Men and Monsters

"So what's it gonna be Charlie?" Big C asked. "Check on Rebecca or go back to the village? Don't take to long to decide or the choice will be made for you."

Charlie was still shaken from his imagined near death experience but the sinking feeling in his stomach had nothing to do with that. His gut was telling him that this man/ghost wasn't messing around, Rebecca really was in some kind of danger.

'It doesn't matter if I'm having a mental breakdown or if this is a dream, it can't hurt to just check if she's alright."

Charlie let out a deep breath then jogged in place to psych himself up. He was destined for greatness and adventure after all. Helping Rebecca? No sweat.

"I'm going. Into the woods!" Charlie said half to himself and half to the man who he made very sure not to stare directly at again.

"Hahaha good! I had a hunch that would be the case. Sorry if my aura messed with your head. I didn't realize it would be so tangible already. I'm just too powerful for my own good." Big C turned towards the forest and before Charlie's eyes lifted off the ground and hovered in place.

"Let's be off! To save fair Rebecca!" He said and drifted through the air towards the trees.

Once again Charlie was left speechless but he snapped out of it faster this time. As he watched the man's floating body pass through a tree branch like it was nothing but air Charlie felt... excited. He was still terrified sure but couldn't help but feel a growing sense of anticipation. This was something new! Not farming, not school, not fishing, or foraging. He felt his blood pumping, his heart beating faster in anticipation of... something! He was really living.

"Wait up!" Charlie shouted and ran to catch up. He found himself hoping that this wasn't a dream after all.

...

Charlie walked through the underbrush and past the treeline. The forest was teeming with a resurgence of life and the tree canopy was thin enough to let plenty of light through.

At first Charlie feared he had lost his guide but then he heard some out of tune singing just up ahead.

"Into the woods, blah blah blah blah. Into the woods we gooooooooo!" The spectre now carried a stick that seemed to be as incorporeal as he was. It passed through bushes and trees alike as he swished it about in time to his awful song.

Big C wasn't moving fast and Charlie quickly caught up.

"What are you? How are you flying? Are you the ghost of an immortal? Where's Rebecca? What kind of danger is she in? How do you know..." The swish of a stick in front of his face interrupted Charlie's barrage of questions.

"Humph," Big C snorted. "Is that anyway to ask a question. First, how should you address me?"

Charlie thought quickly, "Ah... right! Sorry big... bro..." He hated to say it but Charlie's curiosity won out. He dodged around a thin tree and managed to stay near the unstoppable spectre.

"Much better," Big C nodded. "Not what but who, I'm Charlie. Always have been always will be. I'm not a ghost and I'm not immortal. Just much older than most and younger than a few. One of the benefits of an unfathomably high cultivation."

Big C spoke in a matter of fact tone but Charlie couldn't really follow.

"Rebecca is getting closer fast." Big C continued. "You'll see the danger yourself soon enough. Stay quiet and we'll stay undetected." Big C raised a finger too his lips.

"Stay quiet? People probably heard your singing for miles." Charlie was skeptical.

"Oh, no worries there," said Big C with a casual wave. "You're the only one who can hear me or see me so only you could give us away. I recommend not stomping around like a drunk bear and saying less with that squeaky pre-balls-drop voice of yours."

Charlie was still processing the insult when Big C stopped.

"This way," Big C motioned to one side of a decent sized moss colored boulder. "They're just up ahead."

Sure enough Charlie could hear the sounds of muffled conversation so he swallowed a furious retort and did his best to follow Big C without making any noise.

The boulder was situated just outside a small clearing. Charlie poked his head out and saw two people in the middle of a heated conversation. One person was very clearly Rebecca. She looked put off and uncomfortable. Her body language screamed that she'd rather be anywhere but here.

"Come on, be reasonable. It's a the best offer you'll get in this s**thole village." The man speaking was taller than Rebecca by a head and three times as wide. At a glance he looked middle aged. His was partially balding and the hair he had left was starting to grey. His skin looked leathery as if it had been burnt and tanned repeatedly.

Charlie didn't recognize the man but immediately noticed his uniform. The forest green outfit was the telltale style of the Dancing Wyrm mercenary group. They operated out of Fort Boulder, a military garrison and the closest large town to Clearspring Village. The Dancing Wyrms had a longstanding contract with the village to patrol for beasts and to keep bandits at bay. It seemed they were good at what they did because the village hadn't had an incident in generations. They were a frequent sight in and around Clearspring but their main camp was located elsewhere so Charlie didn't have any direct contact with the mercenaries.

The Wyrm took a step closer into Rebecca's personal space. "It must be hard with no parents, taking care of your old grandpa all by your lonesome." He placed a meaty palm on Rebecca's shoulder.

She looked uncomfortable but didn't flinch and looked him in the eye. "I only followed you out here because you said you had the money ready. Where is it?"

The mercenary shrugged. "I'm on patrol, all my cash is back at camp." He dragged his eyes up and down Rebecca's body.

"How about you swing by tonight?" He asked. "I'll give you the money and I know a few guys who would love to buy more of those carvings of yours. You could stay a while, we'd have a real nice time.."

He started to stroke Rebecca's shoulder but she slapped his hand away.

"Thanks but no thanks Goerge. Come see me in the village when you actually do have money." Rebecca spat and the glob landed on on one of the mercenaries' boots. She turned to leave.

He looked down at where the spit hit his already muddy boot and his face twisted in rage. Before Rebecca could fully turn he grasped her arm in a vice like grip.

"B***h!" Goerge snarled, nearly spitting. "I bust my a** keeping this village safe and this is how you treat me!!!"

Behind the boulder Big C wasn't watching any of this interaction. He leaned against the mossy rock with his eyes closed, hands in the pockets of his overalls.

"Pathetic and entitled, nasty combination." Big C mused out loud.

Charlie was watching and the blood had long since rushed to his head. His whole body was shaking due to barely suppressed rage. He'd never felt anything like this kind of anger before.

Big C saw Charlie trembling. 'Are my emotions effecting the kid? No, this seems to be all him.'

Rebecca glared at mercanary and gritted her teeth to not to cry out in pain.

"Bulls**t!" She shouted. "You get paid by the village, everything you eat comes from the village, you work for us! I don't owe you s**t! LET GO!" She struggled but his grip only tightened.

Goerge pulled and brought his face closer to hers. "You've got a real nasty mouth b***h." He licked his lips. "I wonder what else that mouth ca.... AHHHHHHH!!"

A small sharp object flew in out of nowhere and smashed into Goerge's open eye. Goerge released Rebecca's arm and clutched his left eye in agony.

"Who the F**K!!?" Goerge looked around wildly with his uncovered eye and there was Charlie standing at the edge the clearing letting out long pent up breaths.

The now free Rebecca also saw Charlie and looked very surprised.

"Arghhhhhh!" George growled like an injured beast and he stared at Charlie with one bloodshot eye. "Was it you brat!? Did you hit me with a f*****g rock!!?"

Charlie stood still while Goerge shouted. He finally couldn't take what he was seeing anymore. He had picked up the nearest palm size rock and tossed it at Goerge with all his might.

'I can't believe it actually hit him.' The adrenaline was quickly starting to fade and now Charlie had to deal with an extremely angry professional mercenary who was three times bigger than he was. Charlie's knees suddenly felt very weak.

Big C stepped out from behind the boulder but neither Goerge or Rebecca seemed to notice.

"Wow!" Big C exclaimed. "Great throw!" He patted Charlie's back and Charlie felt a familiar icy chill. For some reason it made him feel a little better.

'Thays right!' Charlie thought. 'I'm not alone!' Charlie looked up at Big C's now less annoying looking face.

"Can you help out big bro?" Charlie asked meekly.

"Ah..." Big C sighed. "Wish I could. On my own, in this state, the most I could do is blow on him."

"Huh!?" Charlie sputtered.

"What are you mumbling brat!" George growled and started stumbling in Charlie's direction.

Rebecca tried to grab George from behind but he quickly shoved her away. As she fell backwards her ankle twisted and an audible crack rang out.

"D**m!" She grunted and yelled out to Charlie, "Run! Get out of here! Now!"

Charlie looked at Rebecca like a deer in the firelights. As Goerge came ever closer Charlie finally tore his gaze away.

"I'm sorry Rebecca!" Charlie yelled as he ran back into the woods as fast as he could. Goerge began to pick up steam and followed after, still roaring in fury.

The sounds of crushed twigs and broken branches got further and further form the clearing. Rebecca scowled and rubbed her twisted ankle.

"Idiot," She said while grimacing in pain. "Why are you apologizing?"

Big C looked over at the young woman and smiled kindly. "What a spirit she has. How could I have ever forgotten you Rebecca?"

Big C floated up toward the tree canopy and drifted on the wind towards the fleeing Charlie. Rebecca was none the wiser.