《Manga in Words》


 The Arms Peddler - Chapter 1 - Setting a Tragic Backstory

    Hyah, hyah!


    The driver of the covered wagon called at his horses, encouraging them to eek out a little more speed. They zoomed through the darkness, pounding on the dirt and sand of the frontier lands.


    The driver looked back, putting his hand on his hat as he turned.


    ¡°They''re¡­ They''re coming!¡± his panicked voice cracked in the dry, cold desert.


    ¡°What''s coming mother?,¡± a young boy asked. His mother didn''t answer, only putting her hand on top of her son''s head in gentle reassurance.


    They could all hear the copping of their horses, and the rattling of the lanterns that hung off the back post of the caravan. What kept the wildlife away only attracted more dangerous prey¡­ Bandits.


    Bandits who chased the caravan like a pack of wolves, waiting for the beasts of burden to slow down, before sinking their teeth in.


    At the front of a pack, a heavily scarred man wet his lips before letting out a hyena-like laugh.


    Kyahahaha


    The pack responded in kind, their bloodlust was uncontainable. In the rear, the flag bearers waved their bloodstained flags high, somehow keeping them upright as their own horses barrelled down the wastelands in chase. A crudely drawn snake was painted in white paint on the raggedy, bloodstained flag like a backwards s (?).


    It wasn''t too long before one of the bandits was able to pull up next to the caravan. The horse whinnied in fear, as if it knew it''s fate was sealed.


    Thwomp.


    The bandit pulled out his crossbow and buried a bolt straight into the horse''s face, straight into its cheek. One could almost see the surprise in the horses eyes as it noticed the bolt emerge from its face, before tumbling down onto the ground and being run over by the same carriage it so proudly pulled in their months long journey.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The carriage flipped. It wasn''t meant to roll over a whole horse. The halter was like the chain of an archor that was thrown overboard, and the horse as heavy as any lump of iron and steel.


    Waaaah! The passengers were flung around the inside of the carriage before the young boy was flung out into the darkness.


    Souma!!!!!


    Mother!!!!


    >--------------------------------------------------------<


    ¡°Mother¡­.¡± Souma eventually came to, woken up by the smoke and light of a burning fire.


    He lifted his head, struggling to adjust to the sudden brightness before realizing - his eyes widened - the pure carnage in front of him. The entire caravan was wrecked and on fire.


    The body of his sister, the third passenger, was impaled on two long spears. So close to the fire she was, he could only see her silhouette, but he knew.


    Closer was the body of the driver, his father laid prone on the ground, his face beaten into his skull. Despite the raw mess, he knew.


    But in front of him was his mother, throat slit, stared blankly into the night sky, tears trickling down her cheeks. Her hands were staked together above her head and his clothes were ripped off, her naked breasts covered in blood and knife wounds. Her face was untouched. He knew.


    Ahhhhhhhhhh¡­.


    The boy¡¯s cry wavered like the flames of fire that kicked the night sky.


    Mother¡­


    Father¡­.


    Namite¡­.


    Souma had got onto his knees, the words barely slipping out of his mouth. But he had no time to grieve, as a wretched, filthy voice commented from behind.


    ¡°Whenever I attack a village or caravan, I always leave one person behind¡­ Do you know why?


    Anger flashed across his eyes, Souma turned around, he was going to kil-


    Souma was kicked in the face, someone had driven the heel of their boot directly into his nose.


    He couldn''t see well, he was concussed from the crash, dazed from the kick, and lost in his grief, but he could see a tall muscular man, a coat was draped across his muscular shoulders, military boots with a knobby rubber tread, and a large snake tattoo that was carved into his chest. The snake stretched from his collar bone and looped around his chest and abs, ending at his belly button.


    It was the same backwards s on the flags that fluttered in the background.