Rumerra - The Journey Begins

Chapter 8 - The Hunter and the Huntress (Part I)

The young girl walked the murky streets of Talim, observing the town that looked all but friendly. Strange voices like howls of pain and cackling could be heard on occasion, adding further to the eerie note it carried. But Velvet wasn't scared. She knew why she was here and what kind of people resided in this place. Still, she couldn't help but feel intrigued by this new atmosphere she was faced with. As she walked across the market, all sorts of strange goods were being offered to her.

"Fresh wormroot! Fresh wormroot, extra wormy!" a man shouted from a stand.

"Bat eyes! Get your bat eyes here!" a woman's voice screeched.

"Ursa blood! Very rare, freshly drained!" another man offered.

Looking left and right, Velvet ran into something and was knocked back, landing on her butt.
She pushed her pointy hat up from her eyes and looked up. The "thing" she ran into was alive apparently. It was a large man, dressed in a black coat. He turned around and seemed surprised at first. But then his face contorted in a twisted grin, crooked teeth poking out behind his grazed lips.

"Why hello there, little girl!" He spoke with a deep and menacing voice. Any normal girl would have peed her pants upon seeing this thing look at her. Velvet, however, got back up to her feet and smiled happily.

"Hello mister! How are you today?!" she chirped at the creature towering above her. This confused him greatly and for a moment, he didn't know what to say.

"Aren't you...scared of me?" he asked, baffled at the cheerful response she gave him.

"Scared? Why? Are you going to try and kill me?"

"Uhm...maybe? Maybe not. But you don't know that, do you?" he looked at her suspiciously with his one eye, the other being covered by an eyepatch.

"No, I don't," she replied casually and extended her hand towards him. "My name is Velvet! Velvet Crow! What is yours?"

This interaction wasn't at all going as the strange man expected it to go. He expected this girl to run away screaming at the sight of him. Instead, she is talking to him like he is her friend!

"My name...is Grogar," the man spoke hesitantly. "Grogar Helsing."

"Nice to meet you Grogar! Wow, that is an awesome name you have! I bet you are strong!"
She still held out his hand for him to shake it. In the end, he did. His hand alone was the size of her entire head, and he could probably crush it like an apple if he wanted to.

"You are strong!" Velvet quickly gathered by the strength of his grip. What she didn't know is that the man was trying his hardest not to squeeze her small hand too tightly.

"What is a young girl like you doing in a place like this?" the man finally asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. This was a sight he hasn't seen...well, ever!

"I am here to become a huntress!" she stated proudly. "Do you know where I can apply?"

He let go of her hand and leaned down, inspecting her closely from head to toe. Then he straightened himself up and burst into laughter. Velvet cocked her eyebrow as she observed him laugh his lungs out, his hearty laugh echoing across the market and making even the merchants uncomfortable.

"What's so funny?!" she asked angrily after a few seconds of this.

Grogar stopped laughing and leaned down again, looking her eye to eye. "Listen to me, tiny girl. I don't know what kind of joke you think you are pulling here, but you better get your pretty little face out of here before something happens to you! Where are your parents?!"

"Dad is at home on his farm and mommy's dead," she answered, not even blinking. "Why would I need to get out of here? I just got here!"

"Don't you realize where you are!" the man shouted in her face now, the smell of rotten meat and onions filling her nostrils and making her wince.

"Phew! Your breath stinks!" she yelled back and held down her nose. "Wash your mouth!"

As soon as Velvet said this, the market fell dead-silent and a few distant gasps were heard.

"She's badmouthing Grogar!" one of the merchants shouted in disbelief.
"Does this girl have a death-wish?" another voice said.

The hulking creature of a man furrowed his brows and straightened himself up, cracking his knuckled loudly. "You have some nerve kid, I'll give you that!" his voice boomed.

"Are you going to hit me now?" Velvet asked with a deadpan face.

"I don't understand." He shook his head. "Does nothing ever scare you?!"

"I killed a dozen wyverns and knocked a dragon unconscious." She shrugged her shoulders. "How scary can a man like you really be compared to that?"