RECOVERY

    “What did you say?” “I said you are a fool if you think we will put down our swords.” “I wasn’t talking to you.” “Great. So they can read someone’s thought, amazing. Has anyone ever told you that you are a bunch of co...” “Hold it right there HUMAN. Coward is not a word I like to associate with.” “Well then, how about scared little princess?” They looked at themselves and laughed. “Very few HUMANS have the courage and mental strength to tread these paths which is why before we slit your throats, I would like to commend your foolish bravery – you deserve it.” “Oh please.” “Do you make it a habit of pissing ‘HUMANS’ you just met off? I tell you, you will not live half your days.”     Then the clanging of swords began and shortly after, bodies littered the awaiting mother earth.     The skies were bleeding their due course while the cool breeze hovered above their heads as they watched the group of men not more than ten walking towards them. The one who wielded the sword with golden blade looked at the other whose sword’s blade was red as blood and nodded to him, he nodded back in agreement for what was about to happen.     “What makes you think that these woods are enchanted?” One of the men who were unknowingly walking into danger blurted out. “Well it’s not because of the stories I’ve heard. It is because my instincts have been unsettled since we stepped into these woods.” “Tell your instincts to relax. There are ten of us all experienced swordsmen, I doubt anyone would be foolish to try and attack us.” “And besides once we get the green mushrooms we would be out of here and I think I can see them over there” He pointed up ahead of them.     When the group got to the mushrooms, they started packing their sacks full and did not notice that their company had increased. “Umm guys we have company.” One of them said having looked over his shoulder just to clear his instincts – it was the one with the troubled instinct earlier.     The men immediately turned around from their mushrooms picking to see what their friend was calling their attention to. When they saw it, they all dropped their bags as if on cue and cautiously placed their hands on their sword belts.     “What do you think you are doing?” The figures asked them “I could ask you the same thing.” The troubled instinct replied “Those mushrooms are poisonous you know that don’t you?” “What we know and do not know is none of your business.” The one with the troubled instinct replied yet. The tension was heating up and both parties could feel it.     “Guys I think we should be on our way.” “There is no way you are leaving here with those mushrooms.” One of the figures interjected. The showers increased and they looked at themselves intensely knowing that it was about to go down.     “We have come a long way for these mushrooms and there isn’t a thing on this earth that would make us leave without them. Not even you – whatever you think you are.” “I’ll advice you once more to drop the mushrooms likewise those swords.” One of the figures spoke again as the men drew their swords.     “Can you listen to this fool, asking us to put down our swords.” Instinct guy addressed his friends and they mocked them.     “What did you say?” “I said you are a fool if you think we...”     “Told you they’d come.” “Yeah but I am even more surprised at the consistency or have they not been getting the news about those who come here?” “How can. Who would take it to them.” “Ah I almost forgot about that bit.”     Looking at his sword which was dripping with blood, he noticed that one of the men that they had just slain was still alive but only just. “This one is still alive.” The other figure rushed to where he was to see for himself.     “Seems like he’s trying to say something.” “Well, I’m not interested.”  The figure that first saw him said almost the same time as he thrust his sword in style at the man’s chest as he lay and it went all the way down, bursting through his locally made armour.     His scream was weak and was barely heard. He was centuries long dead before the figure pulled out his sword and wiped the blood with the man’s body as he lay on the ground this time, a hundred percent dead.             They were always in time to make sure that the greed that men sow in themselves dies with them. For years now it has been reported rather than rumoured that the green mushrooms are poisonous and a single drop of its liquid can kill up to ten adult men.     The plant has a double function as it serves a whole lot of medical purposes but in the wrong hands, it could become a lethal weapon thus the local magistrate condemned its private usage.     But the condemnation did little to stop men from wandering into unknown territories in the outlands in search of the mushrooms which were among other things, very expensive because of its ‘hard to come by’ nature.      Other than its medicinal purposes that authorised establishments practice, it is not entirely clear what individuals procure the mushrooms for other than its monetary reward yet this is of no concern to the figures who just cut down a group of men who were on an expedition to fetch the mushrooms. They were not patient enough to explain whether they were collecting the mushrooms for an authorised establishment and besides they thought they had number on their side when they attacked the two figures who tried to get in their way and their act of arrogance became the death of them all.     The figures collected the bags full of mushrooms and emptied them on the ground. The mushrooms would wither and die but the good news was that no one would die along with them. That was what the figures thought but sadly and sorrowfully, the men they had just killed were indeed collecting the mushrooms for an authorised medicine house.