The Human's Comeback

Chapter 2: Saving Grace

Woolred’s aura was getting bigger, stronger, and more menacing. His eye’s started faintly glowing. The weapons’ blades were suddenly bright red. They even were radiating. The man gulped and started slowly backing off. The humans in the background were truly mortified. They had lost all hope.

-Be proud of yourself human. – He made an evil, despicable smile – You, a nobody, unleashed my full power. – The beastman took a battle stance - This won’t go your way now, punk. DIE!

Woolred dashed forwards at incredible speed. He started hurling attacks like a mad man. The man was getting worried. He was jumping back when suddenly, the enemy popped up in front of him.

-GOT YOU NOW! – Woolred yelled and laughed from the excitement.

-s**t, I can’t dodge this! – The man with the tip of his leg bounced back, but still received a fatal hit in the shoulder – AHH! – He shouted in agony. He started accepting death.

Woolred pulled the bloody dagger out from his shoulder and kicked him in the gut. The man flew back, rolling on the ground like a potato sack. He got on his knee, but the pain was immense.

-I’m not like the other beastmen, not worthless or weak. – Woolred menacingly chuckled while approaching the dying man with slow steps – I am one of the Pack’s assisting top leaders. I was given the mission to find the reason how the human slaves were running off in these parts of the land, - He showed his sharp teeth – AND I THINK I CAUGHT THE PROBLEM!

-SHUT UP BEAST! YOU’RE NOTHING BUT SCUM! – The man tried to retaliate and slowly stood up – GO AND EAT DIRT!

-BIG WORDS COMING FROM DEAD MEAT, PERISH!

Woolred jumped in for a finishing blow. He leaped forwards and swung his dagger. The wounded man couldn’t move, he closed his eyes and clenched his fists. Right before he pierced the skull of the man, someone fell down from the sky and with both of his legs kicked away the red wolfman. It landed straight on his face. The wind slowly howled. The man’s eyes started glimmering with hope.

-Sorry I’m late, brother.

-Nagami! – The man leaned forwards – Ouch. – He covered his deep cut with his hand. The pain sprung through his body like lightning.

-Rest, brother. – Nagami carefully helped him sit down on the ground – I will take care of the rest.

The humans’ jaws dropped. Out of nowhere, with one kick, he threw away Woolred like he was nothing but a toy. The angered beast stood up.

-WHO ARE YOU! – He shouted at the top of his lungs – WHY DO I KEEP ATTRACTING THESE FLIES?

Nagami made a faint grin.

-I will make you regret your words. – He had a deep and serious voice.

The man had long, messy dark hair. He was wearing casual, black leather villager clothes. He had a fine, muscular body, with dark red eyes, and was taller than his little brother, Nikari. Nagami grabbed the giant metal Warhammer latched on his back. He placed it on his shoulder and observed the enemy.

-10 seconds. – He said in a calm voice – In 10 seconds, you will meet your fate.

-HUH? – Woolred started madly laughing – 10 seconds? Don’t make me…

His eyes went dead. The aura was nothing he had ever seen or experienced before, it was of a demon. Nagami appeared in front of him with glowing red eyes of a monster. He was in mid-air and had the hammer behind his back, tightly gripped with both of his hands. He swung it at unexplainable speed. Woolred was shocked and could barely react. He put his daggers up and tried to block the incoming attack, but they were just, shattered into pieces. The hammer went through and hit him in the head, breaking it. Woolred fell down to the ground, shaking from immense fear. He looked up as the shadow of Nagami covered his bloody body. His eyes went to normal color.

-3… 2… - Nagami peacefully counted down.

-NO, WA…

-1…

The head of Woolred was gruesomely bashed in, spilling the brains out.

-Scum. – He put the hammer back in his place, strapping it behind his shoulders.

The humans behind him were suddenly filled with joy.

-WE’RE SAVED! – They shouted – HE DEFEATED HIM! HE IS THE HERO!

Nagami turned around and kindly smiled as if he didn’t just brutally murder someone. But his expression changed when he noticed the weeping boy mourning her one and only mother, while covered in her blood. He walked up to him slowly, and kneeled, gently placing his hand on his little head.

-I’m sure she did everything to protect you. She really did love you. – He had a soothing and alluring voice – let’s give her a proper burial.

The kid wiped off his snot and slowly nodded his head, but when he still remembered her mother’s face, tears of sadness and despair flowed from his eyes. Nagami went down the line and broke the shackles with his hammer without hurting anyone. The humans felt happy, as they felt freedom for the first time in their lives. The second people are brought to this awful world, they are treated as worthless livestock.

-Everyone, please remain calm and give her mother a proper burial without making a commotion. Use the shovels from the storage room. – He then looked over, slightly disappointed – I have some business to attend to.

-Why are you making this so serious, heh, heh… - Nikari nervously closed his eyes and giggled.

Nagami approached him and sighed. He took out bandages from his pocket and started tending his wounds.

-Why did you go off alone, brother? – He peacefully asked.

Nikari dropped his head and looked at the ground.

-Ouch! Well, at least I killed all of them, except… That one…

-Sorry, - Nagami smiled – if I was even a little late, I would’ve lost a precious member of my family.

Nikari fell silent. Anxious thoughts like “He’s going to punish me” filled his mind. But the complete opposite occurred.

-I’m proud of you, Nikari.

-What? – The little brother lifted his head up with confusion – You aren’t mad at me?

-Why should I be mad, brother? – He finished bandaging off his shoulder wound and stood up. After, he offered his hand and helped him stand up – What you displayed was an act of bravery. Not thinking about your life for the cost of saving others. The “pretending to be a slave” part was creative as well, I couldn’t come up with a plan that bizarre.

-Really? – Nikari’s eyes were filled with happiness.

-But, that doesn’t mean that you should just sacrifice yourself. You could’ve asked Drak, Basen, or even me to assist you. – He placed his hand on his shoulder, then tightly embraced his brother with a hug – You had me worried there, brother. Please don’t repeat this again.

-I won’t Nagami. – He reciprocated his emotions – Sorry…

After they let go of each other, Nagami started observing Nikari. Nikari got confused for a moment.

-I think you’re ready to assist me on these rescue missions. What do you say?

-YES! – The little brother was beyond excited.

Nagami chuckled.

-All right, calm down now, we have to help others get to the village safely.

The brothers walked to others with bright smiles on their faces. Though, it didn’t last long after they saw the woman’s tragic burial. Nagami finished off all the knocked-out beastmen and gathered everyone around.

-Listen closely, everyone. – He started – I am the chief of the hidden village Shujin. We will leave this place immediately and arrive at our destination. It will be your new home. If anyone else has other places they want to stay, please speak up. – There was complete silence – Please, gather all the weapons, armor, and resources you can carry. It will be detrimental to our village. We will depart in 20 minutes.

-Hey chief. – One man raised his hand – There was a hole in the storage room, would you mind checking it out?

-Of course. – Nagami was caught off guard.

He went inside the storage room but immediately turned around.

-You didn’t kill everyone Nikari. – He sounded off put – One of them escaped, and probably left to report us! Quickly, grab what you can, we’re leaving immediately.

All they got was a couple of rusty swords and gems from the beastmens’ bodies. They set on their road towards their village as quickly as they could.

*Meanwhile*

-*Huff* *Huff* - The beastman ran as fast as he could through the dense forest – I knew that Woolred wasn’t as strong as he set himself up to be! I must tell this to one of the Pack’s members immediately. We finally caught a glimpse of the slave hero after so long! I’ll finally get a promotion!