Ch.4: The Maharlika's Guest

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—Ron's POV—

Ron: so you're... An Ogre.

I said with a doubtful look on my face. I was curious about her kind and asked what she was. I was surprised to learn that she was a female ogre—an Ogress.

Annak: [huffs] yes! I told you many times already. Is it that hard to understand?!

Annak yelled, huffing in annoyance after answering my question about her species for the fifth time. After yesterday's incident of her fainting outside my house for no apparent reason, I had her rest on my bed for a whole day and monitored her health.

Ron: I'm sorry but you don't look like an ogre to me, honestly.

Annak: how so? What makes me different from the ogres you know?

Ron: [chuckles] let's just say, the ogres I've fought were... Huge and hairy.

I explained, recalling the time I fought a dozen very hairy and very hideous, 50ft tall lumbering creatures in a battlefield. Bioengineered living weapons that were nearly impervious to ballistic weaponry and high explosive due to their incredible regenerative ability and tough skin. I also remembered being smashed, stomped, trampled, and thrown around by them multiple times on different occasions during a war against a certain faction in a frontier world.

I couldn't help but chuckle at the memory.

Annak: [frowns] what's funny?

Ron: [chuckling] nothing. Just reminiscing about the past. Next question.

Annak: [sighs] finally! What is it?

Ron: [curious] why did you faint yesterday?

Annak stuttered and blushed, embarrassed to answer my question.

Annak: [blushing] i-it's because I learned that we're in the 'Kaiju Plains'.

Ron: [confused] the what?

Annak: [surprised] you don't know?

I shook my head, no. I was surprised a second time when Annak began telling me about the land where I built my home; it was called the 'Kaiju Plains' by her people and other races, home territory to strong beasts and giant monsters.

How original.

Her words, however, aren't exactly over exaggerated. The animals here are larger and stronger than normal, and I've fought a few dozen giant beasts. They weren't exactly that big, only about a few to a dozen meters in height. But they've all stopped coming here a couple of decades ago.

I kinda missed them, tbh.

I looked at Annak and saw her looking out the window with fear and worry in her eyes.

Ron: [chuckles] don't be scared, Annak. There aren't any 'giant monsters' or 'great beasts' here. You're safe, trust me.

Annak: [worried] are you sure?

Ron: [smiles] I'm very sure.

I nodded with a smile and she calmed down. Then her stomach grumbled, informing me that she was hungry. I couldn't help but laugh as she blushed in embarrassment.

Annak: [blushing] stop laughing!

Ron: [chuckles] sorry. Are you hungry?

Annak: what made you think that?

Annak said in sarcasm and I couldn't help but chuckle again.

Ron: [smirks] do you want to eat or not?

Annak: [snorts] what kind of question is that? Of course I want to eat!

Ron: [laughs] calm down. I expected this to happen so I made something in the kitchen downstairs. Wait here while I go get it.

Annak: It's not like I have anywhere else to go.

I chuckled again and went downstairs to the kitchen, coming back a few minutes later, carrying a large steaming loaf of matcha bread on a rectangular plate and a cup of water.

Ron: [smiles] hope you like it.

I placed the large plate of bread on the bedside table-drawer and sat on the bed beside her legs. I tilted my head at her when she quietly eyed the loaf of bread before looking at me with a confused look.

Annak: [confused] rotten bread?

Ah, Yes. Now I understand her confusion. She must've not seen Matcha bread before and thought it was rotten.

Ron: [chuckles] it's not rotten. It's Matcha Bread, try it.

Annak hesitated for a moment before a delicious smell from the loaf entered her nose. Both curious and hungry, she tears off a small piece of the bread and eats it. A wonderful taste greeted her tongue.

Annak: [delighted] delicious!

Ron: [grins] how delicious?

Annak: [glares] very delicious.

Annak answered enthusiastically and continued eating the loaf of matcha bread rather quickly.

Ron: woah! Slow down before you-

Annak: [chokes] erk!

Ron: [sighs] choke.

I gave her a deadpanned look as she choked on her food. She instinctively beat her chest multiple times, fruitlessly trying to dislodge the food in her throat. She turned to me for help and I rolled my eyes, gently smacking her back once and dislodging the food in her throat out of her mouth. Afterwards, I handed her a cup of water, which she quickly grabbed from my hand and drank until it was completely empty.

Annak: [coughs] t-thanks.

Ron: [chuckles] you're welcome. Eat slowly next time.

Annak: [nods] I will.

Annak started eating slower, not wanting to choke on her food again. Soon the loaf of Matcha bread was gone and she looked at her empty plate in dissatisfaction. She was still hungry and wanted more to eat.

Ron: [smirks] I have more downstairs.

Her eyes widened and looked at me intensely.

Annak: [surprised] more?

Ron: [nods] and different flavors too.

Annak: [curious] what kind of flavors?

Ron: [smiles] Ube, Chocolate, Blueberry, Cheese, and many more.

Annak grabs me by the collar of my shirt and pulls me closer to her face, giving me a deep glare.

Annak: [glaring] give them to me. NOW!

Ron: uhh... Okay. They're downstairs in the kitchen, if you want them-

She jumped off the bed and quickly went downstairs, dragging me along as she was still holding me by the collar of my shirt. Kali tilted her head before simply following us.

Half an hour later, we were in the living room, sitting on the couch beside each other with Kali resting on her rug near the fireplace. I looked at Annak as she cheerfully ate a loaf of Ubi bread and glanced down at the stack of empty plates on the coffee table. She had already eaten six loaves of bread and she was still hungry.

What an appetite.

Ron: can I ask you a question?

Annak: [sighs] fine.

As she ate, I asked her a question if there were other races and she confirmed that there were many.

Annak: all I know are the Orcs, Trolls , Kobolds, Goblins, Demons—

I flinched a bit at the mention of demons as many of my old scars on my body throbbed, remembering the past when I've fought the unending hordes of demons from He'hl and the Devil himself, the demon-god Na'Taas. I shook my head, snapping myself out of the memory and focused my attention on Annak.

Annak: and Humans.

Annak then stared at me with narrowed eyes, as if she was appraising me.

Ron: [confused] what?

Annak: you're Human, right?

Well yes, but actually no.

Ron: yes...?

Annak: [confused] what?

Ron: I'm human, but a bit different.

Annak: [confused] how different?

Ron: I'm larger, stronger, faster, and smarter than normal humans.

Annak: [curious] are you a mixed-blood?

Ron: [confused] mixed-blood?

Annak: having the blood of two different kin, like an offspring between a goblin and a kobold.

Ron: a hybrid.

Annak: [confused] a what?

Ron: another word for mixed-blood.

Annak: oh, okay.

She grabs the last loaf of bread, the strawberry bread, and eats it.

Annak: [munching] so, are you a mixed-blood?

Ron: umm... no.

Annak: [swallows] really?

Ron: [nods] yes.

Annak: then why are you so big?

That's what she said.

Ron: I got... Umm... Giantism...?

Annak: [confused] giantism? You have the blood of giants in you?

Ron: no. It's a sickness that makes my body grow larger and stronger than normal.

Annak: oh... That sounds more like a blessing than a curse.

Ron: not really. My "sickness" is different from normal.

Annak: [curious] how different?

Ron: I don't have thin and brittle bones, and a weak body.

Annak: oh.

Annak went silent, continuing to eat the loaf of strawberry bread in silence until they were gone. She burps and sighs in satisfaction, before standing up, stretching her body, and heading directly towards the front door.

Annak: Thanks for the food. They were delicious. I'll be leaving now.

Ron: [confused] where are you going?

Annak: back to my tribe.

Ron: did you forget about the storm?

Annak immediately stopped, remembering the snow storm that was raging over the 'Deathly Mountains'.

Annak: oh yeah.

She turned around and went back to sit beside me on the sofa with a blank stare.

Ron: you okay?

Annak: when will it stop?

Ron: the snow storm? It will subside in three weeks or in twenty-one days.

Annak: [surprised] TWENTY-ONE DAYS!?

Ron: [nods] yep! You're lucky I found you before the storm arrived or you would've frozen to death. Worse, eaten alive by the Manticore.

She winced and nodded.

Annak: but I can't stay here for too long. I need to get back to my tribe.

Ron: [curious] why?

Annak: [sighs] without me, my tribe will get attacked by another tribe.

Ron: oh. I'm sorry to hear that, but you can't go now. You'll never get back to your tribe if you do.

Annak: but I can't just stay here for twenty-one days!

She looks at me with a distressed and pleading look.

Ron: [sighs] I'm sorry, but no. You will freeze to death in a matter of moments or fall off the edge of the mountain. The winds are strong enough to push large boulders.

Annak's shoulder slumped down dejectedly and had a look of disappointment on her face.

Ron: [sighs] how about this. I'll personally take you home the moment the storm calms down. I know a faster route to get you through the mountains.

I lied. There isn't actually a faster route. But the idea of it would calm her down enough for her not to drastically leave the house and run off to the freezing mountains, and die.

Annak: [surprised] really?

Ron: [nods] yeah. You can stay here in my house until then.

Annak: [hesitant] but where would I sleep, I can't just take your bed, and what will I be doing for twenty-one days?

Ron: [shrugs] I have five vacant rooms in the house, you can choose one of them, and you can help me with some chores too. I would appreciate an extra helping hand.

She pondered for a moment before nodding with a smile.

Annak: [smiling] then thank you for your hospitality.

I nodded. I then led her upstairs to choose which room she would like to stay in.

for the first week, Annak stayed in the room across my own and helped me with some chores in the house. Such as cleaning, cooking, gathering and cutting wood, feeding the farm animals, and tending my garden.

At first, she had a hard time with some of the chores but she eventually got used to them and even enjoyed herself. Especially taking care of the farm animals and my garden; she would secretly eat some of the fruits and vegetables but I just ignored it.

She really loves strawberries.

In the second week, Annak got curious when she saw me and Kali leave the house, and head towards the 'Kaiju Forest'. When we got back home with a few Al-Mi'rajs—horned rabbits we hunted, she asked us to bring her along the next time we went hunting. At first I was hesitant, but eventually agreed and took her hunting with us the next day. I couldn't help but laugh as she struggled to take down a single young horned rabbit. After laughing for a while, much to her embarrassment, I taught her how to hunt a horned rabbit.

It's very easy.

Al-Mi'rajs all have a simple attack pattern: they aim and thrust themselves at their target in a straight line like an arrow. I told Annak to stand in-between the horned rabbit and a tree, so when she dodges its attack, the animal would hit the tree and get stuck. Allowing her to easily subdue her prey. She caught a couple of horned rabbits that day and presented them to me with pride.

So cute.

Since that day, she started joining us in our hunts, showing her impressive skill in tracking her prey. Ogres have an exceptional sense of smell and hearing. I even taught her how to make traps and she was very quick to learn them. However, during those days, I often notice her staring at me and turns away when I look at her. Thinking nothing of it, I brushed it off and continued our hunt.

Was there something on my face?

In the third week, something unexpected happened. In the middle of the night, Annak appeared in my room without any clothes. I asked what she was doing in my room naked, but she didn't answer and just started walking towards me. To my surprise, she pushed me down and pinned me on my bed, straddling my hips as she stared at me with lust hunger in her eyes.

I'm in danger.

That night in the living room, Kali wondered about the unusual creaking and banging noise coming from upstairs, but chose to ignore it and went back to sleeping on the sofa. The very next day, she had a questioning look when she found Annak sleeping beside me, hugging me tightly, both of us completely naked and smelling of sweat and musk on my broken bed. She stared at me and I stared back.

You saw nothing!

On the same day, we ate together in awkward silence during breakfast in the kitchen. We were either too embarrassed or bewildered to even make a small conversation. I was in the latter. Fortunately, Kali was there to break the ice, by throwing a pillow at my face that she took from the living room sofa. I gave her a light glare for her little mischief, but then turned my attention to Annak when she snorted a laugh and loosened up. I chuckled and the two of us began talking to each other.

I asked her when she started getting interested in me, and her reply was the time she first joined us in hunting Al-Mi'rajs. And seeing me coming out of the bathroom yesterday, half naked and fresh from the shower, made it worse. To the point that she couldn't hold herself anymore and assaulted me that very night.

Apparently, my scars and tattoo were very appealing to her.

For the remaining days of the week, Annak continued to help me with some chores in the house, taking care of the farm animals, tending to the garden, and joining me in hunting in the forest. And by the end of the week, we prepared the necessary equipment that we may need for our journey to her tribe tomorrow. After that, we stayed in the living room, sitting beside each other on the sofa while drinking a hot mug of chocolate with Kali sleeping near the fireplace.

I noticed that she had been lost in deep thoughts lately since yesterday and made me a bit worried.

Ron: something in your mind?

Annak snapped out of her thoughts and looked at me for a moment before letting out a deep sigh.

Annak: [nods] I'm worried about my tribe.

Ron: [smiles] I see. But you don't have to worry too long, we will be leaving early in the morning, tomorrow.

Annak: [smiles] that's good to hear.

She stared quietly at the fireplace for a few seconds before speaking again.

Annak: have you wondered why I got chased by the beast?

Ron: the Manticore?

Annak: [nods] yes.

Ron: [chuckles] now that you've mentioned it, why did it chase you?

Annak: [sighs] it's after me and my father had an argument.

Ron: [curious] an argument?

Annak: yes. Our tribe was dying of starvation as the animals we used to hunt have strangely disappeared and the many edible plants we had all suddenly withered. Out of desperation, my father made a hard choice of handing me to a detestable tribe in return for food.

She growled at the mention of another tribe and started reminiscing about the event that transpired that day.

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—Annak's POV—

Annak: WHY?!

I exclaimed in disbelief at what my father had just said and done. I angrily looked at him, waiting for his answer.

Addur: [sighs] I had no choice, Annak. You must understand!

Annak: [scowls] YOU don't understand, father! know what kind of bastard Moggar is. He's despicable, cruel, and vile. He and his father are the same.

Addur: I'm sorry, Annak. Our tribe is starving. I had no other choice.

Father placed a hand on my shoulder, trying to calm me, but I was too angry at him. I shoved his hand off, grabbed my sword and axe, and left the house in anger.

Addur: [frowns] where are you going?

Annak: [angry] hunting! You said our tribe is starving. So I'll hunt us for something to eat.

Addur: [furious] Annak! Come back here!

He called out to me, demanding that I stop and come back, but I ignored him and continued my way to the forest, heading to a faraway lake. Hours later when I arrived, I spotted a few elks drinking water. I was about to throw my axe at them when something spooked them and ran away. I looked up when I heard a tree branch snap and a deep growl above me. I gasped at what I saw.

Right above me, upside down and gripping the side of a tree, was a massive brown hairy beast with large teeth and sharp claws, pointy spines covering its hide, and a large tail of an insect with a stinger. It stared at me as it drooled in hunger, ready to pounce at any moment.

I tried to back away slowly when the beast leaped off the tree and towards me. I quickly jumped out of the way, narrowly avoiding its claws. I turned to the beast and threw my axe at its head, expecting to cleave its head open or severely wound it. However, it simply swatted my axe away with its powerful paws and snarled at me. I immediately turned around and ran away, heading back to the tribe. But the beast was too fast and appeared right In front of me, blocking my path of escape.

With no other choice, I grabbed my sword hanging from my hip and held it firmly in my hands, pointing it at the beast. It growled and started slowly moving closer to me. When it got close enough, it pounced. I reacted quickly and ducked under, thrusting my blade at its belly as it leaped over me. But it's pelt was too tough for my sword to cut, merely giving it a little scratch. It landed on the ground with a heavy thud and it then turned around to face me with a snarling look.

Fortunately, the beast was no longer blocking my path of escape, so I immediately ran away. I ran faster than before, hoping to be faster than the beast. But I wasn't. It caught up to me in mere moments and swiped its powerful paws at me, cutting me and sending me tumbling away on the ground violently, hitting my back hard against a nearby tree and knocking the air out of me on impact. I was stunned momentarily.

I gasped, trying to take in as much air as possible. I could hardly move my body. I looked up and glared at the beast, it growled and glared back at me. Then it slowly moved towards me, leisurely, as if it was toying with me. It was playing with its prey. I glanced to my right and saw that I was still holding my sword in my hand. Looking back at the beast as an idea came to mind. I stayed still, glaring at the beast, while I waited for it to come closer.

When the beast did get close enough to me by a couple of paces, it lowered its head and growled right at my face. It's breath smelt awful. It opened its mouth wide and was about to maul me to death when I immediately jabbed the inside of its mouth with my sword. The sword broke, leaving half of the blade still lodged in its mouth. The beast jolted back in surprise and swatted me away. It then howled in pain, thrashing around, trying to remove the broken blade in its mouth.

My head accidentally hit a rock when I landed on the ground. Disoriented, I stood up and ran in a random direction, leaving the beast behind. I ran as fast as I could, not knowing where I was heading. After an hour of running, I stopped to rest on a nearby tree. I breathed heavily and started examining my wounds. I had a dozen cuts and bruises on my body, and a gash on my forehead. Fortunately, I wasn't bleeding anymore and my wounds are slowly starting to heal. I looked around and noticed the area was unfamiliar to me—I was lost.

I sighed, there's no point in regretting it now. Atleast I escaped the beast, or so I thought when I heard it roar. It was close, too close, and it sounds like it was heading this way. I look at my broken sword, thinking if I should throw it or not. Eventually, I decided not to and kept it with me; might be useful later. After a few minutes of rest, I stood up and ran to the direction opposite from where the roar came, directly towards the "Deathly Mountains".

I hastily ran with the beast far behind me. It's risky, but I might be able to escape the beast by luring it into the snowy mountains and elude it there, and return to the tribe. So I ran for the entire day until it was night, but I didn't stop and continued to run until I finally reached the snowy mountains. The breeze was freezing cold, I couldn't help but shiver. I looked behind me and saw the beast at a far distance, it was still chasing me after coming this far. It was very persistent.

I went through the snowy mountains with the beast still far behind me. As night turned to day, I grew weaker and weaker as I tried evading the beast in the freezing mountains, yet when I felt like I lost it, it would loudly roar and appear close behind me, out of nowhere. I would occasionally stop to rest but only for a short time before continuing my escape. However, in the end, I couldn't run anymore and accepted my fate with great resolve, choosing to stand my ground and fight the beast with my broken sword near the edge of a steep cliff.

As I stood there, I wondered to myself why it chose to go after me instead of the group of elks drinking in the lake, and thought that it might be because of the wound I gave it. And it might be the reason why there was no longer an abundance of prey in our territory, it must've scared them all away. I growled in anger, it was the reason why my people were starving.

When the beast finally arrived and spotted me, it roared fiercely and rushed towards me. I roared back with the same intensity and charged at the beast without fear.

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—Ron's POV—

Annak: I then fought the beast until I got stabbed by its tail and you arrived to save me just in time.

Ron: [chuckles] so that's what happened.

Annak: [nods] that's what happened.

Ron: [chuckles] you got lucky.

Annak: [smiles] very lucky.

Annak took a sip of her mug of hot chocolate and snuggled closer to me.

Ron: you said that your tribe was starving, right?

Annaks: [nods] yes.

Ron: [smiles] why not move here?

Annak immediately sat straight up, accidentally spilling some of her hot chocolate drink on the carpet, and looked at me with wide eyes.

I'll clean that later.

Annak: [surprised] you mean...

Ron: [nods] yes, they can live here. The land is vast and teeming with large animals that could feed many generations to come. AND you don't have to marry that 'Moggar' guy.

Without warning, Annak dropped her mug and pressed her lips against mine, shoving her tongue in my mouth and giving me a deep French kiss. I reciprocated the kiss with the same fervor for an entire minute until we separated from our make out session, leaving a trail of saliva between us.

Ron: [surprised] that was unexpected.

Annak giggled and rested her forehead on mine.

Annak: [smiles] thank you.

Ron: [smiles] your welcome.

She then laid on top of me, her head on my chest and we stayed in that position until she eventually fell asleep. I glanced towards Kali and saw her staring at me.

Ron: what?

Kali didn't say anything and just went back to sleeping near the fireplace. I rolled my eyes and stared at the ceiling, stroking Annak's hair while waiting until it was dawn.

The next day, early in the morning, Me and Annak were on the porch, looking over our equipment in our two large hiking backpacks and made sure that everything we needed was inside. After double checking, I closed the bags and examined Annak's outfit: She wore a dark-brown winter fur jacket made from the Manticore's pelt, a long sleeve sweater underneath, a grey warm winter solid pants, grey boxers, dark-brown winter boots with grey socks, and brown winter gloves.

Ron: everything's good.

Annak: you sure you're fine. Don't you feel cold?

She asked, concerned for my lack of warm clothing. Unlike her, I wore a simple grey sweater, a white undershirt, dark-grey winter solid pants, black boxers, and dark-brown winter boots with dark-grey socks.

Ron: [smiles] I'm fine. The freezing temperature has little to no effect on me.

I assured her with a reassuring smile and hauled one of the large hiking backpacks on my back. I grabbed the other large hiking backpack and handed it to Annak.

Ron: be careful, it's quite heavy.

Annak: [nods] thanks for the warning.

Annak thanked before hauling the large hiking backpack on her back with relative ease. Good thing I adjusted the shoulder straps before giving it to her. I turned to Kali sitting by the open door behind me.

Ron: We'll be leaving now, Kali. We'll be back for a few days. Make sure to guard the house while we're gone, understand?

Kali snorted and nodded, I smiled and nodded back, before turning back to face Annak.

Ron: let's go?

Annak: [nods] of course.

We then left the porch and headed to Annak's tribe. I looked up at the sky and spotted my avian friend already flying ahead of us. This'll be an interesting journey.

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—3rd POV—

Meanwhile, on a wide dirt road were a dozen six-legged horses and a hundreds ogres marching towards Annak's tribe. Every last one of them was armed and armored. Leading the march was none other than Moggar riding one of the six-legged horses at the front with the other riders.

Akurr: We'll be arriving at the Daashi tribe tomorrow at dawn, Moggar.

Moggar: [nods] good. Attack immediately when we get there. Make sure to kill every male in the tribe, but spare some of the females and the young ones. They'll make fine thralls for our tribe when we get back. Got it?

All the riders and warriors nodded. They were all excited for the coming battle. They couldn't wait to pillage and have fun once they arrive.

Moggar: you'll regret abandoning your tribe, Annak. I'll make sure to make your family suffer.

Moggar began laughing sadistically as he thought many ways to torture and humiliate her family and tribesmen.

(End of Chapter.)

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A/N: Done! Hope you like the new chapter. See you next update. ಠ⁠◡⁠ಠ