Roaring Thunder

Chapter 2: The Un-Beings

'Hey! Ever heard of the un-Beings?'

'The un-what?'

'The unknown beings or un-Beings in short! Apparently, these monsters are beginning to appear in several places around the world.'

'Monsters? You sure you did not hear it wrongly? I thought that all monsters have been obliterated from existence hundreds of years ago.'

'But that's what the rumours been saying! And it seems that one of them is caught by the villagers of F_Ombre.'

'Isn’t that the village to the north? That's like two miles from here! I guess that I have better stay away from there or here next time.'

For the entire evening, the tavern has been flooded with voices of adventurers sharing their tales from lands beyond here, the land not known to many but some. And more importantly, the tales of the un-Beings.

The un-Beings. Humans or monsters as the witnesses call them possesses the power of the nature or so they said. Some can transform themselves into earth golems and some can manipulate the will of the five elements: Fire, water, wind, light and dark. Some can summon the powers from the other side of the world and some can summon powers that belong to other worlds. Both amazing and extremely terrifying if one is to describe those abilities. A threat to the existence of humankind, most will say.

On foot, a duration of three days was needed to cover a distance of a hundred miles. Of course, that's if you are running or walking at a fast pace. With short naps of only 20 minutes a day, I spent my time covering up the distance during the day and training during the night. Being out in the wild alone means that the law of the jungle has to be obeyed. The strong shall survive and the weak shall die for the sake of the stronger ones. That's the law which further strengthens my resolve to train and to become stronger even firmer. That's the boost I need to overcome my limits of my strength, especially in this world where money defines power and status. Like Lord Mecci.

Sigh... I only have ten silvers left eh? I guess I should have tried to collect some herbs to be sold later in town. Unfortunately, I only have a mile left to reach F_Ombre. But still, monsters? Do they really exist? What harm can they do? Curiousity fills my mind and I begin to question the rumours that is spread around, affirming the existence of the un-Beings. Well, not that it concerns me now that my life is ruined back then at my own town. If only that baron was a bit nicer and tolerant.

I heave a sigh again. No time to think about it now I guess, I mutter, since here I am. The village of F_Ombre! Hmm... Two lines of small cottages with oil lamps lit along the road in the middle, villagers crowding around every stall trading their harvests with each other and oh!... There's a fenced forest not far from the village. To fence out the wild animals perhaps, I thought.

Wearing a dark-brownish cloak with a hood over my head, hence shadowing my face and a lance tied to my back, I walk along the roadside like any other villagers. To my right, there are the stalls selling fruits and vegetables alongside cooking or desserts that use them. And to my left are the stalls selling the meats with many of them being roasted over a grill to keep them warm and fresh. And to the far end of the village stands the only tavern in the small village. The signboard hanging below the protruding roof reading "Laura's Tavern" with the picture of a glass of wine painted next to the words. Eating only raw fruits and cooked fish and animals over the days in the woods, I somehow feel that they were not enough to satisfy my hunger although I know they should. Weird, I thought, must be the picture of the wine that makes my stomach growls. I put my hand into my right pocket and take out a small cloth with every end tied together. I pull loose the string that holds the knot tightly.

'Sigh.' I heave. ' Still ten silvers. Looks like money don’t just magically appear for the poor ones eh?'

Just then, the door of the tavern swings open with a loud knock to the wall on one side. And with it, out comes two men punching and kicking each other without a hint of pulling back their hits. The men with their face red seem to be very drunk from the look of it. In an unfamiliar village, I have decided to not intervene in any of their personal problems or situations as the wisest choice of action. Especially when i am now a wanted criminal back in my town, or worst, the very kingdom of Claudia since every baron serves under the King of Claudia. I am about to leave in my search of a peaceful, new home to settle in when suddenly, a lady in her twenties rushes out of the tavern towards the brawling men. She tries to pull them apart with what little strength she has while the rest of the villagers look on. But what really touches my heart is that she does not shout at the men which is usually a common course of actions for most females when they can’t solve a problem with their strength or intelligence. At that moment, a thought comes to mind that she may just be the most perfect lady I have ever encountered in my life. Even my mother will definitely shout if she was in her position. My emotion overwhelms my mind when I step out from the crowd.

'Step aside, milady. ' The lady looks up at me and retreats to the entrance into the tavern. I stretch out both my arms and reach for the back of the burly looking guy sitting on top of the other man. My fingers clutching his shirts tightly, the man is pulled away as quickly as my bicep contracts with a snap. The man is sent flying to the wall of the tavern and crashes into it. The drunkard's madness in his eyes slowly fades away with his consciousness. The other man somehow doesn’t seem to notice the difference of strength between us from the damage I inflicted the former man as he later rises up from his position and charges right at me. Bad choice, I said. And obviously, with a mind that isn’t clear when drunk, he misses his aim and fall pass me. All I do is a light chop to the back of this neck to render him unconscious for a while. His fall to the ground however seems to also play a role in making him faint as he hit his chin hard onto the ground with a thud.

The villagers don’t seem be surprised of my actions. Instead, they just take a quick glance at me and the two men and simply walk away, back to doing their own chores like nothing has ever happened just now. Is this a brawl that common in this village, I wonder, till the point that the fight between the two men is just like noticing another pebble on the road? I stand there, trying to think of another probability. The probability that relates the villager's strange behaviour to the rumours regarding the un-Beings. Lost in thought, it isn’t until a slightly violent shake on my shoulder that I realise someone standing standing behind me.

'Oh. If it isn't the lady from before. Now, I have solved your problem as you witnessed seconds ago. How may I help you now?' I said to her in the most polite manner which I could speak in. For a few moments, she simply looks at me as if I had just spoken to her in a foreign language. Lord, does everything in this village bears the sense of strangeness? Then, I begin to realise that she is indeed not weird as I notice her hands forming some signs which look like some sort of language to me. Aha! She could not speak!

Based on my guesses, I can somehow interpret her hand signs to ' Thank you for helping me. It was really kind of you. I am thinking if I can help you with anything in return.' Well, not bad for a first timer like me to interpret it right?

I reply to her. ' To help and protect the weak. That is the code of the knight. There is simply no need for having anything in return from helping a fine lady like you.' She seems flustered from my words. I smile. 'Yup, a fine lady like you.'

A breeze blows by. And her golden, blonde hair flows with the wind, floating up and down. While I am attracted by the sight of her beautiful, soft hair in the air, a man from a valley in between two cottages is looking at me intently without my realisation. He then said to himself softly. 'Another adventurer falls into the hands of the predator.' He simply shakes his head in disappointment as he walks away.

'Another prey of the un-Being.'