Chapter Nineteen

The Red Queen? Is that some title, or maybe it's some new way of addressing people now? Dave pondered internally.

"And what noble title should I address the Lady healer as, if I may inquire of your ladyship, " Sophia respectfully inquired.

So it was a title, but what do I say now? Should I make something up and hope she doesn't question the origins of the title or say I don't have a noble title? But what if all healers have a title? Dave's mind raced with possibilities trying to come up with a way out of the situation he got himself into, and he could only think of one alternative, lie his ass off.

Dave looked at the noon sky, faking his best sorrowful expression he could manage while putting on a performance.

"Forgive me, child, for I am unable to reveal my true identity, for you're own safety, please do not inquire that of me again, " Dave said in his best-aggrieved voice.

"Apologies, lady healer, I will do as you ask of me."

Sophia was staring down at the unconscious man curiously.

"May I ask what has befallen this man?" Sophia asked.

"He was hit by a car, " Dave said flippantly before remembering he was supposed to be in character.

Dave coughed into his hand, "apologies, he was fighting a...fish-faced creature and got hurt, " Dave said, not sure what the name of the creature was.

"A fish-faced creature, " Sophia mumbled, looking confused.

Dave searched through Sarah's memories, trying to get a better grasp of what the situation was. He immersed himself in Sarah's memories, no longer giving Sophia any of his attention.

He fast-forwarded through most of the girl's memories when she was unaccompanied, for it wouldn't have given him any relevant foresight on what the current situation was.

Dave was sitting with his back to a tree when he finally got done probing Sarah's memories. His head was swimming with all the thoughts and emotions the girl had gone through over the past few weeks, which made him dizzy.

Dave noticed Sophia and four other men were sitting around a campfire chatting among themselves, but his vision was too blurry to make out any details.

Dave groaned when he realized it was late evening now, which meant he had been unconscious for several hours now. He managed to stable himself enough to get back onto his feet with a little help from the tree he had been leaning against.

He noticed Carson was still sleeping in the same spot he had left him, which gave him some relief. He had much respect for the man after going through Sarah's memories.

Carson would make a great father for Sarah; Dave admitted to himself, far better than he or Sarah's birth father would ever be.

If Sarah weren't crushing on the guy, that is, Dave mused to himself.

Dave approached the campfire silently and sat down beside Sophia, who was sitting on the opposite side of the campfire as the other four men.

The four men jumped a little when they saw the casual way he had sat next to Sophia without even introducing himself to them.

On the other hand, Sophia gave him a small smile before greeting him, not in the least bit put off by the casual way he was treating her.

"I'm glad you're ok, lady healer. I was a bit worried when you collapsed back there."

"Please just call me Sarah, " Dave said.

"And don't worry about what happened back there. I just used too much energy healing that man, over there is all, " Dave said, pointing towards Carson. He, of course, had not healed Carson, but they did not need to know that.

Sophia sighed in relief. "I thought that was the case. I'm thankful you're ok, Sa...Sar...lady Sarah, " Sophia finished downtrodden.

Dave flicked Sophia's forehead, scowling at her. He did not like being addressed as a lady when he wasn't one.

Sophia yelped from the pain and clutched her forehead, and tears had formed on the corner of her eyes from the pain.

"Just Sarah, "Dave said, annoyed.

One of the men by the fire cleared his throat after a while when it became apparent to them that their captain would not introduce any of them.

"Are you going to introduce us, captain?" the man who cleared his throat asked.

"Yeah, Sophia, you going to introduce me to your..." Dave paused, looking at the four men in turn, "suitors?" Dave finished with a crooked smile.

The faces the men gave at Dave's words were comical. One of the men started choking, trying to keep his laughter at bay while two of them flinched from the insinuation, and the fourth man that sat at the far left broke out in uncontrollable laughter while clutching his chest.

"It would be a cold day in hell before a man ever warms the captain's bed, " the man that was laughing said, wiping tears away from his eyes.

However, Sophia was not amused. She glared daggers at the four men as if it was them that brought up the whole suitor fiasco.

A red light shot out of Sophia's finger, hitting the man who was still laughing in the chest. The man stopped laughing immediately and started groaning in pain.

Dave could tell that Sophia had held back and didn't injure the man too terribly, possibly knocked the wind out of the guy at most.

"My name is Sarah, but the four of you may address me as lady healer, " Dave said, smirking. Instead of getting annoyed like Dave was hoping for, the three of them bowed their heads in respect without showing any signs of annoyance. The man who was knocked down by Sophia's attack got back up in a sitting position and bowed his head in respect towards Dave. "We are honored to be in you're presence, lady healer, " the man said respectfully.

Tch, what kind of men bow and scrape to a woman? Don't they have any pride as men, Dave thought bitterly.

Dave noticed Sophia staring at him curiously and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Hmm, what's up, Sophia?" Dave asked curiously. Sophia's face turned pink, and she looked away, "its nothing, " she muttered under her breath.

"Hey, guys, what the hell is that, " one of the men said, pointing directly behind Sophia and Dave.

Dave looked behind himself and noticed there was an ugly, grotesque creature standing silently directly behind them.

He immediately recognized the creature as the Death Stalker that had attacked Sarah earlier, and a dark grin spread across his face.

Sophia reacted the fastest as she sprang to her feet and unsheathed her sword simultaneously. Noticing their captains' urgent and intense look, the other four men shot to their feet, drawing their own weapons, getting in a fighting stance.

Sophia took a step back, hands trembling, making her sword vibrate from the fear she felt towards the creature before them.

Dave casually got to his feet and dusted himself off before giving the Death Stalker his attention, not bothering to get in any hurry.

"Ben, Derrick, Brandon, Brent, get lady Sarah to safety; I'll hold off the Death Stalker for as long as I can, " Sophia said, straightening her posture into a fighting stance.

Dave noticed Sophia was no longer shaking and had a look of resolution in her eyes.

Wow, not only is she beautiful, but she is also fearless when it comes to protecting her comrades, Dave thought to himself.

Dave decided that he wouldn't let anything happen to Sophia. It would be a waste for someone like her to perish when the human race badly needed people like her. Not that he actually cared about the survival of the human race, but he wanted a world Sarah could enjoy with friends and not have to struggle each day to survive.

Dave slapped Sophia's rear end, making an audible smacking noise throughout the clearing. Sophia yelped in surprise, almost dropping her sword from Dave's assault.

"Didn't I tell you to call me Sarah?"

Sophia clutched her rear end with one hand looking embarrassed. He destroyed the whole heroic look she had going on, and he knew it.

Dave stepped between Sophia and the Death Stalker.

His hair and eyes that faintly glowed at all times was now radiating light as he faced the Death Stalker.

Sophia took a step back when she saw the look Sarah was giving the creature. Her face was cold and terrifying to behold.

It was nothing like the easy-going Sarah she had got to know in the short time they had spent together.

"Sophia, can you make a barrier with your ability?" Dave inquired coldly.

Sophia shook her head, "No, it doesn't work like that; I can send it out like a projectile or wrap it around myself for defense, but once it leaves my body, I have no control over it."

"I can create barriers, " Ben threw in. "But I doubt it can withstand an attack from a Death Stalker though, " he added.

Dave nodded, "ok, Sophia, grab Carson and get behind a barrier, and whatever happens, do not leave it, " Dave ordered, his voice brooking no argument.

Sophia opened her mouth to argue, but the look he shot her froze the words in her mouth. Instead, she nodded and sprinted towards Carson's unconscious body.

Dave could tell something was different about the Death Stalker that was standing there, watching them without a care in the world.

He could sense the Death Stalkers' power was far greater than it was previously.

"Hahahaha, " the Death Stalker started laughing in its guttural voice out of nowhere and started walking towards Dave.

"Did you know, human, that my species becomes more powerful in the darkness?"

"Did you know my species! gets stronger, the more pissed off they are?" Dave snarled.

He started walking towards the Death Stalker, fury rising in every part of his body. The memory of the Death Stalker repeatedly smashing its fist into Sarah's face without any mercy came to the forefront of his mind fueling his anger towards the creature.

"After what you did to Sarah, I'll break every bone in your body! until you beg for death!"

Dave's body vanished into thin air at the same time as the Death Stalker had.

Sophia and the men inside the barrier couldn't hear the words the two said, but she had a feeling that this creature had done something to piss Sarah off.

Sophia wondered if this Death Stalker was the fish-faced creature the girl was talking about earlier, which would mean, Sophia looked down at the unconscious man, that this man pushed the Death Stalker back.

Sophia had never heard of a 'Messenger Hero' who was strong enough to push back a Death Stalker. She was under the impression that most Messenger heroes were the weakest out of the three Hero branches, so how could one push back a Death Stalker? If the man was that strong, he should have been part of the Hero branch or even the scouting unit like she was, not a messenger.

A booming sound knocked Sophia out of her thoughts when the Death Stalker and Sarah's fists collided with each other.

The ground shook violently, knocking the four men off their feet. Sophia barely kept her footing as the ground seemed to move back and forth like being on a cruise ship.

Cracks started to form on the barrier as the pressure of the attack outside crashed against it. The creature let out an ear-piercing screech when its fist shattered by Sarah's attack.

An audible popping noise rang across the forest as the creature's wrist broke from the impact.

"Holy shit, " Ben let out from behind her.

"Just who in the hell is she?" Derrick cut in.

"Hey captain, you said she was a healer; I've never seen a healer that can do that, " Brandon said, dusting himself off.

"That's what she told me, " Sophia said softly, doubt of the girl's honesty apparent in her voice.

"I wonder, " Brent murmured under his breath.

The Death Stalker let out another roar of pain that broke the team out of their speculations.

Dave had grabbed the arm that he shattered and was now twisting the arm until there was a loud snap indicating that the creature's arm broke.

There was a cruel smile on Dave's face as he continued twisting the already broken arm, making the creature scream out in even more pain.

"It's not as fun when it's done to you, is it? " Dave asked the creature coldly.

He jerked the creature towards him with its broken arm and slammed his fist into the creature's stomach.

The creature vomited out black looking bile that reeked of soured milk after being hit. Dave dodged the black vile by taking a few steps back, a look of disgust clear on his face.

The Death Stalker's arm twisted and relocated itself immediately after Dave stepped away. The indent Dave left in the creature's stomach pushed out, leaving the Death Stalker undamaged.

Dave spat to the side in disgust. He decided it was time to stop messing with the creature and finish it off when he realized breaking all its bones wouldn't do much good, not when the Death Stalker can heal from the wounds instantly.

"I grow tired of these games, human. Let me show you the true might of my kind."

Dave rolled his eyes at the Death Stalker's words. If the creature had more power, why hadn't it used them by now instead of letting him win?

Although I'm not using my full power either, Dave thought to himself.

"I can see by the look you're giving me that you don't believe me, " the Death Stalker said with a smug smile. At least that's what Dave thought was a smug smile. It was hard to tell when the creature's face was mostly teeth.

The Death Stalker started to laugh obnoxiously, and its body began to increase in size. The muscles expanded, becoming far more significant, and its shoulders widened, making cracking noises as it did so.

A long-tail sprouted out of its back, ending in a sharp point like a dagger. The creature that was six feet tall was now over ten feet covered in thick muscles and long sharp claws on both hands and feet now.

The Death Stalker stopped laughing when it was done growing and stared down at Dave, expecting to see a look of fear on him.

Dave, however, just raised an eyebrow, "what no wings? Shame, I could have called you a gargoyle, a very ugly gargoyle, but a gargoyle nonetheless."

The creature roared before charging towards Dave. Its body disappeared before reappearing right next to Dave, its claws in a downward thrust, trying to cleave Dave in two.

Dave dodged back in time for the monster's claw to miss his face by an inch. The Death Stalker, however, did not let up. It struck out with its other claw with lightning speed and precision.

He casually dodged the attack with a small sidestep again, narrowly avoiding the strike. Dave smirked at the creature's failed attempts at connecting any of its blows. The Death Stalker became enraged and started sending strike after strike towards him.

Dave's body vanished and reappeared between all of the Death Stalkers strikes, and not a single one touched a hair on his head. He noticed an opening between strikes and sent a punch of his own.

The punch struck the creature's stomach making an indent where the fist landed and sent it skidding back on its feet.

The Death Stalkers' claws on its feet dug into the ground, slowing its momentum until the creature finally came to a stop a dozen feet away.

"Hahaha, puny human, I didn't even feel that attack, " the Death Stalker gloated.

There was steam coming off the monster's stomach where Dave had struck it, but other than that, there was no damage.

Dave became distracted however when there seemed to be an argument brewing behind him and it was getting louder by the second.

"I told you, you can't go out there. It's too dangerous, " shouted a woman's voice, which could only be Sophia.

"Hey bro, I don't think you know what the situation is out there, your going to get yourself killed, " said a man's voice.

Dave wasn't sure which one spoke; he didn't even bother trying to learn their names, let alone differentiate between their voices.

"You guys stay here. I have a score to settle with that thing, " and that was Carson's voice. Dave turned around to watch the show.

Carson shoved aside Sophia and one other guy who was blocking his path before ripping open a hole in the barrier with his bare hands.

"The Lady Healer ordered us to stay here, " Sophia shouted at Carson's back.

He ignored Sophia and walked up beside Dave, getting a good look at the creature. He looked at Dave with a mischievous smile when he got done gauging the transformed Death Stalker.

"Lady Healer?" Carson queried, looking as though he was trying not to laugh.

"It's a long story, " Dave said, grinning from ear to ear.

"So how shall I address you from now on, Your Highness. Lady Dave, perhaps?"Carson said those words good-naturedly, but he could hear the accusation in his voice.

"This isn't the time or place for this conversation; we can discuss this after we defeat the wannabe gargoyle over there, " Dave said while pointing at the Death Stalker.

"Just one question then, is Sarah still in there?"

"She's fine; Sarah is just sleeping right now; I'm confident 'when' she wakes up, she will take the driver's seat from me, " Dave reassured him.

"All right, that's good enough for me; let's kill this ugly bastard, " Carson said while holding out his hand to summon his sword, but nothing happened. His sword did not appear as it should have.