Volume 01 - Chapter 4: Roar of the Orphaned Beast (Part 03)

Before leaving Hleigar proper, we hide our luggage in shadow behind Howler’s Hall. Asking villagers for directions to the mines results in most warning us not to go. One eventually helps us along, telling us we’re insane.

Grinding my teeth, I join Koishi in her stiff-legged, head-down walk toward our doom. Mizuka skips along, calling us cowards and telling us to get over ourselves. I’d tell her an admirable leader wouldn’t treat her subordinates so poorly but cannot find the will to speak.

The world’s color wanes as thick, dark clouds fill the night sky, the moon popping in and out of view. I blindly follow Mizuka’s humming until my eyes adjust to the blackness. A tall, rocky mountain range dotted with gaping, black holes manifests further ahead. The mines. Ones still in use, given the many tents and cold campfires erected around their entrances.

A sharp snap echoes, and Koishi grabs my arm, her softness somewhat calming my nerves. Another snap charges the air as we head further north. Then another, and another. The thumping of ten-thousand footsteps accompanies the snapping. Snap, slam, crack, and a shout. No—a roar.

Mizuka dashes forward, running straight for the ominous sounds. Head swimming, I follow, Koishi slowing me as she refuses to run. Only upon telling her we can’t leave Mizuka alone does she match my pace.

Closer. Red lights—hundreds of tiny fires spread across the boundless, empty plain we traverse. They burn brighter as we approach. Another roar resonates followed by a snap, the slushy splattering of some liquid following it. Mizuka shouts for us to hurry, her silhouette gliding toward the incandescence.

Almost there. And then—we see it. Koishi screams and hides behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist. I freeze, unable to process the absolute chaos.

A beautiful girl. A thousand hideous monsters. She pummels them with her lightning-fast fists. Forming a circle around her, they charge her relentlessly. Roar from the girl, snap from her fist, scream from the beast, blood gushing, spraying across dirt. Over and over. A mountain of blood-soaked corpses lies at her feet. She’s dancing. Twirling to the tune of her enemies’ cries. Deep scarlet covers her body, stains her smiling face, and drips into her crazed, icy blue eyes glowing in the full moon’s light.

“Leo!” Mizuka shakes me by the shoulders. “Snap out of it. We have to help her. There are too many of them.”

“H-Help?! No way, I can’t fight. I’ve never fought anything in my whole life, much less an army of monsters!” How pathetic. But I can’t. I’d die the instant I leapt onto the battlefield.

“No, Leo.” She grips me tighter, golden eyes cutting deep into my pounding heart. “You have to fight. If you want to become legendary, you have to fight. Just like the heroes in your stories, you have to fight.”

I swallow hard. No. Don’t agree with her. Resist. Run away. You’re a coward. You can’t fight. You can’t do it. You’re a farmhand. Worthless, weak, good for nothing but dodging work. Even so, I…

“…I have to fight.” The words eek out as if spoken by someone else.

Mizuka smirks. “Koishi, quit hiding. Can I assume you know what to do?”

“Y-Yes, Master.” She releases me, terror in her shifting eyes.

“Leo. Please, take my hand.” I do so as she raises her left hand. “Now for the other—like this.” She forms a half-closed fist. I mimic her, fingers trembling. “Repeat after me.”

I nod as she closes her eyes, mumbling in Sabigo. A sapphire halo of light forms around us, warming my rigid skin.

“Caliburn. Unto you, I grant my destiny,” she says, and I repeat her words. A scorching something grips my heart. “And unto you, Chosen King, do I grant mine.”

The light erupts, engulfing us, but fades fast, leaving behind a weight in my right hand. In it, I find Koishi’s sword, standing tall as it gleams with what remains of the alien light.

It is far lighter than expected, the grip familiar, and seeming an extension of my body. My former fear is all but gone, supplanted by a sense of strength I shouldn’t have.

“Koishi…your sword.”

“It’s yours, Leo. I’m no warrior, so please—take my place.” She wraps both hands around mine and the sword. “My power is yours.”

“Thanks, but I’ve never had any sword training, much less been in a fight. I’m more likely to hurt myself before those things.”

“My sword, Caliburn, will guide you. Even the most amateurish swing will defeat almost anything standing in your way.”

“You’re telling me to just run out there and start swinging?”

“Quite.” Mizuka stomps one foot forward, wearing a determined expression. “But you needn’t worry. For I will provide backup.”

“You will? I mean, you can fight? With what?”

“My spells, of course. I won’t be joining you in the fray but will prevent those creatures from overwhelming you.”

“So, I’ll be alone after all?”

“No. Whoever she is will be with you.” She motions toward the beautiful savage still ripping monsters limb from limb. “She seems apt enough.”

“Apt to mistake me for a monster and knock off my head.”

“Enough whining. Ready?”

“Not really, but I have no choice…let’s go!”

I grip Caliburn with both hands, hold it high over my head, and charge with leaden legs and heart threatening to burst. Monsters surround the girl on all sides, a trail pouring from one of many entrances to the abandoned mines.

I stand a few paces from the horde, but they pay me no mind. They’re all focused on the girl, who continues her dance of death. Several glance my way, staring with bulging red eyes, but soon lose interest.

The monsters are hideous, to say the least. They are human-like in that they have arms, legs, and a head, but only that. Dirty swamp green and tar black in color, none rise above my waist. Each is malformed, misshapen in different ways. Some with shortened arms or legs, others with extra limbs, huge eyes, humped backs, feet turned the wrong way. Sharp, pointed teeth arranged at random jut from their gaping mouths. Their worst offense is the stench rolling off their slimy bodies. like disease, spoiled milk, the cow my father slaughtered before me as a child. The stink of death.

“N-Need some help?”

“Who are—take this!” Roaring, the girl drives her fist into a monster’s head, pulverizing it. She wears black gloves with metal bands across the knuckles, huge spikes protruding from them, bits of flesh clinging to each tip.

“We’re here to help!”

“Fine by me. Just stay out of my way!” She bounds forward, plowing through a row of monsters.

“…No problem.”

“Get on with it, Leo!” Mizuka swings a non-existent sword.

Grimacing, I target a monster smaller than the majority, hanging around the edge of the horde with few companions at his side. Turning, it stares with three massive eyes and produces a horrible wheezing sound that compels me to double back. He does not pursue, choosing instead to face the girl again, who slams her fist into the ground, sending a circle of monsters flying.

Convinced I can strike with no risk of retaliation, I rush forward and swing. Caliburn cleaves the beast in half, leaving a blue glow burned into the creature’s flesh. Too easy. That said, Caliburn did all the work. I controlled the speed, angle, and force of the swing, but doing so wasn’t as difficult as expected; it’s like I was born with a sword in hand. Let’s try again.

I target a troupe of ten, each clamoring to reach the girl. Still, they pay me no mind. One, straight down. Two, diagonally. And three, a lunge. Caliburn glides through each foe with ease, nine vanquished in seconds. Adrenaline turns to intoxication. I’m fighting an army of vicious monsters. Just like the heroes from my storybooks. I’d feel bad for the little guys if their mere existence didn’t leave me on the verge of vomiting…

I swing for the tenth, but it dodges, my sword digging into the soft ground. Will it pounce? Tear me in two? Fear wracks my stomach, but Caliburn’s gentle glow reassures me. The monster rears its razor claws but turns and runs instead of avenging its comrades. Did I scare him away? Ha. Perhaps I’m suited to life a knight’s life after all.

“Did you get them?!” Bellows Mizuka, a safe distance from the slaughter.

“Of course! They’re not as scary as they look!”

“Yay! You’re doing great, Leo!” Caliburn waves both arms, jumping up and down, chest shaking with extraordinary force.

As I enjoy their bouncing, wondering how they’re staying attached and what degree of joy I would experience if hit in the face by them, Mizuka yells for me to pay attention. But by the time I do, the tenth monster has returned, baring his teeth, a hundred companions at his side.

“Hm? No~!” An embarrassing, falsetto scream leaks from my mouth as I retreat. “Get back! I’m sorry! Don’t come any closer!” I swing without thought, connecting with naught but air.

“Idiot! Stand your ground. I’ll hold them off.” Mizuka makes a series of nonsensical arm movements. “Eat this! Hiamma!”

A huge ball of flame forms between Mizuka’s hands, and she flings it toward the group chasing me. It spins, shrinking as it sails toward its target. Maybe it’s designed to concentrate its power for a huge explosion. Instead, it fades to a speck before reaching the monsters and smacks one in the head. The beast wheezes in anger, stomping its backward feet.

“What was that?!”

Mizuka responds by hiding her face. Koishi laughs but quickly covers her mouth. Screaming for mercy, I make several laps around the horde, my assailants chasing me with greater vigor. All the while, the girl bludgeons monster after monster, her glee never fading. How many are there? Judging by the number of corpses, she’s already killed several hundred. And yet, for each that perishes, ten more take its place. All pouring out of…there, that mine entrance.

While several openings are bored into the mountainside, the monsters surge forth from but one. A constant stream stretching from within the mine to the circle surrounding the girl. Yet the circle never expands, maintaining its size of a thousand beasts or so. Are they reserving their troops? No, if they wanted, they could’ve long since overwhelmed the girl by sheer numbers. It’s as if they’re letting her kill them for sport.

The parade chasing me slows, their bodies not designed for running. After catching my breath, I attack, backstepping after slaying two at a time as to keep the others from surrounding me. All but ten have fallen when I spot one in my peripheral. It’s close—too close. And I’m too late. It leaps, digging into my left arm with razor claws.

Gritting my teeth, I clear some distance from the others before dealing with the one on my arm. Wheezing, it snaps with a mouth unable to close shut. I throw myself on the ground, smashing it beneath me. It digs in deeper but goes limp when I press with all my weight. Scrambling to my feet, I swing, cleaving off its arm and then head.

A bucket of blood douses my arm as my knees buckle. This poor excuse for a battle can’t last much longer. The endless supply of monsters soon replaces any we fell. Leaving aside the girl’s absurd strength, she can’t have enough stamina to slay them all.

“Mizuka.” I dash to her side after dispatching the rest of the monsters bent on following me.

“…Come to have a laugh?” She sulks, arms folded.

“Huh? No, my critiquing your pitiful excuse for help can wait. We need to leave.”

“L-Leo! How dare—wait, what? Why? Spare your girlish screams, you’re doing well. Why stop?”

“Well…” I explain my theory about the infinite number of monsters.

“That’s not…impossible. There’s no telling what my fragment might create. However, to where do you suppose we retreat?”

“Those tents on the way here. Will they do?”

“Good enough. Next question. How do you plan on convincing her to come with us?” She motions to the madwoman who has yet to miss a beat in her dance of death. “We cannot simply leave her to die.”

“…By asking nicely?”

“Good luck.” She looks left.

“I-It’ll be fine.” I return to the bloodbath.

The girl continues fighting with the same zeal she had when we arrived. Blood paints her entire body, unable to dry as she adds a fresh coat every few seconds. Why dare approach such a horrifying being? Well, perhaps the fetor of the blood I’ve spilt has driven me just as mad.

“Hey!” I wave Caliburn, its sapphire glow dimmer than earlier.

“You again? What is—” Snap! She kicks a monster into the air and uppercuts it; its head popping like a grape.

“W-We’re retreating. Care to join us?”

“I’m no coward! I won’t stop until every single one of these things is dead!” She lifts two monsters and slams them into the ground, stomping their heads in turn.

“Sure, but…look, you’ve killed so many, and they’re still coming. What are you going to do if they never stop?”

“…Keep killing! Only so many can fit inside those mines.” A flicker of concern masks her glee.

“And if you run out of stamina?”

“I won’t.”

“What if you do?”

“I said I won’t! But maybe…maybe if I did—they’d overwhelm me.”

“So, what should you do before that happens?”

“Kill ‘em all?”

“No, retreat.”

“Only a coward retreats!” Crack! She eradicates three in a single swipe.

“Would you rather be a coward or dead?”

“Dead!”

“…Right.” Does this girl have muscles where her brain should be? “How about this? If you retreat now, you may be a coward, but if you come back and defeat them later, your act of heroism will overwrite your being a coward. Make sense?”

“No. That would still make me a coward.”

“Y-Yes, but only for a short time.”

“…How long?”

“Eh? I mean…a few hours.” Probably.

“That doesn’t sound so bad.” Bam! Five monsters find their tiny arms ripped to shreds.

“Right? So, let’s retreat. Follow me.”

“No! I won’t follow a coward.”

“…Can I follow you then?”

“Forget it. I’ll be a coward if I retreat, and I’m not about to let a coward lead another coward.”

My head hurts. “There, look. I have some friends over there. How about we have one of them guide us?”

“Not a chance. They joined the fight, so if they retreat, they’ll be cowards.”

“…Hold on, only one fought. So, because the other one didn’t fight, she won’t be retreating but only leading us cowards to safety.”

“Don’t call me a coward!” Crunch! She curb-stomps a downed monster. “But you’re right. If she leads us, I won’t be following a coward. Fine. I’ll fall back for now.” She jumps high into the air and slams into the earth fists first, sending the crowd around her flying. “Take me to the only valiant person left on this battlefield.”

Nodding, I return to Mizuka and Koishi, looking back several times to make sure the girl is still following me. She is, but the monsters trail after her with no sign of stopping.

“We’re leaving!” I motion for the girls to run. “Koishi, you lead the way!”

“Me? I can’t!” She hides behind Mizuka.

“Just do it, Koishi. Let’s go before we’re surrounded.” I point at the fast-approaching horde.

“I just have to be in front, right? Someone else will give directions, right?”

“Yes, so start moving!”

“I-I’m going!” She bolts toward the campground, Mizuka close behind.

Despite the danger, I match my pace with the girl. If I don’t monitor her, she’s sure to return to her massacre.

“This work for you?”

“For now. But if I still count as a coward before sunrise, I’m holding you responsible.” She wipes murky blood from her eyes.

“…Understood.”

This girl is far scarier than any monster.