Ch. 05: Hand
Breathlessness. Before anything else was the feeling of having his breath stolen by the heavy impact. The human was falling briefly, startled by the assault. His smile was gone, replaced by a gasp of realization, `I knew it.' A resonating impact with the ground met him shortly after.
An unmistakable grip wrapped around his skull, the terrible claws of a master digging into his scalp as a fistful of his hair was snatched up in an unyielding hold. Before he could even react, his face was forcibly slammed into the dirt. Stars assaulted him, but not as heavily as the fear did... not as strongly as the gospel did.
DO NOT LOOK THEM IN THE EYE! FROM THEIR TOUCH YOU DO NOT SH--
Thud. A painful blow struck his skull, a fist. The master was angry. The masters had every right to be angry.
He took the lesson to heart, repeating more of the rules he had broken. `Dare not fight and dare not ru--'
Thwack. A hand clasped harshly over his face, scrunching it up. The master holding him had a low rumble to him; a sign he was either screaming or growling above him. The human would not dare open his eyes to see for himself.
`Always follow each command, never try to bite the hand....' He waited in dread, praying he had caught on to another murky lesson he was to learn. No strikes came, and his mind raced to make sense of it.
`Rewards for obedience. I-I've strayed. That's what this was all about, wasn't it? That was what the masters were waiting for; for me to seek freedom, to run, to think this was real.... They were testing me. The first master and the new master were testing me, and I failed. That's why they are here now, they're going to take me back, because the gospel has been forsaken. I knew better... I ate his bread, I stared into his eyes, and I even dared to run. I knew better.... I knew better.... I knew better....'
He spiraled, his eyes pouring tears of despair, forming the tiniest pits of salted mud where his cheek was being ground against the soil.
`I'm sorry, Master. Please, just let me be better, I'll be bett--'
Shulk. A familiar feeling; cool steel sinking through his skin, parting the flesh with the thin edge of a blade. He shuddered at the shallow mark left on his shoulder, knowing deeper cuts were coming; Knowing deeper cuts were always coming.
`If I was a little better... If I had clung to the gospel, this wouldn't have happened. If I had been more careful... If I had been stronger-willed, the master wouldn't need to hurt me again. I'm sorry, Master. I'm sorry.'
His face was pulled from the ground at last, his head lifted by his hair as he was forced to a familiar kneel. He kept his gaze low, returning to his Inner sanctuary, preparing to ride out the horrific punishment he had earned so well. `This is the reward for disobedience. This is all that hope ever brings me.... This is my fault.'
The scars were fading, and he had let the lessons of the gospel fade with them. Such sacrilege deserved such intense methods, he was certain of it. The thought was only reinforced by the feeling of cool steel pressed against him yet again. The master holding him had his knife at the human's waistline, sliding it between the pants and the skin.
Skkkrrrrtt. It was the heaviest hit yet, at least in the human's mind. The new master's gift had been cut, clearly an order by the darker wolf. The human did not deserve such gifts. He did not feel he deserved those pants... but it did not soften the blow as the fabric was torn. He would be bared and then painfully used. There was no reason to think otherwise. The part of him that was just beginning to revive was dying all over again; the only part left of him that could die, anyway....
`Always follow each command, never try to bite the hand.' He repeated his instructions, giving in to the demands of the masters. The human would comply, for compliance had been ingrained so dutifully by the first master.
Luckily for the human, Hatchet would not comply.
`Always follow each command, never try to bite the--'
Thud.
`...Hand?' He finished his thought in disbelief, still staring at that same spot on the ground before him; right where a clawed hand with gray fur landed in the dirt. It had been recently amputated, blood still trickling out the end of the severed forearm. It had been purposely thrown into his sights, the unexpectedness drawing him from his secret hiding place; drawing his broken mind back to the present.
He lifted his tearful gaze, rendered breathless yet again. He was right about one thing; his new master was VERY angry....
~
Hatchet was watching the human's most blatant display of a miracle warmly. He was incredible with that mare, as if they had been riding together for years. He guided her perfectly, never missing a step, only gaining more and more speed in their lap of freedom. The human and his horse stopped atop a grassy hill, the pair painted gold by the setting sun. Those dark eyes always so saddened were reflecting that soft glow brilliantly, a hint of peace at last visible on the enslaved.
The human turned back towards Hatchet, and the wolf became acutely aware of the situation. The human was making a choice. The human was deciding if he should keep running....
The thought crushed the wolf's spirit more than he was prepared for. He understood, the summoned had not been treated kindly in his world. He had not been treated kindly by wolves.... Hatchet would not fault him for wanting to be free of his kind altogether. Hatchet would let him go. He would not pursue him if he ran, and that acceptance is what gutted him the most.
`I wonder, did he feel this helpless all this time? To have his choices always hinge on someone else's decision? To force himself to accept what they decided?' It was a terrible feeling to the wolf, but it was also exhilarating at the same time. He may not have yet realized how attached he was getting to the summoned, but his heart had made up its mind, despite how oblivious the beast was to it.
Elation. Relief. Composure. All these feelings and so many more assaulted Hatchet when the human turned towards him and began making his way back to the wolf. A tension in Hatchet's chest released, and he exhaled the breath he had been holding in fear. He scoffed at his own reaction, but he was smiling the same as that human was.
At least, up until he saw the rustle in the brush when the summoned had gotten closer.
Hatchet tried to shout, desperate to warn the human, despite knowing he wouldn't hear it. He drew his sword as his body drew on his panic. His blood ran cold as the summoned was swiftly pinned to the ground. Hatchet managed three steps before another wolf revealed himself, standing firmly between the sell-sword and the summoned.
"Why don't you just go ahead and stay where you are. I've never seen a real summoned before, so its safe to say they are definitely as rare as I've heard. I'm sure you wouldn't want to do anything to damage such a precious asset, now would you?" A brown wolf missing his left eye was speaking, a deviant smirk on his muzzle. The wolf snapped his fingers, and the lighter-gray wolf that had pinned the human responded appropriately, ramming a fist into the human's skull in a show of force.
"STOP!" Hatchet didn't even realized he had growled out the shout until after he had done it. He cursed himself silently.
The brown wolf sneered at the remark. He knew he had leverage. "Throw away your sword."
Hatchet scrunched his brows, hesitating. That would all but seal their fates. He raised his blade before himself, noting another enemy behind him in the reflection on the steel. They were surrounded.
"Borrow...." The brown wolf called out to his partner, demanding another display.
Borrow aggressively grabbed the human by the face, swearing he would rip it off as he clasped his hand over the soft flesh.
"Alright! Alright...." Hatchet spoke up, hoping to buy a little more time to think. "Just tell me what you're wanting first."
The wolf looked to the summoned, seeing nothing but fear and submission in his demeanor. All the light Hatchet had been working to reignite was fading rapidly as the human retreated in fear. He was so very unsettled by the sight.
"What we're wanting?" The brown wolf bellowed at Hatchet before he continued, "I WANT NOTHING BUT THAT SWORD OF YOURS THROWN FAR OUT OF YOUR REACH, AND I WANT IT DONE NOW!"
Hatchet glared at the brown wolf, and the brown wolf narrowed his eyes in response.
"BORROW!" The leader barked to his subordinate. The lighter-gray wolf responded immediately, snatching the human up to his knees, pressing a knife to his shoulder as the wolf sliced open a wound. The human barely reacted.
"Uhh... boss?" Borrow called out to his leader.
The brown wolf turned towards him momentarily, answering with a short, "What?"
"It's‐ it's healing!" The lighter-gray wolf spoke in disbelief.
"WHAT?" The brown wolf turned fully, finally giving Hatchet that opening he was searching for.
The sell-sword turned immediately, catching the opponent sneaking up behind him off guard. The startled darker-gray wolf tried to draw his sword in time, but Hatchet was far faster to act. With a swift cleave, he took the third wolf's sword arm off entirely.
The beast howled in pain as he fell to his knees, clutching at his spurting amputation in agonizing defeat. Hatchet rushed behind the downed-wolf, placing his sword threateningly at the beast's throat. He called out to the other wolves. "LET HIM GO, OR I DROP HIM WHERE HE KNEELS!"
"YOU FUCKING MUTT! YOU CUT OFF MY BROTHER'S ARM! I'LL NEUTER THIS FUCKING SUMMONED RIGHT NOW IF YOU SO SUCH AS TOUCH HIM AGAIN!" Burrow shifted his dagger, slicing into the fabric of the human's pants, accenting his threat menacingly.
"YOU'LL DO NO SUCH THING! HE'S MORE VALUABLE WHOLE!" The brown wolf in charge half-berated and half-barked at Borrow.
"But boss! He hurt Barter!" The lighter-gray wolf pleaded on behalf of the darker-gray one.
"THAT'S HIS OWN DAMNED FAULT!" The brown wolf coldly snapped, turning back to Hatchet in anger.
`Good, they're fighting.' Hatchet calmly thought, happy at the opportunity to take control of the situation. He looked to the summoned, realizing he was too deep in retreat to even realize they were gaining the edge. He needed something definitive, a sign to not give up....Hatchet's gaze fell to the severed arm of the beast at his mercy.
"Pass me your arm." The black wolf commanded the darker-gray one.
"F-fuck you" Barter weakly whined.
"Give me your arm, or I'll cut off your other one instead." Hatchet adjusted his steel, making it apparent he was serious.
The gray wolf lowered his ears and whimpered, slowly reaching forward in defeat and humiliation to grab hold of his own severed hand. He offered it back to the dark wolf, eager to return his remaining hand to stifling the flow of blood pouring from his wound.
Hatchet snatched it from the beast, rearing back as he shouted his taunt. He mocked the wolf's brother right as the arm landed at his feet. "Here, a show of good faith! Now let him go before I start tossing the rest of your brother over, piece by piece."
The darker-gray wolf yelped in fear, cowering at the threat as his brother weighed it. Hatchet knew how to deal with all sorts of bullies.
~
The human finally lifted his head, tearing his eyes away from that lone arm and raising them towards the black wolf. That was the hand of a master; of a wolf... which meant....
`My Master is fighting them?' His gaze met the larger wolf's, and so much rage was evident behind those beautifully red eyes. Even so, the human smiled briefly, for his thoughts were cleared at last.
`The Master IS angry... but not at me!' Light sparked back into his own eyes, expelling the fear that had been residing within them. A thrilling feeling began to overtake him, something he hadn't felt in so long that he couldn't even remember what the sensation was called anymore....
It didn't matter, he needed no words to relish his radiant revelation. He kept his eyes glued to the black wolf, awaiting his master's guidance.
~
Hatchet roughly grabbed the darker-gray wolf by an ear, edging his sword up against the cartilage. "LAST CHANCE, HIS EAR COMES NEXT!"
"WAIT!" Both of the brothers shouted in unison. The darker one was crying as the lighter one rushed to release the human.
"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? I'LL KILL YOU BOTH IF YOU ABANDON THE PLAN NOW!" The brown wolf snapped at his subordinate, enthralled that the pair was screwing up his scheme.
"B-but boss... he is hurting Barte--" Borrow started warily.
"DON'T FUCKING QUESTION ME!" The brown wolf roared. "IF THAT BROTHER OF YOURS WASN'T SO INCOMPETENT, MAYBE HE WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN CAUGHT!"
"But...." Barter weakly pleaded, "It was your idea...."
"IT WAS A GOOD IDEA! I JUST SHOULD'VE KNOWN BETTER THAN TO RELY ON YOU TWO IDIOTS!"
"Hey, dumbass...." Hatchet cut in, "Borrow, was it? Send that summoned back to me on his horse and I'll let you and your brother go free." Hatchet dangled the hope expectantly for the lighter-gray wolf.
Borrow hesitated, briefly looking back towards the brown wolf before he accepted the terms. He abruptly released his hold on the human.
"OH NO YOU DON'T! GAMBIT, TAKE OUT BARTER AND THAT OTHER WOLF! PARRY, GET THAT SUMMONED, AND KILL BORROW WHILE YOU'RE AT IT!" The brown wolf was shouting more orders, revealing there were still more enemies lurking.
An arrow flew from the tree-line on Hatchet's left, aiming straight for the wolf kneeling beneath his blade. The sell-sword acted fast, kicking his prisoner forward in time to avoid being impaled by the shot. The arrow grazed by them both. Hatchet furrowed his brows in anger. `The cowards would turn on their own.'
His eyes shot briefly to the summoned, noting another wolf fast approaching the human. Hatchet motioned to the human, practically begging for him to see the enemy in time.
~
The master was trying to convey something to him, pointing off a short distance over. The human turned his head now freed from the lighter-gray wolf, and saw another black and white wolf fast approaching. His eyes darted back towards the hand on the ground before him, repeating the gospel one final time as he accepted what he would do.
`Always follow each command... the Master has commanded I bite the hand, the Master has ordered it.' His attention turned back to the approaching wolf. The enemy was closing the distance between them quickly.
The human looked to the mare still beside him, knowing she was oblivious to what was happening. He placed a hand on her side, his mind feeling truly awake for the first time in a long time.
He would never try to fight a master, and all wolves were masters in his weary eyes... but....
`These masters are not MY Master. My master is the master of bread; of warm beds and soft towels. He is the master of decency; the one that gifted me those sacred pants these wolves would dare to cut. He is the master that carries me when my own legs cannot. He is the master that bathes away my filth, that cleanses me with water the same as he offers it to sate my thirst. He is the master that holds me safe within his arms, that lets me rest, that heals. He is the master of sunshine; of fresh air; of fluttering birds and butterflies. He is the master bearing a vibrant and crimson gaze; the one that follows me even into melancholy dreams... the one that allows me to peer back into his soul. He is the master of mercy. He is not simply a wolf. He is not merely A master.... He is THE Master. He is MY Master, and NO other will EVER command me again!'
He sent the thought firmly to his treasured new steed, asking yet another favor of his ally. `The Master needs our help. I need your help....'
~
POP!
A bone-crushing crunch could be heard by Hatchet even from such a distance away. The definitive impact; the way the head turned so sharply. Hatchet had little doubt that the black and white wolf was very much dead now. He had been running full-speed towards the human, and was stopped in his tracks by a perfectly timed kick from the mare. The opponent crumpled immediately, his body already twisting up in death's convulsions.
Hatchets gaze returned to the brown wolf just before the brown wolf turned to Hatchet.
"Fuck it, I'll do this myself." The boss drew his swords at last, a pair of equal-length scimitars. He eyed down the larger black wolf before abruptly charging.
Hatchet readied his steel, putting a little distance between himself and the surrendered gray wolf as he prepared for a clash. The black wolf raised his sword, preparing to intercept the brown one. Another arrow nearly sunk into his flesh just before their blades met.
Hatchet had to shift his sword, deterring the projectile, unable to counter as effectively as he had initially planned. He moved defensively, retreating and back-stepping from the assault of twin swords, forced to yield his starting advantage to the sneaky joint assault. It only took a few seconds for another arrow to fly from the woods.
Hatchet stepped forward, dodging the arrow while swinging his elbow up and into the brown wolf's forehead, disrupting his rhythm. Hatchet carved his sword horizontally, hoping for a swift end, but still perfectly fine with making the brown wolf retreat for a moment.
`That archer is the real trouble here.' Hatchet kept his gaze on his current opponent, still making sure his back never turned to that tree-line. He eyes rapidly flashed towards the summoned, and back to his opponent after. This would be an endurance test as things stood.
~
`Are the masters really so fragile? Have they been so fragile all along?' The thought was cold and counterintuitive, he wanted to reject it fully, but he could not. He had survived far more crushing blows.... He stood staring at the wolf the horse had slain per his direction, desperately grasping for some note of sympathy amid the stunning realization. He found no remorse for the cruel master's fate.
His eyes turned to the lighter-gray wolf beside him, the one that had struck him. He was eyeing the beast down, wondering if this master was as fragile as the last....
The wolf held his hands up, taking a few steps back, suddenly far more wary of the tiny summoned than before.
`Surrender?' The gesture gave the human mixed feelings. The masters never accepted his pleas for mercy... but he was no master, and the gray wolf had released him. The human turned from his enemy, ignoring the gray wolf and turning in search of the black one.
Their eyes met briefly before the Master had to pull away, occupied by the brown wolf and an archer. The human moved to the mare once more, struggling to climb on her back. He begged her to get him closer, and she bolted off in response, following his guidance faithfully. He thanked her once more, stopping when they were near the skirmish. He didn't want her caught in the crossfire.
The human soon spotted the archer lurking in the woods, and with a stumbling sprint, he moved to place himself between the enemy and his Master.
He may not have be able to fight the wolves by himself, but he did know how to do one thing REALLY well.
The first arrow hit him on the right side of his chest. He smiled in response. The pain was manageable. He would make a good diversion. He knew how to take a hit and stay standing. It had been a hard-learned lesson, but he knew how to bear pain. The second arrow buried itself in his shoulder.
The summoned stared into the eyes of the enemy in determination, refusing to yield his defense. He pulled the arrow from his chest without ever breaking that forbidden eye contact. He did the second one the same way after.
The archer shuddered, finding himself unable to take his eyes off of the human before him. The summoned was smiling the whole time. The wolf took a short step back, notching another arrow on his bow. The archer felt a quick touch at his neck, something so light it was barely noticeable; painless....
He turned his head, and the blood began pouring from his throat. The archer stared in disbelief at the lighter-gray wolf holding the bloodied knife.
Borrow had switched sides. Borrow watched his former ally fall backwards as his life flowed down his chest. Borrow spoke apologetically to the archer. "Sorry, but I've got to take care of Barter. You tried to shoot him."
"YOU TRAITOROUS FUCK! I'LL KILL YOUR BROTHER IN FRONT OF YOU FOR THIS!" The brown wolf snarled out at the lighter-gray one, fumbling to hold off Hatchet's renewed assault now that his aid had been dealt with.
The black wolf kept advancing, making the brown wolf the one to back-step in retreat of the assault this time. Hatchet kept pushing, their steel crossing in quicker and more fervent intervals. Hatchet had him beat on skill and mass, but the brown wolf had some decent moves as well.
The human studied his master in awe, noting the strength the larger wolf brandished so gracefully, yet so fatally. He was entranced, eager to see a cruel master the one being backed into a corner for a change. The human watched breathlessly, his focus so intense it was tangible. He sucked in a breath at long last when the black wolf swiped his sword, disarming the brown beast's right-hand blade before he stepped forward and plunged his steel into the guts of his enemy.
Hatchet held his stance as the brown wolf died on his blade. He pulled his sword free with a grunt, holding it off to the side with his right hand as he braced against a tree with his left. He kept his back turned to the gray wolves as he called out over his shoulder. "You two better start running if you want to keep your lives."
"Y-YES BOSS!" Barter and Borrow both sang out in unison, making Hatchet narrow his eyes in response.
"...Sorry. Habit." Borrow meekly apologized as he scooped his brother up, bracing him with an offered shoulder.
"Don't worry, I got your arm!" Borrow reassuringly exclaimed.
"Do- do you think we can put it back on?" Barter whined out as they made their swift retreat, sniffling between his words.
"I don't know... maybe if we find a healer soon enough...." The brothers disappeared into the tree-line, licking their wounds as they departed.
Hatchet heard Borrow mutter one final time before they were out of earshot. "We've got to find a better way to make money, little brother...."
Hatchet exhaled at last, letting his tensed muscles loosen up at last now that the coast was clear. His hand trembled against the tree as his mind processed his situation. `I really hope they don't come back....'
The large wolf turned to the human at last, finding an encaptivated smile waiting for him. That smile quickly faded as the human's eye dilated at the realization. The Master had a large stab-wound towards the base of his ribs. The brown wolf had managed to land a parting blow of his own.
Hatchet tried to take a step, finding his balance fleeting and his breath short. He collapsed backwards, sliding against a tree as he lowered to the dirt, clasping a hand over his wound with little success in stifling the blood pouring down his dark fur; giving it a slick and glossy appearance. The human was by his side almost immediately, his trembling hands clasping over Hatchet's larger one as they clung to him so desperately.
Hatchet stared into those dark eyes, the ones that were shedding tears on his behalf. Despite his fading lights, the wolf managed a smile for the human, silently whispering what he felt would be his final words. "If there are truly any gods left in this world, I hope they send along someone who will be kind to you...."
His voice hitched, his breathing growing more shallow and bubbly as his consciousness faded from him. He was a sell-sword, and this was the fate of all sell-swords. He would not shy away from his end. He would not weep. He had no delusions that he would be missed by the world.
Even so, as his mind slipped, he found some comfort in knowing that the human, at least, would mourn for him. He gave a final squeeze of his hand before he succumbed to the injury.
Hatchet was plagued by the strangest dreams....
~
Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Don't worry, not even I'm that cruel. He isn't quite dead yet. Should have another ch. out sometime. Regardless, I appreciate the read, and would love to hear from you if you're enjoying it! As always, my discord is a great place to come if you have questions or comments. One more chapter for the opening arc before we start diving deeper into this world, and getting some plot/answers.
https://discord.com/invite/UMmM3QxnD6
Thanks for reading! ~Red Bayou