Komo-Doubutsu

Chapter 14: The Sword and the Serpent - Part 2

By: MidoriUshi Law

Ray quickly noticed that her friend, Lipagron, was not in school. Surprisingly, Buey was not in attendance either. Though she was sore and extremely sleepy from the events of the previous day, the young woman couldn't help but feel relieved that she would have comfort on that day. It was what she wanted to experience on her first day in school; peace, wonder, and excitement.

———

"You need to learn how to aim better! You only have a limited number of projectile quills! Use them effectively!" Illuminus shouted gruffly.

Ray ran at the tall man firing two sets of quills at him. "I'm trying!" she shrieked.

"Well," the World Elder responded, swinging one of his enormous wings in the direction of the projectiles. The wind pressure blew them directly downward. The man ran towards her and jumped into the air. "TRY HARDER!" As descended, his fist connected with Ray's forehead, planting her face-first into the dirt. "Along with accuracy, you need to put some power behind those shots! Don't waste your power! now get up!"

After school was a different story. Illuminus instructed her to train with him every day before she walked home. She realized the old man was much stronger than the night before. He was faster, meaner, and more intimidating. He was definitely no ordinary man. The worst part about it all was that deep down, Ray knew that he was still holding back his strength. That put a warmth in her stomach that only fear could bring.

"Get up!" the elder yelled again. He stood in front of her, watching her trembling arms attempt to lift her achy body. "I said GET UP!" He swung his wings at her, forcing the air around them to flip Ray from her stomach to an upright position on her feet. "Do you really think you can protect Lipagron if you give up? Maybe I should go kill him right now, since you're going to let him die in the Great Quest."

"No!" Ray screamed. She jumped back and fired a quill at the man's cranium. Before he could dodge it, he was struck between his eyes. Surprise filled his face and the needle dropped from his head to the ground. A speck of blood was visible on his face, where the quill hit. It wasn't powerful enough to penetrate his skull, still, a smile formed on his face as he thumbed the blood and looked at it.

"I see. Good accuracy, Ms. Harin. Your father's genes aren't fully absent from you," he praised. Ray panted in the distance. "It's time for your lecture. You need to learn about traits."

Chapter 14: The Sword and the Serpent - Part 2

::

Slash. Stab. Vertical hack. Blood. Death. Pain. Misery. Sadness. Fear. Anger. Hatred. Wrath.

They laugh. I slash. They humiliate me. I stab. They trip me. I hack. They trick me! Blood falls.

False friends. Death rises. True enemies. Agony rises. They think I'm weak. Misery befalls.

I'll show them all! Tears trail... I hold back from them. They scatter... They stop females from approaching me... I growl. They turn professors against me! They all fall, taking their last breaths. I can have nothing of my own! I can make nothing of my own! I can be nothing I want to be because of them! They suffocate me! They poison my heart! These SNAKES! These snakes of the world! They all must-

::

"DIE!" Komori shouted from the depths of his stomach. His sword flew down at one of the few remaining guardians, but before it could make contact, the blade of an incredibly long sword blocked it.

"There will be no more death here, beast," a woman replied.

"The only beast is that snake you're hiding!" shouted Komori emotionally, facing his head downward.