Strange coins

As the clock struck 90 Korkinim started to pack up. The inn owner was rather sad that Korkinim was preparing to leave so early.

'Anything not to your liking, sir?', he gestured with his eyes showing desperation. He took great pride that none of the guests that left were dissatisfied with the services. In fact if not for its modest and honest working, the owner would have been a very rich man.

'Sorry I didn't mean to disrespect by my behaviour. It's just that I had just remembered my other buisness that I have to attend.' Korkinim gestured.

Trying to make his mood better he smiled and gestured, 'I will be sure to recommend your place to my friends and acquaintances.'

The inn owner felt a bit at ease after seeing Korkinim content.

He went up to his counter, and settled the check. Korkinim was about to leave but the owner blocked his way and gestured him for Balance money. Since Korkinim had stayed for only about a fourth the agreed time, the inn owner decided to give back three fourths of the remaining sum.

'You Don't need to,' Korkinim gestured.

But the inn owner's work was based on honesty of value, no matter what.

Korkinim walked out and let out a smile as there was hope after all.

The night sky was shining with millions of stars and it felt as a wonderful spectacle. But it was always filled with fear as the night beasts haunted the area. Fearsome monsters with insane strength. They were well adapted to the nighttime as they had almost perfected the hunt. Many daytime predators too joined in the hunt sometimes. However when they caught even a whiff of the true nocturnals they would scram out of their area.

To a war veteran as Korkinim, it was very much normal to stay guard late at night. He had encountered and killed more beasts than he could count. However not everyone was so lucky. Once someone from his group had encountered a hunbina, it was a ruthless predator that killed and absolutely annihilated anything it encountered. It was known to go against very powerful animals and come out victorious. It was called the king of beasts. It's grey skin and slender body made it multiple times faster than any Khonrur had ever been. Night watches basically meant losing people in the hunbina's area. It was only that the screams of the victim would alert the others. Hunbina fortunately travelled alone. Their greed didn't allow them to have packs and they were also very aggressive about their territories. One of Korkinim's friends had fallen victim to a Hunbina as he tried to save his daughter from dying. When Korkinim heard about it he immediately rushed to the spot but the Hunbina had already disappeared into the darkness. Angered he went on a Hunbina killing spree until he finally found the one responsible. He still carried the Hunbina coat that Joan had sewn for him from that beast's hide.

"Uh Joan." he said holding his heart. "Why did you have to die as well."

Around an hour ago the 'boss' of the three had brought them to the Sherrif's office just as his shift was about to end.

He opened the door with one hand while thrashing rand with the other. The two henchmen stood behind him they seemed like somebody beat the shit out of them.

The Sherrif was surprised and he stood up. But the boss himself gestured him to sit. He was a vey big man and had giant muscles He could even take on a Jjal by himself. It was almost difficult for a Hunbina itself to take on a Jjal due it's raw power. He was so tall that he could reach the ceiling which itself was at ten feet above ground. His long beard and rugged clothes made him look even more dangerous.

'Forgive me,' the boss pleaded, 'These three worthless excuses of Khonrur didn't follow the silent mourning day and even went on to fight an innocent bystander in the bar on this auspicious day. I am sure that he must have filed a complaint on these three, please take them into custody and allow me to apologise to the man myself!! Please I beg you!'

The others thought that he must have understood who Korkinim truly was and was trying to make peace as though he was a goon evading arrest by bribing the officers. Even he knew that Korkinim alone was more than enough to take on the entire town.

'I understand, but he didn't file a complaint against anybody, he just wants to leave without making an issue.' the Sherrif gestured.

The boss was shocked genuinely and gestured 'How kind can a man be??!!! please just give me his address I shall apologise now before he leaves.'

The Sherrif hesitated as now he was sure if he tried to do anything Korkinim would most likely kill him with his bare hands. But since his behaviour changed so much it would make sense that he knew who Korkinim truly was. In the end he replied that most likely he was in an inn to spend the night and that it wouldn't be far from the bar.

'Thank you on this auspicious day, I give you my word that I will give up every unlawful activity.' He smacked his three henchmen and they repeated the same line.

He left in a hurry after apologising one last time but when he reached the inn he was shocked as Korkinim had left much earlier than expected and that too during the start of the nighttime.

"B-boss I don't think this is a g-good time to go During night the beasts will be out." Rand squeaked.

"Then I will simply throw you at them." he laughed. "Do you know how much money these army guys carry. I have heard they do missions and get 'gifts' too."

But Bonnie was almost on her breaking point. "B-boss p-please let's leave him for now."

He was visibly angry now. But taking Bonnie and Mandor after their injuries might prove to have more loss than profit.

They heard some hooves behind them and as they turned they could faintly make out figures in the dark. The group of mercenaries who left the bar during the fight were leaving the town.

"Ahh it seems fortune loves me." He smiled.

Meanwhile after walking for a long time. Korkinim had came across a farm of bolja flowers. They were pretty rare and priced high. The farm he was walking through wouldn't have been less than 7000000 wuts worth. Which wouldn't have been a surprise but the flower was just average, it looked like a faint shade of blue. And it's fragrance didn't carry long. Curiously enough Korkinim decided to rest at a nearby place and ask about the flower. He saw an old man working on the farm. He was frail and didn't seem to have long to live.

Korkinim walked towards him and checked his watch. It said 1, which meant the silent mourning day was over and he could talk freely. As he walked near carefully stepping to avoid trampling any of the precious flowers. "Hello sir," he said.

The old man looked back and noticed him. "Oh what are you doing here at this time. Don't you know that Jjal and Hunbina will make sure not even your bones are left."

"With all respect you could have a similar fate," he retorted.

"Ah that means you don't know the first thing about bolja. Come with me my wife would have completed dinner by now let me explain then."

"Sorry sir, I don't mean to impose on anyone." Korkinim said he didn't want to make a long detour.

"That's rubbish, you can stay 'tis been many days since we had guests. I am sure she would be happy."

Meanwhile, The mercenaries had allowed the boss and his henchmen to travel with them. He had previously tried to sell Bonnie to them but her present condition was pretty rough and he was very far from being able to bargain.

"Come on you know she will take it like a pro. Only for four thousand wuts."

But they weren't interested in the remotest.

Suddenly, the group's leader signalled them to stop. He gestured them to draw their weapons. Nothing happened for twenty minutes, except for some random g

hissing and rustling.

Soon however a pack of Jjal appeared out of nowhere and surrounded the group.

"Holy shit!!!" The boss shouted. "We are gonna die." Rand cried but didn't let Mandor or Bonnie slip.

"shhh," the leader gestured. "I will draw the group away and kill as many as I can. Steeler would take care of the rest. The woman standing behind him gulped down in fear.

As he stated the leader lunged forward and sliced the head of a Jjal clean off taking a lot of their attention however many still were focused on the main group and few tried to follow on the footsteps of their leader.

The Jjal were large beasts with humongous claws they were covered in fur and their hide was very tough to pierce. They had six legs and weighed at 2 tons on an average. One swipe could take down a completely armoured knight down to death.

A Jjal had lunged forward to meet the stray knight but he barely dodged and the Jjal hit the carriage they were holding on their heads. The stray knight tried to slash it's neck but he only landed a shallow hit unable to cut the bone. This enraged the Jjal and it destroyed the carriage spilling the contents of the carriage. There were coins weapons and scrolls in the carriage. Steeler immediately stepped forward and cleanly split the Jjal's head from its body. "Everybody stay together." She shouted at the top of her voice but the could feel the desperation in her voice.

She went ahead and stabbed a Jjal through its eye and then cut its throat. This greatly brought happiness to her comrades and they began singing her praise.

"Jjalslayer! Jjalslayer!!!," They began to chant. She was visibly blushing at this point as the remaining Jjal had began running away.

"Oh stop it guys", She said when she clearly didn't want them to stop.

Just then out of the blue a sudden Hunbina came and launched a lethal strike to the stray knight. He instantly fell to the ground.

Watching her comrade fall she instantly took her stance and cut the beast in half.

She was devastated as she let this happen to her while she was swimming in her fame.

"STEELER!!!" a knight shouted. "Behind You!!!"

But it was too late. Steeler didn't move in time and soon there were three claws sticking out of her stomach and she coughed up blood.

She fell down in an instant as pain took over her. She began seeing things very slowly as events unfolded and could faintly hear her own blood gushing out as her comrades scattered making themselves easy prey.

"But d-don't they hunt alone ?" She managed to put her thoughts into words. Just then she heard sound of someone's bones crushing and she saw the Hunbina that attacked her lying on the ground with its brains coming out of its half open skull.

The stranger that she had seen ask for support bent down and replied.

"They do, but that doesn't mean that individual Hunbina won't be in the same area of they smell blood. Sometimes they would attack in one another's territory so they can prey and go back to their own."

"O-" She coughed up. "Oh I s...see now."

The boss looked around the mercenaries were chased by six Hunbina, but they left the carriage alone. He helped himself and took all the coins he could find. He also found some first aid supplies.

"Patch them up," He ordered Rand. "I will take care if Hunbina get too close."

Rand did as he was told and he cleaned and bandaged both Bonnie and Mandor. After he saw Steeler on the ground. He thought it could help him and his reputation if he was able to help her. Also maybe she would go on a date with him if they met another time.

Watching Rand help her The boss shouted "You are always a simp you fucking idiot."

Steeler was by no means an unattractive woman her beautiful face was apparent the moment Rand took her helmet off. Also to care for her wounds he had to remove all of her armour and also her upper clothes. He stood a moment appreciating her beauty but quickly snapped out of it when Bonnie threw a stone on his head. Her wounds were deep and it was damn near impossible for her to survive long without bringing in an actual doctor. Rand fidgeted and closed her wounds and tried to make sure that it didn't affect her breathing. He was doing everything he could to save the girl. But Rand knew this wasn't completely out of his attraction to the girl. When he was still young and foolish he dreamt that he would be a doctor someday. Of course when reality hit him he was left with no choice but to follow The boss and maybe get a chance to score on the way. Still it was difficult to say that whether Steeler would survive the night and obviously he couldn't carry her with him.

"Hey if you get out of this alive most likely it would be because of me so if you don't die then don't forget that you owe me a date. okay promise me." But she was already unconscious.

"Ok now let's get the Fuck Outta here." The boss shouted. But Rand quickly took the carriage, put her in, and flipped it before lifting his comrades and following the boss.

The boss was very happy as he would get a lot of money and also his henchmen were patched up. But as he stopped to count his bounty he was puzzled. The coins he had stolen with so much risk they weren't wuts like he expected.

Instead they were weird with pictures of strange beasts etched onto them almost unrecognisable some didn't even have any features he could recognise. No eyes. No mouth. No face.

From the carriage faintly almost a whisper could be heard that was forgotten in the rush to survive.

"I promise."