Settling down a barking dog
With the start of a working day, while the alleys still seemed empty, a kid was walking at an average pace to the deepest part of this camp while massaging his back.
As he was getting deeper, he could notice the difference in maintenance. All started from the time he passed half of the distance of this zone.
Vlad still felt a bit angry about the incident with the guard, but when he arrived at the start of the Chaotic zone, all that angry emotions vanished.
The shack's wood was more decayed as he walked deeper into the alley. Even the road was getting dirtier and destroyed as if there was a war. In some corners, one could even notice the dry bloodstains.
'Those guys actually live here? Isn't this to much of a slum? Broken glass, trash all over the place, dried blood, wood, and nails all the eyes could see. Those guys here really don't care about their lives?'
'Sigh, what kind of blasted land did I stumble upon? I have to act as quiet here, it's already bad that I managed to offend those people now I have to look over my shoulder against some crazy bastards here. '
'It seems like someone up is preparing to see my death faster than I expected.'
Walking the chaotic road, having to step out of the garbage of all kinds, soon arrived at a round of desolate shacks. It was a row of 5 huts, all of them in the same condition, but if one had a trained eye, he could spot the difference just like Vlad.
Looking at the last shack in his view made him shake his head.
'This house, are there really people living inside? Sigh, I have to repair it or if winter comes I might even die from coldness.'
Vlad was getting closer and noticing that he was in front of the shack with the most missing parts.
He looked again at his badge. It was small in size, having his name, the number of his hut, and four dots next to his name. His eyes fixed on the number 115 and later at the rundown shack, clicking his tongue at the annoyance he felt.
Fortunately for the badge, Vlad's stares did nothing on its metal body. Otherwise, it would have disintegrated so many times that it is not worth mentioning.
Seeing that exact number from the badge on the shack, he walked inside while the door didn't even give any resistance as if being wide open.
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Opening the door without many reservations welcomed him was a bunch of sleeping teenagers. They were 3 in number. Vlad couldn't make up their age from their sleeping posture. It didn't take long for Vlad to find out his curiosity.
'Oh, what a surprise. Some kids are my roommates? I thought I would stumble on some nasty criminal or some psychopath, but this is a nice coincidence. Good for me. I'll have a peaceful stay at least inside this shack, enough to build my powers.'
As Vlad thought that and simultaneously was staring at the three kids, the boys strung up magically like they felt Vlad coming inside since he was before the door.
They woke up about the same time. One of those boys even took in his hand a piece of glass wrapped tightly inside a cloth.
Vlad stared at them calmly, as if expecting all kinds of reactions from his new "roommates".
Observing the teenagers closely, the oldest was around 15 years old while the smallest was 12. Not bothering himself to observe their body or features, he said after some time, with a more cold face.
"Lower your weapon. I'm your new roommate also you don't have to be on your guard. I want nothing from you, just to rest at night using the open bed." said Vlad while stretching his back of the head a bit, embarrassed by the situation.
He was an adult in all rights, a 44 years old experienced warlord, that had a conversation with a still wet under ears boy.
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The teenagers were still on their guard, the oldest one who seemed to be the boss around, said in a cocky tone to Vlad.
"Hey kid, since when do you think you can talk so bossy with me? Do you think that I will not make a new pocket for you to wear close to yourself? You should show respect when you enter here for the first time, you flea."
'This little kid is an idiot. Why people in this kind of environment have to turn like this? Sigh, do I really have to fight little shits for a living? Well, whatever, I will put the boy in his place and go check on the mine.'
'Ahh, my head huts from the annoyance. Just the thought that if I might get cut by those brats could happen makes me think of what Matei or Mehmed would think about it.'
Looking at the older boy, Vlad said while maintaining a calm self.
"Look, if you wish that I go somewhere else and I don't disturb you help me out finding another place. I don't care that much. So long you don't attack me, I don't care where I sleep."
"Look at him acting smart. Boy, first of all, you got no right to boss me around. What you just tried now is to order me around. Me helping you find another place? Are you stupid?
"No way in hell. So I will teach you a good lesson that will stick with you for a long time." ended the older boy while swinging the glass in a threatening manner.
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When the kid in question started swinging his made-up dagger around in a threatening manner, he began charging at Vlad, who still was confused.
'For real, boy? My god, it's like I talked to some Turks when I was young and they couldn't understand me. Well, fine boy. I will handle you a bit, play around with you before I take my leave.'
When Vlad was thinking in his head about what he should do with this aggressive boy, he saw the kid turn to the second teenager and tell him.
"Hey Kipset, I say we beat this kid a little to let him know his place as a welcoming gift, also to get back at him for waking us." ended while preparing to go slash Vlad with the glass.
'You got no chance boy. The difference between us is that great. Gladly little Zagreus is 10 years old and somehow a still decent body. I'll just have to put you to sleep or rough you up.' thought Vlad with a direct shift in his eyes and face, turning himself from the indifferent Vlad to a more cruel version of himself.
The older one looked at Vlad's body, who was about ten years old and having the exact characteristics of a boy his age.
Turning his attention to Vlad's face, he could see his casual stare, but slowly they turned a bit serious, giving off a colder atmosphere. The one called Kipset, even after observing these subtle changes in the new kid's body, still complied with the older one's orders and rushed at the new kid.
While they started to rush at him with the idea of beat him up, Vlad was looking at the inexperienced and childish form of attacks.
'Don't charge at me like that boy, I have hundreds of ways to stop you and crush you.'
As Kipset rushed to hit Vlad, he was surprised, not expecting Vlad to react the same way. While still thinking of how to respond, Kipsen went for Vlad's face.
He threw a sucker punch with not much precision, so to speak. He was just hoping for the best outcome out of this, so to speak of on fighting.
Reading the movement of the hit, Vlad dogged the hit with ease. Just as he dodged, he shifted his fighting stance, and while tightening his fist, he gave Kipset a rigorous blow to his stomach, leaving the kid without air for a bit and almost making him puke all his food and gastric juice.
Still, Vlad didn't even waste his time and quickly followed with a leg strike making Kipset stumble and land on the ground.
'Do you think I will just let you hit me, or act like a little kid similar to little Zagreus? To hell with this.'
'I will deal with you later, so just stay down while I take care of your little friend.'
'Do you want to discipline me? You're too young for that little boy.'
The older teen noticing his friend got already beaten made him hesitate for a bit. He looked at his younger roommate and called him to help to deal with Vlad.
"Inorra, what are you staring dumbly like that? Come help me, you idiot. Don't tell me you don't want to join or later after I finish with this arrogant, you'll be the first that I will target for not waiting to help me."
Hearing his name called the younger teen, Innora finally reacted, looking at the older one. Later at the newcomer. Stopping a little, he also joined in the dance. He rushed at Vlad without giving a thought back.
However, when he reached Vlad and noticed his cold eyes, he started to feel some regret in his actions while thinking in his head.
'How could someone have such an indifferent expression on their face? Almost like he isn't scared at all by us three.'
When Vlad became aware of the new teen who joined the older teen, he shook his head while dodging some of Glim's crazily random slashes.
Still thinking in his mind, some of his random thoughts left his mouth. Leaving his words in Romanian.
"Ahh, I miss my old sword so badly in these moments. Just one slash and this arrogant boy would be sent to hell. Even a peasant boy in Wallachia would be able to take this brat down. "
So as he spoke in an unknown language to the kids, they thought he was mocking them, especially the older boy Glim, who started attacking Vlad with greater intensity.
Quickly got back from his thoughts as he blocked the coming attacks instinctively. He figured that probably he spoke out loud what he was thinking, getting transmitted in Romanian.
Dodging his following strikes, he shook his head in displeasure.
"What's the difference between a raging animal, who is fighting on instincts and you? You act just like one, all I have to do is dodge your large swings, and I'm safe."
"ARGH, you motherfucker, how dare you insult me like this! I will cut you into pieces." said Glim, who rushed like a bull to pierce Vlad's slender body.
"Ohh really? Such a sad kid, you will for sure die in the future a nasty death. But it might not be me who kills you. Now let's end this charade and make you piss off since I'm starting to get tired."
"I'm not at my prime, even moving this body of mine hurts like hell."
Those words made Glim even angrier and aggressive. He started to swing the glass in his hands madly, but every swing was a miss. Then seeing that he had no success whatsoever, he thrust the glass at Vlad's body while Innora was getting ready to throw himself and grab Vlad's legs.
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Vlad turned to rush at the charging Glim, in doing so escaping Inorra's attack.
As he ran towards Glim while seeming to make a grabbing motion at the glass weapon. Using his experience accumulated on his first life and all the assassination attempts he had to deal with. He dodged the trust by a hair length and quickly grabbed the boy's hands, following up with a disarm.
Some bones in his hand seemed to get twisted, and the sound of a crack got heard.
"ARGHHHHHHH. MY HAND, I CAN'T FEEL MY HAND? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?"
"Hmm nothing much, just twisted your wrist until a bone popped, don't worry you'll be fine. Nothing permanent."
Following that, Vlad sent Glim a leg kick targetting his stomach, which dropped on his knees.
Inorra, looking from a distance, could see the situation as Glim kneeling hard in front of a little child.
Simultaneously the dagger that dropped on the ground was heard, but the one sound that resounded the most was the scream of the little rabid dog, Glim.
After spotting the dropped dagger, he kicked the piece of glass far from the heart of the action. Looking at Glim's face, Vlad said with a big grin on his childish face.
"Now the fun can begin, you idiot. I hope you're prepared with the same headstrong mentality. Otherwise, you'll just embarrass yourself. What's with the dumbfounded look?
Scared and in pain from Vlad's outbreak, Glim could only feel pain in his stomach and arms as he was hit unexpectedly by Vlad. Because of the leg kick which dropped him on the knees, not long after screaming a bit in pain, the small yet cold hands of the newcomer took his neck hostage.
Vlad swiftly got behind Glim's back and started to choke him. His hold formed a guillotine, and firmly with his frail arms put pressure on the teen's neck.
Quickly as the oxygen and blood inside Glim's brain began getting cut, his world began changing around him, turning dimmer and dimmer. Before not long, he went limp and unconscious inside Vlad's guillotine hold.
Everything was seen by Inorra, who was shaking a bit. When he saw Vlad release Glim, who dropped on the floor like a cut log, he looked around himself, trying to escape, but there was no escape.
"Please don't hurt me. I was forced to act against you."
"I know. Don't worry you'll be fine too. I might seem weird, but I'm actually quite the fun guy."
As Vlad said that, he began walking toward Inorra with an easy-going face, which instead made the young boy look even scared.
"Why are you shaking so much? I didn't even hit you or put you to sleep like that barking dog."
"How can I not be scared when I saw you dodge those strikes and even put Glim to sleep who is quite strong around this place."
"Humm, I understand. You can breath safely, go take a seat on one of those beds. You too bigger one, I don't want to hurt any of you. Well, maybe that barking dog, but I might even forget about him."
Inorra, who was shaking in his boots, could only gulp his saliva and move to his bed, keeping his eyes on Vlad, who stood in the center of the room. Kipset followed while gritting his teeth from the pain he felt while moving.
Vlad looked at them and nodded his head. After they settled down, he said in a calm tone, as if he wasn't offended at all by this transgression.
"One of you wake up that unconscious rat. Also, you better stay in your place after that, don't try another crazy idea on me because I also have patience, but if you break it, I can only turn ruthless."
The two nodded their heads, Inorra tried to move, but he simply was shaking like a scared cat, making Kipset, who still felt some pain in his body, walk to awake Glim.
Face slapping the unconscious Glim to wake him up. This gave Kipset quite the satisfaction.
Instantly Glim waked but was quickly restless, he felt pain all over his body, but his hatred for Vlad seeming to dominate his pain nerve signals. Looking with hatred at Vlad, he got greeted with a colder stare from Vlad.
Suddenly Glim woke up and stared perplexed and angry around himself, yet still thought in his mind.
'How can a kid have such skills? Who's this boy, maybe a noble kid? Those noble kids I heard from the bosses of the zone that live differently from us commoners.'
'He could even handle weapons fine, not a scratch on his body. Damn, how dare you even exist.'
'Motherfucker, I will get my revenge, for what you have done to me.'
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After having his roommates calmed down from the small roughing, Vlad looked a little bit at the teens, and all he could see was that they were quite close in appearance, having the same tanned skin. Still, he pushed these thoughts out for the moment.
Feeling Vlad's glance at them. Kipset and Inorra held their heads down, while Glim, who had a pained expression, seemed to look at Vlad with rabid eyes.
Finally, Vlad said something that they didn't expect in an apathetic way, like what he asked him could be done.
"I will let you guys off with a condition. You have to give me a quarter of your daily food. If you do so, I promise you guys that I will no longer react in any form when it comes to you.
Also, you the barking dog, you bother not be calling the adults into this. You started all of this, so you should take all consequences to come with it. You better remember this otherwise I'll no longer just put you to sleep.'
Taking a break after saying that, he circled a bit around this room and finally stopped by saying.
"To make me forget about this incident you'll have to give me each day 20% of your food portion."
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"Ahh, I almost forgot. Let me introduce myself. I'm Zagreus, and I'll be in your care." laughed Vlad in a childish tone while looking at the dumbfounded faces of the young boys.
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A/N: Hope you enjoyed this mini-fight. Nothing much, but it displayed Vlad experienced fighting skills. Especially now that he can move using a younger body compared to his old and rusty one.
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Hope you liked my version on Vlad, or how I try to portray him in different scenarios. It's this befitting an experienced warlord who fought in so many wars? Or he should just kill the barking dog?
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If you liked the story make sure to give it a follow and some encouraging reviews or pointing out my mistakes with comments so I can fix them and grow as a writer.
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