Horse Thief (6)
On the road to Iron Valley.
'If we were both in a situation where our lives were at stake, what would you do? Would you try to save me? Or would you run away to save yourself?'
I hadn't been able to answer Selene's question.
Selene had barged into my life, where I'd sworn never to trust anyone again. I lacked certainty about my feelings for her.
But now.
Facing a situation where Selene's life was truly in danger.
My body moved before my mind could catch up.
I kicked off the rooftop and leaped at the same time.
"Hey! You horse-headed fuck!"
"Guwok?"
I bellowed at the top of my lungs to draw the abomination of Orobas's attention away from her, just as it was about to smash its fist down. It hesitated and turned its head toward me.
In that gap—
Pfook!Sizzle—
My sword, gripped in a reverse hold, sliced through the air and plunged into the abomination's half-melted nape.
I immediately flipped open the pouch at my waist and poured the holy water inside onto the blade.
So the holy water could flow deep along the embedded sword and melt the abomination from within.
"Uwoooooh!!"
"Kekekehek!!"
The horse head let out a grotesque scream, and its entire body erupted in eerie shrieks as it thrashed to shake me off.
"Nngh!"
I gritted my teeth and held on.
If I didn't finish it here, both Selene and I were dead.
So as its front limbs swung relentlessly at me, I desperately clung on, dodging—
Tzzt—
My lifeline sword shook, and my body, dependent on it, lurched wildly.
The holy water had melted its internal flesh, weakening its hold.
I tried to steady myself and drive the sword deeper—
Thud!
"Gak—"
A heavy blow struck my right side, bending my body into a < shape.
Pain exploded through me, horrific agony spreading everywhere.
Breath caught in my throat.
The torment made something hot surge up, paralyzing my thoughts, curling my body reflexively.
But only for a moment.
Adrenaline exploded, snapping my head back.
Regaining my senses, I took in how drastically the situation had changed in that brief instant.
'I'm... falling... right now... shit!'
Right after.
Twisting midair with effort, I yanked a dagger from my belt.
Then swung my still-numb arms, stabbing the blade into the abomination's flesh as it rushed past.
Pfook!Szzzt—
The skin tore, flesh split with a gruesome sound, and immediately a massive weight yanked at my arms.
"Khugh!"
The strain shot to my already battered side, pain so intense my vision went red.
But I didn't let go, arms trembling.
I'd endured this kind of agony before to survive—not to mention, my hands now held not just my life, but Selene's too.
Oh, and Kell's as well.
Maybe that's why.
The burning pain in my side began to fade.
My shaking arms steadied, strength returning.
And the next moment.
"Hoo! Hoo!"
I steadied my breathing with deep inhales and looked up to gauge the drop.
About two meters up, my sword was still lodged.
And just below it, what I suspected had kicked my side: a horse leg.
'The horse's hind leg...'
Until I'd stabbed the nape, it had been half-buried in flesh.
Now slightly bent, poised to strike if I approached again.
The dangers lurking around me felt all too real.
Human hands perfect for grabbing me.
More horse legs like the one that had just nailed me.
And that solid-toothed horse head, ready to rip chunks from my flesh.
'Ah... shoulda gotten that cuiras like old man Carlson recommended...'
The sturdy metal armors displayed in Carlson's smithy.
They flashed in my mind, bringing a fleeting regret in this moment.
But that wouldn't change reality, so I gripped the pouch slung over my shoulder.
Click pop!
I yanked the stopper with my teeth.
Shwaaa—
I poured just enough holy water to barely wet my whole body.
So the abomination couldn't absorb me like the others.
Sizzle sizzzz—
Splashed holy water hit its rotting flesh, melting chunks, as my climb toward the lodged sword began.
And in response.
The abomination of Orobas, which had been neglecting me amid its internal agony...
Turned its horrific attention back on me.
.
.
.
Thrashing wildly to shake me off, swinging arms was a given.
Not content with corpses on its surface hindering my climb, the abomination even slammed its own back into nearby buildings.
If not for my new armor and shield, I'd have been flung off long ago. Savage attacks.
"Cough— fuck this dog-cock abomination..."
Blood spewed from my mouth, not a single spot on me unscathed.
Still, I stabbed my dagger into its back and climbed relentlessly upward.
Finally.
Thump!
The handle of my well-worn sword returned to my grip.
"Kukuku."
Laughter burst from my lips.
Pain and thrill had half-maddened my mind, but more than that, joy at the chance to pay back every hit thrilled me.
"Now it's your turn to die."
****
With Baron Noden's knights practically wiped out and retreating to the lord's castle.
The infantry, leaderless, fell into momentary panic.
"W-We can't kill a monster like that!"
Some, gripped by terror, fled the village outright.
Most snapped out of it and began detouring around Orobas's abomination toward the castle.
With things this dire.
Unlike the village palisade, the castle—protected by mountains and sturdy stone walls—was the safest spot.
Of course, only if they reached it before the abomination.
"Grroooaaar!"
BOOM!Thud thud!
Repeated roars and ominous ground-shakes quickened their desperate march.
As the frantic column passed the market and entered the crossroads.
A veteran infantryman at the front spotted the abomination rampaging in the distance.
More precisely, the writhing abomination in agony—and the man stabbing its nape.
Pfook! Pfook!
"Kahahat! Die! Die!"
The mercenary maniacally plunged his reverse-gripped sword repeatedly, shredding the nape.
Blood streamed from his body, armor dented and torn.
But heedless of his state, his frenzied sword strikes evoked...
A berserker from old tales.
The great warrior who, despite mortal wounds, cleaved demon skulls with a massive axe.
A faint aura of that mighty, terrifying berserker emanated from him.
Surrounding infantry halted their castle-bound steps, eyes drawn to the lone mercenary battling the giant abomination.
Then, a sharp-eyed soldier, famed for his vision, murmured to the others.
"But why isn't the monster absorbing that mercenary? And those melted wounds aren't healing..."
***
Ah... did I just take a hit to the head?
My already blood-red vision slowed.
My sword-gripping hand and arm felt like wooden stumps.
But I didn't stop swinging.
Each time rotten innards exposed in the nape, I splashed holy water.
Repeating this mechanically—dozens of times, maybe.
Suddenly, the ceaselessly thrashing abomination stiffened, halting abruptly.
Crack! Craaaack—
Its lolling head tore with a sickening rupture, gaping wider until the massive horse head finally snapped downward, detaching from the body.
BOOM!
The head hit the ground with a thud, and the abomination's body began collapsing, accelerating downward.
I, with a foot on its shoulder, drew nearer to the earth.
My blurry gaze fixed on Selene, about ten meters away.
'At least it'll fall away from Selene. Good.'
My half-numbed body tumbled across the ground, vision spinning dozens of times.
Thud—
Something halted my rolling.
The evening sunset filled my eyes, a masterpiece painting contrasting the horrific reality below.
Right then.
Amid buzzing in my ears, multiple footsteps approached.
A bearded middle-aged man's face intruded into my view.
Ah, what... mister, move aside.
This might be my last sight...
"Still alive, eh! Do you know how to kill that monster?"
The man grinned creepily, asking how to dispatch it.
To shoo him away, I squeezed out my remaining strength to answer.
But only two words came out.
"Dismember... holy water..."