Aquila very long. She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve death.

And yet... This may have been my own fault. Why was I willing to drag her into hostile territory? Why did I not just end those hoodlums and let her go home?

I felt arrows pierce my body. I let my backpack slide down my arms and hit the beach. I was staring at the sand in front of me this entire time. I raised my head to see those that would do harm.

A people that I had not seen before. These must be the anuran. A tall and slender frog-like race. Fat in the face with a tadpole tail still attached. Variations of green and blue skin. About a dozen or so. Minus the three that Babur had ruthlessly torn apart already.

I took a few steps forward. Babur was too absorbed in her current kill to notice the one behind.

"BABUR! BEHIND YOU...!"

Too late.

I was distraught but at the same time, I was happy. She was only knocked out from a hit to the back of her head. If I had lost her...

"Don't move."

Two of them held up Babur and a third held a blade to her neck.

"And don't think about using the time slowing toy. My... associate... told me all about it and gave me something to counter it. You move, she dies. You slow time, she dies. Get the picture?"

Now... Now I've even fucked up with Babur. I should have been out there fighting with her and I just stood here like an idiot...

"What do you want?"

I looked back down to the sand at my feet in defeat. What else can I do besides get information?

"I've heard all about you. The fact that you are still standing with that many arrows in you is all the proof that I need. Proof that what I was told is correct. You are unique. Not something to be admired. You are a unique problem for me. I need you to go away. We have plans for an invasion of Heiarch. This is to be a secret invasion to be executed on the next full moon. If it looks like they prepared for us, I am going to assume you warned them and she will also be subject to death. I don't want to see you anywhere near the battlefield, either. I don't ever want to see your face again. This kitten will be kept as insurance."

"What was the point in coming after us? We were about to go south. I never had any intentions of coming back. Why pursue someone who was going the opposite direction?"

"Well. It was for two reasons. My associate was also threatening to be a thorn in my side if I didn't come to find you. He told me that you might be convinced to come back and help the griffons if you ever caught wind of our plans. Bleeding heart, or whatever."

That fucking dwarf...

"Now, hold on. I can see some turmoil building. Remember who is here with us. Now, we are gonna back away. As long as you don't follow us, she won't be hurt. Got it?"

I raised my head just enough to barely look at them.

"Your associate may have told you a few things. But, he didn't have all the details about me. I just want you to know a few things. Anyone who harms her will die. Starting with the prick that knocked her out."

"Hold on, slow your roll..."

I lowered my voice to make it sound as devilish as possible when I say the next part.

"If she dies... I won't have anything holding me back from wiping the Swamplands off of the map."

They all stared in awe before a few of them snickered.

"Eh, heh. Yeah. Sure. Whatever excuses you wanna make up. Just remember, if anyone sees you..."

They backed away until they were out of sight. I clenched my hands so tight that I broke the skin. I tore the arrows out of my body and threw them on the ground.

I was about to let out a scream as I stepped back. I bumped into something. I looked down and was reminded of my late traveling companion. I lowered myself to my knees and picked her up off of the sand. I couldn't leave her like this. Nor in this place.

I carried her back to the border of the Plaines Lands. I had no shovel so I used my hands to dig her grave near the edge of a cliff by the ocean. I buried her with the five gold I had promised her.

I started walking toward Heiarch. There was no way I would restart my journey to Tianret until Babur was safe.

I had no idea what to do next, though. I can't just go after Babur. I can't warn or help Heiarch.

I was a fair distance from the shore by now. I started lashing out at my surroundings. Kicking rocks. Punching trees. I felt like I was being driven insane in my helpless state. It was beyond frustrating!

"ERRRRAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"

I slammed my fist into the ground with as much power that I could possibly put behind my punch. At least, I thought I did. The ground was left with a large crack but, I know I've done more damage in the past. And once again, my fist was shattered. I thought I had gotten past this.

In my confusion, I only then began to notice that the ground around me began to glow a bright orange in a large circle. I seem to remember a similar situation once before where my strength was diminished and...

"An explosion..."

I had no time.

*BOOOOOOM*

I was launched into the air, far above the tallest trees over the border in the Swamplands. High enough that I could see Heiarch in the distance. My body felt weak from the force of the blast that it had just endured. I couldn't control my descent. My body wouldn't move.

I watched helplessly as my face hit the ground without any sort of cushion.

I found myself in my darkness. The last thing I remembered was falling. I have no clue if I've been out for a while or not. I stood up and observed the lights around me.

"A new light..."

A pale yellow light is now next to the one that I use to summon Anger.

I guess... There is nothing else to do but summon the new resident in my head.

I walked over. The trademark, extended time frame for the first time summon was ever-present. Something was slightly different. The other lights would turn on as if a switch had flipped and they would instantly brighten up. This one seemed as though it had a dimming slider. It gradually got brighter and brighter until...

"Hello..."

A male voice echoed through the darkness. It was deep and resounding.

"Don't you find this place, ever so... FRUSTRATING?"