Short Stories

Zellion

    I'm Zell,I'm twenty years old and I'm a human poacher. No, I don't poach humans, only animals to make quick gold coins. Honestly...I felt bad from my first catch but I could care less now, I caught and sold my first poach to a fur trader, a legendary large wolf with fur white as snow, eyes black as the night, with fangs five Inches long given the name "The Great Hellfang" known for biting creatures and cursing them with a weird hex that turns creatures bitten violent towards any humanoids to what I heard people say. I also heard It came from the depths of hell to wreak havoc upon the world we live In. They say It's "The God's Wrath" but I don't believe in no Gods. I've poached animals of many kinds from rabbits to bears, believe me some animals are very difficult to catch and If you fail you have to come back empty handed with shame on your face to your client. One day after my seventh catch over a four year period I walked Into a tavern with my cheap leather armor with a bag full of my trapping equipment by the name "Rusted One" In the town of Alo built around a deep forest. I heard rumors that If traveled super far within It leads to a swamp on the other side full of creatures people have only seen and then disappeared suddenly. As I walk In I see only humans and no other creatures which Isn't strange to see around these parts. I sit down at a table near the back of the tavern where all the juicy Info Is spread around like butter. I hear the occasional talk of adventurers delving Into the dank dungeons or slaying dragons. That kinda work was never meant for me, but I heard two other humans talking about a legendary Endangered Wolf by the name "Anubis, The Wolf Of The Dead" somewhere In the swamps sitting next to me as I smiled with delight. They say their contact, a noble who has seen the creature would like It as a pet for his daughter and Is offering five thousand gold coins for It's capture unharmed by any means, but every poacher that has taken this task has never returned. I turn my head towards them to see two young men about In their twenties wearing leather clothing with leather sacks on their backs. I add in my two cents to the conversation with a smirk on my face turning my head towards them "It sounds like you two would need another to assist you within the swamps huh?" They look at one another and back at him with a confused look as one of them responds "Yeah...No me and Vex don't need help with the search Isn't that right" Vex nods his head and adds in his concern "Secondly, we don't know if your even tr-" I cut him off Imminently with a well placed lie "I know the forest and the swamp like the back of my hand, I can help you avoid many dangers that lurk within both areas...for a cut of the gold of course~" Vex and his partner look at one another as Vex sighs "What do you think Kulls you trust this guy?" Kulls sighs as well and looks me directly In the eyes with a blank stare " I don't trust you but If you know your stuff we will give you fifteen percent of the cut we're getting from the noble."

I feel like I can get a bit more out of them so I shoot my shot "Well...fifteen sounds good but since I would be leading you through I'll need a little more...about ten percent more." I raise my right eyebrow with the look of a child that knows they will get what they want, Kulls and Vex yell out In unison "TWENTY FIVE PERCENT!? ARE YOU MAD!?" Everyone In the tavern even the bartender looks over at the commotion as I continue my smirk and say In a threatening tone " I could always tell the other poachers about this great opportunity to make a lot of gold, more than they normally could make and lead them straight to the spot where this creature is.."

Vex looks at Kulls and sees him grinding his teeth sighing "Fine! We already have a boat prepared for the trip, just lead us to the damn wolf and your twenty five percent is good as...yours.." The words my ears wanted to hear as I clapped my hands together and said aloud "Deal. Let's get to the travel at hand." Kulls and Vex sigh and get up walking out of the tavern as I follow behind stopping at the entrance to say In a low threatening voice " If anyone here follows us..."a handaxe appears in my right hand " Will die..is this understood?" I leave with the handaxe disappearing and regrouping with Kulls and Vex, we leave the town at the south entrance Into the forest, after six hours of travel they reach the swamp as I look at them asking "I forgot to ask, where Is your boat?" Vex takes his sack off his back and opens it, reaching in to grab something and tosses it into the water as a medium sized boat appears before us filled with boating and trapper equipment. We all load Into the boat as Kulls stands at the back facing away from us throwing his hands forward and a gust of wind boosts the boat forward down the river. As we float down the river, Kulls and Vex sit down while I continue to stand. Kulls askes me "Did you really know how to reach the river? We were told It should have taken three to four hours to reach?' I lie again with a smirk "Well, I'm bringing you closer to the swamps center where many creatures are. I'm sure the wolf will be there, but I have a question for you two.." They both nod towards me as my smile fades "Do you two know magic like me?" They both nod but Vex speaks up first "I only know the spell to shrink and enlarge objects." Then Kulls speaks up " I also only know the spell Gust, any other spells I could care less about, but what about you? What spell do you know?" I look forward into the water below us and sighs "I know Weapon Summon Is a spell I was born with and trained to use and master, I summon any weapon I want three times a day.." Vex and Kulls look at one another with a look In their eyes that I felt but I couldn't quite place It but what I said was a lie, I can only summon one type of weapon...my handaxe but all of a sudden I feel a slight shift In on the boat and I turn around to see a large empty cage with a few spears inside.

Vex stands next to the cage, opening It and pulling out two spears, tossing one to Kulls and the other to me and I catch it with my right hand. Vex pulls the other two spears out and spears them Into the water. I raise my eyebrow to him confused as he responds with "To find our way back down this river way, so we can return back to town." As I and Kulls nod something big sounds like it fell into the water near them as they look around and Into the murky water to see nothing but all of a sudden a Lizardfolk hops onto the boat as Vex and Kulls point there spears towards the humanoid as Vex speaks up "Overgrown Lizard, There was a rumor about you...where poachers like us are never heard from again once we enter the swamps!" I look the Lizardfolk dead In the eyes and see kind nature but anger behind them as It says " Well human you are right, I allowed one to live to warn others and It seems like you didn't heed the warning." Vex and I made an attempt to slash at the Lizardfolk, it opened its mouth to catch the spear tips and chomped down breaking them as Vex and I shiver. It grabbed me by the head with a tight grip as Kulls tries to make his attempt and the Lizardfolk's tail wraps around Kulls neck as it says "I don't like to kill other creatures unless it's necessary for a meal or protection for me and the endangered creatures you all hunt for money and fame.......SHOULD NEVER BE TOUCHED!" It drops Vex into the water and whistles a slight tune as Vex disappears underneath the murky water below. I saw blood layer the surface of the water as the boat continued to float by. I look at It with fear in my eyes thinking I'm not going to make It out of here alive. It looks me directly in the eyes and shoves me into the murky water below as I struggle as It keeps my head under the water. I flail around trying to get Its claw off my head but to no avail but I see multiple sets of glowing eyes as everything goes dark.