Episode 10

“Rogues!”

The moment Kim Tae Hyeon’s dreaded thought was confirmed, he quickly reached for the one of the three flares attached to the bottom of his quiver. He removed the cap to trigger the fire at the end of the rod and threw it upward to send it to the sky. It was the protocol in calling for backup and for warning the people to get away.

But the second the flare barely reached a meter above Taehyeon’s head, a Rogue arrow shot it mid-air and caused it to explode the moment the sharp point pierced the container.

The flare exploded red at the same time it made contact with the top part of the fountain, right above Taehyeon’s head.

The archer and a few people in his perimeter were thrown back from the force of the explosion. The fountain was destroyed and its large debris contributed to the intensity of the blast.

Taehyeon’s ears painfully ringed. He could barely make out the screams of the people panicking and crying out in fear and pain as some were hit by the flying debris. The archer badly coughed and gasped for air because smoke, dust from the flare, and dust from the construction’s remains got into his system, making it hard for him to breathe.

Taehyeon clenched his hands into fists to get ahold of himself as a wave of pain coursed through his head and upper body.

Down on his knees and a hand that barely held his body up, Taehyeon blinked as the solid color of red of the personalized flare took its time to disperse and clear at least his line of sight. The water from the fountain spilled onto the marble floor and soaked up the archer’s clothes as he saw his distorted reflection.

As Taehyeon’s vision started to return to its normal focus, he saw how his reflection suddenly blurred into crimson red. Then another red droplet fell onto the water. When he moved his left hand to reach for his bow that lay on the ground in front of him, pain shot throughout his upper left arm. The archer closed his eyes and tried to not think of the large gash on his arm and the blood flowing down from the cut on his left temple to his jawline.

But knowing the danger that was still in the place, Taehyeon focused on the task at hand. Despite the immense pain of just moving, he got ahold of his bow as he pushed himself to stand up and not waste more time. After making sure that he still had his arrows, he reached for another flare attached beneath his quiver but found it empty.

Taehyeon frantically looked around the rubbles and few bodies that lay immobile on the ground for his two flares. He has yet to warn the warriors at the Military Institute.

Through the smoke and dust, a dozen of Rogues made their presence known amongst the crowd. A few then saw the archer and distinguished that Taehyeon was of a threat because of the uniform jacket he wore since it had the insignia of Supremus Imperium’s Military Institute.

“A warrior!”

“Shit. If I didn’t know any better, that flare was of the Royal Army’s!”

“For fuck’s sake! That boy is an Elite!”

“What are you waiting for—Fire at him!”

“Are you serious—I can’t see shit!”

The ringing in Taehyeon’s ear subsided and he now could make out the enraged and panicked voices of Rogues. Despite the limited vision, Taehyeon took advantage of the noise of the Rogues that talked and gave away their positions. Since the smoke was starting to lift and some dust were settling down towards the ground, the archer readied his bow and arrow.

Before Taehyeon could let loose another arrow at his enemies though, his eye caught sight of one of his flare. At the same time that he did, one of the Rogues saw the archer and what he just took hold of.

“He’s over there! Stop him!” a Rogue warned the others.

“Don’t fucking let him throw that flare!”

Taehyeon quickly barrel-rolled away into a crouching position just in time two consecutive arrows shot at where he just stood. Dropping the flare for a moment, Taehyeon angled his bow and shot back at the Rogue archers who weren’t quick to get away from their position on top of a building.

Hearing the sound of bodies falling to the ground with a loud and final thud, Taehyeon grabbed the flare, uncapped it and threw it in the air just in time a katana swung at his direction.

Taehyeon dodged the deadly blade that swiped for his neck and grabbed an arrow to use it as his weapon for defense. He stabbed the Rouge on the lung with all his might.

A scream resounded across the Grand Circle as the flare’s explosion echoed in the air.

The Rogue staggered back in anger and pain and Taehyeon took advantage of his state, and grabbed the katana that was now loosely held. He turned his body a full three-sixty until the blade plunged straight to the Rogue’s heart of a quick death.

As the body fell back, Taehyeon adjusted his stance, his right foot stepping back so that his body was no sideways. He then quickly got ahold of the initial arrow he used for defense and swiftly used it for his next target that was coming at him with twin wakizashi swords.

Taehyeon sharply breathed in since he had to move his wounded arm to ready his bow and aim. He let go of his hold on the arrow nock before the pain in his arm and head made him wince and throw him off his focus.

The arrow only managed to deeply scrape a Rogue Demon’s cheek as two more Rogue Demons strode towards him with their hands and blades enflamed; a killing intent directed at him. Taehyeon quickly backed up to create distance between him and his enemies, aware that he was severely outnumbered when he saw a few more Rogues appear at the perimeter.

Finally spotting his last flare and anticipating that the three Demons were going to charge at him with their full speed the moment he grabbed another arrow, Taehyeon quickly aimed downwards and at the flare. He shot at it the moment the Demons’ bodies were exactly above it.

It was too late for the three to change directions and lost their lives in the direct explosion.

Taehyeon used the blast of solid red dust as a diversion and quickly slipped through an alleyway. It was to lead the Rogues away from the Grand Circle and away from the people that were struggling to get away from the scene because of the panic, chaos, and overcrowding in some pathways.

“Yah! After him!”

The Rogue in charged raged at the result of his men against one Elite. It was pathetic. Hence, he quickly ordered two Rogue Vampires and two Rogue Werewolves to quickly track and kill the warrior while the rest deal with the people in the capitol.

The Rogue Werewolves shifted into their large Wolf forms, growling and snarling in their ragged and rough embodiment, while the two Rogue Vampires used Taehyeon’s blood on a dry pavement to their advantage even as a little motivation. One of them even took a quick taste of the blood after wiping it with her finger. This was to heighten her senses as well as her hunger and killing intent.

The four Rogues took off towards the alleyways. Without so much of a care, they pushed and trampled and even slashed at people who were and who got in their way just so that they could cut off and corner Taehyeon.

Taehyeon ran fast as he could while blood dripped down from his arm down to his fingertips that still had the strength to keep a good grip on his bow. He made some sharp turns and quick reroutes to narrower alleyways.

The archer swiftly weaved through the mazelike pathways, making his way to the edge of the capitol where he can get to the forest line. Hopefully, patrols will be there.

When Taehyeon made a sharp right though, he barely but still managed to dodge a katana that seemed to be effortlessly thrown like a mere kitchen knife at his head. Taehyeon quickly shifted his focus from the blade to the person who threw it.

At the other end of the narrow alley was Rogue Vampire who still had another katana at his disposal.

Taehyeon back up into the other extension of the alley to gain some distance away from the Rogue as he fired one arrow after the other. But then his attacks were futile as the Vampire deflected each arrow with the katana blade, all the while the enemy took long strides towards the warrior’s direction.

The moment Taehyeon ceased fire, because he knew that firing at a kind that specializes in super speed would be wasteful of his limited arrows, the Vampire broke out into a run; his katana drawn to his side, ready to slash and kill.

Taehyeon had no other choice but turn his back to the Vampire just to pick up the fallen katana.

The archer got a good grip of the handle and his body in time for him to block the opposing blade. Taehyeon groaned and pushed the Vampire back with his strength before they simultaneously charged at each other to battle their life out in an immense speed.

As the minutes dragged on, Taehyeon received more cuts and even received a few bruising because of the inhumane swiftness of his opponent.

When Taehyeon saw an opening, he quickly kicked the Vampire on his stomach; sending his enemy coughing and staggering back. The warrior then quickly swung the katana from a perfect angle then perfect height; successfully slashing at the bright red-orange eyes of the Vampire with the very tip of the blade.

By the time the blade ended at the second eye, Taehyeon winced badly at the pain of his arm. This caused him to drop the katana before he could finish the Vampire. He screamed at the pain then forced himself to outstretch his arm responsible for the bow while the other got a hold of another arrow.

Th archer didn’t a waste another second and fired it at the Vampire’s heart as he chanted a quick spell:

“To smite, with all my might, ignite!”

With the anguish coursing throughout Taehyeon’s body, it aided the intensity of the spell and had the arrow to burst into roaring flames the moment it pierced the heart, to ensure the death of the Rogue Vampire.

As soon as the battle between him and the Rogue Vampire ended, Taehyeon ran once again when a large Rogue Wolf appeared behind the defeated Rogue that was now burning into ashes.

The archer slipped into another alleyway that had stalls lined up on one side. Once the people saw him and the large Wolf behind him, they quickly crowded towards one direction to get away.

Taehyeon knew that if he continued to the only exit of alley which was the end people were desperately running off to, they would get hurt from the Wolf’s large form. With quick assessment, Taehyeon maximized the few ropes and pulleys hanging from the side of an old building that was supposedly being renovated.

In perfect timing that the Wolf gained on him, Taehyeon run up to some sacks and stacks of crates and got on top of a stall’s long roof. The archer then jumped to get ahold of a rope pulley.

With the limited length of the rope he aimed to hold, it enabled Taehyeon to circle back into the direction of the Rogue Wolf. At the last perfect moment, he let go of the rope as he got an arrow and fired at the Wolf’s head.

Taehyeon landed harshly on the ground with his wounded arm taking the impact.

The wounded archer almost screamed but choked it up into a loud groan. He pushed himself back up to see the Wolf now lying on the ground motionless, an arrow to its eye.

Taehyeon breathed heavily as he could feel his injuries taking a toll on him. But again, he had to get out of the capitol. So, he ran through the alley until finally, he saw an exit that would lead straight to the forest line.

The second Taehyeon got out of the alley, he suddenly found himself back on the ground again. Pain shot through his arm and head from the impact of being blocked and pushed by a weight thrice his size.

Taehyeon now let out a pained and frustrated scream as he forced himself to get back on his feet. He looked to what caused his fall and saw another Rogue Wolf getting up from the ground too; snarling and baring its large teeth at the warrior.

Taehyeon looked for his bow and saw it a few feet away from him. Despite the burning sensation on his arm and head, the archer made a run for his bow while he readied an arrow.

Taehyeon dove to the ground and got his bow. He rolled onto his back just time the Wolf leaped with its mouth open, ready to bite his head off.

With quick focus and reflex, Taehyeon sat up while he pulled the arrow back with his maximum and shot it straight to the Wolf’s chest in a blink of an eye. Half of the arrow disappeared into the Rogue Wolf and death quickly claimed the last heartbeat of the enemy.

For the last time, Taehyeon stood up and weakly walked towards the trees. But influenced by the pain coursing throughout his body, his legs gave and he stumbled down to his knees before he could take another step. All his muscles felt like it was on fire since they were all strained. With the blood he lost and was still losing too, it was no wonder that Taehyeon felt light headed and the weight of his quiver felt heavier.

Taehyeon proceeded to remove the strap of his quiver and let it drop beside him. He then leaned himself on a large boulder among the few rubbles of construction materials near him and the now lifeless body of the Rogue Wolf.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Taehyeon thought it was over and safety was just there beyond the tree line. He gently leaned his head back and closed his eyes for a moment since his vision was blurring and his focus was going in and out already.

But a sound of someone stepping on a branch brought Taehyeon back to reality; that he was still out in the open where Rogues are after him until he is eliminated.

Taehyeon looked across the field, alarmed to see a sickly pale Rogue Vampire with her long black hair blowing back as a harsh cold wind passed by, walking towards him while casually dragging a large rectangular broadsword, that was almost twice her height, beside her.

Since there was some distance left, Taehyeon reached out to his quiver. But dread and panic made his body feel cold when he saw that he had no more arrows left.

The deadly look on the Vampire’s blazing red-orange eyes made Taehyeon finally feel the fear for his life as he realized that he has no weapon to fight; he definitely has no more strength to even get up and make another run. His heart raced and its beating was deafening for the archer.

When the Vampire flickered in Taehyeon’s vision and the enemy made a dash towards him at full speed with the sword in a position to swipe at his being, all the archer could do was tightly close his eyes, hold his breath and wait for his imminent death.

But a harsh yet swift wind and motion from his side made Taehyeon open his eyes once again as a loud growl resounded in the area where Taehyeon was.

A Werewolf in its large sleek grey Wolf form was fighting off the Vampire, effectively and swiftly dodging the blade then quickly shifting to offense with his sharp claws and barred teeth. The Wolf managed to find an opening and caught the Vampire’s arm in its mouth, forcing the latter to let go of the sword before she was hauled off the ground and thrown to the side.

With a hiss, the Vampire lunged at the Wolf with her inhumane speed and started punching and kicking. The Wolf tried to keep up but its speed was no match for the Vampire’s. The Vampire easily beat up the Wolf and with one last punch to the side of the head and a kick to the ribs, she successfully got the Wolf away from her.

Quickly retrieving her broadsword, the Vampire swung it to the back to end the Wolf that now lied on its side since it was struggling to get up. She was about to move her sword when suddenly, pain shot throughout the back of her right shoulder. This caused her to drop her sword again.

The Rogue Vampire looked back and saw an arrow deeply embedded in her skin.

Red-orange eyes narrowed in anger as she pulled the arrow off. She then turned to look at the archer who now stood on his feet, near the dead body of a Wolf. She realized that that’s where he must have gotten his arrow.

The Vampire snarled and reappeared in front of Taehyeon just as the archer dropped his bow from the lack of strength.

She gripped Taehyeon’s collar in a tight hold, choking the now weak and defenseless archer. She got a spare dagger attached to her belt then pointed the tip at Taehyeon’s throat.

“You will regret getting involved.”

The Rogue Vampire sadistically smiled and pushed Taehyeong down on his knees.

Then the dagger was raised and plunged down to end Taehyeon’s life.