Here is chapter 8 of the Story of Wes. Sry for not posting up a new chapter latly. I've been very busy. Well, hope you like it.

Chapter 8: Bloody Confrontation

It’s been two days since the group left Dark Wood City. King was fairing well, and Rancher had just about healed sufficiently enough to fight normally again. He fixed up all the slashes and cuts in his outfit and it almost looked as if he nothing ever happened.

Rancher was still in a depressed state. It seemed to Wes that whoever those people were have caused Rancher a lot of pain. Wes hoped though that Rancher would pull through this, whatever it was.

It was late now. The group set camp. Wes looked up through the canopy of treetops, toward the stars that of which few shone through, looking like small pin points of light.

“Sure is nice tonight huh Rancher?” Wes questioned, trying to break the uncomfortable silence that sank into the campsite, not even the crickets sounded, it felt like something was wrong.
“Shut up kid I’m trying to get some sleep here!” Rancher snapped back.

That reaction from Rancher did break the silence, just not in the way Wes was hoping for. Something that was in the brush a few yards away stirred.
“I think I heard someone over here,” a voice sounded quietly from the bushes.
“Fine then,” a confident voice began, “you two search east, the rest of us will go north.”
Wes got up as quietly as possible and began to head to where his sword was. He figured it’s more important for someone to be armed and ready if something attacked. After he gets his sword then he’ll try to wake everyone else. But as soon as he got to his sword it was to late.

Two hulking shadows cast over the sleeping forms of everyone except for Wes, who was a little ways toward the side, next to the wagon.
“Found you, you dirty humans,” one said just above a whisper.
“You think these are the ones that scorched the village?” the other one asked.
“Had to be,” the other one began, “these were the only humans spotted in this area in the last two weeks. So let’s can the talk and kill these basta…” he was cut off by Wes.

“Rancher! Everyone get up!” The two figures stood there dumbfounded for a second then began to charge at Wes. Once the figures ran into some of the moonlight Wes could make out that they were zuums, and they were wearing armor and wielding swords. Wes decided that a direct charge wouldn’t work on these guys so he led them around the wagon to try and buy time for the rest of the group to gather themselves.

“Any time now guys!” Wes shouted as he rounded the wagon. Wes knew that Rancher and his monsters were deep sleepers but this was ridiculous. Wes decided to lead the zuums away from the group so he ran and leapt over Rancher and past Killa Kan and into the denser part of the forest.
Right as the second zuum passed Rancher he shoved upward with his knife and struck right into the zuums heart. The creature let out a dry moan and collapsed, drawing the other zuums attention. The other zuum turned just in time to see Killa Kan’s fist coming down on him, shattering his bones. Wes came back into the camp area wondering why hadn’t the zuums followed him. But it was answered when he saw one’s corpse and the other’s remains.

“Ah man that’s really nasty,” Wes complained. Then King rustled a bit.
“Wha’ what happened?” he asked still half asleep.
“Nothing King just go back to sleep,” answered Rancher.
“Shouldn’t we worry about more of them coming?” asked Wes.
“Yeah your right we’d better relocate.”

The group packed up and shipped into the wagon and strode around the forest for an hour or so before running into what they figure to be what used to be a town. The buildings were nothing more then ash, and there were piles up zuum skeletons which still smelled of burned flesh.

Wes stood there, straining to hold back tears as sorrow that swept onto him like the phantom wind that haunted his home town that day long ago. Despair flooded like a raging river. Rancher saw Wes’ reaction and quickly ordered Killa Kan to take Wes back to the wagon for the time being and watch him while he combed the area of any clues as to who or what did this. Rancher and Killa Kan had an idea of who did this but decided to keep it under their collar for the time.

Rancher had spent a good hour or so before deciding to retire for the night. Just as he was about to exit the clearing he heard a strong voice ring out from a ways behind him.
“Deciding to check out the aftermath of your treachery?” it exclaimed in a very angry tone.
“I didn’t do this, I don’t see how I could’ve,” Rancher replied, trying to keep his voice soft and keeping his temper in check.
“You lying human scum!” Rancher’s accuser shouted. Rancher turned to see a small five-member band of armed and armored zuums. The one in the front, who Rancher guessed to be the captain, was practically in tears, he was obsessed in his anger, as Wes was in his despair.

“These past few days just suck,” Rancher mumbled under his breath.
“What’s wrong human? Why aren’t you running?” asked the enraged zuum.
“I don’t find it necessary to. I’m not the one you’re looking for. And until I find that same person, I cannot rest.”
“So you think you’re a poet eh?”
“No, I’m just speaking the truth!”
“You lie!” the creature yelled, “kill him!” The group dashed toward Rancher all of them with their swords ready.

“I’m sorry I really am,” Rancher said quietly as he readied his knives, preparing a counter-attack.

The zuums quickly closed the distance. The lead zuum tried to bring his sword down upon Rancher but he simply dodged to the side and ducked a high swing that would a severed his head. Then since he was in a low stance he stabbed the neck of the nearest zuum then rolled to the side when a powerful swing came down onto the spot he was in.

Rancher got up and ducked under another high slash, then he stabbed that zuum in the neck and quickly turned to meet another zuum face to face. Rancher noted that he was facing the captain and the other two remaining zuums were flanking him. The flanking two slashed at him. Rancher side-stepped one of the swords then caught the other zuum’s arm and stepped in, then jerked his arm inward, forcing the zuum to impale himself. The captain zuum and the other zuum dashed toward Rancher. Rancher stepped in toward the second zuum’s open side. The creature tried to pull it’s sword over to slash at the man but he wasn’t fast enough. Rancher let loose one of his knives and the blade found a mark in the creature’s left eye. It doubled over backward leaving a sight to the captain.

The captain stood there panting and sobbing. Rancher lowered his guard and hung his head.

“It didn’t have to end this way. If only you would have believed me. But now it’s too late. I’ll let you live so you can think of the mistake you’ve made. Or I can just end your pain here,” Rancher said calmly.
“Go to hell human!” the monster said as it ran toward Rancher with tears falling in the it’s path. Rancher didn’t even flinch as the creature closed it’s distance. Once the captain was about ten feet away, Rancher let loose his other knife and it logged itself in the captain’s forehead. The zuum hung there standing for a second before collapsing.

“Once again I stain the Knives of Draco with the blood of my enemies. The cycle of life and death is a never-ending process in which people of good and evil will suffer. It’s the fact that good people like Wes are the people that always die first, and it’s the killers like me that survive. I’m sorry Killa Kan but I’ve killed again. I know we both said we’d try not to, we still can’t help it. For we are the end of the cycle that brings death, that is why we are here after all. That’s why the Dragon put us here on this planet, for there must be death, or there shall be no life. That is the way this world works, unfair as it is. That is the truth.” Even though no one was around to hear Rancher say that, he couldn’t help but to remind himself of the sins he’s done upon this world. Death, violence and more death is what his path seems to always be.

Rancher walked back to the wagon. He walked slowly, thinking of what may come of the future, what to do when he reaches the Citadel.
Wes sat on the coach seat still filling horrible about the village. He couldn’t help but cry from the terrifying memory of the same fate that his town suffered. Killa Kan was trying to help Wes but couldn’t, King was still passed out inside the wagon, he always manages to sleep no matter what.

“Don’t dwindle in the past Wes, it can only build up the pain even more. In due time I’m sure you’ll figure out what happened to your town,” Rancher said sadly.
“How…how do you know about what happened? I’ve never said anything about it to you,” Wes asked between sniffs.
“That to well be answered soon enough Wes, soon enough.”

-Nicholas D. Wolfwood-

Nice, I like it. *applauds*