Branches hacking at my arms breath clawing at my lungs. Trying to shake my hunters loose.
I twisted through the trees, hurdling shrubs and vines. They charged straight through like rhinos.
They were two. One on each side. Sticking out hands to grip my shirt and blades to flay my skin. Both came close. Too close. And I panicked.
They were sure they had me, so they lunged. Left them tackling the air. I'd already turned around.
I dashed where I came from, clamouring atop the first tree I saw. Both raced from the ground, scrambling toward me and pulling at my feet. I stuck a boot one's face and kept climbing. Panting for breath once I slouched against the highest branch I could reach.
I thought they would chase. I dared them in silence. But it was myth for a human to care that much.
"Do we chase him?" one human asked. Both panting for breath as they eyed me.
"So he can send us falling on the way? I'm not breaking a leg for one moss-head."
"True. But Lord Vicram insisted that he die in front of the Princess. Discipline."
'Lord... he's 'royalty' too...'
"Damn what he said. He's lucky we came here at all. A thorough waste of time."
"Ha. Don't let him hear you."
"So what if he does? The Ever-Soul will deal with him soon. My life is a small price to pay."
'Ever-Soul?'
"We'll go back. Tell him the boy slit his own throat. It doesn't matter."
"Fine by me."
Back they went. I still hung from the tree. The forest swaying dispassionately. More questions than answers, but only one pricked me.
'What the hell do I do now?'
*****
The forest stood watching. Each cry or screech of a mammal reflected my mind. A breeze would float through and jostle the trees by a hair and I would be thrown back to when 'Lord Vicram' made green fly too. Air made me naked and light made me helpless. So I wished to shrivel up in the dark and stop breathing.
I've no memory of how long had passed, only that it felt like eternity. Eternity is not all bad. Heaven is for eternity. But so is hell, and I was there.
My mind strangled by a million thoughts. Thoughts of what I could have done different.
Why had I abandoned my brothers? I could have ran to them, cut them loose. Fled off into the sunset. Why had I let Mom go? We could have ran into the forest without supplies. I'd ended up there anyway.
None of it would have worked and I knew it. But guilt does not care. Guilt gives worth to worthless choices.
So I found regret in each memory until I wanted to shut my eyes. Not to escape, but to surrender. I deserved to. I'd made a wish and it was granted. I'd destroyed my family.
Night approaching. I slumped on the bark of a tree, staring up at the canopy. Shivered when I tried to sleep, I was used to a blanket. Well I'd wasted that life away hadn't I? Mind and me went back and forth like this until we were both too exhausted. My sleep haunted by nightmares of wind and lightning. Of 'Lord Vicram', and the wrath of humans.
*****
Water pouring on my face. Not rain. I hadn't even opened my eyes.
I sputtered, jolting awake. Scrambling backward and crashing into a tree.
Then they laughed, and my eyes finally focused.
"Simmer down mate!" one said.
"We're not humans!" another chimed.
They were... right?
Three Gimen stood in front of me. Green skin, pointy ears like me. Even more questions.
"What... who are you?! What do you want from me?!"
"Easy, easy lad." one tamed me with his movements. "We're not here to hurt you."
I let my breath go. Studying them. One chubby and near toothless. His gums flashed when he cackled. Another lanky, with a lion's mane of a neckbeard. Both of them in tattered rags. The third one. Lean, more put together. His hair coiled into a slick ponytail and his face hair brushed into a goatee. The one who calmed me down.
"Are you a survivor lad?" he asked.
"...A what?"
He tilted his head in understanding.
"Have you survived a human attack?"
"...Yeah. Yeah, I did. Uh, Higa Village, up there." I pointed uphill to where I'd come from.
"Ah, no wonder you didn't know what I meant. You folks've always been detached from the other brink villages."
"We were."
Awkward silence. Ponytail sighed with understanding. I was the only survivor. I watched his head churn as he picked his words.
"I'm sorry about that lad, truly." he put a hand to his chest. "The humans... they are nothing short of devils."
It was hard to disagree. He kept speaking.
"I know we can never fix the loss. But we can offer you something else. Something that may ease the pain."
"And what is that?"
Ponytail paused for effect and I was not in the mood.
"A future."
No. Perhaps I was.
"...What do you mean?"
"We can offer you a future. At our hideout. There are many Gimen there. None have been discovered by humans."
"A hideout?"
"That's right. Entirely hidden, safe. Deep within the mountains. They could fly their ravens 'round for weeks and never catch a glimpse.'"
They waited for my choice. I'd never heard of any Gimen hideout. Especially not one unfindable by humans. Then again, Higa Village didn't communicate with any others. Perhaps that's why they never bothered to reach out to us before they were all slain. But would I die starving in the forest over that gripe?
"...Alright. I'll come. Just lead the way."
All three of them cheered, a minute celebration. I shifted, only watching. Ponytail was having none of it. He pulled me in close and drew a arm around my shoulder. Leaning like a drunkard with an arm pumped in the air. Charming and confusing. That was these three.
"Welcome to Hengeist, lad."
'Hengeist, huh?'