The Black Heritage

Chapter 14: You Are Killing Your Savior

Before going to the dining table, Ethan went around and inspected the whole area of Mang Fabian's house. The house was big and spacious. It has five adjoining guest rooms, two master's rooms and a servants quarter with five adjoining beds. The house seemed to have a design similar to the ancient mansions. It was made of high standards concrete materials. The arrangement, shape and decoration of the house were simple and has no second floors. 

There was also a large warehouse in the backyard with ample ground. It has an adjacent well under a large narra tree. The whole yard was wide with beautiful flowering plants. There were also guava trees around that were full of fruit. Mang Fabian's house was a bit far from the neighbors. It was surrounded by a red concrete high fence and it was next to the forest.

"This house is quite safe. I am more relieved now to leave Jotun here while I'm out for business." Ethan mumbled. 

"Are you looking for something? "Ethan was startled when Mang Fabian suddenly spoke from behind him.

"No Mang Fabian. I just thought of going around and having a good look. I can say the house is beautiful and safe from the bad guys." Ethan replied.

"I hope so." The old man's face suddenly became sad.

"Did I say something bad?"

The old man tried to bring back the joy of his face, "Nothing. Oh by the way, the boy has been waiting for you at the dinner table before. Follow me and so you can fill and warm your stomach."

"Thank you Mang Fabian."

On the way to the dining area the two were talking. "How are the clothes for you? I'm sorry. The clothes I gave you are just my clothes when I was at your age. I don't have a son so-"

"I have no problem with the clothes. Instead, I am grateful because I have something to wear."

"Good."

When they entered the dining room, Jotun immediately waved, sitting on the table with food on his plate. He was accompanied by Mang Fabian's male maid.

Ethan's heart was almost broken to see the child struggling to eat. Since his two fingers were cut off from his right hand, he used his left hand to hold the spoon but in every attempt to eat he would accidentally drop the food on the plate again.

He immediately ran to the boy and took his spoon. "Jotun, I'm sorry, your brother took so long. Here, I'll help you."

Jotun frowned as he stared at Ethan sharply. "Brother Ethan, do you pity me?"

"This - no! I just really want to help you eat. I'm just caring for you."

Mang Fabian also sat down and silently watched the two while getting food for his plate. He enjoyed watching them.

"Well thank you Brother Ethan but it is not necessary. I can do it alone." The boy answered and again took the spoon in Ethan's hand.

"But-"

"I know it's hard because I'm not left-handed. But if I don't train my left hand, how can I move or eat alone? What if you are not here, I will starve to death because I will not be able to eat without your help. Besides, you will not be there for life. "

"What are you talking about? I promise to take care of you, so we will be together forever."

"There is no forever in this world Brother Ethan. Everybody will have a family someday or die." The child's voice was streaked with sadness despite keeping his face happy.

"Just let him be. He just wants to be independent. That is actually good for a kid to think like that." Mang Fabian finally joined the conversation.

"Uncle Fabian is right. I want to be independent and strong. Hmmmm, like you Brother Ethan. You are my idol so I want to be as strong as you." Said the child.

Ethan sighed deeply. "Okay, if you need help, anything, just tell me."

"Okay." 

"Alright! That's enough. Let's dig in or else the food will turn cold." Mang Fabian said. 

Eventually, Ethan let Jotun eat without his help and also started eating. In some attempts by the child to feed himself, he finally succeeded to feed his mouth little by little.

"Ethan, do you have something to do later?" Mang Fabian asked.

"Ah yes Mang Fabian. Well, it's good you asked. I have something important to take care of later. So I will bother you again. I can't bring Jotun with it, so if I could I would leave him with you for a while." Ethan replied.

"No problem. Rest assured, I will take good care of the kid while you're out."

"Thank you Mang Fabian."

"Where are you going Brother Ethan? Why can't you bring me along?" Jotun asked. 

"I can't tell you. Just eat well. Oh from now on, don't call my name. Brother only is fine." Ethan said. 

"Why?" Jotun's eyes blinked seriously at him while chewing carelessly. 

Ethan just smiled at the boy as he ruffled his hair.

"If you don't want to be called by your name, then what will I call you?" Mang Fabian said.

"You can call me by my new sobriquet, Hunter." Ethan replied.

"Hunter, Hmmmm, it sounds intimidating. Okay, I will call you from now on as Hunter."

"Then I will also call you Brother Hunter. Hunter sounds so cool to my ears. I like it." The child agreed. 

"Do as you like." Ethan said. 

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

From the other side of the wide river, Ethan suddenly hid when he heard voices. He didn't hear much of what the four were talking about but one thing was for sure. They were monsters because just as he first saw a monster, the heads of the four remained monsters in his eyes despite being in their human form. Based on Ethan's analysis of their actions, they seemed to be waiting for someone. 

"Are they waiting for me to come back here? Why?" Ethan asked, confused. 

Ethan could think of nothing else they were waiting for but him. Although it was not clear to him the reason why, based on his understanding of last week's heinous m******e, he was the very main target of their merciless attack.

Ethan tried to listen to what they were talking about and with good luck he was able to hear their very faint voices. 

"Let's just go back to the Dark Compound. We've been watching here for a week, he still hasn't come back." Said a monster with his back facing Ethan's direction.

"Of course. It's annoying to wait for the impossible to come. He might be dead already." The second agreed.

"What shall we say to our master then?" Question of the third.

"Let's just say he is dead. I don't want us to wait here for the rest of our lives. I'm starving with fresh flesh to death." The fourth monster said, even took an imaginary sip of soup.

"Come on. Let's do that then." The first one said. 

"All right. I'm hungry too." The second one answered and that's it, the four left together. 

Ethan clenched his fists tightly as if he were going to crush it as he watched the four leave. He did not think that he was really who they were waiting for and he was even angrier because he was not able to kill the four and just let them go. But he thought not to rush. He has learned a lesson. His siblings died due to the recklessness and impulsiveness of his actions. Now, he couldn't be wrong. He needed to plan carefully for carrying out his revenge. He thought to gather strength and made a cautious preparation.

When the monsters were completely gone, Ethan crossed the quiet river by running over the water with only the tips of his toes stepping on it.

Ethan was thankful that he had thought of wearing a red veil in his mouth earlier, otherwise he could inhale the pungent blood and rotting bodies of the scattered corpses all around.

He closed his eyes as he remained standing among the dead bodies. He prepared himself for what he could see as well as his stomach. If not, maybe he had not yet done the purpose he came there for, he was already weak because of the exhaustion of his strength after vomiting. 

Gladly, because of his strong will, he was able to not to vomit. He quickly searched for the bodies of his two brothers but even though he repeatedly searched the whole area, every corpse which was barely recognizable due to their blasted bodies and feasted with worms and crows, he still could not find the corpse of his brothers. 

"What did you do to my brothers? You soulless monsters! You didn't even spare even the corpse. Get ready for my revenge. I will exterminate your whole race." Ethan shouted angrily as he knelt down and looked up at the sky. His veins were jutting out like it was about to explode. 

Ethan collected the corpses and burned them one by one. He kept the ashes of Uncle Simon, Uncle Simon's daughter and his granddaughter as well as Penthelope inside the small bottle separately and put them in his pocket. And before he left the village, he stuck his handmade wood cross next to the ashes, uttered a prayer for the souls of those dead and promised that he would seek justice for them.

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

Due to the dealing of the corpses, Ethan returned to Mang Fabian's house in almost owl light. On his way, in a relatively hidden corner only a few meters away on the side of the road, while his mind occupied due to the missing corpses of his two brothers, Ethan heard a colorful lecherous giggles.

"They haven't even looked for a decent place to flirt, really in this wild place. How shallow." Ethan whispered as he looked at the direction of the voices. 

Ethan shook his head as he watched the bushes of tall grass constantly move. He would have ignored the two and started to walk away when suddenly, the edge of his eyes spotted the man again when the man's head suddenly came out to take off his clothes. Ethan's eyes widened and anger erupted with a burning killing intent seeing the monster form of the man. 

While grasping the meat-cutting knife that had been inserted into his back, Ethan slowly and carefully approached them. Because the monster has a keen hearing, he even held his breath.

When he finally got close, the two still did not notice his presence. They hadn't even started having s*x yet, but the two were already burning in pleasure and drowning in lust. Giggling and moaning from each other's touches and kisses in their naked bodies. 

Ethan finally pulled out the knife and lifted it. His hands were ready and itching to cut the monster's neck. Unfortunately, the woman suddenly opened her eyes and saw him.

Despite Ethan's signal to shut up, the woman still shouted at the same time pushing the man on top of her to let him know that someone was behind him.

As the man turned around, Ethan jumped on him and pinned him advantageously. Because the monster was also strong, the two grappled. Ethan took a hard time to get the knife close to the man. 

Meanwhile, the woman screamed incessantly as she hurried to cover herself with the clothes. Instead of worrying about her naked body, seeing that the knife was approaching her lover's throat, the woman quickly took a sharp stick and stabbed Ethan in the side.

Ethan groaned in pain as the knife slid downward and stabbed the man in the chest instead to his throat.

Ethan's eyes glazed over as he took a quick turn of his head to the woman. Because of what he did, the man had a chance to dominate him and pinned him down. 

The two fought tirelessly again. As his hands occupied to shield with each attempt of the man's punches, Ethan shouted at the woman, "Are you crazy? Instead of helping me kill this monster you even stabbed me. You don't know what you have done, Woman."

"You are the madman. We don't know you. Why are you interfering with our business?" The woman cried.

Ethan grinned with a hint of annoyance. "Right, I would not have interfered. I would have just let this monster eat you. Instead of thanking me, you are killing your Savior."

"What do you mean? And why do you keep calling him a monster?"

"Just watch." Ethan snarled. He gathered all his strength, causing the blood from his side to trickle down but he ignored it. He braced his palms to the ground and quickly and forcefully pushed himself up. The man did not expect that so he slipped down from Ethan, causing Ethan to stand successfully.

"I don't expect that ordinary people like you are even stronger than me. But it's a pity, because tonight will be your last night." Said the monster.

"That's if you have the ability." Ethan replied.

"Look around friend. It's getting late. I know you know, we are stronger when it is dark." The man grinned evilly. 

"Wait! What are the two of you talking about? What ordinary people? What is stronger when it's dark? Babe, what are you saying? I don't understand." The girl asked confusedly. 

Ethan and the monster ignored her. 

Ethan laughed back, as if worse than the howls of monsters. "I am sorry but even if your strength triples I am not afraid of you. You are unlucky tonight, because you ran into me."

"You overestimated yourself young man. You don't know what you are facing. You disturb my delicious supper, then don't blame me for being ruthless."

Ethan spread his arms, "Come on! Pour all your strength." If you look at Ethan, he did not seem to be affected by his wounds but since the first wounds hadn't completely healed and he got another one more now, his vision became a bit dark and rotating. He not only made it obvious. But his wounds disclosed to him, especially the one on his right chest, because the blood stained his shirt due to the force he used in order to stand.

The monster giggled, "You are injured."

"Even though I was wounded. My weak strength is still enough to kill you."