OUTCAST : THE PATH OF A WARRIOR

14. OH BROTHER

CHAPTER 14

The ringing in my head, and the muffled noises in the background, only lasted for a few seconds.

I realised, as my full awareness came back, that I hit my head on the ground, and was lucky to be still alive.

I got up as quickly as I could. The demon, it seems, was trying to lure the Brag away from me, and luckily managed to avoid it's menacing grasp.

"Hey , Two-Horn!" The demon called out ." Are you listening...!Run you fool!"

I didn't need to hear that again. I took off running, like a young scared adolescent, running from my childhood nightmares, and the crazy horror stories.

But this was real!

Two-Horn.... that name too, rung a bell. I remember now... mother used to take me to a near by town, to buy goods.

But the habitats there were different from us, and the youths would taunt me, calling me names. Among the few, one memorable, that stood out the most was, Two-Horn...

I should have known back then, that Two-Horn meant that I was a Tavronian, of course, there was nothing wrong with that . Our ancestral horns were a blessing, and not curse.

But that was a long time a go, and this is now.

I finally stopped running, after distancing my self from it, and sat down. I buried my head in my arms and knees in sorrow and in shame.

After a while my sorrow turned to anger, remembering my friends, who may still be in danger, not just from the beast, but from the Loyal-Reds too, who surely must have noticed the Brag running riot, and away from the harbour.

My adrenaline,started pumping through me again, sending me into another frenzy.

I stood up and run back the way I came, but this time I was not afraid, and I imagined that I was back on the hunt, where I was happiest at.

All my senses were heightened, and on full alert, when, as I came closer towards where I imagined a battle still raged on, I realised that it was, too quiet.

It was well after midnight and the bright moon light lit the surrounding area, making it easier for the humans to see their way in the dark.

As i turned the corner, I found only the creature, lying still on the ground, it's breathing shallow, but still alive.

Some sort of murky vapour still lingered around its body, and I suddenly remembered Parissa's handy work with the blue crystal.

Shouts from near by gave away the loyal guards approximate location, they were closing in.

From another direction I heard the heavy flapping of wings again, and before I knew it, he was above me.

"Hold on tight Two-Horn!" Called out Robert, the old man whom I call 'the demon', as he slipped his long hands under my shoulders.

All the air burst out of my lungs, all at once. I was in shock, mainly because someone was trying to lift me off the ground, and up into the air.

"Relax man, don't struggle, I am trying to help you!!" He called out, while straining to lift my heavy body off the ground, and half dragging my legs along the floor.

I couldn't help but panic, as I saw the clearance finishing just ahead. Right in front of as was a very high wall, " Arghhhh!" I screamed. " Let me go, we're not gonna make it!" I bellowed in desperation .

To my suprise, we started lifting upward, as I didn't expect him to lift my heavy weight up.

Luckily I lifted my legs up, narrowly missing the brim of the wall, and avoiding smashing straight into it.

Astonishingly, we were now flying, and... it was absolutely breathtaking. But how was this possible , this once old man, being capable with this amount of strength.

But my thoughts were now squarely on safety, and wanted desperately for my feet to touch ground again.

We flew around and away from the harbour towards inland, but then we found our selves almost full circle, back towards the sea. Unfortunately for me I couldn't see where we were heading, for I was facing away from the direction we were flying too.

The safety of dry land was becoming smaller in the distance, and just as I was about to ask where we are off to, I felt his grasp loosen and I was suddenly falling from the sky.

"I hope you can swim !" He called out .

While I was free falling, I felt the need to run with my legs and a need to flap my arms.

"Arghhhhh!" I managed a scream, just before smashing, legs first, into the sea. Luckily I took a deep breath as I hit the water, then finding that I was sinking fast, uncontrollably deeper and deeper.

Finally after some effort, I managed to stop my self from sinking further, and swam back up towards the surface, panic setting in half way, fearing I wouldn't make it.

But as I came closer to the surface i saw the bright light of the moon, right above, guiding me upwards.

As i resurfaced, inhaling my first deep breath, i looked around to get my bearings on where I was.

To my shock and surprise, directly behind me, floating like a great castle in the murky waters, was a colossal ship.

And almost before I could take another breath, a large and thick fishing net was thrown over my head.

"Hey....grab the net!" Shouted someone from above.
And before I knew it, I was being hulled up slowly along the side of the ship.

I was pulled up by several men, but the net was caught around my horns and body, and as I went over the rim, I fell awkwardly on the wooden deck, producing a massive thump.

The men were struggling to set me free, when suddenly somebody heavy on their feet approached.

"Step back.... all of you!" Commanded a deep powerful voice.

The men backed away. " The look-out told me, he saw a large bird type creature, drop you from the sky....is this true?"

I tried to look up, but the net held my head down tightly and secure.
"Yes that's right , it's name is Robert." I answered.

"Robert? Hmmm...and this Robert must be very strong, especially to be carrying such a heavy beast like yourself, across such a distance from land, hah!" He replied.

Then I heard him unsheathing some type of cutlass. I felt a tug as he lifted the rope upward, and started cutting away the net from above my head.

"Hey, what's up?" Came another heavy voice from behind, concealed behind the crew."Have we arrived already yet?" He asked, while yawning.

"Brother, come and see what we caught from the sea!" Said the shorter of the two brothers, just as the net fell off, and I stood up.

"Yioki, Paulos, are you just gonna stand there, or are you going to give your younger brother a hug, or what!" I said calmly, trying to hide my excitement.

There was no denying it , as soon as I saw them both standing right in front of me, I recognised them, even though a few years has passed.

Their cheeky youthful faces, as I remembered them from before, seemed to have faded away, now older and carrying more than just a few battle scars.

The two brothers stood there, staring speechlessly, then looked at each other for a moment. They looked back at me, and replied at the same time." Little Norak! Is that you?"

There it was, they still had that, same cheeky grin of old that I missed and loved so much about them.

I gave them a big grin and opened my arms wide. " Little! who are you calling Little!"I said with a chuckle.

Next Chapter : Pirates ! :)