Give & Take

Hurtful Truth

"We demand that the monster be handed to us!!"

"Kill him! Why are you hiding him?!"

"He took my parents! He deserves death!"

Minhyun stood at his door, listening to the screams of the citizens. One of his guards approached him.

"Tell me what happened. How long were we unconscious? How long has this been going on for?"

"When we found you and sir Baekho, everything within a mile radius was dead. Just like the black plague. Only infected survivors and dead bodies. Animals and humans alike. Black smoke. The both of you were out cold for two nights and a day. We managed to bring you home before this started but it has been going on for a full day now. They blame sir Baekho for it and they're calling him the death bringer."

Minhyun felt his blood ran cold as he listened to the report. Baekho was just trying to help him to fight against the magical wolf creature who had multiple magic abilities. He didn't mean to unleash this much power. Minhyun blamed himself for letting Baekho out of his sight for even a moment. If it hadn't been for the little girl who had met Baekho before telling him where the other had went, he wouldn't have found him. He still didn't know why Baekho had walked to the alley alone instead of waiting for him since he had just woken up as well. Was the creature attracted to Baekho somehow? Or was it Baekho? But that wasn't important now. What was important was that he find a way to calm down the raging crowd, demanding Baekho's death just as his villagers once had condemn him and his parents to death. Minhyun wasn't going to let history repeat itself. He thanked the guard, took a deep breath and walked out. Guards held back the rattling gate and he walked right up to it.

"Enough!" he yelled in his loudest tone above the shouting. It ceased as they realised that it was their hero. Whispers started amongst them. "This behavior towards my home is unacceptable."

"Why are you hiding the devil, hero?! Aren't you supposed to be on our side?" someone yelled.

"I am not hiding the devil. All of you are mistaken."

"How could that be?! He was the cause of the black plague. He killed everyone!"

"That is not true! The true cause of the black plague was the villagers who set his house on fire, burning every crop in its way."

People gasped and started talking. "But everything he touches dies."

"That is also not true! I do not die when he comes in contact with me."

"Isn't that because you can heal?!"

Minhyun frowned as he knew that was true. Because of his own healing powers, Baekho's powers were cancelled out. "While what you say it's true, it is still undeniable that not everyone he touches will die. Nobody is to request for his death or you will have to go through me. As for what happened in the alley that night, he was only trying to protect me from a creature I was trying to protect the lot of you from. It was strong, much stronger than me. Had it not been for him, more people would have fallen victim to it."

"Why have we not heard of such a creature?!"

"Are you lying to us?"

"No. The mayor did not want to cause a worry outbreak amongst you guys so he asked me to keep silent about it. Two of my guards and me personally are living proof that the creature does exist and that this person is not a killer but a healer under the right circumstances. Facing it, I came close to death. Had it not been for the person you accuse of causing the black plague, I would no longer be alive now either. He is not what you think. He is a genuinely good person and I hope all of you find it within yourself to forgive him and me. If I was only stronger, this wouldn't have happened. I am very sorry to all of you as the hero. I am afraid such a title does not suit me if I am incapable of even protecting those dear to me."