Chapter Two: The Difference Between a Kettle And a Brain (Pt.8)

Four Urcs and three of us, plus Iruril and Axelhand, we all went to the edge of the cliff. After all twelve of us stood still, Iruril began to whisper:

"In accordance with the convention, we gathered twelve individuals. Please let us cross the river."

Sanson and I stepped slightly forward in order to view the whole scenario, and we almost fell. Once Iruril finished her speech, the floating raft began moving towards us slowly. After a while, that raft reached the edge of a cliff where we are quietly. I looked at the thing with frightened eyes.

Axelhand ran up first without any hesitation. The raft didn't move. After Karl went up, I started to step out one foot on it carefully, and then slowly moved another foot on it. Won't this thing fall? But this raft is still floating in the air not even with a little bit shaking. I try hard not to look down, so I have been staring at the sky. Sanson is also having a frightened face, trying to pull our horses over. The horses tried to resist, after they suddenly stopped, Sanson finally managed to get them on.

After the four Urcs got on the raft, Iruril handed a bottle of medicine to the Urc staying on the cliff.

"This is not difficult, as long as you feed them the right amount. If the wound is very serious, you should also pour a little on that wound. But I have treated the most serious ones, so just feeding them would be fine."

The Urc did not answer, snatched the bottle with one hand, and ran to its fallen companions. Iruril looked into her backpack for a while, and then got on the raft.

Because Iruril has got on, there are twelve people now. The raft began to move slowly. I am a little nervous, so I am grasping the railing firmly and looking at the sky. When the raft began to move, even the horses seemed to be excited.

"Hee hee! Heeee hee hee! Pooffff!"

Sanson wanted to appease the horses, but it seems to be not very easy.

"Hey, Hey! Listen, it'd just be a short while!"

Although the horses are all stamping heavily, the raft doesn't even sway a bit. But the other passengers are all frightened. There is just a kind of feeling that the raft will be capsized. Then Iruril walked towards the horses.

Iruril put her cheek on the middle horse's face, her hands are stroking the faces of the other two horses. So she is now like hugging three horses at once. Then she whispered:

"Calm down. Calm down. We will be fine."

Surprisingly, the horses are beginning to calm. Karl is watching this scenario with a amazed face, and Sanson is staring at her with his over-admiring eyes. Although I am very surprised, I am still nervous, so I don't have a thought to say any words of praise. After this scene, I looked down.

Shit! It's so scary!

The cliff is far away and blurred. From here we can see that at the bottom there is a rapid stream flowing between the cliffs. I started to feel that the world is spinning. The waves go up and then go down blithely, beating the cliffs. I lifted my sight with a frightened face, tried to look around. Then I saw Iruril.

Iruril's black hair is fluttering. Is that wind? Iruril closed her eyes, as if she is feeling the wind with her cheek.

The wind is blowing.

Sasasa......

The Autumn Leaves started flying over from the woods on both sides of the cliffs.

They are the red maple leaves, and yellow ginkgo leaves. The leaves are flying, like a group of frightened birds flying at the same time. The leaves are riding on the wind blowing to the valley, falling while dancing. As far as we can see, the leaves are fluttering everywhere.

As if flying in the rain of Autumn Leaves.

Fly, Dance, Spin, Fall, they are falling without any fear. When you are dancing with the wind, does it matter even you fall? I seem to be able to hear the laughter of the leaves. Sha la la la la. Sha la la la la.

After a while, the last leaf continued to hover in the air. This is the only one left in the air. Moments before it was a performance of a group of flurry leaves. Now it's its solo time. This leaf is small, but it has a bright red color, dancing under the blue sky. Floating, flying, spinning, falling, falling without any fear.

"Are you coming down?"

After Sanson patted my shoulder, I finally got off the raft. Ah, I really want to make a song. The fear in my heart not long ago has completely disappeared. I suddenly want to take a ride again.

I helped Sanson to pull the horses down. Over the opposite side, those Urcs who have taken the medinces have all stood up, they are staring at us ferociously. I thought they were going to shout at us, but surprisingly, they are very quiet. Oh, is it because we have four Urcs as hostages? That being said, they have one more thing different from Orcs. They seem to care about companions. Didn't they say they are Urc Fighters? Hum.

The Urcs came across the river with us got off the raft,  and immediately ran away from us to a little distance. Iruril is watching the scene quietly. Axelhand is again raising his tomahawk to the front of his face, began feeling the blade.

Losing all of their arms, listening to our orders, will the Urcs really come to attack us? I feel like that it is worth to observe, but Iruril spoke.

"Please wait here until the other travelers come, then go back to meet your companions. If you plan to do so, then you should follow the convention, don't fight, Okay?"

"Mind your own business! Elf! Oink!"

It's really not easy for them to go back to meet their companions. This Bridge of Dozen although was built with good intentions, it's very inconvenient. The builder seemed to want to place all races in this inconvenience, and yet not to fight. I suddenly have an interesting idea at this moment.

"Oi! You can't wait to join your companions? We also don't want to leave you guys behind after we left, getting ready to ambush us."

The Urcs are looking at me nervously. I smiled and said:

"You want me to take you back?"

"You, what do you mean? Oink!"

I didn't answer, looked towards the opposite cliff and shouted:

"Hey! Focus! Ready to catch them!"

The Urcs couldn't understand what I was saying, and put on scared faces. I grabbed the Urc next to me, then lifted it up. The Urcs above my head began screaming.

"You, you, Oink! What do want to do?"

"Don't worry,the first one is the toughest one. Hey! You there! Wake up! Don't step back!"

Then I threw the Urc over. But I didn't throw with a single thought that if it fall down it would have nothing to do with me. I was aiming very carefully before I threw, so that the Urcs there could catch it. As the distance is about 60 cubits, I pointed its legs forward, and threw almost horizontally, that even if the guys opposite can't catch it, its neck won't break.

Although I tossed easily, Urc's body is not something small. The flying Urc is making strange screams, struggling to move its body. Then it fell correctly on the target location I set, where the remaining five Urcs are. The six guys rolled into a ball. I took a look whether they are injured or not, but they seem to be alright.

I laughed, looked at the remaining three Urcs here. They are all scared with their blue faces on and start running around.  I should make them feel easier.

"Hey, didn't you see that? The first one is the toughest one. After that, you have more and more people to catch you there, you will then be more safe."

Once I finished my words, the Urcs began to argue who to be the last one.

Chapter Two: The Difference Between a Kettle And a Brain (Pt.7)

"Ahhhhhh - !"

What was that? Before I got the answer, Sanson simply rushed forward. He actually directly rushed into nine Urcs, what is he thinking? Actually, not directly. His target is the rightmost one. So what? I threw away my worries, and rushed to the left. The Urcs quickly gathered to each sides.Then Karl also raised his longbow and began shooting.

I didn't raise my sword, just running forward. My upper body is hence exposed. A Machetes is coming to my head. Fool, I just hoped you to do so, you have been trapped!

"The Unaware Slash!"

The machete of the Urc is bounced away, because of the reaction force, the Urc's arms are lifted, its chest is completely exposed. I flipped one more time, swinging my bastard sword upward. Huh?

The Urc jumped back a bit, made an empty space from me. Look at this guy! I finally realized the weakness of my move because I'm flipping on the same spot. This time it's my arms lifted, my chest exposed. The Urc is now swinging its machete over. Uh ah! I'm dead!

"Reverse!"

I ignored the momentum of my arms and waist, brutally struck my sword downward. I thought my waist was broken, then managed to parry the machete to the ground. That Urc because of the impact kneed down. I made a flip and then struck downward again, chopped that guy's helmet in half. But I have feeling that my waist is also cracked. The images in my eyes are looming, there is even flash.

"Wow, that's bad!"

I temporarily retreated to the back. But the other guy's machete wouldn't allow me time to rest, is immediately coming over. This guy really wants to kill me? But speaking of that, I have also already killed an Urc. I picked the easiest way I can think of.

"Ah, ah -!"

I raised my right leg, spinning the tip of my sword and stabbed out. I came up with a name of this move immediately. I am really smart.

"Grease Stirrer!"

I am moving like how I stir the grease when I make candles, spinning my sword to attack. The machete was blocked away, once I felt that the spinning tip hit something, my right foot stepped on the ground heavily, stabbed forwards according to the momentum. Ga! It feels differently from using the Unaware Slash, the feeling inside the Urc's body is transmitted from the sword to my fingertips. I suddenly got goose bumps on my whole body.

"Uh, damn. I'll just screw you up!"

I drew a huge 8 with my arm, and then began to retreat. Because the sword is spinning so fast, it became a very powerful defense. The Urcs are hesitant to get closer, I managed to retreat to a distance that I can take a breath. But once my arm stopped, a machete was coming over again. Huh? It actually ...

That machete feebly fell to the ground, the Urc which held it now has an arrow on its back. It was shot by Karl.

Then near my waist, there is a small thing rushing forward.

"Your move was so cool! Ha ha ha!"

It's the dwarf. He put his tomahawk on his shoulder, and lowered his body charging forward. Even if he didn't lower his body, he was short enough, now he is really very short. Two Urcs slashed with their machetes at the same time. But the dwarf struck with the tomahawk on his shoulder with a unbelievable speed, he hit two machetes at the same time.

Surprisingly, the two machetes are broken. Then something suddenly jumped on the back of the dwarf.

"What!"

That's Iruril. Iruril ran behind the dwarf, at the instant the dwarf hit the machetes, she stepped on the back of him and jumped forward. Then she used the two swords on her hands stabbing the vulnerable Urcs. Wow, that is really nice teamwork. But probably only Iruril thought it was a teamwork.

"Where did you step on!!"

Iruril showed a face like she didn't hear that, immediately rushed to the Urcs nearby. An Urcs stabbed with its machete crudely, but Iruril just made a spin, stretched out her right leg backwards. Then the piercing sword in her right hand broke the machete, then made another spin smoothly. Once the Urc realized that Iruril is now behind its back after the dancing-like elegant moves, it screamed almost like choking.

"Oink!!"

Iruril stabbed her left-handed dagger towards her right armpit, hit the Urc behind. Then her body spin again in the opposite direction, pulled out the dagger, and then stabbed from her left shoulder after towards the Urc's back. Then the Urc fell down.

So, I got two, Karl got one, and Iruril got three, then there should be one or two left. Where are those guys? Don't know when, Sanson has finished three and he is wiping his sword. The Dwarf took one look around and murmured:

"What the hell? Are you monsters? I didn't even get one."

Iruril took out her handkerchief and began wiping her swords without any expression. Like Balrog, this action seems to show that things just happened didn't affect her emotion at all. So...... She wouldn't get excited due to a combat? It appears that she was like doing some daily activities like eating or washing face, without a trace of emotion. Hmm.

Maybe she really had fought too many times, getting already numb now. Say, if I am 120 years old, even if there is only once a year, I would have fought more than 100 times. Compared with her, I am leaning against a tree, suffering from my low back pain. Not cool.

But so what? I am just a candle maker who got OPG accidentally.

Sanson with a sorry face is watching me rubbing my waist.

"Although you lad can do some moves that other people can't, it doesn't mean that you won't get hurt. No matter how strong you are, you would need basic skills."

"Have I ever learnt how to use a sword?"

"In fact, there is no much difference between a sword and a fist. Because you focus too much on that sword, thinking of chopping with the blade, or stabbing with the tip, so strange moves would appear. When you are fighting with your fists, would you flip around? Would you spin your fists? "

"Oh, so?"

"When you are using a weapon, the weapon is only an extension of your arm. It easy to notice when you are using a spear, which should be similar to sword. Fight by your common sense!"

I heard the words of Sanson, suddenly felt very frustrated. So I am really lack of common sense? But then I recalled Iruril last move.

"But Iruril just back-stabbed from her armpit. Anyone punches from the armpit?"

"That can only be done after you are skilled with the basis, getting very familiar with the sword itself. Only to that extent, you will be able to perform combos, or perform moves while rolling like you did."

Hmm. Is that true? Anyway, my waist seems better now. I quietly moved away from tree, then stood up. I looked at Iruril, she is searching something from her backpack. And the Dwarf is still muttering.

"What was that! Ridiculous! I wanted the fight the most, but didn't even kill one in the end!"

Karl smiled to the Dwarf.

"Because of the situation just now, we didn't introduce ourselves. My name is Karl."

"Axelhand • Eindelf."

"Ah, Mr. Eindelf. Thanks for your help."

"Help? I didn't kill even one."

Karl embarrassingly smiled, in order to rescue him from the situation, we walked over with the same smile, each introduced ourselves. Iruril is still searching her backpack like before, looks like she completely forgot us. Until she found something, she walked away to another direction. Axelhand got angry.

"Hey! Are you not willing to deal with a dwarf?"

Iruril raised her head, looked at Axelhand.

"Huh?"

"Why didn't you introduce yourself, or greet?"

"These gentlemen know my name, I thought they would help me to... "

Axelhand sharpened his eyes.

"Why wouldn't you come to talk to me directly? Are you bothered to talk to me?"

"I'm a little busy. My name is Iruril Sereniel."

Then Iruril turned away, walked to the Urcs who have fallen down. Axelhand walked towards Iruril angrily, we would also like to know what's going on, so we ran to her. Iruril is holding something like a little vial and feeding the Urcs something, once they swallowed, they exhaled a long breath. Those are the guys who got stabbed by Iruril in the back, Iruril poured some medicine on their backs also. Surprisingly, the wounds on their backs are now gone.

Axelhand is shocked and said:

"You, what are you doing? Why did you heal them?"

"Don't you want to cross the river?"

Axelhand is surprised and widened his mouth. That's right. Because it's the Bridge of Dozen, so we still need 4 more people to cross the river. So to say, Iruril is going to cure four, and then ask them to cross the river with us? Really surprisingly calm. Iruril said to me:

"Throw their weapons down the cliff. Sanson, please give me a hand."

I collected the machetes and thrown them down the cliff. A huge noise issued from the bottom, and the machetes got swept away by the rapid stream quickly, all are disappeared completely. I went back and took a look, Iruril has already cured five Urcs. Huh? Why five? Urcs have lost their weapons, Sanson is holding his sword standing in front, Axelhand is still murmuring "I didn't even kill one. Should I try it now?" kind of things, the whole situation makes people so uncomfortable.

Iruril said:

"I do not know what happened between you and the humans, I just want to cross the river. I have cured you, so that you can also cross the river. But if you refuse to, this thing will become very troublesome. '

Why is she speaking with such a solemn tone? Almost the same as the tone she talks to us. Although this is not a bad thing, she attacked them coldly, now the speech is still such calm, I can now really feel that she is different from humans. Does she have no feeling? Or her expression is different with us?

"That's my suggestion. Please help us to gather the number. If you agree, then I will give you the drugs to heal your mates here."

All the Urcs widened their eyes.

"Oink! Is that true?"

"Yes."

"Oink Oink, when we arrive there, you will not kill us? Oink!"

Iruril said without any change on her face.

"Anyway, if you do as I say, it will be good for you. If you don't want to help us, then I don't need you too, I'll hand you over to that dwarf. But if you are willing to cross the river with us, I will give your companions medicines. Think about it calmly, then you will know what to do. "

I guess even so, they can't think calmly right?

"Oink! But after we crossed the river, how can we come back? Oink! If we can't come back, what's the use of that medicine?"

"Didn't I cured five of you? Leave one here. I will give the medicine to that one, then we cross the river. Then he can heal the others."

Wow..... Really defeated by her. Her mind is really clear. Axelhand is also too surprised, now is just standing there with his mouth opened. The Urcs calculated the number, and then nodded.

"So be it, Oink. Fine, we don't any other choice. Oink Oink Oink!"

Iruril also nodded. Then she said to the Urcs.

"So we are friends now!"

Uh! I nearly fainted. Although only I know the meaning behind this sentence, other people with the dwarf  and even the Urcs are totally stunned. The Urcs with a speechless face are looking at Iruril, then shouted rudely:

"Oink Oink Oink! What are you talking about! Now we are disarmed, so we have no choice! Oink! We will definitely revenge!"

Iruril tilted her head and looked at me. Please... Don't look at me with those eyes, OK?

"They are different from you, Huchi?"

"...Yeah."

Chapter Two: The Difference Between a Kettle And a Brain (Pt.6)

I coughed a few times, then started watching the Urcs and Dwarfs who are shouting at each other. I said to Karl:

"We follow what the dwarf said, how about that? We attack the Urcs, capture four of them and then cross the bridge."

Iruril's eyes show that she is worried. I became very embarrassed, Karl also shook his head.

"Ah ...... If you do that you will violate the wish of the creator of this bridge, won't you? And if we fight, people may get injured."

"So we can only advise them to leave five here. I don't want to go with nine of them."

Iruril shook her head.

"If we can trust each other and follow the rules, this thing will be simple. Now it's like..."

Who doesn't know? I said to Iruril:

"Now the problem is the Urcs might not follow the rules, Iruril?"

"Why do you think that they won't follow the rules, Huchi?"

"Because they are Urcs."

"Is that so? The Urcs will probably think, because these guys are humans, dwarves and elves, so these guys can't be trusted."

My eyes are widened. Really! I looked at Karl, he nodded.

"That is right, we have to trust each other. That should be the purpose of making this bridge, but these races got much hatred elsewhere, you want them to trust each other here, it is a bit difficult. This Tyburn Highseeker is wishing too much."

At this moment.

In front of me, a Urc suddenly stood up, the Urcs which were shouting at the Dwarvf are also approaching. They are pointing at us and twittering. No, it should be said, they are pointing at our horses?

I suddenly feel creepy.

Even if three of us, Iruril and the Dwarf are all dead, as long as they got the horses, they can have twelve and cross the bridge. How stupid! This plan is absolutely unfeasible. Although our number is smaller, the Urcs think that they can win, if they want to cross the bridge, they can't have anyone of them dead. However they might be stupid enough to neglect these.

My brains quickly flashed. I must find a way, so they won't rush in. I picked up a small stone, and then deliberately stretch forward my hand and let them see clearly. The Urcs immediately looked at me with surprised eyes.

"You probably think that killing us all, taking away the horses, then you can have twelve. But that is impossible."

I smiled, then crushed the stone with my thumb and forefinger. The stone turned into powder in a glance. The Urcs began screaming and retreating. One of them began to shout:

"Oink, that, that is the candle maker! The Monstrous Candle Maker! Oink!"

Wow, I'm actually becoming so famous in this region? But the Urcs raised their weapons together.

The Dwarf who were yelling saw the machetes of the Urcs, panicked and retreated. Those machetes are much larger than the Orcs', almost as large as humans'. After a glance, the scene became a confrontation of Urcs vs Wizard - Dwarf - Human Coalition (?).

"Hey, what do you want!?"

I was shocked, so I shouted. One of the Urcs laughed and said:

"This is really great. Oink! We don't need to cross the river now! Oink, we thought you, Oink, had crossed the river. Oink Oink!"

I suddenly winced.

"You are chasing after us?"

That Urc is pounding its own chest and said:

"We are Urcs! Urcs Fighter! Oink! We have accepted the request to destroy you all! Oink! The weak Orcs  mentioned you to us with a scared tone, Oink! We have never expected, Oink, you are actually just several lads and elderly! "

Sanson figured out how it happened, he began gnashing his teeth. Seems that those Orcs which were after us requested these Urcs, so in order to catch up with us, they tried to cross the river. But we actually departed lately this morning, so we fell behind them. Sanson said in a low voice:

"Looks like there will be no good ending on this."

※ ※ ※


The Dwarf came to our side, and murmured:

"Hearing those words just now, I guess I know what is happening. You are being chased after by Orcs?"

"Yes. Really sorry. This is our business, so please stay away."

Karl pulled out his sword. The Dwarf shook his head.

"No, what are you talking about. Now, we can finally have a good fight together right?"

I looked down at this bold dwarf, and then smiled at him. The enemies are not ordinary Orcs, but Urcs, and there are nine of them, we have only five people, however, the Dwarf is showing absolutely no fear. Wait a minute, do we really have five people? I looked at Iruril. Iruril also looked at me at the same time.

"Huchi."

"Yes?"

"This morning, we've became friends, right?"

I smiled slightly. Iruril didn't seem to understand the meaning of my smile, so she tilted her head, and then she drew out her piercing sword and left hand dagger. I said:

"Wait. Their targets are us, so you can keep yourself away from this."

"Didn't you say that you would do something for me?"

"So I ran to wash my face, didn't I?"

"Then I should do something for you too. Right?"

If you are a human, then that should be correct. But I don't if that's the case for Elves. Once again, I write down in my mind: "Elves are very troublesome", and stood out. The Urcs suddenly stopped, and raised their machetes. That's a bit scary. They not only can endure the sunlight, their size is also very big, their height is probably only a little shorter than me, but their shoulders are wider than me. What should we do now?