The Volgius vs the Grim Reaper

Teisha shivered. Sting could feel that she was afraid. Up until now, she had been translating his words but this time she didn't.

"Hey Teisha, what did he say?"

Teisha refused to speak. She was feeling bad for herself. She was her usual self back then. The girl who wallowed in darkness.

Sting sighed. He then placed his warm hand on her shoulder. "He must have said something bad about you, right? But don't worry, I know who you are."

Teisha then hugged her. "My Lord."

"Alright, when we get back to my place I'll give you as many chocolate bars as you want."

"So they are called chocolate, huh? Yes, I want more of those." Teisha's eyes were watery, she then nodded gleefully. She then spoke what the adventurer said with honesty.

Sting understood that Teisha was from the beast-men race. They were seen as feral creatures more than a thinking human. Thus, why they were so wary of her.

The adventurer spoke again. "Don't get fooled. They may act like humans, but when the full moon comes they turn into an abomination."

Teisha gritted her teeth. She said it to Sting hesitantly, but it was translated word for word. She was now expecting Sting to hate her, shun her and even hurt her. She was willing to leave the horse if Sting wanted to.

It happened to her back then. The people have always looked at her like she was a monster.

Sting then rubbed her hair. "There's no way a pure girl like you is a monster. Even if you are, I still see you as the chocolate-loving naive girl."

Teisha then began sobbing as she hugged him. He then glared at the adventurers. His eyes were fierce. "If you see someone like her as a monster, then you haven't seen enough of me."

It sent some chills on their spine. The adventurers saw that this person didn't feel any fear even though he didn't have any blades or swords on him. He might be a fool or competent. "Who the hell do you think you are?!"

The adventurers felt insulted.

"You act too tough, eh?"

"Don't you know who we are? We are the adventurers of the capital. We've slain beast-men tougher than that thing. I'm Rezan the team leader of the Falcon Knights Adventurer." He spoke elegently expecting Sting and the beast-man to even kneel in front of him. "Without us, most of the villages and towns you see are already destroyed by beasts."

The Falcon Knights Adventurer have been the peace keeper in these areas for a long time. They've been highly recognized by the villagers, nobles and even from the King. Anyone who has been living in this land would know of their name.

"I don't give a shit. Besides I advice you to move. You've been blocking our path." Sting grabbed his Barrett. Since it was close range things might be hard. But he once encountered a scenario like this before. He just needed to act fast than them.

But then they heard screams of anguish from the distance. An echoing roar also followed.

The adventurers returned to the horses. "Curse you. We'll settle this for later. So you better stay there." They then went away in hurry.

Sting followed them as well. He was motivated to hunt that beast. Before, Sting was a hunter who shot down deers in the forest whenever he sets out overseas. The hunger of a hunter was brewing up inside of him. The pleasure of taking down his prey was thrilling. The Vogius was on his radar.

"My Lord, what should we do now?"

"Pursue them," Sting said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, besides we can't leave the lives of the townsfolks to those men who have their head up on their asses. The way they treat ordinary people is revolting just because they are adventurers."

Teisha nodded. "Alright." She shook the halter and the horse followed where they were going.

***

In a village composed of small huts with thatched roofs. The villagers were running for their lives. Vogius, a giant lion almost the size of their house were slamming against their homes. Its limbs were thick as a pillar and its claws were like a curved swords.

The brave villagers tried to stab it with their rakes but they were swiftly devoured by the Vogius.

All they could do as to flee from its wrath. But then, hope returned to them after seeing the mighty adventurers from the capital.

"Everyone! Don't fret! We are here!" The adventurers made a heroic entrance. The team leader Rezan aimed his sword at the Vogius along with their archer, Shiand the alt-mage, Minnie. They readied their weapons.

The archer shot out his arrow and it struck the Vogius' back. It managed to pierce but it wasn't enough to kill it.

The alt-mage was casting her spell. It took about five seconds before she threw a fireball yet it only burnt its skin.

The villagers were glad to see them. "We have been saved!"

"It's the adventurers from the capital!"

"Bless the twin gods."

The Vogius was stunned for a second since it got bothered by the attacks. In fact, once its attention turned to the adventurer it got even more pissed. Its strident shout caused them to halt. Their eardrums almost bled.

"Look out!" Shouted the villagers.

The Vogius pounced on their alt-mage and stomped on her body with its paws. She was now a mush of blood and flesh.

The adventurers' jaws dropped. "Mera! No!"

The burly adventurer with a halberd charged. He held his weapon firmly and posed to strike. "You bastard!"

The Vogius noticed him. It swung its giant arm at him and struck him. The adventurer with a halberd got flung out like a rag doll and slammed upon a trunk. He groaned and fell to the ground.

"Hekki!" He may look wrecked but thankfully he was still alive.

The team leader Rezan readied his sword. "Shi provide support." He said to the archer.

The archer aimed again and the other alt-mage named Minnie was casting her spell. "You'll pay for what you did to Mera!"

The team leader Rezan charged at the Vogius. The Vogius swung its claws on him to which he barely dodged by crouching. The archer was firing and the alt-mage were shooting out high energy water jets. It distracted the Vogius.

The team leader took the opportunity then ran again and struck its rib with his sword. It pierced through. "Ya!" He was happy since he no finally got the Vogius.

The villagers cheered. "I knew it! The adventurers are awesome!"

"We are finally saved!"

"Thank God!"

But to his surprise, the Vogius was still on its feet. "Eh?"

Fear and tension was still present on the battlefield. The Vogius' tail swung and harshly whipped the plates of armor from his body. The team leader groaned as blood came out from his mouth, he then flew off towards the villagers and slammed on the wall.

"Ah!" A villager screamed after seeing him in that state.

"It's hopeless!"

"What should we do!"

"Even the adventurers couldn't handle a Vogius."

The archer was worried. "Rezan! What should we do?" The team leader was unconscious and he was barely hanging.

"Run!" Said the team leader from his dying breath.

It was the first time, they encountered a fully grown Vogius. They never thought it would be this strong. Even its tail had more force than its limbs. The remaining adventurers fell on their knees. Truly it earned its title as the King of the forest.

Since it was no use in fighting. The archer's jaw fell his eyes were tainted in fear. He then ran away. "I'm sorry guys!"

The alt-mage Minnie was surprised. "Hey! We can't leave them here."

Bang!

After a piercing noise that resembled a thunder, everyone was surprised. The forehead of the Vogius was holed. Blood were flowing from out of it.

But it was still alive. It shrieked from anguish and became furious

Sting was found deep in the woods on his position with his sniper ready to shoot again. It looks like its skull was as thick as a shell of a tank.

Sting was confident in his sniping skills. No matter the distance he could accurately shoot his target as long as the conditions were met. He now aimed for the eyes. "I can do this!"

Before, during his missions, he had difficult targets like these. This time he had to shoot the eye so his bullet could penetrate its skull. Its eyes were the size of a bowling ball so it was not impossible to hit. It was its only weakness.

The Vogius was still conscious and weakened but with the right timing. Bang!

Its eye ball burst out. The Vogius finally fell down lifelessly on the ground with a heavy thud.

"Eh?"

"Huh?"

The villagers and the remaining adventurers were confused. They couldn't process what just happened.

In the forest, Sting was holding his Barrett and his eyes were fiercely staring at the scope. He then stood up and slung his weapon on his back.

Sting and Teisha revealed themselves to the village. He had her cover his head with his jacket so that she wouldn't frighten the villagers. The only outer difference between a beast-man and a human after all were the ears and tail. The tail was relatively easier to hide.

Looking around, the adventurers and the villagers were now tending to their wounded. Some sat down on the grasses to relieve themselves, while others were repairing their damaged homes.

The adventurers were mourning on their companion. The archer, Shi was gritting his teeth and their alt-mage couldn't forgive herself.

The other two who used melee weapons were still alive though most of the bones in their bodies were broken. They were being took care by the villagers inside the inn.

Sting saw the corpses on the ground but he was used to it. It didn't phase him even for a bit. A short old man approached Sting.

"Were you the one who slew the Vogius?" Teisha translated his words to Sting.

Sting nodded. "Well yeah, I guess." The villagers gasped from surprise. They stared at each other in disbelief.

"Can you tell us your name?"

"Sting, from the 1st division of the sniper team."

Teisha smiled. "Sting, the Grim Reaper." She answered the villagers differently from what Sting said. Since to her and everyone else, his original introduction didn't make sense.

The villagers went close to him with eyes of reverence.

"My Lord they are asking you if you are a god?"

Sting sighed. "Teisha, what did you tell them?"

Teisha chuckled with a smile.

Now because of misunderstanding, Sting was treated very well by the villagers. They served him food and water. Even those that they stocked for the next following months.

They even gave offerings to him in the form of gold and silver coins. Even that was too much.

Sting wanted to refuse but Teisha was too accepting and he was forced to play along. They were then given a room for both to stay. And he was concerned why there was only one bed. Their bed was composed of hays and only wrapped with a blanket.

It would be slightly uncomfrortable though it was good enough but there was one thing that bothered him.

"Teisha, didn't I tell you that we need two beds?"

Teisha chuckled. "Oh. He he, yeah the villagers said they only have one left to spare."

Sting could see through her childish lie. It was obvious there were plenty of rooms at the inn. He sighed. "Then you sleep on it." He sat down and leaned on the wall.

"Eh? My Lord, don't tell me you are sleeping there?"

"Yeah, this is nothing for me." Sting was already used to sleeping anywhere. He got this habit from his mission back then. Sleeping half awake also made him on guard in case of a stealth attack.

Teisha frowned a bit. She raised her lower lip. "Geez."

To their surprise the door opened. It was an alt-mage named Minnie from the adventurer group. She was panting as she stared at Sting with a bit of detest. "So you're the grim reaper, huh? We need to talk!"