Night. Nolan walked to an empty clearing when his instincts roared. He suppressed his instincts. He looked up and saw a blade aimed at his chest. A man with long dark blue hair thrusts his saber. Nolan didn't act. The man didn't pull back as the blade entered halfway into Nolan's chest. Blood flew on his blade and he stumbled, falling on his bottom.
"You!"
Nolan stared. "What do you want from me?"
The breeze carried his voice. The blue leaves of the trees shone with moonlight. The woman stood, pointed a finger on Nolan. Strings of flesh started to sew back Nolan's flesh as if it was natural.
"What are you!?"
"Hybrid, a part human."
"You lie!
"It is the truth. Tell me, why do you attack me?"
"I smell great spirits on you! Spirits that should only of the evils have! The townsfolk may not know but I can see through you! Tell me! I will protect this island!"
"Do I look like a monster to you?"
"Tell me!"
Nolan stared blankly. His red eyes spiraling into the shape of a hawk screeching. The man stumbled again with his limbs trembling. His eyes shook and tears flowed down. But the grip on his saber was firm. He was ready.
"Settle down, fool. I'm just an old monster that had lived too long."
"I will not!"
"I said settle down," Nolan reprimanded. "When you stab first before asking. Usually, it doesn't end too well. I can see that you are afraid to the point you would do something this stupid. I am not a monster. At least, that's what I like calling myself."
He gave out a broken smile. The man still pointed his saber against Nolan.
"I do not intend to kill. Not anymore. Not again. But if you wish to continue then you leave me no choice but to break your sword-arm. I will make sure that you won't ever lift a sword or a saber in your entire life. I've let you stabbed me. I've let you get away with that because this is a new start for me. I will not let you sully it. No matter how much of a monster you sense of me."
His saber rattled. His legs shook. Nolan could see that the man was just a kid who had barely seen battle in his life.
"Please," Nolan begged.
The young man sheathed his saber. "Can you please take your eyes away?"
Nolan closed his eyes and opened it. The eternal hawk screeching on his eyes disappeared. The coldness that cooled the area vanished. The young man stared at Nolan and around his body.
"What are you exactly?"
"Hybrid. I wish I know what I am exactly."
"You could have easily killed me, and avoided that."
Nolan clenched his fist. "You were watching me intensely. I've felt you when Lady Vitoria and Miss Lucille was here. You should not stare too much or your enemies will seek you."
He continued staring, hands still on his saber. "Did you move here to wait for me?"
"Yes, I wanted to know. Who knew that I would be stabbed. Hah," Nolan laughed like a broke record. "I guess it didn't take a day to break this peace. So what now? Should I leave? Swim away? It seems like you don't welcome me here. Oh, I'm sure that no one would want some monster here, aha."
"No, I just-"
"Just what? You stabbed me in the chest, lad. That's one way of saying that you don't want me here."
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"I just want to know if you are a threat!" He bellowed. "I thought you'd be able to easily dodge that too!"
Nolan smiled wearily. He held his head and pulled on his hair. He felt awful being called a monster. But considering what he had done he thought that he deserved it. He had done things he was not proud of, but still, he wanted to be human. That was the only bit of normalcy that he had. He was tired. So tired that he could just sleep for years. But he held on to that broken light inside of him.
"Just forget it," Nolan said. "I'd leave if that pleases you. I don't want any trouble. Not any longer."
"No, please wait," he said. "I am Kuhn, and I hope that you forgive me for this atrocious act."
"What now?" Nolan snorted. "I thought I was a monster."
"I was wrong."
"Don't judge too quickly."
'No," he said shaking his head. "A monster would have ripped my heart out. But you didn't, Sir. You held back. No monster would show mercy."
"Then you are even more foolish. I could be waiting for you to turn me back."
'No, I don't think you will, Sir."
"Why's that?"
"I have not seen a monster with a pained expression like yours, Sir."
Nolan scoffed. "Is that so?"
"Yes, please, let us start over. I was too hasty."
Nolan stretched his legs to Kuhn. "You. Do not try this on anyone. Promise me, if you are a man of your word."
"I will. I see my mistake."
"I don't think you do. You are lucky that you have struck me and not anyone else. Is there a reason you want to wield a weapon so badly on an island this peaceful?"
"That's because it is too peaceful that I wanted to protect it," he looked ashamed.
"I see, Well, next time don't try to stab people who have dangerous auras around them."
Kuhn stared at him. "Sir, I could not feel your spirits."
"It's Nolan. It's an innate syndrome. The Walker's Syndrome which is my curse. I can see that you're able to sense it. I was careless."
"Mister Nolan," he said softly. "Again, I hope that you can forgive me for what I had tried to do."
"It's nothing, really. If I didn't have this body then I'd be over for me."
"I heard that you were washed ashore here."
"That's right, but the sea's dangerous," Nolan rubbed the back of his head. "Look, I am a tired person that just got here. I promised Arel that I'd helped around and I intend to honor that. You won't find trouble for me. I just want a rest from my troubles and I vow that."
Kuhn nodded without a sound. He turned to the sky and then looked back. "I will remember that and once again. Forgive me."
Kuhn left to the trees. Nolan stared at the kid and grunted.