Husks

A female silhouette stood in the door way, her gaze right on me.

The girl stepped out of the doorway, entering the room as I was able to see her entirely. She wore a black and red dress, having dark red hair with a lizards hazel eyes. A tail trailing behind her as two small horns protruded from her forehead. 

The princess looked towards me, seeing my unfamiliar clothing. I met her gaze, one of annoyance but also confusion.

"Who are you?" Princess Lexia asked.

I opened my mouth, but remembered that I shouldn't trust just anyone, especially someone who had a literal reptilians tale and horns. My mind raced with possible explanations, outcomes. I may be 16 years old, but I know not to just trust any stranger, even if they looked to be my age.

"Permission to speak, my highness?" The knight asked.

"Speak." Princess Lexia glared at me as she responded to her knight.

"He's a child that was attacked by a husk." The knight looked back at Lexia.

"I'm surprised he's alive. What's your name?" Princess Lexia looked at me.

"Austin." I spoke up, hearing a loud commotion outside.

The owner of the home looked outside, a face of horror and distress painted his face as he glared at the knight, "the village is under attack!"

The knight quickly unsheathed his sword, looking out the window, "damn husks."

My adrenaline started pumping as I heard pure fear in the screams of the peasants around me. My mind was conflicted, if I were to run, survival would probably be minimal. If I stay here, I might be safer, but my chances of surviving are still never one hundred. Fear started to take hold as I felt my heart beat faster.

The world around me turned into white noise as my peripheral vision blurred. I was lost in thought as my vision tunneled in on the ground in front of me. I started looking around as I saw the princess screaming something at me, as well as the knight and the man.

A loud crash broke my trance as my head snapped to the left of me, a husk had thrown itself through the window and next to me.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" I screamed as I started running into the other room with the princess and the others.

I turned to look behind me as I saw the knight pierce the husk from the head all the way down and through its body. I saw the life leave the husks body as it gripped the knights legs.

"Scum." The knight said in utter disgust, looking back at me, "you have to listen next we call for you, you understand?! You almost got killed by your utter carelessness and emotions!" The knight scolded me.

"He's just a kid!" The man yelled in anger at the knight.

"Watch your tone when talking to royalty, peasant! Be grateful that I'm here or else you all would've been dead!"

I turned around to see a Husk behind me, pinning me to the floor. Its cold and leathery hands gripping my shoulder and left arm, I pushed its head back as it bit the air, trying to eat me.

"GET OFF ME!" I screamed, a bright purple light shining from my hand. I felt raw strength as my heart tingled, all the way into my hand. It felt as if I had enough adrenaline running through me to numb my entire arm. The husks life essence left its body, falling on top of me. I threw the husk off me, breathing heavily. The husks body started to rapidly decay as all the flesh immediately rotted off as the skeleton laid there.

The knight and man turned to look at me as their faces were filled with complete shock. The princess was hiding behind the knight as her eyes showed pure fear.

"Did you feel that?" The knight looked at the man.

"I did, that was something I've never felt before." The man looked back at the knight.

"I'm scared, I want to go home Gardenvor!" The princess looked at me with fear still, clinging onto the knights leg.

"What did you just do?" Gardenvor asked me.

"I don't know... I just screamed get off me and, and-" I was in complete shock as to what happened.

"Did you just, nullify the husks life?" The man asked.

"That goes to show there is a Necromancer out there attacking this village." Gardenvor scoffed, "he is a threat to the village and the kingdom."

He then turned his head to me, "I'm going to need you."

"Wh-what? Why me?" I asked, scared of what would happen if I did or even didn't join him.

"You were able to nullify the magic that the Necromancer casted. I despise saying this, but you're my greatest asset in taking them down." Gardenvor looked towards the field where the sun blanketed in its warm orange sunset.

"Gardenvor, this is asking too much from him! He'll die!" Princess Lexia replied.

"Then he wasn't meant to live in this world." Gardenvor looked back at me.

"He's just a damn child! Do you really want him to die?" The man looked at Gardenvor with disgust.

"Do you want to die, and have this whole village be turned into lifeless husks with you?" Gardenvor snapped at the man, "you don't understand much, you asinine peasant!"

"I guess I don't have a choice then." I stood up, sighing as I felt my entire body shaking, "if I survive this, you're finding a way to take me home." I glared at Gardenvor.

"I figured you wouldn't do it without a reward." Gardenvor sighed, "let's go."

I followed Gardenvor the knight outside of the home, knowing that my demise might be all too soon, I still tried to steel myself for the battle that's going to come.