Will Of The Fates

20.

"Who's there?" The thugs immediately turned towards us. Two of the four only had their heads turned. The biggest ones faced us in the trees.

I heard the bow string stretch. It was my cue to move.

"Just passing by." I called out as I stepped out from behind the tree. Their eyes immediately found me in the shadows. They raised their weapons towards me. "I am not here to interrupt. Just got curious because you're making a lot of noise."

"We'll keep it down from now." He waved dismissively at me. "Go back to your mother, little girl. This isn't something a woman should watch.'

"PLEASE!" The old man yelled desperately at me. He took a step forward. "I'LL DO AN—"

His eyes widened as a foot slammed into chest. There was a loud splash as he hit the water on his back. There was spluttering and he eventually came back up. The cloak was glued to his face as he gasped for air and struggled in the water.

The thugs started to laugh as he struggle against his cloak. It was awhile before he took a full gasp of air. His white hair was pressed to his face from the water. The little pond wasn't as deep as it looked. Water only came up to his waist. He already shook with a chill. "P-please..."

"What did he do?" I jerked my head towards him.

The biggest thug turned towards me with surprise in his eyes. "You're still here?"

I shrugged. "Yeah. So?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Huh... Mercenary?"

"Maybe."

"Huh." He turned back to the old man. "He's a drunkard and a gambler. So he's not worth your time, kid. Get lost before he drags you into this shit."

"Please..." The old man whispered again. The plea was genuine. However, if he was what the thug said he was...

Not worth this. Father also told me to avoid them. Men who spend, men who lend, and then the men who get back what they lent.

I took a step back as the biggest one moved forward. He continued to laugh. "There goes your lifeline, Killian." His foot slammed into the old man's face. He jerked away and hit the water once again.

I was stilled from the brutality of that action. As the old man started to come up, the big man raised his hand. The mana chilled my skin as the water roiled. Killian bad barely taken a breath when he was sucked back down. I could see the thrashing. The waves it made in the water. My chest tightened. My body shifted on it's own.

The water stilled abruptly. The waves roiled only as Killian straightened out of water. He spat and swayed as the eyes of the others moved to the big guy. There were questions in their eyes as to why he'd stopped. They were all answered as they saw the knife that had pierced through his neck.

He choked and gurgled. His hands shook as they rose to the blood that dripped from the knife. Then he fell to his knees.

My hand fell to my side. Eyes moved to me with that motion. The knew the knife was mine.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I didn't think.

My eyes were as wide as the men who stared at me. The leader rasped and choked on his blood. When he let out a final rasp and fell flat on his face, the surprised air snapped.

The thugs moved to face me. Sword and daggers drawn, club raised. The one at the back stopped and stumbled as an arrow appeared in his neck. He choked too as he fell to his knees. The leftover two turned to look at him. My swords rose. The closest one was distracted.