Chapter 26: Beneath

  “Mom!”

  A little boy ran forward, feet covered with mud.

  “Oh, Aspen…”

  A woman paused mid-chop and turned. Vegetables lay forgotten.

  Aspen beamed, holding up a dripping fish, clothes soaked through.

  “You went fishing again,” she sighed, grabbing a towel. She knelt and rubbed his hair dry.

  “And why are you soaking wet? Did you fall into the pond?!”

  He scratched his cheek.

  “Y-yes...”

  “I told you to be careful,” she scolded softly.

  “I’m sorry, Mom… But Elis wanted to eat fish… so I caught one!”

  She stared at him for a moment then smiled.

  “…Alright. Since you brought it, I’ll cook it.”

  His face lit up. “Really?! I want to eat it too!”

  She chuckled.

  “Then help me. The sooner we're done, the sooner we eat.”

  Laughter filled the kitchen.

  _ _ _

  Present…

  “Why don’t I ease your pain…”

  Vesra’s voice brushed Aspen’s ear like a cold breath.

  “…by killing you?”

  Aspen froze.

  Slowly, he turned.

  Their eyes met—briefly.

  Her eyes were filled with cruelty and raw—without emotions and mercilessness. A faint smell of blood lingered around her making her more creepy.

  Fear won.

  His legs gave out. He fell hard, clutching his stomach as pain surged.

  He just stared at her breathing heavily through his mouth, helplessly.

  “This isn’t right…

  Her aura… it's suffocating. Dark. Crushing.

  And—and I am unable to move!

  Is it because of her or because I am afraid?”

  “What do you say? This won’t hurt long. I’m efficient.” Vesra asked calmly, leaves swirling around her fingers.

  “Accept it. Humans are good for nothing born only to rot and die.”

  Swish!

  Some rocks hurled towards her as she backed up.

  “Aspen!”

  Ryl rushed forward, pulling him gently away, using the time as she was distracted and he shoved a healing potion vial into his hands.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Drink it!”

  Aspen swallowed the potion. Warmth surged through his body as the pain dulled and the wounds sealed shut, yet the bloodstains and torn cloth remained—silent reminders of what had been carved into him moments before.

  Ryl helped him stand.

  “You’re wrong,” Aspen said quietly, breath heavy—yet steady.

  She tilted her head.

  “It’s true humans aren’t immortal,” Aspen continued.

  “But that’s exactly… why every moment matters.”

  He lifted his gaze and met her eyes—determined.

  “It's true we aren’t powerful enough, so yeah… we had to get help from the spirits.”

  His fingers tightened around his dagger, which was facing the ground and Vesra was quiet listening to him her eyes narrowed.

  “We train. We bleed. We push forward to protect those who can’t protect themselves.”

  His voice rose.

  “We don’t die for nothing!!”

  And he charged.

  Vesra smirked.

  “Protecting others?”

  Leaves spiraled around her forcing it into a barrier of wind, leaves and dust. The force pushed Aspen dead, dust blasting outward.

  His blade couldn’t get near her.

  “How cheap,” she scoffed.

  Aspen backed up for momentum and leapt—trying from above.

  The whirlwind flung him away like a leaf.

  “Aspen!!” Ryl shouted.

  “I’m fine!” Aspen grunted, landing hard.

  “I can’t reach her this way!

  Retreating won’t work either…

  So now—either we fight or die.”

  Suddenly—

  Swirling leaves froze midair, suspended in place. The dust slowly settled, clearing the venue.

  “You’re foolish,” Vesra said coldly.

  “One who can’t even protect himself dares speak of saving others?”

  _ _ _

  A little far away…

  Dior observed the battlefield of Aspen. Leaves, wind and dust raising.

  “Maybe, I should step in.”

  As he stepped a hoarse growl sounded behind him.

  “It’s not finished.”

  Ursen stood again, blue blood soaked its fur.

  Dior sighed. “…give up already.”

  Claws tore through the air. Dior slipped beneath them, jumped.

  “I’m tired. Let’s end this.”

  Ursen roared, opening its jaw wide as if to eat him up alive.

  Dior twisted midair and struck its back, landing behind it.

  The beast screeched. Then turned to him.

  It slammed its leg down—the earth trembled as he stumbled.

  Without pausing it threw its claws.

  Dior barely dodged.

  Claws raked across his shoulder, then his torso; tearing it open.

  Blood splattered soaking the ground.

  “…Enough,” Dior muttered, gripping his wound.

  He launched forward again.

  This time his eyes were locked on only Ursen and its neck.

  Clean. Precise.

  One strike.

  Ursen’s head flew.

  Thud.

  The body hissed and disintegrated into smoke.

  Dior stared briefly at his dusty hands.

  “…Was that supposed to be powerful?”

  He exhaled as he turned back toward Aspen.

  _ _ _

  Back to Aspen…

  Aspen charged again.

  “We may not think of ourselves—”

  Leaves shot toward him. He barely slipped through, skin sliced.

  “—but we protect what matters to us!” he shouted.

  “Family. Friends. Loved ones.”

  He thrust his dagger.

  A single leaf stopped it.

  Vesra’s smile faded as she stared into the emptiness.

  “You’re mistaken,” she said quietly, voice unwavering.

  “Saving others is nothing more than kindness.”

  Aspen met her gaze.

  “Her eyes, it's filled with pain.

  Loneliness... Abandonment… Regression…

  Just how much did she suffer…?”

  “Those people you are talking about to protect will forget you,” she went on.

  “Kindness is just a shield they hide behind. They are only selfish. What's good when they only think about themselves?”

  She raised her hand. Leaves which were frozen—now, rolled into pointed needles.

  “I hate humanity.”

  They fell—like needle rain.

  Aspen shut his eyes shielding his face with his arm—

  Clack!

  The needles were deflected.

  Aspen opened his eyes and saw Dior stood in front of him, spinning a wooden staff.

  “You’re really trying to get yourself killed.” Dior muttered.

  “Dior!” Aspen gasped.

  “Just how many weapons can you wield?!”

  “Almost all.” He replied flatly. “Is it an important question to ask right now?”

  “No—but you're bleeding heavily!!”

  “Fight first.” Dior cut him off. “Talk later.”

  Then he looked at Vesra and thought,

  “Isn’t she a beast tamer, then how…?”

  They lunged together.

  Then branches raised from the ground and aimed at them as a whip.

  Steel and wood clashed against it as they reached her.

  Vesra answered back everything they gave.

  Ryl stood frozen, his fingers clenching his chest.

  “I want to help…

  Really…

  but… but I’m scared…”

  Aspen circled around her.

  “This won’t work…”

  He stopped behind her a few paces back and sprinted with his dagger straight at her heart.

  “Behind me?” she scoffed, amused.

  Leaves launched again, scratching his skin.

  He didn't stop.

  His dagger reached and—stabbed her.

  She didn't hitch as she grabbed Dior's arm.

  “Childish.” she muttered.

  Then she hurled him into a tree—

  CRACK!

  The tree’s trunk snapped.

  Aspen pushed his dagger harder burying deeper into her torso.

  Blood leaked down her body and spilled on the ground, making a pool.

  Then—

  The branches wrapped his ankles first, then his hands and torso—until they tightened around his neck, making him unable to move.

  She freed herself from the dagger. In an instant the wound closed.

  She strutted forward in small steps, then turned, her hair spinning with her as she tilted her body and looked back at him smiling.

  “Did you think that could take my life?”

  Aspen gritted his teeth, his grip on the dagger trembled and the branches coiled even tighter, making him suffocate.

  Crack!

  Ryl swung his dagger with all his might and freed Aspen.

  “I made it…”

  Ryl thought his chest heaving heavily.

  “I really made it.

  So, this means… this means I can fight back right?”

  Then he looked straight at her.

  “You beauty—ah—I mean, you witch!! I will see your end!!”

  His fingers wrapped tightly around Aspen’s father’s dagger, both hands trembling as he pointed it at her.

  “Oh~ We’ll see about it.”

  She said as stretched her hands.

  The leaves spinned the whole area making the dust raise.

  Aspen and Ryl shielded their eyes, coughing.

  “It's hard to see!!” Ryl yelled, flailing his hands.

  There was nothing but brown dust around, blinding them.

  Aspen squinted his eyes through the dust.

  Someone was approaching. Aspen alerted as he raised his dagger, and—

  Clank!

  “Do you hold any grudges against me?” he muttered.

  It was Dior.

  He said his dagger was clashing with the Aspen’s dagger.

  Aspen smiled sheepishly, “sorry! I didn't see you there.”

  Suddenly—

  Swish.

  The leaves sliced them in the dust.

  “You coward!!” Ryl yelled, barely dodging the leaves.

  “Fight with us face to face!!”

  No response.

  After some time,

  The leaves stopped and dust cleared.

  The three stanced at her, blood covered, determined, trembling.

  Vesra looked at them and thought,

  “Why should they be this persistent?”

  Then she smirked.

  They blinked.

  “Why are you smiling?!” Ryl yelled as he turned to Aspen and he froze, eyes widened.

  Blood spilled down Aspen’s throat.

  *****

  Chapter 27: Wielder's Arrival