System Change

Derek and Thomas stepped out of the forest. After traveling alone for days, then longer with Derek, Thomas finally felt that he would actually make it home. The wave of relief that washed over him was substantial.

“Which way now?” Derek asked Thomas.

“Honestly, I don’t think it matters. As long as we follow the tree line, we’re bound to end up at a village. From there, we can get directions to my village.” Thomas was not sure which way would be faster, but he did not care. He knew that he would eventually be home. “I guess let’s just go this way.” Thomas turned to his left and started walking.

“Fine by me.” Derek had not made any plans since arriving in this new world, so it made no difference whether he wasted some time or not. He was in no hurry.

As they traveled, Derek and Thomas talked about some less personal things. Thomas had realized early that Derek did not want to talk about where he had come from. Derek would occasionally get caught up talking about something he enjoyed, but other topics were of no interest and he did not enjoy small talk. He had just about fished out as much information from the 12 year old boy as he could.

After a while, the duo just walked in silence.

Derek, ever vigilant, noticed some silhouettes approaching them. He was unsure if it was monsters, or people. “Hey kid, we’re going to have company soon, stay a couple steps behind me just in case they aren’t friendly.” Derek motioned at the incoming figures.

Thomas squinted, but he was unable to see any of the figures that Derek had mentioned. Still, he kept his eyes trained in that direction. Soon, though, he was able to make out the shadowy figures. “I see them.” He let Derek know.

“They aren’t monsters. They’re human.” Thomas was barely able to see anything while Derek had already identified them as human. “Looks like a small group, maybe traders?” There were around 15 people that Derek could make out. “No, wait. Seems that the group is mostly non-fighters and children.” He noticed the group’s composition as they drew closer.

One thing that the duo both noticed was that the other group was getting closer at a rapid pace. “They are moving fast. Maybe running from something, or towards something.” Derek picked up his pace, and the two moved closer.

As the figures became clearer to Thomas, he realized some things about the group. “They look familiar, I think I know them.” Thomas told Derek his suspicions. “I think they are people from Leon’s village.” His speculation was proven correct when he saw a small, tan girl with dark hair running mid pack. What is Brandi doing all the way out here? And where are her parents? Thomas wondered.

At the same time that Thomas noticed the girl, she noticed him as well. “Thomas!” The little girl yelled from a distance. Then, she sped past the rest of the group.

“A friend of yours?” Derek asked the boy while motioning to the dark haired girl.

Instead of replying to Derek, Thomas yelled, “Brandi!” Then ran forward to meet her.

Derek kept pace with Thomas, not letting him get a dangerous distance away. He had promised to take Thomas home safely, and he was going to do just that.

Thomas and Brandi met and questions began pouring out of the boy’s mouth. “Why are you out here? Where are your parents? Where are the hunters? Why aren’t they escorting you?” Thomas voiced his concerns, not bothering to take a breath in between questions.

“Daddy, he… he’s at home. Momma, she… she…” Brandi was already crying and Thomas could not make out what she was trying to tell him.

Fortunately, one of the women in the group caught up not long after Brandi. She ignored Thomas, instead looking at the weirdly dressed young man beside him. She sighed, then spoke. “Our village was attacked by a horde of monsters. All the hunters and fighters stayed back to let us escape.” She paused for a second to catch her breath, then continued. “But we don’t have time right now, we have to run. Marshall, Mal, and Sana are behind us holding off a pack of wolves. We need to go. Now!” She motioned behind her, then waited for the rest of the group to catch up.

Hearing what the woman said, Thomas looked to Derek, his plea showing in his eyes.

“Fine, I’ll go. Be right back.” Derek said and started walking through the group.

“Wait!” The woman from before yelled. “You’ll die, we need to run.”

Thomas, having as much faith as possible in Derek, told the woman. “It’s OK, he’s much stronger than he looks.”

Once he was through the group, Derek began running. He followed the trail left by the group, and not long after, he could see, and hear, the battle.

In front of him were two women and a man. The women were each fending off two small wolves, while the man was fighting against a bigger wolf. As he studied the battle, he soon came to the conclusion that, though they were holding their own, eventually, the man would no longer be able to hold the bigger wolf back. Once the man lost his footing, their efforts would collapse like a house of cards.

He moved into the battle. Instead of jumping in, he yelled at the fighters. “You mind if I join in?” He still had suffered kill steals before, and though the group looked to be losing, and badly, he still asked, as they were not currently in immediate danger.

Marshall quickly glanced Derek’s way, not knowing when the odd looking young man had arrived. “Help would be much appreciated.” Marshall did not turn him down.

“K.” Was all that Derek said. He summed a dagger from his bracelet and charged towards the bigger of the five wolves.

Marshall, seeing the man charge towards the alpha wolf, jumped back. He’s fast. Was all Marshall could think before the man inserted his dagger into the unsuspecting beast. The wolf did not make a sound as it fell to the ground, never moving again.

“You want to go help those two? The experience is probably good for them, so I won’t interfere unless you want.” Derek pointed to the two women and remaining wolves.

“No, we don’t have time. We need to end this as quickly as possible.” Marshall said.

“Suit yourself.” Derek took his bloody dagger by the blade, aimed and tossed it at one of the wolves that the woman on the left was fighting. He summoned another dagger immediately and tossed it toward a wolf on the right side.

The daggers hit. Penetrating the wolves necks at the base of the skull. Severing their spines almost simultaneously. The wolves fell, leaving both women fighting one on one.

“Think that’s good enough.” Derek smiled at Marshall. Marshall, on the other hand, could only stare at Derek, before nodding.

Malorie was fighting against the wolf that had already been maimed by Marshall, so, after Derek took care of the healthy wolf, she made short work of the other. After she killed her wolf, she ran to the wolf that Sana was fighting and the two women overwhelmed it. It was not long before it was no longer moving.

“OK, let’s get back to your group now.” Derek commanded.

Not saying anything to the newcomer, the three could only follow him. Before long, the four returned to the refugees. The little girl broke out of the group again, this time yelling, “Mommy!”

“I’m fine. We’re fine.” She comforted her daughter.

“Alright, well, I’m taking this kid back to his village. You’re all welcome to join us. We needed a guide anyway.” Derek pointed at Thomas before motioning to Marshall.

“Derek. Their village.” Thomas looked at Derek with pleading eyes.

“I said I would take you home. I didn’t say I would go out of my way to try to save an already destroyed village, besides.” Derek looked at Marshall. “How long has it been since your village was attacked?”

Marshall looked at his feet, knowing what Derek meant. “Hours.” Was all he answered.

Derek looked back at Thomas. “You see, even their own people don’t think that anyone is left alive. Not to mention the time it would take for us to get there.”

Derek did not sugarcoat anything he said. “Also, with what we know about the condition of the forest, it would be in everyone’s best interest to stay away from border villages.”

This caught the attention of the rest of the group. Sana looked to Derek. “What do you mean? Did you figure out what’s wrong with the forest?”

“I’ll explain it all one time, and to Rayna. No point in explaining it over and over.” Derek brushed off her questions. He was only talking to Thomas at this time.

Thomas was deep in thought. He knew that it was all but futile to go back to the village. But, everytime he looked at Brandi in her mother’s arms, now crying, he could not help but want to go back.

Finally, his eyes firm, he looked to Derek. “We should go anyway. Someone could still be alive. They could be hiding in the village. There’s always a chance.”

“Boy, that hero complex is going to get you killed some day.” Derek grinned. “You said ‘we’ should go. Are you going to fight too? Can everyone here help me fight a horde of monsters? No, I’ll be the one fighting.” He paused. “I saved you in the forest, you helped me a little, so I promised to take you home. That’s the end of our contract.”

“Do you know why I’m so strong? Why I’m even still alive? It’s because I don’t rely on others, and I don’t do stupid heroic deeds. All of my near death experiences have come from sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong.” Derek explained to Thomas. Everyone was now looking at the two as they argued.

“That doesn’t matter! You’re strong now, you should help people.” The rational Thomas was now showing his emotions.

“Spoken like a true 12 year old.” Derek scoffed.

Hearing that, Thomas calmed, but did not back down. “So what if you’ll be the only fighter, you won’t be risking your life. Nothing that attacked their village would be able to harm you. You're just being an asshole!”

“Ah, yes. Assholes live in this world, heroes die. One day, I hope you can become a proper asshole.” Derek had already planned on going to the village if asked, but he wanted to teach Thomas a lesson before that. There was no denying that he was an asshole, but he had a soft spot for the kid.

Thomas shut up. He did not know how to respond. He looked at Brandi, then at the ground, tears threatening his eyes.

Derek put his hand on Thomas’s shoulder. “Be an asshole, get strong, then be a hero. You can’t save others if you’re already dead.” He picked Thomas up and threw him over his shoulder.

“Wha… what are you doing?” Thomas screeched.

“We’re going to save what’s left of the village.” Derek held Thomas close and started running in the direction of the village.

The others looked in awe as the duo disappeared in the distance. Not believing how fast they were going.