I didn't know what to do anymore.
My mother is unconscious and is missing a leg, my brother is stuck under the debris of the broken carriage, I can barely do anything while raptors are about to gobble us all up.
Kwraaar!
I wonder how those savages are doing, I can hear this mysterious group of people fighting the raptors. I'm hearing less and less raptors, are you telling me this small group of savages are strong enough to hunt a pack of raptors?
Kraaaawr! Kwraaaaa!
Turns out, they were that strong. I could tell because some of the raptors were running away- running in my direction that is. But they didn't care to even look at me, they were running for their lives.
Kwaa...?
One of the raptors took notice of me and the people in the broken carriage- how unfortunate. It ran towards me. However, a spear came from above and tore straight through the raptors head, pinning it down to the ground. That raptor was the unfortunate one, huh?
"Ge£ !t @3@% f!## !**m!"
I heard a commanding voice from the group of savages that tore through the screen of fire. Their action was on the raptor pinned to the ground right in front of me.
Kwrr...
That thing was still alive? One of the savages broke a carriage wheel and threw it at the raptor's belly. The wheel penetrated the raptor's skin, half of the wheel made it into the raptor's body. The impact of the throw broke the spear that went through its head and into the ground, and knocked the raptor back about 7 steps.
"Pak, get the raptor away from the kid!" Yelled the man leading the group of savages, he had a cool looking beard and wore a fur around his neck with a leather coat that left is abdomen and arms exposed. They were dressed like hunters, but civilized. They carried bags that looked well crafted. Perhaps they are barbarians.
Wait, I'm starting to understand them. This language... it's from my previous world!
The barbarians were speaking German. Lucky me, because learning other languages happened to be something I was obsessed with in my past life. I'm not sure how it's the mother-tongue of these barbarians but learning to swear in German got me into learning German and it paid off.
A woman from the group of barbarians rushed forward. One step was all it took for her to cover the distance between her and the raptors. She then kicked the raptor like a soccer ball, sending it flying into the distance. These people are scarier than raptors.
"If you find any raptors lying around, get them away from this place immediately!" Their leader commanded.
"Tch. Those damned things come back to life too quickly." Said the younger barbarian who looked about 15 years old.
The raptors come back to life? What's with this world?
"Nope, that was the last of them." Said another barbarian. There were 4 barbarians in total.
"What are we going to do about the kid?" Asked the female barbarian.
"There's another kid and a woman with a missing leg in here." Added the young male barbarian.
Their leader sighed, "we lost one of us what? Two kids and a half dead woman? Whatever. Don't forget our traditions, all transactions should be equal. Go, see what they can offer in return."
"Yes, leader." Replied the young barbarian.
"No, Ghaf." Said Pak. "You're not good with your words, I'll take care of it."
Tch!
The young barbarian -Ghaf- clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. He didn't do any more than that.
Pak headed to the carriage and helped my elder brother to stand up. Ghaf took me to the scene, he was holding me by the collar.
"Nigga you stink, let me down. Now!" I protested.
"The heck!?" Exclaimed Ghaf, "Did the baby just talk!?"
"Oh great. He's hearing things now?" Frowned Pak.
"No. Hell- I'm not hearing stuff. Just look." Ghaf held me out, holding me by my collar.
You think you can expose me just like that, kid?
"Goo-goo-ga-ga" No, I don't feel embarrassed for saying that. I'm a professional baby afterall.
After hearing that, Pak turned her attention back to my elder brother, ignoring Ghaf like he's an insect. Great. Now he's super mad at me.
"The woman won't be waking up any time soon" Said Pak "They don't seem to have anything equivalent to Namic's life either."
The fourth barbarian --he was very tall and thin-- stepped forward. "We won't be able to find any items equivalent to Namic's life anyway. The value the elders gave him was 160,000 Endi." He said.
Do these crazed people have a quantitative value for each person in their tribe? And they're called 'Edni'- sounds like undies. Besides, what are they planning to do now?
"Now that's troublesome." Their leader frowned. "I hate to say this, but you know what will happen if we break the rules."
The face of the barbarians darkened. "But, leader, the scale won't be balanced even if we took all three of them and their possessions." Said Pak. She must be the smart one in the group.
My elder brother was shaking in fear, so much so that he didn't utter a word since he saw a raptor. They looked much more gruesome and terrifying than the ones I saw in movies and cartoons.
Do they really have to see everything as a transaction? Is it that difficult for them to save lives? I was furious. Their values and ideologies irritated me.
All while that was happening, Ghaf was intently staring at me, holding me against his face. That further angered me.
Does this brat really have nothing better to do? The lives of three people are at stake and he's just gonna stare at my face like he's got nothing to do!?
"Nigga, Let me down already." I said, with the most disrespectful expression I could make.
That startled Ghaf. He was about to throw me from the shock.
Oh no . To think that my new life would be this short...
But he stopped just before he was about to launch me into outer space with his barbaric strength. His eyes were as wide as a fish for some reason.
Did you see a ghost or something?
"Leadeeeer!" He exclaimed, "The kid doesn't have a shadow!". The idiot let go of his grip.
Just as I was about to hit the ground. The fourth barbarian -the tall and thin guy- dived to catch me just in time.
"It's true..." His eyes widened, "he really doesn't cast a shadow!"
He seemed like the calm and composed one in the group, is this shadow thing that big of a deal to the barbarians?
"Leader... is this child who I think he is?" asked Pak
"Indeed, only will the child of prophecy not cast a shadow." Said their leader, "Verily, he is the child that will lead our tribe to war against the wretched Kingdom of Centore!"
They raised their arms and threw their weapons in celebration.
Wow... first, I was the hero from the folk lore/ prophecy of Centore. But now, I'm going against the Kingdome of Centore?
My elder brother fainted after hearing all that crap. I'm concerned about how they'll get back home. Anything's fine with me as long as they're safe.
"Let the spirits of nature decide what is to happen to the child and his mother." Said their leader, "all that matters to us is taking the chosen one with us, as-soon-as-possible."
You self-absorbed savages!
That was the same as saying "who cares what happens to them, we got what we want." I didn't cry or behave like a baby, but instead of making them feel suspicious, it only affirmed their belief.
The thin barbarian -the fourth one- looked like he was thinking something deep. He handed me over to Ghaf -the young barbarian- and started writing something on the muddy ground with his finger.
"What are you doing, Dafkin?" Asked their leader.
"Ah. Leader, how can we miss the opportunity to name the chosen one himself!" He said excitedly.
This is bad. I don't want them to take away the name that my beloved family gave me. I had to do something to stop that broomstick of a barbarian.
Ghaf was still staring at me while I rested in his hands.
"Nigga! Listen to me carefully. I-- the chosen one-- shall hereby let you know that my name is Liandro." I said, with one of my arms raised like a certain guy with an odd mustache.
"Yessir Mr. Chosen One." He replied. I made sure that the barbarians didn't hear anything. "Leader! Leader! How about the name 'Nigga' the chosen one said so himself."
Oh no...
"That's a great name."
Nooo! Don't say that, sister Pak!
"The elders would be pleased with that name."
Shut up, broomstick!
"That's a great name- a name befitting for the chosen one."
Leader, you too!?
Meanwhile, Ghaf was proudly puffing his chest out. He was about to die from happiness as the "chosen one" himself privately spoke to him.
"Alright! Brethren, let's not waste even a second. Let's head to the village right away!"
From that day, I was known as Nigga.