Elementals | Volume I: The Awakening

Reputation - Chapter 5

     The war horns from the village jolted the three awake. Khan left his tent first, getting the telescope to see what the problem was. Vera left after a while from Drako's tent, Drako following quickly after. "What's going on Khan?" Vera asked, getting her bow ready just in case. "Monsters. Get your stuff, we need to get there quick." He says, Drako and Vera nodding and going off to get the rest of their stuff. They reach the village just in time to see an Amarok (a giant wolf) come bounding out of the woods.

     In a matter of minutes, the sleek black fur of the Amarok is stained with its blood. Dozens of arrow cover its side, accompanied by stab wounds on its legs. The guards of the village line up the only ballistae they have at the Amarok while the trio continued assaulting it, trying to help them by luring it into the line of fire. A deafening sound can be heard as the ballista bolt flies from the ballistae, cutting through the air and hitting the Amarok in the ear, tearing into its head and out from the other ear. The Amarok drops dead, having its brain been ruptured. The villagers and guards cheer while the trio inspects the body, Vera climbing the body to get her arrows back. They accept the reward of 5000 Fin, the currency in Revalia, and the title of heroes of the village. They go back to their campsite and go to sleep, after celebrating with an aged bottle of wine.

     Khan leaves his tent, yawning loudly as the sun rises over the camp. Vera leaves her tent and sits down on the grass, watching Khan cook their breakfast. "What's for breakfast?" She asks, stretching while she watches him. "The usual, roasted pork," Khan replies as he checks the meat to see if it's burnt. Drako exits his tent, looking like a zombie, "Morning guys." he says as he rubs his eyes. Vera turns to look at him and lifts a hand in greeting while Khan just nods. Kha finished cooking it and brings it out, cutting it into portions and serving them on makeshift plates to them. They start digging in, hardly noticing the hellhounds that had circled the camp upon smelling the meat. Khan glances up and looks back at his plate, almost dropping his plate when he looks up in shock at the hellhounds. 

     "Grab your gear guys!" he yells as he forces the last piece of meat into his mouth and grabs his spear, trying to scare off the hellhounds while his allies got their gear. Drako quickly grabs his swords while Vera gets her bow and quiver, and they start attacking. A hellhound rushes Khan with its mouth wide open, ready to leap and bite him to latch on, but gets speared right in the mouth, the blade ripping through its back, killing it instantly. Drako tries to fend off the hellhound that dodges around him, trying to bite him. Vera shoots several arrows at the other hellhounds trying to flank Khan and Drako, hardly noticing the one that was bounding towards her until it leaped at her and bit her, latching on and ripping a chunk of her flesh out as she screams in pain. 

     "Vera!" Khan and Drako yell simultaneously, as Khan and Drako turn around to help her. Drako turns around and throws one sword at it, wounding it while running towards Vera, and Khan throws his spear at the same time. Drako leaps into the air, grabbing the spear with his free hand and stabbing the hellhound, which appeared to be the leader, right in the side. Khan desperately tries to fend the monsters off unarmed while Drako pulls his spear out and decapitates it with his sword. Vera nods in thanks, wincing as she gets up and grabs her bow again while Drako grabs Khan's spear and throws it to him. Khan catches it and spins around, stabbing a hellhound in the skull, killing it. Drako rushes over to Khan where he stands alone, fighting off the last group of hellhounds that have encircled him, using the butt of his spear to sweep them onto their sides, finishing them off with his blade. Vera shoots an arrow at one of the hellhounds, killing it instantly while Drako stabs the last one.