A Field Test

  It was the night of the big show, it was the night he’d been preparing for since he’d first arrived to Dulciena.

  Everything was ready for his big reveal, he’d just checked on Rei and was about to start the journey to Dulciena when, once again, fate intervened.

  Freya had left earlier that day to visit her brother, she’d grown worried that something may have happened to him.

  Maxwell had been too busy making she he was ready for tonight, he should have known something wasn’t right, perhaps he did and just didn’t care.

  Freya came stumbling into the hut, her face had been covered in bruises and she was limping.

  He rushed over to catch her before she fell over.

  “Freya, what’s happening to you?!”

  She couldn’t speak her eyes were glazed over by grief, it was the same look as the people he’d seen in Dulciena.

  He gently layed her down on another bed off moss, when he fished he saw that his hands were covered in blood.

  “Freya, are you bleeding?! Tell me where so I can stop the bleeding!”

  He checked but he found no cut or stab wounds, the blood had not been her own.

  “Freya please, you must tell me what’s happened?”

  All the noise around them seemed to die down as Maxwell leaned in close to hear anything the injured healer wished to say.

  It came out as a whisper but the name was as clear as if she’d shouted. “Edwin.”

  That was all he needed to hear, he turned to leave the hut. Had he already known what had happened before she’d even whispered the name?

  It was dark, good he thought. They won’t expect him to come for them in the dark.

  Freya had mentioned a few places where the forest creatures would all gather. There were only three forest creatures he wanted to see.

  The same forest creatures who’d nearly killed Edwin the first time they’d met, the same forest creatures who after tonight, would never walk this world again.

  He walked to every spot he could remember, he asked any one who could understand him. In the end it was fate that brought them to him.

  They spent the night together talking with the other forest creatures , fitting that they spend their last few moments together, fitting that they’d die together.

  When all the other forest creatures had gone home, it was just him and them.

  He wondered if this was how it’d been for Edwin, did the three of them corner him when he was all alone?

  He already new the answer, he could see it all played out like an episode of a show or a scene in a movie.

  “Alright guys, think I’m gonna call it a night.”

  “So early? Night still young and the party’s just getting started.”

  “Your drunk Terry, maybe you should be calling it a night too.”

  “Of course I’m drunk! I always get drunk after a killing.”

  “You get drunk after anything.”

  “Yeah, you’re right but especially after a killing.”

  “Not like that little runt gave us much of a choice.”

  “What was with that wingless harpy? She looked so weird right?”

  “I think that was his sister, she’s like a healer or something.”

  “Too bad she wasn’t there earlier, otherwise she may have been able to save the little shit.”

  They all laughed at that, he’d silence their laughter once and for all.

  “You need something?”

  He’d been staring too long, amateur mistake.

  “Hey, don’t I know you from somewhere?”

  “It’s the guy who was with Edwin last time, remember? The famous hero guy.”

  “Oh yeah! Hey look, no hard feelings man. We already settled our business with Edwin.”

  “Settled it with his sister too.”

  “Right, so we don’t need bad blood between us. Let’s say we just all go our separate way. No need for anyone to get hurt.”

  Despite what she was saying he could clearly see her reaching for her dagger. The others were doing the same.

  They were stupid but even they could sense his blood lust, he wasn’t trying to hide it.

  The first one to come at him was the one with the cat-like face, they called her Vi last time.

  She knew how to handle a blade, he dodged her attack and came face to face with his second attacker.

  It was the harpy of the group, the one they called Roma. He didn’t need a blade since he had his talons. 

  He’d just barely avoided Roma when the third and final member of the group, a gorgon named Terry drunkenly attack with his sword.

  Even drunk, he was clearly skilled.

  All three fought like they were a single entity. What a waste of talent.

  Maxwell was used to fighting, before all his inventions and criminal syndicates, he needed to fight to earn everything he had.

  There was a time when he’d been hailed as one of the strongest fighters on earth, but that was a long time ago.

  Vi managed to slice his Achilles tendon bringing him to his knee, he blocked her as she’d tried to stab him in the neck.

  Roma tried flying in to pick him up so he threw Vi into him. That would have been enough if it hadn’t been for Terry. 

  Will one swing he sliced Maxwell across his gut. It wasn’t too deep but it was deep enough to cause bleeding.

  Any deeper and he’d need to hold his gut closed to keep his insides from falling out.

  “I thought you said this guy was supposed to be like the strongest hero? I’m kicking his butt and I’m not even sober!”

  “Yeah, this guy’s nothing. Vi, finish him off.”

  “Whatever but you’re finishing off the next one.”

  He’d lost this fight, he was beaten but he wasn’t finished.

  He started to laugh, he hadn’t laughed in along time.

  “What’s he laughing at?”

  “Who knows maybe he’s one of those types who gets off to getting beaten?

  “Oh yeah, I’ve heard of those. It’s kinda creepy seeing one in person, you know.”

  “Just finish him already, he’s freaking me out.”

  “Fools.”

  “What was that?”

  “You poor fools, you all could have been apart of my new world and yet you threw it all away just so you could kill that little runt, Edwin.”

  “Wait, you thought Edwin was a little runt too? Then why in the underworlds did you stop us before?!

  “And why are you throwing your life away to avenge his death?”

  Maxwell smiled. “Who said anything about avenging Edwin’s death.”

  The three were confused.

  “So what the hells was this about?!”

  “A field test.”