*KHRTAK KHRTAK KHRTAK KHRTAK

The sounds of iron shoes keep hitting the earth frugally, as it covering the breathing sounds of the horse and the man above it. The horse keeps running fast, even faster beyond what every normal horse could even do. By this point, the horse’s face already turned pale, almost unable to run beyond what “he” could even achieve. But the rider won’t even let “him” rest, as also the horse itself would never allow itself to slow down or falling down even if it means its life.

[… Sorry… for being so selfish….!]

As if “he’s” talking to “his” partner, “he” whispered these words while lowering “his” head near the horse’s head. As if responding to “him”, the horse jumped far while releasing “his” cry, as if it was shouting against its master.

*HIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

[Let’s go!]

As the master keep “his” posture steady, the horse steadily increasing its running speed, with speed comparable to the speed of sound itself, both of them dashed through the field, while preparing for something inevitable that will happened.

***

Here lies one peaceful village. It doesn’t have any distinctive feature, so there almost no royalties whom even considered coming here, while at the same time; this village never had to pay so many taxes considering the royal securities around it were too thin. Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean that this village was in a lot of danger, many which caused by their strong instinct to survive that the people of this villages often being sent to the capital in order to become a knight. While they do possess such instinct, they also prioritized harmony over other people, which make them being so friendly against each other. And here exist such village.

At least, it “was”.

[Impossible….]

The sight of destruction recorded clearly on “his” eyes. The destroyed house, the burning hut, blood splattered everywhere, left nothing but a fragment of what once made of such mineral and meat, either man or animal.

[WHY… WHY DID THIS…!?!?!]

But what frightens “him” the most was the figure in front of “him”. No, “it” was not appropriate to call it a figure; “it” wasn’t even on the same league as what you would call “something”. It breathes, it walks, it sees, it hears. It is truly a “creature”, but no such normal “creature” exists, at least for it to appear right in front of “him” is utterly beyond “his” imagination.

*GROAAAAAAAAAAAAR

The “creature” keeps squashing down and burning away everything around it, with its 20 meter tall feet, the shape resembling that of a turtle with shell made of spikes and scales. This by no means something that even the whole army had the capabilities to do something.

[Survivor… are there any survivor here…?!?!?!]

Trying to keep “his” cool, “he” scanned everywhere around “him” to see whether there are any survivor, since it doesn’t seem that the monster realize that “he” was around yet.

[… U… *hic…!]

Hearing some noises around, the man frantically searched for where the source of that voice was, but afraid of raising “his” voice in front of such “creature”.

[Mama…. Papa… *hic….]

Suddenly the monster’s movement changed, as if being jerked around while noticing something strange. “he” suddenly flustered as to consider how to get that monster’s attention away.

[… It’s do or die….!!]

As “he” pulled the spear on the back, “he” positioned himself, with right leg pulled straight to the back and bended “his” left leg to the front, while raising the right hand to the back, and stretched the left hand to the front, “he” aimed the spear right at that “creature’s” face, or rather, aiming for its eyes.

[UWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

*FWOOOOOOSH!!!!!!!!!

With heavy scream that could split even “his” own ears, “he” throw the spear right onto the “creature’s” face. As if surprised by the sudden scream, the “creature’s” face suddenly turned right at “his” location. The sudden turn cause the spear to fly right beside it and scratched its face.

*GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOR!

[Alright… I’m dead now…. SCHNEIDER!!!!]

As “he” screamed the name, the horse, the one who have been hiding this whole time, suddenly rushing out. But it doesn’t head toward “him”; rather, it was aiming at the place “he” pointed at, right after “he” throw the spear. As “he” quickly rushed there, “he” went forward against the “creature” by readying “his” bow and arrow.

*GRAOOOOOOOOOOOOR

The “creature” furiously charging at “him”, with “its” size, it doesn’t take long for “it” to reach where “he” is located at. But as much as it wanted to quickly stomp “him”, its weight didn’t say so, as “he” keep evading its stomping attack with such small margin around “him”. And as “he” tried to evade the monster’s stomping and charge, “he” run away from it as “he” keep aiming at that “creature’s” face and started to showering it with arrows, though to no avail, it only served to anger the “creature” so.

*GROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR

As “it’s” finally getting tired of chasing “him”, the “creature” preparing its stance for its new attack. It was seen to charge some energy inside its mouth, as the heat around it were getting tense. But at that moment, “he” takes a quick peek at where “his”partner, Schneider, was. As “he” had hoped so, Schneider was seen, carrying a small, frail girl with “his” mouth and starting to run away from the scene.

[Good boy… hope that my friend will treat you to something good….]

As “he” turns toward the “creature” again, “it” already finished charging its special attack and started to throw them. Readied to take those full-blown attacks, “he” readied “his” shield.

[OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!]

*GROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR

***

The wind stopped blowing. The heat keeps rising from the ground. The ash spread far beyond the once was a mountain. The rubble keeps falling. But “he’s” standing beyond such destruction, while the perpetrator still stands perplexed in front of “him”. “He” almost lost consciousness, “he” almost can’t hear anything, “he” almost lost an arm, “he” almost lost “his” sight, and ultimately, “he” barely survived. Such strong intent was made in order to keep such “creature” occupied in one place. One could barely count for how long did this “creature”, whom were able to abolished one village in no time, were being keep busy by a single man. Such is no ordinary feat even if all “he” could do is to scratch its face before.

{It’s the limit, eh… my leg could barely move, my arrow and bow were burned, my shield’s bended and charred, all I have right now….}

Using “his” barely-moveable right hand, “he” pulled “his” sword from its sheath and pointed it toward the “creature”.

{My voice… I can’t hear them… no, I probably could barely even talk… I can almost feel nothing; my sense of touch is dead too… then again…}

“He” closed “his” eyes and started to smile, while the “creature” were already raised its front leg, trying to squash “him” dry.

{Why am I-}

*BAM!

….

….

…