Chapter 6: Shadows of the Past

The village basked in the serene light of another dawn. Alex stood in the clearing, practicing his strikes with the wooden sword Thal had given him. His muscles ached, but he welcomed the pain—it was a reminder of his progress, of the strength he was building.

Thal approached, his expression thoughtful. "You're improving, Alex. Your form is solid, and your strikes are getting faster."

"Thanks, Thal," Alex replied, breathing heavily. "But I still have a long way to go."

Thal nodded, his eyes distant. "Remember, it's not just about strength or speed. It's about awareness. Always be aware of your surroundings."

Their training was interrupted by the distant sound of shouting. Both men turned, their eyes narrowing as they saw a thick column of smoke rising from the outskirts of the village.

"What's happening?" Alex asked, his heart pounding.

"Trouble," Thal muttered, grabbing his sword. He then fetched Alex a sword, it was lackluster but sharp enough to serve its purpose. Thal threw it to Alex, who was amazed by how light it felt.

Without giving Alex time to appreciate the sword, Thal said, "Let's go!"

They sprinted towards the source of the smoke, their minds racing with the possibilities. As they reached the village square, they found chaos. Bandits were everywhere, setting fire to homes and attacking villagers. The once peaceful village had erupted into a battlefield.

Thal didn't hesitate. He charged into the fray, his sword flashing in the morning light. Alex followed, his training taking over as he parried a bandit's attack and countered with a swift strike to the man's side.

The bandit grinned inwardly, holding his wound, which shocked Alex. Another bandit then went to help him and struck at Alex. Alex let the bandit disarm him just so he could dodge a fatal blow.

Alex then sucker-punched the bandit that ambushed him and was pushed away to the ground, dizzy. The other bandit, hurt and unable to react, went down as well from Alex's kick at his knee. Alex caught his sword from the bandit and beheaded him mercilessly.

He then finished his job with the other bandit and ran to get himself more kills. The system kept ringing in his head, each of his kills gifting him coins. Alex didn't know what to do with his coins anymore; he was able to get coins from Thal, who would always buy his game.

But that coins are meant to be spent in the real life, which he uses to buy him food and equipment. The system coins were different and was stored in the system itself. He had a hundred gold coins now but still had no idea how to spend them.

"Defend your homes!" Thal shouted, rallying the villagers. "Protect your families!"

The villagers, inspired by Thal's and Alex's bravery, fought back with renewed determination. They grabbed whatever weapons they could find—pitchforks, clubs, kitchen knives—and joined the fight. Alex found himself facing multiple attackers, his heart racing as he blocked and struck, the lessons Thal had drilled into him coming to life.

There were many times he felt that he could die, but ultimately he always seemed to react properly. Unlike his previous fighting style, where he relied heavily on preset moves, he now was able to roll attacks seamlessly.

With Thal's training, he not only developed his senses, but he also began to create his unique fighting style. His style was very rough right now, but it each strike was precise.

The good thing about Alex was that no matter how bad the situation, he was able to stay calm. Everything in his eyes is clear, he could see and anticipate his opppenents attacks. By observing the enemies movements, he was able to perceive, with a bit of luck and guessing, their attacks.

His adrenaline gave him the focus he needs thus despite the chaotic battle he was able to feel calm. The bandits' main focus was attacking him and Thal. At first they were terrified that such a monster was hiding in this small village; next thing they knew, that monster also had a spawn that was about as terrifying.

Bandits surrounded them, Alex remained calm. Number was their only advantage. The perceptive Thal became wary. A small village like this didn't have that many loot; the number of bandits needed to attack this normally wouldn't exceed fifty, but their number not only reached fifty but was also slowly increasing.

Despite the chaos, Alex noticed something strange about the attack. The bandits seemed disorganized, their attacks lacking coordination. It was as if they were merely a distraction. He could see that most of them were scattered over too big of an area instead of focusing on a path.

His suspicions were confirmed when he saw a group of shadowy figures moving through the chaos with deadly precision. They were heading straight for Thal.

"Thal!" Alex shouted, trying to warn him.

Thal turned just in time to see the assassins closing in. His eyes widened in recognition. "Black Hand," he hissed, his voice filled with a mix of anger and fear.

The assassins attacked with ruthless efficiency, their blades gleaming in the light. Thal parried the first strike, but there were too many of them. Alex fought his way towards his mentor, desperation fueling his movements.

Thal was fighting with better efficiency than he previously did. He knew he might not be able to win this. There were several shadowy figures surrounding him. Alex was too far to come for his rescue.

Yet, he never faltered. He fought and fought. Each cut represented the death of the members of Black Hand. But he was just one, and they were too many.

"Stay back, Alex!" Thal shouted, his sword dancing as he fended off the attackers.

"No way!" Alex replied, slashing at an assassin who had gotten too close. "I'm not leaving you!"

The battle raged on, the sounds of clashing steel and cries of pain filling the air. Despite their best efforts, Thal and Alex were being overwhelmed. The assassins were relentless, their focus on Thal unwavering.

Suddenly, one of the assassins broke through Thal's defenses, his blade slicing across Thal's side. Thal staggered, blood staining his tunic. The sight of his mentor wounded filled Alex with a rage he had never known. With a primal scream, he attacked, his strikes fueled by a desperate need to protect the man who had become like a father to him.

The assassins were taken aback by Alex's ferocity. He fought with everything he had, his movements a blur as he struck down one after another. But there were too many, and he was tiring.

Black Hand underestimated Thal, they assumed that this number of assasin was enough to overpower him. Though they were a bit right. Luckily, Thal wasn't alone 

Just when it seemed they would be overwhelmed, the villagers rallied. Led by some of the more experienced fighters, they charged at the assassins, driving them back. The tide of battle shifted once again, and the assassins, realizing they were outnumbered, began to retreat.

"Fall back!" one of them shouted, and the rest followed, disappearing into the forest as quickly as they had appeared.

The village square was left in ruins, the bodies of bandits and a few villagers lying motionless on the ground. Alex dropped to his knees beside Thal, who was clutching his wounded side.

"Thal," Alex said, his voice shaking. "You're hurt."

Thal gave a pained smile. "It's just a scratch, boy. I've had worse."

Yet after saying that, Thal spouted a mouthful of blood, his face was pale. And Alex could see the pain in his eyes. He turned to the villagers who had gathered around. "We need a healer, now!"

Despite Thal's experience and pain tolerance, the deep cuts and his hidden injuries won over him. Ultimately, the pain and blood loss made him faint.

Alex looked around him, the villagers were visibly worried. They kept looking at each other; this small village didn't have the luxury of having a healer around. Even in kingdoms, there were only a handful of healers.

He was worried and anxious at the thought that his master might perish. As a soldier and a hunter, he was more than experienced in performing first aid. But looking at the cuts Thal had sustained, mere first aid wouldn't do.

Alex carried Thal to his tannery, and there he slowly applied first aid to Thal's wounds. He learned from his days in the forest what good herbs could be used, and thus he was able to treat Thal's external wounds.

When he finally opened Thal's shirt, he was shocked by what he saw. It was Thal's beating heart. Thal had no chest, well, in a sense he had none. Because Alex could clearly see his beating heart in the middle of his chest.

Just then, Thal woke up groggily. He immediately realized the situation and calmly sat down weakly. He then took off his shirt and showed Alex his torso, or what remained of it.

"This was the payment for not being strong enough. Now, I just live by with less than a quarter of my strength," Thal said with a melancholic sigh.

"Who did that to you? And how the hell did you survive?"

"I know you have a lot of questions. Let me tell you a story."

Alex listened intently as Thal began his tale. "I used to be part of an elite group of warriors. We were tasked with maintaining peace and order in Eldoria. One day, we were sent on a mission to eliminate the Black Hand. We underestimated them. They were prepared for us, waiting in the shadows. It was an ambush."

Thal paused, his face darkening as he relived the memory. "We fought hard, but we were outnumbered and outmatched. The Black Hand's leader, a ruthless man named Arak, personally led the attack. He was unlike anyone I'd ever faced—fast, strong, and incredibly skilled."

Alex listened intently, the gravity of Thal's words sinking in.

"We fought bravely, but one by one, my comrades fell. Some may have survived, but we ulitimately lost the battle." Thal continued, his voice trembling with the weight of the memory. "I watched as Arak cut down my friends, each death a blow to my soul. When it was my turn to face him, I gave it everything I had. But it wasn't enough. He was too powerful."

Thal's eyes grew distant, as if he was seeing the scene play out once more. "Arak's blade cut through me like I was nothing. He left me for dead, a reminder of their victory. Somehow, I survived. A healer found me and managed to save my life, but not without consequences." He gestured to his exposed chest, where his beating heart was visible.

"Since that day, I've been hiding, trying to stay out of the Black Hand's reach," Thal said, his voice growing softer. "But they haven't forgotten me. And now, it seems, they've found me again."

Alex was silent for a moment, absorbing the story. "So what do we do now? We can't just stay here and wait for them to come back."

Thal nodded, his expression grim. "You're right. We need to leave. The Black Hand will return, and when they do, they'll destroy everything in their path to get to me."

"But where will we go?" Alex asked, his voice tinged with desperation.

"We'll go somewhere they won't expect," Thal replied. "We'll travel to the old kingdom, where I once served. There are still allies there who might help us. And I need to find my surviving teammates. If they're still alive, they'll be hiding too. Together, we might stand a chance."

Alex's heart sank. He didn't want to leave the village, it becama a home to him. But he knew Thal was right. Staying here would only put everyone in danger.

"We'll leave at first light," Thal said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Pack only what you need. We'll travel light and fast."

Alex spent the rest of the day preparing for their departure. He gathered his belongings, said his goodbyes to the villagers, and tried to come to terms with the fact that his life was about to change forever.