The Black Heritage

Chapter 7: The Mess and Interrogation

"Were everyone fine here?" Uncle Simon ran wobbling towards the crowd. He just came to the area. 

"No one got hurt, Head Village. Rest assured." Arthur replied. 

"Head Village, why did you only come out from your house now? Don't tell us, you are scared." A young thin man from the crowd teased. Actually, he was the first one who hid in a corner as the monsters exposed to them. 

"What nonsense are you saying about?" Jotun snorted. "How could grandpa be scared of them? My cousin is screaming all along as the village is in a mess. You know it already, she is still in trauma after the wolf incident this morning. Grandpa has to look after her. Besides, Grandpa is staying with us to secure our safety. But--if Grandpa let me come out earlier, I was already here long ago. What, did you help Brother Ethan kill the monsters?" 

Jotun was a kid but his thinking was like a mature man. So his word was sometimes bold. 

Arthur giggled. "What help can he offer? Jotun, don't you know, it was him, the one who first hid away from the monsters like a rat."

"Hey, Bro Arthur, I was just kidding. Why are you all so serious?"

"Enough! Enough! Let's just be thankful that no one was hurt. This is all thanks to the Saunders Brothers." Uncle Simon held Ethan's hand, "Ethan, thank you for your bravery. If you were not here, we can't imagine the situation of the village and the people now. Thank you." Uncle Simon bowed and he also bowed to Logan and Brayden. "Mr. Logan, Mr. Brayden, thank you for your aid. We all owe our lives to the three of you. In the future, if you need something, just ask us and we are willing to fulfill it."

"Uncle Simon, you are too welcome. But don't need to repay us, accepting us here is already enough. Since we are in one village, helping each other should be necessary." Ethan said and smiled politely. 

"Our little brother is right. Forget about repayment." Logan agreed. The way he talked was cold so it would depend on the others how they would interpret him. 

"Anyway, thank you for your heroic deeds. We won't forget this." Uncle Simon looked around and nodded. "Oh by the way, what are we going to do with the bodies?" 

"Start a big fire and burn them. The ashes must be placed in a small jar and bury them on the river shore." Ethan said. 

"Why Brother Ethan?" Jotun looked up on him and asked. 

Ethan ruffled Jotun's hair, "Because it is necessary. Don't ask more, okay. You will know it when you grow up."

"Let's do what Ethan said. Everyone, start a fire in the wide yard and burn them." Uncle instructed. 

"Head Village, starting a fire is easy but who will carry them? I am saying it now, I won't touch them." A boy with a violet blond hair said, crossing his arms over his chest. 

"Are you scared?" Uncle Simon asked. 

"Of course, who is not afraid here? Are you? Are you not afraid?" He turned around and pointed his index finger at everyone.

"I will." Arthur volunteered. "They are already dead, what is there still to be scared about."

"Let me help you Bro Arthur." The young thin man earlier also volunteered. 

Everyone looked at him as he already squatted down next to the monster's corpse. 

"Hey, don't give me that kind of look. I admit, I am still afraid of their dead bodies but what else can we do? If no one cleans these, how could we sleep peacefully tonight?" He added. 

Everyone nodded. 

"Those who don't want to carry the body, please start the fire. Some others too will hold a torch to give light to those who will carry the body." Uncle Simon clapped. "Now, let's move."

While everyone was busy cleaning the yard, Mang Castor's cries echoed. "Daughter? Daughter? Where are you?" 

"What is wrong Castor?" Uncle Simon immediately met him. 

"My daughter. My Penthelope, I can't find her."

Ethan, Logan and Brayden were just standing at the side and sometimes they gave instructions how to properly dispose of the monster's body. Ethan got alarmed upon hearing Penthelope's name. He exclaimed as he tapped his forehead. "This is bad. Right, Penthelope."

Mang Castor heard Ethan. He, Uncle Simon, Ethan's Brothers and a few others quickly chased Ethan as Ethan grabbed a torch from the hand of one of the villagers  and ran off. 

"Penthelope? Penthelope?" Ethan kept calling as he searched the maiden under the collapsed roof. 

Later, Penthelope's naked body was exposed. 

"Oh my God." Ethan quickly undressed himself and covered his shirt on the body of the girl.

"Daughter?" Mang Castor bawled as he ran towards his daughter, ignoring the safety of himself as he desperately dashed on the scattered woods, roofs and other house materials. "Daughter, what happened to you? How did you end up like this? My pitiful daughter." Mang  Castor hugged Penthelope. 

"Father, I am dirty. Don't touch me." Penthelope pushed her father away. 

Mang Castor fell back. 

"Father, I am sorry. But I am really dirty now." She scratched her arms and bodies. "I am dirtier than a w***e. I had s*x tonight with a monster." She wailed helplessly. "I don't deserve to live anymore."

Penthelope picked a pointed broken timber and attempted to cut her throat but Ethan was always quick. He managed to kick the timber away from the maiden's hand. 

"Penthelope, what already done cannot be undone but it doesn't mean you can't start anew. You may have made a mistake now but you can't ruin the rest of your future. You fell badly today but it doesn't mean you can't stand again. Just think of your father and your mother. He is so worried about you."

"Here, take this blanket and wrap her." Uncle Simon handed a blanket on Ethan. 

Ethan accepted it and wrapped the girl. He also assisted Mang Castor to pick himself up before handing him his daughter. 

"Uncle Castor, bring your daughter to your home and give her a proper rest." Ethan said. 

"Thank you. Thank you. I am so rude to you this morning but you repaid me with kindness. Thank you. Mang Castor bowed to Ethan with tears endlessly flowing down from his eyes. 

"You are welcome Mang Castor."

"Father." Penthelope leaned on her father's chest and sobbed. "Father, I am afraid."

"What are you being afraid about?" Ethan asked. 

Penthelope raised her head and looked back at Ethan. "I am afraid, what if I get pregnant with a child of a monster? What to do? I don't want to live anymore."

Ethan sighed. "If that is what you are worrying about then you don't have to worry. I know something that can kill the sperm cell of a monster."

"Really?" Penthelope's face showed a hope. 

"Tell us Mr. Ethan." Mang Castor said. "I will surely get it for my daughter."

Ethan turned around. "Gathered these ingredients: Herbaceous vine, Rocambole garlic, and Flame Nettle. These three are easy to find. Get a stem for the Herbaceous vine, seeds for the Rocambole garlic and leaves for the Flame Nettle. Crush them all together and take their juices. After, make sure Penthelope drinks one glass of it every morning for a week.  The more bitter it is, the more effective."

"Yes. Yes. I follow your instructions."

"Okay. Take your daughter to rest." Ethan tapped Penthelope's shoulder. "Don't be disappointed. This is only your trial."

In a corner, Logan and Brayden were surprised by Ethan's broad knowledge. Even them were actually not totally familiar with those herbs he just said but it was all true that those were effective against the monster. It wasn't only for killing their sperm but also they were afraid to have contact with it. 

Logan and Brayden looked at each other meaningfully and then nodded to each other. With their hands crossed over their chest, Logan called Ethan, "Ethan, let's go home. We need to talk."

"Alright Brother Logan. Give me a second." Ethan walked towards the other corner and pulled the crashed roofs and timbers gathered in the certain corner. After, he couldn't help not to vomit. 

"What is in there Ethan? What is wrong?" Uncle Simon's neck stretched to look in the corner Ethan had dug out with a troubled expression. 

Ethan held his stomach as he continued nauseating. He turned his back, while pointing his finger behind him and said in difficulty, "I am sorry Uncle Simon but someone is dead there. Please, ask someone to bury her properly."

"Who is dead?" 

"Alicia. She was being eaten by the monsters."

"What?" Uncle Simon almost stumbled in shock. 

"I am sorry, Uncle Simon for the loss of our village. I didn't manage to rescue her on time." Ethan lowered his head as he walked closed to the old man. 

Uncle Simon patted his shoulder. "This is not your fault, Ethan. Thank you."

"Ethan, come with us now." Logan's voice echoed again. 

"Go. Listen to your Brother. He wants to talk with you."

"Okay Uncle Simon."

************

As the three walked back to their hut, Ethan was pondering what they were going to talk because he noticed that Logan earlier was quite serious as he called him. 

Even until they reached the doorway of the house. Ethan was drowned in thoughts and didn't realise that the two in front of him stopped and turned at him. Thus, before coming back to his senses, he bumped at the chest of the two. 

Ethan stepped aback, caressing his forehead while Logan and Brayden blocked the doorway with their arms still crossed over their chest. At one of Brayden's hands was the whip and on the hand was the archer. They were oddly serious. 

Brayden nudged Logan. "Say it to him."

Logan stared at Ethan sternly yet cold. "How could you explain all these?" 

Ethan grinned and approached the two, wrapping his arms on their shoulder and pushed them inside but the two were quite strong too. They didn't even budge a little. 

Ethan retreated and looked at the two confusedly. "My dear beloved handsome kind loving Brothers, what are the two of you doing? Are you planning not to let me in?" 

"Until you don't answer us honestly. No one will enter." Brayden said. He was also fierce and serious today, not his usual self. 

Ethan chortled. "Brother Brayden, since when did Brother Logan influence you? You looked like him now. Expressionless and stern."

"We are serious?" Brayden said again. 

"Okay. Tell me, what answer do you want?" 

"How could you explain all these things that happened tonight?" Logan repeated. "Also, why are you so familiar with fighting against the monsters?" 

"This--" Ethan quieted. His eyes travelled back and forth to the two. He was thinking if he would admit the truth about him or kept it forever as a secret.

"What? Can't explain it?" Brayden awakened his senses. 

Ethan sighed and squatted on the ground with his cheeks resting on his palms. "Okay, I will say. But I don't know if you will believe me."

"Just say it. You will know that later if we believe you after we heard the story." Logan said. 

Ethan stood up again and walked around. "Would you believe me if I say that I am familiar with monsters because I always dream of them? Do you remember what I said this morning? I said, I dreamt a lot recently and it was all true. It includes you two and the monsters. So, I knew a lot about them. Actually, I am surprised too that my dream was useful but I am glad to have this knowledge, at least we can fight them with confidence."

It was indeed true that Ethan saw and got his knowledge about the monsters from his dream. When he was in his own world, he often dreamed about Logan and Brayden as well as the monsters. Their war against them and a lot more incidents that involve them. It only became more vivid as he woke up in this new world. 

"Fight? Don't you know how dangerous they are? Can you defeat them all with your dream knowledge?" Logan said. 

"I know I can't because I don't have a strong force yet but at least we can survive through our little knowledge."

"Ethan, don't be impulsive next time. If things like this happened again, please let us know first. I know you got an ability to identify them but I am begging you, don't be reckless. If something happened to you, what are we, your two brothers going to do? Do you want us to regret for the rest of our life for not taking good care of you?" Logan said emotionally. 

"Brother Logan, I am sorry. I know my mistakes now. In the future, I will listen to you." Ethan said, lowering his head. He was guilty after all. He wasn't the real Ethan here but he always made them worry about him. 

"I hope you will honor your word." Logan said and then turned away. He first entered the house. 

Ethan stepped in to enter too but Brayden blocked him. "We are not done yet."

"Brother Ethan, what is your complaint too?" Ethan's face wrinkled like a child. 

"Why did you tamper my thing?" Brayden showed him the whip. 

"Brother Brayden, that whip-- is that yours?" 

"You guess?" 

"Brother Brayden, I am sorry. I didn't know that was yours. It was an emergency so I didn't have time to ask your permission. Just forgive me this time. Okay?" Ethan pressed his palms together in front of him, begging Brayden's forgiveness. 

"Do you know how dangerous is this? Look at these blades? What if you accidentally cut your neck while using it? Do you want me to feel guilty forever for creating this weapon?" 

"I know Brother Brayden. I know. I am wrong. Please forgive me okay." He raised his hand and swore, "I promise, in the future I won't touch your things without your permission."

Brayden sighed and could only shake his head. "Come in now. It's cold outside."

"Thank you Brother Brayden." Ethan jumped happily and ran towards the inside.