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The Big Oof! Volume 2 Chapter 54: Runaway Fairy
🕑 Added 2023-08-04 17:57:16 +0000 UTCJucap's painful moans echoed throughout the quiet forest as Elijah Adjusted his grip on the hunter's limp form over his shoulders.
"Oh quit being a baby, you’re not even dying.” Elijah grumbled as he tried to gently drop down a steep incline, his boots sliding against loose rocks and soil. The unexpected jolt of the descent drew out a sharper and even more paid cry from the hunter.
Azeline was already at the bottom of the slope, with a bloody burlap bag over her shoulder. “I’ll be honest, Hunter.” She said, casting a look back at the two men struggling down the slope, "I honestly thought you’d turn tail and run, and when you stayed…” Azeline reached out a hand out and steadied Elijah as he stumbled down the incline. “I never thought you’d survive let alone slay two Kobold Warriors and live to tell the tale."
Despite her earlier disdain for the man, a small smirk tugged at the corners of Azeline’s mouth. She wouldn’t outright admit it, but she was considerably impressed that a rural serf hunter was able to fend off such odds and survive. It had been a long while since she has seen such bravery from someone so out of their breadth and so full of fear.
"Jucap, was it?" she called out, her voice echoing slightly in the quiet forest. "I’ll remember that. You’ve earned a small amount of respect today.”
Jucap’s moans quieted down when he took in Azeline’s words and his chest swelled with pride despite the waves of pain that washed over him. His eyelids fluttered, struggling to open as he tried to meet Azeline's gaze.
"Th-thank ye..." Jucap managed to stammer out between labored breaths. “I know I aint no warrior, but I did me best…” He finished, his voice trailing off into a pained whimper as he gritted his teeth against a particularly sharp jab of agony.
“Aze is complimenting someone?” Bennett suddenly spoke up as he slid down the slope. “Damn, hell must be freezing over.”
Rolling her eyes, Azeline flicked a loose strand of hair over her shoulder. "Shut up, Ben." she retorted in an annoyed tone. “Both you and Eli are too thick to appreciate a good fight.” Azeline then glanced back at the men again. “Your fancy magical weapons make it all too easy and… impersonal.”
Bennett snorted in response. “I don’t want to hear that shit from some who hacked off the heads of cadavers with a fucking gleeful smile.”
“Ay yo, what the fuck?” Elijah then interjected. “Why the hell are you bringing ME into this? I enjoy a good fight, but I make a distinction between fighting and killing.” He said, adjusting Jucap, eliciting another scream of pain. “We’re just efficient about it.”
Azeline scoffed at that, crossing her arms over her chest. "Efficient, my ass. You're just scared of getting your hands dirty." She shot back, her tone teasing. "And for the record, I don't 'gleefully' hack off heads. I did it because we needed proof."
Bennett and Elijah shared a look before bursting into laughter, causing Jucap to groan. "Yeah, sure, Azeline. Whatever you say." Bennett said, wiping a tear from his eye. "You keep telling yourself that."
Ignoring their laughter, Azeline turned her attention back to her surroundings. They had emerged from the treeline and into the hamlet's landfill. Just a hundred or so meters away was the beautiful and colorful orchard, a stark contrast to the grim and dirty landfill. A vibrant sea of green, with the occasional dots of pink and purple filled their eyes. It was a sight that brought a sense of relief and calm, a stark contrast to the chaos and violence they had just experienced.
“We… We made it?” Jucap managed to gasp out, his voice weak and shaky. His eyes were half-lidded from the pain and exhaustion that had clearly been taking its toll on him.
“Ya bud,”Elijah confirmed as he walked ahead. “We made it. A good thing too because I’m sick of carrying your sorry ass.” He grumbled, adjusting his grip on the hunter, making sure the injured man was secure. “Gotta have a talk with your people about your future treatment next. Your wounds aren’t life threatening, but they’re deep and they just might end up inadvertently killing you with their backwards shit.”
The sun was already casting an orange light over the Orchard as the group trudged through the soft dirt of the path leading to the town. Even though the air was filled with the sweet scent of ripe fruits, the group kept their wits about them knowing that they were still in an area where the villagers went missing. But thankfully their caution seemed to be unneeded after popping out on the other side of the Orchard to see serfs dotting the farmland.
Murmurings rippled through the farmer and within moments, one darted off in the direction of the hamlet while the rest rushed over with a mix of curious and concerned faces. Questions started to barrage them, but Azeline put up a hand and loudly cleared her throat.
“Your hunter has been wounded and needs a cart, NOW!” She ordered, her voice cutting through the chatter. The shocked Serfs around her balked as they turned towards Jucap with wide eyes before quickly springing into a flurry of activity.
Within minutes several of the farmers came running with a rickshaw as its wooden wheels creaked under the sudden demand. With the help of a few strong men, Elijah carefully transferred Jucap onto the thing as the man himself cried out in agony.
"ME HIP! ME HIP!!" Jucap wailed, his voice echoing through the quiet evening. His face was pale and twisted in pain, as beads of tears trickled down his face.
Even though Elijah did his best to minimize the pain, there was still a point where Jucap landed onto the Rickshaw with a thud as a farmer’s hand slipped. A scream tore through the hunter's throat as his good hand instantly clutched at his bandaged wound.
“OH ME HEAVENS! OH ME HEAVENS TAKE ME! I’M DYIN’!” The poor man cried out.
Elijah rolled his eyes at the dramatics, but his hands were gentle as he adjusted Jucap on the rickshaw. “Oh for fuck’s sake, you're not dying," he said, gently pushing the injured hunter further into the rickshaw before turning to the Serfs surrounding him. “One of you go and fetch the elder will you? We’re taking him to his cabin.”
The serfs, who had been idle and watching the situation with apprehensive gazes, immediately responded to Elijah's command. A young boy that looked barely twelve years old, sprinted towards the village with all the speed his little legs could muster. Meanwhile, the remaining serfs focused their efforts on the rickshaw. Two of them took hold of the front handles and began to push, while the others positioned themselves at the sides and rear. They lifted the rickshaw carefully, ensuring that any uneven terrain wouldn't jostle the wounded hunter.
With the situation under control, Elijah and Bennett finally allowed themselves a moment of respite. They exchanged weary glances, their bodies sagging with fatigue.
“Let's get this shit over with, I want a bath.” Bennett grumbled, running a hand through his crusty hair. He looked over at Elijah, who just gave a tired nod and started wiping the grime off his face with the back of his hand.
Elijah began dusting himself off when his hand accidentally brushed against the pocket where Yana usually slept. “Oh sorry-” He started to say instinctively, but stopped when he realized the pocket was empty. “Wait… Yana?” He patted the pocket again, harder this time, trying to feel for the little fairy. “Where’s Yana?” Elijah’s eyes immediately sharpened as he looked around, a sense of urgency creeping into his voice.
Bennett slowly turned with a confused look on his face. "What do you mean 'Where's Yana'?" he asked, his eyes lazily scanning the area. "She was with us when we left the forest, right?"
“I… think so…?” Elijah replied with uncertainty in his voice as he came to a stop while the Rickshaw kept moving at its slow pace. “YANA!” Elijah yelled towards the Orchard with both his hands around his mouth.
Azeline, who had been distracted with the progress of Jucap's transport, turned sharply at the unexpected yelling. "What? What’s going on?" She asked, her brows furrowed.
"Yana's not in my pocket." Elijah said, walking back towards the Orchard. “I’m going to go look for her, both of you stay with Jucap and make sure they don’t touch him without me there.” He instructed both Azeline and Bennett as he walked towards the field of green, pink and purple.
Azeline watched Elijah for a moment, then reached out to grab his arm. "You can't just run off alone, especially not when it's getting dark." She said with a difficult look on her face. “Especially after what we just saw out there.”
Elijah just put a hand up to halt her. "Nah, I got this. I can see in the dark, remember?” He said, adjusting his rifle. “The lizards are probably going to be busy assessing the damage they just sustained and plus, I think I might know where she is.”
Gripping Elijah’s arm a little tighter, Azeline clicked her tongue before letting go. "Just... be careful," she finally said, trying to keep the worry out of her voice.
“I don’t like it either, but he’s not going to do anything dumb.” Bennett reassured Azeline, shrugging his shoulders. “The guy's a cockroach, impossible to kill.”
Azeline stared long and hard at Bennett as she tried to decipher what in the world he just said to her. “I don’t know what a Cock-a-roach is, but I’ll take your word for it.”
Bennett blinked at her in surprise, forgetting for a moment that Azeline wasn't from his world and might not know about some of the things he took for granted. "It's an insect," he explained after a moment, struggling to put the right words together. "Ugly little thing, lives anywhere, survives anything. You can't get rid of them no matter what you do."
The woman in response just kept staring at him in silence before turning back to Elijah. “If you’re not back by sundown, we’re going to go look for you.”
“I’ll be fine, MOM.” Elijah joked as an incredulous smirk formed on his face. “I’ve done crazier shit on crazier planets.”
Nodding reluctantly, Azeline placed her hands on her hips and turned to join Bennett. “I’m assuming this Cock-a-Roach is resilient, stubborn, and a bit annoying at times?" She said, glancing over at Elijah.
“A bit annoying? Try infuriating.” Bennett replied loudly, making sure Elijah could hear that they were talking shit. “They always go places you don’t want them to go, they shit on everything and they’re almost impossible to get rid of.”
Azeline chuckled, as Elijah disappeared into the twilight. "Seems fitting then," she said with a teasing smirk.
Slipping into the Orchard, the only sounds were those of strange insects reminiscent of cicadas as they began their eerie serenade. Their sounds blended with the occasional rustle of leaves of Elijah passing through the trees to get to another row, creating an alien symphony. Silence was only obtained by the occasional call for Yana as Elijah kept his weapon at the ready.
The sun hasn’t quite set yet as it cast its warm, orange glow over the entire field as it sat comfortably on the horizon, casting long, ethereal shadows across the orchard. The sunlight however, added a surreal quality to the surroundings, bringing out the contrasting hues of green leaves, along with the dots of pink and purple fruits. Despite the sense of urgency, there was a calmness, a tranquility in the environment that was hard to ignore.
As he ventured deeper into the rows of small fruit trees, Elijah once more yelled out for the little fairy, his voice echoed softly through the sprawling orchard as his calls grew more insistent with each passing minute.
Suddenly his ears picked up a mysterious and soft rustling noise that resounded in the foliage a few dozen meters away. Snapping his weapon towards the direction, Elijah advanced to the only lead he had, hoping it was the little menace and not some pint sized lizard hoping to score another meal.
With each rustle of leaves, Elijah's heart pounded harder as a small surge of adrenaline rushed through his veins. The quiet chirping of insects was drowned out by the beating of his own heart, reverberating in his ears and as he edged closer, he brought his weapon into a readied stance, primed to attack or defend at a moment's notice.
“Yana!” Elijah called out once again and noticed the Rustling came to an abrupt stop.
Holding his breath, the human waited for any sign of movement. He knew the little fairy's mischief all too well, but he also knew how sneaky these Kobolds were as he gripped his weapon a bit tighter.
Just when he was about to call out again, there was a faint flicker of a fiery head that popped out from the bushes. The small thing seemingly struggled to carry several pieces of ripe fruit as it made its way towards Elijah.
“Yana…” Elijah called out again, softer this time. “What in the world are you doing…?” He said, lowering his weapon as the Fairy dropped one of the purple delicacies and fluttered down to pick it back up.
A small ineligible curse left the Fairy’s mouth as she tried to adjust her grip, only to have another fruit roll out of her grasp. Sighing heavily, she flapped her wings more vigorously to stay afloat, dropping yet another fruit in the process. “Damned things- Ah! Eli! I got you more delicious stuff!” Yana said excitedly when she noticed Elijah staring at her.
Looking at the fruits scattered around, Elijah couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose. He opened her mouth to give her a good scolding, but realized yelling would do no good and instead chose a calmer approach. "Thank you, Yana.” said, crouching down to pick up the fallen fruit. His voice was calm, but there was a hint of exasperation in his tone. "I appreciate it."
Yana, who was still struggling to pick up the other fruits, gave her signature cheeky smile. “Now the others in the court can’t keep saying that I don’t treat my servants well!” She declared, puffing out her tiny chest in pride.
Elijah's head dropped and stared at the ground as a chuckle escaped his lips. "Is that so?" He asked, looking back up at the little menace while raising an eyebrow. "It seems someone has been slandering you." Elijah joked as he picked up the rest of her fallen ill gotten goods.
Fluttering around him excitedly, Yana’s hair left streaks of fire in the air. "Right, right, right?" she said in quick succession. "The nerve of them, right?"
Rising to his full height, Elijah shook his head as he started walking towards the Hamlet. "Indeed, the audacity," he played along, his tone light and teasing. He placed the fruits in his pocket and waved for Yana to follow. "Come on, we should get going before it gets dark.”
Yana landed on his shoulder, throwing one leg over the other and biting into one of her purple prizes. “Mmmm… You need to try this.” She said, shoving the fruit towards Elijah’s head.
Another disgusted look crept onto Elijah’s face as he recoiled away from the fruit. “Uhhh… maybe later,” he said, as the sweet and sour scent of the fruit wafted up his nose. Despite the enticing aroma, he wasn’t particularly keen on trying new alien fruit.
“Booo! You just hate new things!” Yana huffed, pulling the fruit back. "I’m going to make you try it sooner or later!" she said, taking another bite of the fruit as her wings fluttered in delight. “I picked it out for you, after all!”
Elijah just shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. Despite the day's events, Yana's antics were a welcome distraction. As they continued their journey back to the Hamlet, the sun began to set, casting long shadows over the landscape. The peaceful chirping of the insects and the rustling of the leaves in the wind provided a soothing soundtrack to their journey.
“Yana.” Elijah called out to the fairy as they reached the outskirts of the hamlet. The buildings were bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun, casting long, dramatic shadows across the cobblestone streets.
“Hmm?” Yana hummed, her mouth full of fruit. She looked up at him, tilting her head in curiosity and causing her long ears to bounce.
Pausing for a moment, Elijah considered how best to phrase this so his whimsical and impulsive fairy would understand. "Yana," he began, his tone serious. "Next time you wanna see or grab something, make sure you tell one of us so we know where you are, okay?”
Yana blinked, her wings fluttering in surprise. "Huh? Why?" she asked, her voice filled with genuine confusion. "I was just getting fruit."
Elijah sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know, Yana. But it's not about the fruit. It's about safety. I was worried when I couldn't find you. What if I never checked you were there and left?"
Furrowing her brow, Yana stared at Elijah like he lost his mind. "I don’t understand… I’m the great Yanaiyániuoa, I can take care of myself."
Understanding her confusion, Elijah simply nodded and continued. "I know you can, Yana. You’re the greatest Goddess we’ve ever met and we know nothing can ever happen to you. But, can you please just let us know next time you want to go somewhere?"
"I don't see why I should have to report my every move to my servant!” The fairy huffed in agitation as she turned her head in agitation.
"I get it, I get it." Elijah replied with a chuckle. "But you, Ben, Aze and I are a team right?"
Yana paused at that, her violet eyes flicking back to meet his own. "A team?" She echoed, her tone softer as she contemplated the word. "Well... I suppose we are."
Elijah nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. “And teams look out for each other, right?"
Still holding her gaze with Elijah, Yana’s small eyes narrowed in thought as she started to think about what it meant to be a part of a team. The word team itself meant that her and her servant were on a more equal level and working towards a common goal. It was a concept that was completely foreign to her since the age of rebellion. Even then, being the mother of magic, she was used to being the one taking responsibility and making the decisions.
"Equals?" She echoed, her tone skeptical. "You and me?"
Elijah just nodded in response as they carried on down the road. "Yep, equals. I was the one that killed you twice and took your power if you don’t remember.” Elijah gave her a cheeky smirk. "So I’d like to think we’re equal in spirit.”
A snarl formed on Yana's face as she glared at the man. “Y-You! That wasn’t fair! You tricked me and you know it!” She accused, using one of her small hands to point at Elijah. “Cheater! Cheater!! CHEATER!!”
As they approached Jucap's cabin, Elijah let out a hearty sound that echoed through the quiet evening. "Maybe, but you fell for it," he shot back in a teasing tone. "And that's why we're equals. We both have our strengths and weaknesses."
"I did not 'fall for it'," she retorted, her tone indignant. "I was... caught off guard." The fairy huffed as she took another bite of her treat.
"Sure, sure," Elijah replied as he stopped a way from Jucaps door. "Whatever helps you cope."
Yana just stuck her tongue out at him in reply and chose to not continue on the matter. She knew that Elijah had a point, even if she didn't want to admit it.
Placing his hand on the door, Elijah took a deep breath and turned his head to Yana once more. "Look, Yana," he began, his tone gentle. "All I'm asking is that you let us know where you're going. We're a team and teams look out for each other."
Silence reigned for a few moments as Yana’s violet eyes flicked back to meet his own. "Fine," she finally said, her tone reluctant but understanding.
A smirk formed on Elijah’s face as he nodded, and pushed open the door. “Once I patch this idiot up and get back to town, I’ll treat you to something delicious, alright?”
Yana's eyes lit up at the promise of food, her earlier annoyance forgotten. "Really?" she asked, her wings fluttering in excitement. "You promise?"
“Promise.” Eijah replied as he walked towards his crew.
Comments
scribbles
you can point out typos I would appreciate it alot. Sorry for the late reply, I've been basically living at work for the past month or two lmao
Quick succession. Do you appreciate if we point out typos or would you rather we leave them be?
Right, right, right?" she said in quest succession
