Wolf's Hatred 2

The urban scenery almost looks peaceful, the streets without anyone making noise or being a nuisance, clean of anything and everyone, except a few abandoned cars, and the path of destruction wrought upon it by a fire blast.

Some buildings are in a very good state, while others have a solidifying sludge over them, being more intact than damaged. Make no mistake, the fiery damage did a good job at scaring people away, but something is strange. "The damage is not enough to push people away."

If Lily's school is an evacuation point or emergency shelter, and this, at least by her words, is the shortest path, why are the streets so vacant instead of being filled to the brim with panicking and scared people? "Something isn't right."

His grip on the metal bat tightens, as Lily holds his free-hand sleeve. Maybe he is just being a little too paranoid, but paranoia may save lives in this chaotic situation. "Mister… to where were you going before… you met me?"

Breaking K.J out of his funk, the little girl reminds him of where he needs to be next, after helping her. "Blue Evening Park. I will meet some friends there." They will come.

No way in hell they would let a bunch of goblins best them, they are not the type to give up easily. She holds his sleeve strongly, almost pushing it. "Do you think… will my mum and dad be there? In my school?"

She swallows a sob, trying to not make a scene, ignoring the fact there is no one else to see her. Her anxiety, and fear, were almost palpable. Much like his own, if he lacked faith in his friends and the knowledge his family was safe… it is easier to be reckless and make stupid decisions when you are alone and without worries.

Although her question cuts deep. There was no way for him to know if her parents would be safe in this mayhem, he couldn't guarantee her, or his, safety for long. If the dragon decides to land, there won't be anything to stop it, a large group of goblins can overwhelm him.

There are only bad outcomes all around.

Taking a breath, K.J looks around, slowing the pace of his walk a little. There is no way to reassure the girl besides words of encouragement, except to let Lily take things at her own pace. "I'm sure they will be okay, they are adults. They will be okay."

The little freaks won't have any chance against an adult, as long as they avoid the fire blasts and have something to use as a weapon, they should be okay. "... thank you. You are kind."

Once again, a bitter taste washes over his mouth, certainly because of the acid aftertaste, but made worse by the girl's words. Her voice filled with pain, as if knowing what he said is just a chance, not the truth, that her parents may have… her voice, her tone, is devoid of hope. Looking in her direction, the sign of tears being held back in Lily's remaining eye is clear as a mirror.

"Life has already hit you hard enough… God wouldn't let you suffer more than this." To see someone who should've been full of childish ambition, will to achieve, so… lost, despaired… God wouldn't let one of his lambs, one so young, suffer any more than she already had.

Out of the blue, Lily stops walking, standing completely still. Her hand, drops his sleeve, to grab his wrist with all the little strength she has. "Mister… did you hear it…? There is something big coming here. I think we should run!"

"What are you talking about?" Nothing is ahead of them. How could something "big" be here, and a child detect it first? It doesn't make any sense. Lily turned on her heels, trying to drag him along, clearly panicking because of something.

A child will never be able to move an adult, no matter how much they try. "This is strange, but we haven't run into problems until now…" Deciding to trust the girl's word, K.J turns back. "Okay, we are—"

Heavy steps echo behind them, and Lily's whole body freezes, he can't see her face, but the expression on them should be obvious given the circumstances. From far behind them, something heavy is lifted from the ground. "Get down!" Without thinking twice, the young man drops the bat to take the young girl in his arms as he throws himself on the ground.

Using his arms to soften his fall, and shield Lily, they both hit the ground as a trash can flies above them, falling a few meters ahead of them. With heavy steps, something starts to walk forward. "Humans… avoided it. Great." Feeling the danger, K.J quickly gathered his bearings, going from lying on the ground to standing.

Not wanting to waste time, he helps Lily get up too, as the footsteps of whatever is behind them grow louder. His heart races, there was something wrong with this path all along. "Lily, when I say for you to run, run as fast as you can, and don't look back, okay?" The little girl is confused and taken aback by the suddenness of his actions.

"Lily, run now. Don't look back!" K.J turns around without waiting for the girl's reaction. Picking up the metal bat he dropped, he looked towards the thing that threw the trash can.

A creature with a face like some sort of demonic frog and big and bulging muscles, green skin, large arms, and torso, but with relatively small legs. Probably a bigger cousin of the goblins— Even if he dispatched the goblins with ease, this thing is way above what he can punch, with its bulky physique, it stands roughly taller than a door.

There is no way a metal bat will put that thing down. Its ugly face twists, as the thing utters more words. "Don't let the girl flee. Big human is mine." From behind its bulky figure jumps a swarm of goblins armed with crude pointy sticks, running towards Lily. "As if." To get her, they would need to go through him first!

Raising the metal bat, he hits one of them on the head, killing it. At least, those small ones still are easier to kill. He swings again, hitting another, and another. "We many! Can't kill all!" one of the goblins brags as it runs past him.

"No way!" Throwing his body to the side, K.J body slams the goblin, throwing it on the ground. Without giving it a chance to recover, he stomps its head against the ground. "Human, not bad at all." Instead of being angry, the bigger one seemed amused by his actions.

"Too sad you have to die." With a speed unbefitting of its large frame, the monster advances towards him, with its fist raised. For a moment, he thought of turning back and running, but what good could it bring against a creature like that? Expose his back for a clean hit? Swallowing dry, K.J raises the metal bar, holding it with both hands and aligning it in parallel with his head. When the creature gets close enough, he swings the metal bat, hitting its head. It wasn't enough to hurt it.

With the force of a demolition ball, the monster hits the side of his body. Bones crack and fracture under the massive weight and strength of its fist, puncturing his body from inside, as blood rushes to his mouth. Like a rag doll, his body is thrown away with massive force, hitting a wall at full speed. His back cracks, as all strength leaves his mortal flesh all at once.

He barely had time to register what happened, as he fell on the ground. Any control over his bodily functions was long gone, his breath almost stopping, barely being enough to keep him conscious. Despite the damage, he couldn't feel any pain.

"How…? It happened so fast." Trying to rationalize what happened, his mind couldn't accept what happened in just one moment. He was standing there, and then— he was here, lying on the ground. Even after being hit, his hand refuses to let the metal bat drop.

No feeling besides the encroaching cold surrounding him. With all of his remaining strength, the young man forces his eyes, his vision, to focus on the green creatures, to try and see as far as he can, if Lily escaped.

From the edge of his view, the green creatures drag a similar silhouette, Lily. Kyrie Jensen prayed to God in his mind, for a sudden burst of strength, an inner power released. Anything to help save the girl, or at least help her run away. Anything. Yet, all he can do is stay down, paralyzed as his vision fades.

"I'm sorry. This is my end." He couldn't help her. His only hope was that someone would come in time to save her. The last thing he could see: was one of those green freaks bringing one spear to the girl's cheeks, cutting across it. Spilling blood.

…

Contrary to his own expectations, he awakes once more. Not in any place he recognizes, but floating in the middle of the air, staring down at a weird temple in a valley. His body is strangely light, and… free. Like a fish swimming in the sea, he can now swim in the air, almost like a ghost.

"I… died?" There are no other explanations, he died. Looking at the skies, is gloomy, with a thunderstorm forming on the horizon. Why this place, instead of many others? Is this… his afterlife? "So utterly forgettable… much like myself."

Someone should feel fear, trepidation, and despair over their death, it is what he expected if the afterlife existed, but all he can feel is… just a strange type of acceptance. His body was numb, and his chest free of worries and doubts, a nice feeling if his death wasn't so fast and if Lily wasn't captured by them…

As a human being, Kyrie Jensen did the best he could. There wasn't anything else he could've done. He did his best, despite it not being good enough. Looking around, something strange catches his eyes. A giant dog, no, it is no dog. A wolf as big as an elephant, lying down with its head resting on its paws.

Beside him, were two smaller wolves. One with its fur dark red and the other… "What?" Focussing his sight on the remaining wolf, he forces his eyes on it, trying to get any detail on its appearance, yet all he can see is the blurred outline of a wolf. "How is this possible?"

Without any warning, the bigger wolf started to grunt and howl. Its "voice" echoes through the place like an earthquake. "Shit, what is this?!" K.J holds his ears and closes his eyes, trying to somehow muffle the sound, to no avail.

Like nails scratching and piercing his brain, echoing all over his head. The big wolf's howling continues, resonating in his flesh and bone in a strange vibration. Almost like… talking. He is not able to fathom what it is trying to communicate, but he can understand one thing:

It has noticed him and is trying to talk to him. Opening his eyes again, as if given a signal, the dark red wolf stands up, its eyes locking on his. Then, it too starts to howl but this time, its "words" are almost human-like, speaking in a weird tongue full of anger, malice, and hate.

Its voice almost overwhelmed his mind, its wrath drilling itself inside his bones. "YOU. MUST. HIM. PAY. SINS." A broken English, and words that barely made any sense, flow into his mind. Until a clear message, the wolf speaking in a clear and firm tone: "DO NOT LET HIM FLEE!"

Without warning, his lungs draw a huge intake of air inside them, almost feeling as if his chest is set on fire. A pungent and hateful smell of iron infected his nose. A smell that fills his heart with hatred.