Chapter 7

"Who are you lad?" Baron tossed the kid aside and unsheathed his sword.

No reply came forth from Kylian, he just stood there staring at Baron.

"Let's call others. It does not feel right, look at all that blood on him." Kayr whispered while his cautious eyes were on Kylian.

"You scardy little cat. He has not even pulled his sword, he is literally stunned" Baron laughed and spoke aloud- "How did get that blood on you kid ? Animal ? Villagers ?"

*No reply*

Baron twitched, he was getting irritated being left unanswered- "You dare not run now you rat."

He lunged towards Kylian with a downswing, trying to give a fatal blow to his opponent.

Kylian effortlessly stepped to a side and grabbed Baron by the hair. In the next moment, he slammed the soldier to the ground with a full swing of his arm.

Baron's head split open and blood oozed out of the cut, he wasn't dead just unconscious. Kylian then leisurely pulled out his sword, enjoying every bit.

"Wh...att... What are you." Kayr spoke with a trembling voice. He had seen things unfold, and it was his first time witnessing someone move so lightly and with such ease.

"Both of yours death." Kylian replied, and shoved the sword through Baron.

Kayr dropped his sword and started scramming away.

"Benjamin your dagger." Kylian called out aloud, his left hand outstretched behind him, his eyes fixated on the fleeing target.

Benn who had been watching everything from the corner of the doorframe jumped up. Clumsily he handed his dagger to Kylian. Instantly Kylain hurled the dagger towards his fleeing target.

The dagger whizzed through the air and caught Kayr right at his skull, ending him.

Kylian walked up to the weeping mother "Let me check." he spoke and crouched beside the unconscious boy, even though the woman was still wary of the stranger but she did not interrupt him.

"He is all fine, just fainted."

"Thank you." the woman whispered..."You all should leave, more of them will follow." she further added taking a short pause.

"On that. Who are these men and what is happening in here?"

The woman's pain visibly deepened as she recalled the past events that led her and this village to such a pitiful state.

"They came here a few months back" she spoke, her voice hoarse with all the shouting and crying "all soldiers, wounded. We treated them, fed them for weeks, in return Boris and his men offered us to build new huts and gather food." She pointed toward the mountains towards south "-we had to cross two mountains to gather food and water from the forest, it's really dangerous. Hearing the offer we were really happy and agreed, we treated them as heroes. Weeks went by everything was working perfectly fine but suddenly the soldiers started acting vile, aggressive. We realized it too late that we had let snakes enter our house. Took over the whole village within days, did as they pleased."

"Took a prisoner from each family," the woman couldn't hold her tears any further and broke down "took my five-year-old daughter away."

The woman continued to tell the tragedy that had struck this village and how those so-called soldiers devices different methods to agonize them all.

Benn who stood at the door was left dumbstruck, his facial expressions changing with every sentence from pity to sorrow to anger. It pained him to even imagine how much these people would have gone through these past months. If only yesterday someone would have told him about these villagers he would have called it a poorly scripted story, too blatant to be even told.

"....Life difficult..." 'Hodor spoke from one corner of the hut, barely audible.

Benn nodded in agreement and walked towards 'Hodor, he had already listened enough.

"...Why run....away home ????"

"My father wanted me to be a farmer, we fought and I ran away." His problems seemed so enormous just a few days back and now he could just see a naive kid throwing around fits.

"....What you....wish be ?"

"You surely knows how to tickle my sad bone 'Hodor" Benn spoke with a smile but his eyes and droopy shoulders betrayed his bright smile.

Benn wanted to be someone great, just like a warrior fighting evil helping the poor, maybe save a princess. But in just half a day away from home he realized he was not even a fraction of that warrior he wished to be.

'Hodor was still looking at him with his curious eyes, still waiting for an answer.

"I am nothing and can be nothing, just a loser." Benn sighed dejectedly, that was the bitter truth, the sooner accepted the better.

"No" 'Hodor replied immediately.

Benn was surprised at his sudden reply.

"....Great.... a hero.... I know...." 'Hodor spoke pointing his finger at Benn.

Benn's eyes moistened and his lips broke into genuine smile, "Thank you very much 'Hodor..."

'Hodor got up from the ground, he had to bend so as not to hit the roof- "...Everything fine....you good....follow" he patted Benn's shoulder lightly, like an adult as if reassuring a child of his self worth. Hodor' then walked outside.

"You amazing too big man" Benn whispered and followed 'Hodor.

"Call anyone and everyone of importance here in half an hour." Kylian spoke calmly but there was a deep frow on his forehead.

The woman nodded her head in agreement and holding her son tightly she staggered past the giant.

Something was amiss here, the actions of the soldiers were too uncanny. The soldiers had intercepted each and every plan of the villagers even before being executed.

".....Last fight... before rest...." "Hodor interrupted Kylian's chain of thoughts

"Last fight" he replied.

"Sorry for involving you all into this." Kylian faced the pink giant and spoke with a bit of guilt. If he would not have intervened earlier they could have stayed hidden and could even have a vacant hut for them to stay.

"No I.... do same..." 'Hodor replied with indifferent expressions.

"What is it Benjamin ?" Kylian twitched and asked Benn who has been staring at him for a long time.

Benn hesitated, "Umm"

"Speak up ."

"Ummm...How do I fight .... my dagger. Can you get it..too much blood . " Benn spoke out hesitantly with a sheepish smile, pointing towards the dead soldier.

Kylian looked at him in disbelief. Benn wanted to fight and possibly kill but was afraid at even the sight of blood.

"Take it yourself." Kylian spoke with narrowed eyes.

"Bu-"

"And make it quick. You both need to get 'Odor 'Dicor and the horses down here. You might even have to make two trips up that hill."

"What about you ?"

"I have other businesses."

"We could us- "

"Go, we don't have time to waste."

Benn stomped his foot in agitation, but his agitation was met with Kylian's stare.

"As you command, your majesty." Benn gave Kylian a petulant look and left quickly followed by 'Hodor.

Kylian looked at the young man, who was supposed to be their prisoner throwing fits at them.

"Is he naive or insane ?" Kylian spoke to no one.

"Where is that idiot." an old man, with a hunch screamed, who was followed by a furious crowd of around thirty.

"Kia, open the damn door,. RIGHT NOW, or you will be the one punished." the old man banged the door furiously. His wrinkled face red with anger.

The woman rushed outside, worried- "I was about to come to you Savva, he -"

"When? When there is nothing left of this village. Then? Has that man already fled away ?"

"Two of soldie-"

"Shut up" The man screamed, his face only getting redder.

"What's with the noise Kia ? " Benn came out whistling, both his hands casually behind his head.

"You" Saava looked all over Benn with daggering eyes then he faced Kia -"You whore, don't you have any shame left in you. Don't have any respect for your dead husband or your son."

"What are you talking about old man ?" Benn interrupted,

"Shut up you pig, how dare you come to our village and add fuel to our misery. Look at his audacity he has the nerve to even stay for this long." Saava yelled out furiously, followed by the ranting of the crowd.

Benn looked around, he was starting to realize the grave situation he was in. He spotted men holding sticks and shovels, and by the look they weren't here to plow a field. This crowd was here for blood, his blood.

'Should have gone with 'Hodor. This is what you get for being lazy.'

"You are misunderstanding, please listen" Kia shouted but her words fell on deaf ears.

Seeing the situation getting tense, Benn held Kia's hand and started backing away, one step at a time, his eyes on the infuriated crowd.

"You cowards, want to flee. We can present their heads to Boris and his men." the old man raised his hand and shouted- "KILL THEM KILL THEM BOTH"

Seeing the infuriated crowd move towards him, Benn stumbled and fell on the ground backward. He looked from face to face, fearful which one would get him first.

At his side Kia stood shouting, trying one last time to be heard but her voice shrouded by the moving crowd.

"STOOOOPPPPPP" Kylian roared from back.