The Destruction of Nero Umalut

Chapter III

The town was in revelry, though why exactly Nero didn’t know. Yes, he had  stopped the Splendid from massacring them all, but that wasn’t a big thing. Almost any properly trained hunter could do it.

And his mind was completely blown as to why they weren’t exiling him for Pewter’s death. Nero slumped down in his chair outside the local tavern. It was a good place to escape thoughts, especially during times of celebration. The roof was draped in ivy and drunken people milled around.

Every once in a while someone would come up to him and congratulate him, which was what Tam Rin did now. He slapped Nero on the back and sat down across from him.

“Hey great job on the Splendid. Even I’d have a bit of trouble with that.” He was a wiry, lithe young man, and he leaned forwards a bit, his already large eyes becoming even larger, seeming to swallow up half his face. “Especially for a boy who hasn’t been to City yet.”

Nero ducked his head. Did not one single person here care about Pewter? He’d been able to give her a decent funeral, burying her body in a wooden casket and planting it in the graveyard, and according to custom, the entire village was supposed to be wearing black.

Tam Rin was, a credit to him, but most didn’t. “And it’s too bad about your sister, too. She was a nice girl.” He cocked his head. “Excuse me, but how did she die again?”

What was it with this man? Couldn’t he at least try to be tactful? “I-I hear Ulalume calling me,” Nero muttered. He got up, shoving his chair back, and sank into the crowd. He didn’t need fake sympathy from someone who cared more about a triumph than a loss. He shoved through the noisy throng, needing to be somewhere alone, maybe where he could clear his thoughts.

After a few moments of mindless wandering, Nero found himself at the entrance to the forest.

No.

He couldn’t go in there again. Not after what it had done.

But still, it was his spot.

It had helped Pewter die!

It was calmer than any other place around here.

And he was to blame for her death. He couldn’t shrug off the responsibility onto an unthinking entity.

He stepped a foot closer, jaw tightening; then forced himself to walk all the way in.

The path was cool under his feet. Autumn was coming; Nero could sense it in the air. The leaves were still green, but it was only a matter of time before they too die.

Everything dies.

The birds clearly didn’t care about his sister, Nero thought bitterly, realizing he was being unfair. But it was true. They chirped and called as if nothing had happened.

Nero wandered a bit farther into the forest. He didn’t have his knives, but it shouldn’t matter. Splendid typically only came out at night, and Wreckers were at the far east end, and Torques were basically extinct.

Any other creature was weak enough to die from a few well-placed punches or kicks. 

He sighed and kicked at some leaves. Pewter.

Nero looked up suddenly as a noise caught his attention. It was a repetitive drumming sound, reverberating through the path from the direction of City. That didn’t sound like any monster he knew of. Was it a hybrid?

The pounding got closer and closer.

Hoofbeats. Of course.

Straining his sight, he could just make out a black cloud at the end of his vision. The path was relatively straight here. Was it a recruit from City? He thought quickly.