Chapter 15.5

A Warped Perspective

The darkness fled as the sun rose over the horizon, bathing the world in soft golden light. Famers, merchants, and everyone else that woke up early all paused and stared at the view that signifies the beginning of the day. Every single one of them cherishes this moment. All except for one person.

On top of the cold stone wall that surrounded the small town stood a man staring down dispassionately at the world below. While silently staring at the sun, the man placed a lit cigar in his mouth and blew smoke into the air, somewhat hoping the poison fumes would stain the picturesque view. But naturally, the smoke quickly dissipated, not even leaving a trace it ever existed.

“You know, my mother once told me that a man’s value is determined by the amount of money he possesses.” The man said nonchalantly to the corpse lying next to him. Bugs swarmed the body and picked at the decaying flesh. Unfazed by the gruesome scene, the man continues to talk.

“Back then, I thought my mom was the wisest person in the world, so I always listen to her, far more than my drunk dad. But this time I had to disagree with her. You see, I believed the value of a man was determined by his resolve to protect his family. Heh, I bet you're surprised to hear that from me, aren’t you? Well back then, I was just a blind, ignorant kid who was blissfully unaware of the cruelty of this world.”

The man paused and took another puff from his cigar.

“Yea, I wasn’t always like this. But life, life has a way of beating lessons into you. And let me tell you, it beat the living shit out of me.” The man tried to laugh but was struck with intense pain in his abdominal area.

“You would think I would be used to this, but even now it disgusts me.” The man said, holding his stomach.

When the soldiers spotted me dragging your body, they were quick to preach to me about justice. But their attitudes quickly changes when I offer them money. They got on their knees like a cheap whore eagerly waiting for their master’s orders.

Smoke slip from his lips when he let out an exhausted sigh.

“I suppose mom was right. Money makes the man, but you already knew that, didn’t you, pretty boy?” The man flicks his cigar at the corpse, which scares off the bugs feasting on the body.

“Well, money can turn a boy into a man, but it sure as hell doesn’t make an idiot smarter, now does it?” With a wicked grin on his face, the man placed his foot on the corpse. “Next time, choose your enemy more wisely.”

The man kicked the corpse sending it flying off the stone wall towards a pack of starving beasts. The monsters were greedily feasting on a body the man dropped earlier. Half of the creatures’ race towards the fresh corpse and begin to eagerly tear it into pieces.

“Relax, I got plenty more for you ugly bastards.”

“Crook.” A man with multiple scars on his face and a dead look in his eyes approach the other man who was still watching the beasts as if mesmerized.

“What is it?”

“Is this enough?” Crook stare into the scarred man’s eyes. No matter how hard he looked, he couldn’t tell what was going through Scar head, but he works with him long enough to what his vague words meant.

“Yes and no. I doubt anybody gives a damn about these nobodies. We could’ve left their bodies on the streets, and the town's guard would’ve probably launched a half-assed investigation that won’t last even a week. The problem is the pretty boy. Since he comes from a rich family people are going to notice his disappearance, which could invite more prying eyes to our peaceful little town.”

“What do we do?”

“It’s simple. We change the narrative.” Crook reached into his pocket and threw a clear bag at Scar. Inside the bag was colorful jewelry that you only see wore by a noble, an adventurer id, and a bloody hand.

“Give this to one of my men and tell them to buy a cart and ditch it on one of the roads leading to New Dawn. Make sure they dump the content in that bag near the cart. The rest will take care of itself.” Crook suddenly raise both hands in the air like he was an entertainer getting ready to make an exciting announcement.

“A noble and his bodyguard was ambushed and eaten alive as they were heading back to the capital. See? The story writes itself. What you think?”

Scar opens his mouth to respond but was interrupted by a scream.

“Boss!” One of Crook’s men ran towards Crook and Scar shouting.

“Are you trying to draw attention our way?” Crook looked down at his goon, who was panting and was trembling.

“Alive, it’s alive.” The goon stammers.

“Who’s alive?” Before the goon could answer Crook’s question, another scream could be heard in the distance. More of Crook’s men race towards him and scar. Behind them, there was a beast chasing after them. No, it isn’t a beast. Crook thought. It was a human, was.

The former human skin was deathly pale, and blood poured from his eyes, nose, and mouth staining it’s worn leather amour a deep dark red.

“Alive, you said? That thing doesn’t look alive to me.” Crook took his right hand out of his pocket and prepared himself for the inevitable clash.

“Wait, are you saying it’s a- “

“Husk.” Scar answered the cowering goon while reaching for his sword.

Husks were creatures that bring themselves back from the dead through sheer willpower, in Crook's own words, idiots too stubborn to accept their fate.

“Damnit. I’ll take him out.” One of the thugs stopped and drew his weapon. The husk lifted its sword it was dragging through on the ground and swung it with inhuman strength, easily cleaving the man in half.

“Great, we got more to clean up after.” Crook let out an exhausted sigh as he watched the upper torso of one of his men fall into the town below. “If you plan on dying, then please fall on the side where the monsters are so they can clean after your mess!” Crook shouted.

“I’ll take care of this.” Scar pulled his sword and walked forward.

“No, I’ll handle this.” Crook placed his hand on Scar's shoulder and step in front of him. “Things will only get messier if you get involved.”

Crook didn’t doubt Scar’s skills. In fact, he was confident Scar could deal with the undead creature by himself, but it would take some time. The dead don’t die so easily after all.

“Plus.” Crook continued. “I’m pretty sure it’s after me.”

“What makes you say that, um, sir?”

“Tch.” Crook clicks his tongue, causing the goon to shrivel up in fear.

“Scar, you’ve been at this longer than I have why don’t you explain it to him.

“Right.” Scar put his weapon away and then turn to face the goon. The multiple scars on his face, combined with his dead expression only frighten the cowering thug more.

“Typically, there are three desires that allow a husk to move their decaying bodies.” A small smile spread on Crook’s face as he listens to Scar’s explanation. He was only joking, but it was just like Scar to take everything he said seriously.

“A strong desire to live, a strong desire for revenge, and a strong desire to protect their love ones.”

“A desire to protect, what a load of bull. You’re obviously the vengeful type right, Mr. adventure?”

“OOOOH!” The husk let out a bloodcurdling roar. It raised its sword high over its head and swung it downwards like it was a hammer. Crook responded to its attack by merely raising his right hand towards the blade.

It was hard to see. Scar, with his trained eyes, was the only able to see the distortion near Crook’s hand. The moment the sword met the distortion, it bent into itself, becoming nothing more than a useless lump of metal.

But it didn’t stop there. The distortion quickly spread to the husk’s arm. Twisting its muscle and skin until it became an unrecognizable mess of flesh and bones.

Any other living creature would’ve blacked out from the intense pain or from the shock of seeing their body part take a gruesome new form. But the unrelenting undead press forward and swung its twisted flesh that seemed to fuse with the lump of iron it once held at Crook.

Crook step to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike. At the same time, he trips the husk, by sweeping his leg underneath its leg.

Crook aims his right hand at the husk, preparing to finish it off but stop at the unbelievable sight in front of him. The monster that should know no fear was running away from him.

“I have to get back, get back.” The husk mumble as it desperately crawled away.

“I see.” Crook placed his right hand back in his pocket and walked towards the fleeing husk.” If it were motivated by the strong desire to live, it would attack anyone that it felt threatened by it. If it were motivated by revenge, it would relentlessly attack Crook until it killed him or it until its completely destroyed.

“A strong desire to protect their love ones.” Scar’s words echo in Crooks's head.

“I see you’re the latter, huh? Now that I think about it. You were the only person trying to protect Catherine. You must’ve been a good person.” Crook placed his foot on the back on the husk back to stop it from moving.

“I know you think I might be a villain, and you’re probably right. But know this, even if you somehow manage to return home to your loved ones, the only thing waiting for you is a tragedy. Either they’ll kill you out of fear, or you’ll kill them as your hatred for all living beings grow. Shitty, isn’t it? But that’s life for you.”

“Go back, have to return.” The husk continues to mindlessly struggle underneath Crook's foot. Realizing he might as well to be talking to a wall. Crook let out another exhausted sigh.

“Scar, make it quick.”

“Understood.” Scar pulls his sword out and aimed at the husk neck.” In a single and clean stroke, Scar easily beheaded the undead creature and

“Have to… go back.” Even after being separated from each other. The headless body continued to struggle, and the head continued to speak.

“I’ve had enough. You guys can dispose of the body. Scar, you’re in charge.” Crook lifts his foot off the husk and walk away without looking back to see if his men had a handle on the situation.

“What a shitty way to start the day.” Crook reached into his pocket as he continued to walk. The cigar he was fishing for slip out of his pocket and fell on the ground. Silently cursing to himself as he reaches for it. His right hand begins to tremble uncontrollably as he tried to grab the cigar. Unable to get a grip on it, he stood back up and looked at the blue sky and the rising sun.

“Heh.” Crook let out a dry laugh as he listened to the sounds of birds chirping and beasts chomping on the corpses, he fed them. “Honestly, what a shitty world.”