22 City of Ravens 8 (1/2)

”Don't move!”

Out of nowhere, a voice shouted as I was climbing up the mound to reach the flower. Behind me, three men wearing camo and pointing their rifles my way. Seeing the blackness in the barrels, my heart slowed down as my mind blanked out.

The three men, wearing camo suits and masks in slow steps approached closer while their guns stayed pointed at my head. ”Don't try anything or you will say goodbye to your life. Slowly go down, if you try making a run for the flower we will shoot you.” The man in the middle said.

All three men were holding automatic assault rifles, equipped with scopes, grips, and what looked like extended magazines.

”Who are you?” I asked. My voice was trembling slightly, but I was able to hide it with fast speech.

”Don't ask questions. Don't talk at all. Now take that knife of yours and throw it at the ground. Use your index and middle finger.” He said, but his eyes were not focused on me, but rather on the flower that was behind me.

”You want the flower? You can take it, I won't risk my life for a worthless plant.”

”Worthless? You are either trying to fool me, or you are an idiot. And I think it's the former. Now drop your knife, Orthrus skin, and the body camera.”

”The Orthrus skin? So, you guys are just bandits.”

”Yes, yes, we are no more than lowly scums of this world, we head it many times. Now, do as we say.”

I didn't move.

”Listen, we were following you since the morning. We know where your stash is, we know how strong you are, and we know that we can kill you with just pull of a finger. Don't act brave and give up.”

”…”

”Go on. Don't waste time.”

Having three barrels pointed at you was an efficient form of persuasion. My soul image is not capable of blocking bullets, and the vest I'm wearing won't even slow down bullets of this caliber. As for dodging… not in a million years.

Reluctantly I took the pelt of my back and threw it on the ground. I then did the same with the knife.

”Good. J, go grab the flower. Don't damage it. L, get the knife and the pelt.”

One of the men went up the mound and started to gently dig out the flower. When the other one approached me while aiming at my chest. ”Move back,” he said while nudging with his weapon.

'Rumble!!!'

When I lifted my foot, the ground shook, and I lost my balance. Falling to the ground, I watched as the bandits started shaking in fear, losing strength in their legs and sliding down to the floor.

A shadow loomed over me as debris fell around me. Warm liquid dripped on my face, filling my eyes dyeing my vision red. Above me, J. that was tasked with grabbing the flower held meters above ground by hands that were each the size of a person. The chest in the right and the legs in the left hand.

The hands holding him were covered in moss, with skin that looked like old tree bark, deprived of any signs of it being alive. When the giant hands moved small debris fell, they moved up to a head with same skin and moss as the hand.