Chapter 16 16. Turns out I’m the villain
The air began to be filled with the stench of fire and blood. A small group of old farmers, holding weapons and shields, roared hysterically and launched a death charge on the invaders, just to fight for a chance of escape for their families behind them.
Alan saw the invaders for the first time, a group of monsters who had no idea what mercy was. They were wearing black armor and marching in formation on the narrow village roads, hunting every living thing they could see.
The old peasants were brave, but they were no match for these trained killing machines, their strength and speed no match. Soon, the battle was over, and the peasants lay motionless in a pool of their own blood. They hadn't even managed to strike their adversaries. The invaders stepped over the corpses of the peasants and continued their graceful advance into the village.
Antoine's decision was indeed the right one. How could a group of well-trained killing machines not seize the commanding heights? The moment the village gate was opened, a group of soldiers charged directly to the commanding heights, cutting down the elderly, the weak, women, and children who were still trying to climb the earthen ramparts. The flag of the Hell's Disaster family stood tall on the earthen ramparts, its red against the green light of the sky creating an indescribable eeriness. Black crossbowmen, shields propped up, fired indiscriminately from their crossbows. Some villagers tried to rush to the back door, but the moment it opened, they were cut down by the long-awaited invaders, who then poured in through the back door.
Two intruders stood in front of Alan's mother, who tried to protect Alan and his brother with her body. The two intruders grabbed her with a strange smile on their faces. One of the intruders plunged a serrated dagger into her abdomen, causing her to let out a piercing wail. Then they dragged her into a nearby house.
Alan collapsed to the ground in shock and terror, his brother wailing miserably. The third intruder seemed about to follow his companions, but he turned back with a displeased look on his face, as if dissatisfied with the noise made by Alan's brother. He was about to raise his sword to strike at Alan's brother when a dark figure suddenly rushed out and knocked him to the ground.
Alan recognized the shadowy figure; it was the blacksmith from next door. Antoine always teased him at the family dinner table, saying he wasn't making farm tools, but was instead forging weapons for knights and becoming a swordsmith. Not only was he unprofitable, but his craftsmanship was so slow he couldn't even find a wife. A few months ago, after forging a weapon for a knight, not only was he not rewarded, but he was also beaten so badly he nearly died because the knight disliked a small decoration on the hilt. He'd been bedridden for months, with Antoine bringing him meals and caring for him.
At this moment, the blacksmith knocked the intruder down, grabbed the hilt of his sword with both hands, and was about to stab the intruder in the neck with the sword. However, the intruder lay on the ground and used the notch in the middle of the sword with both hands to block the blacksmith's sword. The blacksmith screamed hysterically, and used all his strength to hit the sword but it did not move at all. The intruder lying on the ground showed a playful smile on his face, staring at the blacksmith with his eyes, as if thinking about some cruel way to take revenge on the blacksmith. The blacksmith had cold sweat on his head, and he stopped shouting at this moment, and began to shout in a trembling voice: "Alan! Go away, I can't hold on any longer. You and your brother go away, thank Antoine..."
Before the blacksmith could finish his words, a steel chain swung over and precisely wrapped around his neck. The Black Ark pirate, with three severed heads hanging around his waist, yanked the chain hard, knocking him to the ground. The blacksmith desperately tugged at the chain around his neck, feeling like he couldn't breathe.
At that moment, Alan's brother had an idea. He grabbed Alan's hand and started running. The flickering firelight illuminated his face and the horrific scene around him. He saw the blood-stained muddy street. He saw some people still trying to fight back, but it was all in vain, all hacked to the ground. Alan's brother took his hand and ran straight into the alley, running towards the gap in the fence, which was only the size of a dog hole. His brother told him to get out first.
His brother was not so lucky. Just when he was halfway out, a steel chain wrapped around his calf and pulled him back. Alan desperately pulled his brother's hand, but there was no way. He could only watch his brother being dragged back. His brother did not shout, but smiled at Alan and said, "Let's go!"
A Black Ark pirate stepped forward, pulled Alan's brother's collar, and said jokingly, "Praise Kane, the powerful people love little boys like this to serve as their servants."
The person next to him also joked: "You're talking about the downtrodden nobles, the kind who don't have Sovereign but still want to save face. The real nobles don't even bring servants, like Dark..."
The Black Ark pirate immediately interrupted him, "Are you fucking going to die? Don't drag me down with you if you want to die." He glanced around, realizing they were the only ones around, and breathed a sigh of relief. He then glared at the reckless fellow and gave him a hard kick. The reckless fellow, realizing he'd said the wrong thing, shut up and silently took the kick.
The intruder sprang to his feet, drew his jagged dagger, and prepared to throw it into the blacksmith's chest. The Black Ark pirate captain approached and stopped him, saying sinisterly, "Kane's sacrifice is sufficient tonight. The remainder should be presented to Lord Darkus."
The intruder kicked the blacksmith in anger and then entered the house. He had been suffocating for the past few months at sea. Those cousins were commodities worth the same as the Sovereigns, and if they were to be sold, it wouldn't be the turn of a small fry like him.
Alan finally ran out of the forest, and then he saw a breathtaking scene: a strangely shaped chariot stopped in front of the cave, and three animal trainers on the chariot were looking at the dark cave entrance.
One trainer said: "I can feel something is in there, and it's very dangerous."
"You're talking like we can't feel it. You're just idle and your hands are itching."
The beast trainer driving the chariot frowned and said, "Don't bother looking for trouble. We lost the Claw Tournament last year, and we're in need of War Hydras under the Tower of Doom. I'll ask Lord Jaeger to let you capture one."
The animal trainer immediately begged for mercy: "Please spare me, I was just saying, eh? Why is there a kid over there?" As he raised the harpoon crossbow, Alan felt a sharp pain in his body, then he flew up, and then his eyes went black and he knew nothing.
The beast trainer driving the chariot looked at Alan, who was nailed to the tree trunk, speechlessly and said, "Why don't you usually shoot so well? Go back."
"drive!"
I feel like the writing doesn't have that flavor, _(:з」∠)_