Chapter 18
1021 Words
The leprechaun grabbed his jacket that lay on the ground beside him and threw it at me. I caught it and raised my eyebrow. He rolled his eyes and bent down to pick up his shirt, he put it on effortlessly. The short sleeved shirt now hid his muscular chest but his arms were still exposed, showing off his tattoos.
"Christ, put it on. You're distracting me." He said amused. I looked down at my naked body, I then rolled my eyes and threw the jacket over me, covering myself up. Men, they were all the same no matter the race.
"What has brought you into my territory and out of your cave creature?" I narrowed my eyes in suspicion but it had no affect on his demeanor whatsoever.
"I can see right through you, immortal." He pointed his finger at me accusingly.
"I asked you a question?" I half smiled, ignoring his words.
He smiled broadly again and took another chug of his mead. When he was done he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His face became dark and the humor behind his eyes were gone. A shadow fell over his head as he glared at me. He appeared to be looking through me.
"Your kind has slaughtered countless species, feared by all. Not even magic can touch you. Yet you hide here with a pack of dogs that are nothing to you, that mean nothing to you. Why do you care if I step foot in their territory." He spat out in anger.
I held my head high as a small shiver crept up my spine. Perhaps he was playing a trick on me, he could not possibly know who I am. His kind had been banished by all other beings, their powers and cunning ways were too bothersome. The humans had shunned away from them. And even the Gods that created them abandoned them, they were the unwanted children of the earth.
Leprechauns were known to be thieving hoarders, who granted wishes in return for gold. But through out the centuries they become increasingly greedy and the prices for the wishes became much more than just gold. They had decimated populations and kingdoms with their wishes, for the prices one had to pay in the end became too much. The Gods had to intervene, casting them out of their good graces and abandoning them to the wolves.
They had given in to the shadows and hidden away from everyone, never to be seen again. So I thought anyway.
"I have only met one of your kind once before. Centuries ago, when such beings were finally being forgotten by the humans and every other creature. He was a wicked spirit, caused major damage, giving away wishes in return for souls." I looked at him coldly as I remembered that particular assignment.
In those times they were still roaming the earth but in secret. Once it was known one of their kind had been exposed they hid away for fear of the repercussions. With the exposure and death of their kin, I had exiled them back into the darkness of caves.
The leprechaun spat in disgust fully aware of who I spoke of. He continued to drink his mead until the water skin finally seemed to be empty.
"The Crows took care of him and exiled the rest of us into dirty damp caves!" He shouted. His hair became a brighter red as if it had caught fire. He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.
"He was out of control, it was the only way." I responded calm and coldly.
He spat again and pointed his finger back at me ,"You will pay for your sins. You already are." He laughed wildly and spread his arms out taking in the rays of the sun. His pale skin glowed as if it was absorbing the light.
"Immortal Crow." He turned to face me as a shadow fell over his face again. He knew who I was. "You exiled yourself because you couldn't stand your own kind anymore. And look where that has led you to?" He pointed at the surroundings.
"Dogs! They are bigger brutes than we ever were. Now you lie with one and hide within their pack. How low you have fallen, Crow." He taunted. I clenched my fist unwillingly. I swiftly rushed to him and pulled him up by his neck, slamming him against a tree.
Even as I choked him he laughed, not trying to break free. "You were the monsters not us." He said between breathes. I dropped him to the ground in disgust. I kicked him and he flew across the clearing. As he sat up he laughed, wiping the blood from his mouth.
"It has been a while since I have crossed arms with anyone. I have missed it." He tore his shirt of and charged forward in my direction. I slapped away his punches, but he persisted forward. He was fast, accurate and proficient in combat. As I slapped another one of his punches away his fist hit the tree behind me and cracked it. He was very powerful.
We combated for a while, but it seemed we were equally matched. Impossible! I met his every punch and kick and he met mines. I had no weapons on me, only my fists. I tried to shift into wolf form but he was too fast, never had I seen such agility. I snapped my jaws trying to rip his throat but he blocked me every time. He slammed me against a tree causing me to hit my head hard against the bark.
I laughed as I went limp under his hold, "It was I who sent the Crows to execute that vile Leprechaun. I gave him the death blow as he laid battered on the ground with all his bones broken. I exiled your kind!" His eyes turned red and a growl erupted from his chest. I kicked him off of me quickly then reached for a jagged rock next to me.
I moved forward and charged at him.
- Writer
