I am Innocent

The spear is a work of art. It's not anything I expected a stone spear to be. It's perfect, sharp, and surprisingly light. The shaft is smooth and sturdy, fitting perfectly in my grip. The stone tip gleams with a dangerous edge.

"That stone you picked up was obsidian," CAI explains. "It's brittle but sharp—more than enough to be a spear for killing these creatures."

I'm confused, shaking with a mix of fear and adrenaline. "CAI, what do I do now?"

"Dude, you have a long stick with a very sharp rock on it...Stab the damn things. What the heck are you on about?"

I do just that, lunging forward, but I miss. A snickering goblin laughs and lunges at me. The injured driver tackles it, screaming, "Boy, keep them away from the inside, and use low sweeps!"

The screams from inside the carriage grow louder as the goblins try to break in. My heart pounds in my chest, a wild drumbeat of fear and determination. I shiver as I stab another goblin, its green and red blood splattering on the tip of the spear. The sensation is sickening, but I push forward, knowing I have to protect those inside.

I fight wildly, with no style or grace. I don't know what I'm doing with this weapon. I swing and jab, barely keeping the goblins at bay. The spear feels alien in my hands, but I grip it tighter, refusing to let go.

Another goblin lunges at me, and I manage to deflect its attack, sweeping low as the driver instructs. The goblin stumbles and I take the opportunity to thrust the spear into its chest. It collapses with a guttural scream, and I pull the spear free, my hands slick with sweat and blood.

I hear the driver shouting encouragement, but it's all a blur. My focus narrows to the immediate threat—the goblins swarming around the carriage. I slash and stab, feeling the spear's tip bite into flesh and bone. The goblins are relentless, their eyes glowing with savage hunger.

One goblin manages to land a blow on my arm, and I cry out in pain, but I don't stop. I can't stop. I swing the spear in a wide arc, catching two goblins off guard. They fall back, hissing in pain and anger.

The fight feels like it lasts an eternity, but gradually, the tide begins to turn. The goblins, seeing their numbers dwindle and their attacks repelled, start to retreat. Their snarls turn to whimpers as they scamper back into the forest, defeated.

I stand there, panting, the spear still clutched in my trembling hands. The ground around me is littered with the bodies of goblins, their blood soaking into the earth.

"I can't believe it," I said, still in shock, my voice trembling with a mix of adrenaline and relief. "We did it!" I chanted over and over. "We did it, CAI. I can't believe we beat them back."

CAI sounded less than pleased. "I can't believe you didn't kill yourself. I mean, I was using a spear as an example. I was expecting something like multiple spears with little spears launching themselves at spears that have the enemies in a full nelson."

I could only huff and puff, talking to myself in confusion. "What?" I said, trying to understand.

"Never mind, my guy," CAI sighed. "What I'm saying is, at full power, you could have snapped into existence this creation. But what you just did is essentially the equivalent of working hard to gather materials to turn them into items. That's a job. You are working a job. You have the power to create, is what I am trying to get you to understand."

I was caught off guard. "But you said," I began to protest, but CAI cut me off.

"Nah, nah, nah, I know what I said," he commented, almost exasperated. "What I'm saying is, you have the potential to be so much stronger. But enough of that right now. You are bleeding out and talking to yourself which is not very hero-like. You look more like the crazy guy who looks into cabbages claiming to see the face of Jesus."

I winced in pain and confusion. "Who is Jesus?"

With a sassy tone, CAI responded, "Your friend and mine. Now suck it up, buttercup, and put on your hero's face."

When he said that, my attention fell on the scene before me. One of the drivers was barely recovering, while the other was being attended to by a very small man. There were also two ladies, one older than the other, both with blonde hair. The oldest was tending to the bleeding driver, while the youngest came over to thank me. She looked to be a little older than me.

"Thank you," she said, her voice soft but filled with genuine gratitude. Her eyes were wide, a mix of relief and admiration shining in them. "You saved us."

I nodded, still trying to process everything that had just happened. "I'm glad I could help," I said, my voice unsteady. "Are you all okay?"

The older woman looked up, her hands stained with blood as she worked to stop the bleeding on the driver. "We're alive, thanks to you," she said, her tone firm despite the exhaustion in her eyes. "This driver needs more attention, but we'll manage."

I turned back to the young woman who had thanked me. Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, we simply looked at each other, the chaos around us fading into the background. She had a kindness in her eyes, a softness that contrasted sharply with the violence of the encounter we had just endured.

"What's your name?" I asked, wanting to know more about these people I had risked my life to save.

"Alice," she replied with a gentle smile. "And that's my mother, Lillian. We were on our way to the next town to visit my grandfather when those creatures attacked us."

I nodded, trying to offer a reassuring smile despite the lingering fear and confusion inside me. "I'm Hiro," I said, introducing myself. "I'm glad I could help, Alice."

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the spear in my hand. It was still amazing to me, a perfect weapon formed from the simplest of materials. The sharp obsidian blade and sturdy shaft were a testament to the power I had yet to fully understand or control.

As I looked around, seeing the relieved faces of Alice, Lillian, and the recovering drivers, I felt a strange mix of emotions. Relief, pride, and a lingering fear of the unknown. But most of all, I felt a sense of purpose. Maybe CAI was right. Maybe I had the power to make a difference in this world.

"Thank you," she says softly, her voice trembling. "We owe you our lives."

I nod, trying to suppress the pain as she works. "Just glad I could help," I manage to say.

Her mother, Lillian, approaches us, her face lined with worry. "Both drivers are in bad shape," she explains. "Bernard, the one that's able to move, will need help reattaching the wheel of the carriage."

I glance over at Bernard, who is struggling to stand. "I'll help him," I say, pushing through my exhaustion.

Together, Bernard and I work to fix the carriage. It's a struggle; my muscles ache, and every movement sends a jolt of pain through my body. But with determination, we managed to get the wheel reattached. The goblins' attack has left us all shaken, but the urgency of getting to safety propels us forward.

We head off towards the village, the journey slow and arduous. The small group of us, bruised and battered, make our way through the forest. Finally, we arrive at a quaint and humble village. It's small, an intersection of a few dirt roads lined with modest homes and shops.

The villagers welcome us warmly, offering food and shelter. I end up taking temporary residence in the village inn. It's a cozy place, not too big, but enough to provide comfort and safety.

As I lay in bed, the exhaustion of the day's events weighs heavily on me. The room is simple, with wooden beams overhead and the faint scent of herbs in the air. I can hear the muffled sounds of the village outside, people going about their evening routines.

My mind races, replaying the events of the day. The fight with the goblins, the desperation in the eyes of the people I saved, and the strange power that CAI has awakened within me. I feel a mix of relief and confusion, the adrenaline slowly ebbing away.

The bed is soft, and as I sink into it, my body finally relaxes. I close my eyes, letting the fatigue take over. Despite the uncertainty of my situation, there's a small spark of hope. In this quaint, humble village, I've found a temporary refuge. And maybe, just maybe, I can begin to piece together the fragments of my past and forge a new path forward.

Bang, bang, bang. The knock at the door stirred me from my restless sleep. I groggily got up, my body still aching from the day's events. Opening the door, I squinted into the dim light of the hallway. "Hello?" I said, my voice heavy with exhaustion.

Before I could react, three men pushed their way into the room. One of them struck me hard on the side of my head. Pain exploded through my skull, and darkness crept into the edges of my vision.

"You're coming with us," one of them growled.

I tried to fight back, but the blows came too quickly. My strength, already sapped from the fight with the goblins, was no match for them. I collapsed to the floor, my vision blurring.

"You're accused of being a thief and putting the chief's family in danger," another man said, his voice a distant echo. "We're taking you to face justice."

"No... it's a mistake," I tried to protest, my words slurring. "I didn't... I saved..."

But my protests were cut short by another brutal strike. The world spun, and I felt myself being dragged, my body limp and unresponsive. The last thing I heard before succumbing to the darkness was the muffled sounds of the village and the distant echo of CAI's voice, desperately trying to reach me.

"Stay with me man, don't let them kick you around like this. Come on....."

The pain faded, replaced by a cold, empty void. I was knocked out, slipping into unconsciousness as the world around me disappeared. And then there was nothing but darkness suffocating and pitch-black darkness.