Broken Earth: Unveiling the Secrets of the Worlds

Scapegoat

The large crow continues to hover in the sky, the hunter as well as the officers could not help but stay still in fear of the creature. “What the hell is that thing? How the hell did it get that large?” one hunters ask but none answered, every single one of them are afraid to make any sudden movements and loud sound.

“So its true after all. Those beetles are not the only ones that we should look out for. No wonder those three did not join us, you still don’t trust his words?” one of the officers tells the other hunters with a cold tone.  “All we need to do is stay still right? We can do this all day-“  

RUSTLE! RUSTLE! RUSTLE! RUSTLE!

All of them are alerted by the rustling of the bushes just a few paces away from them, a long horn protrude from the bushes. A pair of red eyes the appears in the darkness inside the bushes that made their skin tingle in fear. Out of nowhere, they saw a group of goblins run away from the bushes where they were hiding in. The large crow screech after seeing the goblins and with a single sweep, off of them disappeared in a flash.

A sight that terrified the group even more, in terror, one of the hunters run away using the crow’s attack on the hoard of goblins as a chance to escape from the open field but to his horror, he saw the eye of the crow move and looks at him, their eyes met and he knows that he is doomed.

“Hide you bastard!” one of the hunters softly screams in his head as they stood their watching him run but their cries in hopes of him to be safe immediately crumbles when his figure disappeared in a flash after a black figure snatched him away in a super fast speed.

“Were doomed.” The officers says to himself. “Lets just find a place to stay. In situations like this, the best thing to do is keep ourselves calm. Now that we have confirmed the peril that is in these lands, we just need stay alive until the time runs out.  Everyone, I ask for your cooperation this time. If we want to stay alive then we should help each other.” The officer said and instructed them to look out for the bird to appear while the others look for a safe place to hide in for the mean time.

Two hunters volunteers to look out for the bird while the others are trying to look around for a safe place when something unexpected appeared. A beetle with a broken arm lands in front of them, and it looks the wounds that it suffered are fresh, it was the first time that the group have seen a live beetle and they could not help but be in awe but their amusement were quickly withdrawn by the sharp screeching sound of the same bird that took one of them away.

“ZZZZZZ”

FLAP! FWOOOSH!

The beetle wants to swing its broken arm when all of the sudden, large claws grabbed the beetle and lifts it from the ground in a flash. Everything happened in front of the group but it was still fast enough that they could not catch what happened. The strong wind produced by the large wings swept them away, they could not help but hold their screams and groans when they get slammed on the trees if they want to keep themselves alive.

“Hurry everyone! Find a place to hide-“ one of the hunters cried and one of them cover his mouth. “Everyone knows that already, you don’t need to cry aloud. Do you see that thing over there?! That thing?!” the other hunters says when its trembling finger points between the two trees in front of them, a pair of eyes observing them.

“I doubt that’s nothing friendly so don’t even cry another word or else, were dead.” The hunter carefully controls his voice not to make a loud noise as the eyes grew dimmer as if the creature is moving back into the shadows and then completely disappears. They also did the same and retreats back to where everyone is, when they felt the ground rumbling and what’s worst is that it came from the direction where they saw the eyes disappear in the shadows.

“What the hell is going on-?”

BAM!

The others were alerted by the rumbling and sudden impact of something, they turn their heads and saw a big lizard with a bony head emerge towering above the bushes, but what shocked them even more is the blood that is flowing downhill. “What the hell happened?” the hunter ask the hunter that he was with when all of the sudden he saw the giant lizard looking down at him and when he turns his head, he saw a puddle of blood and the body of the hunter pummeled to a boulder with his body crushed, an instant death. It was the same creature that Xerxes and the others were running away from.

It looks like it stayed near the portal after the three were able to run away from it. The hunter crawled out of the bushes in horror when he saw the other hunter reduced to a pile of crushed meat, and then another creature appeared, it walk on its hind legs, a creature that hunters were only able to encounter a few years in the past, an orc.

“Of all times, why now.” The hunters cries when he sees the orc walk towards then.

HUF! HUFF! HUFF! HUFF! HUFF!

“Run! Run away! I don’t want to die!” the hunter cries as he tries to crawl away from the bushes but the giant lizard had stepped on his clothes, preventing him from creating a distance from the creature. “Oh god! I don’t want to die yet!” unexpectedly, the lizard charge to the orc’s direction and miss the hunter by a hair.

The orc runs away after the lizard run towards its direction. Feeling a bit of relief, the hunters as well as the officers regroup only to fins that there are more orcs hiding in some of the thick bushes.

STAB!

An orc stab one of the officers, some of the orcs wants to stab the others but were able to move out of the way fast enough to evade their weapons and dragging the officer away from harm. “Put pressure on that wound!” the hunters said as the other officers rips his clothes and place it on the bleeding wound. “Why the hell did they have to appear right now.” One of the hunters said and the orcs emerge from the bushes, almost twenty in total.

“Looks like we have to fight our way out of this.” The hunters then withdraw their weapons when another hunter proposed what they should do. “Why don’t we leave them here? We can sacrifice them so that we can live.” The hunters were then about to oppose when they realize that their chances of winning are slim. “Good thinking. Lets run.” Another hunter then supported.  The 7 hunters then act as if they were going to fight but then run in different directions, leaving the officers on their own.

“What are you doing?!” the officers cried when he saw then run away. “Be our scapegoat and die for us!” a hunter cried and the officers fell into despair when he saw the hunters that are supposed to keep them safe while he tends to his partner’s wound run away after the orcs appeared.

“What a bunch of lowlifes.” He says with a terrified tone as the orcs walk and stop in front of them, the officer press his partner’s wound harder while looking at the orcs who are ready too swing their weapons at them. “I swear, I will haunt those bastards until the day I die.” He felt his partner’s hand on his arm. “Its okay, you can leave me. Run and live.” The wounded officer said with a weak voice. “You expect me to do the same?!” he protested with an enraged tone. “If we are going to die, we are going to die together!”

FWOOSH! CHAK!

“Its been a while since I saw orcs. Did they emerge along with those other things?” a familiar voice reach their ears. They turned around and saw Xerxes and the others holding out their crossbows. “Looks like we arrived just in time. You guys doing okay?” Rupert grabs them and checks the officers wound. “Ramirez, get me the ointment and a clean piece of cloth.” Rupert easily treat the officer’s wound while Xerxes and Ramirez deal with the orcs.

SHING!

“So did you confirm what I said in the report?” Xerxes ask and the silence of the officers confirms it. “Stay there and rest. We will take it from here.” Xerxes and Ramirez use their katana to fight off the orcs who were easily defeated because of the sharp blade that effortlessly slice off the orcs arms and weapons.

THUD! FWOOSH!

A few momenta later and the last struggling orc fell on the ground, lifeless with its head rolling on the ground. “This is pretty nostalgic. Don’t you guys think?” Rupert and Ramirez smile and agrees wholly.

“How is his wound?” Xerxes takes off the cloth and saw the wound stops bleeding after Rupert applies the ointment. “He will be fine. There is still time before you can go back, we’ll protect you foe the mean time.” Ramirez takes out a string and place it around the perimeter to alert them of potential threats, the three armed themselves with their new guns and katanas.

“What are going to do with this cart load of weapons?” the officer said while waiting for the time to pass. “There is something that I must do. We met native humans in this world and they made a deal with us to buy our weapons in exchange for something valuable. This is for them, they are so a victim of the new monsters that appeared. And after that, we will be venturing further in the portal. I want to learn more about this world.” Xerxes said without hesitation.

“You have met humans in this wretched place?” Xerxes looks at the officer as if its not new to meet humans inside the portal. “Yes, they are the tribe that was a victim of cannibals in my first commission.” The officer heard of that report and understand why Xerxes wants to help them and even sell them the weapons that he want to keep from every one else’s hands. “What was the thing that made you sell them your weapons? Is it more valuable than what the marquis can offer?” Xerxes nod his head without hesitation.

“Yes, as a matter of fact. Our currency would even fall far below from what I demanded. It can’t be touched not be seen, it is knowledge of this world. Something that no one can rob you off.” The officer immediately understood that it really is something that no one can rob but then he realize that Xerxes is going to stay inside the portal longer if they were to acquire that knowledge that he spoke of.

Yes, I have already asked a few acquaintances to look after them but can I ask you’re your protection as assurance? It doesn’t hurt to be secure. My employees have the know-how to use our weapons but that does not guarantee their safety. This is the only thing I can ask of you for saving your lives, now that I think about it. Where are the other hunters that entered the portal with you?”

The officer grit his teeth in anger when Xerxes mentioned those lowlifes. Xerxes sees this and immediately understands what happened. “So they showed their colors and left you to die huh? Those bastards, to even think of doing that to the people that the marquis himself sent. What rotten bastards.” Xerxes also grinds his teeth just by the thought of them. “Yeah, they thought we are going to die when they left us but thankfully you guys arrived and saved us. I will make them pay for what they did to us.” The officer swear.

“They can enter the portal.” Rupert tells them after the first officer slip inside. “Go back now officer.” Xerxes said ad he pat his back. Before the officer left, he grabs Xerxes’ shoulder. “Your request, leave it to me. If those bastards’ men come even as close as a few blocks in your shop, I will personally exterminate their existence. Vermin like them should not be left crawling on the world.” The officer said and Xerxes felt assured. “Take care and good luck officer.”

“I wish you luck in your journey Mr. Xerxes.” The officer then enters the portal with a determined face to exterminate the people that left them for dead.