Rise Of The Forgotten: Paths Cross

CHAPTER SIX, A PRINCESS IN NEED

Diomede untied his bearskin cloak, revealing his battle-worn armor. He pointed his great sword at the giant monster and called out to Clayton, "I SAID GET OUT OF THERE! WHAT? ARE YOU TOO SCARED TO MOVE FROM JUST ONE HIT LITTLE CUB?' Clayton snapped back out of his daze and caught his breath. He turned to run out of reach from the Gultonk, but the monster noticed, grabbed his right leg, and threw him at Diomede. In one motion Diomede rushed underneath the flying Clayton swung his sword upward, and cut the giant from its left hip to its right shoulder. The Gultonk let out another roar of pain and attempted to hit Diomede with both its fists, but it was too slow compared to Diomede. He rolled under the Giant and cut the back of its right leg just behind its knee, as it fell to the ground roaring in pain Diomede pushed it onto its hands. Diomede looked to see where Clayton had landed. Clayton lay by the bank of the water. Diomede turned his attention to the Gultonk that now resided on all fours, the Gultonk was helpless, Diomede cracked his neck, stepped around it, and stood face to face, he wiped the blood from his great sword on the monster's shoulder. He then asked in an exotic language, "Why were you attacking the village?" to both the Gultonk and Clayton's surprise it looked up to Diomede and replied, "I come from hills like the voice said." Diomede put his sword's blade to the giant's throat, "What voice?" The Gultonk smiled showing its brown teeth, "The voice said to kill all humans, and we did." Diomede realized that's why he encountered one a few days ago. As the two spoke in this exotic language, Clayton watched in a mix of confusion and awe. He couldn't believe something like a Gultonk was able to speak let alone someone was able to speak with it. Then it hit him, how could a creature, one that held the ability to speak and form words even if they are ones not commonly known, massacre innocent people? It would be different if the monster was no better than a mindless beast, if it was that, then there would be some simple reason for its attacks: hunger, anger, or even territory aggression. But to attack things weaker than you and know it, that must be answered with justice. Clayton struggled to his feet and raised his broken sword to both Diomede and the giant. The Gultonk looked past Diomede and spoke in a joyful tone, "That one took me eye, let me eats it and me leave the village." Diomede turned to Clayton with a disappointed look. Clayton called out, "Step aside stranger, I thank you for your help but from here on out I will serve this monster its punishment for its crimes." Diomede sighed, " You hold a broken sword and are barely holding yourself together from your encounter with it." "Let me deal with it, I only ask that of you; no reward or praise." Diomede continued, " hell you can even have all the credit for taking the scary giant monster down all on your lonesome little cub." Clayton stood firm, unmoved by anything Diomede had to say. Clayton looked at Diomede with fire in his eyes and Diomede could see the flames roaring in him. Clayton yelled out, "You just spoke with it! That means it is intelligent enough to have a language!" Diomede nodded his head. Clayton continued, " I may not be able to speak that monster's language but I know when something wants to settle a score." Diomede again only nodded his head. "So if that thing can speak and hold a grudge then it also can choose and it chose to attack my brothers and this village, for what?." Diomede looked at Clayton and told him, " Because it wanted to." Clayton was filled with a rage he had never felt before, burning from within. So angered his heart raced even faster than it did when he was frozen with fear. "It chose to kill my brothers and the villagers just because?" Diomede sensed the all too familiar aura of anger bleeding off of Clayton. Diomede took a step closer to Clayton but before he could say anything, the Gultonk stood up and hit Diomede into the air. Diomede flew and lost his grip on his sword, with a loud crash Diomede landed on one of the buildings that were still standing and was buried under the rubble. Clayton without hesitation rushed to the Gultonk who looked at Clayton with an ever bigger grin. The Gultonk stomped at him with its huge right foot. Clayton dodged and stepped onto the Gultonk's knee, leaped up, and came down onto the monster's head, driving the broken sword straight through the middle of the Foul beast's skull. But this did not put it down, it only made the massive monster angrier, it swatted Clayton to the ground. Clayton this time recovered to his feet now unarmed, but overwhelmed with the pain of his broken ribs, only the rage that flowed through him could stave off the pain he felt. He looked around and saw Diomede's greatsword. He darted over and attempted to lift it but to his shock, the sword was too heavy to even budge as if it was a rock embedded into the ground. The Giant now with a face covered in blood and two pieces of a sword sticking out of it, stomped over to Clayton. Clayton, still trying to lift the Great sword yelled out, "Let me lift you so I can kill this giant piece of SHIT!" As Clayton roared out he lifted the sword and swung it with all his might and clevered the Gultonk in two. Cutting from the Gultonk's left shoulder to its right leg. The two halves hit the ground with a thud, Clayton fell to one knee and rested the great sword's handle on his shoulder. Rustling sounds came from the now collapsed building Diomede fell through. Clayton looked over exhausted his biceps burning with pain, ribs throbbing so much his sides felt numb. Diomede pushed the rubble off himself. To Diomede's confusion, he saw the giant two pieces of Gultonk lying on the ground and Clayton resting with his Great sword. Diomede walked over to Clayton and aggressively took the greatsword from him, lifting it as if it weighed nothing. "You foolish boy!' Diomede shouted at Clayton, "You killed it before I could get any more information from it!" Clayton weakly stood to his feet and looked Diomede in the eyes, the height difference a mere six inches but still noticeable. Diomede in a condescending way, "Oh so you killed a giant monster and now you think you can stand against me?" Clayton, with what little strength he had left, stood tall and replied, "I know I can't take you on, even in a fair fight." "And I know there are things far more powerful than this out there." "But I have a duty and I took an oath to protect the people of Umar. And I will keep my oath, you don't have to like it or agree but I will not falter or bend in my honor." Diomede just stared at Clayton, the young knight had changed so much in just a short time. The young knight had faced a monster he never imagined to fight. Gone was the fear, now was that blasted stubborn will of honor and duty Diomede was all too familiar with. The young knight reminded Diomede of himself when he was younger and how he was before he learned what the world had in store for him. Diomede cleaned his Blade, put it back into its sheath, and tied his bearskin cloak back now draped over him. He looked to Clayton and told him, "You should sit down before you fall-." Before Diomede could finish his sentence Clayton fell unconscious to the ground. Diomede stood over him contemplating what to do next. He could take off and disappear in the coming night. He could stay and tell everyone what happened. Or he could simply walk back to the tavern, have a nice mug of water, and turn in before his long journey. But before a choice could be made the people of the village came and surrounded him and the unconscious Clayton. They marveled at the site of the dead Gultonk that had been cleaved in two. They looked at Diomede and asked if he was the one who had killed the monster. Diomede silently shook his head and pointed to Clayton, the villagers recognized Clayton as one of the knights stationed there. The villagers wondered why he was the only knight there. Another villager spoke out that all the other knights had been killed by the Gultonk. Diomede turned and began to walk to the tavern. The people of the village collectively picked Clayton up and carried him to the nearest cleric for healing. Along the way, Clayton regained consciousness for only a moment to see as they passed the destroyed barracks and looked for Jonathan and Frank but they were no longer there. He stared at the stars as they came to form in the twilight night sky, and wondered why the gods let such a thing happen to this small village. Back at the tavern, Diomede walked through the doors and found a couple of new faces. One was a Nesfundur bard, a rare sight given the Nesfundur were known for their combat skills and had never been seen this far north past the border. The Nesfundur was a red-scaled, large male with two large horns decorated with designs and images. His clothes were colorful and his tail held a small bell at the end of it. He had made himself at home in the far corner of the tavern and was spinning tales of adventure and grand events. Another was a young woman sitting at the bar drinking a tale mug of mead with a large greataxe beside her, shrouded in a black wrapping. The final new "face" was an above-average-sized figure cloaked in a brown hood, with dark green draped over themselves. Diomede made his way back to the seat he was in a few hours ago. The bartender came out from behind the same curtain and with a shaky voice asked if everything was well in the village. Diomede nodded and informed the barkeep that it was a Gultonk from the southern hills and that it did kill a fair amount of people including the Knights of Umar. The Bartender with a sad look flipped over a stool from behind the bar, sat in front of Diomede, and poured two deep glasses. Diomede looked up and asked, "Where is this from?" The Bartender looked back at Diomede and replied, "It's an old bottle of Dyken whiskey. It's going to knock you on your ass and tomorrow morning you will be thinking there is a battle band of Dykens in your head." Diomede cracked a half smile, he looked at the glass and downed the whole thing in one gulp. The bartender looked over to the others in the tavern, the new faces, and some of the villagers that have come in to drown their sorrows in alcohol. The Bartender stood up and began to pour numerous mugs of mead, wine, and liqueur. He called out to everyone, " Drinks are on the house tonight, due to the loss we have suffered this evening. May the high ones guide them to paradise. AND MAY THE MONSTERS OF THIS WORLD MEET THEIR END AT THE HANDS OF THE RIGHTEOUS!" Everyone in the tavern cheered, everyone except Diomede, the cloaked figure, and the young woman at the end of the bar. As the night went on the Nesfundur began to ask what had happened for the bartender to offer such a large discount for everyone. Villagers began to tell him of the attack and how the Gultonk slaughtered countless people and even killed everyone at the knight's barracks. "All except one", a villager said as he entered the bar. "Aye," the group said in unison, "It was Clayton!." Another villager commented, "Yes, took on the monster all on his own." "Not just that but with a broken sword too" A villager spoke up. The Nesfundur was fascinated by the information about this young knight who took on a giant monster solely by himself and asked where the knight was now.The group told him that Clayton would be at the cleric being healed of his wounds. The Nesfundur thought to himself for a moment and then suddenly snapped his fingers. With haste, he packed up his things and set off out the door toward the cleric. Diomede, now almost through the whole bottle of Dyken whisky, stood up and made his way to his room. As he passed by the cloaked figure, he noticed a small green ear sticking out of a small hole in the hood. He stopped and turned to the figure and leaned down beside their ear and whispered, "Your ear is sticking out...Boarkar", and turned and went off to his room. The figure nervously looked around and slowly rearranged their hood. After doing so they stood up and made their way to Diomede's door and pushed their way in. Diomede, not surprised in the least, was sitting in one of the room's chairs with his feet up on the stuffed boar that sat in his room. The figure pulled a sword out from under their cloak and pointed it at Diomede, he did nothing but finish off the whisky and said to the figure, "Look if this is how you treat people who help you, then I think there may be a problem with your upbringing." The figure furiously snatched off their hood revealing a beautiful Boakar woman and yelled at Diomede, "Never again, insult my upbringing. It is and was far better than anything you humans could imagine." Diomede threw his hands up in a light-hearted way and apologized for insulting his guest. The Boarkar woman composed herself but still maintained Diomede at sword point. She looked at him with daggers, "What do you want, human? Why point out that I am Boarkar?" Diomede dropped his hands and replied, " Simple, it was an easy way for me to get you in my room so I could ask you a few questions." Diomede stood up, undid his cloak, and laid his weapons on the coffee table beside him. "Now let me introduce myself, I am Diomede." A moment passed with no response from the Boarkar woman. "This is the part where you say your name," Diomede said humorously. The Boarkar woman looked around as if to see a hidden person. She put her sword away and bowed, " I am Kira, Daughter of the War chief Blood Tusk." Diomede was taken aback by this, he was surprised to see someone of her stature without an escort or even her father himself. Diomede offered the seat beside him, Kira sat keeping her hand on her sword. Diomede asked why she was here without any support, Kira replied, "That is due to the war my people are fighting." "War with who?" Diomede interrupted. Kira looked down for a moment. Her gaze returned to Diomede and replied, "Everyone."