Blade's terror

Arriving below the tree the men peered up to see Ilana sitting quietly with her head bowed, only revealing her side profile. They couldn't help but gasp in awe and loudly discussed their wretched thoughts.

"Damn it, boss. It's even more beautiful than I imagined."

Hawkins cursed loudly, a lewd smile tugging on his lips

As if noticing their arrival, Ilana turned to face the group.

"It seems they have arrived."

she stroked Flint's hair as he ate a bunch of grapes leisurely on her lap.

"It's about that time." Flint nodded sluggishly.

As his words fell the tree's frame suddenly shook and morphed into a terrifying tree monster. Two large empty sockets for eyes opened and the tree's body widened by five more meters.

While the trees transformation continued, its roots rapidly extended kicking up clouds of dust. One-Eyed Snake and his crew who had fled were thrown into violent coughing fits as they shielded their eyes. A volley of tree roots rose from the ground, lashing the air like whips and sent them flying several meters away with bloody wounds. When the dust settled what they saw made their hearts tremble.

Standing no more than ten meters away was the large frame of a black tree monster that almost blended completely with the veil of the night. If not for the silver specs of moonlight dancing about its frame while it kneeled. Its eyes stared at them while its twisted frown curved up, making faces at them. Green lights flickered within its hollow eyes. The previously rooted tree had now grown arms and legs.

Roar!

The loud howl blew away One-Eyed Snake and the trio whom had almost fainted upon being hit by the whip lashes. They landed over ten meters off, bodies were covered in scars and blood. The excruciating pain had them grimacing as they held back unshed tears. It was unmanly to cry as real men. The trio muttered holding back a scream. The waves of tremors attracted their gazes.

In the distance the tree monster squatted. One arm supported its thighs as it straightened its large upper body. Its other arm had its palm facing the sky that had two silhouettes. When its arm lowered and steadied the men all spotted the fairy like existence and another figure.

That figure was a boy around eleven comfortably resting on her lap. To make matters worse, she tenderly combed the fingers of her fair hand through his hair.

"Here."

"Ah."

The fairy existence conveniently took a grape from a bunch lying nearby where she was sitting and fed the boy with much care. Seeing this scene and the contented look on that fellow's face as he monopolized the body of the beautiful maiden the men couldn't help but clench their fists. They expressed looks of jealousy, hatred and a murderous aura which concentrated on the him.

It was like when One-Eyed Snake and the guys went to a brothel, ended up spending all their money on cheap escorts only to find out when they were leaving that the best girl was ready to receive customers and they were all flat broke.

It was a very irritating feeling.

Flint leisurely stood up from the softness of Ilana's lap he turned towards the frustrated group. What further fuelled their frustration even more was the fact that they couldn't figure out which gaze he looked at them with because of the hair covering his eyes.

"You've finally arrived."

Flint rubbed his eyes sluggishly and spoke words that made the group of fierce men puzzled and couldn't help but look at each other.

"Just what the heck is this brat saying?"

Hawkins blurted out as he looked at Scar Face for answers.

"The heck I'd know how some kid randomly appeared in the forest you fool?"

Scar Face slapped Hawkins head in anger.

"Hey runt, what are you doing in a place like this?"

One-Eyed Snake intensely stared at Flint trying to scare him and spoke in slow increments. Dipping his hands into his big sleeves and cocking his head to the side Flint adopted the tone of a mild old man with one step in his grave lecturing his grand kids.

"What a weird question to ask… I've been living here for as long as I can remember. Now that I've already answered your question allow me to ask one of my own. How can I get out of here?"

The men casted looks of curiosity at the child like creature in front of them.

"Oi, oi. Isn't this the part you act all scared and burst into tears or something?"

Blade curiously looked at Flint forcing a smile that turned out really ugly in the end.

Scar Face thought Flint was just putting up a front to not show how scared he was. He yelled adopting a threatening posture and lovingly kissed his knife, "That's right don't you want to keep that little life of yours? Do we look like good people to you!?"

"Does that even matter."

"Hey kid. Are you crazy or just plain senile?" One-Eyed Snake couldn't help but ask.

"Say what?"

Ilana inched closer to the scene and sat on one of the tree monster's large fingers. Resting her cheeks on her hands her eyes darted to the ongoing commotion.

Flint looked like a defeated elder as he rubbed his temples, "And they say I'm senile. Sigh, reasoning with meat heads with rocks for brains is truly tiring. It's even worse than trying to talk with beasts. All that intelligence, just where did it go?"

"The brats done it now. Let's kill him!" Hawkins roared, the veins in his forest protruding. He couldn't stand being insulted by a child and made a rash move. If he allowed this to stand, how could he freely go out to rob and kill others in the future when he couldn't handle a mere child.

"Kill!" Blade joined in too.

The two easily irritated men yelled and charged towards the tree monster that Flint stood on.

"Foolish."

Unmoved Flint lightly stomped and the lights in the tree monster's eyes flared. The tree monster shifted its large body to face the approaching duo.

ROOAAARRR!"

"Shit."

The two men just remembered that the tree monster wasn't just for decoration but it was already too late. The two were mercilessly blown aside. Roots shot towards them.

They were so fast that they couldn't react as they grabbed the four men from the ground by the torso and ankles as they screamed in shrill voices. Their bodies dangling like dried meat pieces hanging from a ceiling. When the duo looked at the ground and then at the tree monster again, they wailed frightfully.

"Ah, it just wo-won't stop s-swaying I fee-eel sick!"

"Boss, help me… I… I 'm… I … I'm scared of heights!" Hawkins screamed like a big baby.

He became a stuttering mess and, in his panic, he hugged onto Blade.

"Let go of me damn it. Ah… you're going to crush me to death if you don't let go!"

Blade got a huge scare. Seeing Hawkins face that was contorted like that of desperate maiden seeking help from her god, hero, or anyone willing to come to her aide. Tears and snots were running down his fierce face. Blade was so disgusted that he had the urge to just bite his tongue and die. Flailing about madly, he desperately tried to pry him off but it was fruitless. Instead, loosening Hawkins grip became tighter. He was running out of air and crazily tapped Hawkins who didn't respond no matter how hard he tapped.

"Ga…ah!"

Fear filled his eyes as the flower of despair's bud was about to bloom. His eyes bulged and his vision clouded. His hands lost its strength, slipping from Hawkins shoulder. Gasping what he believed to be his last breath Hawkins embraced death with a lonely tear trickling down his face. In that moment he just hoped that his death came quickly.

Thud!

The two were roughly lowered and tossed onto the ground which allowed the man to barely escape death. Once his breathing stabilized, he gave the passed-out Hawkins a glacial glare. Roughly picking up a rock he slapped him in the head with it and walked away. Moments later Hawkins groaned and got up rubbing his head and looked at his bloodied hand.

"What happened?"

One-Eyed Snake and Scar Face just shrugged and couldn't bother to answer him.

Flint said lightly looking at the four, "Do you guys feel like listening now."

"Ah, y-yes."

"Good, originally I planned to settle this peacefully. I offer you protection and you guys lead the way to the nearest town. Both parties mutually benefit right?"

"Y-Yes."

The four obediently nodded with looks of nervousness.

"But..."

The men felt themselves shudder from the vibe Flint was giving off. At this moment they really wanted to see the expression in Flint's eyes because even though his facial expression didn't change in the slightest the men could feel the hairs on their backs rising.

"Flint." Ilana looked at him.

"Ah yes. I should really get to the point. The plan hasn't change much from the original but you no longer have the right to refuse. Running is pointless so just obediently lead the way to the nearest town and if I'm satisfied, I'll let you go. Otherwise forget about leaving this forest alive you got it."

"Ok."

All the men meekly muttered.

"Great, don't sleep too late because we're leaving early."

Nodding with satisfaction Flint turned his back to them.

"Quick question boss, Scar Face called out nervously."

"Yes. Is there something else?"

"Does that monster obey you?"

One-Eyed Snake also stepped out with the rest.

"You could say that."

"I see."

The group of fierce men exchanged glances and seeing that they tacitly came to the same conclusion they shrugged helplessly.

With that resolved Flint turned his head and walked off towards Ilana, jumping onto the large finger where she currently lied. Without batting an eye, he lied next to her and rested his head on her chest abandoning himself to a deep slumber in the cool night.

"Argh! Where, is the justice!" Blade screamed pulling his hair.

Hawkins looked at Blade with a wry smile, "I never thought I would get to hear a bandit say this."

"As if monopolizing her lap wasn't enough, now he had to go for the chest. I feel like I'm going to go crazy," One-Eyed Snake cursed in a low voice.

Scar Face looked especially gloomy at this moment, "How lucky, wish a woman would do that for me."

The four felt their hearts bleeding as they dispiritedly gazed at the tree monster under the moonlight.