Sayda frowned. A wolf? Is he raving, or is that just a name he goes by? Doubtful.
"Sorry, but I don't understand what you mean by 'what race I come from'."
Saugrar lowered his sword and turned his gaze to Sayda, staring into his eyes with a dubious expression.
"So you decide not to tell?" Saugrar asked. Does this boy seem to be acting as if he doesn't know?
He glanced towards Saugrar, whose face creased with confusion.
"I still don't understand. What are you trying to say?"
"Don't you know your own race? Didn't your parents ever tell you what kind of half-human you are?"
He paused for a moment before smiling, and gave a small laugh, albeit falsely.
"Half-human? You must be kidding, right," Sayda said. "I... I mean we're all human, right? And I'm a human too–a true human, a pure one."
Saugrar suddenly lowered his head. His hands gripped the tip of the sword so tightly that the veins on his hands were clearly visible. He spoke, but his voice had changed, as if he were holding back and overwhelming emotion.
"Hei! Tell me the truth–surely you're joking, aren't you?" Saugrar snarled.
His eyes fixed on the ground, his face remained hidden, like a mask concealing the anger about to burst. Sayda looked at Saugrar, confusion written on his face as he sensed that something was amiss. Have I said something wrong, or is there something I don't know about?
"I'm not lying. I have no reason to. I'm a human – pure human."
Saugrar held his sword with a firm grip.
"P... Pure human? Then, how can you still be alive?" His voice trembled. He's lying.
"What are y—"
"Shut the hell up!"
His voice was full of anger that he could no longer hold back. With a swift gesture, Saugrar drew his sword and lunged at Sayda's throat. Yet, in a flash, Sayda averted his gaze. His body slightly turned towards the rear, his face sweaty as he firmly gripped his knife.
"What's all this, Saugrar!"
"Why so sudden?" His voice tinged with confusion.
Without delay, Saugrar attacked from the side. Sayda managed to hold his ground with his knife, but he was unable to withstand the powerful blow, which threw him against the nearby table until it broke and food scattered everywhere.
A sudden, loud noise from the front made Makari rush outside, his eyes wide as he took in the scene in a daze.
"Saugrar! What happened?"
"Makari... Behead this guy," Saugrar muttered.
For a moment, Makari froze before finally grasping his sword, which was mounted on the wall.
"With pleasure, sir."
Makari rushed towards Sayda, his sword raised, ready to obey the given command. His face was expressionless; in an instant, he had transformed into a heartless killing machine. Sayda, who had not yet fully recovered, was confronted by another person, intent on taking his head.
The pain spread almost all over his body. What the hell just happened? Why are they trying to kill me?
Makari rushed towards him with his sword raised high, ready to strike. He brought the blade down with all his might, but Sayda blocked it with his knife, gripping the tip of the blade in his right hand and the back of the blade with his left.
Makari pressed down with both hands, forcing the blade with tremendous strength. The pressure was so great that Sayda's left hand, which held the back of the sharp blade, began to split open as the cut grew deeper. He tried to hold it back, but the difference in their strength was painfully clear. Slowly, the blade he was resisting began to inch closer to his face.
Sayda clenched his teeth and let out a low growl. It was heavy – too heavy. Blood dripped steadily from his hand. He glanced past Makari's shoulder, and with every ounce of strength in his voice, he shouted:
"Eldras!"
The sound of footsteps pounding the floor became increasingly louder, something was coming. Saugrar tried to turn around, but suddenly a wolf mid–jump passed him. His eyes widened in shock.
"That wolf?"
With a sudden jolt, Makari's world spun around, and there it was: Eldras, suspended in mid air, its mouth agape, fangs exposed and ready to sink in, while strands of saliva hung in the air. A look of shock spread across his face. That wolf... again?
He quickly raised his left arm to shield himself from the wolf's snapping jaws, releasing the sword in his right hand and reaching to grab its fangs. Makari gritted his teeth and let out a low growl, restraining the wolf's strength. Seeing an opportunity, Sayda immediately kicked Makari in the leg, causing him to fall to the floor.
"Ah!" Makari exclaimed as he hit the ground.
Sayda's eyes darted around, looking for an exit, until they settled on a door not far from him. Here's my chance. He immediately rose up, eager to leave as soon as possible, but his back shirt appeared to be pulled by someone. Saugrar swiftly yanked Sayda's shirt off, causing him to fall to the floor and the knife slipped from his hand.
His head spun for a moment before his vision snapped back into focused – just in time to see Saugrar's foot raised high, about to crush his face. Instinctively, Sayda rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the impact as Saugrar's strike slammed into the ground.
He instantly stood up to retrieve his knife, but as soon as he did, a flying foot struck his face, causing his head to slamming to the ground and forcing his nose to bleed. When Saugrar approached, Sayda immediately drew his entire body back, fearful of what might happen next and drew his knife towards Saugrar.
"Show me your true form." Saugrar said as he held the sword firmly in his grasp.
"I... am human." Sayda spoke, his voice weary.
"Liar!" Saugrar roared, his voice trembling with emotions he could no longer hold back.
Saugrar grabbed his shirt, hoisted him up, and slammed him against the wall, his face looming dangerously close to Sayda's.
"They are all in hell, every single one of them... every single pure human!"
Sayda froze for a moment, no longer moving or fighting. His withered eyes looked straight at Saugrar, whose face was full of uncontrollable anger. Blood continued to pour from his nose, flowing slowly down until it crossed his mouth and reached his chin, dripping to the floor.
I never understood... I still don't know what's happening in this world. They're all in hell... every single one of them. I never understood –never even knew... but...
"But... I'm still here." Sayda spoke, his voice no longer tinged by confusion or the question that once circled in his mind, but by only weariness and exhaustion.
Saugrar's eyes widened. He gripped the hilt of his sword as hard as he could.
"So there's no point talking to you."
This time, he no longer held back – he was going to let it all go. Sayda knew this attack would kill him. He closed his eyes, accepting the death that would befall him.
But suddenly, a thunderous crash echoed, startling them both and forcing them to turn. Makari stood over Eldras, pinning him to the ground – his foot crushing his back and arm, his hand pressing down on Eldras's head, leaving cracks beneath from the sheer force. Grey fur covered his arm, his claws sharp and brutal. His heavy breaths echoed as he stared ahead.
"Saugrar!" Makari said. "I don't think he's lying."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Saugrar spoke.
"Eldras!" Sayda shouted, staring at the scene, a look of despair crossing his face as he watched his companion fall.
"Take a look good, Saugrar!" Makari spoke. "Look at his face – there's no sign he belongs to any tribe. No horns, no wings, no tails, no change at all. He's empty... empty like a pure human."
Saugrar slowly eased his grip on Sayda's shirt.
"I know your emotions are running wild right now, Saugrar... but look at him. Use your eyes, not your feelings. He's... not lying." Makari said.
"P... Pure human, huh?"
Saugrar released his sword, the blade clattering to the ground as he reached for his chain.
"So, what you want me to do, exactly?"
With a firm grip, he held onto his chain.
"You want me to be friends with him? I... I really want to kill him, Makari!" Saugrar voice trembled. "He and his kind are the cursed ones. You know that, right, Makari! Everyone in this world knows that!"
Makari fell silent. The atmosphere grew quite, and Sayda said nothing. Gradually, the noise outside the house became clearer – the sound of hurried footsteps, voice rising in chaos as if something was happening outside.
Then, the sound of approaching footsteps grew louder. Suddenly, the door was force open, startling everyone inside. The man at the door painted heavily, as if he had rushed all the way here with urgent news.
"Saugrar!" The man said.
"Soren, what's going on?" Makari spoke.
"It–" Soren was panting heavily, but suddenly fell silent at the sight before him – the shattered table, food scattered across the floor. Saugrar was pinning a boy against the wall, while Makari stood over a wolf, as if holding it down.
"Speak!" Saugrar said, with a stern tone.
"E... Elowen... He's coming again." Soren said, trembling.