章 172: HECTOR. Some time much, much earlier

"Hey, twerp, if you are trying to beg here, you have to give me a cut. Don't you know the rules?" The ruffian grinned at me, showing all his missing teeth. His hand was meaningfully resting on the hilt of a dagger that hung on his belt.

Oh, I knew the rules well by now. Strong got the spoils of kicking the weak, like me. One day, that would change. No monster, human or not, would be able to get me.

After my father died, I didn't stay long at home. I couldn't… Besides, what was left there for me? Not even goats. The monster took everything, and there was no trace or a rumour of it afterwards, when the villagers posted the notice in the Glesk's Guild. Though, as I learnt later from rumours, the cattle continued to disappear for a while longer—not just in my village, too.

I sold and bartered what I was left, and walked away. My own man, on my own road. I was fourteen! That was old enough to not listen to those who urged me to stay. Not that they urged me so hard.