The Bee's Nest Chapter 1

[Agertor]

Chapter 1. The Nest

"Carro Busto is his name", the trader nudged you as you stared at the man who had a husky and a retreiver at his side with a very finely made steel longsword at his hip. But you had seen this sort of people before, it was his face. The man known as Hornet was the leader of this village. His face was torn and scars littered his neck to hide beneath his shirt and duster. Dented and bent was his helmet, Hornet was a true veteran.

He lost a good portion of his nose and it left a terrible mutilation that was patched up. It looked like an animal had torn and clawed at his face, his hands on his blade as well as his neck showed old injuries. "He's no pretty boy", the trader laughed in the little building set up for outsiders visiting and trading. Many people stared and laughed at Hornet as he did his daily job. Hornet paid the women and men no mind and inspected goods and helped to trade, silver passing through many hands.

With a beer thrown on the table in front of you, the trader with you smiled, "They make it here and it is their main trade. People come just for the beer, it ain't half bad and no one worries about getting some weird disease or gut worm." He took a big drink and as did you after inspecting it. A little earthy but it wasn't half bad.

"I heard some stories about Hornet, and everyone knows he lost his face to some panthers but I haven't seen you around before. So lets spread some gossip!" He held up his bottle and you toast with him, mildly interested in hearing about the man called Hornet.

"He's not just the leader of this village for no reason, he led the charge against the Gorar of the River! They had been attacking in vengence after Hornet slew a tradesman from the tribe." This trader got a little more quiet as his eyes watched Hornet pass him by to another Caravan.

Silence for a moment as he passed and the man seemed to gain his courage and voice back, if only a little in a slightly hushed tone. "White, the Gorar's leader led the largest attack seen since 200 years. They swarmed this village and I hear in reyaliation, Hornet's men rained down on them with a hail of incendiary mortars." He moved his head over to the back wall where the entrance to the village was. "You saw all that security right? You had to have." You recall seeing the turrets on each side as you came in along with some traps that you barely had caught with your eye, Hornet being the one who had guided the influx of traders into the post away from the entrance for safety.

"There were too many for even that to properly take care of, two men posted on guard by the turrets with shotguns and the damn tribals were jumping right into the ditches built near the mountain while under heavy fire. Hornet there? His dogs shread at them as they walk through the traps and attack the sentries and turrets. Hornet? He challenges that bastard White head on with two others right at the entrance." He points to a lady who was seen cleaning the area and serving the traders as needed with food and drink. "I hear this story from her, she was captured that day, and lost her leg to Hornet." Her leg had indeed been replaced, a prosthetic in its place, handled with simple wirings and computing to do as the user wanted.

Your attention is soon drawn back to the trader. "They got a tombstone for White outside the gate. Hornet had gone toe to toe with one of the best spearmen this side of the planet. White ends up going low but Hornet charges foward well. I heard Hornet lost his toe but in exchange, White was sliced at the neck, cut clean off. Remaining man there ended up running away along with the rest of the craven." He finishes his beer so it didn't warm on him. "Don't screw with that man."

You hear some loud ringing of bells and a scrawny man comes running in, bursting through the door. "Hornet it's the Pirates, they are coming!" Hornet draws his blade and his dogs follow behind him, past the window you can see others with sniper rifles run past, soon followed by shotgunners to take up position for defense. A loud rumbling was heard. Some yelling ensued and all the traders remained at their tables, looking to the source. A large explosion blew the wooden wall of the tavern down and the trader just sitting with you lay dead from the shrapnel, inadvertently shielding you.

Through the smoke, they charged the caravan guards who shot at them with pistols and bolt action rifles. At least the ones not affected or trapped in rubble. Many began to die around you as the table you were at became your cover. Drawing your own pistol, breathing feels heavy and hurts a little. With your back now to the table for cover, you look back into the room, forced to watch men and women die. You feel your arm suddenly being tugged at. "You are comin with me young'in" an old man with some scars on his face and an assault rifle in his right hand grabs you with his left. The room being defeated, the injured and surrendered were being grabbed. Being dragged towards the smoke, you could only accept your fate. Hornet suddenly came running through the room, a sword piercing the man's arm on you to force him to release. With a swift motion and pulling back, legs stanced wider for power you watch as Hornet pierces his chest and the man falls quickly. "Get the hell up kid!" You follow his direction and get up, the dogs ripping into the other pirates, Hornet rushes one of the men and cleanly slices his chest forcing him to fall quickly. The third pirate had a large shiv in his hands and while bitten on his leg, he reached down and stabbed the dog in the neck. Hornet's husky had fallen. With no emotion on his face, he was already at the pirate's front and sliced his leg off, leaving him useless on the ground.

A whistle and his retriever was at his side. Reaching for your arm, he rushes you both outside, the village was on fire. "I'm going for my wife, what are you going to do?"

Go with hornet?
or
Run out the entrance?

I'll let you guys choose. I was reading some old goosebumps books and I liked the choices they gave for story direction. I figure I would try the same, Chapter 2 will be out sometime in 2 or 3 days so most voted on choice wins. Let me know what you guys think as well. Thanks, Age.

[123nick]

I vote too run outside. i think that would be best.