Plans never go right

As the sun cut over the tops of the trees I stirred awake for the second time. The grass had resumed it's natural position and sheltered me from much of the light. However, as the warmth filled the air I came back to life. With an accustomed grunt I pushed off of the earth and wiped the grime out of my eyes. In only a few hours I felt even more rested than I had sleeping for nearly ten. I stretched out and felt my joints realign themselves. Within a few minutes I was back to fighting shape, though the stray strand of grass still stuck to my back and legs. With the morning already underway I began the short walk back to the village. Before I could got the chance to enter my pathway was blocked by an unfortunate sight. The man from before, who had attempted to halt me from entering the village, did so once more. Though this time he held up a rusty sword between me and the ring of houses.

"You! You did this! Where is she!? Where is she!?" He lunged at me in a clumsy, half-baked, attempt to attack me. "Where did you take her? What did you do to her you fucking human shit-can!?" With each accusatory scream he lunged at me again. I barely had to sidestep him as he went stumbling past me. Each time he began to come closer and closer. Too close for comfort. "What did you do to my niece!?" With one final poorly aimed slash he went stumbling past me. This time however I didn't take to the attack so kindly. With a swift kick I brought my sneaker into his gut. The kick carried more power than I intended as he was lifted off the ground with it. He came back down to the Earth clutching his stomach as he reeled in pain. The rusty blade flying off somewhere in the brush.

With him handled I pushed on into the village, looking around for someone, anyone, who would be able to explain what had happened. Thankfully I didn't need to look long as Miss Loroni and Hailey came up to me as I neared the center of the area. "Where were you? What happened?" Hailey began asking me. I looked between them equally as confused until I was finally able to get a word in.

"What do you mean? I'm sorry for leaving the house but I wanted to get some training in after I woke up. Went to the field over there, spent the night there after I got some work in. What's going on? Why was I just attacked?" I asked gesturing to the man who was stumbling into the hamlet. He was still clutching his stomach and rambling to the man helping him. I paid neither of them any mind, even as the man's expression seemed to grow more and more angry as The Asshole continued. Turning back to Hailey and Loroni, "What's going on?"

They looked between each other before Loroni spoke up first. "It's Nori. A young girl, barely in her teens. She's gone missing some time in the night. Her mother claims she was with them as they went to bed but when she awoke she was gone. She..."

I turned to Hailey immediately. "Did anyone else know of the hole? Where it's at or that Mors and I went? Does anyone know?" After a moment of shock Hailey began nodding in confirmation. The possibility dawned on her after a few seconds. "Fuck! Where's Mors?" I asked looking around.

"He's gone to meet you at... he's at the hole!" Hailey practically screamed in a horrible realization. I reached out and placed my hand on her shoulder. The look in her eyes was that of pure panic. She had nearly lost her son, now she may lose her husband.

"Miss Loroni, see to Hailey and Bry. Miss Hailey, it'll be alright. I didn't go through all of that to lose someone now. Go inside, I'll be back with your husband and the girl. I promise. Go." She didn't seem to take in what I had said. Instead she almost appeared to be in fearful shock. Only as Loroni grabbed her arm and led her away did she begin to stir. She looked back at me with that scared expression, to which I simply nodded. Nothing more I could think to say in that moment.

I didn't wait for them to make it inside before I bolted off into the woods. Not before I heard a somewhat familiar voice scream "Look! He's running!" I didn't pay it any mind as I sprinted through the thick forest. Doing my best to avoid breaking my ankles on any stray rocks or roots. Thankfully the trail from Mors and I's travels was still there. In a few spots I had to look for it, but after a while I finally reached the spring and pit. I looked down the original hole in some attempt to see anything. The only thing I could make up was the moving shadows within. The nest had been repopulated. I knew it would happen, but didn't enjoy seeing it in the slightest. At the spring, however, the news only became worse. Tools and nails lay against the outside of the side. Save for that, there was no sign that anyone had arrived.

With a complaining grunt I slid down the rocky slope. Coming to a crash down at the bottom. I took the moment to draw my broken sword as I walked along the dark wall. Inside I could faintly hear the sounds of slapping and hissing. The same I had heard before when fighting the lizards before. I didn't hear any screaming, which caused me to hurry quicker and quicker. As I made it into the main space I managed to catch myself from falling off the small rock slide.

Looking out over the area it's disheartening to see just how many of the damn things are crawling around. They seem to be cleaning off the bodies that I had left behind the day prior. Thankfully I didn't see any child or man sized meals laying on the ground. I slid my way down the rocks as I did my best to avoid them. Luckily for me they only made the most sound possible as they collided with the metal zoo sign. Not a moment later the wet slapping started to become louder and louder. Nothing quite like a giant lizard horde coming to attack you.

Acting as quick as possible I jumped up and ran over to the nearest enclosure. As I did I peered into the rubble filled mess before I jumped over the wall down into the pit. One ten foot fall later I somehow avoid snapping me knees or ankles. I slump against the wall as I continue to hear the gross smacking of feet and tails, followed quickly by the haunting sound of over a dozen different hisses. I stayed up against the stony wall as they hunted for me. After a few moments I could hear one of them cresting over the edge of my little hide. I looked up towards the sound as it's horrid snout came into view. It's long tongue flapped out of it's mouth as it tasted the air for me presence.

In preparation for another fight I reached down and got ready to get the charge going. I can feel my knuckles straining as I grip the handle with an almost painful tightness. After a few moments the lizards tongue goes back inside and it slips away from the wall. As it leaves I look down at my hand, each of my knuckles are uncomfortably white. My head falls back to the wall as I breath a sigh of relief.

My moment is immediately cut short as a massive cloud of smoke and scales crashes down onto the rocks in front of me. As the cloud settles I grip my sword once more and coat it in sparks. The lizard flails as its tail swipes from side to side desperately. At the same time it snapped its jaws at me. Luckily the jump down seemed to break it's hind legs leaving it unable to attack me immediately. Above I could still hear the hissing and grinding as their scaly bodies dragged along the ground. Either out of pity for the injured creature, or just pure desire for it to be dead, I drove my blade directly into it's face. The magical blade embedded itself deep inside as it charred the flesh and ended its life.

Above me I could hear the rocks starting to give way from the added weight. Pushing off of the wall I'm met with six more of the grotesque beasts struggling over the wall. Their combined weight caused the ancient stone to crack and send rubble crashing down at me. I scrambled away from the wall at the sight of all of them coming after me. Only just in time as the wall finally caved and the pack of lizards came tumbling over each other. I pulled myself to my feet as I managed to run across the large enclosure before many of them were able to catch up to me. As I neared the far wall a familiar voice called out.

"Sir!"