Stargazer

Chapter Two: The Shadow Arrives Darrion

The next day I'm up bright and early to prepare for my journey to the royal city. Though it went against every instinct I had to go there it was my best shot at finding her and completing the mission.

I look up at the sky, some of the blue was covered up in grey and I know that it was going to rain later.

I'd better hurry and get supplies, I don't want to have to waste energy on improving my vision to see through the rain and the dark.

I decide to ask some of the locals where would be best to buy the supplies I needed, the older woman I talked to points me in the direction of a shop not too far from the tavern I was in last night.

She said that it should have the food other necessities, like weapons, that I needed since coming here meant that I could only bring select items with me through the portal. The food and other things I'd brought with me were starting to look a little funny and it wouldn't last me much longer.

On the way towards the shop I notice that three men are beating on a little boy who couldn't have been more than eleven years old. His face was bruised and battered as well as blood dripping from his face and mouth from cuts and internal wounds. I walk by ignoring the pit in my stomach, knowing that I couldn't help the boy, interfere in any way possible more than I already am.

Keep walking Darrion, there is nothing you can do to help the boy.

"Come on then you bloody bastards!" the boy shouts his busted lip causing him to slur some of his words.

The men laugh as one them proceed to punch him in the stomach once again, making the kid shout out in pain and double over onto the ground.

Damn it!

Right as the man was about to kick the boy again I block him, sending my own kick his way which sent him back a few feet. His friends gawking the tiniest bit at what he had just done. I guess he was though because of the reasonable size difference between us.

"Why don't you fight someone your own size." I say.

The man looks at me with a murderous glint in his eyes. "'Fight on someone your own size?' Why don't you follow your own advice pipsqueak." he says looking at his associates.

I choose to ignore the comment. "Come on, kid. Lets go." I say turning around with the boy.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up alerting me just in time to catch a knife that was being thrown in my direction. I hear the young boy gasp in surprise beside me as I turned around to face the man who had thrown it.

I sigh. Really? I don't feel like dealing with this.

"I need you to move back." I tell the kid.

He scampers off immediately.

"I'll give you one last chance to leave." I tell them.

The man lets out a mocking laugh, showing off his rotten teeth. With the added combination of his thinning comb over, sweaty, dirty, body and red face all together made him look like an absolute pig, which fit because he acted like one.
"I should be the one saying that, pipsqueak!" he says charging at me, ready to punch me.

I catch his fist in one hand and make a disapproving noise with my mouth. "Shame on you underestimating your opponent like that, just because I'm smaller than you."

He growls struggling against my open palm, his face was turning red from the effort.

"You're big, but I've fought bigger." I say smiling before flipping him and throwing him back to his friends.