Veil of Shadows

Chapter 7. Whispers of the Past

(Flashback)

"Hey, human glitch!"

Ranger raised an eyebrow and turned around, coming face to face with two Enderman boys about her age, which was nine. "Can I help you two with something?" She asked.

"Yeah. How about you get out of our town, freak." The first boy said. Ranger blinked, then grinned. "Sorry, I can't. Because I'm fairly certain this town isn't yours to own."

The first boy looked stunned. "I'm the mayor's son, and someday I'll be mayor too! Show some respect for your future mayor, user glitch!" Ranger shook her head and said "I'll show you respect when you earn it."

"Why you little-" The first boy was seething, and the second boy grabbed his shoulder and whispered something in his ear. A wicked grin spread across his face and he said "How about a little duel, half-human freak?"

Ranger smiled. "Oh, you're funny. And they said Neanderthals didn't have a sense of humor."

The second boy's face went red as a tomato. Ranger sensed his attack a second before his fist cleaved through the air where she had stood mere milliseconds before.

The boy stumbled and fell, faceplanting as he met no resistance.

The first boy screamed "You deserve to rot in prison!" Ranger turned her calm gaze on him. "And, pray tell, what crimes have I committed?" She asked, her tone amused.

"Living." The boy hissed, and drew a small iron dagger from his belt. Ranger glanced at it, then ignored it, looking at the boy. "I suggest you put the dagger away before we get into a serious confrontation." Ranger said reasonably.

"What? Is the half-human glitch scared?" The boy sneered. Ranger didn't shift her gaze. Her face and her voice showed no emotion as she replied "No. But you should be."

The second boy, having recovered from his faceplant, rushed at Ranger. Sensing his attack, she let him think he was unnoticed. He swung a powerful right hook at her jaw.

She silently thanked her father for his martial arts lessons.

Ducking under the punch, she dropped to a crouch and spun her leg around, catching the boy's ankle and causing him to collapse to the ground in a heap.

Using the momentum of her still-grounded left foot, she lunged forward at the other boy, knocking him off his feet. "And here I was, thinking you could only fight with words." The boy sneered.

Ranger smiled back and said "I don't believe you think much about anything."

Only when she sensed the presence of another boy did she realize she had said one thing too many. A sharp impact on the side of her head knocked her into a wall, where she turned to assess the situation.

There were three boys now, all of them muscled and very angry. She could try to take them on...or run. At the moment, running seemed like the better option. But then they moved into a semicircle formation, cutting off her escape.

Darn it. Just when she had an idea.

Shaking off the last bits of wooziness from the blow she had taken to the head, Ranger smiled. The three moved in on her from all sides, restricting her movement.

Did these boys know absolutely nothing about battle strategy? Apparently not, as they all rushed toward her on their own accounts, not as one. Charging as a group would have been more effective.

Ranger ducked underneath a punch from the first, moved over and bashed two of their heads together, and was finally faced with the last boy. Not able to dodge fast enough, she took another punch to the head.

Stumbling back a little, she felt a small trickle of blood run down her cheek. Another blow rained down, catching her on the point of her jaw. Ranger had to lean on the wall to stay upright.

A well-placed kick knocked her feet from under her, and she fell to her knees.

Looking up briefly, she saw a glint of iron. The dagger. She had forgotten about it in the heat of the fight. And now she was going to pay for it.

"Leave her alone!" A firm voice shouted, and the boy's face paled a little. Quickly, Ranger stood up, but eyed the boy quickly. She almost wanted to punch him again just to keep the fight going.

Then she saw who had yelled.

Calmly, she dropped to one knee and bowed her head, not waiting for the other boy to do the same. Standing in front of her was the Crown Prince of the End.

Also known as the son of the Ender King.

The Prince seemed to scan them, and Ranger looked up at him. Then the Prince seemed to stare at her for hours, but in reality it was only a few seconds. He turned to the boy.

"Why are you attacking her?" Ranger almost sighed out loud. She really didn't need this. She could handle her own battles. Well...she was about to die for a second there, so...nevermind.

The boy stuttered "She's a half-human. She doesn't belong here." At those words, Ranger stiffened. The boy kept on talking to the Prince, but Ranger didn't hear anything after that second sentence.

Now he had done it.

The Prince noticed, and stepped back a pace, as if he knew Ranger was about to explode. Turning from her kneeling position, Ranger drew back her arm and punched the boy full in the face.

She had punched him with so much force that for a moment she thought she had broken her knuckles. He actually flew backwards several blocks and slammed his head into the wall.

He was knocked out on impact. Ranger stood up, brushed off her cloak, and said "Thank you for your intervention, but I'll best be off." And she turned to leave.

"Wait." As she heard it, she almost groaned out loud. What did the annoying Prince want with her now? "What?" She asked, a little sharper than she had initially intended.

The Prince paused, then held out a hand. "My name is Shadow. Prince Shadow." Ranger cautiously took his hand and shook it. "Ranger. Daughter of the Champion."

Shadow grinned. "That explains how you were able to knock three boys unconscious with no weapons at all." Ranger shrugged. "Self defense. Basic stuff, really."

For a while, there was an awkward silence. Then Shadow spoke up "Uh...do you want to...uh...hang out sometime? You know, since your dad is the Champion and all?" Ranger blinked. Maybe it would do her good to actually talk to someone for once...

"Fine." She replied, sighing.