FellPoth Short Stories and One-Shots

Conflict of Interest: Chapter 5

Chapter Warnings: Violence, injury, swearing

***

Lotus straightened up, wiping his brow and glancing at the overflowing bucket of pulled weeds next to him; it was probably time to pay the compost pile another visit. Rising to his feet and stretching out his back to ease out the kinks from working in his previously hunched position, he grabbed the handle and walked past the garden mounds he had already cleared out. He had the last third of the current mound along with two others before he was done weeding; from there, he would need to turn over the compost pile and harvest the vegetables ready for sale.

Dumping the bucket onto the wilting pile of accumulated greenery, his eye light roved toward the hidden front door, focusing on the nearly invisible section of grass that he had discovered torn from the corner the day before yesterday.

Given how careful he was to never disturb that outer layer, it meant someone else had entered or left.

He had asked Rurik, and they confirmed they had ventured outside for some fresh air easily enough, propping the second door open so it didn't lock him out. While he was thankful it was for such a mundane excuse and understood the motivation, Lotus warned them against going outside again; it was an unfamiliar area to his guest, so there was a high chance of them getting lost or attacked by a wild animal.

He left out the additional possibility of a much bigger danger as it was a problem exclusive to him.

Luckily, it seemed Rurik took his words to soul as the doors didn't look disturbed when he returned home yesterday, and today was his gardening day; this meant he could keep watch on the door as he tended to his vegetables. Lotus felt bad that his guest spent all of their time cooped up inside his home; they seemed more low-key over the last few days, and even their attempts to flirt with him last night seemed half-hearted. Regardless, he continued to assure himself that they were almost fully recovered and would be leaving any day now.

Any day now, things would go back to being quiet... and lonely...

Lotus shuddered as a chill tore down his spine, urging him to teleport away from the compost pile just as the spot where he had been standing erupted into a jagged ice tower. He barely had time to process what was happening when more shards shot out from the upper treeline, forcing him into a flurry of movement that left more frozen pillars in his wake.

Anxiety turned to anger when a stray attack iced over a section of his garden. Summoning his scythe, he launched off of the ground to confront the attacker hiding in the trees. Slashing into the area the projectiles were originating from, he caught sight of a figure darting for the ground at the last second.

A thin, human-esque monster with pale blue skin and hollow, almost white eyes skidded to a stop, a small cloud of dust kicking up under their bare feet... the unnerving grin they wore spoke ill of their mental state.

Landing softly in the grass, he called out, "Who are you and wh-"

The monster lunged forward, an icicle forming from their hand to shoot out like a spear. Lotus rolled to avoid the attack and swung out to catch them as they passed; they ducked under his blade with a maniacal cackle and grabbed at his shirt to throw him. He planted his hand and kicked out; a shiver went up his leg upon contact, but it created the distance he needed as his attacker spun into a crouched landing, still grinning and chuckling to himself.

Lotus let out a shaky breath as reality sunk in; these weren't the actions or reflexes of a normal monster... this was a hitman focused on a target. Adrenaline and panic set in as he dove into a full offense; he needed to defend his home and the oblivious skeleton residing just beyond his front door.