Willow: The Lost Daughters. ~ Chapter 3

Chapter 3 ~ Wolf bane.

Germania; City of Wolves.

Willow watched her opponents, sizing up her foes, heart pounding and mind full of regret. Coward. Anger was all the emotion she was allowed to feel, eyes still locked on her foes, she ignored the “smart” decisions, ignored what should’ve been the easy choice.

“I tell you what, let me pass and I won’t harm any of you.”

The mercs looked at each other and couldn’t believe their ears, at first they all laughed,—Crowd included.—before they realized that they were being severely underestimated.  Grins turned to frowns, veins popped and red skin was all they princess could see.

Egilhard didn’t feel as confident as his savior, although fire and determination lay resting within the boy. “Are you su—“

“If you want to be of any help go get my sword.” Willow growled, she knew that this fight wouldn’t last seconds if she was forced to fight them all without a weapon.—Not that she had she truly believed she could take them all on herself.

Egilhard ran into the demolished bar, moving through the puddles and wounded men until he reached a grim scene. Gut wrenched, a dose of a heavy system shock caused the kid to puke. Horrified by the reality of fighting and by his response to her tearing these mercs apart, Egilhard was hit by a dose of guilt, but pushed through as he knew that Willow needed her weapon a.s.a.p.  Mustering up his courage, the boy tried his best to remove the blade from the deceased man’s throat.

“You have no idea what you have stepped into, and now you will suffer for it.” The leader growled.

“So you will all take me at once, when I’m unarmed? What a bunch of—” Willow grabbed the handle of an incoming blade.

Countered by grabbing the merc by the throat, dropped him to the ground before she bent his elbow inwards, driving his blade through his throat. She rolled and used the newly granted blade to cut his incoming comrades leg, catching him as he fell and used him as a meat shield to protect herself from the incoming slashes. Two down, ten to go. Willow pushed the dead corpse onto his three comrades, rushed up a goon then kicked his shield before she jammed the blade through his plates.

She leapt back but had to leave the blade, gritting, she continued to back away from the remaining mercs. I can’t. .I can’t do this on m—Weak. Willow took a deep breath then whistled as she focused on surviving.

Egilhard stepped out to his new friend being kicked into a stall with three mercs following her. Branding a blade must have spooked the other mercs as they started chasing the boy as well. Frightened—Which was a natural response.—but bold the kid raised the heavy weapon.

“I don’t want any trouble!”

“Too late, you are helping this bitch and for that you will pay.” Said the bearded merc.

Willow stopped by a large barn, the crowded streets did nothing to help her navigate and with the mercs on her heel, she knew that she needed to move fast. Improvisation wasn’t her forte but she knew how to dabble in the gamble for life and death, so to her a bucket would serve as a self-defense weapon.  

The response she got was laughter from the goon, who swiped at her. His blade embedded the bucket and was returned a punch that decked him, the last thing he ever saw was her fist connecting with his face. The other two were now in trouble as Willow had gotten hold of a new weapon, the bucket-blade.  A long stare was shared between the foes before they engaged.

Screaming for dear life the boy fought to preserve his life, but it was to no veil. Having already been defeated in battle, all that was left for the mercs now was to beat the crap out of the kid and so they did. Kicking and punching Egilhard until one decided to drag him by the leg.

“Where are you taking him?” One of the mercs asked.

“I’m going to drown this punk for cutting me,” The bleeding goon said as he dragged the kid next to a water trough, he lifted the brunette’s head, chuckled. Then jammed his head into the water, struggling, the boy panicked. “Don’t worry kid, it’s all over soon.”

Willow pushed the last goon out of the barn, and then jammed the bucket-blade through his spine. Grinning, she looked back at her enemies, for a second she pondered about caring for Egilhards life and wondered if he would even serve her any purpose. She had already saved his life once and he was dying once again. Weak. Willow narrowed her eyes as she strode forward, she knew that it was almost time for the introduction of her guardian.

A bear roar interrupted the merc. “Holy shit! Boys prepare for the worst.”

The momentary disruption gave the boy enough time to pull his head out of the water which caught the attention of the goon. With a quick punch to the back of the head, he pushed the boy down into the trough and proceeded with his drowning attempt.

Crowd in awe, the five remaining mercenaries argued over the point of engaging adolescent. Believing that the money wasn’t worth the potential of being massacred, the fear was visible in their eyes. “You cowards aren’t fucking going anywhere! Kill that bitch now!” The leader shouted.

Bubbles easing, stress rising and a bear rushing, Tap caused a large section of the crowd to disperse. Willow blocked the first strike, causing the goons blade to stick to the bucket, freeing her sword, which was quick to pierce his ribs.  A block caused her to drop her new found blade and was forced to back up.

The bricked square was both an elegant sight and a busy one as well, crowds watching but no one engaging, not a single one intervening or helping the drowning kid. Her gut wrenched, she was sickened by the sight. Focus or die. She punched the engaging foe before she was forced into a carriage.—Carrying three bags of flour.—The third goon tried to slash downwards but only met the hard wood that clung to his blade.

Willow countered by slamming one of the heavy bags on the unsuspected foe, forcing him to release his blade and grab on to the flour. The princess cut the bag then kicked it, knocking the guard to the ground. Dust in the form of flour powder poofed, causing a large blind spot that reached five meters in all directions.

Willow was smart enough to block her sight and as she dashed towards Egilhard, she heard the crowd scream in terror as Tapferkeit pushed through, roaring as he crashed into the three guards, leaving the one drowning the boy and his two guards.

“Screw this, I’m not getting paid enough!” A frightened merc cried out.

“You will hold your fucking position!”

“She has a fucking bear! No-Way I’m fighting that!” The coward tossed his blade as he dashed through the terrified crowd.

Willow shut all emotions and dashed through the flour, her blade made it clean through the head of the mercenaries head, brutal, yet effective. She stopped his drowning attempt, and watched as his blood spewed out of the severed neckline, drenching the poor lad. She pulled him out of the trough and on to the brick ground, gasping for air she watching him fall on to his knees.

“Tha.—Thank you.” Egilhard couldn’t help but to start crying.

The hardened princess couldn’t stand watching such powerful emotion, especially not when she had grown past it, she couldn’t go back, she can never go back. Her eyes narrowed, piercing through the last remaining goon. Controlling her breath was one of the essential teachings passed down from her father, to appear as if fight doesn’t faze you.  “Leave now and you will live.”

“Please, do you think I’m just like the—“ Was his last words, Tap had already rushed up to his side and cowed down on his neck.

It was a brutal scene but one that she still watched, it was part of nature, she chuckled. See, victory. For once her thoughts didn’t attack her, she smiled for a brief second before her blue eyes wandered back down to the gasping boy. “Where’s my sword.”

Egilhard peered up, eyes watery, shocked, terrified and angry, all at once was visible. He cried out then pointed at the decapitated mercenary’s body. “He took it.”

Willow kicked the body over then picked up her father’s sword. “Thanks see you around.”

She walked up to her flour covered bear, blood and it’s natural black fur made it appear gruesome, but she knew that deep down, Tap would kind hearted and only killed those who threatened his master, his friend. She pet the bear then climbed on top. “Let’s go brother.” She gently tapped with her heels.

The surrounding crowd watched in awe, and shock, they had watched an adolescent take down a bar, taken out a rag-tag team of mercenaries and was now about to walk out with black bear. For some this sight was nigh impossible for their brains to comprehend and sent them drifting into the void, passing out on the curb next to the bears path.

“Easy there, brother.” She knew that the stares and terrified aura vibrations sent via their bodies was disturbing his sensation, they were connected like that.

The bear complied and continued up ahead.

“Wait . . . Wait for me!” Her eyes darted back to Egilhard, he dashed after the duo, breathing hard but still determined.

“I can—”

“I have no one, please! I want to help. I’d rather die doing something then nothing.” The boy cried out, seeking for adventure rather than poverty and who was she to deny a fellow countrymen.

If he truly wanted to assist in her quest then maybe he could be of service. Don’t get attached. Willow sighed, she couldn’t even enjoy getting a squire without her cynical thoughts engaging, sending her vibes spiraling downwards.

“Fine, but don’t slow me down.”

“Thank you!” The boy cheered up, he jogged next to the bear.—although he kept a bit of distance.

“You shouldn’t thank me, this quest will be your death.” Her eyes darted back to Egilhard, who smiled then passed out from extreme exhaustion caused by the near life and death event.

Her eyes rolled as the bear gave of a grunt that was similar to a chuckle. “I know right?”