Chapter 4

In the borders of Verdant, there is a vast forested area that is home to a multitude of creatures and races. It is here where we find our selves following a small girl as she staggers with her steps. Seemingly dressed in rags, her body is battered and wounded, as a torn cloth covers the bloody stump that used to be her right hand.

The young girl made her way out the forest and stumbled upon a man made road that travelers uses to make their way from the kingdom of Verdant to the multiple villages that are situated between the border of the Raibaran continent and the demonic continent.

The girl is now limping along the road curtesy of a large cut on her lower leg. She heads north as she follows the road, hoping to come across a town to get herself the help she desperately needs. However, the toll of her injuries has finally caught up to her, and before she knew it, she has fainted in the middle of the road.

As the little girl's body forced her to rest in the middle of the dirt road she was traveling on, exposed to the elements and wild life that may befall her, she is found by a hooded figure from the opposite end of the road she was heading to.

The stranger that came across the frail and injured child lowered his white hood to reveal the face of a young man seemingly in his mid to late teens. The young man's short Aqua green hair glistens in the mid day sun. He gaze upon the child with a look of worry visible in his royal purple colored eyes. He then knelt near the injured girl to give her a closer inspection.

"Hmm. Looks like she's from the Brownie race. Multiple lacerations throughout the body, and an amputated right hand. Poor girl. "

The young man whispered to no one in particular. Brownies are the cousin race of the Elves. Their distinct features are their bright green hair and large ears that are four times the size of the Elven race.

As the young man noticed the girl's missing right hand, he frowned at the thought of what may have happened to her before she was found by him. As the young man help to sat the unconscious little girl up, she starts to stir until she finally opened her eyes.

When the little girl opened her eyes, what met her ruby colored pupils was the face of an unknown young man. She then noticed that the young man had removed the cloth that was tied around her stump. Even with the sharp pain coming from the stump of her right arm, all that came out of her mouth was a tiny whimper as the young man hovered his right hand atop her stump.

The Girl's eyes then widen as she saw the young man conjured up a magic circle from his hand, and in an instant, the bones on her hand started to grow back. Muscles and tissues soon started to cover the newly formed bones, until her newly formed right hand fully regained it's skin.

The girl then started to inspect her reformed hand, opening and closing it to make sure that what just happened wasn't a dream. The girl had a perplexed look on her face as she stared back and forth from her right hand to the young man who performed this miracle.

"W-who are you, sir?"

The little girl asked the young man who helped her.

"My name is Selk. I'm a traveling Magical Doctor. And you are?"

The young man named Selk answered as he showed a kind smile towards the girl before asking her her name.

"M-my name is Allice. T-thank you very much for fixing my hand, doctor."

Selk: "Don't mention it, Allice. Now hold still. I'm going to heal all of your injuries, okay!"

Allice: "Y-yes, doctor."

After just a few seconds, Allice's body has been fully healed by the magic of Selk. He then proceeded to ask Allice how she got in to such a state.

Allice: "T-that's right! We have to get away from here. They might catch up to us if we don't hurry."

Allice said with overwhelming fear seen in her expression.

Selk: "Who exactly are these "they" you're talking about, Allice?"

Selk asked Allice, but before she could answer him they started to hear rustling of leaves from the same direction Allice came from. From the forest came a group of six people comprised of five men and one woman. Except for leader looking individual that has a war Axe, all of them are armed with bident spears, (Bident are like Trident Spears but with just two prongs) and are all wearing sleeveless leather armors, and iron helmets that fully covers the top half of their face. The one who appears to be the leader of the group has a helmet that is dented all over, probably from the years of combat it's been through.

"Oh my. Thank goodness you found our merchandise, dear sir. That slave girl has escaped from our slave caravan heading to the Verdant slave market. I'm so sorry for the trouble, but If you would be so kind as to turn her over to us, please."

The man who seems to be the leader said in the kindest tone his deep, gravelly voice could muster.

Selk: "You're slave traders, you say? That's funny. Demi-human open slave trades have been banned a little over a year ago following the Human-Demon peace treaty, right? Why would you kind gentlemen and ladies have a little girl as a slave commodity?"

Selk said, sighting the new law in-acted after the the Demon continent and the Human continent declared their war over around two years ago.

"I-I see you're well informed. However, the new law doesn't apply to orphaned children or criminals, regardless of race. That child is an orphan and a thief that we apprehended, so there's no problem."

The leader of the group said in response to Selk's line of questioning with a hint annoyance breaking through his calm facade.

Allice: "T-that's a lie! I'm not an orphan. Their group attacked our village and took me after they got beaten by my people. They cut off my right hand that had my family crest and forced me in a cage. Please, Doctor, you have to believe me."

Allice retorted against the large man's claims. Pleading Selk to trust her.

Selk: "Don't worry, Allice. I believe you. Besides, I've been acquainted with a few slave traders before, and non of them would proudly wear an anti demi-human symbol on their armor, regardless of how they felt towards demi-humans."

Selk said to comfort Allice as he also point out the symbol on the left chest of the group's armor. It's a white outline of an elf head being skewered by a sword. The universal sign of demi-human hatred in this world. As Slavers would also deal with demi-human clients, they can't afford to openly show animosity towards them.

Group leader: "T-this is..."

the leader of the group stammered a reply as he tried to cover the mark of demi-human hatred painted on the left breast of his armor.

Selk: "I really don't want any trouble right now, so if all of you would be so kind as to leave us alone, that would be great. I would like to escort this girl back to her village ASAP. If you let us go now, I promise not to report what you've done to the authorities."

Selk told the group as he sports a more serious facial expression.

Group Leader: "Grrr... WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, TO THREATEN US? TO THREATEN ME, BADAM OF THE WEST. I'M A VETERAN OF THE HUMAN VS DEMON WAR. SO WHAT IF I WANT TO SELL A FILTHY LITTLE GIRL FROM THE DISGUSTING BROWNIE RACE? THEY SHOULD BE SO GLAD THEY WERE ABLE TO SERVE AS TOOLS FOR MY BENEFIT. NOW, HAND OVER THAT FILTHY BROWNIE, OR WE'LL FILL YOU WITH HOLES."

The group leader named Badam demanded, shouting at the top of his lungs for Selk to hand Allice over.

Selk: "Filthy huh. If you truly are a veteran of the war, then you should know that when the Demonic Continent declared war on Humanity and all it's allied races six years ago, one of the races to offer their support to humanity were the Brownies. They became valuable intel gatherers and suppliers of products like mass produced army boots and horse saddles. To call them a filthy race is to spit on the faces of all the people saved by their service. You should be ashamed."

Selk declared in a monotoned voice to hide the rage that's boiling within him. This made the opposing group burst out into nervous cold sweats, feeling great pressure from the unassuming young man before them.

Badam: "I-I don't need a history lesson from you. I'm done talking. Gustav, Anders, kill that guy and take the filthy Brownie brat from him."

Badam told his two men as he mustered up the courage to talk back at Selk. The two men then proceeded to charged towards Selk and the little girl, brandishing their Bident spears at them.

Allice shakes in fear when she saw the two men charging at them, but then, Selk calmly stepped in front of her for her protection. Selk then held his right arm in front of him and conjured up a magic circle. The two charging men was forced to stop their advance upon seeing Selk's magic.

Selk: "Looks like your facade ends here, huh. My apologies if I end up hurting all of you a bit."

Selk said as he proceeded to fire up his magic. in an instant, the magic circle manifested a large oblong shaped combat shield big enough to almost cover Selk's entire body. The Shield is dyed in crimson, with a giant toothy mouth at the center. There seems to be closed pair of eyes at both side of the mouth. At both pointed end of said shield are giant flat arrow head shaped blades and large white horns pointed towards his opponent.

Badam: "Y-you said you're a doctor, right? W-why do you have a magical weapon? Civilians are banned from owning Magical weapons."

Badam Asked Selk as he stares fearfully at the menacing and grotesque looking shield.

Selk: "You misunderstand. I don't own this weapon. I just created it now with Flesh Construction Magic. This shield is 100% monster flesh and bones"

Selk said as he corrects Badam's words.

Badam: "Nonsense. Flesh magic is only used as support magic. That's probably just a cheap imitation of a magic weapon. No need to worry, boys. Take him out."

Badam relayed with a nervous smile as he ordered his two men to resume their attack. As they attack, the opponent on Selk's right aimed to stab his Bident into Slek, while the one on his right swung his Bident down on Selk's head. Selk however, managed to parry both attack with his ominous shield. Once both men lost their footing, Selk delivered a right spinning heel kick so strong, it knocked both of his opponents out cold when it connected on their jaws.

Everyone that saw Selk's display of skills were awestruck as the two attackers fell on their backs upon the dirt road. Selk once again assumed a defensive position, ready for another round of attacks that may come from Badam's group.

Badam: "Y-you look like you're pretty skilled, boy. But there's still four of us and only one of you. H-how bout this, You join our group and we can give you a share of the pay will get from selling that girl. Heck, with you around, we can go back to that Brownie village and get even more to sell. What do you say?"

Badam said to Selk as he offered the young doctor a lucrative partnership.

Selk: "I think you know what my answer's gonna be, metal head."

Selk retorts in a cold voice again, brushing off Badam's offer.

Badam: "Have it your way, Kid. Everyone, pincer formation"

After addressing his men, Badam and his group moved to surround Selk and Allice. One of Badam's men was positioned at left side, another to his right, and Badam and the female member was at his front.

At Badam's signal, his three underlings charged at Selk and performed simultaneous attacks on him. He blocked all that barrage of Bident spear attacks from the three opponents with ease. However, since Allice is directly behind him, he cannot afford to perform a counter attack since the others might target Allice.

Badam noticed Selk's hesitation, and once he saw an opening, decided to capitalize on it. When Selk was forced to block all three strikes in one move, Badam wasted no time and raised his war axe high, ready to burry its blade inside Selk's skull.

Badam thought that their confrontation with Selk would be finished with his final blow, but a cold shiver ran down his spine when he saw the young doctor's face. Selk was looking at him with a calm yet piercing gaze of a predator waiting for his prey to come close within it's range. At the last moment, Badam halted his strike, but it was too late.

Without warning, the toothy maw and eyes of the crimson shield opened, and from the dark void of the shield's mouth, tentacle like tendrils shot out and bind Badam's three lackeys where they stood. The three didn't even have enough time to react to the slimy tendrils before a serge of electricity travel from the tendrils to the three's bodies.

Just like the first two, the three opponents fell upon the dirt road, faint smoke emitting from their unconscious bodies. As fear and confusion rattled inside Badam's mind, he unwittingly dropped his war axe on the ground and started to turn away from Selk and run. However, before he could even take his first step, Badam was caught by the tendrils of Selk's living shield.

Selk: "What's the matter, Badam of the West? I thought you said this shield was just a cheep replica? Come on, have a closer look."

Selk coldly said to the now restrained Badam as the tendrils that binds him slowly pulls him ever closer to the toothy maw of the hungry shield.

Badam: "I-I'm s-s-s-sorry. I-I-I didn't mean anything that I said earlier. I-I-I'll never do this ever again, just p-p-please s-s-s-spare my life."

Badam pathetically begged Selk to show him mercy as he inches closer and closer towards the shield's maw.

As Selk, driven by anger, was about to finish Badam off in the most gruesome way, he felt a tiny tug coming from his rear. When he turned his head to it, he was met by the pleading eyes of Allice.

Allice: "Doctor Selk, please don't kill the bad man."

Allice pleaded for Selk to show the man mercy.

Selk: "But... He attacked your village, cut off your hand, and was about to sell you as a slave. Why should we show mercy to this monster?"

Allice: "Because, it really looks like you're forcing yourself to do something you don't want to do, Doctor Selk.

Selk was dumbfounded upon hearing Allice's words. And they were words of truth. He doesn't want to kill anyone anymore, but he felt that if Badam was to go free, he would harm even more demi-human folks. However, Allice's soft words melted Selk's steely resolve and decided to stop himself from killing Badam and just shock him into unconsciousness just like his lackeys.

Once he is sure that there are no more threats, Selk bound and gagged the six would be slavers before he escort Allice back to her village.

Allice: "Doctor Selk, who are you, really? Like, what's your full name?"

Allice asked with a smile on her face. 

Selk: "Well, my full name is Selcurial Malferd Shroudder. I'm a Magical Doctor that specializes in Flesh Magic. Please call me Selk. Nice to meet you Allice."

Selk, who was once known as Henry, answered Allice as they prepare to go back to her village.