Battle

Adaceus moved with slow and cautious steps to the side, averting the beast's attention away from the men guarding the carriage and placing it on him. He waved his blade, and a gentle metal ringing resonated in the blade after each movement he took.

He taunted them, hitting with light tap's to the ground and kicking up dirt from his sword, hoping to reel an opportunity.

The provocation worked, as one ran full speed and charged at him. It raised its body high and jumped at him, bearing its mouth, revealing decayed and jagged teeth that smelt of rot. Adaceus ducked before the bite could hit him, and the beast landed behind him, its strike failing to make purchase.

The beast turned at him, and lunged with its claw raised high. Adaceus raised his sword and successfully blocked the attack, directing the arm to the side, taking this chance to deal a blow on its face. The beast recoiled back a few steps, it face dripping crimson and looked at him with bloodlust in its eyes, it expression wrinkling like paper to a horrid and ugly rage, it growled. It lunged again at him but was caught by Adaceus's blade, again. With an upward swing its head was sent rocketing up by the force, and Adaceus followed the attack by slicing at its throat, severing its head with one clean swing.

"Behind you!" A person screamed to him.

Adaceus turned back, seeing another one running toward him, his senses failing to notice it approaching with a veracious jaw open. Adaceus caught the incoming bite with his sword, driving deep into the beast mouth, pushing him through the dirt. He pulled and pulled, sparks flying out as he tried but the beast clutches on his blade was tight and unmoving, and no matter how much strength he put he couldn't get it out its mouth.

A large halberd was suddenly sent the beast's way, at blinding speeds a linear, golden rod hit its side and sent it throttling far away, releasing Adaceus's sword with it. Looking to the direction the halberd was sent, he saw the injured man, his knees on the ground with his hand held out.

Adaceus realized what he'd done, and following the chance that the man gave him, he walked to the beast. It was on the ground, breathing haggardly and coughing up blood while his body splintered the tree behind it, the halberd going deep in its ribs and bled. Adaceus walked close, and seeing the flailing of the beast that yelped in pain, drove his sword though its head, jamming to the side, just for assurance. 

Its body went still.

He then turned to the men, the two that held spears flinching upon looking at him. He dislodged his sword out the beast head, and tied his sword to his back, and began calmly walking towards them.

"S-step back!" One of them suddenly yelled.

"H-hey! He said go back! Listen to him!" Another one reiterated.

Adaceus calmly raised his hands, still walking closer toward them.

"Calm yourselves and put down your weapons, I mean you no harm." he said with a calm tone, trying his best to calm them down.

"S-s-stop! Hold it right there!" One of them frantically asked, holding out his spear even further.

Adaceus complied, stopping where he told him to, just barely at the tip of their spears.

"I truly mean you no harm."

"Shut it, who the hell are you anyway? Why's a little kid out here in the woods?"

Adaceus looked visibly aghast, but had a quick realization as he patted down his body, to the child-like stature he possessed.

Adaceus coughed before speaking, "I am just a normal guy, and I reiterate, I am not dangerous, please lower your spears."

"You just came outta nowhere! How the hell are we going to trust what your saying!?"

"Well," Adaceus said, padding his hands together to dust off his gloves, "given how I just rescued you from a very dire predicament, and thus saving your lives, I think that would give plenty reason for a little bit of trust, would it not?"

Each of them looked at each other with worried eyes. 

"Let me say this, should I have let you be? To be massacred by those things attacking you?" 

Adaceus shrugged while saying this.

"W-well," one of them stuttered out. 

"Think about it, if I was dangerous as you make me out to be, I would have struck you down, here and now and not wasting my time conversing."

They were still apprehensive, shuffling their grip on the spears but their faces softened a bit at the reasoning they gave him, only a bit.

"The boy has a point," the injured man suddenly spoke up, trying his best to stand up. The soldiers quickly went to his aid, supporting and balancing him up. 

 "Lay your weapons down, men."

"But sir-"

"Just, do as I say, this boy has saved us, we should be thankful."

Both of them looked at each other, before closing their eyes briefly in a sort of understanding and lowered their guard, heeding his order.

"Alright, sir," one said, and continued helping him stand up.

As he fully stood up, his large size was clearly seen, even when compared to the men that prodded him up and his hunched posture, he towered over them with his considerably large size, and he stared down at Adaceus. 

He offered his hand, "My name is Zrovech, what is yours?" 

Adaceus followed and took his hand, giving a quick shake, feeling the incomparable size of their hands. He looked to his face, which was an ample example of a block. A hard cut chin with a prickly, thick beard, and equally thicker eyebrows, a large nose that resembled an avian beak, with light bronze skin, and his hair, long and put back, all the color of gold that shone.

"Adaceus, sir Zrovech, are you alright? That wound seems severe," he said, looking at the man, who had his hand clenched on his side.

"It is fine, manageable, but is still tender, barely managed to stop the bleeding."

"What happened for you to get that?"

Zrovech readjusted himself, leaning on the men, "An ambush, those demonic beast's attacked us suddenly and we were just unlucky they targeted us."

He tensed his eyes, giving a heavy sigh, "Hah, I was simply caught of guard, I was riding on horseback near the carriage, and it seemed I was the nearest target when they decided to attack."

He then focused his sight to Adaceus, smiling with a light grin, and raised his eyebrows.

"I thank you for saving me, by the way."

"And I thank you for the assist."

"Haha, was the least I could do from the best of my abilities."

Zrovech suddenly stumbled forward, coughing up a trickle of blood on his hand.

"Ahem, Adaceus, it seems," he coughed again, " I apologize but I am very weak in my current state, I need to leave you for now and rest."

"Its alright, sir Zrovech, please take it easy."

Just then a fast pace of footsteps sounded, coming their way from behind the carriage.

"Mister Zrovech?"