As we made our way to the center of town, I could already hear the hustle and bustle of the other villagers as they went from merchant cart to merchant cart, looking to trade their goods and buy some of the things they needed.
When we finally arrived, I got to see what is called a nmoogol. It is a kind of monster that resembled a cross between a buffalo and a rhino back on Earth, just extremely hairy. They were also huge, at least a few feet taller than a horse. They were very strong and could pull quite a bit of weight. How much, I am not sure since I have not read much about them. They are monsters but not, kinda like owning a horse on Earth. They are monsters that were raised from birth which, due to this, keeps them out of the book I had read on monsters, and unlike horses, these nmoogols eat meat instead of grass.
The wagons of merchants were very unique. They were made of wood and almost looked like a small house on wheels, with curved roofs and lanterns dangling from the side. There was one big window with a wide counter where items were lined up and a person on the inside dealing with all the villagers that walked up. It was the first time in my life seeing a true merchant caravan. My eyes wandered here and there as I looked around, but soon my excitement began to wane as my eyes passed by the people of the village. Some did not seem to mind my gaze, but some would make nasty or disgusted faces at me or lower their heads averting their eyes.
You could say this was my first real taste of discrimination from adults. They did not say any words but the looks they gave me penetrated me in the same way. I really did not understand why I deserved to be looked at in such a way. It was not like I tried to harm any of them. I have never even seen more than half these people, never mind getting any chance to offend them. You would think I killed their sister or something with the way they looked at me.
"I guess I will have to get used to this…." I mumbled without much thought. I guess my father heard me because he squeezed my leg a bit tighter but did not say anything. But that small squeeze was his way of reassuring me that he was here for me.
I tried to push the bad thoughts to the back of my mind as I continued to look around. But no matter what, those gazes were hard to ignore. I was really feeling my good time turn sour.
"Sander, how about I take Faith back…." My mother seemed overly worried that someone was going to say something to hurt my feelings, or maybe she could feel my mood was quickly changing.
"Humph! Let these bastards say something! I will shove my fist down their throats." My father did not seem to be in a happy mood as he stared at all the villagers. They quickly looked away when my father's gaze fell on them.
"Father, Mother… maybe I should go back…." I said softly. I did not want anything to happen because of me. While it was a shame that I would not get to see what items the merchants had, I would prefer not to have any kind of problems start because I was around.
"Alright… If Faith wants to head back, then fine…. I will sell our items and get you something good." It seemed my father was a bit reluctant to give in to the villagers, but he probably thought I was really offended by them. While I was, I knew it was something I had to get used to, so I was doing my best to ignore them.
My father lifted me off his shoulders and set me down. My mother took my hand and squeezed it tightly before patting my head. "Let's go back."
"Mmm…." I forced a smile and squeezed my mother's hand back. We went to walk back through the crowd, but we only moved a few steps when I was suddenly shoved hard from the side. Causing me to lose my grip on my mother's hand and fall a few feet away from her.
"Faith!" My mother cried up as I landed on my butt. "Let go of me! Get out of my way!"
The new dress that my mother just made me tore due to my feet getting caught up in it. I looked up to see some older ladies grabbing my mother and holding her back. They had grabbed her hands, making it so she could not cast any spells. She was screaming at the ladies and struggling to getaway. Even during her struggling her eyes were always locked on me. "Faith, runaway!"
"What are you doing!? Unhand me! Is this how the village guard is supposed to act!? If something happens to my daughter, I will make you all pay!" I heard my father's voice yell out. I turned to see him fighting with quite a few village guards. None of them were people I knew. Auntie Finna was also being restrained, and my brother was being held on the ground. They had smashed his face into the ground. I knew this because I could see that his nose was bleeding.
"Haha! Serves a monster like you, right! I wonder if your mother had an affair with a monster out in the woods. That is why you turned into this. You can only blame them for what is about to happen." I turned to look up at Trent's smug face as he walked through the crowd. Behind him were two guards. He sneered at me and turned to the others. "Hold them back! They can watch as I exterminate this monster and save the village."
Tears began to well up in my eyes. Why? Why was this happening? I have never done anything wrong to these people. I looked around, looking for anyone who could help my family, but they all just turned away. Those that seemed to feel things were wrong lowered their heads, not daring to go against the village elder's grandson.
Was this the fate of those who were demi human? This was no different from a lynching…. I really couldn't understand… My mind was a mess, and tears flowed uncontrollably. "Faith! Don't hold back and run away! Don't let your training go to waste!"
Hearing my father's voice, I turned to see him being forced to the ground by six guards. His face was slightly swollen, but his eyes were full of worry and fear. It was not worry and fear for himself but for me. He was afraid I would end up dying here…. "Faith! Don't just sit there! You must protect yourself!"
"Yes… I wanted to grow stronger to protect those I love…. Those who showed me kindness and cared for me…." I felt like something had snapped in my mind. I slowly rose to my feet and looked at the people who were holding my parents, my brother, and Auntie Finna down, and rage began to well up inside me. It was a kind of rage I have never felt before in my two lives. I felt like I was in a dazed state, as if time had stopped for me altogether. My eyes began to glaze over, and all of a sudden, all I could see was red.
"Let them go…." My voice was low as I raised my head and stared at the one I knew who was responsible for all of this. "Trent, let my family go right this instant!"
"Wha-What!? Do you think I will listen to a monster like you!? It's their fault for harboring a disgusting monster like you. Once we rid our village of you, we will kick your family out to wander to the lands below!" Trent's words fueled my rage even more.
My mother and father have always told me that no matter what happens, they would never abandon me. If I were to be kicked out of the village, they would follow me, and as a family, we would be nomads roaming from here and there. They were people I cared for more than anyone in this world. I would never abandon them, no matter what. "Wind Rush! Air Walk!"
Everything seemed to happen way too fast. By the time I could really understand what I was doing, I was standing in the air, grasping Trent's neck, looking down at all the villagers. My eyes swept over everyone who was restraining my family with a cold gaze. "Let them go, or I'll snap his neck!"
Words that I thought would never come out of my mouth flowed out so easily and so coldly that I didn't even recognize them myself. For the first time in my life, I was experiencing what it means to want to kill someone. What scared me more was how my mind was completely calm when I thought about how easy it would be for me to twist my hand and take the life of the young man I was grasping onto. That feeling of holding someone else's life in your hands was a scary one. But for my family and Auntie Finna, I was willing to bear the crime of staining my hands with someone else's blood.
I wondered if this was how a soldier felt at a time like this when they first came face to face with having the choice to kill someone. My body was trembling. I was not sure if it was due to rage, fear, or even excitement. But I knew that at this moment, this was my only course of action. These guards would not listen to just anyone. Only the village elder's family had the ability to order the village guard.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before gazing coldly at the guards and ladies still holding my family and Auntie Finna down. They all seemed to not know what to do. But as I went to order them to let my family go once more, an old voice echoed over the quiet village center. "What is going on here?"
