Ch 86. Unwelcome Guests

It was an unusually warm night tonight, Spring rain flooding the barren field that was our property. 

The storm had come in suddenly after dark, the otherwise sunny day earlier gave me no indication that it would be raining. Even so, here I was, watching the property from afar, feeling the raindrops on my skin while I burned through mana cores. Slowly converting the energy contained within each core into raw experience. The slime core in my hand turning to a gray chalky dust after a few minutes, prompting me to pull out another from my inventory. 

I would rather be inside sleeping to be honest, lying in bed sandwiched between two girls who loved you was the best feeling as far as I was concerned, but pretending to sleep had become so tedious for me by now that I couldn't stand it even a second longer. Preferring to be out in the rain rather than forced to lie still for hours on end, losing the need to sleep turned out to have some demerits that I didn't expect. There was no sanctuary for me in a bed after a long day, I simply never got tired in the first place, and if I was tired, a quick nap was all I needed. 

Almost slipping after losing my train of thought for a second, given that I was currently balancing in a precarious situation, taking the time to readjust myself on the slippery footing. Having largely outgrown the need to sleep, nowadays I put my newly gained insomnia towards more practical things, like training...

Adjusting my balance once more, the rain making the foothold even more precarious. Looking down to the ground, it was quite a drop, standing as I was on the top branches of a great oak tree near the edge of our property, easy enough for me to climb now that I had begun to explore the application of my [soft steps], which thankfully made me light enough that a thin branch like this could support me.

So while getting up here wasn't particularly a challenge, trying to stay up was another matter entirely. Relying entirely on my agility enhanced reflexes to stay standing while the thin leafless branch swayed with the wind, slick with rain as it shifted under me. 

This had been my night up until now, that is, until a hooded group of riders appeared up the road pushing their horses through the rain. Their torches stuck out in the pitch of the night, the clouds had made tonight especially dark, where barely any moonlight existed to illuminate the landscape. I had been up here for hours in the dark, and even then my eyes had barely begun adjusting to the dark.

Hunching down instinctively, not wanting to explain myself if they somehow managed to see me, knowing fully how odd it would seem from another's perspective. 

Five men, six horses, one without a rider that was instead loaded with bags, as if prepared for a very long journey. By the look of the riders they were probably guards or knights, noticing the weapons by their sides, not to mention I could tell some of them even had armor on, the flickering torchlight illuminating the outline under their heavy cloaks.

That observation putting me even more on-guard at their presence as I watched the horses approach the tree I was in. Crouching down to hide my silhouette as the strange company continued on their way towards me, the horses coming to rest almost directly under me. 

"This is the place." 

One of the riders spoke, motioning with their torch towards my farm house, but the voice was muted in the wind and rain. Barely audible to me while I crouched on my branch. 

Straining my ears while I tried to listen in on their conversation, eves-dropping on the trespassers, already aware they were likely up to no good. 

The smallest of the riders moving their head nervously, face obscured by the cloak as they tried to get the attention of their companions. Their horse reacting to its owner's mood as the beast shifted its legs nervously.

"We shouldn't, we should just go..." A decidedly feminine voice protested, somehow sounding strangely familiar... 

"Sorry lady, but you's ain't callin' the shots." one of the hooded men besides her shrugged, answering her in a rough sort of manner while deferring to another in the group.

"We're not leaving until that scumbag is dead," a hoarse sounding, but also surprisingly familiar voice responded. Either voice alone probably wouldn't have been enough for me to make the connection, but my face fell when I put the two voices together, Marcella and Gawn. These two were definitely not supposed to be here. 

Marcella saying nothing in return.

"You need to wake up Marcella." Gawn continued harshly. "Our old lives are already over. Two more days and my head would be on a spike while you'd be his plaything. A quick death is more than he deserves." Speaking his mind in a venomous tone, no doubt holding quite the grudge against me. 

Scoffing at his declaration while I materialized my armor, weapon and shield. He wants a fight, but he's not going to like the one that he'll get.

Following the group with predatory eyes as the rain bounced with a hollow tin off the metal scaled armor that now covered my body. 

"Kill 'em or don't kill 'em, I don't give a fuck, just hurry it up will ya. We need to get to the gate before the next guards shift, else not all our heads'll be on that spike next to yours." A slender man spoke up in a whiny voice, impatient at the hold-up during their supposed escape. Apparently the visit to my house had been something spontaneous, honored that they held me in such high regard. 

The men all drawing their swords as they leaped off their horses, Gawn holding back the scrawny looking one who had protested earlier. 

"Tim, you just watch the horses. We're dead if we lose them."

The man called Tim just nodding his cloaked head, the cloth bobbing to show his agreement.

"Just hurry it up, s'all I mean, Gawn. No disrespect, we need to leave before they realize you two'ses're gone."

"I understand, my friend. I owe you my life, and I'm not going to throw that away so lightly." Gawn tightening the grip of his sword as he steeled his resolve.

Marcella climbing down steadily as Gawn helped her, the two joining hands as they trudged through the mud towards my farm-home. The three other cloaked men following in tow, swords drawn.

Myself still watching the scene unfold with cold eyes, focusing on the lone Tim character who was busy, holding the reins of the six horses by himself, trying to keep the beasts in line as they shifted uncomfortably in the rain. 

Falling down from my vantage point, and landing completely silently. Walking on-top of the mud like it was dry land, soundlessly approaching the oblivious man. Only the horses seemed to noticed my presence, neighing and pulling at the reins as they looked directly at me. Their peripheral vision far superior to that of humans, especially this one, who only became more focused more on the horses as I emerged from shroud of darkness surrounding Tim's one torch. 

Reaching my hand out slowly, while my other hand with the blade was like a coiled snake, preparing to strike.

"Hey," I blurted out.

The man barely turning his head before his perception fell, the color draining out of his face as he was swung around unexpectedly, putting him face to face with his killer. 

"Sorry but you're dead." I spoke briefly, holding him up by the hair as realization flashed once through his eyes before he was gone.

Tossing the head over by the rest of him, the man's hands still holding the reins lifelessly while the horses looked on with fear, as if they would bolt at any moment. 

Following the group headed towards my house with a leisurely pace.

They were a good thirty paces ahead by now, only slowed by the rain as they trudged through the light mud starting to form in the field; completely oblivious of what had just happened to their friend.

I couldn't blame them for not noticing, even I was somewhat surprised by how quick a kill it had been. An unarmored neck might as well have been butter. 

Starting to grin at the unexpectedly busy night.