Broken Earth: Unveiling the Secrets of the Worlds

Elves and Humans Part I

Casim’s complexion brightens as hope revitalize his face when he saw Xerxes enter the door. But then the hopeful expression on his face disappeared when he remembers that the monsters they are fighting with are strong and fast with no other information about them because they are seeing it for the first time.

And to his surprise, Xerxes did not show any hint of fear, the face he is showing is quite the opposite. He seems to be glad to be there and all. “Let’s start the party.” Xerxes is excited when he used the pistol for the first time. ‘I did not expect for Ferdrick to successfully create a working pistol in his first try. I should try it’s limits.’

BANG!

‘Woah- I that turned out well.’ He think to himself when he shot the flying creature that he is seeing for the first time. “Uwaaaah! Big brother! Please help us! We are under attack by insect like creatures! My family! My family are dying! Uwaaaah!” the little girl said to Xerxes as he cowers in fear and hid behind Xerxes. “Where is the entrance to your tribe? I came here last time and met Casim.” Xerxes then hands the trinket to the little girl who immediately recognize him after taking a closer look on his face.

“Hold on to this. Your ancestor wouldn’t want you to die in such a horrible fate.” Xerxes says with reassuring smile.  He then took the little girl and hid her to safe place while he helps Casim and her tribesmen. ‘The firepower of the pistol is still inferior to the real one but this is still enough to pierce through that creature or whatever it is.’ Xerxes then smiles thinking that he needs more trials to test the limits of the pistol.

Xerxes can hear the familiar buzzing sound that he heard when they encountered the beetles for the first time. ‘Looks like they are also here. Are they invading the places that they seem to be good for their colony?’ Xerxes’ assumptions are confirmed when he sees a beetle that flew in the air. That confirms that what the little girl said is true. He can already hear the screams of terror and despair when he reach the weeds and bushes.

BANG! THUD!

A beetle falls lifeless on the ground when Xerxes pulled the trigger. “Headshot-!”

CHINK!

Xerxes got a little surprised when a beetle suddenly flew towards him and swept it’s claws towards him. “That was close but luckily I brought a baton and end up protecting me.” Xerxes then quickly points his pistol straight at the beetle’s head and pulled the trigger. BANG!              And another beetle falls lifeless. The second victim of his prototype pistol.

Both humans and beetles were stunned when he easily killed two of the beetles in an instant just right after appearing. The men from the tribe sees this as hope and brought  back their strength. ”Take your arms and kill these bastards! Don’t let them ruin what our ancestors have spent building!” the tribesmen recovered their strength and showed how strong they really are. The beetles are slightly surprised but then quickly recovers after a few moments.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! CHAK!

“I don’t think that I can kill all of them before I run out of bullets. I should not miss and waste bullets in this case. I wish I made a lot of bullets if only I knew something like this will happen.’ He thinks to himself as he just wasted a bullet right after thinking of not wasting a single bullet.

‘Dang, I was just thinking of it. Tch!’ Xerxes first killed the three beetles that Casim is fighting against and then helped the others. “Go and take cover. You’ve got a good amount of injuries. Leave this to us and get someone to treat your injuries.” Xerxes orders as he empty a magazine in such a short period of time.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

“What are you waiting for? Go!” Casim did not get to thank him for appearing and run straight to where his sister is since she is one of the people that treat their people’s wounds after a dangerous hunt. “Come here Casim! Faster!” she yells while waving her hands.  “Gosh! Look at these injuries. This is why you should not sacrifice yourself every time.” She said with a worried tone.

“It’s him right? The man that saved you that day?” Casim did not speak any word and just nodded. His sister crush a few herbs that she can find near them and lay it on Casim’s injuries as first treatment. She then turns to watch Xerxes who has now run out of bullets and resorts to use his brand new katana and baton.

 CHING! CHING! CHING! CHING! CHING!

Xerxes use his baton to block the beetles’ attacks and the katana to cut them down but just as he experienced in the past, the armor is hard to cut so he can only rely on the gaps between their armors. A tribesman was able to strike down a beetle using a spear after luckily piercing it’s neck but on the unfortunate side, the beetle is falling right Xerxes.

“Move aside!” the tribesman screamed, Xerxes hears this and then realize that something is heading towards him when a shadow tower over him. Without looking what is falling above him, he jumps away but the beetle’s failing wings slaps him in the head, sending him rolling on the ground with painful face.

Xerxes accidentally drops his weapons when he got disoriented for a brief moment but then realize that the beetle that he was fighting with earlier is not standing before him, ready to sweep the ife out of him when all of the sudden, and arrow pierced through the beetle’s neck.

It shivers before finally falling o the ground. “What the heck was that? A lucky hit? More importantly, who did this?” Xerxes adjust his eyes and sees that there are figures standing in the trees, creatures with long pointed ears and carries a bow and arrows, the elves. “Rain those bastards down!” Flugar orders as more beetles fall to the ground using only bows and arrows.

“That’s terrifying accuracy.” Xerxes mutters to himself after seeing the elves killing them like flies. A figure then lands in front of Xerxes and offers him a hand. A familiar skin color and hand, without looking at the figure’s face, he knows the figure’s identity. “Looks like you are the kind of person that likes to be a hero huh?” Yusaf says with a smile.

“I just wanted to visit them but I did not expect to be fighting you know and besides, I am testing that weapon.” Yusaf’s eyes widen as he confirms what kind of what Xerxes is referring to. “Yes, I was testing that weapon.” Xerxes repeated. “You mean ‘that’ weapon?” Xerxes slightly nod his head then Yusaf felt over joyed and turns to his tribesmen. “Leave no beetle alive!”

Yusaf is now back to his reckless fighting style that his brother even finds disappointing. But his skills in using the katana surprised him, no. Not just him but all the elves that came with them. Yusaf and his group do not fight like what their race are known for and instead shows the same fighting style that their close relatives are using, the dark elves are known for using swords and blades while the light elves are known for their mastery of archery.

With no hopes in taking over the human settlement, the remaining beetles flew away unsuccessful. Flugar ad his men wants to shoot down the remaining beetles but their arrows just bounce off the beetles’ armor. The humans were able to defend their settlement with the help of the elves but the tension has still not disappeared.

Xerxes knew this and felt the animosity of elves against the humans and the human’s fear of the elves. But his presence made the elves a little relaxed. “How did you know I was here?” Xerxes asked Yusaf who immediately stand beside him. “What do you mean? We can hear the shots from the shelter you know.” Xerxes made the expression like he is surprised that the sound made it that far and wants Yusaf to clarifies it but looking at the elf excited to see the pistol made him bury the idea in his head.

“I want to see that beauty.” Yusaf did not hold back and immediately ask for the pistol. Xerxes knows exactly the feeling and so he did not spare any delay and showed him the pistol. “Look at this-! Heavy!” Yusaf almost drops the pistol right after Xerxes hands him the weapon.

“Its just like the flintlock but a lot bulkier.” Xerxes says with a smile after seeing Yusaf’s reaction like he is betrayed. “Its still a prototype, I hired a special craftsman to create that. So you need to wait for yours to be made.” Xerxes then retrieves the weapon from Yusaf who look like he is a kid that got his candy taken away by some bully.

“So you are Xerxes that my brother always talks about. I am Flugar, nice to meet you.” Flugar introduces himself and Xerxes did so as well. “I am Xerxes, I don’t really know what Yusaf might have told you about me but I am thankful that you came here and saved the settlement in the process.” Xerxes thank the elves in the humans’ stead. The humans felt guilty and also bow their heads and thank the elves.

Casim and his sister steps in between. “Thanks for helping us Xerxes, I don’t think we are able to survive if you did not decide to come here today.” Casim says with a smile, the woman beside him bows her head gently. “Thank you for saving my brother’s life not only once but twice Mr. Xerxes. I am forever indebted to you.” Xerxes smiles and tells her to stop bowing.

“I just accidentally met him and we helped each other so there is no need to thank me.” Xerxes said and all of the sudden Rupert and Ramirez arrived at the scene and throw themselves on to Xerxes. “Master! You said that you will only come here!” Rupert exclaim after seeing th at his master is unharmed, except for the red mark on his face.