Garrett stood with his axe, his grip was tight and the flames burnt bright.
David and Garrett stood close to each other, a silent trust between them that spoke through the sound of weapons clashing.
The Monster was glaring at them, the villagers stood together, they were looking at Garrett and David, they knew if there was any chance of them surviving, it was only because of these two.
**
David's PoV
With Garrett here we might be able to pull it off, they didn't call him Wyvern Eater for nothing.
I still remember the day, I was just transferred to the private troops of the County of Haroth.
The count of Haroth was Porius Haroth. A man drunk in power, a classic example of a rotten noble.
He had two children a son and a daughter, well two officially.
He had several mistresses and with them he had several children, some used for tools for his children, some for his own entertainment.
The children of the mistress were nothing more than toys for him and his family.
But it wasn't my business, if I let my anger take over me again, this time I'll send it to some baron making me nothing more than a gatekeeper.
I joined the troop and saw what nobility without curtain elegance was like, the people of the county lived in misery.
High taxes, low resources and a young lord who does whatever he wishes.
I've lost count of how many women he attacked.
This is the usual thing until one day...
The young lord was too drunk and assaulted the daughter of the barkeeper, the girl struck the son with a bottle sending him to comatose.
The count burnt that burn and girl the same day...
That was the day I realised, there was no justice until I met him.
A new man came out of the troop.
Huge as a bear, a clean face- neatly done, like a proper knight.
It was a young Garrett.
He was different from anyone there, like me who was transferred because I wasn't able to save the life of the child of Marquess' friend.
I went to the dungeon but didn't enter it.
Why should I?
Why should I throw my life for some brat?
Angered he sent me here, he tried punishing me but got saved because of my relative in the royal court.
Whereas Garrett, he was a man of code,
He lived by his rules and did what he thought was right but did anyone question him?
Nope, his glare was enough to silence men.
One day count tried to hurt her own daughter but Garrett saved her, angered count captured Garrett but then she saved him.
They ran away from the county and the angered count asked for their blood.
Count sent a Wyvern at them but held and behold Garrett sliced it in half too.
That was the time I realised, sometimes will turns a man into somethinh greater, I didn't know where they ended up until I heard he was here.
I wasn't surprised when I found out he married his daughter.
I changed that day, I tried to free as much of his children until I was found out, before I was about to be executed until I was pardoned by the royal court.
The one that got me pardon was none other than the official daughter of count, Lady Calla.
With that she told me to come here, if I had known that I would face that monster here, I would've choosen to die there instead.
The monster limped towards me and than his horns grew once again, it came out of the snow like throns sprouted out of the earth.
Garrett struck the earth with his axe and the ground shook, the horns shattered and the man attacked in unison again, everytime the monster targter the man, Garrett jumped in between swaying the attention of monster.
Meanwhile, I was preparing for the opening for Garrett.
( OH GREAT HIGH ONES OF HEAVEN,
I SEEK YOUR BLESSING...)
I chanted and started preparing for an all out attack, I'll use all of my aura in one go, if it's hit its bound to lose a limb or two.
That'll be enough for Garrett to finish it off.
So I acted upon it, i prepared for the attack, the monster sensed the danger and tried attacking but Garrett stopped it.
Finally the winds were blowing to our sails.
I launched the attack.
( HOLY FLAMES! )
A large wave of fire stick down the beasts and burned it, it wasn't much but enough to blind it and make it disoriented.
"Garrett now!" I yelled and Garrett pulled his axe up his head.
The monster rushed at Garrett in full speed with its horn at front, then I saw something.
Something struck Garrett in the ribs in flash, something that came from the forest.
"( EARTHEN PURGATORY)" Garrett swung his axe and a large cloud of fog and steam covered the ground.
The fog slowly thinned, we saw the beast on the ground, and Garrett held its horn away from his body.
His body was imapaled by the horns ta several places gouging out muscles and bones out of his body.
It missed the vital points but it wasn't that much of a good news.
The monster fell to the ground and cried out, the man closes their ears in agony.
Along with monster Garrett fell down too, he was bleeding out.
I cried for healer but those were already dead.
Then suddenly two men appeared out of nowhere.
They were the two men appointed to guard the house of Garrett.
"Leave him to us..." They said and took Garrett away.
**
Meanwhile Maria took Violet to the cellar and kept her close to her chest.
She prayed for Garrett safety, her eyes were filled with tears but she didn't cry.
It was duty to comfort Violet, if she showed fear then what would happen to Violet she thought.
"Mama?" Violet looked at Maria with innocent eyes.
"What little bird?" Maria rubbed her cheek with a warm smile.
"Where is papa?" Violet maybe was little bit she was quick to understand the situation, sometimes she learnt from Garrett.
"He is out there patrolling, some wild animal rushed into the village." Maria sighed, she didn't open her eyes fearing, Violet would read them.
Violet who understood that Maria answers carried more worry than hope, she hugged her tightly to tell her that she isn't alone.
They waited there, silently praying and hoping, until there was a knock on the door.
"Maria!" The chief voice echoed throught cottage.
Maria eyes gaped open, she didn't knew what happened, but that desperation the voice was palpable.
"Maria! Garrett! Garrett!" The chief yelled out...
Sitting in the dark cellar, hearing his name Maria heart wrenched in agony, and she came out.
There she saw...
Something that changed changed their life for.
***
A few months went by, the guards returned to the capital, the villagers returned to their routine, some husband, some lost their father, some brother, some son.
The situation became dire for Greyhollow village, but they strived to make it better.
The woman formed a small group which went out to hunt, they had lost the men they relied on for that.
"Hey! Check the trap you set!" A woman called and pointed at the crevice,
"I saw a deer, it vanished into the forest a while ago!" Another woman climbed up the hill.
In there was Maria too, she had a bow and arrow on her shoulder.
"Maria! What do you think we should do?" The woman asked and other women turned to her,
Maria let out a deep breath and then looked at them straight.
"We'll follow the trails, if there is one deer then there must be a whole herd!" Maria sighed.
Maria slowly kneeled and checked the trail, it was fresh, she followedw with rest of the group.
"Maria are you okay?" One woman who observed her Maria silence spoke.
"No, but this isn't time to ponder, my family is waiting." Maria eyes cought something and she pulled out an arrow.
She nocked it and aimed.
Her hands were trembling but she took a deep breath then released it.
The arrow flew and struck a deer's neck.
The deer fell down and the herd spread thin.
"These animals!" Maria face had a feint smile,
"They are returning, they are coming back." She stood up and the other woman followed her.
They skinned and distributed meat among them and then returned.
She thanked the animal and slowly walked back to her home, along the way she check the trap she laid yesterday.
There was small rabbit in the trap.
Maria looked at the rabbit struggling for life, it kicked and kicked but couldn't budge.
When it saw Maria, it stopped maybe...
It wanted relief in whatever way it came.
Ironic what she thought.
"Forgive me, this is for my family." She slit the throat and filled a bottle with its blood.
She returned back to cottage and saw the snow upon the door fell down.
The summer was around but snowfall never stopped here, she rushed thinking the worst.
She entered the home in hurry pulling out dagger.
"What's with this nervousness sister?"
The door closed and there stood the thread that binded Maria's neck with nectar on her lips.
"Calla..." Maria spoke.