Epoch 01: Invitation to Death (Chapter 01- Bull's Eye)

Epoch 01: Invitation to Death

Chapter 01- BullsEye

Falx's feet felt heavy with each step he took towards the pub of Arc Land Kingdom. The last war he valiantly fought for the western kingdom wasn't even worthwhile. Regarding his acute forethought and agile fighting skills on the battlefield; they couldn't even pay him a dime. The empire appeared more broke than he actually perceived it was. Even though his sharp intellect and skilful combat skills brought him glory and fame. But he had fewer yearnings from life right now, persisting in the war zone is his only intent. Just so that he could make himself strong enough to stand against the vicious demons that feasted upon his family three years ago.

They slaughtered his mother, his father, and the three-year-old little brother who was growing up under his shadow, right in front of his eyes. But fate wasn't kind enough to take him away instead of his brother whom he treasured as a part of him. He used to learn numerous warfare insights from the ancient books and his father who served as a common soldier for King Alexander de II. Until on one bloody battlefield, his father lost his left arm opposing the demons of hell. These demons came from the east coast, far away from these mediaeval lands, where the volcano erupts and human footsteps are scarcely heard. People know very little about these night creatures and their ruler Asmodeus, who leads these abominations to extinct human beings from the face of earth so that they can take over the world.

They have only one objective- The end of humanity. But that's not Falx's concern. The only reason that strives him to stay alive and brook the pain of the battlefield day after day is vengeance. He wants to kill Amarok, the Gargantuan wolf from Greenland. He's one of the generals who led the troop of night creatures in their village that dark night and killed everyone except him. Fate bestowed mercy upon him that very night. The quest that he failed that twilight in the hands of destiny, runs as retaliation now in every drop of his blood. People might say he's fortunate to be alive but for him, living is now only a thirst for retribution that can't be quenched until he bathes in his foe's blood.

He pushed open the pub's door and entered inside. All the eyes in the room followed him as he walked to the counter with steady steps.

"One lemonade!" He asked the server sitting on the chair nearby the bar.

Few sneers and contemptuous laughs were heard as soon as he ordered. "Aren't you a bit too old to drink lemonade in a pub?" The bartender asked, serving him a glass of cold lemonade with a mocking smile.

Yet he remained silent without even flinching for a bit by their ridicule.

Flax took off his hat and the muffler that was covering his face. His ragged armour made a faint clanking noise, frictioning with his sword which was hanging on his waist.

Everyone gasped in surprise as they saw a young boy instead of someone older and legendary. He gulped down the lemonade in one go and let out a sigh replying to the bartender.

"Nay, I don't assume so! Any bounty hunt open eh?" He asked, tilting his head slightly, glancing behind the big fat bartender who was covering half of his sight.

The bartender pointed at the wooden board behind him. Flax wore his hat back on his head picking up the muffler in his hand and walked gradually to the wooden bulletin board.

"Red Harlow WANTED for murder, theft and rape..." He paused and muttered the last part quietly, "Of young children!" He yanked the capture warrant of the convict. A sleazeball dirtbag! I will do this job with pleasure and on top of that two thousand gold coins are stamped on his head by the King Aragon de III of Arc Land himself. This is going to be engrossing indeed! He thought to himself.

Few eyes glared at him whilst another few were stuck to his satchel, wondering how much this young lad was carrying as he walked out of the pub in tired steps.

He decided to stay the night in the nearest inn he could find. The following morning he intends to find Red Harlow and capture him. So he can take him to King Aragon to get his reward.

But it seems that Red Harlow and his allies are rooted in the entire town, just like how an old mighty banyan tree spreads its branches out.

At night five men of Red Harlow sneakily got inside his lodge and captured him. They covered his eyes, tied his arms, and legs to take him to Harlow.

Flax didn't fight against them. On the contrary, he was very calm. It could be discerned that he foresaw that this was about to happen and he let it. Only the divine energies knew what he was plotting.

They brought him to this desolate barren place, inside a barn where Red Harlow was enjoying his late-night feast. One of Red Harlow's men came forward and opened the eye cover from Flax's eyes. "So I learned you wish to hunt me down yeh?" Harlow inquired while munching down his meat in a nasty manner. Flax only smirked, staring at his wicked face.

"Ah? You dare to laugh at me?" Harlow almost gagged, chewing down his meat chunk.

"Why? Do you wish to converse with me? Give you respect? A filthy, fetid, aged orge ra*ing small children and then eating them around the whole town asks for respect! Eh! Pathetic!" Flax said, spitting in front of his feet.

"Silence!" Harlow cried out in rage. His wooden chair fell down on the ground as he stood up suddenly, "Nobody speaks with me in this manner! NOBODY!" His voice shuddered in bitterness.

"Well, you better get used to it then, because from now on your bad time starts," Flax's cuts down the last strand of rope in a flash and frees his arms and feet with the hidden blade that he held in his palm.

The two men behind him came to him running with clubs and axes in their hands.

Flax backflipped and kicked on their with his sharp-edged boots. Both of them hit the barrel of rum behind them and became unconscious.

"Not bad for a mere mortal!" Harlow hissed at him grabbing his war hammer and wielding his spiked chains to pierce through his heart.

Flax dodged his attack with his brisk steps and rolled to the stock of weapons. He swiftly grabbed a battle axe and with a long spear.

Harlow used this chance and jumped on him to crush his skull.

Flax whirled on the ground again, saving himself from Harlow's sudden attack. He was fortunate enough to get away this time. In a blink of an eye, without delaying any further he swung his axe towards Harlow and leapt from the table in front of him.

Harlow tilted his head to the right to avoid his attack and in that exact moment, Flax did this pre-planned strike by pushing his spear deep inside Red Harlow's left eye.

Harlow cried out in pain holding the spear with his left hand trying to pull it out. Flax snickered looking at Harlow's condition.

"Arghhh!" He screamed, "Get ova here!" Harlow swung the spiked chains with his left hand and hooked Flax's right hand.

He laughed viciously and pulled Flax towards him so that he can strangle him.

Flax smiled a scornful laugh without moving an inch.

"What?" Harlow tried to pull his hand again but it only made metal noises.

"You fool!" Flax howled, "Do you really think I'm human?"

Flax came running at him at an incredible speed which ordinary eyes can not perceive. He landed a punch on Harlow's left side with his metallic hand busting his head open. "Bullseye!" Flax shouted, smiling a demonic smile. Blood spilt like rain and covered his whole face and body.

"Ahhh!" Red Harlow died growling in pain.

"Need to buy another set of attire now because this one stinks! Great!" Flax said in annoyance spitting on Red Harlow's body.

Flax was about to leave when suddenly his eyes spotted a slight movement in a cage inside the barn.

"Who is there?" he asked stepping closer to the cage, "SPEAK!" he ordered.

A faint whimper escaped from the mouth of the creature in terror.

Flax removed the cloth from the half-covered cage only to be startled by a female human child. Her shabby ripped clothing and complexion; full of fear, narrated that she was most certainly abducted and tortured.

"Little life! What are you doing in such a place?" Flax's eyes opened in realisation the next second. That swine Red Harlow presumably was planning to rape and eat

her after he was done killing him.

"Seems like your fate has a different proposal awaiting for you, little one!" He smiled, opening the cage's door, "Come out now. You're free!"

But it seemed like she was hesitating.

"Well, I don't have all night little girl! I'll be travelling again, tomorrow." Flax said, looking into the void through the opening of the abandoned barn, "The moment when the eastern sky is lit up by the sun I'll leave this place again."

"So?" Flax looked back at her, seeing her not moving an inch, "I'll be going then, you are free now…"

He kept the cage's door open and began to walk out of the barn. He needs to go back to the inn for tonight. The first thing in the morning he will go to King Aragon de III and claim his two thousand gold coins. The thought of gold coins tinkering near his ears made him beam with happiness.

He hasn't had a feast in a while.

"Soon…" he whispered to himself.

Suddenly he heard a rustling noise behind him. He glanced behind and found out that the little girl was running towards him with her tiny feet. He chuckled and started walking ahead, taking slower steps than before. Guessing he has to rest to sleep on his room's floor tonight.