Harbringer of Death

One Step Closer

Well, he has been in weird predicament before. But this, what kind of situation he got into yesterday. How the hell is he sleeping with his horse, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by monster corpses. And their stink start to fill his nostril too! Luckily his horse is drinking at nearby pond. After getting some for himself, and washing blood from his body, he depart to his next destination.

He had hoped to ride until the Lord town, but his horse is getting tired. Its weird, he is not supposed to be tired yet. He has count that the horse would be exactly tired when he arrive at the town. Or maybe it has something to do with how he end up in the forest?

Sighing, he check his map. There is a small village nearby. Maybe he should rest there for now.

Arrived at the small village, he is surprised to find it really empty. Its like ghost town. But he is sure he can sense the villager from inside their home, staring at him. Great, he must have walked into something here. The silence break when someone is suddenly screaming. A little girl run out of a house, followed by some bandit.

Just great.

"P-please" she beg as she run toward him. But the bandit got to her before she could reach him.

"Go, this is none of your business" one of the bandit drag her back, while another one draw a sword in attempt to threaten him.

Damn right it isn't. He just want to get somewhere to rest his horse. He is so close to her now, he can't waste any time on small matter like this.

"Sure, whatever" he ride past the bandit. He saw a abandoned cottage not far ahead. Maybe he can rest there and try to remember what happen last night.

"Araella doesn't like that! Stop it!"

That.... how?

"Shut up will ya!"

Is this a joke? Are the Gods love playing around with him?

"Please mister! I beg of you!"

For crying out loud...

"Oi, let her go" Grim stop his horse and jump off.

"What mate? You want to mess with us?" one of the bandit approach him. His knife slowly rub Grim neck. And he doesn't take too kindly that kind of gesture.

He grab the bandit's hand, break a finger, break his elbow, then dislocated its joint. That should stop him from doing anything stupid. Now the rest shouldn't be a problem. There is one that immediately attack him, ended up with cut neck. Another one end up with their hand removed. Wait. How is he... Pretty sure he is not supposed to be able to do that. And the black mist emitting from the bodies into his, what's up with that?!

"M-monster!' the last bandit, who held the girl hostage, drop his weapon and run. It will be dangerous if he bring more friend. But a simple knife thrown to the back of the head would be enough to shut him up

Now, since that's over-

"Thank you so much!!!" the little girl run toward him and hug. He sighed before patting her head. How lucky for her, to be named exactly the same.

Without he realized, the villager is starting to get out of their homes. They slowly approach him.

"Sir, thank you for helping this child, not to mention to get rid of the bandits" an elderly man with stick walks up to him. He looks pretty old that the fact he is walking is pretty surprising

He only nod. Its just because the girl has lucky name.

"Mister! Bring me with you!"

. . . Eh?

"Sir, this poor girl family was killed by the bandits. This village is poor, and we would appreciate if you take her with you"

. . . Its decided. The Gods truly and utterly hate him.

"I'm sorry, but i'm in a dangerous mission-" from only that he could see the girl is going to cry. It can't be helped then...

"Chief, can you take care of her for me? I would return in a couple of day, and will pick her up then after i finish my mission" he is sure she would make thousand faces when she hear a child has exactly the same name as her

"That is possible, then can we know your name?"

"Just call me Grim"

He ask of them to let him rest in the abandoned cottage. This village is poor already, so he doesn't want to burden it further. Maybe he can help in some way, since it does help the girl too. He is not sure, but he can use his life force to get the crop around more fertile. That should be enough if his mission turns out to be a failure.

He will just eat some dried meat then sleep, and immediately depart as soon as the sun shine

Little did he know, those couple of day would turn into a couple year...