บท 16: Chapter 15: Grabar Speaks

Three sets of sighs and heaves spread all over the room covered with mist. One voice heavy, the other soft, and the last and the loudest, disgusting.

Despite being shocked out of his wits, Claude did not lower the club but tightened his grip even further.

"Grabar begs… stop…" the crying Orc's voice cracked as it shook its head from side to side, bloodied drool seeped out of its mouth as its stomach crumpled tight in a knot. The Orc wanted to protect its crotch but didn't have the strength to even move.

Claude tried to calm his breathing as many thoughts ran through his mind, the speaking Orc and its fearsome strength at the center of them all. He had managed to knock down an Orc after struggling against a Goblin, but the same Orc now spoke and begged them to stop. He couldn't decide what to do, he didn't even know if he was safe or not.

Unfortunately, his friend and partner wasn't a man of common sense.

Elric smirked and walked closer to the Orc's head. He pulled the Orc's face toward him from its forehead and leaned into its eyes.

"Grabar," Elric deepened his voice, he simmered it down and spoke in a strange way that didn't suit his face. "Is that your name?"

The Orc nodded frantically. "Grabar name Grabar."

"Good. I am Elric, the ruler of water." Elric turned toward Claude and narrowed his eyes. He thought for a few seconds and turned to Grabar again while pointing at Claude. "And this my sidekick, Redhead, the redhead."

"Hey!" Claude clicked his tongue out loud and frowned. Still, seeing Elric's instant guts in front of the Orc, he decided to stay put. Information was necessary and Elric was getting it for him.

Grabar nodded again at the two of them with tears still flowing down its eyes. It was completely cornered, but Grabar didn't seem like one to attack either ways.

"Now then, Grabar. I am going to ask you some questions and you will answer them, is that clear?"

"Yes, Grabar answer. Grabar answer. Don't hit."

"Perfect," Elric bobbed his head for emphasis and slowly looked. Then, he snapped back toward the Orc and leaned closer than ever. "Which of you fucks take a dip in that lake outside, huh!?"

"Bastard! What are you asking?!"

"—Uh, all Orc bath."

"You shut up!"

"Now, now, Redhead. Grabar did what it was told!"

Claude hissed at both of them and shook his head. He raised his club again and turned toward the Orc.

"You, what is this mist?"

Grabar alternated its gaze between Elric and Claude, in the end, it realized Claude was the one he had to answer to and sighed. "Mist bad. In the entire forest. It change everything."

"Why doesn't this place change then?"

"Ancient God blessing. Hold Orc together."

Blessing? Hearing about the Gods again soured Claude's mood a bit.

"What blessing?" he asked.

"Blessing in the chief house! In Altar! Chief house is in center."

"Oh, so it's a physical object"

Grabar tilted its head to the side. Claude thought on things again, it didn't seem Grabar knew much about the mist or the forest, so there wasn't much he could ask. It was clear that the 'blessing' he talked about held a clue about this place, and hopefully, a clue to the exit.

"Fine, last question. How can you speak?"

Grabar tilted its head again before flusteredly shaking it around. "Haha, Grabar smart!"

A white glow veiled the club in Claude's hand. Streaks of light spread out from his weapon as Grabar looked at him with a confused expression.

"Thanks, and goodbye."

A single swing incomparable to any before. The club pushed away the very air and landed on the monster's face. Its skin was pushed backward, its eyes bulged out. The spikes of the club dug through its tendons before the fierce stone crushed the bones below, the jaw caved in and the Orc fell back to the ground.

Dead.

"I can still use the Gods' skills, huh?" Claude muttered as he spun the now normal club in his hands. He raised his gaze and met with Elric's.

"Let's take that 'blessing,' Elric…" Not a shred of hesitation surfaced in Claude's gaze. "Let's get out of here."

Elric's hand rose to his nose, he dabbed it lightly and brought it in front of his eyes. Blue-black blood had splattered on him.

Another.

Another being had died through their hands.

For some reason, Elric didn't feel a single ripple in his heart.

For some reason, he was already used to it.

"Yes… Let's."

Claude and Elric stood at the hay-covered door.

The body of Grabar lay limp on the ground of the hut as the mist covering the place slowly started to fade away.

"Ready?" Claude asked.