Valoon – The Forest Cave - The Hideout of the True Renegades

  A man stood dramatically on a wooden crate, one hand over his heart, the other raised to the sky as if reciting to the gods themselves.

  “Oh, Mia… my dark rose in this cave of thorns… Your eyes are crimson daggers that pierce my soul, Your fangs could drain me dry and I’d thank you for it all! I, Derek, leader of the True Renegades, Would fight a thousand dragons just to see you smile… Even if that smile is aimed at someone else… I’d still write this poem… and die a little more inside!”

  Derek finished with a theatrical bow, eyes closed, waiting for applause.

  Mia sat in the corner, sipping tea from a delicate porcelain cup that looked absurdly out of place in the dirty cave. She didn’t even look up.

  “Go away, Derek… I want to be alone.”

  “Leave her alone, Derek…” Eryndor grumbled from the side, sharpening his dagger against a whetstone with slow, angry scrapes.

  Mia’s eyes flashed cold. “I didn’t ask for your help, Eryndor… I can take care of myself very well.”

  Eryndor stood up, annoyed, spinning the dagger between his fingers. “Is that right? The little vampire has claws…”

  Mia hissed. Her lips pulled back to reveal sharp fangs. Her eyes turned a glowing crimson, and her fingernails elongated into razor-sharp talons.

  “Don’t test me.”

  Derek jumped between them, hands raised like a referee.

  “Enough! Both of you! How about we focus on solving the problems we have right now? We are broke!”

  A henchman came running into the cave, waving a piece of paper.

  “Derek! Derek! I have news!”

  The three of them looked at the panting man. Mia rolled her eyes, retracted her claws, and went back to her tea.

  “What is it?” Derek snatched the paper.

  He read it. His eyes widened. A greedy grin spread across his face.

  “I think luck has finally smiled upon us, Renegades!”

  “Why?” Eryndor asked, sheathing his dagger.

  Derek climbed onto the table, addressing the entire cave with theatrical flair.

  “Renegades! We now have an opportunity! 40 Billion Dracnas for a Level A Wanted Target!”

  The cave erupted in gasps and cheers.

  “Forty billion?” Eryndor laughed, a greedy sound. “I’m retiring early.”

  He glanced at Mia, hoping to impress her. She ignored him completely, staring at Derek with boredom. Eryndor turned away quickly, embarrassed.

  “Who is the target, Boss?” another henchman asked.

  “Probably someone very powerful…” Eryndor mused.

  “It doesn’t matter…” Mia muttered, blowing on her tea.

  “Hmm…” Derek read the bottom of the poster. “His name is… Isaac.”

  Clink.

  Mia’s tea cup rattled against the saucer. She choked, coughing violently. She stood up so fast her chair tipped over. She stared at Derek.

  “Here it says he was an ancient King…” Derek continued, oblivious to her reaction. “It says he returned… and is without memories.”

  Whoosh.

  Mia moved with supernatural speed. In the blink of an eye, she snatched the paper from Derek’s hand and leaped onto the window ledge, bathed in moonlight.

  She looked at the drawing. Her hands trembled.

  “Isaac… It’s not possible…” she whispered, tears forming in her crimson eyes.

  “Mia… what’s wrong?” Derek asked, confused by her intensity.

  Mia hugged the wanted poster to her chest, burying her face in the paper. A smile — beautiful and terrifying — broke through her tears.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  My Isaac is alive…

  “I couldn’t hear anything…” Derek shrugged. “Doesn’t matter! Let’s hunt this target and put our name on the map!”

  The clan roared in approval, raising their weapons.

  “Eryndor, prepare everything!” Derek commanded. “We are going to see my Uncle Krag. We need some information.”

  Derek looked at Mia, who was still perched on the window, staring at the stars, lost in a memory of a time long past.

  Feralium – The Mother Mountain

  The night was cold. Isaac sat by a dying fire, taking a sip from his flask.

  “Sigh… I should have bought more food before leaving the city. Amateur mistake.”

  He rummaged through his bag, looking for scraps. Instead, his fingers brushed against another photograph. He pulled it out.

  It was a shot of him, Joe, and Kate… smiling together.

  Isaac smiled sadly, tracing their faces with his thumb. He kissed the photo gently.

  A scream echoed through the forest.

  Isaac jumped up, shoving the photo into his pocket. It was a woman’s voice — desperate.

  He grabbed his bag and sprinted into the darkness, weaving through the trees until he found cover behind a cluster of boulders.

  In a clearing, two massive Ogres were towering over a sobbing Goat-kin woman. They had torn her clothes.

  “Thought you could run, huh?” Ogre 1 sneered.

  “Let’s play with you first… then we take you to the Boss,” Ogre 2 laughed, saliva dripping from his tusked mouth.

  “Please… someone help me!” the woman cried.

  Isaac crouched, assessing the situation. Two giants. No weapon. He looked around. He saw an old, fallen tree trunk and a massive boulder — something no human should be able to lift.

  “Shit… let’s do this.”

  He crept behind the rocks, flanking them until he was right behind the giant stone.

  “HEY! YOU UGLY BASTARDS! LET HER GO!”

  The Ogres turned slowly, grinning when they saw the lone, small human.

  “That one is yours… I’ll keep this one,” Ogre 1 laughed.

  “Okay, brother,” Ogre 2 chuckled, stepping away from the woman. “Come here, little hero… I’m going to enjoy eating you.”

  The Ogre lumbered toward Isaac.

  Isaac placed his hands on the boulder. His muscles screamed, veins bulging. With a roar, he lifted the ton of rock.

  “Catch!”

  He hurled the boulder with terrifying velocity.

  SPLAT.

  The rock slammed into the Ogre’s chest. It didn’t just break bones; it obliterated him. The Ogre’s torso was torn apart in a shower of gore. The boulder continued its path, shattering against a tree.

  Isaac stood there, drenched in black blood, panting.

  The other Ogre stared at the remains of his partner, his brain processing the horror. Then pure rage took over.

  “Brother… YOU KILLED MY BROTHER!”

  He drew a massive, rusted greatsword and charged.

  Isaac dodged the first swing, the blade carving a trench in the earth. He ran toward the fallen log.

  The Ogre opened his mouth and spat a glob of green liquid.

  Hiss.

  Isaac rolled just in time. The acid hit the ground, dissolving the rock and grass instantly.

  “Acid…” the Ogre laughed maniacally. “One drop… and you turn to ash.”

  The Ogre swung again. Isaac dodged, dancing away from death. He reached the log.

  “AAAARGH!”

  Isaac grabbed the tree trunk and swung it like a baseball bat. It connected with the Ogre’s side — but the wood was rotten. It shattered on impact, doing zero damage.

  The Ogre looked at the splinters, then at Isaac. He laughed.

  “That was your stupid plan? Kill me with a stick? Pathetic.”

  The Ogre glanced back at the clearing. The Goat-kin woman was gone.

  “You annoyed me, little man… You killed my brother in a humiliating way… and now you let the bitch escape. I’m going to kill you and eat the marrow from your bones.”

  Isaac backed away slowly. His eyes darted to the corpse of the first Ogre. The massive sword was lying there.

  “I’d like to see you try.”

  The Ogre roared and lunged. Isaac leaped backward, rolling over the gore of the first monster. He grabbed the heavy hilt of the fallen sword.

  The Ogre charged. Isaac didn’t run this time. He swung the massive blade upward.

  CLANG.

  He parried the Ogre’s attack. The Ogre’s eyes went wide.

  “You are strong… I appreciate that. But not as strong… or as smart as me!”

  The Ogre feinted and swung low. Isaac jumped, spinning in the air.

  SLASH.

  The blade sang. Isaac severed both of the Ogre’s hands at the wrists.

  “AAAAHHH!”

  Before the Ogre could finish his scream, Isaac spun the heavy sword again. A clean, horizontal cut.

  The Ogre’s head flew into the bushes.

  Isaac dropped the sword. He fell to his knees, gasping for air, covered in blood and sweat. He looked up at the moon, his vision blurring. He tried to walk back to his campfire but collapsed before he could take three steps.

  (Some time later)

  Isaac woke up to the smell of food.

  He was back at his campfire. The Goat-kin woman was cooking something in a pan.

  “You’re awake… thank the gods.”

  “Where is this?” Isaac groaned, sitting up.

  “We are safe… a cave in the middle of the forest.”

  “No… I need to go to the Hell Border…” He tried to stand but stumbled.

  “Wait, wait… calm down. Rest. Here… eat.”

  She offered him a plate of fried plants. Isaac looked at her, then at the food. He took it. It was surprisingly good.

  “Good, right? Healthy and tasty.”

  “Who are you? Why were those Ogres after you?”

  “Sigh…” The woman looked down. “My name is Juta. I am a Beast-kin… from the Country of Centaurs. My family and I left our country for a better life… we came to Feralium. But we were ambushed by Krag’s henchmen.”

  Isaac chewed slowly. “Who is Krag?”

  “The biggest bandit in Feralium… He is the Supreme Leader of the Renegades, the largest criminal group on the continent… We didn’t expect to run into him…” She started crying.

  “I’m sorry…”

  “And you… what is your name?”

  “My name… is Isaac. And I’m here because I need to reach the Hell Border.”

  “Why do you want to enter Hell? I heard it’s blocked for Elves… it’s a horrible place too… home of demons.”

  “I’m looking for someone.”

  “Who?”

  Isaac didn’t answer. He stood up silently and grabbed his bag.

  “Thank you for everything, Juta.”

  “Isaac… wait… help me.”

  Isaac stopped. “With what?”

  “Please…” Juta grabbed his arm, desperate. “Rescue my family from Krag’s hands… I beg you… please…”

  “What? I can’t get involved in this, Juta… I’ve already been involved too much… and I almost died.”

  “Please… Please… I’ll do anything… I give you my body… and my spirit… but please… save me and my family… I implore you…”

  Isaac looked at Juta’s tear-streaked face. He looked at the desperation in her eyes. He sighed.

  “Show me where they are.”