Chapter 5 -- Whose death?

AIO: I appreciate the inconsistency of a writer. Or rather, how their writing style changes over the years. Each chapter is not only a reflection of the story at a certain point in time, but a reflection on the writer as a person.

________________________________________________________________________________________

...

Thorn: "Vrazen?"

The unmasked man smiled.

Thorn: "No, I haven't heard the name."

????: ?!

Thorn: "But I thought I told you already."

Thorn: "I don't give a shit."

Reach and Tomo stood as they were, unfazed by the revelation.

The man, bewildered, plunged his large sword into the ground.

????: "What?!"

Reach: ...

????: "Have you three been living in a box?! Do you not hear any sort of news or word of mouth?"

Tomo looked increasingly confused. He turned to Reach.

Tomo: "I thought our world was disconnected? That each village, town, or city operated on its own?"

Reach: "Good memory."

Reach: "That is correct. Or at least my understanding, too. Clearly there is much to learn."

...

Reach: "I can't speak for Thorn and yourself, but..."

Reach: "The Peaceful Retire: Undying only had friendly relations with one other village. It did not receive news of the outside world."

Thorn: ...

Reach: Knowing Kail, they probably weren't interested either.

The unmasked man slowly removed his sword from the ground.

????: "Ridiculous."

????: "I suppose I could tell you all about the strong, but why waste my breath on people about to die?"

Thorn: ...

????: "It's been a while since I've had to get involved."

????: "My name is-"

Reach: "You talk too much."

Reach glared at the man with a serious expression.

????: "What? You think you ca-"

Reach: "Why should I waste my memory on your worthless name?"

Reach stepped in front of Thorn and Tomo.

Thorn: "Reach."

Reach: "I know. I'm saying there's no need."

Thorn paused for a moment.

She returned her blades to her back.

Reach: "I can handle them on my own."

Reach stood firm with blackened eyes.

????: "Hey?!"

????: "How cocky! I am only interested in the woman."

Reach: ...

????: "We are the king's looters. We deliver loot and bodies per his holy demand."

Reach looked around at the approximate 30 looters.

Reach: "Come."

Reach: "I'll take you all on."

The unmasked man lifted his large sword above his head, ready to attack.

????: "Fine, it's your death."

The man grins, looking at Reach.

...

His view instantly changes. From Reach himself, to the laces of Reach's boot.

Thack.

Reach buries the man into the ground with a right-legged kick.

Tomo: ?!

Tomo: Th-The guy didn't even have a chance to stop smiling.

Two masked looters jump at Reach from behind - one with a spear and the other with twin axes.

Reach backflips over them, dodging, and connecting two simultaneous kicks to the back of their heads.

They too, join the ground encroachment.

Five masked looters with massive shields charge on foot, in an arrow formation.

Reach meets the group halfway at incredible speed, chopping two to the side of the neck, rendering them unconscious.

The other three attempt to squash Reach from all directions.

Reach ducks, rotating clockwise and kicking their ankles - flipping them upward into the air.

He stands up quickly, this time rotating anti-clockwise to kick all three in the face whilst mid-air.

They plummet helplessly.

Four archers target Tomo.

Thorn grips one of her blades.

They fire shots in unison, each with sublime accuracy.

Reach appears from the side, breaking all four arrows in a single swipe.

Tomo: "Bah!"

Thorn: ...

Thorn releases the grip on her blade.

Reach darts into the trees, kicking the concealed archers one-by-one as they steadily fall.

Eight looters slowly approach Reach as he lands on the ground.

They each draw two blades from their backs. The blades seemingly of a clear, steel make in perfect alignment.

Reach: Thorn imitations?

Taking turns, they begin to attack Reach in a frenzy of blows.

Ducking, sidestepping, shifting... Reach dodges every single attack.

Having adapted to their unorthodox rhythm, Reach begins counterattacking.

Uppercuts to the chin, punches to the jaw, compounded fists to the top of the head... He swiftly works through the masses until the eight are down.

Reach: No, they're nothing compared to Thorn.

Tomo stood, stunned by Reach's prowess and efficiency.

Thorn grinned.

Thorn: "Not bad."

Reach progressively took out five more, each holding a unique mace or club.

Tomo: Reach, he's...

Tomo: He's not bothering to remove his device...

...

Tomo: I knew he was strong... But this strong?

Tomo: All of these looters could kill me with ease. And it's child's play for him?

Reach darts into the trees once again, taking out three more looters who were dropping smoke bombs of some sort.

Tomo: Until now I've only had Thorn and Thane as a comparison.

Tomo glances at Thorn.

Tomo: She... She managed to decapitate him? ...And so did Thane?

Tomo gulps, feeling incredibly overwhelmed.

Tomo: Are you kidding?

Tomo: How many monsters have I met... In such a short time?

Reach speeds at the remaining two looters, who at this point are understandably timid.

They both swing long, thin blades in hesitation.

Reach appears behind them, clanking their heads together, causing an upward gush of blood.

The scattered pile of unconscious bodies grows ever so slightly, apparently for the last time.

Reach exhales.

Reach: "I think that's it."

Reach: If there were any others, they've already run away.

Thorn and Tomo walk over to Reach.

Thorn: "Should've let me join in."

Reach: "Not necessary."

Reach: "And they'd probably be all dead if you did."

...

Thorn: "Are you saying these are good people? Worth keeping alive?"

Reach: ...

Reach: "No. I am not."

Thorn: ...

The three of them hear minor shuffling from the epicentre of the battlefield.

Reach: ?

Leaning forward with a face full of blood, the sole unmasked man slowly stands up.

Thorn: "Did you hold back too much, Reach?"

Reach: ...

The unmasked man stumbles for a moment, regaining his composure.

????: "You... You fu-"

Reach: "Do you kill everyone you see?"

Reach stared at the man with a blank expression.

Reach: "Is a life like that, really so fun?"

Thorn: ...

The man, becoming increasingly angry, spat blood on the ground.

Reach: "When people like you get in positions of power... It's no wonder so many die."

????: "Huh? What the fu-"

Reach: "Thank god you're..."

...

Reach: "...Weak."

Thorn grinned.

????: ?!

????: "Me?!! Weak?"

Reach's stare remained unbothered.

????: H-How is this man looking at me...

????: ...Like I'm nothing?!

The man rushed to collect his large sword nearby.

????: "You don't know how many people I've killed."

Reach: ...

Reach: "How naive."

The man looked at Thorn.

????: "You. Woman."

????: "Join us, and kill him."

Thorn sighed.

????: "No?"

????: "Are you really not scared of Vrazen?"

Thorn looked at the man with the same cold, ruthless expression from earlier.

Thorn: "You tell Vrazen..."

????: ?!

Thorn: "...That I'll meet him in hell."

Tomo chuckled.

????: "Hah... Hahaha..."

????: "No idea... Any of you..."

...

????: "I wish I could take you back to him. An attractive woman."

Reach: ...

????: "We currently have two girls at the king's base. What were their names again? Those playthings?"

????: "I really..."

Reach: ?!

????: "Enjoyed fu-"

Reach buries his fist deep into the man's face.

A gush of air sweeps the area. The land cracks from the impact as the man himself is buried once again.

Tomo and Thorn stood in silence.

Thorn: S-So fast.

Thorn caught a glimpse of Reach's face.

For perhaps the first time, she became mildly frightened.

Reach's face, engulfed in darkness, glowed with a malicious aura.

Reach slowly retracted his fist from the man's indented face. A collection of blood and other fluids dripped from Reach's knuckles.

The man's eyes drooped - hung from his eye sockets.

Remnants of cracked skull and pink flesh visible through the nostrils.

Thorn: He's not breathing. I can tell.

...

Thorn: Is this what Reach looks like... With the intent to kill?

She held back the urge to smile.

Thorn: I... I want to fight him again!!!

Reach looked down upon the newfound corpse. Black eyes embodied as fury itself.

Mumbling quietly, he spoke...

Reach: "Whose death did you say it was?"

...

...

...

Tomo looked around, assessing the odd quietness.

Perhaps unaware that a man had just died, Tomo walked towards Reach casually.

Tomo: "Yikes... What a mess. Great job once again."

Reach took a deep breath to calm himself down. He then slapped his own cheeks in refreshment.

Reach: "Fuck."

Thorn: ...

Tomo smiled nonchalant.

Tomo: "Now it's my turn."

Tomo placed his hand on Reach's shoulder.

Tomo: "All good?"

Reach: ...

Reach: "Yeah.."

Reach turned away from the corpse.

Reach: "Let's... Go."

Reach collected his bag that he'd left on the ground, and the three began to depart.

As they navigated through the spread of bodies, Tomo heard a quiet 'sniff' noise from below.

To his right he noticed one of the fallen archers, laid on their back with a bloody mouth, crying.

Their mask fallen off, revealed a thin adult person with long brunette hair. Alike the unmasked 'ringleader' they were tanned but slightly darker.

A small red choker made out of fabric encased their neck.

Reach: ...

Tomo looked at the person, initially empathetically, but soon remembered their vile acts.

????: "H-He..."

The person gulped, attempting to hold back tears.

????: "V-Vrazen... He'll kill us..."

Thorn: ...

????: "If we don't deliver at least 10 bodies a day... He'll slaughter us... Our families..."

A few more tears trickled down the person's face.

????: "His minions could be anywhere. I don't know what to do."

Reach: ...

Reach: "Will you work for him again?"

????: "Eh?"

????: ...

????: "W-We..."

????: "I'm not sure..."

Reach hung his bag over his shoulder, signalling a greater desire to leave.

Reach: "How stupid."

????: ?!

Reach: "By killing all these people, you're no better than him."

Reach: ...

The person's sadness quickly turned to anger.

????: "H-How the fuck would you know? Your loved ones aren't being held hostage."

...

????: "Most of us don't want to do this... But we have no choice. What else can we do?!"

Reach: ...

Reach sighed.

Reach: "It's simple."

????: ?!

Reach: "...You become strong."

...

????: "...Wh-"

Reach glanced at Tomo.

Reach: And I don't just mean physically.

A subtle smile returned to Reach.

Reach: "Thorn, Tomo."

Tomo: "Yep."

The three marched on, out of the small, red forest.

After 30 metres or so, Thorn chimed in.

Thorn: "I'm not sure they were worth letting live."

Reach: "That's fair."

...

Reach: "But you know... People change."

Tomo: ...

Reach: "Sometimes for worse, and sometimes for the better."

...

Reach stared ahead.

Reach: "Although if I see them again, and they've changed for the worst..."

Tomo gulped, feeling a dangerous energy.

Reach: "I won't hesitate."

Thorn: ...

Tomo took it upon himself to try lighten the mood again.

Tomo: "S-So... The place with the enormous trees. Are we still heading in the right direction?"

Thorn: "I believe so. Though I'm not sure how long of a walk it'll be."

Tomo: "Sweet!"

Tomo looked up at the sky - an unsettling blend of green and blue.

Approximately the middle of the day.

Tomo: "Hey, Thorn."

Thorn: ?

Tomo: "How old are you?"

Thorn: ...

Thorn: "Guess."

Tomo: "Hmm..."

Tomo inspected Thorn's armour for a moment.

Tomo: "23...?"

Thorn: "25."

Tomo: "Damn, close!"

Thorn: ...

Reach glanced at Thorn, somewhat interested in the conversation.

Reach: 25? I'm only just older.

Reach: I wonder how strong she'll become?

...

Reach: If not for my disease yesterday... She wins.

The three continued on their walk, drinking water occasionally.

Thorn: "How about you?"

Tomo: "Ah... Not this again..."

Thorn: ...

Thorn: Right... Forgetfulness...

Reach: "We think maybe 20 or 21."

Thorn: "That seems accurate."

Tomo: ...All this speculation feels rude somehow.

Emerging from the woods, the path began to slowly slant upward, seemingly approaching a cliff face.

The land itself was formed in a thin triangular-like format, almost inviting travellers to dive off its nose.

Tomo: "Are you sure this is the right way?"

Thorn: "Yes. I am confident."

Reach: ...

Reach: Aren't we about to free fall?

The three instinctively reduced their pace.

Thorn: "Let me just double check."

Thorn darted to the peak of the path.

Her strength and dexterity refined enough to ensure the momentum did not carry her over.

...

Thorn: "Nice."

Reach and Tomo gradually caught up.

They felt the breeze of the wind at the high altitude.

Reach stepped next to Thorn, looking over the edge.

Reach: "Oh... I see."

Tomo, the last to stand at the peak, forced his body to continue in what felt like an accident waiting to happen.

Tomo: "Gah..."

Tomo: "What is it?"

Tomo joined the other two.

Tomo: "...W-Wow!"

Tomo's eyes glistened as he witnessed the spectacular sight.

The path did not stop, but rather it continued almost directly downward. Its angle perhaps just safe enough to venture without being a death wish.

A few hundred metres deep they could witness it...

The village of enormous trees.

The trees so giant they practically matched the point at which these three stood.

Their innate thickness and height astounding.

The sun reigned above, shining over the village.

Thorn: "No wonder we couldn't see it."

Thorn: "You have to go down first."

The village itself was widespread. An abundance of trees encompassed the area.

Tomo: "So big..."

Tomo volunteered to go ahead, using his back hand to stabilise his descent.

Reach and Thorn steadily followed down the long path.

Reach: ?

Reach noticed the odd formation of some of the trees in the distance. One appeared to move slightly. Or rather, pulse.

The dirt path continued down and down. An endeavour surely much easier than the climb.

Tomo stopped for a moment.

Reach: ?

Reach: Oh.

Walking in the opposite direction was someone who had most likely departed the village.

Tomo remained stagnant, allowing Reach and Thorn to catch up.

Reach: It's completely understandable that Tomo doesn't trust strangers now.

Reach: "I'll walk in front."

Thorn and Tomo followed behind.

The person came closer, within sight.

Reach: They don't... Look dangerous.

The person was slim, lightly tanned, and actively reading a book as they walked.

They had long black hair - perhaps twice the length of Reach's hair, with dark purple tips.

Reach felt a calm, gentle aura emanating from the person.

Reach offered a friendly nod as they passed.

The person looked up, revealing a small purple mask that covered their nose and mouth.

The colour of their eyes undiscernible, they squinted kindly in response - representing a hidden smile.

The person went back to reading their book.

Reach paused, looking at them from behind. Almost in admiration.

Thorn: "Reach?"

Reach: "Sorry. Let's continue."

...

Finally arriving at the base of the village, the three looked up in awe.

Tomo especially seemed to be enjoying himself.

High in the air at the pinnacle of the trees, they saw glimpses of large flying creatures, circling.

A loud uncomfortable-sounding screech came from above.

Tomo: "They're so high up... But those are Dines!"

Their bodies grey with toughened skin. Wings extending from their backs.

Surprisingly not much larger than the average human.

Reach smiled as he glanced around.

Reach: I notice there's no dead bodies anywhere.

...

Reach: It's certainly an unsavoury custom in our world... Collating dead bodies.

Reach: Even though The Peaceful Retire: Undying did not have many visitors, it does not mean it was free from the curse of disease.

...

Reach: Regardless of where you live, many children are born, simply to die at a young age.

Reach looked down in thought.

Tomo: "Reach? What are you thinking about?"

Reach: ?

Reach: "Ah, nothing exciting."

Tomo: "Well, let's enter the village!"

Thorn led the way.

They came upon a hollow pentagon-shaped fixture.

Supposedly the gate or explicit entrance to the village.

????: "Welcome."

Thorn: ?

A short old man approached.

He wore a long blue robe, was bald at the head, and had a healthy white beard that covered his face.

????: "You three do not seem dangerous."

????: "Alas, if you were, you could not get far."

Thorn: ...

Thorn: "Greetings."

The old man stood in front of them.

Shile: "My name is Shile. I am the elder of this sacred village."

Tomo: "N-Nice to meet you."

Shile grinned.

Shile: "I am looking forward to what awaits."

Reach: ?

Shile spread his arms into the air.

Two small trees emerged from the ground at either side of him.

Tomo: ?!

Shile: "This is a place of home. Of journey."

Shile: "A place to start anew."

Shile clapped his hands together.

The two trees bent and connected in front of him.

Tomo: "Wh-What is happen-"

Shile: "Welcome..."

...

Shile: "...To Greenland of Envy: New Beginnings!!"

[Chapter 5 -- End]