Chapter 24: The Dragon In The Tiger’s Den[1]

Thrown into the cell, Xior landed on the straw-strewn floor with the grace of a predator and not a captive. His chest was bleeding but he choose to not heal it and act as if he’s injured severely.

In front of him were seven Wolf Tribe members, injured, malnourished and half-dead. Xior looked at them and remembered his own childhood, after his parents started climbing the tower he was locked by the people his parents took loans from.

He was beaten up and chained much like them, he let his wounds heal so that he could move again. He got up slightly and checked if they were alive.

One of them in a half daze got startled and backed away causing all of them to panic. Xior looked at them, they were shaking in fear, that death had come for them but it was only Xior.

They weren’t in a state to differentiate him from the Tigers, the air around them felt heavy, as if death was staring at its prey and their end was near.

“I don’t mean any harm, warriors of the Wolves. I’m here on orders of Chief Tharnak.” Xior said, his voice calm as he put his hand on the hand of one of the wolves.

Tharnak’s name was enough to end their half-dazed state, they looked at Xior and saw the bone necklace in his neck, their dead eyes shone every so slightly as a some hope returned.

“Did Chief really send you?” One of them questioned, still on edge.

“Yes, isn’t this necklace enough proof of my standing?” Xior pointed at his necklace and said.

They looked at each other and nodded, Xior sat down in front of them as he started thinking of what he had planned as soon as he saw the number of the Tiger Tribe and their strength.

From his inventory he brought out potions and runes, basic stat runes of endurance and strength. He gave a potion and five runes of both strength and endurance to all of them.

As they absorbed the runes and drank the potion, their wounds started to heal slightly and their complexion returned, this was far from fully healing them but it helped.

*****

Becca just arrived at the Rabbit Tribe, she limped as she entered. The Tigers blood was splattered all over her face and clothes making her look intimidating.

Alice came rushing out and supported Becca and took her to the medical building. She sat next to Becca as their doctor checked her leg. There was a hairline fracture which would be cured by the Rabbit Tribe healers.

“How may I help you, Miss?” Alice asked with a bright smile, her hand on Becca’s hand.

“I’m Rebecca from the Dragon Guild, the Vice-Guildmaster Rain has cordially invited you to a group conference with the other tribe chiefs and vice-chiefs.” Becca replied.

“Rebecca…Becca?” Alice blurted out as she remembered Xior talking about her.

“Huh! How do you know that name?” Becca asked in confusion as she sat up straight on the hospital bed.

“Xior talked a lot about you, he’s such a caring man. You’re blessed to have someone like him on your side.” Alice said, her voice soft but her eyes showed a different emotion.

She had been alone and had grown attached to Xior due to their shared trauma but all she could do was look at him from behind as he soars the sky and leaves her behind.

Humans were always like that, they’d discard anyone they deemed ’unusable’. Maybe it was the stereotype she thought Xior won’t remember her when all this was over.

Becca saw through Alice, the five years she spent alone separated from Xior changed her and made her to be able to take a stand for herself.

“Miss Alice, do you mind if I ask you a question.” Becca asked as she got closer to Alice, her emerald green eyes reflected Alice.

Becca was everything Alice wanted to be after hearing Xior talk about her, so she turned her head as to not look into her eyes and said, “yes, go ahead.”

Becca’s lips parted but she shut them before saying anything, she understood her and how she thinks. So instead she put a smile on her face and said, “do you wanna know something from Xior’s childhood?”

Alice was startled from the question, she expected a question about her not being true to herself. Not telling Xior that he shouldn’t forget her and that she would always help him out.

The question lightened the mood as Alice chuckled, “definitely”, she said.

*****

Night had came and now the room was completely dark except for the sharp eyes of the wolves still visible.

They had recovered a lot, Xior had already discussed the plan with them. It was time to start it, he got up and moved to the door and banged it with his hand.

A guard rushed hearing this and growled at Xior but he didn’t back away. The door which was shut broke off its hinges and slammed into the guard as he fell down.

Xior jumped out of the room and kicked the guards neck, killing him instantly. The Wolf Tribe members behind him looked in shock as he killed him with one kick.

The loud sound of the door breaking alerted the other Tigers and four rushed towards Xior and the wolves but they were just fodder against Xior who was at the level of a high tier S Rank hunter.

He ducked, twisted and hit all four of them, not a single attack landed on him. He was done holding himself back because the conflict would keep on increasing from there onwards.

A knee to the face, an elbow to the groin, and upper cut to the chin and finally a palm to the chest simply exploded the bodies of the Tiger Tribe members.

He jumped out of the building, the surrounding illuminated by the moonlight as more than two dozen Tiger Tribe members stood in the distance waiting to attack.

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