《Sanctuary》


 Chapter 1 – Prologue

    In the western part of the Balt Kingdom there is a place called the Ancient Aldin Forest, a very old location filled with unusual creatures and plants, including magical beasts or, as the common folk call them, monsters.


    The forest is blocked off to the north by the Keeper¡¯s Plateau, but it extends in all other directions till eventually the trees, bushes and other plants start becoming sparse, turning the scenery into plains as far as the eyes can see.


    The people of Balt prosper on these plains, farming grains, raising animals and expanding their communities, but the fear of the forest and its creatures is ever prevalent on these folks. As such, there are no towns or villages where you can see the border of the forest with your own eyes on the distant horizon.


    In one of the hamlets closer to the southern border of the Ancient Aldin Forest, in a small and somewhat dirty tavern, a group of eight people were huddled together around a table, talking in low voices. Like most foreign people that came to the villages near the ancient forest, it was easy to spot that this was a group of adventurers or monster hunters.


    It was a common sight due to the saying ¡°where there is danger, there is opportunity¡±. Many of the things one could obtain from the forest were worth a lot of gold, you only needed to risk your life to obtain it. That being the case, the profession of adventurer (or monster hunter) was a popular one, albeit with a huge mortality rate, where many people confident in their swordplay, archery or magical skills tried to make it big.


    One could tell that this group was experienced due to the quality of their equipment and its roughness. Both the gear and the people wearing it were full of scars, trophies of their many battles, showing the history of the struggle and success of these adventurers.


    A stout red-headed dwarf was sitting at one of the ends of the rectangular table. He was donning a full plate armor, carrying a shield taller than his height and a small but heavy mace. He finished gurgling down a tankard of mead and shifted his body to the front a bit, making the wooden stool beneath him creak under the heavy weight.


    ¡°Are you absolutely sure about this, Mr. Yorick?¡± said the dwarf.


    ¡°Master dwarf, I would never lie to you. I make my living by offering aid to the adventurers that barely manage to get out of the forest with their lives and are to hurt to make it back here in time. So, from dawn to dusk I am always at the border of the ancient forest and it¡¯s been at least two months since I heard the master of the forest roar,¡± said the person sitting at the other end of the table, a tall and lanky man wearing coarse linen clothes.


    [Yeah, right! You rat bastard. I bet if the poor sod is broke, or without much strength left in them, you would wait for their death and rob them afterwards, leaving a naked corpse to rot in the grasslands.]


    Although the dwarf thought that, he didn¡¯t say it out loud. He grabbed his helmet that was resting on the table with one hand, holding it under his arm, while the other hand snatched the remaining chicken leg on his plate. He stood up.


    He made a gesture with his head, nodding to a woman at his side who was wearing a black silk robe with a few leather armor pieces strapped on top, protecting her more vital areas. She too stood up, as did the rest of the group, leaving only the tall and lanky man sitting.


    The woman took her staff in hand, a fine piece made with oak and a ruby on top, and said a few words in an unknown language, followed by some hand gestures. A black orb formed in front of her, floating in the air at chest height. The orb expanded, it quickly went from the size of a pea to that of a melon before it finally stopped growing.


    She casually put her arm into the orb, which made her hand and wrist disappear inside of it. After a few seconds, she withdrew her hand and the orb collapsed on itself, disappearing. She then tossed a few silver coins on the table, in the direction of the lanky man.


    ¡°Well, thanks for your information. We should get going,¡± said the red-headed dwarf.


    ¡°Any time for you sir, any time,¡± said the lanky man, smiling as he quickly collected the money and hid it somewhere inside his clothes.


    The group of adventurers headed for the stairs to the second floor, where the rooms they rented for the night were. When they were far enough from the common area the woman in the black robe said:


    ¡°Why make me take money from our stash? You have more than enough silver on your pouch, don¡¯t be a lazy dwarf.¡±


    ¡°There was a group of masked people a few tables away watching us. They gave me a weird feeling, so I thought it would be better to show them a bit of our capabilities, before they think of anything stupid,¡± replied the red-headed dwarf.


    ¡°Let them come, me and my stone blade could chop them off instantly, like *zap-zoom*!¡± said a blond youth with freckles as he swung his arms in the air, like he was chopping at something.


    ¡°That is not a good idea, it¡¯s best to avoid trouble whenever we can,¡± said the dwarf.


    [Oh no, here comes the nagging,] thought the youth.


    ¡°You are new to the group Ivan, so let me tell you something. You need to chill down a bit. Maybe you never had much trouble before, since you are decently skilled and lucky enough to get an amazing magic weapon so soon in your career, but there are experienced fighters everywhere. The moment you let your guard down, thinking you are hot shit, you will pay, and badly,¡± said the dwarf in a matter-of-fact tone.


    ¡°I know, you said that a bunch of times already, sorry, sorry,¡± said the youth, not feeling sorry at all.


    The rest of the group snickered lightly, it looked like that kind of banter was a somewhat common occurrence.


    Meanwhile, the lanky man left at the table had a silly smile on his face. He was passing his hands repeatedly on his oily, shoulder length black hair.


    [I really should change jobs! A few pieces of silver just for knowing a tidbit of information that is not exactly a secret! I could exploit the newcomers or teach adventurers what I know about the region for easy money. And better yet, it¡¯s risk-free! Most of the people I find near dead at the border of the forest are penniless anyway. They drop their gear along the way and use all their lifesaving measures trying to escape even a little bit faster. And all that is only IF they manage to make it out of the forest, it¡¯s not a profitable business.]


    The red-headed dwarf and his group were now walking along the second-floor corridor. One could track their movement due to the old and dusty floorboards that creaked constantly when they moved.


    ¡°Alright, it seems the theory that the master of the forest hibernates may be real after all, so tomorrow we will go very deep into the woods. Let¡¯s sleep early, because we need to get up before the sun is out and walk till there. No point in bringing the horses if we can¡¯t take them inside the forest. So, don¡¯t go out looking for lasses tonight Vaati,¡± said the dwarf.


    ¡°I know, don¡¯t worry,¡± said a regular looking man.


    ==========


    In the afternoon of next day, in a small village near the edge of the Keeper¡¯s Plateau, a bunch of small children were playing in a nearby thicket, their cheerful voices and laughter scaring the small animals that resided there.


    ¡°It¡¯s your turn to search Alice,¡± said one of the children.


    ¡°Ah, ok¡­ 1, 2, 3¡­¡± said Alice as she turned her face to a nearby tree and closed her eyes.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the edge Rudi, Alice is afraid of going near it, she will never find us,¡± whispered one of the boys to another.


    ¡°That is a good idea Rufus, let¡¯s run,¡± replied the other boy.


    All the children started to run and hide in different locations, whereas the two boys went deeper inside the thicket. When they got close to the edge of the Keeper¡¯s Plateau they stopped and looked down at the forest below.


    One could barely tell there was a forest there. A thick white mist covered most of the treetops, making it look like a calm white lake that extended as far as the eyes could see. But the children knew that under that mist was a very dangerous place, filled with beasts and magical creatures.


    ==========


    At that same time, inside that deadly forest, a group of seven people led by a stout red-headed dwarf were making their way deeper and deeper into the woods.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t been attacked by anything for some time. It seems we are inside the master of the forest territory. We are getting closer to the objective, keep your guard up!¡± said the dwarf to the others in a hushed tone.


    ==========


    The sun was starting to set in the horizon, making that lake of mist turn from white to an orange and pink color, truly a spectacle to see. The two kids that were sitting on the edge of the plateau got up on their feet and patted their clothes to brush off the dirt.


    ¡°I think we waited long enough, we are probably the only ones left to find,¡± said Rudi as he began walking back.


    ¡°You are right,¡± said Rufus who was about to follow him.


    *ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAR*


    A loud bellow was heard from inside the forest, making everything tremble and causing the birds to scatter in fright. The ground shook, making Rufus, who was close to the ledge, lose his balance. He flailed his arms, desperately trying to recover his equilibrium and not fall down.


    Everything happened in an instant. Rudi ran to Rufus, his arm stretched in an attempt to catch his friend, while Rufus instinctively grabbed his friend¡¯s arm and pulled it, trying to get his balance back. Rudi wasn¡¯t expecting the sudden pull and lost his footing going forward. As such, the two kids exchanged places, with Rufus falling on his knees on top of the plateau, and Rudi going off the edge.


    Rufus was sweating, his heart was beating like crazy and his hands were trembling. After a moment, his brain processed what had just happened and he turned to look down the cliff, at that mist filled forest where his best friend just disappeared into. He just sat there, hugged his knees and cried.


    ==========


    ¡°Fuck! Hibernating my ass! Who came up with that stupid idea!¡± cursed a blond youth with a face filled with freckles.


    A massive serpent head dived towards him as he dodged to the side, avoiding the huge gaping mouth of the creature by a thin margin. He just barely escaped the fate that two of his companions already suffered: being split in the middle and gulped down in one bite.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    He took the opportunity to swing his strange weapon, a great sword made of stone that was surrounded by a pale blue light, to the serpent¡¯s neck. The sword cut reasonably deep and managed to get stuck in the creature, which was a testament to how good the weapon was, but it gave him no comfort right now as the monster didn¡¯t seem to be fazed. He let go of the weapon and backed a few meters, his face dark and somber.


    The master of the forest, the terrifying creature that they hoped to sneak past by, was a hydra. The serpent-like monster had four thick legs and a tail connected to a huge lower body from which spawned five long serpent heads. The creature was sixteen meters tall and its presence alone was able to chill someone to the bone, making people unable to react or respond. That is how it easily ate up the archer and the cleric of the group. When it suddenly appeared from under the lake it froze the party for an instant, and an instant in combat is long enough.


    The fight was going on for a while, the adventurers looked disheveled and one could see they were injured in many places, but they were managing to survive at least. No one seemed to notice that at that time, not very far from where they were fighting, the small body of a child landed on the shore of the lake, after falling through a tree.


    His clothes were torn apart everywhere, his entire body was covered with cuts and puncture wounds, with the occasional tree branch impaled here and there. He was bleeding from those injuries, making what remained of his simple clothes into a dark red color. His right arm and both legs were hanging in a weird angle, with parts of his broken bones exposed. Like that, the poor child lay there, unconscious and unaware of everything happening not very far from him.


    ¡°Sorry friends, I think this is it¡­¡± said the red-headed dwarf as he braced himself for impact, creating a blue translucent barrier from his shield to block the incoming attack.


    ¡°We have been doing this for a long time, we all know how it works, no need to apologize,¡± said the woman in the black silk robe who was carrying a staff. Her tone was casual, but it was impossible to hide the sorrow in her voice.


    ¡°We all know my ass! You are all crazy, I am getting away from here!¡± said the freckled youth.


    ¡°You spoiled brat! You try to run¡­¡± said another member of the group when he was interrupted by a loud crash followed up by a tremor, making him bite his tongue.


    *Rumble*


    The five heads of the hydra slammed into that translucent blue barrier, making the earth shake. It didn¡¯t break it, but the smooth and perfect barrier was now filled with cracks. The monster looked impressed as it withdrew its heads and gazed upon that shiny surface. It would probably strike again in a moment and finish its business, which prompted the people inside to speak hurriedly.


    ¡°Let the kid run if he wants, is not his fault. It is up to the gods if he will manage to make it out of the forest with his injuries and no weapon in hand,¡± said the dwarf.


    *Ptff*


    The man that was cursing the youth spat out, showing his contempt, or maybe he was just clearing his mouth from the blood after he bitted his tongue.


    ¡°I could use all the magical items we have and make an explosion to heavily harm or perhaps even kill this monster, only thing is, we wouldn¡¯t make it out either¡­¡± said the woman in the black silk robe.


    ¡°Do it, let¡¯s show this green bastard we are not so easy to deal with!¡± replied the dwarf.


    The woman didn¡¯t wait for another opinion. In an instant, a black orb was floating in the air like the night before in the tavern, only this time many items and equipment were falling from the orb to the ground, making a small pile of wondrous things. After a moment, nothing else fell from the black orb and it disappeared after collapsing on itself.


    She then struck her staff into the earth and began chanting in an unknown language while making a few hand gestures. A small stream of bluish-purple glows started to congregate from that pile on the ground and the equipment they were wearing, all flying towards her hands where a small bluish flame took form.


    The hydra had only stopped for a bit and immediately reared its heads for another strike. The five heads dived down, going towards that barrier that looked like it would break at any moment now. Then, a lot of things happened at the same time.


    The barrier shattered before the heads of the hydra reached it. A youth leapt away and dashed in the opposite direction from the fight with all his speed. The remaining people leapt forward, running to the hydra, a crazy smile on their faces, while a small arrow made of bluish flames shot towards the monster¡¯s chest.


    The hydra¡¯s heads trashed the oncoming party, killing them on the spot. The flaming arrow penetrated the thick dark green scales of the monster, lodging itself to one of the necks for a brief instant before it exploded.


    The creature¡¯s chest was blown open, scales, flesh and blood spilling everywhere. Its necks were blasted off from the rest of the body, sprawling in all directions. The remainder of its lower body flipped a few times on the ground before stopping near the shore of the lake, near that unconscious boy that nobody seemed to notice, covering him in dark blue blood.


    The blast from the explosion carried Ivan, the freckled youth, even further away from the fight, making him roll in the bushes and get tangled in some plants. He scurried up, noticing he could no longer see the lake, and with a smile on his lips made his way limping towards the south.


    One day later, at noon, a blond youth filled with freckles made his way out of the Ancient Aldin Forest. He looked to be on his last legs, but his eyes and face were filled with vigor. He had managed to survive a trip in hell. Some distance away, a tall and lanky figure could be seen heading towards him, with both arms open wide, like he was receiving an old friend.


    ¡°Yorick, thank god! Help me man, I am bleeding bad. I can definitely pay you!¡±


    ¡°Of course, my friend, of course! You know that is why I do this job, to help courageous people like yourself,¡± said Yorick as he scrutinized the youth up and down. ¡°Lie down in the grass, I will need to patch you up.¡±


    Ivan felt a shiver on his spine when Yorick was looking at him from top to bottom, but after he saw the man taking a few bandages from his rucksack he relaxed and lay down as told.


    ¡°You know, you will be my last costumer, I am changing business. I¡¯ve found a much better line of work. I need to thank your group for that, it was you guys that showed me the way. But tell me, what happened to you and your party?¡± said Yorick with a smile after he saw the youth lying down on the ground.


    Ivan recounted what happened to his group. Yorick was pretty interested in the tale, exclaiming and nodding at the right times, while bandaging the young man. Ivan didn¡¯t notice the wild gleam on the lanky man¡¯s eyes as he told his tale. It was as if he was just happy to get it out of his chest.


    ¡°Well, you had it rough, but it¡¯s alright now, you can relax, you are safe,¡± said Yorick as the youth finished his story.


    With a precise and practiced movement, Yorick drew a knife from his belt and stabbed the fully bandaged Ivan in the throat. The blood that had just stopped flowing from the other wounds in his body was now leaking out at an even faster rate from his neck.


    Ivan looked at Yorick with incredulity, but soon he wasn¡¯t looking at anything at all. Yorick stripped everything of value he found in the corpse of the young man, put it inside his rucksack and made his way back to the village while humming happily.


    ==========


    At that same time, a child on top of Keeper¡¯s Plateau silently stood up. His eyes were bloodshot due to crying, his complexion terrible, like someone without a soul.


    He looked down the cliff towards the forest below one last time, in an absent-minded manner, and dragged his feet out of that thicket.


    He didn¡¯t seem to be conscious of it, since the direction he was facing wasn¡¯t going to take him back to that small village he knew so well, but to a different, unknown location.


    ==========


    A few days later, inside the deepest part of the Ancient Aldin Forest, a small child woke up by the lake shore. He looked dazed and confused. His eyes were initially blurry, but they focused and went wide-open in the next moment, as he felt pain like never before and gave a hollow cry. He was hurting so much he didn¡¯t have strength to shout. After a bit he noticed that if he didn¡¯t try to move around it didn¡¯t hurt as much, so he got used to it.


    He looked at himself and found out he was covered in a dark blue dried-up substance from head to toe. Both of his legs and his right arm were broken. He felt like his head was splitting apart and he couldn¡¯t remember who he was or how he got to this place. Touching his head with his only good hand he could feel a large bump to the left side and he was even more puzzled. After confirming he was in a pretty bad shape, but at least alive, he looked around.


    He was near the shore of a big lake, in what looked like a forest. There were huge trees everywhere and the vegetation was dense, making it hard to see further than a few meters. The lake water was completely still and very clear, except in some parts were a dark blue substance was slowly spreading and mixing with the water, similar to how a very thick paint would. There was a small island in the center of the lake, with a very simple and small pagoda build upon it. He felt it was weird to find such a place inside a forest, but he didn¡¯t dwell on it, because he suddenly found out how hungry he was.


    He knew he was in no condition to try looking for fruits, so he looked to that terrifying carcass that blocked most of his view. Making a swift decision, he began to crawl with the help of his left arm, clenching his teeth till they hurt because of the pain associated with the effort. After what felt like an eternity, he could see inside that monster¡¯s corpse.


    The upper parts were charred black, but inside the abdominal cavity a lot of organs could be seen and, weirdly enough, they seemed fresh, like you would find on an animal after just slaughtering it. The boy gulped. Not because it looked tasty, but because the prospect of eating raw monster parts was ghastly.


    He reached his hand inside of it, grabbing what appeared to be the heart of the creature and started to munch on it. It was still somewhat warm, it tasted bad, but it was ¡°food¡±. The small child filled his belly entirely and fell asleep there, with half of his body inside the corpse of the master of the forest.


    ==========


    In a place not so far away from that ancient forest, another child was starving. Walking mindlessly, Rufus kept repeating ¡°It¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s my fault,¡± over and over again. He was feeling weak, hungry and tired, but kept walking aimlessly nonetheless.


    Eventually, he came across a carriage carrying twelve people from different races, genders and ages, all with iron shackles on their wrists and ankles. It was a slave trader carriage. The fat man in the driver seat stopped the horses and looked at the child with interest. He seemed to confirm something after a moment and gave a big smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. It¡¯s all my fault,¡± Rufus kept saying over and over.


    ¡°It sure is kiddo, but don¡¯t worry, you don¡¯t need to think about it anymore,¡± said the fat man as he turned to look at the back of the carriage, shaking his fat belly in the process. ¡°You, the bald one, bring the kid up and strap him. Hahaha, nothing better than free merchandise, today is really a good day.¡±


    One of the slaves got down from the carriage, looked at the small kid with pity in his eyes and lifted him up, putting him inside the carriage. He then jumped back on top and tied the small wrists and ankles of the child with a hemp rope.


    Rufus didn¡¯t resist, it was like he didn¡¯t register what was happening to him at all. He just kept mumbling on and on as the fat man stirred the carriage on its way again.


    ==========


    That night, screams of pain could be heard deep inside the ancient forest. In the shore by the lake, that kid who had filled his belly eating a raw hydra heart woke up, his body burning and feeling intense pain.


    It was a different kind of pain from the one he had earlier that day, this time it felt like his body was melting, his blood boiling, and a thousand needles were striking his nerves. His mouth was full of pus and blood, which he spat out as he screamed like a madman. He trashed about for a short period of time, before finally passing out due to the pain.


    The next day he woke up again, feeling weak. His hair now had a hint of blue mixed with his usual light brown color, but he couldn¡¯t see that, so when he checked his body and found nothing different he sighed, feeling relieved.


    He felt thirsty, so he crawled to the lake to drink some water and found, to his astonishment, that dragging his body with one arm was much easier this time than the day before. Maybe some of his strength was coming back?


    He refused to eat from the monster that day, but the next day the hunger was too intense, and he could not resist. Again, he woke up at night in extreme pain and screamed till he passed out. This cycle repeated itself: drinking water from the lake, which was now a weird milky blue color, eating the remains of the hydra and suffering incredible pain afterwards.


    He got used to the routine after a month and could definitely tell he was getting better, so he kept at it. After two months he was fully recovered. He looked older, his hair was now of a dark blue color, so dark it looked black unless the sun was shining directly on it. His body was bigger and buffer, filled with vigor and strength. All the scars from his fall were completely gone as well, making him look like a different person.


    The first thing he did after recovering was to swim towards that small island in the center of the lake. He walked to the front of the pagoda, his heart calm. He didn¡¯t expect to find anyone inside, because if someone lived there he would have seen that person in the past two months.


    It was a square building made of wood, with only one floor and a single room. He was stumped at first by the entrance, the door didn¡¯t have a knob, but after a while he discovered it slid to the side. Inside there was a beautifully crafted wooden cradle, with an egg as big as his chest resting on it and nothing else. He lifted the egg in his hands. It was of a pure white color, perfect in all respects, looking more like a polished gem than a creature¡¯s egg. He put it back in the cradle, feeling intrigued.


    Time passed for that child lost in the Ancient Aldin Forest. He didn¡¯t remember who he was or knew what he should do, so he made the small pagoda his home. He explored the forest by day, foraging food for his livelihood, and returned to the small temple at night. He would then talk to the egg till he fell asleep.


    He had some close encounters, but he learned he was unusually strong, stronger than many of the weird creatures he came across. After a year, he stopped talking to the egg, but he still slept besides it every night. And as such, time kept on passing.

 Chapter 2 – Entering the Forest

    In a lively town in the western part of the Balt Kingdom, someone walked hurriedly through the streets. The figure wore a black gambeson and a hooded cloak which hid their appearance.


    Beneath that hood was a young woman with long black hair, slightly pointy ears and a beautiful face with fine features. She was one of the very few of her kind, a half-elf.


    She walked towards one of the biggest structures in that town, a large two-story wooden building painted in a bright red color. A sign that read ¡°Adventurers¡¯ Guild¡±, with a coat of arms of two swords crossing, was hanging near the entrance.


    A dozen or so people stood in line in front of the guild, mostly young men, as a hawker bellowed to the side.


    ¡°It¡¯s been twelve years since the group of brave adventurers, led by the courageous dwarf Thograk, ventured forth inside the Ancient Aldin Forest and managed to injure its master, making it retreat into hibernation to heal its wounds, creating a safer environment for us to explore.¡±


    After saying all that in one go, the hawker quickly inhaled before continuing.


    ¡°Alas, they did not make a safe return. To honor their sacrifice and to commemorate the eight-year anniversary of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, we are cutting the registration cost in half for this week! Come and join us in search for riches and adventures! Join the Guild!¡±


    He would then take a breather for a few moments and start again. The phrasing would change a bit, but the content would, more or less, remain the same.


    The young woman made her way towards the door. When the people in line were about to complain, she dug a necklace from her clothes, putting it in plain view, and crossed the doorsill.


    The necklace was simple, a wooden rectangle with a name carved on it and a cord. It represented the most basic rank of an adventurer, a fledgling, but it showed she was already registered, so there was no need to wait in line.


    Inside was the spacious lobby of the guild. To the right there were three big notice boards and the stairs to the second floor. On the left side there were a few tables and chairs where burly and rough men were sitting. Finally, at the end of the hall were located four office desks with clerks ready to perform their duties.


    Two of those desks were constantly being occupied by the registration of the new adventurers, whereas the other two were being kept free for attending those that have already registered.


    The men sitting on the tables eyed the newcomer but, noticing her equipment that showed signs of being used in battle, a short bow on her back and the two long knifes by her waist, they lost interest.


    They were probably trying to take advantage of the newly registered adventurers or give them a ¡°friendly initiation¡±. The girl went straight for one of the unoccupied desks and sat in front of the clerk, a kind looking old woman.


    ¡°I would like to take assignments for collecting herbs inside the Ancient Aldin Forest, are there any available?¡± said the half-elf girl, as she politely removed her hood, revealing her straight black hair.


    ¡°Hum, I am pretty sure we have some of those requests, wait just a moment while I look for them dear,¡± said the old woman as she searched a batch of parchments in front of her.


    ¡°Here it is. There is a request to find Cloud Moss, Angel¡¯s Blade and Purple Thorny Vines. Are you interested in any of those?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I would like to take the assignment for Cloud Moss and Angel¡¯s Blade please.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, dearie. We will pay you by gram, so bring as much as you can back. Would you like to purchase information on the characteristics of the plants or where to probably find them? Or perhaps the most recent news brought back from the forest by other adventurers?¡±


    ¡°No thanks, I am good,¡± said the young woman as she removed her wooden necklace and held it in mid-air.


    The old woman took the necklace in hand, picked a weird looking brush from the table (a wooden stick with a fluffy piece of wool added to one point), and a bottle with the most common and cheap black ink.


    She dipped the brush into the ink, smeared the carved name on the necklace with it and then stamped on a particular parchment. The name Liza Branwen appeared on the document.


    ¡°Well then, Liza Branwen, how long do you think you will be gone?¡± said the old lady.


    ¡°Three days to one week,¡± said Liza after pondering for a moment.


    ¡°Ok then, please do be careful. When you return we are willing to buy any useful information you discover. The same is true for any other precious materials you may find,¡± said the old lady.


    Liza just nodded, stood up and left the building known as Adventurers¡¯ Guild. She walked the streets a bit aimlessly before making her way to the market.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    [Ok, Cloud Moss and Angel¡¯s Blade I will probably find without going too deep into the forest. Now I need to buy provisions for at least seven days, a few more arrows and a bit of poison maybe? Better be safe than sorry, what if I encounter something really dangerous?]


    After thinking for a bit, she bought food for seven days at the market, a few more arrows with two different arrowheads (broadhead for larger area damage and bodkin for better penetration) from the fletcher and proceeded to the apothecary.


    The apothecary was a recent addition to this town of Sarton, an old gentleman who arrived but a few years ago. That was not strange, since Sarton was not that big before and could barely be considered a town back in the day.


    But a dozen years ago a crazy rumor began to spread: the master of the forest was gravely injured and was forced into hibernation to recover. At the beginning no one dared to believe it, but as braver souls explored the forest and returned alive with respectable spoils, the rumor gained credibility.


    An influx of all kinds of people started coming to Sarton and to the other towns near the Ancient Aldin Forest. There was money to be made, for both the explorers and the service providers.


    Thus, Sarton was growing bigger with the passing of each year and many specialized craftsmen and professions could now be found in town.


    Liza stood in front of the building which had a wooden signboard dangling with the words ¡°Apothecary¡± and a symbol representing a pestle and mortar. She took a deep breath and went in.


    The entire shop was filled with the scent of herbs. Looking around one could find an assortment of different kinds of plants, pots, flasks and tools everywhere.


    An old man with white hair and a short beard filled with bald spots was sitting curved over a workbench, grinding some plants.


    Hearing the clear bell that indicated that someone had entered the store, the old man straightened his back and turned around to look at his visitor.


    Seeing the beautiful girl with long black hair and big black eyes standing by the door, he was surprised for a moment.


    ¡°Hi uncle Paul, how have you been?¡± said Liza smiling.


    ¡°Hey girly, when did you get in town? This old man didn¡¯t know you were coming or I could have prepared a room for you,¡± said the apothecary.


    ¡°No need, I just arrived this morning and will be leaving for the forest soon,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Going to the forest? What for? If you need money or some herbs I can give you some, you don¡¯t need to go to such a dangerous place. You will worry me and your master to death if you go!¡± said Paul with an anxious face.


    ¡°I knew you would say that,¡± said Liza with a wry smile. ¡°But you know my aim. I need to hold my own if I am to travel throughout Balt to find that bastard.¡±


    She hesitated for a moment before continuing.


    ¡°To be honest, I wanted to visit you only after I was back from the ancient forest, but I think I need to bring some poison, just in case. Since you and master always refused to teach me about poisons, I had no choice but to come here and worry you for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± the old man sighed. ¡°You were too young to be working with poisons, one mistake and you would be dead, so I believe you know where we were coming from.¡±


    ¡°I know uncle, you and master took good care of me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather you didn¡¯t go, but since I know I can¡¯t change your mind, here take it. Normally, I would need to register that you bought the poison with your guild badge, but since I am giving it to you and I know you are a good girl, let¡¯s forget that,¡± said Paul as he handed her a glass vial that was on the table.


    ¡°Thanks, uncle! I will definitely pass by when I return to say hi and give you some herbs,¡± said Liza as she smiled, turned around and left.


    The old man kept looking at the door from where the young lass just left with cloudy eyes, lost in thought and remembrance. After some time, his eyes regained their focus and he sighed deeply before returning to work.


    Liza made her way to the edge of town and entered what looked like a small stable. Inside there were four horses and a skinny youth who was caring for one of them. He turned his head briefly because of the sound of footsteps and immediately went back to work.


    ¡°Sorry lady, we only rent horses to registered adventurers that are going to the ancient forest. If you want to buy or rent a horse for yourself, you will need to go to the other stable in town,¡± said the youth.


    ¡°I just so happen to be a registered adventurer going to the ancient forest¡­¡± said Liza with a smile that revealed her somewhat pointy teeth, giving her the air of a predator.


    ¡°WHAT!¡± The boy turned around with a perplexed expression and froze when he saw her smile. It took him a few seconds to regain some of his composure.


    ¡°Ah, err¡­ off course, my apologies costumer. To rent a horse you need to pay ten copper pieces. You must deliver the horse to our other stable near the ancient forest when you arrive.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know how it works, here you go,¡± she replied while giving the boy three silver pieces and her guild necklace.


    The boy went to a desk in the corner of the building, smeared ink on her guild badge and stamped on two parchments. He left one in the table and picked up two copper coins from inside a drawer. He walked back to Liza with his head a bit low, still embarrassed about what he did.


    ¡°Here you go, give this parchment to the man who will receive your horse at the other stable and here is your change. Sorry about before¡­¡± said the youth shyly. ¡°I will prepare your steed, just wait a bit.¡±


    Liza smiled as the boy readied her horse. [He isn¡¯t a bad kid,] she thought.


    The boy kept looking as Liza rode away, her silhouette diminishing in the horizon. ¡°Wow, so a girl my size can also be an adventurer? Cool,¡± he whispered admiringly.


    She arrived at the border of the Ancient Aldin Forest after a few hours. There were only two buildings nearby, a stable and a tavern. They looked strangely out of place.


    Parts of their structure looked almost new, probably not even ten years old, but other places looked haggard and had many repairs and fixes here and there. It was a clear indication of the risk of making business so close to the forest.


    She first went to the stable to deliver the horse and parchment. After that was done she went to the inn to rent a room for a couple days.


    Finally, she checked her gear, leaving behind anything she wouldn¡¯t need, took a deep breath and entered the forest.


    Her senses were instantly overwhelmed. There were trees and dense foliage in every direction, making it hard to see what was ahead. The constant noise of bugs, birds and other animals kept startling her as the foliage rustled and twigs broke every now and then. The air was damp and had an earthy and musty odor to it.


    She kept walking carefully, checking her surroundings at every turn. She felt tenser at every step, knowing she was going deeper inside what was once considered a forbidden zone.

 Chapter 3 – Encounter

    A snake was weaving its way up the gnarled roots of an ancient tree when a twang and a subsequently whistle could be heard. An arrow pierced the head of the snake, which kept twisting and flailing around for a while.


    A little distance away, Liza was drawing another arrow from her quiver, ready to act at any moment. It was something she drilled into her bones: ¡°only relax when the target is dead¡±.


    This was the third day she had entered the forest, so Liza was starting to get used to the routine. She would go in at dawn, explore the shallow areas and collect any herbs she could find. She would then return to the inn before nightfall for a well-deserved rest.


    After waiting for a bit, she stored her arrow and approached the tree where the snake was pinned on. On one of the roots there was a clump of fluffy white moss that looked like miniature clouds.


    Liza set the short bow to rest against the tree trunk and crouched near the root that had Cloud Moss, sparing only a single glance at the dead snake.


    She grabbed one of the pouches that was dangling from her waist and opened it up. She then carefully scrapped the moss from the root, putting it inside the pouch.


    [Just a normal snake, it¡¯s basically useless. I guess I will just eat it later. But, lucky! There is a good amount of Cloud Moss here. I think it should be enough for now.]


    Even though she was occupied by collecting the herbs, her ears would twitch lightly to any sound, another rule she trained endlessly ¡°always be attentive, always be ready¡±.


    As she was wrapping everything up, a loud commotion started not far away from where she was. It was the mixed sound of monkeys shouting and the low roar of a large feline.


    Liza tied the pouch back to her belt, picked up her bow and started running in the opposite direction as fast as she could.


    Not long after, she could hear what seemed like the triumphant cries of the monkeys.


    [Damn, the monkeys won? They must be of a higher grade¡­ high grade monsters shouldn¡¯t appear so close to the border of the forest. What is going on? Ah~ I should have bought the latest information from the guild.]


    Liza sighed while moving away from the noise. She turned her head backwards for a brief moment, thinking about what just occurred, when she heard the wind whistle in front of her.


    Instinctively, she raised her short bow for protection when a pair of claws cleaved the air, splitting it in two.


    A group of monkeys ninety centimeters tall, with orange-golden fur and a chubby face blocked her way. They would look pretty cute, if not for their unnaturally big hands with sharp claws.


    ¡°Saint Mifros! More monkeys? And they are golden razorclaws at that?! What the heck, me and my rotten luck!¡± said Liza as she tossed her broken bow towards the nearest monkey and drew her two long knives.


    The monkey just clawed what was left of the bow away, turning it into pieces. ¡°Eeks¡± and ¡°ooks¡± exploded in the surroundings, the monsters jumped up and down, like they were laughing at their prey.


    One of the monkeys dived down from a tree, swinging his claws in the air with a ferocious expression, which prompted all the others to attack.


    [Shit! Shit! Shit!]


    Liza reacted fast; she kicked the monkey that was coming from her front and swung her blades with all her strength to the one dropping down to her left.


    A clang of metal hitting metal was heard when the claw and knives collided, forcing the monkey to back away. The one that was kicked traveled a good distance, disappearing into the foliage while screaming.


    Liza faltered when she put her foot back on the ground and kneeled. She didn¡¯t notice it at first, but when she tried to redistribute her weight, she felt a burst of pain. That kick was not free, her boot was mangled and her foot badly injured.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The remaining monsters were coming to attack and the two she had blown away would come back in a moment, things weren¡¯t looking good for the fledgling adventurer.


    She tried to stand up, but couldn¡¯t do it due to the pain, so she rolled forward, trying to dodge the incoming attacks.


    She could hear her gambeson tearing and feel a bit of pain as her view kept on spinning as she rolled. The razorclaw monkeys were growing noisier and noisier; they could feel their prey weakening.


    Liza was losing energy fast. All semblance of proper swordsmanship was now gone, she just kept flailing her long knives and rolling occasionally, trying to keep the monsters at bay.


    The monkeys were too hard to injure, their claws felt like they were made of metal and they could easily protect their small bodies with it.


    [Curses, is this where I die? I haven¡¯t found that bastard yet! Fucking monkeys, what are grade 4 monsters doing so close to the border? DAMN IT!]


    Her black eyes got wet and reddened as tears of anger and hatred started to fall. She was too tired. The monkeys kept circling her, poking and prodding with their sharp claws. She could see the derision in their eyes, they were toying with her and they were having fun.


    She glared at the one that looked like the leader. He was a bit taller and his fur was shinier than the rest. She quickly picked up a glass vial from her belt and tossed at him.


    The monster reflexively protected himself with his claws, breaking the vial and releasing its contents. A smell drifted to his nose, one that he recognized as dangerous, stunning him for a second. He looked at his hands confused, trying to determine the threat of the situation.


    He didn¡¯t notice the gleam in the eyes of the prey he was hunting, or her smile as the long knife she threw lodged itself in his chest.


    ¡°Eek?¡±


    ¡°Got you fucker, wahahahaha!¡±


    That clear laughter was in stark contrast from her previous murder filled countenance. Liza lay on her back and closed her eyes.


    She was breathing roughly and feeling spent. Her weapons were far away, one had missed the mark, but the other one did its job splendidly.


    The remaining monkeys were still processing what had just happened, but they would come around soon. She couldn¡¯t run with her foot in that condition anyway.


    [Guess that is it, nothing more I can do. Damn it¡­]


    ¡°Eek?¡±


    ¡°Ook!!¡±


    The monsters were angry now and she could hear them jumping towards her. She gnashed her teeth, ready to feel the pain of her body being sliced apart. But it never came.


    She could hear the foliage rustling by her side, followed by a big whooshing sound, like the air being split apart by a heavy object, and the subsequently noise of small bodies falling to the ground.


    [Am I alive? Was I saved?]


    She opened her eyes. She saw a young man looking curiously at her. He was approximately 1,85 meters tall, with a hair so long and wild that it appeared to never have been cut or brushed.


    Its color was peculiar too; it was of a dark blue so deep that it looked almost black. His eyes were the same dark blue color, but they were shining with interest and curiosity, almost like they were asking what she was doing lying down on the ground in the middle of the forest.


    Liza was overwhelmed. In one moment she was about to die with all her grievances and in the next she is alive and being stared at by a mysterious man.


    ¡°Than...¡±


    She was about to thank him when she moved her gaze away from his face and noticed his body. It was a muscular body. It wasn¡¯t big or bulky, but it looked like it didn¡¯t have any fat on it or any unnecessary muscle mass.


    It was the body of a warrior, one full of scars from the neck down. There were bite marks, claw marks and others that looked like they were made by fire or acid.


    He was holding a broken sword, made of grey colored stone, with runes etched on the side of the blade. Its edges were jagged, giving it an air of savageness.


    The weapon had the length of a bastard sword, but looking at the size of the hilt (and the fact that the sword remained this big after being broken) it was probably originally a great sword.


    Liza was taken aback by the sheer quantity of scars and the barbaric looking sword. They were the complete opposite of those two innocent eyes, looking at her with curiosity. That was when she finally realized that his thing was also in full view, dangling there.


    ¡°WHAT THE HELL, WHY ARE YOU NAKED?¡± she screamed as she closed her eyes and put her hands in front of her face that was reddening from embarrassment.


    [Wah, ugh, what did I just see¡­ was I saved by a pervert? What the hell, this is wrong in so many levels!]


    The young man jumped back, surprised at the sudden scream, a wary look in his face. He calmed down after seeing the girl was just squirming around and speaking inaudible things under her breath.


    ¡°Can you put your clothes on? Or at least cover your thing with something? I am going to open my eyes in a bit, ok?¡±


    Liza took a deep breath. She removed her hands and opened her eyes slowly, only to find herself a few centimeters away from something staring at her intently.


    It looked like a one meter long green serpent as thick as an arm, but it was floating there, in the air, staring at her. It had four short limbs with claws and a dragon-like head.


    She gasped, feeling short of breath, as everything started to black out. She could barely see the creature going back to the young man and resting on his shoulders, like a weird looking scarf. Then, everything went dark.

 Chapter 4 – Curiosity

    The young man looked curiously at the girl that had just passed out. He crouched beside her and analyzed her face for a while. She was breathing raggedly and her forehead was wet with perspiration.


    He poked her flushed cheeks, her thin nose and her slightly pointy ears. He then proceeded to touch his own cheeks, nose and ears, like he was trying to confirm something. His eyes were clouded and he was frowning, lost in thought.


    After a while, he got up and approached what remained of the razorclaw monkeys¡¯ bodies. He inserted his bare hands inside the bisected monsters and removed their hearts and livers, making a small pile of organs to his side.


    He then squatted down and gave one heart to the creature resting on his shoulders. He took another one from the pile and started munching on it.


    Around this time, Liza started mumbling and slowly regaining her consciousness. She opened her eyes and slowly sat up.


    She could see the young man squatting down, his thing still in full view. He and his pet were chewing on something. She rapidly closed her eyes again, her flushed cheeks getting even redder.


    [What the heck? He is still naked! Did he ignore what I said? Or perhaps were his clothes destroyed? Doesn¡¯t he feel embarrassed?]


    Liza was lost. She started to reconstruct everything that had happened today in her mind, so she could better process all the weird things that were occurring.


    She remembered, particularly vividly, the fight with the razorclaw monkeys and how she got her foot injured at the start of the combat. She had managed to desperately hang on, before giving up hope and using everything she had to at least kill the one that looked like the leader.


    Then she was saved by that weird young man. He was naked, true, but strange enough she didn¡¯t feel grossed out by it, just embarrassed.


    She couldn¡¯t put her finger on why though, maybe it was because he saved her life, or maybe it was his eyes. Those dark blue eyes looked at her without any malice; they were pure, filled only with innocent curiosity.


    [Right, they were like the eyes of a child¡­ how strange.]


    Liza breathed evenly and calmed herself; her cheeks were only slightly pink right now. She opened her eyes and raised her head up, trying to avoid seeing the man from the waist down. She managed to keep her composure, although she looked awkward with her head unnaturally tilted up.


    [Ok, maybe now we can talk for a bit¡­]


    She had barely adapted to that strange situation when she realized the young man and his pet were eating the raw heart of the monsters. She immediately became flustered again and tried to get up, only to fall down due to the sharp pain on her foot.


    ¡°What the heck are you doing?! You are eating a grade 4 monster heart, not only without cooking, but without processing first! Do you want to die from mana rebound? Are you crazy?¡± she exclaimed.


    The forest around them got noisy, as insects and birds flew away. Liza knew it wasn¡¯t smart to scream here, but she wasn¡¯t thinking clearly right now.


    The young man tilted his head to the side, giving her a questionable look. The action looked very similar to what dogs would do when people tried to talk to them. She would probably find it amusing, if she wasn¡¯t feeling exasperated right now.


    ¡°Spit it out! Put your finger down your throat and empty your stomach right now!¡± she lashed out as she tried to get up again.


    The young man looked at her for a while longer and started to eat again. She looked at him, her face filled with incredulity.


    [Doesn¡¯t he understand words? Is he stupid?]


    Liza watched as the man finished one heart and ate two more. He then picked up two raw livers, eating them as well.


    His pet, at some point, had come down from his shoulders and was curled besides the remaining pile of organs, eating them at a leisure pace.


    She waited with bated breath, already expecting a gruesome sight to occur¡­ and nothing happened, the man didn¡¯t die.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    He burped at some point, but that was it. There were no seizures, no bleeding from all orifices, not even pain. Liza¡¯s eyes were open wide, her mouth hanging in disbelief. How could he survive? And he didn¡¯t even feel pain, not even a little bit.


    She had seen, a long time ago, a novice adventurer drinking a concoction of refined grade 2 monsters parts made by an alchemist.


    The burly man had gnashed his teeth and had a ferocious expression on his face, like he was resisting great amounts of pain. He had remained seated and immobilized for an entire afternoon.


    Of course, he got stronger afterwards, but he had to pay the price for it. And here in front of her, in the middle of the forest, was a man who just ate many raw grade 4 monster organs, looking all fine and dandy.


    Liza took a long while to get her wits back together. It was almost turning into a trend to be surprised and out of words after meeting this mysterious young man.


    She decided to just accept it for now and turned her gaze to his strange pet. It was definitely a high grade monster, one that she had never heard about before, nor seen in any book or guild register.


    The enigmatic creature had an aura of majesty, highly intelligent eyes and the power to float or levitate freely. No doubt it would create a ruckus if the outside world learned about it. A monster flying around without wings meant it knew levitation magic or, better yet, had high mana affinity.


    She sighed deeply. Her foot was still throbbing, causing her pain. She removed what was left of her boot, revealing her white foot which was covered in dark-red streaks of dried blood.


    She searched one of her pouches for bandages and an ointment and started to treat her injury. The pain subsided a bit when she focused on the task, so she tried to start a conversation.


    ¡°Thanks for saving me. It was the first thing I wanted to say, but I got surprised and so many things happened that I forgot. My name is Liza Branwen. How should I call you?¡±


    She waited for a while, but there was no response. She looked up. The man was looking at her with his head tilted to the side again. She gave him a wry smile.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you speak? Are you mute? Do you even understand what I am saying?¡±


    The young man just kept staring at her, his dark blue eyes so bright and innocent that it hurt. She couldn¡¯t keep her gaze any longer and diverted her attention to the foot she was treating. She felt slightly annoyed, like she had just lost. Although in what she had lost, she didn¡¯t know.


    After half an hour, she managed to clean her wounds with water from her canteen, apply the ointment and bandage her foot tightly.


    She felt uncomfortable knowing that there was someone just in front of her in silence, thus Liza tried to talk with the man again.


    She told him how dangerous it was to eat monster parts that weren¡¯t refined by an alchemist, asked what his weird looking pet creature was and made other small talk.


    He never responded, he just kept looking at her with curiosity and tilting his head sideways from time to time. She found out he looked really adorable when he did that.


    His pet kept floating around him, or resting on his shoulders every now and then, but he never approached her again like he did before she fainted.


    ¡°Ah, that feels a lot better. It will probably take a while to heal, but I should be able to walk with the help of a stick, no problem.¡±


    Liza patted her hands together after finishing tying the bandage. She looked around, gazing into the forest, with her brow slightly furrowed.


    She could hear the sounds of birds and insects in the distance. The iron-like stench of blood that surrounded them was now mixing with the strong odor of the ointment she had just used.


    ¡°Weird. Why haven¡¯t the other monkeys, the ones that were fighting that large feline, come here yet? They should be part of the same group. Is it because of you perhaps?¡±


    Liza looked at the creature that was flying besides the young man. It was a high grade monster for sure. It looked highly intelligent and it didn¡¯t have wings but was still flying around. It didn¡¯t look ferocious though. She turned her head to look at what remained of the small monkeys.


    [Well, I guess they didn¡¯t look fierce as well, but they were really dangerous,] she thought.


    ¡°Well, not that I am complaining, it was good to take a breather. I am starting to feel hungry as well¡­¡± she looked around.


    The scene and the smell didn¡¯t help, but beggars can¡¯t be choosers. She unpacked a set of dried rations and started eating.


    The young man and his pet looked at what she was eating with much interest. She looked at their reactions with amusement, took two pieces of salted beef jerky and offered towards them. They both smelled it for a bit before taking a bite. Their eyes sparkled, and they started eating it voraciously.


    After finishing it, the young man opened his palm, like a child asking for more, while his pet approached one of her pouches and started to nudge it with its snout.


    She giggled. Their reactions were so comical. She unpacked a bit more jerky and gave them before getting up after a bit of struggle.


    ¡°Well then, thanks again for saving me, even if you can¡¯t understand what I am saying. I must be going now; I want to get out of the forest before nightfall, because it¡¯s never wise to sleep somewhere dangerous when you can avoid it.¡±


    She broke a branch from a nearby tree and used it to redistribute her weight. She walked in circles for a moment, trying to get used to it, before talking again.


    ¡°So, this is it, if fate wills it, may we meet again!¡±


    Liza was making her way to the edge of the forest, slowly, carefully. She had walked for an hour now and could still hear the footsteps behind her.


    ¡°Hey, hey, why are you guys still following me? I am out of beef jerky already. What the heck do you want?¡±

 Chapter 5 – Follower

    After long hours walking slowly with the help of the stick, Liza finally reached the end of the forest. She felt lucky she wasn¡¯t attacked again. With her wound, it would be hard to deal with normal creatures, let alone monsters.


    She had a suspicion of why that happened though. Following a little bit behind her were the young man she met in the forest and his pet. Even if monsters tried to ambush them, they would probably meet their end at that man¡¯s sword.


    ¡°Hey, are you really going to keep following me?¡± said Liza. Her tone was strange; she didn¡¯t know how to feel about the situation.


    She felt it was similar to what occurs when you feed a stray cat or dog and they start to follow you around. Only, this was not a harmless pet, but one capable of killing a group of monsters with one attack.


    The man, as usual, didn¡¯t respond. He and his flying serpent-like creature just kept following her in silence.


    Liza had tried many things to make them stop. She showed them she didn¡¯t have any more food and explained calmly to them why they should not follow strangers.


    She even tried the good old ¡°No! Bad! Go back!¡±, but nothing worked. After that she mostly sighed and kept thinking what to do about the situation.


    After leaving the boundaries of the forest and seeing the sun about to set in the horizon, Liza took a deep breath. The air in the plains was cool and refreshing, much better than the damp and stale one in the forest. She turned around to look behind her.


    The young man was standing there, in the threshold between the trees and the grassy plains, with his pet floating to his side. They were looking at her. She stared back.


    It seemed like both sides were making an important decision. It was an intense moment that felt longer than it actually was. Finally, the man walked forward, leaving the cover of the trees.


    ¡°Stop!¡± said Liza, hurrying towards him awkwardly with her injured foot and walking stick. ¡°You can¡¯t walk around naked outside. How should we do this?¡± she pondered.


    After a moment of thinking, she removed her cape and tied it around the young man¡¯s waist. She nodded her head seriously ¡°Alright, that is step one, it is already much better.¡±


    She then removed her gambeson, revealing her upper body. She had a lean physique, with well-toned muscles and barely visible abdominal lines. A wide strip of cloth was wrapping around her breasts, hiding them from view, but the volume was most definitely there.


    Liza sneaked a peek at the young man, looking for his reaction, but his face had the same innocent look as ever. She closed her eyes, feeling defeated yet again. Although she still couldn¡¯t tell what the competition was.


    She held the gambeson in the air and compared their body sizes. ¡°You are taller than me, but it¡¯s good that you are not large, maybe this can work.¡±


    Liza took her knife in hand and made a few cuts to the gambeson, turning it into a sleeveless vest. After struggling with the young man for a bit, she finally managed to make him wear it and not try to take it off.


    The gambeson turned vest couldn¡¯t be closed and the cloak tied to his waist was akin to a skirt, therefore he definitely looked strange, but that could be chalked up to style. At least they wouldn¡¯t be branded as perverts.


    They made their way towards one of the buildings that could be seen a little further away. After getting closer they could hear the sounds of cutlery and faint voices talking. Liza unceremoniously opened the door and went inside, going straight away towards the stairs.


    The young man stood still after going inside. His pet was floating by his side and they both looked curiously at everything around them.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    It was a typical inn, albeit on the smaller side. In the common room there were seven tables with chairs, a counter and the stairs to the second floor where the bedrooms were. There were a few people having dinner and the innkeeper was tidying up the counter.


    Everything was poorly illuminated by the shimmering light of a scant number of candles, which gave the place an eerie feeling, specially knowing that the ancient forest was so close by.


    Those that were having dinner, mostly rough and poorly equipped men, turned to look at the newcomers. They were about to laugh at the comical attire they just saw when they registered the flying serpent-like creature.


    Their mouths hanged open for a moment. They then turned away and started to make meaningful signals with their eyes to each other.


    The innkeeper, noticing everything that had happened, frowned for only a second before resuming his neutral and non-interested attitude.


    Liza, who had already limped halfway up the stairs, realized that the young man wasn¡¯t following her. She grumbled before going back down towards him. She held his hand and started moving upstairs again. She then shouted at the innkeeper.


    ¡°Uncle, make three servings of dinner for me, I will be eating in my room tonight.¡±


    ¡°Righto~, three servings of stew coming up!¡± shouted the pot-bellied middle-aged man before going to the kitchen door behind the counter.


    Liza fumbled around one of her pouches, taking a copper key out. She opened her room, shoved the young man inside and got in before locking the door.


    It was a simple room with a single bed in the corner, a stool and a window with wooden shutters. On top of the stool was a rolled-up bedroll and a linen sack with a cord, for carrying it over the shoulder.


    Liza didn¡¯t mind leaving the sack in the bedroom, one because it would only hamper her inside the forest and two because most of her more precious belongings where on her person.


    She sat the young man in the bed whilst his pet was seating comfortably on the pillow. She pointed her finger at him.


    ¡°Okay, I can¡¯t keep calling you ¡®you¡¯ and your pet ¡®pet¡¯ all the time. Since you can¡¯t speak, or tell me your name, I will be calling you¡­¡±


    She looked at him carefully one more time. His most preeminent features were his dark blue hair and eyes that looked almost black.


    The first word that popped into her head was ¡°alioth¡±, the elvish word for that kind of deep, dark blue. She immediately frowned and clicked her tongue.


    ¡°Ended up remembering something I didn¡¯t want to. Anyway, your name will be Eliot from now on. And you¡­¡± she turned her raised finger to the serpent-like creature ¡°You look like a Boro to me, so that¡¯s who you will be.¡±


    Suddenly, both Eliot and Boro jumped up (or floated) from the bed with a start. Liza was surprised; she was just about to ask what was going on when there was a low shout outside the door.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, open up please, I can¡¯t do it while holding three plates.¡±


    [Ah, so it was the dinner. They could probably smell it from the corridor, hahaha how silly,] she thought as she unlocked the door and received the food.


    She set two plates on the bed and cleared her stuff off the stool before setting her own plate there.


    Eliot and Boro shoved their faces down the plates of stew straight away. Both spat out the food back on the plate and started to make weird sounds while flailing about. They had burned their tongues.


    ¡°Hey sonny, wait for a bit, the food is hot! Can¡¯t you see the steam coming out from it? You could always use the spoon and blow on it too you know.¡±


    Liza tried hard to contain her laugh. ¡°He is just too hungry uncle, don¡¯t mind him. Thanks for bring it up here, it would be annoying to use the stairs again for now.¡±


    ¡°No problem at all,¡± replied the middle-aged man with a kind smile. ¡°Please lock the door and be careful,¡± he continued in a hushed tone as he closed the door and went away.


    Liza smiled at the now closed door. [So, he noticed it too. It was kind of him to give me a warning, maybe I should leave a tip afterwards.]


    She then sat on one corner of the bed, picked up a bit of stew with the spoon and blew on it before offering to Eliot and Boro in turns. She felt it was funny; it was like she was taking care of kids at Tirin village again.


    It was a bit tiresome, but seeing the delightful expressions both made when eating made it worthwhile. By the time she got to her own stew it was already lukewarm.


    Nighttime; the open window let the cool breeze and the faint light of the moon enter the bedroom, revealing the silhouettes of Eliot and Boro who were sleeping in the bed, tangled with each other.


    Eliot¡¯s stone sword was resting against the wall, its beaten and broken form looking desolate in the dark room, like an artifact of a bygone era.


    Liza was seating on the stool near the door, but at a blind spot for those entering the room, with a long knife in her right hand and three throwing knives in her left hand.


    She was staring into nothingness, most of her concentration focused on hearing things that might be coming from the corridor.


    She was already feeling stiff when she made out the sound of footsteps coming towards their room. She gave a tired smile. Sure enough, trouble was coming.

 Chapter 6 – Trouble

    The inn near the Ancient Aldin Forest. Nighttime.


    A group of four men were walking carefully through the dark corridor, an evil plot in their minds. Their plan was a simple one, approach quietly while the targets were asleep and go in with a bang.


    It shouldn¡¯t be too hard of a job, they thought; the number of enemies was small and one of them was a girl. And to top it off she was injured. They only had to be careful with the young man, he felt like danger. But it was four against one, it would surely work out.


    Then they could have fun with the woman before killing her and collect the ultimate prize: a rare serpent monster that could fly. Soon enough they would be so rich they wouldn¡¯t know what to do with it.


    The group arrived before the door. It was dark, so they couldn¡¯t see each other¡¯s faces, but it was almost possible to feel their twisted smiles of anticipation.


    Inside the room, Liza held her breath and stood at ready. Eliot was seating upright on top of the bed, his brow furrowed, while Boro was floating above his head.


    There was a loud bang as the door was opened with a strong kick, making it slam against the wall. The four men rushed inside while screaming.


    ¡°Prepare to die suckers!¡±


    ¡°We are going to be rich, hahahaha!¡±


    Liza, who was seating at the side of the door, hidden by darkness, let the first three thugs pass unobstructed. Then, with her knife in a reverse grip, she struck with all her might, piercing the fourth man¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhh~ my guts!¡±


    The man screamed and fell backwards. He didn¡¯t even make it past the doorsill. The other three kept rushing straight ahead, moving towards the bed that was faintly illuminated by moonlight. Their swords were already tracing arcs in the air, searching for a target to chop at.


    Eliot jumped out of the bed to receive them and Boro dived ahead too. They lived in the Ancient Aldin Forest for years. They could feel the malice and the intent to harm coming from the enemy, thus they responded accordingly.


    Eliot sidestepped a blade strike and clawed with his bare hands at his attacker¡¯s head. His speed was unbelievable. The blow soon connected, tearing parts of the man¡¯s scalp and caving in his skull.


    Boro completely ignored the oncoming attacks. One of them even hit his body, but caused no damage whatsoever. He pounced at one of the thugs, tearing his throat, killing him on the spot.


    The last man missed his assault due to Eliot¡¯s movements and hit the bed frame instead. He was struck three times before he could ready his weapon for another attempt, dying instantly. He fell to the floor with a throwing knife on his back, a gash on his throat and two broken ribs on his right side.


    ¡°Ah~ at least they were a bunch of idiots,¡± sighed Liza as she got up.


    ¡°Ahhh, my guts, my guts! Help, please help!¡±


    Liza limped towards the man screaming in the corridor, the only one that was still alive. She looked at him with a steady and merciless gaze. Removing the knife that was on the man¡¯s stomach, she sliced his throat.


    ¡°You¡¯re the kind of people I hate the most.¡±


    Her tone of voice was icy, the disgust she felt couldn¡¯t be clearer. She turned back, facing the bedroom, only to see Eliot about to use his stone sword to remove the other thugs¡¯ hearts.


    Liza had just confronted the other goon, so she was still carrying that cold and unusual aura when she said calmly:


    ¡°E-l-i-o-t, N-O.¡±


    The room seemed to get a few degrees colder. Liza stared authoritatively at Eliot, her entire presence almost screaming ¡°you just try it, young man! See what I will do to you!¡±


    Eliot struggled for a moment, but then put his sword back against the wall and sat back on the bed. He gave her an apologetic look.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    [Oh! Ho ho ho, so this works huh?] she smiled inside.


    ¡°Ok, that is better. Now, let¡¯s see what they have on them, shall we?¡±


    Liza checked the corpses for any valuables. She found a few pouches with some coins in it, but nothing more. There were sounds coming from the stairs, someone was coming up while cursing and mumbling.


    ¡°Damn lowlifes! I knew they were going to do a mess here. I knew it! Too many years in this damn job, I can see the moment they cross the door which type¡­¡±


    The nagging innkeeper finally made to the open door with a candlestick. He looked at the mess and cursed some more.


    A pouch came flying his way through the air. He snatched it with his spare hand and looked inside. It had a small amount of silver coins, enough to repair the door and with a few to spare.


    ¡°Sorry for the troubles uncle, keep that money as compensation. I will have to trouble you with the cleaning and changing our room though,¡± smiled Liza.


    ¡°No problem at all. I am glad you are all right lady. You can use one of their rooms, it has two beds inside,¡± said the middle-aged man pointing at the corpses.


    ¡°That will be of great help. Then, if you excuse me.¡±


    The rest of the night was tranquil. The only sounds were the hooting of the owls, the rustle of the leaves in the wind and the curses of ¡°lowlife¡± and ¡°scumbags¡± of the innkeeper as he tidied the messed room.


    Eliot and Boro, who were still fascinated with the mattress and pillows, took some time to fall asleep. Liza, on the other hand, slept like the dead.


    They awoke late the next day. Liza foot still needed more time before the injury went from ¡°painful¡± to ¡°only bothersome¡±. Since the timeframe she gave the guild was up to a week, it was decided they would rest in the inn for three more days.


    This time was used to ¡°train¡± Eliot and Boro. Liza would use the cold tone when reprimanding them and asked the innkeeper to make especially flavorful dishes as rewards for good behavior.


    The progress was slow, but it was working. They seemed aware of their new given names and she felt they could understand each other a little better.


    She also bought some old clothes from the owner for Eliot¡¯s use. They looked baggy on him due to the weight difference, but now that he was completely dressed, with all his scars hidden, he didn¡¯t look strong (or scary) at all.


    With his sword in hand he looked like one of the aspiring adventurers that were lining up to join the guild. Now that Eliot looked proper, Liza could finally repair her gambeson for further use.


    On the morning of the fourth day, they said goodbye to the innkeeper and rented another horse to return to Sarton.


    It was troublesome at first, but after showing Eliot how to mount and many tries later, they finally made it work. They departed. Liza was sitting on the front, guiding the horse, and Eliot was sitting awkwardly behind her, bouncing everywhere.


    After some time, Eliot got used to the horse¡¯s rhythm, which, ironically, made the ride worse due to his new-found enthusiasm. Boro was also not helping. He would frighten the horse from time to time on purpose, making it bolt at full speed and jump around wildly.


    The journey back was longer with the constant agitation of the two troublemakers, but they managed to slip back in town without rising too much of a fuss. All thanks to the fact that Boro was hiding inside Eliot¡¯s baggy clothes for now.


    It was another monumental effort of training that paid off: making Boro stay hidden or at least coil around Eliot¡¯s arm like a proper serpent should.


    They went to drop off the horse at the stable before going to report to the guild. The same boy was taking care of the steeds and he looked happy to see Liza alive and well.


    It was the end of the promotional week, so the movement outside the Adventurers¡¯ Guild was much more subsided than the last time around. Liza went inside with firm strides while holding Eliot¡¯s hand (an important measure for not losing him in new environments).


    She went towards the same old lady that gave her the assignment and sat in front of the empty desk. She removed two bundles, prepared beforehand, from one of her pouches and placed them on the table.


    ¡°One bundle of Cloud Moss and one of Angel¡¯s Blade, please check,¡± Liza said.


    ¡°Oh, glad to see you returned safe and sound. Let¡¯s see what you got,¡± replied the old lady taking a scale and a book from a cabinet nearby.


    The old woman compared the herbs with their descriptions and drawings from the book. After confirming they were the real deal, she placed them on the scale and consulted the current market price on a piece of parchment.


    ¡°Ok, here is the total value for what you brought back. It looks like a pretty good haul, congratulations. If you want to sell information from the forest, we would be interested in buying it as well.¡±


    Liza received the money and nodded her head. Another employee led them to a private room on the second floor that was protected from prying ears.


    She then told him that higher grade creatures were appearing in zones they usually did not and received another sum of coins for her efforts.


    Eliot and Boro were curiously looking around all the time. They showed mild interest to buildings, people, animals and other sights. Only the heavenly smell of food could spark them into high gear.


    After leaving the guild, Liza gave them a tour around town and bought them a variety of foodstuffs at the market. They ate with joy and in a wild manner, making a mess.


    While the other two were busy stuffing their mouths she also went to the leatherworker and the bowyer. Eliot needed a scabbard for his sword, so he wouldn¡¯t need to carry it in his hand all the time, and she needed a new short bow.


    After hours of buying all kinds of food and commissioning works in two different craftsmen her pouch was already much lighter than before. She sighed.


    [Guess we will crash at uncle¡¯s place tonight.]

 Chapter 7 – Eliot, NO!

    Paul Auber was delighted to see Liza return safely from the dangerous forest. He hugged her tightly with teary eyes before turning to Eliot with his eyebrows raised.


    ¡°And who is this young man? Another adventurer?¡± he said.


    ¡°Not really, but he is stronger and more helpful than many of the ones I know.¡±


    Liza then explained what had happened in the forest, with a few alterations to not scare the old man. Even if she was currently standing in front of him with good health, she knew he would freak out if he learned how close the situation had been.


    They were now seated on chairs in the middle of the workshop, encompassed by the soothing smell of herbs.


    ¡°I see, how peculiar,¡± Paul pondered out loud. He then looked at Liza with a troubled face. ¡°As you know, trauma, both physical and emotional, can drastically change a person and leave certain marks.¡±


    Liza¡¯s face clouded over for a brief moment.


    ¡°Yes, but... ELIOT STOP.¡±


    At some point in the conversation the young man had gotten up and walked around the workshop. He was grabbing random herbs from the table and eating them. Liza sat him back on a chair and held his hand. She had discovered that when they were holding hands he became calmer and less prone to muck about.


    ¡°I am impressed he knew the edible ones,¡± said Paul without any hint of anger from having his stock reduced.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ maybe¡­ I am not sure he knew really.¡±


    ¡°Well, if that is the case he sure has an ¡®adventurous¡¯ disposition,¡± replied Paul flabbergasted.


    ¡°But going back to what we were saying before, do you have any ideas? He should be 15 to 20 years old, but he behaves like a child most of the time.¡±


    ¡°Hum¡­¡± Paul was lost in thought. ¡°I think you should just care for him. It was all we di¡­¡± He stopped mid-sentence. ¡°It is all you can do. He should recover in time.¡±


    Liza knew it all too well. Having someone to care for you can sometimes be more helpful than any medicine or potion. She looked at Eliot with understanding eyes and squeezed her hand on his a bit more tightly.


    Paul prepared a place for them to spend the night and cooked a delicious meal for dinner. His interest in plants and herbs were not limited to the medicinal ones, as such his dishes had a variety of spices giving it a unique flavor.


    Eliot and Boro were beyond the moon from glee at such good food. The old man was startled at first with the sudden appearance of the serpent-like creature, but they soon became close friends through the bond of food.


    They needed to wait for a couple of days before the scabbard and the bow were ready, so Liza helped in the shop. She made some concoctions, cleaned the place up and cooked when Paul was busy doing something else.


    Her cooking wasn¡¯t amazing, but it was alright, hence it really annoyed her when she looked at Eliot¡¯s and Boro¡¯s disappointed expression whenever they found out she would be making the food instead of Paul.


    They, on the other hand, would help by bringing water from the well (although they had to be shown first how to do it). It was heavy work and even so, Eliot could easily carry a barrel filled with water to the brim.


    But most of the time they would just go around town exploring and, whenever they did, Liza made sure to follow behind in secret to monitor the situation.


    Today they were going towards the market. Eliot was walking ahead with Boro coiled around his arm. Liza was a few meters behind, skulking from building to building, trying to go unnoticed.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The people walking on the street had different reactions to Eliot and Boro. Some looked surprised, some looked scared and moved out of the way and some didn¡¯t even care. They all looked weirdly at Liza though and grabbed their coin purses with an iron clasp.


    She was starting to blush. All the attention and prying eyes were making her feel uncomfortable.


    [Damn, stop looking at me. I am just making sure everything is ok. That is normal, completely normal.]


    At that moment there was a shout. The owner of one stall was waving his hand furiously in the air.


    ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t do that! You have to pay for it!¡±


    It was a cured meat stall. Eliot had two hands full of beef jerky and was eating happily. He would finish it and then give Boro a handful as well.


    Liza felt her spine shiver. She already knew what was going to happen and dreaded it with all her being. She started running towards the commotion with all her speed and thinking fast.


    [Ok, I am going to shoot the owner in the leg. He will be mad, but it will save his life, so no complaining.]


    The short and fat owner made his way around the stall and grabbed Eliot¡¯s shirt and tried to shake him while screaming. Eliot stopped chewing and frowned. He could feel hostility.


    ¡°You better have money to pay for that you thief!¡±


    Liza put her arm around her back and remembered she didn¡¯t have a bow right now. She raised her speed to the maximum and made a flying tackle while screaming.


    ¡°ELIOT NOOOO!¡±


    Eliot¡¯s hand was already in the shape of a claw and he was swinging towards the fat man¡¯s head. Liza collided with him mid swing. He didn¡¯t even shake. She felt like she had tackled a wall and collapsed on the floor.


    [Ouch! That freaking hurts! Is he made of iron?] Liza thought as she struggled to stand up.


    Eliot stopped his hand a few centimeters away from the fat man¡¯s skull. The disjointed air made a breeze, ruffling the jerky seller¡¯s hair. He stopped shouting and released Eliot¡¯s clothes, paralyzed in fear.


    Liza hurriedly stood between them.


    ¡°I am terrible sorry sir, he is a bit disturbed. I will pay for what they have eaten, don¡¯t worry,¡± said Liza as she hurriedly calculated the cost and gave it to the stall owner.


    The man had recovered his movements, but he was still clearly shaken.


    ¡°Yes, of course. But you should be more careful with this brute, don¡¯t let him wander around alone.¡±


    Liza¡¯s complexion darkened for an instant, before soon resuming her radiant smile.


    ¡°Why, of course sir! Have a good day.¡±


    She then held Eliot¡¯s hand and moved away from the market. She found an alleyway and went in. It was a narrow space with a few crates against one of the walls and a stray cat parading around like he owned the place. In a way, he probably did.


    She sat Eliot in one of the crates before facing him and using her authoritative tone.


    ¡°That was bad Eliot. You can¡¯t just kill people. I mean, you can, but you shouldn¡¯t. We only kill those that deserve it. Like wild magical beasts, bandits, monsters, greedy adventurers¡­ But especially bandits! When you find them, kill them all!¡±


    Liza looked calm, but every time she mentioned bandits her eyes would burn with hatred.


    ¡°Also, you can¡¯t just go picking up stuff like you did back in the forest. If you need something you have to pay for it. Like I did when we first arrived in town, remember? You need to use money, like these coins, see?¡±


    She picked up a copper coin, a silver coin and her only gold coin and put it on his palm. After a lengthy lecture (and much repetition) she brought him back to the market.


    All the vendors that watched the previous exchange had nervous smiles on their faces when they saw them approaching. Liza brought Eliot around many of the stalls and made him buy things.


    She would grab his hand and make him point at something. Then she would give him the coins needed and make him pay to receive the item. It looked like she was controlling a life-size puppet.


    It took Eliot a while, but he got the gist of it. In each new stall he would point at something himself and turn to Liza waiting for the money while smiling. He would then pay and get the item before handing it back to Liza.


    He was enjoying himself. Liza was baffled. Before he was just grabbing things for free and could overpower anyone that complained. Now however, he was enjoying the act of making a transaction and paying. It was mystical how the human mind worked.


    After an afternoon of buying food and ingredients they went back to the apothecary. Paul was surprised by the amount of things they brought back.


    Liza just gave a tired smiled.


    ¡°Dinner is up to you today uncle.¡±


    When they saw the old man going in the kitchen, Eliot jumped up and down and started to clap his hands while Boro danced excited in the air.


    ¡°Ah, really you guys. You don¡¯t need to be THAT happy.¡±


    After a raucous dinner, Liza used a large bucket and a piece of rug to shower. She then gave the task of cleaning the boys to Paul before going to bed.


    While lying down in bed she could hear the surprised cry of her uncle following by an emotional ¡°You have been through a lot young man, it is ok now¡­ it is ok now.¡±


    The next morning, Liza woke up early and went around making preparations. She picked up the bow and the scabbard, bought provisions for traveling and procured a rucksack and a bedroll for Eliot.


    She had stayed in Sarton and its proximities for almost two weeks now, it was time to leave.

 Chapter 8 – On the Road

    Paul felt sad. He saw Liza finishing arranging a rucksack, closing it and tying a bedroll on top. She then helped Eliot put it on his back and strapped a leather belt around his waist. His sword was now in a scabbard fixed to the belt, hanging to his side. They were preparing to leave.


    Ever since he moved to Sarton, Paul felt lonely. The business was booming, since with many adventurers going to the Ancient Aldin Forest there was always good demand for all types of products. Pastes for staunching bleeding, powders for neutralizing poisons and painkiller tablets were forever in high demand. But he missed his old pals and the lively atmosphere.


    Liza and her companions¡¯ stay brightened his mood a lot these past few days, but now he was feeling melancholic again. Many memories were coming back to the surface of his mind. Like how astonished he was when they first found her in that destroyed village, or how she would be hostile to anyone that came close and bit and clawed at them. And here she was, all grown-up and taking care of someone else.


    Teared-eyed, he went to his study and grabbed two carefully packed parcels that he prepared beforehand from the table. He rubbed his eyes with his sleeve before returning to the other room with the two packages in hand.


    ¡°Liza, you said you are going east, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right uncle, we are going to Starfall. It is the only city around these parts, so I hope to find some useful information there,¡± said Liza without turning around. She was carefully stringing her new short bow.


    ¡°Then, could you do me a favor? I am friends with the elder from Kelna village and wanted to make a delivery of medicine to her. It is something I do every year to help her out.¡±


    ¡°You want me to bring the medicine to them after we are done with Starfall? Sure, it is no trouble, as long as you are not in a hurry.¡±


    ¡°No, there is no hurry. She should have enough for now with the last package I sent. This parcel is for her and this one is for you guys. I bundled several grade 1 all-purpose antidotes and some varied ointments and pastes.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, uncle, these will be a lot of help,¡± said Liza smiling.


    ¡°No Liza¡­ thank you,¡± said Paul under his breath.


    They didn¡¯t even have breakfast before departing. The sun was slowly making his way out of the horizon when they left the town of Sarton. Leaving early was common practice for travelers, for journeying at night was the height of folly.


    The dirt road leading east would eventually take them to Starfall after a couple days of travel. Right now, there was no one else on the road as they walked side-by-side munching on spicy beef jerky for breakfast. The burning feeling on their tongues was a nice contrast to the chilly morning air.


    After hours of walking, they could see some people in the distance, working on the fields. The terrain in the proximities of Sarton was composed mostly of plains, which were beneficial for growing crops.


    They traveled without stopping. At noon Liza unfolded a cloth piece revealing their lunch. It was a portion of black bread, ham and a piece of cheese that Paul prepared for them. She distributed their portions and they ate while walking.


    Eliot and Boro were making disappointed faces and sulking. Eliot would kick out of the way any stone he found on the road with extra aggressiveness and Boro was constantly huffing from his nose.


    [I guess it is not enough food for them. They did always eat a lot¡­ Ah, they sure can be troublesome.]


    Liza pondered for a bit and made some calculations on her head. She then searched their belongings for a moment before giving Eliot and Boro more beef jerky.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    They finally smiled approvingly, nodding their heads like saying ¡°Now you are talking¡±. At least that was the impression they gave Liza. She laughed, shaking her head.


    The journey went uneventfully till afternoon, when Liza suddenly stopped in the middle of the road.


    ¡°Ok Eliot, I need you to wait for me here. I will be right back,¡± said Liza as she started moving towards some bushes on the roadside.


    She turned around to make sure and, like she thought, Eliot was still following her.


    ¡°No, no, no. Stay away, you can¡¯t follow me when I am going to do my business. I will be right back.¡±


    After some try and error she finally managed to get away from them and disappeared into the vegetation. Sometime later, feeling relieved, she returned to the road only to find it completely empty.


    ¡°Oh, what now! I wasn¡¯t even gone for that long!¡± said Liza feeling extremely annoyed. She then started walking around while shouting. ¡°Eliot, Boro, where are you? Come back!¡±


    A long time passed by and there were no signs of them returning.


    [Oh, well. Nothing I can do really. They started following me around, so I took care of them, but in truth they never needed it. They survived alone in the Ancient Aldin Forest. They can take care of themselves.]


    Although she thought that, she had mixed feelings about it. Even to her it felt like she was trying to convince herself with those arguments more than anything else.


    Suddenly there were sounds coming from the wayside. Liza turned around, grabbing her bow and nocking an arrow, all in one swift movement.


    The tall grass swayed and Eliot appeared dragging a dead wild boar by its tusk. Boro was flying around him and giving side-glances to the boar from time to time.


    Liza let out the breath she was holding. She stored the arrow back in her quiver and strapped the bow to her back again. Then, with heavy footsteps, she approached them while huffing.


    ¡°Why did you guys disappear? I told you to wait for a moment and that I would be right back!¡±


    Her tone was strict, which made Eliot and Boro strain their faces, like children that did something wrong. Liza then hugged them tightly in turns, which left them feeling bewildered.


    Her tone and actions didn¡¯t match. She scolded them again after letting go of the hug. They were feeling really confused now.


    Liza looked down at the wild boar. Its eyes were looking up and the mouth was frothing, it died from a single blow to the neck.


    [Ah, so they went out looking for food. They do eat a lot¡­ the traveling rations are probably not enough for them. It is something I need to take in consideration in the future. But they really scared me this time¡­]


    The sun was starting to go down. They wouldn¡¯t get very far if they started walking again right now, so Liza decided to make camp for the night.


    Eliot (with Liza¡¯s instruction) cleared a large area of tall grass just outside the road with his sword. Liza collected enough material and made a fire. Boro, as usual, was just floating around.


    They cut the boar meat and used Eliot¡¯s stone sword to suspend it above the fire. Even though it was broken, it was just large and thin enough to make a nice substitute for a cooking stone.


    Liza opened the parcel Paul gave them and selected a few spices to season the food. She then waited patiently for it to cook, turning the pieces around at regular intervals.


    Eliot and Boro would sometimes try to get close and snatch a piece of meat before it was ready, only to be slapped away by Liza.


    ¡°You need to wait till it is done!¡±


    After a while the meat started sizzling and a delightful fragrance filled the air. Liza grabbed three wooden plates from her linen sack and served the cooked meat on them. Eliot and Boro¡¯s plates had so many pieces stacked on top of each other that they were almost overflowing.


    With their bellies now full, Liza stretched the bedrolls around the campfire and helped to tuck Eliot on his. The heat of the fire helped offset the cool night air and the tall grass that was cut previously served like natural padding against the hard ground. They felt really comfortable in their bedrolls.


    It was a quiet moment. The only sounds were the creaking of the fire, the buzz of the insects and the swaying of the tall grass in the wind. The dark night sky was dotted with innumerable stars that twinkled lazily.


    Liza was lying against her back, with her hands on the back of her head, looking up absent-mindedly. She had so many things to do and accomplish, but every once in a blue moon there were moments like this.


    Moments that, for some reason, made her question it all. Should I really be doing this? What is the point, at the end of the day? Time seemed to stop. Liza felt like she could almost grab at the truth of the universe¡­ and just like that the feeling was gone.


    Like it came, that instant that felt like she could understand all there was to the world, was gone in a jiff. It was like waking up from a dream that you couldn¡¯t remember too well. Her mind cleared. She took a deep breath, turned sideways and closed her eyes to sleep.

 Chapter 9 – Entering Starfall

    Liza, Eliot and Boro were walking on the dirt road towards Starfall. They had been traveling for a couple days now and knew they were getting closer to the city due to the increase in movement on the course.


    From time to time, they could see people coming and going from the little trails that connected to the main road. These pathways led to farmhouses, wooden cabins used by hunters and small villages from the surroundings.


    The people they encountered would usually nod their heads towards them in a signal of recognition but would maintain their distance. Traveling alone could be dangerous, but traveling with strangers could be even more so. Especially if said strangers were carrying perilous looking weapons and had a monster as pet.


    Liza stopped, stretched her arms and yawned. There were bags under her eyes and she looked tired.


    ¡°It has only been a few days, but why does it feel like it has been forever?¡± She looked at Eliot accusingly.


    [And you don¡¯t even know or care about it, which makes it even worse! Argh! Is like I am going crazy by myself, it is not fair!]


    ¡°Eliot, we are going to arrive at Starfall today and you better behave. Do you hear me?¡±


    Eliot looked at her with his head tilted sideways and a look of pure innocence.


    ¡°No running around and disappearing on your own. If someone starts to make trouble for us, try your best not to kill them, ok?¡±


    He blinked and tilted his head to the other side. Liza sighed and grabbed his hand before starting to move forward again.


    ¡°Well, try your best. I will deal with whatever comes next.¡±


    They continued their way and by the afternoon they could finally see Starfall on the horizon. It was a big city surrounded by stone walls six meters tall and farmlands in its proximity.


    They made their way down the road to the gates, where a small group of people were waiting in line. A bunch of guards, armed with spears and dressed in chainmail, were inspecting carts, questioning people and taking the appropriate fees.


    Liza had Boro hide inside Eliot¡¯s clothes while they were waiting. Soon enough their turn came.


    ¡°Name, occupation and what is your business here in Starfall? Do you have a permit to carry those weapons?¡± said the guard in the automatic way someone who had to repeat the same questions dozens of times daily would.


    ¡°I am Liza, and this is my brother Eliot. We are adventurers looking for work. Here is my badge,¡± replied Liza while cursing inside.


    [Damn, I totally forgot about that. Sarton was just a small town, it was easy to come and go. First thing we need after getting inside is registering Eliot. Boro too, it can bring trouble, but less trouble than if he is found out and not registered.]


    ¡°Ok, everything seems in order. But where is your brother¡¯s badge?¡± said the guard rising and eyebrow.


    ¡°It was lost in a scuffle with some monsters when we were on our way here. The first thing we are going to do after getting inside is issuing a new one, you have my word. Here is the entry fee Mr. Guard.¡±


    Liza carefully passed the money to the guard, who soon noticed there was more money there than needed.


    ¡°Ah, yes, well, these things can happen sometimes. I understand, hard life being an adventurer. Come on through, but make sure to have that badge remade, ok young man?¡±


    Eliot just kept staring without saying anything. The guard¡¯s jovial smile after being bribed was starting to get stiff. Liza hurriedly intervened while pushing Eliot ahead.


    ¡°He can¡¯t speak sir, had too many blows to the head. Then, if you excuse us.¡±


    The guard watched them going through the gates with a confused smile and a blank stare. He soon got his wits back together and said ¡°Next!¡± before turning around to the remaining people in the line.


    After passing through the gates they could finally see what the city was really like. They were on an avenue large enough for two carts side-by-side to use. It was made of weirdly shaped cobblestones of different colors.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    There were wooden buildings on both sides of the street, mostly of them being occupied by service providers or craftsmen¡¯s guilds.


    The bustling of people coming and going, working, buying things or loading and unloading goods from carts made for a raucous atmosphere.


    [I guess a city is different after all. Better redouble my attention! Right! Eliot!]


    Just as Eliot was about to take off and look at the things that caught his interest Liza grabbed his hand and made her way towards the nearest person.


    ¡°Excuse me lady, could you tell me the way to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild?¡± said Liza, giving her best friendly smile.


    The passerby looked uncomfortable with the toothy grin she was receiving. Liza pointy teeth gave her a ferocious smile.


    ¡°Right now, you are on the big street that connects the west gate to the east gate. There is another big street that connects the north gate and the south gate. That is where your guild is located, near the north entrance.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No problem. Beware of the other lanes though. They are narrow and don¡¯t follow a straight line, making the crisscrossed pathways a labyrinth. Even I get lost sometimes.¡±


    Liza thanked the young girl again and followed the avenue to the crossroads. This was the city center. In each of the four corners where the big streets met was an important building made of stone: the lord¡¯s mansion, the church, the merchants'' guild and the barracks.


    After turning left and walking for some time they could finally see the familiar sign with a coat of arms of two swords crossing. The Adventurers¡¯ Guild was three stories tall and another one of the rare buildings made of stone in the city.


    The inside was like the guild in Sarton, just bigger. There were notice boards and a stairway on the right, a social area to the left and the clerks¡¯ desks at the back wall. Liza made her way to one of the clerks pulling Eliot along.


    ¡°Hello, my friend Eliot here would like to register as an adventurer.¡±


    The clerk was a fat youth wearing fancy clothes. He gave them a quick glance and his eyes couldn¡¯t conceal his scorn. He picked a scroll and a writing set of quill and ink from a drawer before putting them before the group.


    ¡°Write your information here. If you cannot even read or write I suppose I would have to do it for you. The registration fee is a pitiful amount of five silver pieces and the badge needs a few hours to be made,¡± said the fat youth in an affected tone.


    Liza¡¯s tired eye was twitching visibly. She looked at Eliot and was both parts glad and annoyed he wasn¡¯t doing anything.


    ¡°He can¡¯t speak, read or write, but I can, so you don¡¯t need to worry about that. I would also like to register a tamed monster,¡± said Liza before carefully removing Boro from inside Eliot¡¯s clothes and putting him on her lap.


    ¡°Oh, what an incredible creature this is! Name your price peasant; I will buy it from you!¡± said the clerk with his eyes ablaze.


    ¡°He is not for sal¡­¡±


    ¡°100 gold pieces!¡±


    ¡°He is not for¡­¡±


    ¡°200 gold pieces!¡±


    ¡°He is not¡­¡±


    ¡°300 GOLD PIE¡­¡±


    *clap* *clap*


    ¡°Now, now, your lordship. The guild accepted your father¡¯s proposal for you to work here for some time to gain experience, but as we agreed, you need to follow the rules.¡±


    A jolly old man with gray hair was standing beside their table with his hands clasped. Both Liza and the fat youth were surprised to see him there, as none of them saw him arriving.


    ¡°Ah, look at the time! I believe it is the moment for your afternoon tea, is it not, your lordship? Why not let Mary here to do the boring paper work?¡± said the old man.


    After some resistance, the young lord was led away, and the old man directed them to another clerk.


    ¡°I am sorry about that. We usually only employ the second or third sons of nobles because they know how to behave. Those that will inherit the state usually inherit the feeling they are above everyone as well. But what can you do, it is all politics after all,¡± he said with an apologetic look.


    ¡°It is ok. I am more impressed that you are going so far to explain it to us,¡± replied Liza.


    ¡°Any adventurer that can tame a monster has unlimited potential in my book, so it¡¯s well worth the effort,¡± said the old man staring curiously at Boro.


    Liza looked at him with eyes full of suspicion.


    ¡°Thank you for your compliment.¡±


    They didn¡¯t have trouble after that. Eliot and Boro were successfully registered and they waited to receive their badges before going out.


    [That chatty old man said there was an inn nearby in one of those alleyways. Better find it soon, the sun is starting to go down and the curfew will start in a couple hours.]


    The group entered the side lanes looking for the lodgings. The pathway was narrow and was not paved with cobblestones like the main streets. It curved left and right in unpredictable ways. Very soon they were completely lost and by the number of suspicious people in the corners here and there, they were not in a very honorable part of town.


    They could hear a low whimper and sobbing coming from an alleyway just ahead. They could also make out a man cussing in low tones and kicking something.


    ¡°You piece of shit, is that all you managed to get for me today?¡± the man cursed and threw another kick at the child that was curled up on the floor.


    He was about to do it again when he felt something cold pressing against his neck.


    ¡°I would stop doing that, if I were you. You are a very lucky man, if this was outside the city¡­¡± said Liza in a cold voice.


    The man gulped, he was drunk, but could still understand the meaning behind those threatening words. Liza removed the knife from the man¡¯s throat and kicked him in the nuts with all her strength. He seemed to hover in the air for a moment before falling to the ground crying. He was the one whimpering now.


    Eliot flinched at the scene. It was a natural and almost biological reaction from all men when watching such painful occurrence. Liza crouched near the child and whispered in soft tones.


    ¡°Everything is okay now, don¡¯t worry.¡±

 Chapter 10 – Gathering Information

    The child slowly stopped trembling. He felt strong and warm hands picking him up and making him stand on his feet. He was a thin child wearing rags, with his body all dirty and bruised from the earlier blows.


    ¡°It is alright now, see? That idiotic brute received a piece of his own medicine,¡± said Liza, still holding the kid by the shoulders.


    The boy looked at his aggressor sprawled on the ground. The man¡¯s face was pale, his eyes were unfocussed, and he would twitch from time to time.


    ¡°Who are you lady? Why did you help me?¡± said the child in a small voice.


    ¡°I am Liza and I helped you because I wanted to. Now I want your help. Do you know where I can find an inn?¡±


    ¡°I do, but is it going to be ok?¡± the child whispered looking at the fallen man with a worried face.


    ¡°Who knows? I helped you this time because I could, but I won¡¯t be around to protect you all the time.¡±


    Liza thought for a moment and then searched around her things. She took a small pocket knife in hand. It was a very simple and sturdy tool, the all-purpose knife she used for camping.


    ¡°Here, take this. Don¡¯t go around using it to do bad things and don¡¯t show it to other people, keep it as a secret weapon. A knife is good for self-defense, but you are a small child, and if they know you have it they can easily prepare for it. Use only when you feel your life is being threatened. Now, be a good fella and take us to the inn.¡±


    The boy looked bewildered for a moment. He then hastily hid the knife somewhere in his worn-down clothes.


    ¡°Thank you for saving me Liza. The inn is this way, follow me.¡±


    They made their way through the maze of alleyways. Liza felt glad to have someone to guide them, it was impossible to know where you were going otherwise.


    On the way she talked to the boy and learned a few things about him. He was called Nicola and was one of the many children from the slums who were forced to rob, steal and do all kind of jobs for other local criminals. She frowned hearing all that.


    [It sucks, but what can you do Liza? You can beat some of them, Eliot and Boro could beat the rest, but then what? When you leave they will just return, or new ones will appear. This is a problem the local lord should be solving, not you, a measly fledgling adventurer.]


    Liza was so lost in thought, arguing with her inner self, she didn¡¯t notice they had arrived. The inn was shabby and only slightly bigger than the houses surrounding it.


    ¡°Here it is, thanks again for helping me. Bye then.¡±


    The boy was about to turn and go away when Liza grabbed him by the arm.


    ¡°Why are you hurrying? The curfew will start soon, so let me pay you dinner and give you a soft bed to sleep today at least. Tomorrow you can go about your business.¡±


    She grabbed Nicola with one hand and Eliot in the other and dragged them inside. Boro was still hiding in Eliot¡¯s clothes so he wouldn¡¯t draw attention.


    The inside of the inn was poorly lit with only a few candles here and there. Three customers were drinking beer on the counter and complaining about their work, wife, kids or all of the above.


    ¡°Hey innkeeper, give me a room for the night with three beds and make me four meals please. We will eat in our room,¡± said Liza in a cheerful voice.


    The innkeeper gave them an evaluating glance before taking a key from his pockets and putting on the counter.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Second floor, it is the last room on the right Miss.¡±


    Liza nodded, grabbed the key and went upstairs followed by Nicola and Eliot. The room was small, with the only furniture being the two bunk beds inside.


    ¡°Ok boys, you wait here. I will go get us dinner.¡±


    After Liza left Nicola turned to Eliot with a puzzled face.


    ¡°Hey, what is your name?¡±


    Eliot looked at Nicola and tilted his head sideways. There was a weird movement in his baggy clothes and soon Boro came out from his sleeves. He floated in the air, looking curiously at the kid.


    Liza had just arrived at the counter when there was a big scream coming from upstairs. Everyone else looked up and then at her with questioning glances.


    ¡°Sorry about that, the little one is afraid of spiders. I will sort it out when I go back. Hahaha¡­¡± said Liza sheepishly.


    ¡°*hic* Hahaha, what a sissy. My *hic* boya is afraid of them ghosts.¡±


    ¡°Mine is those pesky goblins, we use them to scare him, see? Works every time.¡±


    The three customers laughed and continued to talk about what their kids were afraid of. The innkeeper just shrugged.


    ¡°Your food will be ready in a moment, just sit tight for a spell.¡±


    ¡°No problem, I will just wait here then. By the way uncle, have you seen or heard anything about elves lately? Did any come to town or pass by?¡±


    ¡°OHHHH *hic*, them lady elves!! Thin and grace*hic*ful, or so I hear¡­¡±


    The drunken patrons instantly went off, talking about the legendary beauty of female elves and how they wished they could see it just once in their lifetime.


    ¡°No, sorry to disappoint you miss. I don¡¯t know where you are from, but elves usually don¡¯t come to these parts. They are forest folk. Well, that is what I¡¯ve heard at least.¡±


    ¡°OoOOoooohhh the lady elves, *hic*


    their long pointy ears,


    their big, full breasts, *hic*


    OooOOoohhhh¡­¡±


    The drunkards were now singing a made-up nonsensical song, filled with crass words, about lovingly lady elves and how male elves were smelly and no good. It was so terrible bad that it was almost good, in a way.


    ¡°I guess you are happy you don¡¯t need a bard,¡± said Liza with a crooked smile.


    ¡°They are just your happy, non-violent kind of drunk. Hearing them singing is ten times better than having the placed trashed,¡± replied the innkeeper.


    ¡°Well, no arguing there.¡±


    A man came from the kitchen carrying a wooden tray with four bowls of food and placed it on the counter.


    ¡°Thanks Fred. Here is your food miss and, if you don¡¯t mind, I would rather you pay me now.¡±


    Liza paid the man and went towards the second floor holding the food tray. She was thinking of how to appease the fearful kid and tell him Boro wasn¡¯t as scary as he looked when she heard laughter coming from the room.


    [What the heck, he is fine already?]


    Inside she found Nicola floating in the air. He was chuckling while holding on Boro, who was flying in the limited space between the bunk beds. Eliot was sitting on one of the beds, looking at them with a smile.


    ¡°The food is ready people; sit up so you can eat.¡±


    Nicola dropped to the ground and grabbed two bowls from the tray. He then sat in a corner on the floor and made a gesture for Boro to come and eat with him.


    ¡°Cool! I didn¡¯t know you and bro had a tamed monster with you! Look, he is so strong, and cool, and flies, and has green scales, and¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, Boro is awesome, we know. Now eat your food before it goes cold.¡±


    Soon there was only the sound of people (and one monster) eating. That didn¡¯t last for long, since after Nicola and Boro finished their plates they started playing around again. Nicola would then praise Boro to the moon for the tenth time. Liza smiled at all the kid¡¯s energetic antics and Eliot seemed to be enjoying all the fun.


    The next day they said goodbye to Nicola and walked around the town. Liza tried to keep Boro hidden again, but today he wouldn¡¯t have it. She would shove him inside Eliot¡¯s clothes and he would just come out a second after, making her give up.


    [He will draw attention, but we have registered him already, so whatever.]


    They visited the market, the craftsmen¡¯s guilds, the church and all the other locations travelers would usually stop by. She would then ask around if any elves were seen lately or if they heard any rumors of the sort. The answer was always negative.


    Liza had the feeling they were being followed sometimes, but it was hard to pinpoint the cause since all the places they went to were always full of people.


    After a full day of going around and asking for information, they started to make their way back to the inn. Or at least they tried.


    ¡°Damn it, this place is a labyrinth! These tiny streets all look the same and it doesn¡¯t help that is getting darker!¡± said Liza in an exasperated tone.


    Boro floated in circles around her head, like he was trying to calm her down. She was about to laugh (but also ask him to stop flying around) when she recognized a building at the end of one the lanes.


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that the back of the lord¡¯s mansion? Lucky! At least we can make it back to the main street instead of going around in circles here.¡±


    Liza was feeling more cheerful now. They made their way through the lanes towards the mansion. Different than the part that faced the main streets, the back part of the building was simpler. Walls made of rough stone stacked together with apertures for simple windows here and there.


    When they got closer they heard an ethereal voice that shouted: ¡°Oh my god! Is that an eastern dragon?!¡±

 Chapter 11 – Teleported

    Ben Pryce was a normal human. He had medium height, short blond hair, hazel eyes and a shabby beard. He had a plain face with angular features. An appearance you could see anywhere and forget just as easily. He lived on planet Earth, currently in its 21th century according to the modern calendar.


    Ben went through all the standard accepted steps to become a successful member of society: kindergarten, school and university. He now had a desk job which payed decently, although he wished he could receive a bit more.


    Strangely though, even after going over all those stages and becoming ¡°successful¡±, he didn¡¯t feel happy. On some occasions he felt merry, on some he felt sad, but most of the time he just existed. Everything just seemed so meaningless. His life could be resumed to waking up, working and sleeping for five days then trying to find something to take his mind off living for two days on the weekends.


    He usually did that by means of learning. He would look for any and all tidbits of information that he could find interesting, subject notwithstanding. He learned about crop rotation, how to create artificial gravity, what the Monty Hall problem was, you name it.


    He also made an effort to learn new skills. The only rule was that it could not take too much time to gain reasonable proficiency with it. Skills like marksmanship, juggling, solving a Rubik¡¯s cube as fast as possible, making sweets, painting and many others were already in his weird mixed-and-matched toolbox of knowledges and know-hows.


    That is why his co-workers jocosely nicknamed him ¡°Trivia Lord¡± and ¡°Mr. Jack-of-all-trades¡±. He felt it was justified, though not very humorous.


    Another way he kept his mind of things was immersing himself in different worlds. Be it by means of movies, TV series, books or games.


    Today was a day like any other on Ben¡¯s life. He was waiting at the deserted bus stop for the transport that would take him to the office, where he would work for 8 hours before taking the same bus back home.


    He was sitting on the bench fiddling with his phone, playing the trivia game ¡°Who wants to be a bazillionaire?¡± when the air around him started to shift and spark. A sudden jolt of electricity coursed through his hands.


    ¡°Ouch! What the heck?¡±


    His hands jerked because of the stimulus, making him drop his phone. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. The air shifted once more and, in a white flash of light, Ben Pryce was gone. He had literally disappeared from the face of the Earth in an instant, the only clue he had being there once was the cell phone on the ground.


    Ben was floating in complete darkness. He had the sensation that his body was being compressed and then extended again, like an accordion. When it finally stopped, his knees made harsh contact with something solid. He was feeling dizzy, nauseous and his knees hurt.


    Ben opened his eyes. He was in a well-lit, spacious room with a high ceiling. The floors and the walls were made with precisely cut stones of light grey color.


    [Probably limestone.] he thought without really thinking about it. It was an automatic reaction. A coping mechanism the brain uses when confronted with something shocking. Similar to when someone free falling from a cliff suddenly realizes how beautiful the day is.


    There were no windows and the abundant light was coming from stones set in the walls at regular intervals. Guards wearing chain mail, a shiny helmet and carrying a short spear were arrayed along the room to the sides.


    [I am probably underground. But those are definitely not lamps and these guards¡­]


    His brain was starting to catch up. He looked around. He was standing in the middle of a circle with strange symbols made of chalk. Around him were eight strangely dressed people who were sweating profusely, some of them were almost keeling over. They were wearing silk robes and carrying wooden staves.


    [Oh shit! Is this what I think it is? Is it really happening? Could it be real?]


    He pinched himself. It hurt. But pain was not the only sensory feedback he was receiving. His nose was itching so much he was tearing up. It was the terrible stink of people that didn¡¯t take kindly to bathing and used tons of perfume to make up for it. He started to breathe through his mouth.


    [I know where this is going. There are many books and light novels with this theme. But what a bummer, there are no other fellow earthlings. And where is the God/Goddess that should have talked to me and given me a cheat skill?]The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    While he was complaining in his mind, two people approached the circle as the robed figures made way for them. They were dressed extravagantly and, when added to their way of walking and attitude, one could easily infer they were nobility.


    One was a short, fat, middle-aged man with black hair. The other was a young girl, with curly black hair and a baby face which contrasted with her more well-developed body.


    ¡°Who are you people? Where am I?¡± Ben asked.


    They looked each other in the eye and nodded. The short middle-aged man talked in a language Ben couldn¡¯t understand with one of the robed figures.


    The man advanced towards Ben and gave him an adorned golden ring. He made the gesture for him to put it on. Feeling like he didn¡¯t have much choice in the matter, he put the ring on his finger. He was marveled when the ring automatically adjusted its size to fit him.


    [I guess this is a magic item to help me communicate with them,] he thought.


    ¡°I guess this is a magic item to help me communicate with them,¡± a voice said. It was a more ethereal version of Ben¡¯s voice, one that didn¡¯t come from his lips.


    [What the heck, it speaks what is on my mind?!]


    ¡°What the heck, it speaks what is on my mind?!¡±


    [No way! Stop, I don¡¯t want to!] Ben thought as he made a conscious effort to block his mind off.


    There was a brief period of silence.


    ¡°I see that you adapted very fast. Correct, this ring helps to translate what is on your mind to those around you and what those around you say to your mind. Of course, if you make a conscious effort you can filter what thoughts will be revealed,¡± said the young woman.


    ¡°Who are you? Where am I?¡± Ben asked.


    ¡°Welcome, distant traveler. You are in Starfall city, which belongs to the Balt Kingdom. We call this world Flanac and it is my pleasure to receive you on behalf of the Hampshire House. I am Earl Frederick Hampshire and this is my daughter Hanna,¡± replied the barrel shaped middle aged man eloquently.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you,¡± Hanna did a short curtsy in response to her father¡¯s words.


    Ben started thinking fast, but also carefully enough to block his thoughts from being spoken out loud. He looked at the armed guards which were positioned around the room with their sharp weapons in tow.


    [They sound respectful and all, but¡­] he pondered. He started to organize his mind, filtering what he wanted to say.


    ¡°Hello, my name is Ben Pryce. I assume you used some sort of spell to summon me here? What for? Could you please send me back?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we utilized magic indeed. We are in dire need of help right now, so we asked our brightest magicians to devise an experimental spell to summon people from other worlds. We are glad it worked!¡± said Frederick in a gleeful tone.


    ¡°Yeah, sure, but what about me? Magic doesn¡¯t exist where I come from. There is no way I could be able to help you if magic can¡¯t solve your problem. Please send me back.¡±


    ¡°I am afraid that will not be possible. Like papa said, we used an experimental spell. We are already shocked it worked. I am sorry to say there is no hope in sending you back.¡±


    [Can¡¯t go back? No way! You can¡¯t do that!]


    ¡°Hanna is right, I am sorry. But you don¡¯t need to worry. There are many tales and myths about world travelers and the people that came from the stars. I am sure you have extraordinaire knowledge and abilities we could use.¡±


    [There are people coming from the stars? Is he talking about aliens here? And what the hell, they don¡¯t care even one iota about me. Fucking kidnappers! They have taken me from Earth and brought me here to work for them. And I don¡¯t even have a say in the matter, look at all those guards!]


    Ben was outraged. His eyes were only half-opened. He wasn¡¯t much more looking at them but staring straight through their heads. He kept his mind closed and an impassive facial expression.


    ¡°I am sure you are feeling overwhelmed and tired right now. I will ask the guards to escort you to your room, so you can rest. The maids will bring you something to eat. You will feel a lot better tomorrow morning,¡± said Hanna sweetly.


    Ben was escorted from the basement to the third floor of what looked like a big mansion or maybe a small castle. He was politely guided to his room. A guard closed the door after him and stood in attention on the corridor.


    It was a big and well-furnished bedroom. There was a fluffy carpet on the floor, a fancy and outrageously big bed against the wall and a large wardrobe. A table with two chairs was set against the window.


    He didn¡¯t fail to notice that the windows were barred with iron rods. He threw himself into the bed and grabbed a bunch of pillows. He removed the ring from his finger and started punching the pillows and complaining out loud.


    ¡°FUCK! Crazy, selfish bastards! I ought too, I ought too!¡±


    The guard opened the door and checked what was going on inside before discreetly closing the door again.


    After tiring himself from punching and complaining, Ben put the ring back on his finger and seated by the window. Outside he could see what looked like a typical European medieval city.


    He felt rage towards the people that simply kidnapped him, but he also had to admit the prospect of a medieval world filled with magic appealed to him.


    [I can¡¯t believe it, a proper fantasy setting! I wonder if I can learn magic¡­ And what about other races like elves and dwarves? There are so many things to discover!]


    His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    A small maid entered the room with a trolley carrying many dishes. She put all of them on the table before bowing and leaving the room.


    Ben started eating while looking outside. It was interesting, observing the people coming and going. Suddenly his eyes opened wide.


    [Oh my god! Is that an eastern dragon?!]


    ¡°Oh my god! Is that an eastern dragon?!¡± the ethereal version of his voice exclaimed.


    ==========


    Back on Earth, someone else was also exclaiming.


    ¡°Jackpot! An iX!¡±


    The passerby then picked the cell phone up and put it inside his pocket before walking away smiling.

 Side-Chapter 1 – Missing

    Earth, 21th century. Ben Pryce had only just arrived in the world of Flanac, but back on Earth he had been gone for three days already due to time shifting caused by the summoning spell.


    In an undescriptive office, a short, bulky middle-aged man wearing a suit one size too short for him was shouting.


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t come again today?! Where the hell is that trivia lord?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know sir, we tried his cell phone and his e-mail and there was no response.¡±


    ¡°What does he think he is doing?! He was responsible for this week meeting! Have you tried his house? Have you called his family?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know where he lives sir, we don¡¯t have access to other employee¡¯s information.¡±


    ¡°Then why the hell DIND¡¯T YOU SAY SO! I will give you his information, so you hunt him down and drag his ass back to work! Then, after all this shit is done, I can fire him!¡±


    ¡°Right away sir.¡±


    [Damn, like I could fire his ass! He doesn¡¯t know only his job¡¯s specifics, he knows stuff about everyone¡¯s jobs! There is no way we will lose him of our own accord, he is too valuable. But we will at least penalize him.]


    -


    In a small apartment, a couple around fifty years old were sitting on the sofa watching TV. They were Mr. and Mrs. Pryce, Ben¡¯s parents. The phone ringed. Mrs. Pryce grabbed the cell phone and got up, walking to the kitchen to get away from the loud TV before answering.


    *Beethoven¡¯s F¨¹r Elise*


    *beep*


    ¡°Hello, am I talking to Mrs. Pryce?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are. Who is this?¡±


    ¡°Hi, I am Kyle, one of Ben¡¯s coworkers. He hasn¡¯t shown up for work for three days now and we were wondering if something happened to him.¡±


    ¡°What, he didn¡¯t show up to work? What is going on, wait a minute¡­¡±


    ¡°Pa, turn off the TV and come here, something is going on,¡± said Mrs. Pryce as she turned to speak with her husband.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± said Mr. Pryce, putting his hand to his ear.


    ¡°I SAID TURN OFF THE TV AND COME HERE!¡±


    On the other side of the line, Ben¡¯s coworker quickly moved the phone away from his ear. The call looked like it was on speakerphone as the loud voice of Mrs. Pryce vibrated in the air. He kept the phone at a safe distance from his ear, holding it like it was a dangerous object.


    ¡°Mrs. Pryce?¡±


    ¡°I am here. You said he didn¡¯t come to work for three days? He didn¡¯t give a warning or let you know in advance?¡±


    ¡°He did not. That is why we are calling, we were wondering if anything happened.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know, we usually talk on weekends. I will try calling him and get back to you.¡±


    ¡°Ok, please let us know if anything pops up.¡±


    *Beep*


    Mrs. Pryce ended the call and dialed in her son¡¯s number, her thoughts in disarray.


    [Maybe he is having one of his episodes, but if so why he didn¡¯t call us? And missing work three times in a row¡­]


    -


    That afternoon, the distressed Pryce couple arrived at the local police station. They stormed the lobby, almost rushing to the reception desk.


    ¡°Please, help us, our son is missing!¡± said Mrs. Pryce, her eyes red after having cried the entire way to the police station.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Please calm down ma''am. Has it been more than 48 hours that your son is gone? Have you called him, gone to his house or checked in with his work?¡± said the young receptionist trying to work the magic that was dealing with people on their emotional breakpoint and doing her job competently at the same time.


    ¡°He is gone, I am telling you! Gone! What if he is having one of his episodes? He needs us, you need to find him!¡± said an almost hysterical Mrs. Pryce.


    ¡°Betty, why don¡¯t you sit down over there, let me talk to the lady. I am sure we can get you some tea to help with your nerves as well, right miss?¡± said Mr. Pryce as soothingly as he could, but he too was visibly shaking.


    ¡°Oh, of course! Please, sit over there madam. That gentleman,¡± she pointed at an officer, her eyes screaming ¡ª please help me here ¡ª ¡°will hear your story while your husband fills all the paperwork.¡±


    The indicated officer approached Mrs. Pryce, helped her sit down and gave her a cup of tea. He listened and soothed her in every way he could.


    ¡°She mentioned an episode. Does your son suffer from a mental illness? Could he be a danger to himself or others?¡± continued the receptionist after Mrs. Pryce was taken away.


    ¡°Ben is a good kid! He would never hurt others! It is just that sometimes he gets depressed and needs a bit of special attention before he can keep going¡­¡± said a crestfallen Mr. Pryce.


    [Gets depressed? Don¡¯t we all?] thought the receptionist.


    After doing all the paperwork and talking with the detectives for a few hours an official investigation was opened and the Pryce couple were escorted back home.


    -


    In the small war room of the local police station a few detectives and a group of beat officers were rounded up.


    ¡°Ok folks, listen up. The missing person is called Ben Pryce, he is a 25 years old male that works for a local firm and is believed to have disappeared three days ago. We need to search his house, his workplace and retrace the route he took to work every day. We need to get the tracker for his cell phone and credit cards running as well, so make the necessary phone calls. Time is of the essence, let¡¯s get to work!¡± said the detective briefing the case.


    Roles were assigned and soon the small war room was empty of people.


    -


    In the food court of a shopping mall, a teenager was playing Fortnite on what was previously Ben¡¯s phone, blasting away his competitors on the screen while enjoying a fruit smoothie.


    ¡°Cool, my previous phone didn¡¯t run it this well.¡±


    He was concentrating intensely on the firefight with his most recent enemy, therefore he didn¡¯t notice the two uniformed officers that approached his table.


    ¡°We need to talk lad, put the phone down.¡±


    When he looked up and saw the words ¡°police¡± on the officers¡¯ vests he became nervous. He instantly began gauging exactly how much trouble he was in.


    ¡°Woah, du-du-dude, I just found it on the ground! That is not stealing, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong! It was just there, lying on the ground! Anyone would have taken it, I mean, come on Mr. officer.¡±


    ¡°The original owner of this phone is missing, that makes you a person of interest in a very serious investigation. Why don¡¯t you come back to the station with us? We will hear all you have to say there. Give me your parents number, I will give them a call and tell them to meet us there.¡±


    ¡°What? I had nothing to do with that! I know nothing! I just took a phone off the ground and didn¡¯t try to return it! Come on, man!¡±


    After a brief exchange, the teenager was taken to the police station where he was interviewed in the presence of his apprehensive parents. Unfortunately, not much was discovered that could aid the case.


    -


    In the meantime, two detectives arrived at the bus station where Ben took the bus to work. They examined the surroundings and asked a few questions to the people that were there. Nothing much was discovered. Feeling like it was another miss, one of the detectives shook his head.


    ¡°No luck so far.¡±


    ¡°Hey, over there.¡±


    ¡°What? Did you see something?¡±


    ¡°That store on the street corner. I think sometimes the camera moves just enough to see the bus stop here.¡±


    They waited for the surveillance camera to do its full range of movement.


    ¡°That looks about right, if it is a wide enough lens. Let¡¯s check it out, we might finally get lucky here.¡±


    They went to the store and after talking with the owner for a few minutes they got to see the footage. In it they looked at the day Ben supposedly disappeared and saw him, sitting at the bus stop, fiddling with his phone.


    There he was, just waiting for his transport, when he suddenly drops his phone with a jolt. Then the camera pans away and when it returns, only a few seconds later, he is no longer there. Gone in an instant. Not only that, but there was a weird purple haze in the footage on the same spot he was sitting before. Both the detectives and the store owner felt an inexplicable chill in their spine after watching it.


    ¡°Could you give us a copy?¡± asked one of the detectives.


    ¡°It is all in the cloud. Give me an e-mail and I will send you the link,¡± replied the store owner.


    The detectives gave the email address and left. The store owner kept watching the video again and again, mesmerized. Later that night he clipped the video and posted it on the internet with the title ¡°Last known footage of missing man ¨C Mysterious disappearance.¡±


    The video went viral. People speculated what could have happened and the story made the rounds. Some argued that it was an alien abduction, whereas others were leaning more to the theory that it was another government conspiracy.


    After gaining steam on the web for two days, the story and the video appeared on the news, becoming the focus of the public¡¯s attention for two full weeks before being slowly phased out.


    After one month without any noticeable updates for the case, the news stations decided it would no longer be profitable talking about the story and soon the name Ben Pryce was forgotten to the public and turned into a cold case for the police.


    Life for Mr. and Mrs. Pryce had taken a turn on its head.

 Chapter 12 – A New Encounter and a New Trouble

    Ben got up, hurried to the glass window, opened it and almost rammed his face against the iron bars, all to get a better look. It was starting to get darker outside, but he could still see it clearly.


    In the street, a young woman and a young man with a serpent-like creature flying between them were looking at him.


    [Holy shit, it is an eastern dragon! He is so small though.]


    ¡°Holy shit, it is an eastern dragon! He is so small though.¡±


    Outside his room, the guard that was on duty shook his head.


    [He is shouting again, tsc, tsc. The young miss said he might be mad, so I shouldn¡¯t bother him. But dragon? He is clearly delusional, if a mighty dragon was nearby, the whole city would be in chaos.]


    -


    On the backstreet, Liza, Eliot and Boro had stopped walking and were looking up. On the third floor of the lord¡¯s mansion, in one of the barred windows, a blond youth was looking at them, his eyes filled with fervor. The smell of good food was drifting from the open window, something that Liza didn¡¯t pay any heed to, but Eliot and Boro did.


    [Damn, he seems to have recognized Boro! And is someone from the lord¡¯s mansion, such bad luck! He called Boro an eastern dragon, huh? But a dragon? The shape is all wrong and where are the wings?]


    While Liza was lost in thought, Boro began flying towards the window on the third floor. Ben quickly got out of his daze and backed away, hiding behind the enormous bed in a fit of panic.


    [What was I thinking! I saw a dragon, a freaking dragon, and screamed at it! Oh my god, please let me survive, please let me survive. Should I call the guard outside? But what could he do against a dragon?]


    Boro finally arrived before the window. He had the thickness of an arm, so he easily made his way past the iron bars and into the room. He looked at the cowering Ben and huffed through his nose. It felt like he was laughing at the frightened human.


    He then focused his attention to what really drove him to this room, the table filled with a wide variety of foods. Boro had never smelled such diverse range of heavenly dishes before.


    There were three types of soup, white bread, different kinds of meats (pork, bovine, chicken and fish), custard and pies. The number of dishes were enough to feed a few people, but they were all prepared for Ben alone, as a show of consideration from the Hampshires and as proof of their influence and power.


    Boro knew some of these scents, they smelled like some foods made by Paul before, but there were many new ones. He flew to the table with excitement and started to eat.


    -


    Outside, Liza was in a frenzy.


    ¡°For Mifros¡¯ sake, he just went in! What should we do? Eliot can you call Boro back? What if they capture him? They could try using magic to enslave him or worse!¡±


    Eliot was still looking at that window on the third floor. He drew a deep breath and ran towards the mansion. He jumped, easily clearing 2m in height, his hands latching on an uneven surface on the wall. He then found a footing in a small crevice and started climbing up.


    Liza was flabbergasted. She wanted to shout, but knowing that would be stupid, she hissed in a low volume instead.


    ¡°Eliot, what are you doing?! Call Boro and let¡¯s get out of here!¡±


    -


    Inside the room someone else was also astonished. Ben looked at the small dragon eating a huge slab of pork sirloin, chewing happily.


    [What? He came here just to eat? He ate the desserts first, now he is almost finishing the meats¡­ weren¡¯t dragons supposed to be majestic creatures, with high intelligence, knowledge of many languages and able to cast spells? And here he is, just stuffing his mouth?]


    *gulp*


    Boro finished chewing and ingesting the pork. He turned to the remaining dishes, the soups and a basket of white bread, when he heard a crisp sound behind him. It was a new sound, one he never heard before. He was having fun. Ever since he left the forest he was discovering new and exciting things all the time.


    He turned around. That coward that smelled of fear was opening a bright colored package. From inside he removed a small rectangular brown bar of unknown substance. He held it forward, offering it to him. Boro eyed him suspiciously and sniffed it a few times.


    [I am crazy, this is crazy. I am offering mint chocolate to a dragon. A small chocolate bar that was supposed to be my 10 AM snack at the office today, back on Earth where dragons are only a figment of our imagination.]


    Ben was trembling slightly. Boro approached the chocolate bar and sniffed it again. He gave it a tentatively lick, then another, before eating the whole bar.


    The taste was divine. It was a thousand times sweeter than all the pies and custard he had just eaten and with a slight dash of mint that gave the perfect contrast to all the sweetness. Boro flew around the room in joy.


    [Oh, he liked! He liked, thank god! Hahaha, I should have known! Who doesn¡¯t like chocolate?] thought Ben as he clenched his fist tightly in a victory pose, like he was commemorating a grand achievement.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Boro then glided before Ben and nodded his head approvingly. He moved his small limbs, shaking his claws vigorously.


    ¡°What, you want more? Sorry I don¡¯t have any, that was the only one I had,¡± the ethereal voice of Ben replied.


    The dragon seemed to understand his words, or at least what he was getting at, because it looked disappointed. Ben started to sweat from nervousness again. He was trying to figure out how to appease the mythical creature when he saw something that wasn¡¯t possible.


    There was a youth outside his window, his long, wild hair swaying in the breeze. His hands were grabbing the iron bars while he looked inside the room with an angry look.


    [How is that possible?! We are on the third floor! Is he using magic?] exclaimed Ben in his mind. The ethereal version of his voice soon followed, revealing his thoughts to the world.


    -


    Outside the room, the guard on duty was scowling.


    [Ok, now that is too abnormal, maybe I should have a look¡­]


    *clank* *clank*


    There was the sound of something heavy and metallic being dislodged, then being dropped to the ground.


    ¡°Not good!¡± said the guard instinctively.


    He opened the door and rushed inside. He saw the ¡°guest¡± falling to the ground on his ass, astonishment and fear fighting for space on his face. He saw a green, serpent-like creature eating from a basket that was, previously, full of white bread. And he saw a young man dressed in baggy peasant clothes coming into the room from the window. The iron bars that once prevented such unlikely possibility were laying on the floor, bent out of shape.


    An ethereal voice was rambling from time to time in the background, saying things like ¡°this is the third floor!¡± and ¡°those are iron bars, I am sure!¡±


    The guard was stunned. It was a bizarre occurrence that left him without knowing how to react for a moment.


    Eliot was finally inside the room and his face was grave. He ignored everyone else and went straight to Boro. He grabbed the dragon by the tail and spun him around a few times before releasing him. Boro collided at high speed into the stone wall with an audible thud.


    An ethereal voice in the background said ¡°Wow, a Mario throw.¡±


    Eliot grabbed the last piece of white bread from the basket and stuffed into his mouth. He chewed extremely fast and swallowed. Then he drank the three soups, one by one, by turning the bowl to his mouth, not caring about the mess he was making.


    ¡°What?! He too only came to eat?¡± Ben¡¯s voice continued.


    After finishing all the remaining food on the table, his expression became a little better, but it was not by much. Boro, who had slid down the wall after the impact, flew to his side and rubbed his face against Eliot¡¯s cheek. It looked like an apology.


    The guard finally recovered from the outlandish scene and yelled.


    ¡°Intruders!¡±


    He firmed his stance and made a straight jab with his spear, trying to pierce Eliot¡¯s abdomen. His speed was faster than any regular soldier and a nice swooshing sound followed. Still, Eliot easily dodged to the side and frowned. Ben quickly dragged his ass across the floor to a safer place.


    ¡°Oh no, they are fighting, they are fighting!¡±


    The guard readjusted his position again and made another strike. This time Eliot closed in, reducing the distance between them by letting the short spear pass by his side. He swung his hand in a claw shape which soon connected to the soldier¡¯s helmet, leaving a large indentation. The guard collapsed on the floor, blood slowly flowing from his head to the ground.


    ¡°Oh my god! He died! You killed him!¡±


    -


    Outside, in the streets, Liza could hear the commotion coming from inside the mansion. She was feeling nervous, anxious and angry. Really angry.


    [Now is not the time to be cautious, everything has gone to shit! Argh, why?! Why did it have to be the lord¡¯s mansion?!]


    She took a deep breath.


    ¡°ELIOT! BORO!¡±


    It was a loud shout, so loud people would be surprised it came from such a thin and delicate looking young lady.


    -


    Inside the room, Eliot shook. He made his way to the window, with Boro in tow, and looked outside. Liza was stomping her foot, making frantic gestures with her arms for them to return.


    ¡°Come back down here, right now!¡± she hissed in low tones.


    Eliot, very carefully and slowly, started to make his climb back down, like a kid trying to delay his punishment for the longest time possible, even though he knew there was no avoiding it.


    The shout also shook Ben Pryce out of his daze.


    [*$@*&@##*, that guy died. That is messed up! And what the hell was that shout just now, it made my spine shiver!]


    It hadn¡¯t been long since the turmoil started. The remaining guards were still making their way towards Ben¡¯s room on the third floor. He could hear the shouting and clanking of metal coming from the other parts of the mansion. Ben hit his legs with his fists to make them stop trembling and got up.


    [$#&#%&! I need to get out of here, this will probably be my one and only chance to escape captivity.]


    Ben ran to the window and looked outside. The young man was climbing down the wall at a snail¡¯s pace while the girl was walking in circles, fuming. He judged the distance.


    [I am ok at climbing, but not this wall and not on these circumstances. Jumping is out of the question, unless I want to be recaptured with two broken legs. Damn, think faster, think faster!]


    He turned around, looking desperately at the room, before stopping with a jolt. His expression finally cleared.


    [Of course, the cartoon escape! It¡¯s a classic.]


    Ben grabbed the six pillows that were on the humongous bed, the ones he had been punching earlier, and dropped them out of the window.


    Eliot saw the pillows pass by and tilted his head sideways. Liza was also befuddled and stopped walking in circles, her agitation briefly forgotten.


    Ben went to the big wardrobe in the corner and opened it. Inside there was a neat pile of clothes, four more pillows and a few sets of bedsheets. He grinned.


    He shoved the pile of clothes inside an empty pillowcase and set them aside, he would probably need them later. He then tied three bedsheets together with haste and expertise, creating a makeshift rope, which was secured in on one of the bed¡¯s legs.


    He was feeling increasingly nervous as the noise from the guards was getting closer. He slammed the door shut and jammed it at the bottom with cutlery and wooden plates to the best of his ability.


    He threw the last four pillows and his makeshift rope out of the window, grabbed the pillowcase full of clothes he had set aside earlier and started his climb down. There was now shouting and banging sounds coming from just outside the bedroom door.


    Liza, who was still waiting for Eliot to come down, was intrigued by that weird figure, with his strange garments, rappelling down a bunch of bedsheets tied together.


    When he was close enough to the ground (or more importantly, when he heard the door he jammed being opened with a crash), Ben let himself go, falling on the small pile of pillows. It didn¡¯t hurt too much.


    [I did it! Hahahaha, I escaped!]


    ¡°I did it! Hahahaha, I escaped!¡± Ben¡¯s ethereal voice went on. The magically produced version of his laughter was a bit disconcerting, since it was monotone and with no emotion in it.


    Liza, Eliot and Boro (who were now finally back on the ground) were looking at him with strange faces. On the window of the third floor a bunch of guards appeared, their heads looking outside.


    ¡°He escaped! Quickly we need to get him back!¡± said one of the guards.


    [Shit!] thought both Liza and Ben as they looked up. They then turned to face at each other. Ben made an apologetic face. Liza felt a bad premonition.


    [Thank you, my saviors!]


    ¡°Thank you, my saviors!¡± Ben¡¯s ethereal voice rang out.


    ¡°It is those two, they helped him escape! Capture them!¡±


    ¡°You!¡± lashed out Liza, her eyes ablaze.

 Chapter 13 – On the Run

    Ben scrambled out of the small pile of pillows and got up with an agility that didn¡¯t match his physical appearance.


    ¡°Look, you can get mad at me later, but right now we are in this together and we need to get out of here!¡± his ethereal, magically produced voice said.


    Liza was staring daggers at him. It was getting darker, but up close he could see her face much better. A thin nose, rosy cheeks, pointy teeth, long black hair and big black eyes.


    [Wow, she is beautiful¡­ even with all the grime.]


    Their staring contest didn¡¯t last long. The sound of rushing footsteps and the brightness of lit torches around the corner were always good stimuli for those that were being hunted.


    Liza didn¡¯t answer back. She grabbed Eliot¡¯s hand and started to run towards the meandering lanes, creating distance between them and the pursuers. Boro nested around Eliot¡¯s shoulders, he could feel that it wasn¡¯t time to be cheeky due to the current atmosphere. Ben ran after them.


    A few seconds after they had disappeared into the backstreets, a small group of guards turned around the corner of the mansion, rushing along.


    ¡°After them! Spread out in small groups! Cover all the alleys!¡± one important looking guard said in rage as he kicked a pillow furiously.


    They didn¡¯t see where the rats had escaped to and it hadn¡¯t rained recently, so there were no tracks to follow on the hard ground.


    ¡°The curfew will start soon, so there won¡¯t be many people in the streets. Follow the noise and the commotion, we should be able to get them soon enough. I will report to the lord,¡± he said to his second in command.


    ¡°Aye! We will get them!¡±


    -


    Liza¡¯s group was dashing at full speed in those small and tortuous back roads. They were making good pace, but it was not a straight path and they didn¡¯t have a clear destination. All Liza (and Ben, who was trying his hardest to keep up) was hoping was that they didn¡¯t ended up back at the lord¡¯s mansion by running randomly. That would be just sad.


    Their movements were followed by the curious eyes of the population of Starfall, who were peeking out of their windows. Their interest had begun when Liza shouted with all her might and intensified when they saw the lord¡¯s troops bustling about.


    Some people just looked, others spat at the fugitives from the safety of their houses and many shouted to the guards. It was the most excitement they had in a while.


    ¡°Over here, guards! Guards!¡±


    ¡°The curs are going this way, guards!¡±


    Not long afterwards, there was the light of torches and the clanking sound of metal coming from behind, forcing Liza, Eliot and Ben to do a mad sprint to increase the distance, only for the same thing to happen again a few moments later.


    Liza and Ben were growing tense, there wasn¡¯t much point in running aimlessly, specially if your current position kept being revealed all the time. Eliot was unconcerned, like he usually was, and was keeping up with the running effortlessly.


    ¡°Damn, those bastards,¡± said Liza and Ben at the same time.


    A few meters ahead, a small cloaked figured appeared from a corner of the street.


    ¡°Over here, follow me,¡± the mysterious person said, before going off running in another direction.


    There was no explanation, no franticness, no promises. Only the calm and confident attitude of someone who knew you had no better options at the moment, so there was nothing to discuss.


    They didn¡¯t think twice and followed that small figure. They weren¡¯t running as fast as before, but their route became much more convoluted, if that was even possible. They traversed in an out of alleys and galleries, making Liza and Ben¡¯s head spin. Their enigmatic helper navigated the streets with ease and purpose.


    Soon, the shouts revealing their position stopped, because the people that were now peeking out of their houses still didn¡¯t know what was going on. Eventually there were no more people on the streets or watching them, because the turmoil hadn¡¯t reached that far yet.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Liza thought about stopping and asking questions now that things had calmed down but thought better of it. This person had helped them in a pinch, it was only fair to see it through the end.


    They went from running to walking and soon were in a rather dilapidated part of the city, with many run-down and abandoned houses. Their guide stopped before a big unfinished house, full of debris all around.


    ¡°Thanks for helping us back there. Could you tell us who you are and why did you help us?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°I am Popis. You helped Nicola yesterday and even gave him a full meal and a comfortable bed to sleep at night, am I right?¡± said the small figure. ¡°He was so happy and excited he wouldn¡¯t shut up about it, especially regarding Boro.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you are friends with Nicola! Thanks again for saving us back there,¡± said Liza, but inside she was thinking [Damn! Later I need to remind them to not spill out anything about Boro being able to fly!]


    ¡°Just repaying the favor. Let¡¯s get inside before we continue talking. This house was abandoned during construction and since there is no roof not many people squat here. What they don¡¯t know is that there is a basement hidden beneath the debris, so we use it as our base.¡±


    Popis looked around, making sure there were no observers and headed inside. Liza was about to follow, dragging Eliot along, when she heard that ethereal voice again.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we escaped! That was a really crappy situation¡­¡±


    ¡°YOU! I almost forgot about you!¡±


    Before Liza could say anything else, Ben rushed past her, his omnidirectional voice hanging in the air.


    ¡°Popis is right, let¡¯s talk inside.¡±


    Liza¡¯s chest was moving up and down in anger. She huffed two times and followed them.


    -


    Back at the lord¡¯s mansion, inside a lavish dining room.


    ¡°You lost him?! YOU LOST HIM?!!¡± bellowed the rotund earl Frederick. He threw his goblet on the ground in rage, the metallic ring echoing in the room.


    ¡°We were following them with the help from the citizens, but after a certain point they suddenly vanished. We don¡¯t know how they did it. Magic perhaps?¡± said the guard that was kneeling by the door.


    ¡°Magic? That man didn¡¯t have any mana inside his body! How could he have used magic then, I ask you?!¡± roared the earl, covering the food in front of him with spit.


    The guard recoiled from the verbal lashes, staring firmly at the floor and not daring to look up.


    ¡°He had help from a young couple. They carry a weird serpent monster with them, probably a mutant variation. We are interviewing the people to get their description,¡± said the guard who, right now, hated the fact he was made captain.


    ¡°Help? He didn¡¯t know anyone! Who would help him?¡± still looking bright red from his fury, Frederick Hampshire imposing stance was starting to deflate. He seated back down.


    A calm voice interrupted their dialogue as Hanna, the earl¡¯s daughter, addressed the captain.


    ¡°You will soon know the fugitives¡¯ likenesses, that is a good start captain. Send word to the gates that they are not to open tomorrow morning and take as many guards as you can, without compromising security, for a thorough search. If you cannot find them today, you will find them tomorrow or the day after. In any case, they are trapped in this city and we shall find them.¡±


    ¡°I will do as you order, my lady. Please excuse me,¡± said the captain.


    After he was gone the earl turned to his daughter.


    ¡°Do you think we should ask the adventures¡¯ guild for help?¡±


    ¡°No, papa, we should not. We need to keep our relationship with the guild master in balance and Barnabas, the one who manages the guild branch in our city, is a wily old fox.¡±


    ¡°You are right my dear, as usual. But how could this have happened? Who would have known about him? And what would they have gained? His body has zero mana, the mages guaranteed it. If not for the myths about outlanders he would have being killed on the spot for being useless and wasting all our preparations!¡±


    ¡°Maybe we weren¡¯t as careful as we thought and someone found out about the world traveler. We need to investigate this thoroughly.¡±


    -


    *Aaatchooo*


    ¡°Bless you, sir.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Rodney. I guess someone must be badmouthing me. Now, what did you find about those curious fellas?¡±


    The jolly old man sitting behind his desk surrounded by copious amounts of paperwork was Barnabas, the manager of the Starfall branch of the adventures¡¯ guild. He was the one that, one day earlier, helped Liza out of the aggressive buying offers for Boro.


    ¡°They were exploring the city today. The girl, Liza, kept asking about sightings or rumors about elves. The boy, as far as I can tell, really can¡¯t talk, like she said. They didn¡¯t bother to hide the monster, it caused quite the hubbub everywhere they went,¡± replied Rodney.


    ¡°Elves, why would she be so concerned about them?¡±


    ¡°I think is because she is a half-elf, sir. Her hair hides it most of the time and she is really careful about it, but after following them this morning I could see her slightly pointy ears, a characteristic of their kind.¡±


    ¡°A half-elf huh, that is rare. Is she looking for her kin, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t say for sure, but it is what makes the most sense, sir.¡±


    Barnabas drummed his long, thin fingers on the table. His eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.


    ¡°A half-elf. A mysterious young man who can¡¯t speak. A strange serpent-like monster that I¡¯ve never seen before. What a fascinating bunch!¡± said the old man with gusto.


    ¡°You will probably be even more excited when you hear this¡­ I just found out that they have something to do with the chaos that occurred not long ago at the lord¡¯s mansion.¡±


    ¡°What?! Did they escape?¡± asked a scowling Barnabas.


    ¡°Apparently, they did. It is all a mess for now. I¡¯ve left shadowing them in the afternoon to someone competent, so we will be able to learn more details later.¡±


    ¡°Capital! Hahaha, that is some fun news!¡± said the guild manager with glee as he played around with a quill in his hand.


    ¡°What should I say if the Hampshires come asking for help?¡±


    ¡°I doubt they would look for us, but if they do, say that I am indisposed and can¡¯t see them. For now, focus on finding more about our fugitives and discover where they are hiding.¡±


    ¡°Will do, manager.¡±

 Chapter 14 – Hiding (1)

    Popis moved a rotten wooden board that was leaning against a wall and dragged a small ruined carpet out of the way, revealing the basement entrance. She crouched near it, putting her head across the threshold.


    ¡°Guys, it¡¯s me. I¡¯m back with some people, so don¡¯t be alarmed.¡±


    There were voices filled with excitement coming from below.


    ¡°Big sis is back!¡±


    ¡°Hurray!¡±


    Popis stood up and moved out of the way, making a gesture with her hands for the others to go inside.


    ¡°Please enter, I¡¯ll be right along.¡±


    Ben went in, followed by Eliot, Boro and Liza. Popis then moved things again to hide the entrance. It worked well. In that abandoned house full of junk, only someone actively searching around would be able to find it. After she was done, Popis descended to the basement as well.


    The group made their way down the stone steps. The cellar was damp and there was water trickling down the walls because of the humidity. Small mushrooms that glowed with a dim bluish light were scattered around the ground and walls, giving the place a ghostly mood.


    A group of six children were eagerly waiting at the bottom of the stairs. After seeing it was a stranger coming in, they backed away hurriedly.


    ¡°Wow, bioluminescent mushrooms, that¡¯s cool,¡± said Ben¡¯s ethereal voice as he looked around.


    Nicola, who was among the six kids, rushed forward after seeing Eliot and Boro, shouting ¡°Big bro, Boro! It¡¯s you guys!¡±


    Liza arrived with Popis right after. She waved at Nicola (who waved back) and looked around at the large basement illuminated by the mushrooms. She then turned to the small cloaked figure of Popis who was being swarmed by the other kids.


    ¡°Big sis, big sis, you¡¯re back!¡±


    ¡°We were worried! It was getting late and you weren¡¯t back yet!¡±


    ¡°Right, right! Did your job go well big sis?¡±


    ¡°Mah, mah, I¡¯ll tell you all about it later,¡± said Popis, feeling warm by the reception. ¡°Right now, I need to speak with our guests, because we were busy before and couldn¡¯t talk.¡±


    Popis removed her cloak. Now in the dim light they could finally see her. She was a thin, dark skinned thirteen-year-old girl with wavy black hair. She was wearing an old and worn-down dress that looked closer to rags than clothing.


    ¡°Thanks for helping us, but before anything else I need to ask a couple of questions to all of you,¡± said Ben.


    [You! I¡¯ll give you answers! Just wait and see¡­] thought Liza.


    Angry, she turned to face Ben and was surprised. His ethereal voice was monotone, causing her to be taken aback with the serious expression he had right now.


    ¡°Out with it then,¡± said Liza, holding back her temperament.


    ¡°Give me a brief explanation on mages and how magic works. Are mages common? Can they cast spells continuously? How many spells, on average, a wizard knows? Are tracking spells or the like common? Please assume I know nothing about this world and how things work.¡±


    His magically produced voice kept going nonstop, barraging one question after the other. Liza was starting to lose her patience, but after a certain point she understood what he was trying to figure out.


    ¡°Ah~, another one who knows nothing? Mifros, what did I do wrong?¡±


    ¡°What, is there someone like me here?¡±


    ¡°No, you two are fundamentally different,¡± said Liza after glancing at Eliot.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°Now, to answer your questions, let me go by points,¡± said Liza holding out a finger.


    ¡°One ¡ª Mages are not common, but they aren¡¯t rare either. There are a lot of adventurers who know some common spells, but real, powerful wizards are few and far between.¡±


    ¡°Two ¡ª They can cast spells continuously if they¡¯ve mana, after that they¡¯ll need time to recover. They can ignore this and push on, but there are consequences. The only exception is when the wizard masters a spell, then he or she can cast it using the world¡¯s mana instead of their own.¡±


    ¡°Three ¡ª Can¡¯t say for sure. The common knowledge is that all mages learn a couple of useful spells then focus on a specialization. After all, not having to spend your mana is a huge advantage.¡±


    ¡°Four ¡ª Tracking spells aren¡¯t common and, from what I¡¯ve heard, they need to meet certain conditions. We should be fine.¡±


    Ben, who was listening with careful consideration, finally let all his tension go, flopping to the ground. The only thing that kept him going for so long was the adrenaline his body was pumping out like crazy.


    [Ok, we¡¯re good. We¡¯re in the clear.]


    ¡°Ok, we¡¯re good. We¡¯re in the clear.¡±


    Ben blacked out after losing his pent-up stress, his breathing still ragged from all the running they did before. Nicola and the other children approached him and poked his body. He didn¡¯t wake up.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Hey, mister, mister, are you okay?¡±


    Liza gave Ben a long look before telling the children to just leave him alone for now. They obeyed and followed Nicola as he introduced Eliot and Boro to the crowd.


    Boro was like a cat in the regard that he liked affection and attention, but not if you drowned him on it. He started to get irritated with all the gazes, gasps and petting. He escaped, flying out of reach of the small children. That reminded Liza of something.


    ¡°Right, Popis, could you not tell anyone that Boro can fly? Tell the others too please, it could be dangerous for us and them.¡±


    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have let him fly earlier today,¡± replied Popis.


    ¡°What! You saw that? But it was only for a second and there wasn¡¯t anyone around!¡± exclaimed a surprised Liza.


    ¡°Well, I was around and so was he,¡± Popis said, pointing at Ben.


    ¡°Argh, we need to be more careful in the future¡­ wait why were you there? Were you following us?¡± said Liza narrowing her eyes.


    ¡°I was. You helped Nicola who is one of us, so I wanted to get a feel for who you are. Also, I meant to give this back to you.¡±


    Popis removed a small knife from her satchel and gave it to Liza. It was the weapon she gave Nicola for self-protection a day ago.


    ¡°I know you had the best intentions, but it doesn¡¯t work that way. We might get threatened and beaten from time to time, but it will be mostly pain and bruises. If you pull a knife though, you¡¯re dead for sure. They won¡¯t let such rebellious attitude slide.¡±


    Liza bit her lower lip, feeling conflicted. She wanted to ask them to escape with her, to go to another town or village. Any place seemed better than this. But in truth she wasn¡¯t even sure if her, Eliot and Boro were going to make it out of Starfall. She was in no position to make empty promises. Liza sighed and took the knife back.


    ¡°You helped us out just now, but I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll need to ask you for a few more favours¡­¡± said a dispirited Liza.


    ¡°Ask away, I won¡¯t make any promises though.¡±


    ¡°Our stuff is back at the inn, we¡¯ll need it back. We¡¯ll also need three cloaks for concealing our appearances. I¡¯ll give you the money needed, of course.¡±


    ¡°You are travelers and adventurers, how come you don¡¯t have your own cloaks?¡± Popis asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Eliot never had one and I had to throw mine away because of¡­ circumstances. The collapsed guy will also need one, especially with that weird stuff he is wearing.¡±


    Liza gazed at Ben who was still lying on the floor.


    [Who is this man? First, he recognized Boro and called him an eastern dragon. Then he climbed out of the window, shouting he had escaped, and followed us. Was he a prisoner of the local lord? How come he wasn¡¯t in the dungeons? And his voice, it comes out of nowhere like an apparition, even when his mouth is shut¡­ Who is he?]


    Ben¡¯s breathing had calmed considerably during this time, but it suddenly got rough and fast again. His body began to shake, causing him to wake up with his eyes wide. Feeling pain, he screamed. At the same time, with his mental barriers dropped, the magical ring began to translate everything that was going on in his mind with a monotone and even level version of his voice.


    *Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh* *cough* *cough*


    ¡°Damn, this hurts like hell. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    *Ohhhhhhhharghhhhhhh* *cough*


    ¡°Is like cramps, but all over my body and worse.¡±


    *Uoooooooahhhhhhhh* *wheeze*


    Everyone was alarmed at the unexpected occurrence. Liza approached the contorting Ben and put her hand against his forehead. He had a slight fever. Looking at his other symptoms and what his ethereal voice was describing, she was pretty sure of what was happening. She didn¡¯t know why, though.


    ¡°You¡¯re having a small mana rebound. What did you take?¡±


    *Ouch* *wheeze*


    ¡°Mana rebound, what¡¯s that? I just ate the same food that the other guy and the dragon came to steal.¡±


    ¡°They stole food?¡± Liza asked, mystified. Then she realized it and her expression darkened. ¡°Oh, I see, ho-ho-ho. So that¡¯s why¡­¡±


    Ben convulsions lessened. He didn¡¯t suffer for long and everything ended in half a minute. He could still feel slight pain and a tingling sensation all over his body. That was the most pain he felt in years. As someone from modern Earth, the agony he was used to tended to be emotional or, in his case, existential.


    Liza gazed at Ben as he stopped shaking and got up from the ground. Now that they were relatively safe and she figured out he was some sort of prisoner, she wasn¡¯t as angry as before. She wouldn¡¯t let it slide for free though.


    *cough*


    ¡°Anyway, it was just normal food, what¡¯s that have to do with anything? What is mana rebound?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about the food you ate, but mana rebound is what happens when your body tries to absorb more mana than it can handle.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that explains a lot. Does all food contain mana?¡± said a grimacing Ben. He shuddered at the possibility of having to go through that every time he ate something.


    ¡°Do you seriously don¡¯t know this? Of course, all food has mana! Mana is present in all things, it is one of the elements that make this world! But the amount of mana food usually has is negligible, so It wouldn¡¯t have caused you to have a rebound. But enough of your questions, it¡¯s my turn now,¡± said Liza narrowing her eyes.


    Ben gulped. Liza¡¯s simple smile had a threatening quality to it. Popis had her arms crossed, looking on with curiosity. Boro was flying above them, huffing in a sneering fashion at Ben¡¯s misfortune. Eliot was in another corner playing happily with the remaining children, oblivious to everything that was happening.


    ¡°First,¡± said Liza, ¡°your attitude! What was that! Implicating us to the lord¡¯s guards?¡±


    ¡°Hey, it was your dragon and your friend over there that broke inside my room to eat my dinner! He even killed a guard! No matter what I did, you weren¡¯t going to get away without punishment.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get to them later! Like I said, I am not talking about what happened, but your attitude! Did you not, with full understanding of the situation and malicious intentions, try to drag us further into your problems?¡± said Liza with raging calmness1.


    Ben thought about it. He was right, no matter what happened, they would be screwed by letting him out and killing a guard. But she also had a point. In that moment he was afraid of being left alone to fend for himself, thus he intentionally made a show to the guards to suggest they were together, implicating them further.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, in that moment I feared you would abandon me, so I tried to put us in the same boat. I apologize,¡± said Ben as he lowered his head slightly.


    ¡°Apologies? Ha! Apologies only exists between friends or for simple mistakes! When you do something bad or with ill intentions, you get a corresponding punishment!¡± said Liza as she approached Ben.


    ¡°What?! Punish *ough* ment?¡±


    Ben did not even have time to be surprised as Liza¡¯s fist hit him squarely on his diaphragm, leaving him breathless. He collapsed, falling to the floor on his back yet again.


    Liza turned away from him and crossed her arms. ¡°That was your punishment for being a dipshit back there. Now, tell me everything those two did and who you are.¡±


    Ben felt a scorching pain sensation spread throughout his abdomen. Wheezing for air, he lifted his head as he looked at Liza¡¯s back and saw the bow strapped there, waiting to be used.


    [Oh yeah, I forgot about that. In movies, archers are always skinny and not strong enough to fight in the frontlines, but that¡¯s bullshit. To fully draw a medieval bow an archer needs to use strength equivalent to lifting an 40kg iron weight, holding it still for a few seconds and then releasing it2. And that¡¯s for only one arrow! Archers are ripped! Damn you Hollywood! Damn, that hurt!]


    He let his head go, resting it on the floor once again. He looked at the basement ceiling, illuminated by that eerie bluish light. Boro was floating there, sniggering at him. It all felt surreal.


    [Man, what a day it has been!]


    -


    1 Like the calm before the storm, one with intensity and personality.


    2 According to the theenglishwarbowsociety.com, bows recovered from the Mary Rose, a warship that sunk in 1545, had draw weights from 80lbs(36kg) to 180lbs(81kg), with the most common being around 140lbs(63,5kg). Can you imagine that? The most weight I can lift with my arms is my cup.

 Chapter 15 – Hiding (2)

    After giving what she thought was enough time for Ben to catch his breath, Liza hoisted him up and sat him on an upside-down bucket.


    *ugh*


    ¡°You can begin,¡± she said.


    Looking at Liza¡¯s serious complexion, Ben decided to not complain about the pain and began his tale.


    ¡°Ok¡­ My name is Ben Pryce and my circumstances are a bit unbelievable, thus I¡¯ll skip them for now. It will suffice to say that I was a prisoner. Anyway, I was looking out of the window while having dinner when I spotted your dragon¡­¡±


    ¡°Hold it right there, you have been calling Boro a dragon. Are you completely sure? I mean, the shape is all wrong and where are his wings? Isn¡¯t he just a mutated serpent of some kind?¡±


    ¡°Hum? Ah! Perhaps your dragons are like western dragons? Do you have something I can draw on?¡±


    Ben looked around. He was in the basement of an abandoned house that was inhabited by kids from the slums. The only things there were buckets (used as chairs), old blankets (used as beds), some crates (the tables) and mushrooms. Lots of mushrooms. He crossed eyes with Popis, who just shrugged.


    ¡°Our stuff is back at the inn,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°That knife in your hand will do,¡± replied Ben, looking at the pocket knife Liza was still holding in her left hand.


    Liza eyed him for five long seconds before giving him the knife. Ben got up, grabbed the bucket he was sitting on and approached a clump of mushrooms for better luminosity. He took the knife in hand and began engraving on the bucket the likeness of a western fantasy dragon. It wasn¡¯t his best work, but considering the tools and circumstances, it was good enough1.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it! That¡¯s a dragon,¡± said a surprised Liza.


    ¡°Right, where I come from that¡¯s a western dragon and him,¡± Ben pointed at Boro ¡°is what we call an eastern dragon.¡±


    ¡°Wow, so Boro really is a dragon¡­¡± said Liza dazed, ¡°Saint Mifros! Boro IS a dragon!¡± she continued after the information really sank in.


    Liza looked up at Boro who was still floating in the air. No matter how she looked at him, he was not scary as a dragon should be. In the end, he was just Boro, a cheeky little serpen¡­ dragon who ate a lot¡­ and could rip a man¡¯s throat with ease.


    Analysing things further, she felt no need to look at or treat him any differently. Ever since they met he was friendly to her and behaved like any other tamed monster. Since that was the case, so what if he really was a dragon? The only problem would be if other people knew this.


    ¡°Keep the fact he¡¯s a dragon secret, just call him Boro like I do. I am already having a hard time keeping people from finding out he can fly. If they discover he is a dragon on top of that we are done for.¡±


    ¡°Ok,¡± responded Ben.


    ¡°I can see why that would surprise you though, seeing a dragon going about in the streets,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Right? I had just arrived in this place and boom! Right outside my room is a dragon! I opened the window to get a better look and that¡¯s when he came flying towards me. I panicked and¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait again. Earlier you said he came inside to eat?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He flew inside and¡­¡±


    ¡°How much food?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°How much food we¡¯re talking about? How many dishes were there?¡±


    ¡°A lot? There was a table full of stuff,¡± replied a confused Ben who didn¡¯t understand what was going on.


    ¡°Ok, good. I thought we were over the phase that they would go after anything that smelled nice. But if it was a ton of food it¡¯s understandable,¡± Liza smiled.


    Ben looked at her relived and somewhat proud expression and was at complete loss.


    [What logic is that? If there are enough dishes it¡¯s ok to break in someone else¡¯s property to eat it? Even killing a guard for doing so?] thought Ben, astonished at that ¡°reasoning¡±.


    ¡°Alright, keep going,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°What? Oh, yes¡­ so Boro went inside to eat my dinner and then that guy over there, Eliot, right? Then Eliot broke in as well, tossed Boro aside and ate what was left. The guard outside my room rushed in because of the noise. He attacked Eliot once, but he dodged and when he attacked again¡­ Eliot¡­ Eliot killed him ¡­¡± said Ben with difficulty.


    ¡°Wait! The guard attacked twice?¡± asked Liza, almost jumping with excitement.


    ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah. Eliot dodged the first and the second strike, then hit the man on the head,¡± said Ben, taken aback.


    Full of enthusiasm, Liza ran to Eliot and grabbed his arms, shaking them up and down.


    ¡°You did good, Eliot! You held back! You didn¡¯t kill him right away!¡± said a happy Liza who started jumping around.


    Eliot thought she was playing and began jumping as well. Since he was stronger, he ended up dislodging her and they spun around in circles, holding each other¡¯s arms. The children thought that looked fun and imitated them. Soon, there were a lot of people jumping and spinning in place as laughter filled the room.


    Ben watched mystified. It resembled some folk dance back on Earth, but his mind was focused on other things.


    [These people¡­ might be dangerous.]


    After everyone was tired of jumping and whirling around, Liza stood in front of him once more, blushing slightly. She cleared her throat.


    ¡°Ahem, please continue.¡±


    ¡°That was it, really. You shouted, they climbed down and I escaped with you guys,¡± Ben finished saying.


    Liza let out a long breath. ¡°Ok, so that¡¯s what happened. We¡¯ll help each other out to escape the city and after that we¡¯ll go our separate ways.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°No, wait! Please, you guys can¡¯t abandon me! I would be done for!¡± exclaimed a fearful Ben.


    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know you. You screwed us up once and are still holding back information. Why should we trust you? Why should we let you follow us around? What are you aiming for?¡±


    ¡°Please, I¡¯ll be helpful! I¡¯ll do anything you want! My only aim right now is to survive! This world seems like a dangerous place, I will be dead if you leave me alone!¡±


    Ben was clearly desperate. Liza narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°You will be helpful and do anything I want? First, start by telling me exactly who you are and why you were locked inside the lord¡¯s mansion. In a cosy room and served with plenty of food instead of the dungeons, I might add.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ I think you wouldn¡¯t believe me¡­¡±


    ¡°Try me,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Like I said before, I am called Ben Pryce. I am 25 years old and not from this world. The place I came from is called Earth and it doesn¡¯t have magic or mana, I assume that¡¯s why I had a mana rebound after only eating a regular meal. I was brought to this world by the mages of Earl Frederick Hampshire, who wanted my help for something, gods know what. And that¡¯s the truth,¡± said Ben looking straight at Liza, trying to appear as trustworthy as possible.


    Liza clicked her tongue. In a fast motion she readied her bow, nocked an arrow and pulled the string all the way back. She pointed the weapon at Ben¡¯s head.


    ¡°You were right, I don¡¯t believe you. Stop playing games and tell the truth or I¡¯ll pierce your head.¡±


    Ben trembled violently. He struggled to keep his posture and stared into Liza¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I told you the truth.¡±


    ¡°You are keeping to your story till the end?¡±


    ¡°I am!¡± said Ben, his knees almost toppling over due to the shaking.


    Everyone else looked at the scene in astonishment and held their breaths. Liza let the arrow go. It flew, passing millimetres away from Ben¡¯s right cheek and splintered against the stone wall.


    Ben¡¯s knees finally gave in. He touched his face with trembling hands, confirming everything was still there. He felt dampness coming from his crotch and the acrid smell of urine. He¡¯d soiled himself.


    ¡°Ok, I guess you¡¯re telling the truth, though I still find it unbelievable¡­¡±


    Boro floated down, put one of his small claws on Ben¡¯s shoulder and nodded his head, knowingly. He was the very picture of a friend consoling his buddy. Liza was rather perplexed with their closeness. Everyone else was looking at Ben with some pity in their eyes.


    ¡°Are you always this mean?¡± said a half crying Ben.


    ¡°Mean? You think I was mean? Oh boy, maybe you really aren¡¯t from around here. Many others would¡¯ve you killed the moment you rattled to the guards, or they would¡¯ve wounded your leg during the chase, making you their scapegoat.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡­¡±


    ¡°You were malicious towards us once and then asked to join in. What did you think I would do? Say jolly good, please come along good chap, you seem trustworthy? Hell no! I need to look you in the eye and judge where you stand when the cart is broken and the highwaymen are coming.¡±


    ¡°The cart is what? Highwaymen?¡±


    ¡°What I meant is that I needed to evaluate if you would have our backs in dangerous situations.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you mean like when shit hits the fan¡­¡± said Ben, slowly standing up despite his shaking legs.


    ¡°What? Why would shit hit a fan? That¡¯s disgusting!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ forget it. I¡¯ll change up, if you don¡¯t mind. Man, I really want a bath¡­¡±


    The offhand comment about bathing got a little bit under Liza¡¯s skin. Ben, even with all the stuff that happened today, was the cleanest person she had ever met. She didn¡¯t understand how anyone could be so tidy, make their skin look so good and smell like that, even after running for their lives for a good fifteen minutes.


    She clicked her tongue in annoyance. Amongst the people she met or knew, she used to be the neatest, but now he made her feel dirty and smelly. It was not a good feeling.


    Ben came back after a minute or two, wearing a fine linen shirt and breeches that were tightened around his waist with a fancy leather belt. On his feet were exquisite leather shoes. They were small and well crafted, unlike the ones worn by the common population.


    ¡°Where did you get those?¡± asked Liza, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°I stole from the mansion, it was inside the wardrobe. Never mind that, you haven¡¯t given me an answer yet, please, let me join you!¡±


    ¡°Alright, but I will be keeping an eye on you.¡±


    ¡°Huh? That¡¯s it? After all that?¡± asked Ben, feeling a little angry.


    ¡°Well, yes. I asked you a few questions and you answered. Then I threatened your life and you held your ground without begging or changing your tune. But most importantly, Boro seems to like you and I trust his instincts.¡±


    Ben turned to look at the dragon that was floating in front of him. [Thank god I gave you my only chocolate bar,] he thought with a distant look on his face.


    Liza interpreted that look as dissatisfaction.


    ¡°What, you said I was mean but now it seems you are not satisfied? Should I do a tougher inquiry? Torture you a bit? Or maybe we should make a magical contract?¡± she said.


    ¡°What?! Oh, no, no, thank you. Glad to make your acquaintance and be working together from here on out¡­ er¡­ what¡¯s your name miss?¡±


    ¡°Liza Branwen. You already know Eliot and Boro.¡±


    *clap* *clap*


    ¡°Ok, are you guys finally done? Let¡¯s eat dinner then,¡± said Popis.


    She rummaged through her things and distributed a piece of stale black bread, a cup of milk and one or two nuts of different varieties to everyone.


    ¡°Since we have guests and I¡¯ll get paid tomorrow we won¡¯t be miserly today, let¡¯s enjoy ourselves,¡± she said, smiling.


    ¡°Hurray, we get a full bread each!¡± exclaimed the children.


    Liza and Ben felt stabs of pain in their hearts. Eliot and Boro had displeased expressions, but they didn¡¯t make a fuss, after all, they had eaten earlier.


    [I usually get to eat at least dried meat with each meal¡­ and they¡­] Liza thought. She knew that there were a lot of people in poor situations like this everywhere. It made her feel morose.


    [This is considered not being miserly? A feast? Damn¡­ these kids¡­] Ben thought, his eyes threatening to tear up.


    Even though Ben was fearful of eating due the mana rebound, he couldn¡¯t refuse after receiving so much consideration from someone who¡¯d so little. Plus, he couldn¡¯t just stop eating forever, thus he ate.


    The dinner was merry, with the children talking and laughing. Only Liza and Ben felt conflicted inside, lost in their own thoughts.


    ¡°Hey, Popis¡­¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Hum?¡±


    ¡°These mushrooms on the ground and the walls, they¡¯re called Ghost Mushrooms. You can eat them when things get too tough, but only in small quantities. They have laxative qualities, if you eat too much of them it will do you more harm than good.¡±


    ¡°Oh, we know. We found out the hard way. Thanks for your kindness.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, you don¡¯t need to pity us. Times are hard, but we get by.¡±


    ¡°You saved us back there and now we are eating your sparse food, I need¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ok,¡± interrupted Popis. ¡°I¡¯ve just returned the favour. You saved Nicola from a bad situation, offered him food and a place to spend the night. Now I am doing the same to you and your friends. We owe each other nothing.¡±


    Ben was quietly listening to the conversation. He found hard to believe Popis was only a kid with her attitude and outlook on life. They remained silent for a moment, watching the other kids relish as they ate their meal.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Liza said after a while.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    Afterwards, feeling spent from everything that had happened today, they all went to sleep on the blankets scattered around the floor. Soon the sound of snoring and sleep talking where the only things heard in the basement.


    Ben kept tossing and turning on the thin blanket, feeling the hard ground beneath him. Now that all the agitation was gone he was finally digesting everything he went through on this day.


    The reality of the situation was starting to hit home. From early on he understood this wasn¡¯t a dream, but a small part of him hoped dearly and against all logic that it was.


    One scene kept replaying on his head every time he closed his eyes. The guard falling to the ground, his dented helmet ringing as it hit the floor, the blood slowly flowing from underneath. Ben felt queasy.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on? Are you in pain again?¡± whispered Liza.


    ¡°A little, but is not that bad this time, thank god. It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I saw someone die today. Eliot killed the man that was guarding my room. Whenever I close my eyes I remember his dull eyes, the blood, the smell¡­ and I feel like throwing up,¡± muttered Ben.


    Liza didn¡¯t say anything immediately.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s like where you come from, but if you want to survive here you¡¯ll need to get used to some things with haste. Killing is one of them,¡± she said.


    ¡°I could never kill someone!¡± the ethereal voice of Ben responded, rising its volume.


    *Shush*


    Liza pressed her finger against her lips, asking him to be quiet. ¡°Leave it at that for now. Start worrying about such things after we escape Starfall,¡± said Liza. ¡°Try to get some sleep.¡±


    The snores around the room continued unabated. Ben shuffled around in his blanket trying uselessly to find comfort and closed his eyes again.


    [Will it come to that?] he thought.


    -


    1That bucket later became known as ¡°the dragon chair¡± and it was highly coveted by the children during mealtime.

 Chapter 16 – Gear Retrieval Operation

    In an early hour in the morning, the sound of someone knocking on the door kept echoing around the common room of the Golden Boar Inn.


    *bam* *bam *bam*


    The innkeeper rose from his bed. He cursed under his breath and made his way around the tables and the few drunkards sprawled on the floor who never made home the previous night. He opened a small portion of the door, keeping it ajar, and looked outside.


    ¡°Hi mister, please let me in.¡±


    ¡°Oya, it¡¯s the boy who¡¯s afraid of spiders. Why are you here so early? I don¡¯t know where you and your friends slept last night, but couldn¡¯t you¡¯ve waited at least till the sun is out to come back?¡± asked the grumbling innkeeper while letting Nicola inside.


    ¡°Thanks mister.¡±


    Nicola rushed to the stairs and into the room with the key Liza gave him. He closed the door, opened the window and looked outside. Waiting on the streets were Popis and two other kids, Simon and Lars, who looked up at him.


    He made a positive sign with his thumb and disappeared inside the room again, returning moments later with a rucksack in his hands. He held the rucksack out of the window and let it drop in the waiting arms of the children below.


    -


    *Bam* *Bam* *Bam*


    ¡°Ah~, who is it now? And what¡¯s with all these people arriving so early?¡±


    Still grumbling, the innkeeper opened the door again and was shoved aside by a group of guards who entered the establishment. Startled, he immediately assumed a meek attitude to deal with the soldiers.


    ¡°Why, hello there! What can I do to help you noble sirs?¡±


    ¡°We are looking for some people,¡± replied one of the guards.


    -


    After catching all the gear Nicola dropped off, Popis led Lars and Simon to the corner of the street and helped them to divide the load.


    ¡°Ok guys, take these back to the hideout and give them to Liza. I¡¯ll wait for Nicola. Remember, go fast and try to not be seen.¡±


    After sending them on their way, Popis returned just in time to see two guards hoisting Nicola up by his arms. He was struggling in vain, trying to escape their grasp. She quickly hid beneath the second-floor overhang, vanishing from their line of sight.


    ¡°Curses! It¡¯s only a little kid that looks like a beggar. What should we do with him?¡±


    ¡°Urgh, let me go! I didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡± shouted Nicola.


    ¡°The innkeeper confirmed he was with them and even spent the night here two days ago. Let¡¯s separate. Carl, Bret, the two of you take the brat to the barracks, we¡¯ll find out what he knows. The rest of us will spread around the area. Let¡¯s see if they¡¯re in the surroundings and keep an eye on the inn in case they return like this boy did,¡± said the squad leader, ignoring the fussing Nicola.


    Popis was fretting in her hiding spot. She unconsciously bit her lips and clenched her hands hard while trying to figure out how to get her friend out of this predicament. Finally, she made a decision and darted into the mess of alleys.


    After running for a few minutes, she arrived at the backdoor of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. Popis searched her satchel for something then banged the door frantically.


    [Please be here, please be here, please be here.]


    A sleepy worker opened the door and looked at her with annoyance.


    ¡°Are you crazy kid? What are you doing bashing the door like that so early in the morning? We¡¯ve nothing to give you. Go away.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to report to Mr. Rodney, is he here yet? It¡¯s urgent,¡± said Popis, almost shoving a small badge she¡¯d fetched earlier from her satchel in the man¡¯s face.


    The worker scrutinized the badge and recognized it as the one they gave to helpers, informants, service providers and other people that were, some way or another, associated with the guild.


    ¡°He¡¯s in alright,¡± said the man, rubbing his eyes. ¡°He spent the night working. Come in, I¡¯ll call him for you.¡±


    Moments later, Popis was face to face with Rodney in a small room created with the sole purpose of meetings like these. It was situated near the guild¡¯s backdoor to facilitate coming and going discreetly and was furnished with only a table and a couple of chairs.


    Popis wasn¡¯t seated, nor did she wait for Rodney to get comfortable.


    ¡°I got your report, but before that I need your help. One of my friends just got taken by the lord¡¯s troops. They are moving him to the barracks,¡± she said, trying to keep calm.


    Rodney looked at Popis with his drooping eyes. He scratched his bald head and smiled.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    ¡°And here I was wondering why you were reporting so early. Tell me, why should I help your friend? And why would the guards take one of your kids?¡±


    ¡°If you help him I¡¯ll give you an extra piece of information I gathered. A very juicy piece, I might add! Now, decide quickly, if they get too far he¡¯ll be done for!¡± said Popis agitatedly.


    Rodney narrowed his eyes. He liked Popis. She was efficient on shadowing people, gathering information and going about unnoticed. A trustworthy informant that never gave him any trouble, well, till now.


    ¡°Ok then, let¡¯s see if there¡¯s an opportunity for us to rescue your friend. I hope this information is truly interesting or we¡¯ll need to talk later. I¡¯ll be ready in a jiff, wait for me outside.¡±


    -


    Carl and Bret were walking the narrow lanes towards the garrison with an unconscious Nicola hanging under Bret¡¯s arm, their boots making dust rise from the beaten earth.


    Seeing them, the few people that were already on the streets would take the long way around or hug the walls to give the soldiers more space. Blocking the path could be considered an affront to their authority.


    ¡°Was the punch really necessary?¡± asked Carl.


    ¡°The kid was squirming too much, he was annoying,¡± replied Bret in a foul mood. He, like almost every other soldier, had pulled an all-nighter in search of the fugitives. Everyone felt tired and on the edge with all the pressure being put by their commanding officers and higher-ups.


    [Shit! Things would be much easier if the knights and the elite troops weren¡¯t on an expedition,] he thought.


    Carl sighed and shook his head. Soon, they¡¯d arrive at the barracks and be relieved of their shift. All he could think about right now was having a warm meal and hit the sack.


    Coming from the opposite direction they were walking, a hunchback man using a sturdy cane moved slowly in the center of the street. His entire face was wrapped in bandages, showing only his drooping eyes. He wore shabby clothes with a thick cloak on top.


    Realizing there were armed people coming his direction, the hunchback man advanced sluggishly to the side of the path. He barely managed to give enough room for two people to walk side-by-side when Carl and Bret reached him. He lowered his head apologetically for being disrespectful and not clearing the way completely.


    Bret grunted in displeasure, but they otherwise ignored the hunchback and passed by him.


    ¡°Excuse me, noble sirs¡­¡± said the hunchback in an unnatural husky voice.


    ¡°Humm?¡±


    Perplexed, Carl turned around to look at the man who¡¯d just spoken, but all he saw was a blur as the heavy cane connected to his chin in a swift motion. He¡¯d gone to sleep.


    The hunchback was no longer hunched over and stood tall. Alarmed, Bret dropped Nicola to the ground without any care and tried to draw his sidearm.


    His aggressor approached him with unbelievable speed and hit his private region with the wooden walking stick. Bret let out a groan and hunched over. He then received the same smack to his chin as his colleague did and fell unconscious. He would later remember this ambush and realize, like many others did before him, that chainmail was great against cuts, but not so much against blows¡­ and that, in the line of duty, a groin protector was worth much more than gold.


    Watching all of that from a safe spot and panting for breath was Popis. She was amazed at Rodney¡¯s ingenuity and quick thinking. When both guards were down she hid her face beneath the hood and rushed to Nicola. The left side of his face was swollen and his parted lips were bleeding, but other than that he seemed fine. She turned to Rodney who was making a silent apology to the men he¡¯d just knocked out.


    ¡°Wow, that was impressive. You don¡¯t even look tired,¡± said Popis, wheezing for air.


    ¡°Comes with the job. Let¡¯s move away from here, I can see people peeking at us from their windows,¡± replied Rodney.


    He picked the fallen Nicola and put him across his shoulder before dashing away. Popis complained under her breath and chased after him. Nobody followed them nor there was any shouting. Two soldiers had their asses handed to them, who¡¯d be crazy enough to try anything?


    The people that were watching the fight soon made themselves scarce. Nobody wanted to be around when the guards woke up or were found out. Some of the more courageous ones did, however, ¡°alleviate¡± the soldiers from their personal belongings before running away. Shortly after, the street became empty apart from the two bodies collapsed on the ground.


    Confirming they were now safe, Rodney got rid of his disguise and covered Nicola with his cloak. They went back to the guild and into the room they¡¯d left only 20 minutes ago.


    ¡°Ok, the boy is fine. Now make your report and tell me about this amazing tidbit you supposedly found out.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let me start with the report. I followed the targets the entire afternoon. They went around town asking for information and rumours about elves. At dusk, they were walking by the lord¡¯s mansion when someone shouted at them from inside the manor. Their monster¡­ climbed the mansion¡¯s wall and got inside the room of the person that shouted¡­¡±


    ¡°Their monster climbed the wall and invaded the lord¡¯s residence? Wasn¡¯t it a tamed monster? Did they order it to do it?¡±


    ¡°No, it didn¡¯t look like it. The girl, Liza, was furious. She kept asking for the thing to return, but it didn¡¯t listen to her. It appears something attracted it to the room.¡±


    ¡°Suspicious¡­ carry on.¡±


    ¡°Liza then asked the boy, Eliot, if he could do something about the monster, bring him back and such. He didn¡¯t respond. He just ran, jumped and climbed the wall, going after the monster. He too broke in and disappeared inside the same room.¡±


    His eyebrows rising, Rodney had a look of incredulity on his face. ¡°It looks like that room was really tempting, I almost feel inclined to go there myself and see what this is all about.¡±


    ¡°If you want to I could point the right window for you,¡± said Popis shrugging her shoulders. ¡°Anyway, there were noises and shouting coming from the chamber moments later. Liza walked in circles till she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and shouted their names. Let me tell you, my ears were ringing for a good time after that.¡±


    ¡°There were people talking about that last night. Right now, everyone wants to find out who Eliot and Boro are. I assume it will turn into gossip and absurd tales soon enough,¡± sighed Rodney. ¡°What happened next?¡±


    ¡°After the shout, both Eliot and Boro returned. The interesting part was that a third person came out of the room with them. A man wearing bizarre looking clothes climbed down a bunch of blankets tied together and dropped to the ground. He was yelling ¡®I escaped, I escaped¡¯ and even his voice was strange, he sounded like a ghost.¡±


    ¡°The earl was keeping a man imprisoned? In a regular room? Not only that, but the people we¡¯ve taking an interest to ended up helping him escape? The more I listen to it, the more absurd it turns out! Go on, what occurred next?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much, they legged it. The guards were showing up in huge numbers by then, so I couldn¡¯t follow them anymore. This ends my report,¡± said Popis flatly.


    Rodney eyed her for a moment and tossed a small pouch to her. It landed heavily on her tiny hands, the tingling of coin coming from inside.


    ¡°There¡¯s your payment. What happened yesterday was more absurd than I thought; I¡¯m suddenly glad I accepted your offer to help the kid for another piece of information. You said it was something juicy, but what could be juicier than what you¡¯ve just told me? I am looking forward to find out.¡±

 Chapter 17 – Rodney & Barnabas

    Everything was quiet in the dim basement. Eliot was sitting on a bucket while Liza was tying his hair in a ponytail. After finishing it, she grabbed a knife and started cutting his hair vigorously. It was the first time she¡¯d to use so much strength to simply cut someone¡¯s hair.


    Simon and Lars were playing ¡°5 stones¡±, Boro was still sleeping and Ben was lying on his blanket, staring emptily at the ceiling. There was some tension in the air, thus no one spoke.


    Soon, the sound of things being moved upstairs reached their ears, followed by footsteps. Simon and Lars stopped playing and rushed to the stairs. The people that came in were Popis and Nicola, both carrying a basket and a linen sack each.


    ¡°Big sis! What took you guys so long?¡±


    ¡°We ran into some trouble, but it¡¯s alright now. We also had to buy some stuff, I told you I¡¯d get paid today. Here, the cloaks and other things you asked me to buy,¡± she said, tossing a sack to Liza.


    ¡°Trouble? Is everything okay?¡± Liza eyed her and Nicola in the weak light provided by the Ghost Mushrooms. She couldn¡¯t see anything wrong with them, only that Nicola was less energetic.


    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve dealt with it.¡±


    ¡°Ok, if you say so.¡±


    Having finished cutting Eliot¡¯s hair, Liza put the knife away and opened the sack, fishing out the cloaks from inside. She carefully put one on Eliot, wore one herself and tossed the last one at Ben who was still lying on the ground with his hands on the back of his head, staring at the ceiling.


    Coming out of his reverie by having his face completely covered by a cloth, Ben gave a long and exaggerated sigh.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing? You¡¯ve been staring at the ceiling since you woke up and now you¡¯re sighing so melodramatically. What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°I¡¯m just wondering what¡¯s the point¡­ it troubles me every day. Even here, in this different land, the first thing I thought when I woke up was the same. It¡¯s funny, in weird a way.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point? Of what?¡±


    ¡°Of everything¡­ never mind,¡± said Ben shaking his head.


    He seated up and examined the cloak. It was made of a simple and rough black fabric that covered most of his body. A clasp was used to secure it around the neck and there was a hood to cover your head with. It was one of the most common items for travelers, a very useful piece of garment.


    Liza shrugged. She too sometimes thought about such things, but to preoccupy yourself daily with such matters seemed silly to her. There were usually much more practical and worrying things that troubled her mind. Like making enough money to eat, finding information about elves and, more recently, caring for the two troublemakers.


    She patted Eliot¡¯s shoulder to indicate she was done and he could move again. He got up and touched his head, feeling a strange sense of lightness. Now, instead of long hair that almost reached his buttocks, he¡¯d short hair that looked like it wanted to go to every direction at once. A permanent case of bed hair. Unaccustomed with the sensation he swung his head around and kept ruffling through his hair with his fingers.


    ¡°How are things outside?¡± Liza asked.


    ¡°Bad. There are patrols everywhere and since you walked around town with Boro yesterday a lot of people remember you. They quickly found out the inn. Lucky for you, we managed to get there first. The gates are currently closed, they won¡¯t let anyone in or out of the city,¡± replied Popis.


    ¡°Thanks. I wouldn¡¯t mind losing some stuff, but there was a package I was entrusted with that I couldn¡¯t leave behind.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    ¡°So, they closed the gates¡­ hum, that¡¯s troublesome. I thought we could hide in a merchant¡¯s wagon or get smuggled out with some of their goods. They can¡¯t keep them closed for too long though, right?¡±


    ¡°Probably true, but they can keep them closed long enough. They¡¯ll either start searching house by house, or worse, offer a good reward for your capture. Then the entire city will be after you. I don¡¯t think you can just wait it out.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, it was I that got you guys in this mess. They probably spent a lot to bring me to this world, they won¡¯t let me go so easily¡­¡± said Ben, fiddling with his thumbs. Realizing what he said could give them bad ideas, he complemented: ¡°Or you for that matter, since you guys broke into his manor, killed one of his guards and ended up helping me escape.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°I told you before, saying sorry doesn¡¯t make it right. Instead of apologizing, help us figure out a way out of this place,¡± said Liza.


    Scratching his head, Ben voiced the first thing that came to his mind.


    ¡°What about climbing the walls? From what I¡¯ve seen, Eliot can climb better than a monkey and I¡¯m not that bad at it myself.¡±


    ¡°Impossible. Do you think you could climb a well maintained, six meters tall stone wall? Right underneath the nose of the patrolling guards? I don¡¯t think even Eliot could do it.¡±


    ¡°Err, you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°But going over the wall is not completely out of the question. If I take a day or two to try and make him understand, Boro could fly over the wall and secure a rope for us. But it has many risks. First, we need to know about the number of soldiers on duty, their rounds and gather other important information. Popis is already working on that for us.¡±


    ¡°Yep. My friends will be back once they figure out the number of guards, how long they take to change shifts and things like that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± said Ben. ¡°The walls are troublesome, the gates are a no go, then how about the sewers?¡±


    ¡°Sewers, what¡¯s that?¡± asked Liza and Popis in unison.


    ¡°Urgh¡­ forget it.¡± Ben gruntled.


    They discussed their options, but every plan proposed seemed to contain major flaws that made escaping the city almost impossible. The air was heavy with worry and everyone was scratching their heads, trying to think of a way out. That¡¯s when Ben had an idea.


    ¡°Hey, what if¡­¡± he began explaining while everyone listened attentively.


    -


    ¡°And that¡¯s what happened last night, manager,¡± said Rodney.


    ¡°I see. Our little friends are quite bold, it seems. But who could this mysterious third man be? He must be someone important, otherwise the earl wouldn¡¯t react this way,¡± Barnabas asked rhetorically.


    Hearing the question, Rodney smirked. Barnabas was a wise man, a mage that spent many a time reading and deciphering complicated books and acquiring knowledge. Therefore, it was not always that Rodney had the opportunity to be the one leading the conversation and doing the explaining. He thoroughly enjoyed teasing the old man in these rare situations, revealing only morsels of information at a time.


    ¡°To tell you the truth, sir, one of my informants figured it out who the man is.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? Who is he, then?¡±


    ¡°The informant refused to disclose how she found out this information¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, right, but who is he?¡±


    ¡°But I believe her, she was always trustworthy¡­¡±


    ¡°OUT WITH IT MAN, WHO IS HE?¡± shouted an exasperated Barnabas, his spittle flying everywhere.


    Realizing he might had gone too far this time, Rodney explained quickly with few words. ¡°A world traveler, sir.¡±


    Barnabas froze for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± he finally said.


    ¡°I thought so too, but like I said, this informant was always reliable. She probably doesn¡¯t understand the significance, only knowing that it was important information, so she just reported what she¡¯d found out. It would explain why the earl got the entire city in lockdown.¡±


    The old man drummed his fingers on the table, remaining silent.


    ¡°What should we do manager? Should we inform the guild master?¡±


    ¡°Tell me, Rodney, how long have we known each other?¡±


    ¡°Around fifteen years, I¡¯d say. Why?¡±


    ¡°Fifteen years¡­ that¡¯s a long time. We¡¯ve been through a lot in this period, so I trust you and your judgment. What do you honestly think about the guild master? Do you like him or the things he stands for?¡±


    ¡°I do not. In my opinion he¡¯s a sleazy merchant that only wants to grow and consolidate his power. The only reason I opted in this whole guild thing was because you asked me to.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, the guild. Such innovative and yet simple idea that got me wondering why nobody thought of it before. I was captivated by the concept and all we could do under a single banner¡­ only to be left completely disappointed. The guild master is the one to blame for that.¡±


    ¡°Then?¡± asked Rodney.


    ¡°Yes, we won¡¯t tell him. Nor anyone, for that matter. I dislike him as much as you do and who knows what he¡¯d do with such information? Sell it to the highest bidder? Gather new favours? Try to find and get the otherworlder to do his own bidding?¡±


    ¡°Right, I could see him doing all of that. At the same time, even.¡±


    ¡°Ha! I wouldn¡¯t put it past him. But what should we do?¡±


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°On one hand I¡¯d like to find this mythical person, talk to him and study the truth of the legends while keeping him somewhere hidden and safe. On the other hand, I wouldn¡¯t like to cross our friends who rescued him in the first place.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you held them in such high regard manager, I thought you only found them interesting.¡±


    ¡°Oh, they are interesting indeed! A half-elf, a unique monster and that young man¡­ I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve told you, but he has the highest mana concentration I¡¯ve ever seen on a human body!¡±


    ¡°What? That dumb looking kid? Is he a paragon?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯ve been wondering that myself the entire time! He could be. I¡¯ve one theory, especially now that they ended up ¡®accidently¡¯ rescuing a world traveler.¡±


    ¡°You think it was premeditated? But my informant was there and saw everything, she¡¯d swear up and down it was a coincidence.¡±


    ¡°That might be the case, but who knows? Anyway, it¡¯s all conjecture for now. What¡¯s important this instant is deciding what we should do.¡±


    ¡°A paragon and a world traveler¡­ I wouldn¡¯t like to be on bad terms with either of them,¡± said Rodney.


    ¡°Right, so this is what we¡¯ll do. Spread the word around that we want to help them escape the city. Only use your more reliable sources, after all, we don¡¯t want the Hampshires to find out. With this we¡¯ll establish a communication line in case they come asking for assistance.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so we¡¯ll just help them out without asking for anything in return?¡±


    ¡°Correct. Let¡¯s establish a relationship of goodwill. If they¡¯re half decent they¡¯ll help us out in the future. If they¡¯re not, I doubt we would have managed to make a mutual beneficial transaction anyway.¡±

 Side-Chapter 2 – Barnabas’ Notes

    After Rodney left his room, Barnabas drummed his fingers against the table while looking blankly to the ceiling.


    [Was this their real objective?]


    He scratched his head, opened a drawer and grabbed a leather-bound tome. He prepared his ink bottle and pen, opened the tome and started writing. Barnabas, like any self-respecting wizard, documented things. It was extremely useful when studying and conducting experiments. It also helped to organize his thoughts in a structured manner, aiding him to see things clearly.


    He wrote slowly and meticulously because, like any self-respecting wizard, his notes were encrypted in a way only he could understand. It was something that took years of practice before becoming second nature, but even still it wasn¡¯t as fast as his normal writing.


    After finishing writing his most recent entry, he leafed through the book, stopping on the first note he made about this particular conundrum. He read it silently in the hopes of realizing something he¡¯d missed.


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡°A peculiar group came to our branch today. A young couple carrying a strange monster. They came to register the creature and the lad into the guild.


    The girl seemed normal, as far as I could tell. The monster looked like a mutated serpent, it had limbs and claws, like a weird mixture between a lizard and a snake. It was a really curious beast, one I¡¯ve never encountered in my time, nor have seen described in any books.


    The young man was the one that surprised me the most however, as he¡¯d the highest concentration of mana I¡¯ve ever seen on a human body! Could he be a paragon perhaps? If so, why was he dressed like a peasant? Why was he registering with the guild on what, I can only assume, was a fake name? He even pretended to be mute and let the lass do all the work. It was so strange! Why would a paragon come to Starfall incognito?


    That bastard Weasley was annoying them by offering to buy the tamed monster, it was the perfect opportunity to interfere. I helped them out and pretended to show great interest in their beast as well, making small talk while I scrutinized the young man. He played his part perfectly. He ignored me and looked around, gawking at everything like it was the first time he was seeing it. I tried pulling him into the conversation, but the lass would block me every time, saying he was mute and couldn¡¯t understand words or other such nonsense.


    I felt like screaming! Why do you pretend so? Anyone that can detect mana can see who the real leader of this group is! They left after their badges were done. I asked Rodney to keep an eye on them to see what they¡¯re up to. I can feel my blood boiling, it¡¯s been a long time since I was this excited! Who are these people? What are they after? I¡¯m looking forward to figuring it out!¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Our mysterious friends went around town today. I was afraid they would ditch their tails, but it was an unnecessary worry. Maybe they didn¡¯t notice they were being followed since the streets are always full of people, or maybe they just didn¡¯t care.


    They kept asking around for rumours or sightings of elves. At first, I thought it was to mask their real objective, but according to Rodney, the lass is a half-elf, so maybe they are actually interested in uncovering that information.


    Who would have guessed, she¡¯s a half-elf! I feel sorry for dismissing her earlier as an ordinary lass, I guess there¡¯s no one on their group that isn¡¯t unique in some way.


    The real surprise came later though, as we discovered they had something to do with the commotion that occurred at the lord¡¯s mansion at dusk. I was nervous at first, because if they were captured I could only see things ending badly, but Rodney confirmed they had escaped! Ha, I couldn¡¯t resist laughing out in joy! Whatever they did at the earl¡¯s place was probably their original objective.


    Tomorrow we¡¯ll gather more information. Finally! Finally, we can figure out what our little friends real plan was all along! This is fun!¡±


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡°We learned more about what happened at the lord¡¯s manor yesterday. Our friends broke into the place and rescued a prisoner. The report we received indicated that it was a coincidence, but I find that hard to believe.


    How can you ¡®accidently¡¯ break in and rescue someone? Especially when you consider that the prisoner was an otherworlder! Earl Frederick managed to get his hands on a world traveler¡­ who was then stolen right underneath his nose! Hahaha, he must be fuming in anger.


    It all makes sense now. Why would a paragon come to Starfall and remain incognito? That¡¯s why! But how did they find out about it? I¡¯d no idea the earl was keeping an otherworlder prisoner.


    Yet, just as I thought I understood them, they baffle me again. I can see why one would sneak into Starfall to free the world traveler, but why didn¡¯t they run away immediately? The earl was caught off guard, they could¡¯ve taken that opportunity and escaped unscathed, but they went into hiding instead.


    Now the entire city is in lockdown and it will prove difficult for even a paragon to escape. Why did they linger around? Could the otherworlder not be the ultimate goal? That seems preposterous!


    I¡¯ve asked Rodney to spread the word to reliable people that we want to help them escape the city. I hope it reaches their ears and we can talk. Right now, the only thing we can do is try to create an amiable relationship with this group. It¡¯s a shame though, I really wish I could study the otherworlder and compare with the legends and myths.¡±


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Barnabas closed the tome and pondered on all the facts for a moment. He shook his head, convinced they haven¡¯t overlooked anything so far and the best course of action was already being taken. He put the book back on the drawer and sighed.


    He turned his head, looking at all the remaining paperwork on his desk. There were still many guild tasks he had to oversee. He cracked his knuckles and began to work.

 Chapter 18 – Escape Plan (1)

    ¡°You know, this plan is so crazy it might work,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°It¡¯s not THAT crazy¡­ just unconventional. It¡¯s better than trying to go through the gates, finding a way to climb the walls or any other ideas we had so far,¡± Ben ethereal voice replied.


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s still a risky gamble. We need to find a way to change the odds to our favour, even if a little bit.¡±


    There was noise coming from above followed by the sound of many lightweight footsteps going downstairs. The children that had left to gather information were returning.


    ¡°Big sis! Guys! We¡¯re back!¡±


    ¡°Oh, good job. Is everyone all right? What did you guys find out?¡± asked Popis.


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s well big sis. Looking around the city we found lots of guards! They are everywhere, walking in big groups on the main streets and small groups on the alleys. They are asking questions to random people and looking around places, especially inns, taverns, temples and things like that,¡± said one of the kids.


    ¡°Hum, they are looking at public places were someone who isn¡¯t local could hide, that¡¯s troublesome. If they don¡¯t find any clues soon, they¡¯ll probably move on to a more aggressive approach,¡± said Popis.


    ¡°I agree,¡± said Liza nodding her head, a serious look on her face.


    ¡°How big or small are those patrolling groups?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°The big groups have,¡± the kid used his fingers to calculate, ¡°around seven to ten?¡± he said uncertain. ¡°The small ones have around two to four,¡± he finished, appearing much more confident about that part.


    Both Ben and Liza nodded, looking pensive. After asking some more questions they ended up with a pretty good idea of how many troops were on patrol and how they were organized.


    ¡°How about the other thing I asked you?¡± said Popis to the kids.


    ¡°Oh, that was me big sis!¡± said a little girl jumping to the front. ¡°I went to the main square and placed the order you gave me with the uncle from the grilled meat stall. I did as you told me and paid half up-front. He said it would take some time to cook everything, because his brazier is small. He explained he usually doesn¡¯t get such large orders at once, so I told him I would come back later to get the food.¡±


    Popis nodded and turned to Liza.


    ¡°Are you sure we need this much meat? I mean, you¡¯re treating us and it¡¯s your money after all¡­ but isn¡¯t it too much?¡±


    ¡°Too much? I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be enough! You haven¡¯t seen Eliot and Boro eating for real yet. In fact, I¡¯m glad they behaved yesterday.¡±


    ¡°I can attest to that, they are scary when eating,¡± affirmed Ben.


    Popis shrugged. ¡°If you say so¡­¡±


    ¡°Big sis, there¡¯s one more thing. In the big building near the north gate there was that mark you always tells us to look out for.¡±


    [Rodney wants to speak to me again? So soon? This could be bad¡­ did he find out they¡¯re hiding with me?] thought Popis. She sighed. She wanted to avoid it if possible, but perhaps an explanation to Liza and the others was in order, in case things went south.


    She¡¯d a clear conscience about her actions, but it was always hard to predict how the other party would react. That said, she believed in her eye for judging people, it was what kept her alive all this time after all, and her gut was saying Liza would understand. She took a deep breath.


    ¡°Hey, Liza, Ben, listen¡­¡±


    Popis began recounting her activities. She stressed that what she told the guild would become public knowledge soon enough and that she never mentioned Boro being a dragon that was able to fly. She apologized for telling them Ben¡¯s secret, explaining that Nicola¡¯s life was at stake and that it was information that could be found out if they bribed the right people at the lord¡¯s manor anyway.


    Liza closed her eyes, listening without changing her expression to the end, while Ben¡¯s face was showing conflicting emotions as the story was told. One full minute after the tale was over, Liza opened her eyes and gave her toothy smile.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°I won¡¯t say I¡¯m happy about it, but that actually makes me feel better. Knowing that you went through great risks to help us and we even ate all that was left of your food made me feel terrible yesterday. Now that I know you made some money off us, I don¡¯t feel so guilty,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°A girl gotta eat,¡± replied Popis, also smiling.


    Ben¡¯s head was spinning. After listening to the conversation Popis had with Liza last night, he understood that he should treat her as an adult, but it was hard to rewire his preconceived notions that she was just a kid. Thus, the whole story got him feeling confused.


    ¡°You sold us out?¡± he said, half asking, half ascertaining.


    ¡°She did, a little bit,¡± affirmed Liza. ¡°But think about it, she didn¡¯t need to hide us here, it could even cost hers and the other kids¡¯ lives if found out. She also didn¡¯t need to retrieve my gear, which ended up putting Nicola at risk. Basically, if she only wanted to profit from us she didn¡¯t need to go out of her way to help us out at all.¡±


    [Technically, I was hired to follow you and report your moves before I offered you aid, so if anyone ought to be mad is Rodney¡­ but let¡¯s leave it at that. I¡¯m glad I was right.]


    ¡°I knew I didn¡¯t judge you wrongly,¡± said Popis giving an even bigger smile that showed her white teeth. It made a beautiful contrast with her dark-skinned face.


    ¡°You were risking it though, I could¡¯ve just as well put an arrow through your head.¡±


    ¡°You could¡¯ve, then that would be that. At least, no matter how wrong I was, I knew for a fact you wouldn¡¯t kill the other children nor leave them to die.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    There was a period of silence. The other kids, perceiving the tense part of the discussion was over, let out a collective breath of relieve. Nicola, his head hanging low, walked slowly to Liza.


    ¡°Liza, you aren¡¯t mad with big sis and us, right?¡±


    Liza shook her head sideways, denying it. She patted Nicola¡¯s head lovingly.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I¡¯m sorry you had to go through such scary situation because of us.¡±


    ¡°Huh-hu, it¡¯s ok. I knew big sis would find a way to rescue me. You aren¡¯t mad too, right Mr.?¡± Nicola asked Ben.


    Having calmed down, Ben understood all the points that were made, both by Popis and Liza. He also knew that everything that was going on right now was a reflex of his escape from captivity. Therefore, blaming someone else was not only silly, but kind of a jerk move.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alright kid.¡±


    ¡°From what you¡¯ve said before, your boss from the guild wants to speak with you again?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Yes. What¡¯s weird is that I¡¯ve just reported in not long ago. I need to go and see what he wants. Nicola, Lars, Simon and Nelia, listen up! For everyone¡¯s safety, you guys should stand as lookouts in the surroundings. If you see anything suspicious, let Liza know.¡±


    ¡°Ok, big sis!¡±


    Liza wanted to go as well, but she held her urge back. Going out right now and strutting around the city was foolish. She could be spotted.


    ¡°Ok, be careful then.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not me they are looking for.¡±


    Popis left. Nicola, Lars, Simon and Nelia assumed their positions on the streets to detect any danger that might be coming their way. Jordan and Bastian, the last kids of the group, were trying to teach Eliot how to play ¡°5 stones¡±, while Liza and Ben discussed how to improve and reduce the risk of their escape plan. Boro was still sleeping. It seemed that eating a meal meant for eight people almost by himself had a cost to his metabolism.


    ¡°It¡¯s like this Eli. You throw one stone up and then, while that stone is in the air, you pick another stone from the floor and grab the one you threw before, without letting it fall on the ground,¡± Jordan demonstrated.


    ¡°Right, that¡¯s when it gets hard big bro. Now Jordan has to throw the two stones in her hand and grab another from the floor, without letting them fall,¡± said Bastian.


    Eliot looked curiously at the stones being thrown into the air before being grabbed again. Jordan managed to throw and collet the five stones, then gave them to Eliot for a try. He grabbed one stone, eyed it for a moment, then tossed it into the air. With force. The stone flew at high velocity and hit the ceiling with a harsh thud, splintering in small pieces that rained in the basement.


    ¡°OUCH!¡±


    Ben, who was talking with Liza a few meters away, was hit by a small shrapnel that cut his shirt and grazed his shoulder. Boro was also hit, but he just opened his eyes lazily.


    ¡°Eliot, what are you doing!¡± exclaimed Liza.


    A small lecture followed and by the end of it Popis had already returned. She narrated, word by word, the meeting she¡¯d with Rodney.


    ¡°They want to help us escape the city? Why? What¡¯s the catch?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°None, he said. Hey, don¡¯t look at me like that, I¡¯m just telling you what he told me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s suspicious¡­ there was that old man that was interested in Boro at the guild and now that they know about Ben being a world traveler it sounds even more fishy.¡±


    ¡°They were always decent to me, but I can see why you would be cautious. So, what do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way we are meeting them in person or asking them to move us out of the city somehow. But we could request for some assistance and see what they do. If they help us, great, if they don¡¯t, that¡¯s ok too.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good. What do you need me to do?¡± asked Popis.


    ¡°Let me think¡­ ok, with this I think I know how to improve our current plan. When we went to the guild to register Boro, there was this annoying nobleman who kept asking us for a price, like we would just sell Boro. I need to know his name and where he lives inside the city. We¡¯ll also need three, make that six¡­¡±


    Popis listened intently and nodded affirmatively. They discussed for a little longer and she went out again to talk to Rodney. An hour later, she returned with some good news and some bad news.


    -


    It was almost dusk. Liza was following Popis stealthily as they navigated the small, labyrinthic lanes. Boro was snuggled against her shoulders, hidden carefully underneath the cloak.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Popis whispered.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do this,¡± she replied.

 Chapter 19 – Escape Plan (2)

    Liza made the final checks on her gear, then picked a small glass vial from her pouch, courtesy of Popis¡¯ boss at the guild, attaching it to her belt in an easy to reach place.


    [I asked for six and only got one¡­ I was being too greedy I guess, this probably costs a small fortune. Argh, but I can¡¯t help but regret it. If we had at least three, things would be easy. Oh, well, time to focus on the matter at hand.]


    ¡°You said it was a straight line from here, right?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°It¡¯s not really a straight line, but if you just follow this street all the way you will get there,¡± replied Popis.


    ¡°Ok, wait for me here, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Liza walked ahead. She wasn¡¯t being sneaky or careful this time, quite the contrary, she strode with confidence, like she owned the place. She shifted Boro, who was resting on her shoulders, hidden beneath the cloak, just a little so his tail would show from outside.


    After walking for a few minutes, she could see the back of a small patrolling group. That was her first objective and the number was just right, with only two people. She accelerated her pace and overtook them, with Boro¡¯s tail swinging up and down due to the fast movement. The soldiers looked at the hooded figure drawing ahead in astonishment.


    ¡°Oy! You over there, stop!¡± clamoured one of the guards.


    Liza ignored them and increased her speed even more.


    ¡°That was a snake tail! I¡¯m sure! It must be one of them! New guy, you go gather whoever¡¯s around! I¡¯ll catch that bastard!¡±


    Both Liza and the guard broke into a run at the same time. The other soldier began shouting, trying to draw the attention of nearby patrols to their location, as per standard practice.


    A big, luxurious house could be seen in the distance. Liza¡¯s second objective was getting closer, but she needed to widen the gap between herself and her pursuer before that, she needed more time.


    Slowing her running pace almost imperceptibly, Liza let the guard that was chasing her, a middle-aged man with a thick moustache, gain ground consistently. He was enthused.


    [Ha! I¡¯m catching up, you bastard! Just you wait! And people joke I¡¯m unfit for the job! Nonsense!]


    Her ears prickling, Liza knew the man was finally within reach. She stepped firmly with her left foot, shifting all the weight in her body, and made a fast and graceful pirouette with her right arm extended. Her backhand blow connected hard and fast against the man¡¯s helmet with a ringing sound.


    ¡°Huff.¡±


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    The middle-aged man lost his balance and fell, his head spinning and his vision blurry. Other than that, he was fine. Liza staggered for a moment, then kept running. Her right hand was throbbing fiercely, bringing tears to her eyes.


    [Fuck! That hurt! Fucking iron helmets!]


    Nearing her destination, Liza stopped briefly to catch her breath and massage her right hand. She also petted Boro for a spell, to keep him calm and prevent him from moving around too much.


    [Alright, it won¡¯t be long before there¡¯s dozens of the earl¡¯s men coming this way. I need to make this work quickly, I haven¡¯t got much time.]


    She removed her hood, revealing her straight black hair and her toothy smile as she approached the house. The two sentries standing at attention at the front door watched her with suspicion.


    ¡°Halt! This is a noble¡¯s residence, you have no business here. Beat it!¡±


    ¡°Good afternoon to you sirs, I¡¯ve heard that master Weasley Thegass loves collecting unusual and rare monsters, so I came to offer him a fine specimen,¡± said Liza, pointing at Boro¡¯s tail over her bosom.


    The guard frowned.


    [I¡¯ve heard the young master complaining that a woman didn¡¯t sell him a rare monster because the guild manager interfered¡­ could she be the one? The earl¡¯s goons are also looking for some people, including a young woman and a mutated serpent monster¡­ whatever, it¡¯s not for me to decide.]


    ¡°You stand right where you are, I¡¯ll go ask the young master.¡±


    ¡°Of course, take your time!¡±


    One of the two men went inside while the other keep his gaze firmly at Liza, watching her every movement.


    -


    Sitting on a chair before an enormous double door was a youngster with undulated blond hair and green eyes. He was wearing a steel breastplate over his clothes and was fiddling with his longsword, boredom and displeasure written all over his face. Coming from inside the room he was guarding were the frantic sounds of lovemaking.


    [You are trying a bit too hard little maid. If you exaggerate too much and he finds out, ai, I¡¯ll feel sorry for you¡­ Ah~, why did the viscount ask me to protect his son! I have to deal with the useless brat and the monotony! It¡¯s too much!]


    The sentry approached the blonde youngster and gave him a military salute, putting his closed fist over his chest.


    ¡°Sir Emef, there¡¯s a woman asking for the young master. She said she has a rare tamed monster to sell to the young lord.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ¡°Oh? Is that right? As you can see, he¡¯s busy at the moment. Tell you what, you stand guard here and I¡¯ll go take a look,¡± replied Emef.


    -


    Counting the seconds on her head, Liza concluded she¡¯d waited long enough. She pretended to stretch her limbs out of boredom and stealthily drew one of her knives from the scabbard hidden behind her back.


    Stepping forward abruptly, Liza made a series of brusque attacks against the sentry, but the man was sharp. He kept dodging her swings and circling out of the way. They ended up trading places, finishing in the exact opposite locations they started with.


    ¡°What do you think you are doing! Attacking someone that works for the noble house Thegass! You will pay for your sins, wench!¡± said the guardsman while drawing his sword.


    Liza didn¡¯t respond. Her back was now against the door and she had a clear view of the street. She could see many of the earl¡¯s men coming towards them from not so far away.


    [They are just in time, perfect! I¡¯ll leave you to sort it out your fancy noble rules and politics,] she thought.


    Executing another feint attack with her knife, Liza made the sentry back out instinctively. Utilizing this opportunity, she opened the door and dashed inside the house, disappearing from view.


    ¡°Tsc, she got in! Attention everyone, we¡¯ve got an intruder!¡±


    Liza found herself in a magnificent foyer that was ample and richly decorated. A grand staircase led to the second floor, from which a youngster with undulated blond hair and green eyes was making his way downwards.


    ¡°Oh? Were you not here to sell something? I guess your intentions are not as pure as you said they were,¡± said Emef.


    Liza ignored him and eyed around for the closest door she could go hide into. That was a mistake. Emef jumped nimbly from the middle of the staircase, arriving before Liza almost instantly, and swung his sword diagonally.


    The blade hit Boro who was nested on Liza¡¯s shoulders, making a gash on his scales and drawing blood. Although part of the blow was blocked, the crushing weight was still transmitted to Liza, who faltered a few steps backs, feeling tremendous pain on her left shoulder.


    *Growl*


    Irate, Boro lashed out from beneath the heavy cloak against Emef, his sharp claws swinging in the air. The youngster retreated rapidly, moving out of reach from the attack. Boro didn¡¯t pursue, but instead took a defensive stance on top of Liza¡¯s shoulders, who was grunting in pain.


    Seeing the creature in full, now that it was no longer hiding underneath Liza¡¯s clothes, Emef couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. The beast had an air of dignity and majesty, something he found strange for a monster. That plus the fact it withstood one of his blows gave him a certain amount of respect and admiration towards the creature.


    ¡°Oh, I guess you weren¡¯t lying about everything, you do have a rare monster with you!¡± said Emef as he observed the dragon.


    He readied his sword for another strike. Boro flexed his limbs, ready to pounce. Before they could clash, shouting coming from outside drew their attention away for a brief moment. Liza took this opportunity and ran towards the door she was eyeing previously. Noticing this, Emef scoffed.


    ¡°You can run, but you cannot hide. Attention men! We have an intruder inside the residence! Guard the young master¡¯s room and watch every exit! Make sure she can¡¯t escape!¡± exclaimed Emef.


    [You can hide for a little longer, kitten. Once I deal with the mess outside you will wish you never had trespassed a place under my supervision.]


    -


    Liza went through the door and into a corridor. After looking around briefly, she made haste to the first room she could see and bumped directly into a maid that was coming out of the chamber, toppling her over. The young maid, feeling confused, looked up from the ground and her eyes made direct contact with Boro¡¯s.


    ¡°AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, MONSTER!!¡±


    The maid screamed with all her voice before passing out. Ignoring this, Liza jumped over her and into the room. She chose a spot that was in plain view, but out of the way at the same time, and sat on the floor.


    With trembling hands, Liza got Boro out of her shoulders and into her lap. She pressed part of her cloak against his wounds to help stop the bleeding and with her spare hand she grabbed the vial that was prepared for this occasion.


    She opened it with a pop and gulped it down in one go. The taste was harsh and bitter, making it hard to swallow. Carefully putting the cork back, she strapped the vial to her belt again and waited. Not long after, three armed men came running.


    ¡°It¡¯s here, a maid has passed out!¡±


    ¡°Any sign of the intruder?¡±


    ¡°None! She probably isn¡¯t here. Check under the bed and inside the wardrobe, just in case.¡±


    Liza held her breath and clamped her hands gently around Boro¡¯s snout. She watched as the three men passed by her to search the bed, wardrobe and other places one could hide inside. They were oblivious to the fact she was just sitting there, in the corner they could see as soon as they entered the room.


    ¡°Yep, she¡¯s not here. I told you, her only options are the doors or the windows on the second floor that aren¡¯t barred. She probably just ran into this lass, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Those places are already accounted for. Let¡¯s put this girl on the bed for now and keep searching, she got to be somewhere around the first floor.¡±


    Liza watched as they laid the young maid on the bed and moved out. She slowly let her breath out and released her hands from Boro¡¯s snout. She couldn¡¯t help but grin to herself.


    [Invisibility potion, now that¡¯s good stuff!]


    Liza got up gently, holding Boro with care. Now she only needed to keep quiet, make sure she didn¡¯t bump into anyone again and find a way out. She tiptoed around the residence and discovered, like one of the guards had said, that most of the doors were accounted for, as were the stairs for the second floor.


    She might be invisible right now, but anyone would be suspicious of a door that opened by itself. After scouring over the first floor, she felt like laughing. There was only one door that was suitable for her escape and it was the front door, of all places. It was already open and from it she could her the youngster that attacked her discussing with the earl¡¯s men.


    ¡°We saw with our own eyes! One of the people the Earl is looking for went inside your place! Let us search around!¡± said one of the earl¡¯s guards.


    ¡°You will not step a foot inside the Thegass residence! This is a noble state and we¡¯ll not have you running around! We¡¯re aware that a criminal had the audacity of breaking in, so you can rest assured that we will capture and deal with them. Afterwards, and only then, we¡¯ll release said criminal into your custody!¡± replied Emef curtly.


    ¡°We¡¯ll let the Earl know, one of our men will be sent to notify him. Meanwhile, we will surround your place, just in case the criminal manages to escape,¡± said the guard sarcastically.


    ¡°Humph. You can tell the earl alright! I would like to ask him myself where his men get the audacity of wanting to trespass into another noble¡¯s property! You can surround the place if you like, whatever you do on the streets is of no concern to me.¡±


    They quibbled for some time, but it was clear that Emef wouldn¡¯t let the earl¡¯s soldiers march into the house. It was also clear he was superior to them in both power and status. Having no better option, the guards spaced their men on the street around the Thegass residence in hopes of catching the criminal. Emef closed the door with a bang and joined his house¡¯s guards in the search for Liza.


    -


    Meanwhile, Popis was leaning against a wall watching the patrols rushing by towards the Thegass residence.


    [Wow, so much fuss. I hope Liza is ok.]


    Liza, who had just returned, saw Popis concerned face and smiled. She leaned near her ear and whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯m back. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    Popis jumped, startled, and looked around.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that! Do you want to scare me to death?¡± Popis hissed.


    ¡°Hahaha, my bad, my bad. Let¡¯s go back, we must make the most out of this opportunity.¡±

 Chapter 20 – Escape Plan (3)

    In the abandoned house¡¯s basement, all the kids were lying around on the ground, patting their bulging bellies in satisfaction.


    ¡°Ah, this is bliss, I never ate so much before!¡± said Jordan.


    *Burp*


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Meat is so good!¡± said Lars.


    While the children were rejoicing, Eliot was walking around eating any leftovers. There wasn¡¯t much, the kids had been thorough. The only place he found a good amount of food was on Ben¡¯s plate, who didn¡¯t manage to eat much because of his nerves. Eliot didn¡¯t let that go to waste.


    Sounds of footsteps came from the stairs and soon Popis appeared alone. Seeing everyone plopped on the floor and patting their bellies in happiness made her smile. A disembodied voice came from thin air, somewhere to her right.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you guys enjoyed the meal. Let that be our farewell present, may we meet again in the future kids! Eliot, Ben, it¡¯s time, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Some children got up slowly, finding moving a bit difficult, trying to look for the speaker. Others, finding that too hard, just rolled around in the floor trying to face the right way.


    ¡°Oh, she really is invisible! Cool!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sad you guys have to go, but thanks for everything!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you guys are the best! Good luck!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re rooting for you!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, thanks! You guys take care now! And no need to get up, just lay down and enjoy yourselves,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°I¡¯ll guide them for a while longer, be right back folks,¡± Popis complemented.


    Eliot, Ben, Popis and an invisible Liza made their way out of the basement and stopped in what would be the foyer, had the construction of this house not been abandoned. They were still out of sight to anyone on the streets, hidden by the half-built walls, the debris and the clutter lying all around the place.


    ¡°All right, Popis, scout for us please. Remember, we need at least two,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Okay. Be right back.¡±


    Popis quickly moved out and soon she was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Give me your hand Eliot, here hold Boro for a second. Ben, give me the rucksack and the other stuff, I¡¯ll carry on my back.¡±


    Boro appeared in mid-air and was laid on Eliot¡¯s arms. Some of his scales were cracked and damaged, but his bleeding had almost stopped. His expression was normal however, like such wound was no big deal. Ben held the rucksack in the air, which soon disappeared. He was marvelled.


    ¡°Wow, you told me before, but seeing is believing! How does it work?¡±


    ¡°Argh, not now. I need to take something for the pain on my shoulder and bandage Boro. He¡¯s bleeding almost stopped, but there¡¯s no room for error.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Sorry, I was so amazed I didn¡¯t realize! Are you guys alright? Do you need me to do something?¡±


    ¡°Not now. I need you to be determined and ready for your part.¡±


    Ben gulped. After searching in her satchel for a moment, Liza took a medicinal pellet with a helpful swig of booze from an iron flask. She wasn¡¯t much for drinking alcohol, but sometimes you just needed to.


    Afterwards she picked up a small wooden box filled to the brim with a greyish paste. Scooping some of its contents with her fingers, she smeared some on Boro¡¯s wounds and some on her cloak where blood had fallen. Finally, she dressed Boro¡¯s scales with a bandage.


    [Such waste, using the paste on my clothes. I hope it¡¯s enough¡­]


    Popis emerged from the ruins silently, it was amazing how stealthily she could move. She approached them with a smile on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m back! You won¡¯t believe what I¡¯ve found! Exactly two guards walking around aimlessly. They seem to be purposefully staying out of the way while everyone else''s is converging to surround the Thegass residence.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s really convenient. Take us there.¡±


    -


    Two guards were walking painfully slow, zigzagging around the most remote backstreets, taking their time and being careful to not be seen.


    ¡°Are you sure this is ok Bret?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you Carl, we were lucky! Blessed, even! The guy who jumped us was a monster, but he didn¡¯t kill us! Then, because we¡¯re understaffed right now, we were let go with only a verbal reprimand.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, that could have gone a lot worse. Still¡­¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°What do you think will happen at that place? Uh, Carl? He will escape again, mark my words! All the guards there will be toasted once they let him get away! We can¡¯t afford to be there when it goes down!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°We heard the call! We¡¯re going there, but we¡¯re just taking longer because¡­ because¡­ right, because we were farther away!¡±


    Bret stopped, putting his finger theatrically against his temple and tapping a few times, a smug smile on his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s like those wise men say, ¡®Out of eye, out of head¡¯, right?¡±


    ¡°You mean, ¡®Out of sight, out of mind¡¯?¡±


    ¡°That, that!¡±


    Carl sighed and decided to go with it. Bret wasn¡¯t the most intelligent person he¡¯d ever met, but he was surprisingly smart and creative when it came to save his own skin.


    Further away, hidden around a street corner and watching them from behind were Popis and the rest of the group. Seeing the two men and their shenanigans, Ben almost smiled despite his nervousness. It was the most beginner¡¯s act of someone pretending to be working he¡¯d ever seen. Maybe they weren¡¯t tough, maybe he could do this after all.


    ¡°Okay, remember, you need to do this alone. If I attacked it could screw up the invisibility and Eliot would straight up kill them and mess up the uniforms. Kick them in balls and punch them in the chin! Knock them out! By doing so you¡¯re saving their lives¡­ and yours,¡± said Liza.


    Ben nodded, but he was clearly not ready. Liza sighed and looked around. The backstreets were empty. They needed to do this now. She patted his shoulder and offered him her iron flask.


    ¡°Take a sip of this and go. If it looks like you¡¯ll be in mortal danger we¡¯ll intervene.¡±


    With trembling hands, Ben took the flask and gulped a mouthful of the liquid within. It tasted like cheap, low quality wine and it did nothing to appease all the butterflies in his stomach. He gave the flask back and walked towards the guards, his legs unsteady.


    Looking at him moving even slower than the guards were, Liza felt worried about the situation. [Shit, will this work? Ah~ what a headache.]


    Popis was also uncertain, but she focused on watching the back alleys and making sure the coast was clear. That¡¯s when she saw a lone woman coming their way from another path.


    ¡°Damn! Someone is coming, we need to get rid of them! I¡¯ve an idea, follow me Liza.¡±


    Liza hesitated, but looking at Ben¡¯s pace she figured they had some seconds to spare. She quickly followed after Popis who approached the woman, barring her way.


    ¡°Miss, don¡¯t panic, but you need to go to a temple,¡± she said.


    ¡°Huh? What nonsense is this kid? Move out of the way please.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, you¡¯re being haunted by a vengeful spirit! I can see them.¡±


    [Oh? That¡¯s a good way to do it,] thought Liza. She approached the woman and whispered softly in the wind.


    ¡°Pain! Suffering! Kill! Kill!¡±


    The woman palled instantly and trembled.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, I¡¯ve just made it so you can hear it too. Don¡¯t scream! Don¡¯t panic, it will agitate the spirit. It only latched onto you recently, so if you turn back now and go spend a night on the temple it will be gone by the morning. I¡¯m just trying to help ya.¡±


    The woman opened her mouth and closed it a few times. She nodded her head and made a gesture of thanks to Popis, turned around and walked away speedily. Liza accompanied her for a few steps, whispering things at a lower volume each time before stopping completely.


    They returned to the street corner and this time they were the ones to go pale. They got back just in time to see Ben close in on the guards and land a good kick in the balls as a surprise attack, but the guard only grunted. He turned around and socked Ben in the face, knocking him on the ground.


    ¡°Not again! This time I¡¯ve got a protector you little shit!¡± said a livid Bret.


    ¡°Assaulting guards, that¡¯s not smart. You¡¯re going to spend some comfy time in the dungeons,¡± added Carl, readying some length of rope.


    ¡°Dungeons? Nah, I¡¯m dicing this one up!¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± said both Carl and Ben¡¯s ethereal voice.


    -


    Panicking, Liza grabbed a stone from the ground and put it on Eliot¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Five stones Eliot, there! Shit, I can¡¯t point, point for me Popis!¡±


    Popis pointed to the guards, but Eliot put the rock down and dropped his head, like he was ashamed. In different circumstances Liza would be proud, but right now she couldn¡¯t believe this was happening. She picked the stone back up and put it on his hand again.


    ¡°No, Eliot, it¡¯s okay, I¡¯m asking you this time! Do it, five stones, five stones, five stones!¡±


    ¡°Yes, right there Eliot, you can do it!¡± said Popis, pointing frantically.


    -


    Bret and Carl looked at each other.


    ¡°Hey that voice, don¡¯t tell me!¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    They turned to look at Ben, who was pushing his feet against the ground, dragging his ass across the floor to gain more distance.


    ¡°Hahaha, right into our hands!¡±


    ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t believe it!¡±


    They both approached Ben, ready to immobilize and bind him with ropes, when a whooshing sound reached their ears. A stone crossed the air in front of their faces and hit the near wall, raining shrapnel on the three of them.


    A fragment pierced Carl¡¯s hand, one perforated Bret¡¯s eye and two lodged on Ben¡¯s thigh. The three of them howled with this burst of unexpected pain. A harsh disembodied voice reprimanded Ben.


    ¡°What are you doing, now is your chance! Knock them out!¡±


    Ben mind snapped out of it, but his body wasn¡¯t responding fast enough. It was Popis that, with another, more hefty stone in hand, advanced towards the kneeling Bret who was hugging his face in pain. She pummelled him repeatedly on the head until he dropped.


    Carl, the one with the lightest injury, drew his sword and took a few steps back. His blade was shaking due to his hurt hand. He was surrounded by Popis, Ben and Liza (although none of them could see nor know she was at his back). They all looked at the small Popis with some astonishment.


    ¡°What? You guys never used a rock-fist in a fight?¡± she asked casually.


    ¡°What was that voice just now? Who are you guys? What do you want?¡± asked a somewhat rattled Carl.


    Liza whispered in the creepiest way possible ¡°wE¡¯vE CoMe FoR yOu!¡± and immediately retreated. Scared by the sudden voice at his back, Carl turned around and slashed the air. Popis took the opportunity created and bashed his stomach with her rock. Ben needed a few more seconds to respond, but he too soon joined. Together, they dropped Carl to the floor and started beating him into unconsciousness.


    Eliot was still standing at the street corner, watching the fight with interest while he stroked Boro¡¯s scales. The dragon, on the other hand, apparently didn¡¯t find the scuffle anything worthwhile to be looked at. His eyes were closed while he enjoyed the feeling of being patted.


    Sweating and panting for breath, Popis brushed her sleeve against her face.


    ¡°I guess we can¡¯t do as clean as Rodney, huh.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°The guy I work for sometimes at the guild, the one that gave me the invisibility potion you drank.¡±


    ¡°Hum. Well, considering it was a small girl and a coward against two guards, I would say you guys did well.¡±


    Ben didn¡¯t try to contest the claim. He was sprawled on the floor, together with the guards, his heart ponding with all the adrenaline. Popis just shrugged her shoulders at the situation.


    ¡°Alright, get your ass off the ground right now Ben. We don¡¯t have time to lose. Start stripping the guards of their stuff. I¡¯ll go grab Eliot, we need to get you guys changed in a hurry.¡±

 Chapter 21 – Escape Plan (4)

    Popis looked curiously at the unconscious guards in their undergarments, carefully examining their red and swollen faces. In the meantime, Liza was helping Ben take care of the wounds on his thigh.


    ¡°You have been looking at them for a while now, what¡¯s the matter?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen these two before, but I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s hard to tell when their faces are this size,¡± replied Popis.


    ¡°Hahaha, you did pummel them with a rock nonstop, what did you expect?¡±


    ¡°What else could I¡¯ve done? Well, whatever. I probably had to bribe them before or something like that,¡± said Popis shrugging her shoulders.


    Liza shook her head in amusement. She finished treating Ben¡¯s injury and slapped his thigh with slight force, making him shudder and grimace shortly. He looked down displeased, but of course, he saw nothing there. Interacting with someone invisible was rather disconcerting.


    ¡°This should do the trick! Finish changing and then help me with Eliot.¡±


    ¡°Ok,¡± replied Ben.


    Soon, Ben and Eliot were wearing the local guards¡¯ colors and gear. They didn¡¯t have problems with the equipment size, since they both had average builds and the items were made to be a bit larger than that. This prevented the need of individually fitting the armor of every soldier, saving the lord a lot of coin. When everyone was ready, Popis led them away, leaving the unfortunate guards behind.


    After walking speedily for some time, they could finally see the lord¡¯s manor. Popis stopped and moved to the side, it was time their short and yet eventful acquaintance came to an end.


    ¡°There¡¯s your goal and this is where we part. I can only wish you luck!¡±


    A small, but heavy leather pouch filled with coins materialized on top of Popis¡¯ small head. Chuckling, Liza patted her shoulder with affection.


    ¡°Thanks for all your help. This pouch is the only thing I can give you right now as compensation for the troubles you went through in our behalf, use it to feed yourself and those kids well. I hope we can meet again in the future under better circumstances,¡± said Liza.


    Ben didn¡¯t know what to say. He only just recently arrived in this world and so many things had already happened that he could only go with the flow and try not to drown. Liza, Eliot, Popis and everyone that genuinely helped him so far were huge pillars of support for him, making parting ways hard.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ and thanks.¡±


    His ethereal voice was unemotional, but his face said it all. Popis nodded, smiling knowingly. Liza then pressed her hands against Eliot¡¯s and Ben¡¯s backs, making them move towards the manor. She knew Eliot wouldn¡¯t say goodbye, not because he didn¡¯t care, but because he didn¡¯t understand what was happening. Popis watched them advance for a bit before disappearing into the alleyways.


    It had already turned dark and the streets were empty due to the curfew. Ben and Eliot, dressed as local guards, crossed the silent city square with the invisible Liza just behind them.


    ¡°Remember Ben, just open and close your mouth. Try to not look directly at them. Gaze at the sky like you¡¯re complaining or at the ground like you¡¯re dejected. It¡¯s already dark and they won¡¯t get a good look at you, if we add our previous distraction, our chances are decent. Don¡¯t be too nervous.¡±


    Ben nodded, but it was clear he was anxious. That was normal, it was not like asking someone to not be nervous could make their worries go away. He couldn¡¯t help but feel weird though.


    [Most of this was my idea, so why the hell can¡¯t I stop trembling!]


    They finally drew close to the main gate which was, surprisingly, open. Two sentries stood by it with their hounds, one at each side. The dogs looked at the newcomers, their ears straight, sniffing the air.


    [Now is the time of truth. I hope my medicine muddled the scent of blood enough and they don¡¯t bother us,] thought Liza.


    Sweating cold, Liza gently grabbed one of her long knives, ready to draw it if needed. Boro, who was resting on her shoulders and also invisible from view, glared at the dogs intently.


    Feeling the presence of a superior, stronger being, the hounds whimpered softly and sat on the ground trembling, trying to hide their faces with their paws repeatedly. Liza, seeing this, felt both puzzled and relieved. The sentries didn¡¯t notice it, because they were looking at the advancing party in puzzlement. One sentry then reprimanded them.


    ¡°Hey, what are you guys doing here?! Everyone that¡¯s available should be circling the Thegass residence right now! Go quickly or you¡¯ll be done for!¡±


    Ben stood still, paralyzed. Only when he felt a strong hand on his shoulder did he come to. He lowered his head, shaking it dejectedly, and opened and closed his mouth at fixed intervals without making a sound. Behind him, having already prepared herself, Liza made her most mainly voice possible.


    ¡°Ha, where did you think we came from! Something happened there and the cap¡¯n told us to come back and report to the Earl immediately!¡±


    ¡°Oh? What happened?¡±


    Suddenly, Eliot moved slowly towards one of the hounds. At first, the sentry was suspicious, but when he looked at his dog he was surprised.


    ¡°Hey, Thunder! Thunder! What happened to you boy!¡±


    Hearing his colleague outcry, the man talking to ¡°Ben¡± turned around and was shocked with the dog¡¯s behaviour. He then noticed his hound was trembling on the ground too and became worried. Eliot approached the terrified dog and patted his head. Thunder didn¡¯t even move.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°Maybe you fed them something bad? Anyway, we need to report to the lord or miss Hanna immediately, we can talk later.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Ah, yeah, yeah, go ahead and hurry,¡± said the man distractedly as he examined his dog with a concerned expression.


    Liza pushed Ben¡¯s back gently to encourage him to move and went to fetch Eliot stealthily. Together they entered the mansion, leaving behind the perplexed sentries trying to figure out what happened to their canine companions.


    The inside of the manor was grandiose, lavishly decorated and faintly illuminated by many candlesticks and candelabras. There weren¡¯t any guards inside. Like the sentry hinted, most of their manpower was concentrated on capturing the fugitive hiding at the Thegass residence. A few maids were walking around, absorbed on their duties. Whenever they noticed them, they would nod their heads respectfully and continue with their chores.


    Liza was amazed at how well everything went, she couldn¡¯t help but look at Ben and remember the conversation they had¡­


    ~~~


    ¡°Entering the lord¡¯s mansion? Isn¡¯t that just suicidal?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Not necessarily, you would be amazed of what you can achieve with the right uniform and attitude. Where I come from there are people so good at this that the rest of the world call them artists. Con artists, to be more precise,¡± replied Ben.


    ¡°Con artists? You mean like masters of deception and lies? Ridiculous, those you call artists are no more than charlatans!¡±


    Ben just smiled and didn¡¯t argue back. Annoyed, Liza continued.


    ¡°Then how would we find the passage? If it even exists¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure it exists, but going by the shrewd nature of those bastards they probably have one. It will be on the first floor or on the basement, probably on a room the lord uses frequently, like his bedroom, study, etc.¡±


    ~~~


    [I guess he was correct. The right clothes and attitude¡­ though his attitude left to be desired. In the hideout he was rather confident, but now he is so nervous I was afraid we would be done for.]


    They strolled carefully around the first floor, looking for a room they believed had a good chance of containing the secret passage. In the beginning there were no problems, since most chambers had their doors opened. They would ¡°patrol¡± the corridors, take a quick glance at the rooms and then move on.


    Soon though, they came across many closed doors, therefore they had no option but to open them first to look inside. Doing it once or twice might be ok, but at every instance? Their behaviour soon attracted the suspicion of an intelligent maid.


    ¡°Respected guards, could I ask what you are doing?¡±


    Seeing the astute gaze filled with suspicion of the servant, Liza felt a headache incoming. Sensing it would be troublesome to convince her, Liza decided it was better to not have to try at all. While Ben didn¡¯t know what to do and Eliot just innocently looked around, Liza approached the maid and brought a flask very close to her nose. She held her breath, popped the flask open for around three seconds before hastily closing it and withdrawing.


    Having no idea what was going on, Ben was nervously staring at the maid. He kept opening and closing his mouth, like he was out of words. Suddenly, a terrible smell inundated a small area around them. It wasn¡¯t just a dreadful stench, it almost felt solid, like an attack to the senses. Ben backed away, making a great effort to not throw up. Eliot frowned and distanced himself from the noxious area.


    The poor servant, that had the stench appear right under her nose, quite literally, bent over and started retching uncontrollably, making a mess of her clothes and the floor. Liza waited for the smell to dissipate a bit before making a rough voice.


    ¡°Oh, could someone help this poor gal? I guess she¡¯s feeling unwell.¡±


    Three other servants that were on the area came forth panicking and tried to assist the maid that was in a sorry state. They sensed a nasty smell, though it was not unbearable, and figured the culprit was the lass. Having one person pick each arm while the other held a bucket, they escorted the maid away.


    Looking bewildered, Ben finally figured out what happened and glared at the air. He was trying to glare at Liza, but he wasn¡¯t sure he was looking at the right direction. Seeing his face, Liza whispered softly.


    ¡°What, do you pity her? Or perhaps you¡¯re mad because I didn¡¯t use this to help you subdue those guards? Did you fancy infiltrating the manor in a uniform covered in puke?¡±


    Ben stopped glaring and looked at the ground, feeling embarrassed. Deciding to stop wallowing in shame, Ben moved towards another room and opened the door for an inspection. At the same time, coming from the other end of the corridor was a middle-aged man wearing long robes and a staff. He was one of the men present in the ritual to summon the otherworlder.


    He looked puzzled at the two guards just standing there in the middle of the way, like they were examining the inside of the chamber. Soon, he frowned. He had a great aptitude at sensing mana and he felt something was wrong.


    With haste, he casted a spell that made him able to see mana with his naked eye. After finishing some quick gestures and murmuring a few words the spell took effect and he was stupefied! He had never seen someone with the amount of mana that those guards had. One had too much, the other had almost none.


    That was when the group discovered him, standing there, around 20 meters away. Both Liza and Ben were shocked, it was a mage! They weren¡¯t sure they would be able to fool mages, but right now they didn¡¯t need to ponder over it, the man¡¯s face told them everything.


    Not wasting time, Liza walked hurriedly towards the middle-aged man, hoping to take him off-guard with her invisibility. The mage truly hadn¡¯t noticed her at the start, since Eliot¡¯s aura was so blinding, but when she dashed to the forefront he could clearly see the mana contours of a living being that wasn¡¯t there.


    [They have someone invisible! This isn¡¯t right!]


    The man hurriedly prepared an incantation, making Liza and Ben feel apprehensive. When Liza had closed the distance by half, the mage pointed the staff at their direction. There was no sound, light phenomena or anything indicative that the magic had worked.


    It was only Liza¡¯s intuition and the prickling she felt at the back of her neck that prompted her to drop to the ground. She wanted to warn the others, but there was no time. Looking at the wizard, Ben was terrified. Fearing a possible explosion, he crouched on the ground and covered his head with his arms. The only one that didn¡¯t move was Eliot.


    Although none of them could see it, from the tip of the mage¡¯s staff the spell |Wind Blade| was formed and quickly released. It travelled fast through the middle of the corridor. Invisible, silent, deadly. It was a difficult spell to deal with, since the only clear indication it was coming came from watching the wizard that was casting it.


    The spell barely missed Liza as she dropped to the ground and continued towards the other two. The wind blade hit the side of Eliot¡¯s abdomen, cutting through the armor and drawing blood. Since Ben had crouched, he escaped a calamity.


    Feeling the searing pain at his side, Eliot looked down and saw the wound. When he looked up again his eyes were fiercer than a monster¡¯s. He stared at the wizard, terrifying the man, who began casting another spell.


    Liza tried hastily to get up and attack the mage before he completed his second spell, but before she was back at her feet, Eliot overtook her. He was moving at an inhuman speed, dashing madly at the enemy.


    The middle-aged man was shaking. He had confidence in finishing another magic before his assailants got close, but seeing Eliot¡¯s speed he was so frightened he ended up stuttering and losing his concentration, dispelling his initial efforts.


    Eliot crashed into the man with the strength of a bull. He didn¡¯t punch, nor did he draw his sword or used a claw strike. He simply tackled him. The impact was extreme, making the mage fly through the air for a few meters before crashing on the floor.


    The wizard¡¯s chest was caved in. His sternum and numerous of his ribs were broken, which in turn perforated many of his internal organs. Seeing the way their enemy had died, Liza couldn¡¯t help but murmur softly.


    ¡°Damn, what is this?! Are you a magical beast or something?¡±

 Chapter 22 – Escape Plan (5)

    After noticing there were no explosions like he¡¯d expected, Ben stopped covering his head and peered at what was going on. He saw Eliot standing tall near the mage that was sprawled on the floor. There was nothing on fire, nor any damage was visible in his surroundings. Feeling he was no longer in danger, Ben stood up with some difficulty, his knees weak and threatening to give up at any time.


    Coming out of her daze, Liza hurried to the corpse and grabbed his arms, lifting him up. The others could only see the middle-aged man¡¯s body hovering in the air in awkward fashion, causing a sense of discomfort in their stomachs.


    ¡°Ben, get over here quickly, we need to hide the corpse.¡±


    ¡°Wait a sec.¡±


    Perceiving the urgency of the situation, Ben checked five rooms before discovering one that looked like a study. It had a big desk near the wall, a couple bookshelves, a beverage cabinet, a gigantic fireplace and two antique sofas. Of all the chambers they had checked so far, this one looked the most promising.


    He then rushed back to help Liza out. With much hesitation and forcing his head to look the other way, Ben grabbed the legs of the deceased wizard and lifted him up.


    [Damn, he¡¯s dead! I¡¯m touching a dead body, urgh. I got to tell her about the study, focus. Let¡¯s go over that one, it¡¯s the study.]


    ¡°Let¡¯s go over that one, it¡¯s the study,¡± he said, signalling with his head.


    ¡°Ok, up we go. Come here Eliot, follow us.¡±


    They went inside, locked the door and rested the dead body against it. Liza gave the place a quick glance then approached Eliot with a worried expression.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a look at Eliot¡¯s injury, you should start searching around for the passage. The battle was rather silent and the aftermath not that messy, even so I don¡¯t think we have much time before things get troublesome. Let¡¯s hope what we are looking for it¡¯s in this room,¡± said Liza.


    Ben nodded and began scrutinizing the walls and furniture. He shuffled around the objects on the desk, finding nothing out of ordinary. He opened the drawers, poking around for false bottoms and other hidden compartments. He did find one, but it only contained a document and a key. He then searched the surface of the desk in its entirety, looking for switches or suspicious crevices, but to no avail.


    On the other side of the room, sitting on the couch, Liza was grimacing at Eliot¡¯s wound. The spell tore through the chain mail, leaving behind a long and somewhat deep cut on his abdomen. Imagining what would have happened were he not wearing armor, she shuddered. Taking the best medicine she had on hand, Liza smeared generous amounts of greenish paste on the cut, covering it carefully with bandages afterwards.


    ¡°Did you find anything yet?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Only a parchment and a key, I doubt they are instructions from getting out of here though,¡± Ben replied, holding the document in the air.


    Liza grabbed it from his hands and gave it a cursory read. It was just a bunch of jumbled nonsense to her, nothing that made sense or constructed a coherent sentence. She put the text back on the desk.


    ¡°It¡¯s encrypted, but you¡¯re probably right. Must be some of the earl¡¯s secrets or business dealings, it¡¯s useless. I¡¯ll help you look around.¡±


    Feeling confused, Ben looked at the parchment Liza left on top of the desk. He couldn¡¯t understand why she was just discarding the document like that. Not taking the opportunity to learn something a noble felt the need to keep hidden was such a waste, so he pocketed the document for later perusal.


    After searching the place for a couple minutes, they couldn¡¯t find anything out of the ordinary. No lever, no hidden switch, no conveniently placed book on the bookshelf that magically opened the way. They were growing tenser by the moment. That was when Ben¡¯s gaze stopped at the humongous fireplace.


    ¡°Hey, doesn¡¯t that fireplace look kind of exaggerated to you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s kind of overkill, yes, but that¡¯s nobles for you¡­¡± replied Liza.


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s so big you could almost fit inside¡­¡± he said meaningfully.


    They looked at each other, or at least, Liza looked at Ben while he gazed at the air to his side. With their hopes of finding a secret exit renewed, they carefully poked and prodded the fireplace.


    ¡°Got it! There¡¯s something here on the chimney, wait a sec¡­ wait¡­ done!¡± said Liza ecstatic.


    A low rumble came from the fireplace as it¡¯s backwall retracted. It kept moving back until there was a space large enough on the ground for one person to go through, revealing a series of stone steps going down. Ben¡¯s eyes were glistening, he couldn¡¯t contain his fascination with this development.Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°So cool! An actual secret passage! Never thought I would see one¡­¡±


    ¡°What so you thought we would fail? It was your idea in the first place!¡± said Liza, flabbergasted.


    ¡°I know for a fact secret passages existed, there¡¯s even some historic records of Popes escaping disaster by using them, so I thought we had a good chance. It¡¯s just that even knowing that, such passageways always felt more mystical and fictitious than real, something you find written on a book or in a game.¡±


    ¡°There you go again, speaking things I don¡¯t understand. Anyways, let¡¯s get out of here!¡±


    At the end of the stone stairs there was a pedestal upon which rested a small gem that glowed with white light, illuminating their surroundings. They found themselves in a crudely constructed tunnel. It had an irregular shape, like someone just half-heartedly excavated and compacted the earth around it. Wooden beams were placed at regular intervals, keeping the passageway structurally sound.


    Liza took the gem nonchalantly and held it in front of her as the group started walking through the tunnel.


    ¡°Ah, I remember this gem! It seems way better than a torch,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve seen this before? Gems like this are not rare, but they aren¡¯t that common either. I¡¯ve been meaning to buy one, but I¡¯ve never had the coin to spare,¡± replied Liza.


    ¡°Well, you have one now. I guess you just saved some cash.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean I have one now? This is not mine, I¡¯m tossing it back in the tunnel after we get out.¡±


    ¡°What? No way!¡±


    ¡°Yes way! I¡¯ve my principles, I don¡¯t steal!¡±


    Ben couldn¡¯t help but feel admiration towards Liza. From what he could infer so far about this world¡¯s society and class-based system, stealing something here and there or taking advantage of some less than noble opportunities were the norm. Heck, sometimes it was almost needed for survival, like was the case for Popis and the other kids.


    Although he was still scared that killing came so easily for his new friends, at least he could rest better knowing they had higher moral character than most. From what he could tell by interacting with them and their previous talks in the past couple days, they were tough and rough, but not bad people.


    ¡°Look, up ahead there¡¯s a branching path,¡± said Liza.


    Stopping at the intersection, they examined their options. At the end of the branching path there was a small dot of white luminosity, while the way forward was completely dark. Both passages were filled with the same stale, stagnant air.


    ¡°It¡¯s another entrance! I should have guessed, that bastard probably made many other entry points to this escape tunnel. Our chances of finding the right place were pretty good from the start, as it turns out,¡± said Ben.


    They kept moving forward. So far there were no indications that they had been found out or were being pursued, which made them feel much more at ease. From time to time, another branching path appeared, signalling another possible entrance to the secret passage.


    Long minutes later, all they could see was the endless earthen walls and it¡¯s support wooden beams. Ben couldn¡¯t help but let his mind wander as he gazed at the rough surfaces and rustic construction techniques.


    [This kind of sucks. Even with the light gem this place is gloomy, narrow and cramped. The air is musty and leaves a weird taste in your mouth. Is that what miners usually have to deal with? It must be terrible. Uh? Why is there a yellow mark painted in that wooden beam?]


    *Kacha*


    The sound of a mechanical trigger releasing followed by grunts of pain echoed underground. Hidden behind the wooden beam, inside a hole in the walls, were two crossbows linked together by a small and almost invisible thread that Eliot unfortunately stepped on. It was a simple, but effective trap.


    ¡°Are you guys ok? Show me your wounds,¡± asked Liza worryingly.


    ¡°That¡¯s why it there was that small yellow marking, fuck!¡± complained Ben.


    Both Eliot and Ben were hit on the shoulder. The chainmail did a good job protecting them and the bolts didn¡¯t penetrate deeply. Liza examined the projectiles against the light of the gem, finding them to be covered with a greenish crust. Frowning, she grabbed a flask from one of her pouches and dropped a small amount of liquid on the bolts, examining them attentively.


    ¡°The bolts were poisoned! Thank Mifros they¡¯re old and they didn¡¯t keep them proper maintained, so it shouldn¡¯t do much harm. Take one of these, just to be on the safe side,¡± said Liza, giving them one medicine pellet each.


    Now much more alert, the group kept walking. Whenever they came across wooden beams they would scrutinize them for weird markings of any kind. When they found one, they would take extra time and care to circumvent any traps or danger.


    An indeterminate amount of time later, they arrived at the end of the passage. There were crevices on the wall, making a ladder up to a stone hatch on the ceiling. Liza climbed up and after exerting herself, managed to open it, making dust and soil fall on their heads. Outside there were bushes, trees and other vegetation. The secret passage exit was hidden in the woods.


    When everyone was out, Liza tossed the light gem inside and closed the hatch. They then covered it up with earth and leaves, making very hard for anyone to discover the entrance. At this time Liza was finally visible again, the effects of the invisibility potion having run out. They couldn¡¯t help but smile at each other and laugh in joy.


    ¡°It actually worked! Hahaha, well done Ben!¡± exclaimed Liza, slapping his shoulder with force.


    ¡°Hahaha, it did! They wanted to imprison me, but I¡¯m free! Take that you bastards! Hahaha!¡±


    Eliot and Boro didn¡¯t know what was going on, but they joined in the happy mood. The laughter and rejoicing finally died down a bit and they returned to a more serious attitude.


    ¡°The tunnel was really long, and we should be a good distance away from the city, but we better not be complacent. Let¡¯s rest for a few minutes, gather our bearings and move towards Kelna village. The elder is a friend of Paul¡¯s, he should let us hide there for some time till things die down.¡±


    Confused, Ben thought about asking who Paul was, but changed his mind. He was tense and tired. He needed to make the most out of this temporary respite before they departed again, because he knew Liza wouldn¡¯t be too happy if he started to drag them down.


    They rested for a moment, approximated their current location from the stars and, even though it was night, began their journey to Kelna.

 Side-Chapter 3 – Fate Makes Fools of Men

    It was a restless night for Starfall. While Liza and company were infiltrating the lord¡¯s manor, all the earl¡¯s guards were rushing towards the Thegass noble estate. They created a safety net, surrounding it from all sides.


    Inside the house, Weasley Thegass came out of his room wearing a loose robe over his naked body. He looked around and saw his guards scurrying about with nervous expressions on their faces.


    ¡°Emef! What¡¯s going on?¡± he shouted.


    Emef was on the first floor talking to one of his subordinates when he heard the call. He couldn¡¯t help but frown. After giving his last instructions to the man, he sent him away in a hurry. Knowing he¡¯d have to deal with his young master next, he stretched his neck and let out a long sigh.


    ¡°You called, young master?¡±


    ¡°Yes! What¡¯s going on? Why is everyone running around?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got an intruder sir, but she¡¯s nowhere to be found.¡±


    ¡°What? An assassin?¡± asked a frightened Weasley.


    ¡°Probably not, don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s one of the fugitives the earl is looking for, though I¡¯ve no idea why she barged into here. The earl is going to show up soon and since we can¡¯t find her anywhere this is going to be a headache.¡±


    Relaxing visibly, Weasley strutted out. ¡°You deal with this, I¡¯m going to get something to drink. Also, get rid of the trash that¡¯s on my bed.¡±


    Holding back many expletives, Emef walked into the bedroom. A young, average looking woman was sprawled on the bed. Her body was covered with purple marks and her neck was bright red. She was beaten and strangled to death. Emef shook his head and stood there, pondering.


    ¡°Maids!¡±


    Two women hurried into the room and gasped. They lowered their heads, making a curtsy with their trembling hands. ¡°You called us, mister Emef?¡±


    ¡°Get that woman cleaned and dressed in man¡¯s travel clothing. Do it with haste. Later tell her family I¡¯ll need to see them in two days.¡±


    ¡°Yes milord.¡±


    -


    Somewhere else, in one of the many backstreets of Starfall, two men in their undergarments woke up with an acute pain on their heads.


    ¡°Aarrghhh, my eye! MY EYE!¡±


    ¡°Urgh, what¡¯s going on? What happened? My head hurts.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t easy for Bret and Carl to calm down, especially Bret who was now one-eyed. Eventually they managed to simmer down just enough to ponder about their situation.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! We had him! We fucking had him! Then, out of the blue, that fucking thing explodes, and I lose my eye! My fucking eye, man!¡±


    In anger, Bret tried to kick a pebble, but missed due to his now out of whack depth of perception, which left him even angrier.


    ¡°Bret, they took our uniform and our armor, we¡¯re done for! Forget your eye, we¡¯re going to lose our heads!¡±


    Carl¡¯s outburst was like pouring a bucket of cold water on top of Bret¡¯s head. He was furious about losing one eye, but that was nothing compared to losing his life, which was a sure thing after this mishap. He started walking back and forth, hand on his chin, thinking furiously.


    ¡°What are we going to do Bret? What about my wife and kid? They can¡¯t survive on their own! My child is just a little tyke, how is he gonna grow up without his da?¡±


    ¡°Shut up! Let me think!¡±


    ¡°If we make out of this alive I¡¯m quitting! I¡¯ll move to Kelna with my family and become a farmer. My wife¡¯s folks live there, I¡¯m sure she will be happy to return home. I¡¯m telling you Bret, I¡¯m done being a soldier, I don¡¯t care what the cap¡¯n says,¡± murmured Carl.


    ¡°That¡¯s it Carl! Didn¡¯t you save the captain¡¯s life on more than one occasion?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve been through some close ones when dealing with smugglers and black-market traders.¡±


    ¡°Great! It¡¯s about time you collected that debt!¡±


    -


    Emef was waiting outside the entrance to the Thegass residence with two of his men. Inwards he was cursing the useless son of his liege that couldn¡¯t be bothered to play his role and never did anything right. He silently waited the earl¡¯s arrival, going over how he would deal with the situation on his head.


    On the streets all around the house were several of the earl¡¯s soldiers, all waiting to pounce in case the fugitive managed to get away. One of them was the third captain of the earl¡¯s guards, a grey-haired man named Vimez, who was approached by a kid from the slums.


    ¡°Hum? What are you doing out during curfew kid? Go home, stay out of trouble!¡±


    ¡°Wait mister, there¡¯re two men on that alleyway saying they want to talk to you!¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Vimez narrowed his eyes dangerously. ¡°Are you trying to lead me to an ambush pipsqueak? Should I let you spend some time locked up?¡±


    ¡°No, I swear! They said they¡¯re guards just like you, Carl and Bret be their names! You got to believe me mister!¡±


    Furrowing his eyebrows, Vimez agreed and followed the kid to the alleyway where he met two poorly dressed men, their faces swollen to twice the normal size.


    ¡°Good lord, what¡¯s this? Is that really you Carl? And is that Bret, the bastard? Did you lose an eye? Why are you in your underwear?¡±


    ¡°Cap¡¯n we were ambushed! Fucker got my eye and they took our stuff! It was one of the men the earl is looking for.¡±


    ¡°What? We¡¯ve got to report that right away!¡±


    Carl rushed past Vimez and blocked the way, preventing him from leaving. He grabbed the captain by the shoulders, tears falling from his eyes.


    ¡°Cap¡¯n if you report this right now we¡¯re done for! The earl is going to send us to the gallows by the end of the night! We already screwed up once and this one was big. Come on cap¡¯n, I¡¯ve saved your life twice before, help me out here! I need to take care of my wife and kid! I can¡¯t die!¡±


    Vimez was visibly shaken by the plea. Carl had indeed saved his life in other occasions and he could clearly see how desperate the man was. He knew the earl wouldn¡¯t let this mistake slide.


    ¡°Think about it cap¡¯n, it won¡¯t matter if you delay the report for a bit. We¡¯ve been knocked out for who knows how long; the fugitives probably used the uniform for what they wanted already. If they didn¡¯t use them by now it means they¡¯ll use them tomorrow at the earliest, so it won¡¯t matter if you delay the report for some time,¡± said Bret.


    The captain¡¯s face twisted as he struggled with what decision to make. On one side there was his sense of duty, on the other his affection and gratitude towards the companion who saved his life. Finally, he couldn¡¯t bear to watch the sobbing Carl who wouldn¡¯t shut up about ¡°his little tyke¡± and gave in.


    ¡°Argh, all right! Only because it¡¯s you Carl! Come on, let¡¯s go to the armory. I¡¯ll distract the quartermaster, then you two can sneak in and get what you need.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, captain! You¡¯re saving my life! My kid won¡¯t grow up without his da!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet, I still need to find a way to make the whole story stick. While we¡¯re at it, you two better find some thugs to fight and arrest too, we need to explain your wounds somehow.¡±


    ¡°Brilliant idea cap¡¯n! One can easily see how you got your post with such smarts!¡±


    ¡°Stop sucking my balls Bret. You¡¯re lucky Carl was with you, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t mind seeing you hang.¡±


    ¡°Ouch, that¡¯s just harsh cap¡¯n.¡±


    -


    The armory of Starfall was situated on the soldier¡¯s barracks and was managed by a man named Barnes. It was his job to keep tabs on how many sets of armor and weapons they had, which units received them and all other logistics and miscellaneous tasks regarding the soldier¡¯s equipment.


    It was a quiet night for the quartermaster Barnes, like most nights were. He was playing cards under candlelight with his two assistants and was feeling jubilant because he finally had a good hand. He was sure he would be able to make back all the money he¡¯d lost tonight and perhaps earn some. He was about to lay his trap when a grey-haired man entered the room bellowing.


    ¡°BARNES! I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re giving premium equipment to the first unit and leaving my third unit with only the scraps! How dare you!¡±


    With amazing vigor, Vimez grabbed Barnes by the cuff and tossed him on the floor where he pinned the man down. He balled his hands into a fist and prepared to swing them, but was held back by the two assistants. In truth they weren¡¯t strong enough to stop him, but it served his pretence well, since he wasn¡¯t actually trying to punch the poor man. Amidst the confusion, Carl and Bret snuck inside the armory and hastily grabbed what they needed before disappearing.


    Moments later, after much explanation, apologies and some coin for good measure, the situation was resolved, with none the wiser about the truth of the matter. With his debt repaid, Vimez conscience was somewhat alleviated, though the fact he didn¡¯t make a report still bothered him.


    [Why would someone take the guards uniforms? Where would they grant you an advantage? The gates won¡¯t open at night, no matter if you¡¯re a guard or not. That leaves only the barracks and the lord¡¯s manor.]


    Having made his decision, Vimez began a thorough search throughout the barracks, looking for anyone he didn¡¯t recognize or that were acting suspicious. Not having discovered anything unusual, he moved to the lord¡¯s mansion to do the same. That was when he bumped into a sickly maid, her face completely pale and her legs unsteady.


    ¡°What happened to you miss? Are you ok?¡±


    Hearing his words, the pale maid glazed eyes focused. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re captain Vimez, correct? I saw two guards acting suspiciously and then there was that noxious smell, and then¡­¡±


    After speaking up to that point her eyes popped. She quickly clamped her hands against her mouth and took deep breaths through her nose. It seemed that whatever she was remembering made her want to puke. In contrast, Vimez eyes were now shining deeply.


    [Good! She saw something! Now I don¡¯t need to explain how I know the fugitives were dressed as guards! Consider my debt to you paid in full Carl!]


    ¡°Get a hold of yourself miss and show me were you saw them!¡±


    -


    At this time the earl Frederick Hampshire was arriving at the Thegass residence. He pulled his barrel shaped body out of the carriage and walked till he was face to face with a blond-haired young man.


    ¡°Greetings Earl Frederick, welcome to the Thegass¡¯s humble abode.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re knight Emef, if I¡¯m not mistaken. I¡¯ll be blunt, did you catch her?¡±


    ¡°We did. Unfortunately, she was killed during the confrontation. Bring out the body men!¡±


    The earl¡¯s eye twitched but he said nothing. Soon he was presented with the body of a young woman wearing man¡¯s clothes and donning a cape. Her body was slashed in multiple locations and there was an especially nasty gash on her neck. He couldn¡¯t help but notice that she didn¡¯t match any of the description his soldiers gave him.


    ¡°It¡¯s of my understanding that she was caring a serpent monster with her. Where is it?¡±


    ¡°She had nothing of the sort,¡± replied Emef promptly.


    Controlling his breathing with much difficulty, earl Frederick decided to change his strategy. ¡°Would you mind letting one of my captains search the premises, knight Emef? I know the culprit has been put to death already, it would be more of a formality, really.¡±


    ¡°Why, not at all Earl! I¡¯ll be happy to accompany your man in a tour of the house. I don¡¯t even mind waiting here while he procures a welcoming gift as per tradition, of course,¡± said Emef with a broad smile.


    ¡°Very well! He¡¯ll be back soon with a gift! I hope he¡¯s received with all the care and attention, as per tradition¡­¡±


    Fuming, the earl turned around and walked back to his carriage, slamming the door as he got in. Waiting inside was his daughter, who shot him a questioning glance.


    ¡°That knave! Why wasn¡¯t I received by the viscount¡¯s brat? He¡¯s so much easier to deal with!¡±


    ¡°Calm yourself papa, tell me what you¡¯ve learned.¡±


    -


    A couple days later the gates were opened, and the city finally regained its normalcy. Many guards could be seen riding away from the city to search the surrounding plains and villages, as per the lord¡¯s order. Amongst them was Bret who accompanied a small family of three.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you resigned,¡± said Bret, adjusting his eyepatch.


    ¡°I told you I would. Too many close calls recently, I couldn¡¯t keep going like that. I need to be there for my family. That¡¯s why we¡¯re moving to Kelna, a small, peaceful farming village where I don¡¯t need to be scared of being knifed in the dark.¡±


    Hearing this, his wife smiled and squeeze his hand. Right now, she was feeling as happy as she could be.

 Chapter 23 – Forced March

    Motivated by their escape, Liza and company marched into the night without rest. However, there¡¯s only so much that motivation can do for you. After hours walking, their eyelids grew heavy and their muscles screamed from pain. Eliot and Boro were the only ones with energy to spare ¨C as was usually the case.


    ¡°Guys¡­ guys, I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t keep going anymore,¡± said Ben.


    His legs shaking, Ben fell to his knees and lay down on the ground. Grunting, he tried to stretch his legs to alleviate the pain, but even that felt like a monumental task. He just lay there, breathing roughly.


    ¡°I¡¯m spent too, though I wish we could keep going for a bit longer. Well, whatever, let¡¯s sleep here for the rest of the night. We¡¯ll move again at first light,¡± said Liza, shaking her head.


    Liza plopped to the ground and began rummaging through her linen sack, searching it by touch till she found a group of small leather packages. Picking six of them up, she threw one to Ben and two to Eliot and Boro each, keeping one for herself.


    ¡°That¡¯s the food. Eat up.¡±


    The meal was a combination of stale bread, dried-up fruits and jerky. Their appearance was terrible, their consistence was disgusting, and their taste was non-existent (saved the salted jerky). They ate in silence. Ben felt this was quite possibly the worst meal he ever had, even Popis¡¯ paltry offerings that night were much better than what he was currently chewing on.


    [This is travel food, huh. Oh boy, this will be a torture to get used to.]


    At some point, Eliot and Boro walked away into the night.


    ¡°Hey, where are you guys going?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°Leave them be, they¡¯ll be back eventually.¡±


    ¡°Really? But why are they leaving?¡±


    ¡°You know how much they eat, they would never be happy with only two portions of rations.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    After he was done eating, Ben gave a long sigh and looked up at the starry sky. There were no constellations he was familiar with amongst all the shining dots that littered the firmament.


    [I¡¯ve never understood how constellations got their names. No matter how you link the stars, they never quite make a drawing of what they¡¯re supposedly called. It¡¯s beyond me how Ptolemy thought that Taurus looked like a bull. Only a few of them are somewhat understandable, like Gemini and Libra¡­]


    Lost in the fog of his own mind, Ben soon fell into slumber. Although Liza was tired too, she fought the urge to close her eyes and sleep. She scanned the darkness around them, waiting for something. Only when Eliot and Boro returned ¨C their mouths smeared in blood ¨C did she finally feel relieved and managed to shut her eyes.


    A few hours later, they all woke up with the stinging rays of sunlight clashing against their closed eyelids. While Liza stretched and helped Eliot with his gear, Ben started to roll around in the grass, crying silently.


    [Why is this happening? Why am I here? How could all of this be real?! I can¡¯t take it! I wasn¡¯t made for this! And what about my parents? They must be crying to sleep every night, worried about their only son that disappeared from the face of the Earth!]


    Liza watched the little show with interest. Done venting his feelings, Ben ignored her questioning glance, sniffled and prepared his stuff to departure. Another day of endless marching had begun. In this fashion they walked tirelessly, stopping only for brief periods of rest and to eat meals. At dusk Ben collapsed again, signalling the end of another day of travel.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe how tired I was yesterday, I don¡¯t even remember when I fell asleep,¡± said Ben, taking a bite of his salted jerky.


    ¡°That¡¯s normal, you were a spoiled noble from where you came from, right?¡±


    ¡°What, me? No way! I¡¯m just a regular guy.¡±


    ¡°Really? I was sure you had blue blood, given your weird clothes, the weird stuff you say ¨C well, the weird stuff that thing speaks for you ¨C and your overall¡­ cleanliness,¡± said Liza, rather begrudgingly.


    ¡°Ah, I can see why you would think so. Where I come from this is normal though, most people are like me.¡±


    ¡°Must be nice, but I have to say¡­¡± said Liza with a smile, ¡°you do look good with mud smeared on your face, hahahaha. Now you¡¯re just like us, lowly peasants.¡±


    Ben shook his head, smiling wryly. It seemed like Liza still thought of him like a sheltered noble of some kind. After dinner, Liza checked and redressed all their wounds, nodding approvingly about their recovery.


    ¡°Hey, yesterday I just blacked out, but shouldn¡¯t we take turns to stand guard?¡±


    ¡°No can do, imagine explaining that to Eliot. Besides, I used to travel alone before, so I¡¯m used to sleeping light and staying alert.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°That must be lonely¡­ and dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it was. You don¡¯t have to worry though, if something managed to sneak upon Eliot, it wouldn¡¯t matter if we were awake or not, we would be dead.¡±


    [That¡¯s not exactly comforting¡­] thought Ben.


    Liza tousled Eliot¡¯s hair in a lovingly manner. It had been almost a month now since she began traveling with him and she couldn¡¯t help but have tender feelings for the young man. Not mentioning the fact he¡¯d saved her life, she couldn¡¯t help but see herself in his childish, mismatching behaviour. It was endearing, but also worried her about the troubles he could get into.


    Early in the next morning they departed again. It was a repetition of the two previous days ¨C walking along the plains, climbing small hills and resting here and there. Ben was sorely disappointed. He thought a fantasy world would be fascinating in all its aspects, but he soon found out that traveling like this wasn¡¯t much different than walking around in the remote countryside.


    In the afternoon they came across a small brook where they took the opportunity to rest and refill their canteens. Ben was massaging his sore legs and taking in the view when he noticed a small head that seemed to have popped up from the tall grass. He was perplexed, but before he could say anything another six heads popped up.


    They were ugly, gnarled heads of a greenish hue with distorted facial features and pointy, flappy ears. Goblins. The word raced through his mind at lightning speed and he was part delighted, part scared, and part disgusted. The goblins ran at them while shouting and waving their weapons ¨C sticks and makeshift spears.


    ¡°Guys, goblins! Real goblins! Ugly as hell goblins!¡±


    Ignoring Ben¡¯s excitement, Liza let loose an arrow, hitting a charging goblin in the leg. Eliot got up and walked towards the goblins slowly, seemingly uninterested, while Boro flew in for the kill. In the span of a few moments all the goblins besides the one Liza shot in the leg were dead. Ben gasped at the carnage and the ease which the enemies were dispatched.


    ¡°Are goblins this weak?¡±


    ¡°It depends. If they don¡¯t have sharp tools they are annoying more than anything. The problem is they never attack unless they have the advantage in numbers. A regular person will have trouble dealing with two or three goblins alone, whether they¡¯ve sharp tools or not.¡±


    ¡°I see. Do they usually pop up from the ground like that?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t pop up from the ground, that¡¯s only what it looked like. They probably made their burrows near this brook where they can get water easily.¡±


    ¡°Hum¡­ What the heck! Cannibal!¡±


    Ben fell to the ground on his ass, his hand trembling and pointing at Eliot who was nibbling on a goblin¡¯s heart. The only surviving goblin was terrified and began crawling away slowly in a futile attempt to escape.


    ¡°He¡¯s eating their heart, he¡¯s a mon¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s what?! Huh, say it!¡± asked Liza, fuming with anger.


    The interruption and harsh tone helped Ben to calm down a little. He assessed Liza¡¯s mood and dangerous glare and shut his mouth. He thought for a spell and decided to measure his response.


    ¡°He¡¯s brave for eating raw meat?¡± said Ben in an unconvincing manner.


    Feeling she had overreacted, Liza let out a long sigh.


    ¡°Look, Eliot¡¯s circumstances are complicated. He was living inside a dangerous forest when I met him. From what I¡¯ve gathered, he lived there alone for years, probably since he was a kid. How he survived is beyond me. Just be careful how you treat or speak about him, all right? And don¡¯t worry, I¡¯d never let him eat the remains of someone from the common races. If you can¡¯t accept it no matter what, feel free to leave.¡±


    Ben gulped and nodded. Leaving was not an option he was going to consider, there was no way he could make it alone. He couldn¡¯t help but look back at the scene with morbid fascination. A young man and his dragon feasting on flesh and blood. Although it still disgusted him somewhat, there was now a trace of pity and wonder in his gaze.


    [I thought he wasn¡¯t quite right in the head at first, but it turns out he¡¯s a real-life Tarzan! Who would have thought? That explains a lot of things.]


    ¡°Not leaving? Good! Now come with me, it¡¯s time you started learning how to deal with things here in Flanac.¡±


    Liza¡¯s words brought Ben back from his reverie. He followed her till they were in front of the last surviving goblin who was crawling on the floor, trying to get away. Ben felt tremendous amount of pity for the creature that was doing its utmost to live on. Liza drew one of her long knives and put it on Ben¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Kill it.¡±


    ¡°What? No way!¡±


    Ben staggered back and dropped the knife. Liza shook her head, picked the knife back up from the ground and put it on his palm again. This time she clasped her hand firmly on his, not letting him drop the weapon. She forced his hand towards the goblin. Terrified, Ben struggled against her, but he wasn¡¯t nearly strong enough. Slowly but surely, the knife dug into the creature¡¯s neck, making blood gush on their hands and arms.


    Through the knife, Ben felt clearly the resistance of the creature¡¯s skin and how the blade scrapped against its small throat. It gave him goose bumps and made him shiver. With the deed done, Liza finally let off her grasp on him and cleaned the blood from her own hand. Completely shaken, Ben fell to his knees and stared emptily at the dead goblin, then at his bloody hand. Feeling sick, he doubled to the side and threw up.


    ¡°Take your time. We¡¯ll move again when you¡¯re ready.¡±


    Liza left Ben alone and went to search the goblins for any valuables. Finding nothing of worth, she cleaved their ears, cleaned them on the brook and stored them in a jar. They could serve as proof of extermination and were something she could exchange for some coin at the guild.


    Ben remained in a daze for a long time. It was Liza that forced his hand, but that did nothing to ease the turmoil of emotions he was going through. After much though he decided the least he could do was bury the goblin he¡¯d killed, that would appease his heart somewhat.


    It didn¡¯t take long for him to realize that would be impossible. Without the proper tools it would take ages for him to dig a shallow grave for the creature, something he couldn¡¯t do when they were on the run. Next, he thought about cremating it, but he lacked the right materials for that too. Finally, he decided that the only thing he could do was cover the goblin with something.


    He took his own blanket from the bag and draped it over the small monster, saying a little prayer afterwards. Liza watched everything silently and though she thought that was a waste of a perfectly fine blanket, she didn¡¯t say a thing. She knew this was important for Ben to move on.


    [What have I got myself into¡­ Eliot and Boro have no restraint, they kill without batting an eye. Ben on the other hand is a sissy that can¡¯t harm a fly. I can see more stressful days on the horizon.]


    The rest of the journey was a blur to Ben, his mind always wandering back to that moment when the knife cut into the goblin¡¯s throat. He was so out of it that he didn¡¯t even feel the fatigue and pain that ailed him the last couple days. He only snapped out of it when he heard Liza speaking with joy.


    ¡°Kelna village! We made it! We can lay low here till things calm down.¡±

 Chapter 24 – Kelna Village

    Liza and company could see a group of thatched houses clumped together as they walked down the hill. Kelna village was a small settlement composed of twenty households or so. The rolling hills surrounding the village were dotted with farmlands here and there, with the grove to the southeast being the only change in scenery.


    Ben observed that most of the fields were of wheat or rye and couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they didn¡¯t have something like potatoes, or if perhaps they didn¡¯t know about it. Potatoes would be easier to care for and give a much better yield.


    As the group approached, they could see people from all ages working the fields. They were tanned, gaunt and somewhat muscular; probably the combination of hours of hard work under the sun and no proper nutrition to speak of.


    Noticing their arrival, a young boy dropped his hoe, gave a wide smile and rushed to their encounter, leaving his work unfinished. His mother, who was not that far away from where he was working, scowled at the sight and shouted at the boy.


    ¡°What are you doing boy? Come finish your work or I¡¯ll whoop your behind!¡±


    ¡°Later ma, we¡¯ve visitors! Can¡¯t let them just wander around the village now, can I? I¡¯ve got to be proper like you taught me!¡±


    ¡°Oh you! Using my own words like that, I should really give you a trashing.¡±


    The boy ignored his nagging mother and jumped over the animal fence. Liza smiled at the whole exchange, she found the scene wholesome and familiar. It warmed her heart.


    ¡°Hello travelers, welcome to Kelna Village! Are you guys staying overnight or just passing through? Oh my god, is that a monster? It looks like a snake! So cool! Are you guys adventurers? I¡¯ve heard only adventurers can tame creatures like that! Awesome! Have you killed many monsters? Visited many places? Have you ever seen any dragons? Is it true that goblins kidnap children who have been bad? Or that if you enter an old forest and fell a tree you¡¯ll be killed by the spirit of the woods?¡±


    The boy spoke in quick succession, barely breathing in between sentences. He was letting loose all the questions that plagued his young mind. There was much curiosity about the outside world for youngsters stuck in small, rural hamlets.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name lad?¡± asked Liza when the boy finally took a pause to breathe.


    ¡°It¡¯s Jimmy miss. The other kids call me Jimmy the bold!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, do they now? Well, Jimmy the bold, we need to talk with the elder of your village. Could you show us the way?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing! Follow me travelers!¡±


    Jimmy led them down a beaten path between the fields to the center of the village. Along the way he asked many questions and would get a few answers in return. This happened not because Liza wasn¡¯t inclined to respond, it was mostly because the young boy wouldn¡¯t stop talking in all his excitement.


    The boy stopped in front of one of the thatched houses. His mood did a complete reversal, as he solemnly knocked on the door. A wrinkled, ash haired old woman appeared. She was surprised to see the strangers and her gaze stopped on Boro for some time. Noticing they were calmly accompanying Jimmy, she turned to the boy.


    ¡°My, if it isn¡¯t Jimmy! Playing hooky again, I gather?¡±


    ¡°Not true granny Isa! I¡¯ve brought these fine adventurers that were looking for you here, see?¡±


    ¡°Oh, indeed you have! Now that they¡¯re safe by my door your guidance is no longer necessary. Off you go, back to your chores.¡±


    ¡°Ok granny Isa, I¡¯ll be on my way. Bye folks. Later you¡¯ll have to tell me all about your adventures!¡±


    They watched in silence as Jimmy (the bold) skipped back to the fields, a spring in his step. Soon he joined the rest of the villagers in preparing the soil for a new field, humming a catchy tune.


    ¡°Quite an energetic lad,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Too energetic sometimes. Well, come in strangers, let me serve you some tea in the spirit of hospitality and hear why you¡¯re looking for this old lady.¡±


    ¡°That would be wonderful. If it isn¡¯t too much to ask, please prepare some for our serpent as well.¡±


    The elder found it strange, but didn¡¯t inquire any further, only nodding in consent. She sat them around the table and poured tea on their cups (or bowl, in Boro¡¯s case) and offered them a few pastries. Being on the run this whole time, the group accepted the beverage and the chance to unwind with glee.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    The old woman payed attention to their expressions the whole time, sipping her tea quietly and waiting to hear what they were going to say. The only things that could be heard for a while were the sounds of chewing and slurping. Finishing her tea, Liza grabbed the package Paul entrusted to her and set it on the table.


    ¡°I¡¯m friends with Paul Auber and knowing I was traveling in this direction he asked me to deliver you this, elder¡­¡±


    ¡°Isadora. My, how wonderful! We were running low on medicine already, thanks for bringing this to us. Since you¡¯re Paul¡¯s friends that puts my old heart at ease. I can¡¯t never thank him enough for all the help he gives us, please make sure to tell him that when you see him again.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be staying for the night, of course? Serving you dinner and giving you a warm place to sleep is the least I can do to repay you for the trouble of brining this package all the way here.¡±


    Liza let out a long sigh and gave a wry smile.


    ¡°Truth be told I¡¯ve a rather cumbersome request¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh? If it¡¯s something I¡¯m able to help with, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡±


    ¡°When we passed through Starfall we stirred some trouble with the local lord. Right now we¡¯re considered fugitives on the run. We¡¯d like to stay here for some time till things calm down.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Isadora was clearly shaken. Helping fugitives was a serious crime and the consequences, if found out, were more than harsh. The whole village would be convicted of treason and be put to death or sold into slavery. She was thankful for the help Paul always gave her, but this was no matter to be taken lightly.


    ¡°If it¡¯s too much, let it be. We¡¯ll rest here tonight and depart in the morning,¡± said Liza.


    Isadora closed her eyes and drummed her fingers on the table, lost in thought. She remained like that for a long while before opening her eyes again. She gazed at each one of them and spoke with resolution.


    ¡°Paul asked you to bring us these medicines, that shows you¡¯re more than just acquaintances. I know how much a box like this is worth, he wouldn¡¯t just trust anybody to deliver it. It would be black hearted of me to ignore his dear friends in their time of plight.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. There¡¯s a cabin in the woods you can use as your residence. It belonged to the village hunter, but nowadays we just sow grains and the job of hunter is no more. It¡¯s quite hidden away, so even if they come searching you¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    Liza and Ben were relieved to hear they could stay. They kept talking with the elder for a good chunk of the afternoon. Liza spoke about Paul and what was happening in the world and Isadora would share old tales and speak about oddities that happened in the village. It was a pleasant time, made much more precious after all the troubles they¡¯d the last week or so.


    ¡°My, it¡¯s sure good talking when people don¡¯t complain you¡¯re being long winded,¡± Isadora laughed, ¡°but before we continue we better make sure everyone knows who you are and that they understand your circumstances.¡±


    They exited the elder¡¯s house and followed her to the village square. Though calling it a square was being generous, as it was more of a large clearing in the center of the village where the well and the alarm bell were located. Isadora grabbed the bell¡¯s rope and swung it vigorously. A clear ringing sound echoed in the air, startling the villagers. They all dropped what they were doing and rushed to the square, looks of fear and anxiety stricken across many of their faces.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong elder? Are we under attack? Is it goblins? Bandits?¡±


    ¡°Calm down people, I rang the bell to call for an emergency meeting, we¡¯re not under attack, be at ease.¡±


    Isadora¡¯s words soothed the villagers¡¯ unease. When she saw everyone had arrived she began explaining the situation. At first the villagers were glad and thanked Liza¡¯s group for bringing the medicine, but when they heard they were fugitives that would hide in Kelna for some time their smiles faded.


    ¡°Elder, I don¡¯t want to sound ungrateful, but harbouring outlaws is a heavy crime! You could be dooming us all!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right elder, please reconsider!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, they¡¯re cool,¡± murmured Jimmy.


    ¡°You shut your mouth Jimmy, this is a matter for the grownups!¡± replied Jimmy¡¯s mom.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to sound ungrateful? That¡¯s exactly how you¡¯re sounding like Jon! Would your son have survived his infirmities if it weren¡¯t for the medicine that my good friend Paul gave us? No, he wouldn¡¯t! And now that friends of his want our help all you¡¯re gonna say is tough luck? Shame on you! Shame on all of you!¡±


    Hearing the rebuke, most people dropped their heads and averted their eyes. Many lives were saved due to the medicines they received every year from the elder¡¯s friend. If the circumstances were different they would help in a heartbeat, but the punishment for harbouring criminals was just too severe.


    The villagers weren¡¯t the only ones ashamed. Liza and Ben¡¯s cheeks were also red. The feeling of forcing these ordinary people through such situation was unpleasant, but they had no better options at the moment.


    ¡°Besides, I didn¡¯t ring the bell to ask for your opinion. I already made my decision as the village elder, I¡¯m just telling you all about it. They¡¯ll be staying and that¡¯s the end of that. If anyone comes asking, just keep your mouths shut!¡±


    It could be seen that the people of Kelna deeply respected the elder, because when she put her foot down on the matter no one complained anymore. Soon everyone dispersed in small groups, murmuring amongst themselves. A few people that were saved by Paul¡¯s medicine in the past came to thank Liza personally before departing with everyone else.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s ok? They don¡¯t look happy about it,¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let it bother you, they¡¯re crude folks that wear their hearts on their sleeves. Give it a few days. When they see that no one is coming to look for you they¡¯ll forget about it,¡± said Isadora.


    ¡°But people could come looking for us¡­¡±


    ¡°I doubt it. From their perspective you could be anywhere about now, since so many days already came to pass. Unless you did something truly grave, they¡¯ll just hang wanted posters or something of the sort.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±

 Chapter 25 – Incoming Crisis

    The day after Liza¡¯s party arrival at Kelna, another group showed up in the village ¨C a mounted guardsman wearing an eyepatch and a family of three. The residents watched them approach from afar and murmured among themselves, their faces colored with anxiety.


    ¡°Look, isn¡¯t that one of the earl¡¯s men?¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t point! We don¡¯t want to draw their attention!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ Look! That gal! Isn¡¯t that Evany?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pointing again! Stop that!¡±


    ¡°Ok, ok, but isn¡¯t that her?¡±


    ¡°Hum¡­ yep, looks like her.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t her husband someone that worked for the earl? Do you think he came looking for the fugitives?¡±


    ¡°Could be, but why did she come along them? Just to visit?¡±


    ¡°Hey, maybe he could help us out of this sticky situation on the account of being married to Evany and all! We just need to tell him about the fugitives and he can say to the earl he found them on the wild. This way our whole village won¡¯t be sentenced for treason.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare! The elder made her decision! Look, I¡¯m scared too man, but the elder is right, we can¡¯t repay goodwill with malice. The Gods are watching us from above.¡±


    As the villagers whispered to one another, Jimmy gave the newcomers a worried glance and dashed away to warn the elder. He knew there wasn¡¯t much point in standing there in a daze, waiting for the worst to happen. In no time at all he was banging on the elder¡¯s door.


    ¡°Granny Isa, granny Isa, quick! Some people have come! One of them is dressed as guard!¡±


    ¡°What? One of the earl¡¯s men? Good of you to let me know Jimmy, now off you go and don¡¯t worry, granny has everything under control.¡±


    Jimmy felt reassured after hearing the elder¡¯s confident statement. To him she was never wrong. She could tell if someone was going to be ill before they got sick. If she said it would rain in the afternoon you could be damn sure it would, no matter how clear the sky was in the morning. It was understood by everyone that the elder knew best.


    After the boy was gone, Isadora turned to her guests that were sitting around the room. Eliot and Boro (or the kids, as she came to call them on her mind) were feasting on a pie she¡¯d made earlier. Ben (the quiet one) was fidgeting nervously and Liza (the leader) was gazing at nowhere, lost in thought.


    ¡°My, I believed it would take a long time for someone, if anyone, to show up¡­ guess I was wrong,¡± said Isadora.


    ¡°We did tell you someone could show up. Even so, that was fast! Can you help us?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry. Go hide over there, I¡¯ll make the bad man go away.¡±


    Isadora pointed to a side room and went outside to receive the strangers. Liza hurried to a nearby window and moved the shutters, leaving them ajar. This way she could watch what was going on without exposing herself. She grabbed her bow and prepared to act if anything went awry.


    The elder stood in front of the house, waiting. Soon, four people arrived before her, with most of the other villagers following them from a distance. Turns out this wasn¡¯t a group of complete strangers, as she knew most of them. Evany, one of their own, Carl, her husband, and Tom, their little boy.


    ¡°Elder! It¡¯s so good to see you! Why is every¡­¡±


    ¡°My, if it isn¡¯t Evany, Carl and little Tom! It¡¯s nice of you to visit us.¡±


    Evany was about to ask why everyone was acting so strange when Isadora cut her off. Her tone was warm, but her eyes were not. Evany quickly recognized her infamous stare. It meant you were in deep trouble and better keep your mouth shut and your head down. Years of deep-rooted training from her youth ensured she did just that.


    ¡°And who¡¯s the noble sir that¡¯s accompanying you? What brings him to our rural hamlet?¡±


    ¡°My name is Bret and I¡¯m here on official business. The earl is looking for fugitives that escaped Starfall recently. Have any travelers or adventurers passed by the village on the last few days?¡±


    ¡°Why, but yes! Two days ago, a young woman and two men came to the village, looking for a place to rest. We let them sleep in a barn and in the very next morning they were gone, without saying goodbye or a word of thanks if you can imagine! Are you saying they were outlaws?¡±


    Liza was startled when Isadora began her tale and almost let loose an arrow from her hiding spot. She wasn¡¯t the only one surprised, as the villagers¡¯ expressions first froze and then relaxed. This change in the mood went unnoticed by Bret whose eyes were gleaming with excitement by the news. He didn¡¯t doubt her words for a second, as she was the very picture of a forthcoming citizen helping the authorities. The fact that this was exactly what he wanted to hear also helped.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Yes, they must be the ones! Quick, where did they go?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t see them leaving, but if they are on the run from Starfall like you said they¡¯ll probably keep going east, trying to put as much distance from the city as possible.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, splendid! It¡¯s a shame you quit Carl, because when I bring them back I¡¯ll be handsomely rewarded! Perhaps I¡¯ll be made squad leader or even captain!¡±


    ¡°Good luck with that, from what I remember they weren¡¯t that easy to deal with,¡± replied Carl.


    ¡°This time I¡¯m fully equipped to get revenge! I bought a little something that could bring down a bear and I¡¯ll be doing the ambushing for once! Still, I need to catch up to them first, later pal!¡±


    Without waiting for a response, Bret turned his horse around and spurred him onwards. People quickly made way for him and shortly after he was galloping out of Kelna with haste. Everyone relaxed visibly with his departure. Carl took that as natural because that was how most folks reacted to people in official positions ¨C nervous when you¡¯re around, glad when you¡¯re gone. Only Evany who grew up in Kelna noticed that something was wrong.


    ¡°My, who would¡¯ve thought that those people were outlaws! They seemed awful nice and polite for criminals. But what about you three? Here to visit your folks Evany? I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be happy to have you around. I don¡¯t see them in the crowd, they¡¯re probably still working the fields. Have you seen them already?¡±


    Realizing his wife was rather reticent, Carl took the initiative to answer the elder¡¯s questions and inform her of their decision. They needed her approval for settling in, but that shouldn¡¯t be difficult since Evany was born in Kelna and her parents still lived in the village.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen them yet, elder. We¡¯ve come this time not to visit, but to stay. I¡¯ve quit my job as a guard in the city and we¡¯re hoping to start anew. There were some close calls recently at work and I couldn¡¯t stand the thought of having Evany fend for herself or of my little boy growing up without his da.¡±


    Isadora couldn¡¯t help herself from nodding approvingly and chuckle at how she (and everyone else) had gotten it wrong. She¡¯d been adamant against their union ¨C village girls being infatuated by strangers wasn¡¯t something new, but marrying after knowing each other for four days?


    Yet, marry they did. They moved away, but Carl always brought her back to visit from time to time and did good by her. She wasn¡¯t the only one moved by his words however. Watching from her hiding spot, Liza unconsciously clenched her fists and looked at the family of three with a mix of respect and envy.


    ¡°That sounds terrible! You¡¯re more than welcome to stay. Hubert and Rose will be delighted to have their daughter and grandson around and we could always use more able-bodied man in this village.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, elder.¡±


    The crowd dispersed and Isadora returned to her house where her guests were waiting. Seeing the old lady come in and remembering her act, Liza gave her a wry smile.


    ¡°You¡¯d me scared there for a moment,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Hahaha, did I now? It was better to give him what he wanted, this way he¡¯ll be out of your hair for some time. When he returns you¡¯ll be staying at the cabin in the woods and he¡¯ll be none the wiser.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me, but what about the other one? I recognize him from Starfall.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve crossed paths? Were you the cause for his closed calls lately?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­ will that be a problem?¡±


    ¡°He looks fine and dandy to me, so no. If anything, I should be thanking you instead since he¡¯s going to be part of our hamlet from now on. Don¡¯t worry though, in the next few days I¡¯ll have Jimmy show you the cabin in an opportune time. You guys won¡¯t have to bump heads around the village.¡±


    -


    The following morning, Carl and his wife were having breakfast with her parents in awkward silence. He felt the atmosphere on the room was strange, but he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on why.


    ¡°Dear, why don¡¯t you go for a walk and look for a nice place for our future house?¡± asked Evany.


    Carl thought it was weird but didn¡¯t argue back. In fact, he was looking for an excuse to get out of the house and away from that uncomfortable ambiance. Now that an opportunity presented itself he wasn¡¯t going to complain.


    He¡¯d barely distanced himself from the house when he thought he might as well go talk to the elder and make his monetary contribution to the village already1. For that though, he would¡¯ve to go back to the house and get his money, something he wasn¡¯t very keen on doing at moment.


    [What to do, what to do¡­ Perhaps I should sneak into our room from the window¡­ What¡¯s going on though, Evany and her parents are acting so strange today.]


    Done with his pondering, Carl decided to return and sneak into the house. He walked back, making sure he stood out of the window¡¯s line of sight and glued his back to the wall when he got near the house. He began circling the building, trying to reach his room, feeling somewhat silly in his endeavour. Carl was about to open the window after finally arriving outside his room when he heard Evany and her parents arguing.


    ¡°Tell me what¡¯s going on! Everyone is acting strange since we got here yesterday! Stop dodging my questions mom, dad!¡±


    ¡°Ev, just let it go, everything is fine,¡± said Rose.


    ¡°I won¡¯t! I¡¯ll be living here again, remember? Are we not welcomed? Did something bad happen? Should we have stayed away?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing to do with you, child. Ok, fine. Just don¡¯t tell your husband what we¡¯re about to say, understood?¡± said Hubert, finally giving up.


    Hubert then explained everything to Evany. This shocked both her and Carl, who was unintentionally eavesdropping. The fugitives that the earl was looking for, the ones Bret went chasing after yesterday, were hiding in Kelna all along! Turns out these outlaws were friends of a long-time benefactor of the village and they¡¯d brought a sizable contribution of medicine with them.


    Carl didn¡¯t have long to consider this news, as he was pulled back to reality by the shouts now coming from the center of the village. He got to his feet and dashed towards the direction of the commotion. Arriving at the village square, he saw a horse and his rider collapsed on the ground. Both were riddled with wounds and perforated by a few arrows. Alarmed, Carl rushed to the man while shouting.


    ¡°Bret, by the gods, what happened?!¡±


    ¡°Ban¡­ bandits¡­¡± was all Bret could say before passing out.


    -


    1 It was common for villages and other places with low population in Flanac to pool their resources together and buy the things needed for the community as a whole. The residents kept very little money for themselves, giving most of it to the elder to manage.

 Chapter 26 – Preparing an Ambush

    ¡°He was talking about bandits! He was gone for only a day or so, do you think the bandits will come here?¡± asked a concerned villager.


    ¡°Gods, I hope not! If the bandits are only a day away, we¡¯ll not have time to call for aid!¡±


    ¡°Hey! I need help here! Medicine, where¡¯s the medicine?¡± cried Carl.


    Isadora rushed off from her house carrying a box like the one Liza brought to them. The only difference was that there were less remedies inside of this one. She shoved Carl aside with ease and assessed the patient. Looking at his many injuries and his current state, Isadora knitted her brows, clicked her tongue, and got to work.


    People crowded around her, looking on as she used different pastes for his wounds and forced two medicinal pellets down the man¡¯s throat with the help of some water. Finally, she dressed his most serious wounds with bandages. Observing the people gathered around her, Isadora pointed at two strong men.


    ¡°You two, help me carry him over to my house! Move out of the way Carl, you¡¯re not helping!¡±


    The two appointed men hoisted the unconscious Bret up and trailed Isadora to her house. None of the other villagers followed. They didn¡¯t know the man well, there wasn¡¯t much they could to help and they couldn¡¯t just barge into the elder¡¯s home. Carl wasn¡¯t concerned with any of this, so he accompanied them in.


    He passed by Liza and Ben when he got inside and although he registered there were people there, he didn¡¯t care for who they were right now. Bret was laid down onto the bed as per Isadora¡¯s instructions. Liza scrutinized his injuries with seriousness and did a cursory analyse on his current condition.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t make it,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Shut up! Who are you? What do you know?¡± rebuked Carl.


    ¡°She¡¯s right Carl, things aren¡¯t looking good for your friend. It¡¯s easy to see he escaped pursue and rode on without rest with these injuries, the dead horse outside can attest to that. If he got treated right after the fight he might had a chance, but as things stand¡­¡± said Isadora, shaking her head.


    ¡°How¡­ how could this be? He was chasing the fugitives¡­ You! You¡¯re the guys the earl is looking for! Bret was going after you!¡± exclaimed Carl as he pointed at Liza and company.


    ¡°Yeah? So what? I didn¡¯t ask him to pursue us nor did I give him those wounds. What¡¯s your point?¡± asked Liza in inflammatory fashion.


    ¡°Liza, I don¡¯t think you should¡­¡± began Ben¡¯s ethereal voice.


    ¡°Silence, all of you!¡± shouted Isadora.


    The room got quiet.


    ¡°Carl, I know your head is a mess right now because of your old colleague, but the village is facing the threat of a bandit attack. I don¡¯t think I need to remind you that your wife and son are residing here too, right?¡± asked the elder in a more subdue and conciliatory tone.


    Realizing his wife and son could be in danger, Carl shivered and cooled down. In the back of his mind he was cursing his streak of bad luck lately, as he seemed to be jumping from one dangerous situation to the next. Noticing that everybody had calmed down, Isadora clapped her hands once to draw their attention and spoke in a somber manner.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave the poor man to rest, it¡¯s up to the gods if he¡¯ll make it. It¡¯s time we ring the bell and have a meeting with everyone to decide what we should do in this situation.¡±


    They followed Isadora outside the house. There was no need to ring the bell in the end, as all the residents were crowding the square. News about bandits traveled fast. Everyone looked concerned and the mood was tense. Liza watched their expressions and clenched her teeth hard, a burning fury brewing in the pit of her stomach. She hated bandits.


    ¡°I guess everyone heard the news already. The guard that passed by yesterday returned today, wounds all over him. He claimed he was attacked by bandits. As of now, we don¡¯t know what will happen. I want to hear your opinions before making a decision,¡± said Isadora.


    ¡°What about we give them all our money?¡±


    ¡°Are you stupid? Do you think they¡¯ll just take the money? They¡¯ll take the food and some of the women too!¡±


    ¡°What if we run away?¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯ve horses we¡¯d be done for.¡±


    ¡°Forget that, even if they didn¡¯t come for us they¡¯d ransack the village. How would we survive the winter then?¡±


    ¡°How about we send for help?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re only a day away, help wouldn¡¯t make it in time!¡±


    Liza couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She¡¯d vivid memories of a gathering just like this one and what happened afterwards. She wouldn¡¯t let the same thing happen again!


    ¡°You¡¯re all being na?ve! The guard was gone for a day, that means half a day riding away and half a day coming back. You¡¯ve a few hours if they¡¯ve horses or half a day at most if they¡¯re on foot!¡± exclaimed Liza.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The villagers panicked hearing this. A single day head start was already bad enough, but realizing they didn¡¯t have even that left them terrified and paralyzed with fear.


    ¡°You¡¯ve only two options. One, give up and hope for the best. Who knows, some of you might survive this ordeal. Or two, fight back! Don¡¯t let them take away the fruits of your hard work or the lives of your loved ones!¡±


    Some were moved by Liza¡¯s speech, especially the hotblooded youths, but most of them were scared. Their tools were the hoe and the rake, not the axe and the sword. They weren¡¯t used to fighting back. That was usually the weakness of communities like this; even when they outnumbered the bandits by a decent amount, the criminals could easily control them and pillage at leisure.


    Carl was torn. He didn¡¯t know what to feel or do about Liza and company, but he understood now was not the time to ponder such things. He needed their help to keep his family safe. Fearing the villagers might refuse to resist, causing Liza, Eliot and Ben to leave, he weighted in.


    ¡°She¡¯s right folks, we¡¯ve to fight! Bandits are ruthless! They won¡¯t have mercy just because you were nice to them. Who among you can use a sword or bow?¡± asked Carl.


    ¡°I can! I used to be an adventurer before¡­¡±


    ¡°You took an arrow to the knee,¡± Ben¡¯s ethereal voice cut in.


    ¡°What? No, before I got married,¡± replied the man, feeling confused.


    ¡°Huh? Oh, sorry I didn¡¯t mean to say that! I¡¯m just so nervous that it slipped,¡± Ben continued.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never used a weapon before, but I¡¯m strong! I can swing my sickle all day without getting tired!¡± shouted an excited youth.


    More people came forward, but only another two had some modicum of experience. Liza made a head count. With three veterans from the village, Carl, Eliot, Boro and her they¡¯d seven people that could fight. Additionally, if you excluded the young, the old and the women they¡¯d another thirteen combatants. She wasn¡¯t putting much stock on those however, because they could crumble easily in battle due to their inexperience.


    ¡°Grab whatever you can for protection and your sharpest weapons or tools. We¡¯ll hide inside the houses. The elder will pretend to receive the bandits and when they¡¯re close enough we¡¯ll rush and strike them,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s your strategy?¡± Ben asked.


    Liza was surprised to hear his voice. She figured by now he would be shaking in fear, hiding in a corner somewhere. Turning to face his way, she noticed he was scared all right. That being the case, the fact he was questioning her strategy was all the more important.


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve little time, so it won¡¯t be possible to train them properly or give individual pointers. Do you have a better idea?¡±


    Ben was afraid of the bandits and the fight that would ensue, but his life was hanging on the result of this battle. He wanted to help and make sure they¡¯d the best chance possible at victory, and Liza¡¯s plan was hopeful at best. The villagers, like himself, had no combat experience and would be easily routed after the first surprise attack. If they wanted to win this, they needed to make sure they¡¯d more advantages, enabling the residents to fight better and for a longer time.


    ¡°I do! How many bandits are we talking about?¡±


    ¡°Impossible to say, no more than thirty some though. When they grow too big they usually go out of control and end up splitting. If that doesn¡¯t happen the nobles will take notice and assemble a task force to deal with them. Twenty to thirty should be an accurate estimative.¡±


    ¡°Ok, have the women and the children disassemble the poles from the animal fence and sharpen them into spears. The men should dig holes on the ground where I tell them to. We need this done quick, then we¡¯ll practice the ambush. Anyone with courage and enough strength to thrust a spear will participate in the attack.¡±


    Nobody moved. Ben didn¡¯t have the bearings of a leader nor the charisma to spur them into action. Liza didn¡¯t know him for long, but she knew two things: he was a coward and an otherworlder with weird, foreign knowledge. If Ben overcame his fears to actively participate in their preparations, it meant he believed his knowledge would be crucial to their victory. Liza gazed at Isadora and gave a nod. The elder scratched her chin pensively.


    ¡°Why waste time making wooden spears? Any steel tool or weapon would be more effective. The gal¡¯s idea was simple, but it would work. I suggest we do as she proposed earlier,¡± said Carl.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to dismiss him. The plan we used to escape Starfall was his. Wasn¡¯t that impressive? We¡¯ve managed to escape a closed city, leaving you and your lord in the dust,¡± said Liza.


    Carl was annoyed, but internally he agreed.


    ¡°Ok folks, listen to what that lad says! We¡¯re fighting the bandits! We¡¯re fighting for our lives!¡± shouted Isadora.


    Now everyone finally scrambled. Ben was nervous at first, but after giving instructions to more than seventy people in a row, he grew more confident. It felt like playing an RTS game or taking the role of a general before the battle. While he was instructing people to dig shallow holes on the ground, the elder approached him carrying a ceramic jar.


    ¡°I remembered that fellow talking about something that could take down a bear, so I checked his equipment. This jar has a tranquilizer inside of it. I tested it on a horse, it¡¯s good stuff,¡± said Isadora.


    ¡°Good, this will be a great boon!¡±


    ¡°Right, I thought so as well!¡±


    ¡°Elder, please gather everyone when the spears are finished. I¡¯ll show them what we¡¯ll do and a simple strategy for they to fight with.¡±


    An hour or so later, the eastern trail leading towards the village was filled with small holes. They were covered with a layer of twigs and soil, making it very hard to spot them. Soon, the remaining residents gathered, bringing with them the wooden spears. Ben waited for everyone to settle down and began explaining the plan.


    ¡°We¡¯ll wait for the bandits here and ambush them as they approach the village. You¡¯ll be hidden in the fields on both sides and strike after the signal. The first attack is important, make it count. After this surprise blitz, you¡¯ll make pairs and take turns striking with your spears. This way they¡¯ll find it very hard to get near you! Any questions?¡±


    ¡°What if they come from another direction?¡± asked a courageous woman that volunteered for the ambush.


    ¡°It¡¯s improbable. That guard rode away from the village from this trail and returned to the village on this trail after encountering the bandits. In the unlikely event that they come from another direction, we¡¯ll have a group lure them here.¡±


    ¡°Lure them? I don¡¯t want to be bait, that¡¯s scary!¡± replied a coward youth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that job will fall to the veterans. Your role will be to attack them from a superior position! You¡¯ll be hidden on the crops, that will give you the element of surprise! You¡¯ll be using your long wooden spears, that will give you the advantage of reach! Finally, you¡¯ll be attacking two to one, that will give you the safety of numbers!¡±


    Listening to Ben¡¯s speech about their upper hand, the villagers grew more confident about their chances. They rehearsed their moves a couple times and took their positions. Jimmy and a couple other kids were elected to scout the enemies. All they had to do now was wait.

 Chapter 27 – Killing Bandits

    While everyone in Kelna was waiting with bated breath, a large group of people were walking on the small trail towards the village. Leading them was a thirty-year-old man with black hair and a gruffy beard. His name was Lambert and he was the leader of the Silver Wolves, a bandit group of some renown boasting twenty-seven members.


    Most of the group was on foot, sported crude gear and carried empty linen sacks, ready to be filled with their plunders. The only ones different were Lambert and his two lieutenants. They¡¯d scale armor, sharp swords and most impressive of all: horses1.


    ¡°We¡¯re getting too close to Starfall boss. Won¡¯t that be a problem?¡± asked lieutenant Cavan.


    ¡°We¡¯re fine. In the last few years the lord of Starfall has been rather quiet. His troops haven¡¯t patrolled the roads as frequently as they should, and other groups have gotten away with some pretty outrageous moves,¡± said Lambert.


    ¡°That is weird. Guess that¡¯s better for us hardworking folks who get to run around more freely, hahaha,¡± laughed lieutenant Drew.


    ¡°Oh, look there! Is that a kid? He¡¯s running away!¡± exclaimed Cavan.


    ¡°Let him, where can he go? We¡¯re already upon his village,¡± said Lambert.


    The bandits followed the beaten path towards the settlement leisurely. Soon, they could see the thatched houses in the distance, surrounded by the golden fields of wheat and the greenery of the rolling hills. The kid they¡¯d spotted earlier was running with all his might and only stopped when he reached two people that were by the village entrance. After talking with them for a moment, he ran inside.


    Lambert brought his group and stopped fifty meters away from the same people the kid had talked two. They were a young woman and a middle-aged man. Both had bows in their hands and looked like the village¡¯s hunters. They were looking at him and his men with grave expressions.


    ¡°Listen folks, we¡¯re here for your valuables. Play nice and nobody gets hurt, what do you say?¡± asked Lambert in a relaxed manner.


    The woman didn¡¯t respond, only drawing her bow and letting loose an arrow towards him with great speed. Lambert drew his sword in a silvery arch and parried the arrow. The girl¡¯s eyes widened in response.


    ¡°Why do you have to be like this¡­ men, after them!¡±


    Lambert and his lieutenants stood still on their horses while the rest of the group rushed ahead towards the village. The woman and the middle-aged man drew their bows and began shooting at them, but it wasn¡¯t very effective because the bandits on the frontlines were using large shields. When they finally closed in half the distance to their targets, some of the bandits felt the ground give up beneath them, making them stumble. This stopped their advance and disrupted everyone around them.


    -


    ¡°NOW!¡± Liza shouted.


    From the fields on both sides of the trail a group of heads popped up. The residents of Kelna rushed ahead, shouting and striking with their wooden spears at the invaders. Caught off guard, the bandits suffered greatly. Only two were directly killed by Carl and one of the village¡¯s veterans in this first attack, but most of them suffered wounds of varying degrees. With the enemy formation now a mess, Liza and the middle-aged man finally had good targets to strike down with their bows.


    Meanwhile, the tactician for this ambush was hidden in the crops, lying on the ground with Eliot and Boro at his side. Hearing the sounds of combat, Ben patted Eliot¡¯s back, signalling him to go. Eliot and Boro were excited to finally be able to play. They jumped on the trail at the bandits¡¯ back and began killing with gusto.


    They¡¯d boxed in the invaders. Liza and the middle-aged man were firing arrows from the front and were protected by many pitfall traps. The villagers stayed partially hidden in the fields, attacking from both sides using their weapons with superior reach. Closing the rear were Eliot and Boro, both slaughtering enemies to their hearts¡¯ content. The bandits were in complete disarray and were having trouble retaliating.


    -


    Lambert and his lieutenants were taken aback watching all of this.


    ¡°An ambush!¡± exclaimed Lambert.


    ¡°What should we do boss?¡± asked Cavan.


    ¡°That man and that magical beast are strong! Cavan you¡¯re with me! Drew, go into the fields and take someone hostage! I doubt they¡¯ll keep fighting after that!¡±


    Lambert spurred his horse towards Eliot who was cutting bandits left and right with his stone blade. Cavan followed right behind him. They lifted their swords in the air and prepared to strike. Feeling suddenly in danger, Eliot ducked and rolled forward, managing to avoid their attacks by a hair¡¯s width.


    Lambert and Cavan maneuvered their horses for a follow up, but Boro flew at them and attacked erratically, forcing them to defend. This terrified the horses who started acting up. In the end, they¡¯d to push Boro back and dismount. The horses ran away in fright, trampling a few bandits and villagers in the process.


    Their bout came to a lull. Eliot and Boro stood at one side and Lambert and Cavan at the other. They were assessing their adversaries, watching to see who¡¯d be the first to move.


    ¡°What kind of beast is that! It can fly and is so hard to deal with!¡± exclaimed Cavan.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°I¡¯ve no idea! You need to keep it busy Cavan, I¡¯ll finish this guy and help you with it afterwards!¡±


    ¡°Damn it! Fine!¡±


    In the end, Eliot and Boro were the impatient ones as they both rushed forward. Cavan intercepted Boro while Lambert focused on dealing with Eliot. In a matter of seconds, they were all locked in deadly combat.


    Boro flew in unpredictable patterns, going from high to low, left to right, doing his best to find a gap and take a bite off Cavan. The lieutenant from the Silver Wolves did his best to keep moving and aimed all his strikes at the part of the creature that was covered in bandages. With this he managed to keep Boro at bay and infuriated the dragon quite a bit.


    Not far from them, Eliot and Lambert were trading blows, their swords clashing against each other. That situation didn¡¯t last for long however and soon Lambert found himself in a passive position, doing his best to dodge and parry all of Eliot¡¯s ferocious strikes.


    [Who is this man?! His strikes are so fast and heavy! Thank the gods he only knows how to swing his sword around! Fuck! When are you going to grab that hostage Drew? Hurry!]


    Just as he was cursing inwards, Drew dragged a woman from the fields to the open trail, his sword against her neck. He inhaled and shouted at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°Stop this foolery or she dies!¡±


    When the villagers saw the man had a hostage they hesitated. They wouldn¡¯t have a problem if the woman had died in battle, they¡¯d be sad, but that¡¯s it. After all, they¡¯d gathered their courage to fight. This was different however, as she was alive right now. Only if they kept resisting would she be killed, and the onus of her death would be on them.


    The remaining bandits cheered. They didn¡¯t understand why they were having this much trouble. It was hard to advance because there was always at least one spear poking at them and the ground was filled with small holes that tripped them up. Even though most of them weren¡¯t gravely injured, they felt drowsy and tired, like they had been fighting forever. In fact, most of the collapsed bandits on the ground weren¡¯t dead, they were sleeping!


    Lambert retreated yet again after a fierce swing from Eliot. He was in a sore state. His arms trembled slightly, he huffed for breath and was sweating all over. Eliot on the other hand only had some perspiration on his forehead. It was clear who held the advantage. Hearing Drew¡¯s shout, Lambert rejoiced.


    ¡°We¡¯ve a hostage now¡­ how about¡­ how about we stop this fight my friend?¡± asked Lambert in heavy breaths.


    Eliot and Boro completely ignored the hostage situation and continued their attacks. Cavan wasn¡¯t having it much better than his boss with his confrontation with Boro, it was taking all his effort to keep the dragon from biting his neck off.


    Lambert cursed inwards. He was drawing from all his experience to fend off Eliot¡¯s attacks, but he doubted he could keep going like this. If that was the case, it was better to prepare an opportunity and gamble it all.


    -


    On the other side of the fight, the villagers were still hesitating. The bandits finally closed in without much opposition. Realizing things were going south, Liza frowned and pondered quickly on what to do.


    The hostage was being held tight by the outlaw, covering his body almost completely. She didn¡¯t have a clear target. In her perfect condition, maybe she could pull off a difficult shot like that once in a hundred tries, but now it was impossible. Her arms and shoulders were sore and trembled slightly, she knew she only had a few shots left in her before she was spent.


    [There¡¯s no way I can make that shot. If I miss it entirely and give that fucker enough time to react things could turn even worse¡­]


    Liza drew an arrow and sighed. She knew there was no other way. Saying sorry under her breath, she let the arrow fly straight at the hostage, piercing the woman¡¯s skull. Everyone was stunned, it was a development nobody expected.


    Now that she was dead, the woman¡¯s legs gave in and the full weight of her body caught lieutenant Drew by surprise. He couldn¡¯t keep hold of her any longer and in a matter of seconds he was fully exposed. Before he could even understand what was going on, an arrow pierced his throat. He fell to the ground with his eyes open wide, dying moments later in confusion.


    ¡°The hostage is dead! Fight! Fight for your village and your loved ones!¡± shouted Liza.


    The villagers and the bandits were still shell-shocked, but Carl recovered quickly. He impaled another bandit and kept attacking aggressively. The fight resumed, and the bandits were on the back foot yet again.


    -


    Lambert inhaled deeply, it was time to go for broke. The entire fight he¡¯d been careful, focusing on defending and dodging, using only light attacks he could pull back from at a moment¡¯s notice. Now that the hostage card failed he had to go on an all-out offensive. He gathered all his energy and swung his sword down in a feint. When Eliot jumped to the side as he predicted, he changed the trajectory of the blade to a horizontal slash. Seeing things play out as he planned, Lambert smiled.


    [Got you now! That¡¯s what you get for jumping around like a monkey all the time!]


    Noticing he wouldn¡¯t be able to escape the attack, Eliot slashed back at bandit leader with all his strength. They were both committed and couldn¡¯t stop now even if they wanted to. Lambert was confident he would win the exchange since he struck first. His blade bore into Eliot¡¯s side almost at the same instant Eliot¡¯s blade cleaved into his shoulder and down to his chest.


    ¡°Well¡­ fuck¡­¡± whispered Lambert as he fell to the ground, dead.


    Eliot sat down on the ground, grunting. Lambert¡¯s blade was still stuck at his side. The only reason he was still alive was because his strike was faster, stronger and more devastating. Lambert had lost his strength mid strike, so his blade only bore into Eliot a few centimetres deep. It was a grave wound, but not a fatal one.


    ¡°Boss¡­ no way¡­¡±


    Catching the exchange with the corner of his eye, Cavan was stunned. His boss was the strongest person he¡¯d ever met, someone that had drank a power-up potion made by alchemists! In his moment of distraction Boro pounced at his neck, tearing his throat apart.


    -


    Soon, the sound of cheers echoed on the battlefield. All the bandits had collapsed on the ground, either dead or sleeping. The villagers cried and hugged each other. They¡¯d won. They almost couldn¡¯t believe it, but they had won. Hearing the cries of victory, all the residents that didn¡¯t participate in the fight ran out from inside the village. The elderly kissed their children and grandchildren, couples hugged, and the young shouted at the top of their lungs.


    Ben walked out from his hiding spot and surveyed the battlefield. He was happy they¡¯d won, but not as much as the villagers. He knew he¡¯d played an important part in this and held some responsibility towards all the deaths. As he stood there, lost in thought and without knowing what to feel, a young lass rushed to him, embraced him tightly and kissed him on the cheek.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you, thank you!¡± she said after releasing him.


    Ben stood there bewildered. His companions (except Liza) were also being profusely thanked by the villagers. Seeing the happiness and gratitude of the residents, Ben felt a little better.


    [There was no other way, after all¡­ I need to get used to this.]


    -


    1 Proper gear is expensive. A spear is cheap and can be easily made, but a quality sword is something you need to pay a good amount of coin to get. Metal armor is usually even more expensive and horses take the cake. Of course, this is from the standpoint of the common people and fledgling adventurers.

 Chapter 28 – Reason for Hatred

    Liza approached Ben who was standing there, still deep in thought.


    ¡°Great job! Your plan was a resounding success!¡±


    Ben nodded but remained quiet. Looking at his grave complexion, Liza shook her head. She thought he ought to be happy and proud about the result of his scheme, not brooding like that. Realizing he needed more time, she left him alone for the moment.


    Leaving him behind, Liza went to check how Eliot and Boro were doing. She was worried about them because the bandit leader was skilled, he even managed to parry one of her arrows in mid-flight. She came just in time to see Eliot, his entire flank bloodied, carving the heart out of the man¡¯s chest.


    ¡°No, Eliot! You can¡¯t eat that! Here, let me take this. You can have it Boro,¡± said Liza.


    Watching his friend getting all the good stuff while he got nothing made Eliot sulk. He puffed his cheeks and turned his face away from Liza, who smiled wryly. Liza ignored his sulking and checked his wound. She gasped. It was a nasty cut that was bleeding profusely. That man really was an expert to injure Eliot like this.


    Liza tore a piece of cloth from the dead man¡¯s garment and pressed it on the wound. She grabbed Eliot¡¯s hand and put it on the rag, telling him to keep pressuring it. It was only an emergency treatment to stop the bleeding while she went to get the medicines.


    The villagers watched Liza coming and going with complex looks. Everyone knew she was instrumental for their victory, but they also knew she was the one that killed the hostage. The dead woman¡¯s parents were crying their hearts out and rushed at Liza, but they were stopped by the other residents who consoled them and took them away. Liza felt a pang of guilt in her heart watching this, but it was soon gone and she held her head high again. She believed her decision to be the correct one, sacrificing one life to save many.


    Grabbing her things from the elder¡¯s house, Liza returned to treat Eliot properly. After she was done with the young man, she went to check on Ben again to see how he was doing. She came to find him standing on the same spot, still looking dazed.


    [He¡¯s still like that? Guess I¡¯ll have to be the ¡°bad guy¡± again¡­]


    Liza drew her long knife and approached Ben. The villagers watched on with wide eyes, unsure of what she was going to do. Ben on the other hand didn¡¯t seem to notice her as she got near him. He only came back to when he felt something clasping on his hand with force. Realizing what was going on, Ben trembled.


    ¡°Wait, no! NO!¡± shouted Ben.


    Ben struggled with all his (pitiful) might. Liza ignored him and dragged him along towards a collapsed bandit that was still alive. Before she could pull Ben all the way to their target, a few villagers blocked her path.


    ¡°What are you doing? Let him go!¡± said a villager.


    ¡°Get out of my way, don¡¯t poke your nose into our business,¡± replied Liza frostily.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t do this! I don¡¯t wanna! I¡¯m no killer!¡± cried Ben.


    The villager shuddered when confronted with Liza¡¯s powerful gaze, but he stood his ground all the same. Noticing things were going bad, Carl hurried and intervened. He felt it was his responsibility to placate both sides as a new member of Kelna and someone more experienced.


    ¡°Back off people! Please excuse them Liza.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ok. Can you move out of the way now? It¡¯s tiring dragging him around like this.¡±


    ¡°Please stop her mister guard, I don¡¯t want to do this!¡± pleaded Ben.


    ¡°Could you at least tell me what¡¯s going on? What are you forcing him for? He seems quite pitiful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have him finish off all the bandits. He¡¯s too soft, he needs a baptism of blood.¡±


    ¡°No, please! I¡¯m no killer! They¡¯re people! I¡¯m not a murderer!¡±


    Astonished, Carl watched as Ben pushed and pulled, trying his best to get rid of the knife and out of Liza¡¯s control. The girl on the other hand was unfazed, one of her hands clasping around his wrist and the other making sure he held onto the knife.


    [What a strange guy! All this fuss for that?] thought Carl.


    The former guard got out of the way and made sure the other villagers stayed clear. They watched curiously as Liza forced Ben¡¯s hand to pierce the outlaw¡¯s heart. Ben shook violently. He was no longer shouting or struggling. Liza dragged him on like a ragdoll and finished the bandits one by one. She let her grip go after the last one and took her knife back, letting Ben sit weakly on the ground.


    ¡°Those that you killed today were bandits. They threatened not only your life and the lives of these villagers, but of many other innocents too. Look around you, see how many lives you saved and remember: you did a good thing today,¡± said Liza resolutely.


    Her words seemed to have fallen on deaf ears, as there was no reaction from Ben. The villagers that had watched the show in its entirety nodded at her speech. What she said was the truth, to them these people deserved a thousand deaths.


    With the bandits executed and everyone treated for their injuries, Isadora started organizing the villagers again. They dug graves for the few villagers that perished in combat and a massive ditch for the invaders. After that was done, a huge commemoration was in order.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    The residents gathered around a big bonfire in the square and began cooking, drinking, singing and dancing. The joy of avoiding disaster, the joy of being alive. Those that had closer relationships with the brave ones that perished joined in too, dancing and shouting with tears in their eyes.


    Liza was sitting with her companions, watching the festivities. Eliot was stuffing his mouth nonstop to make up for the heart he¡¯d to give up earlier. Boro wouldn¡¯t miss this opportunity to eat as much as he wanted either. Ben was sitting to the side, his eyes completely glazed.


    The villagers took turns to come and thank them, offering dishes and beverages as tokens of appreciation. They were only rather stiff in front of Liza. After some people had come and gone, Isadora approached them carrying a heavy sack.


    ¡°They told me what happened, you¡¯ve my thanks Liza.¡±


    ¡°I did what had to be done. I¡¯m surprised they don¡¯t hate me for it.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t know how to feel about it. They understand why it had to be done, but they can¡¯t accept it. The human heart is an irrational thing after all¡­ You would make a good elder Liza.¡±


    ¡°Ah~, I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯m rough and can¡¯t sugar coat things, people would find hard to follow my lead.¡±


    ¡°Yet you¡¯ve the decisiveness to do what must be done. Anyway, here¡¯s a few days of supplies. I¡¯ll have Jimmy show you to the cabin before dusk. You can come to the village anytime you like, but I¡¯ll send someone to check on you every few days anyway.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°No, no, thank you for your help. Give my thanks to Ben afterwards, he seems out of it right now.¡±


    ¡°Will do.¡±


    The commemoration kept going and more people came to exchange words with them. They were mostly pleasantries and heartfelt gratitude for their help in this dire situation. Eventually, Carl came up to them too.


    ¡°Thank you for your help in defending the village, my wife and son are alive due to your group¡¯s assistance,¡± said Carl.


    ¡°No problem, but what will you do now mister guard?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no longer a guard. Although when I first discovered you were hiding here I was tempted to go back and inform the lord, that¡¯s no longer the case.¡±


    ¡°Ho, that¡¯s good. I¡¯ve heard why you quitted. Your family is lucky to have you.¡±


    ¡°Wah~ not at all, I¡¯m blessed to have them!¡±


    Carl was caught off guard with the praise and blushed slightly. They exchanged a few more words before he left to be with his wife and son. The festivities continued till the middle of the afternoon.


    ¡°Well, well, if it isn¡¯t Jimmy the bold!¡± said Liza as she saw the lad approach them.


    ¡°Haha, you flatter me miss Liza,¡± said the boy shyly.


    ¡°It¡¯s true though, I was impressed when you volunteered to scout the bandits. You did a splendid job!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, I did, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m here to guide you to your place miss,¡± said Jimmy feeling proud.


    ¡°Off we go then!¡±


    Liza got up and forcibly dragged Eliot and Boro away from the food, with Ben following them absentmindedly. Jimmy guided them into the grove, all the way to a wooden cabin. It was a cosy place with three small rooms and a front porch.


    ¡°I¡¯m impressed with how clean and well-kept it is, wasn¡¯t this place abandoned for some time?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Hehe, granny Isa had me come and tidy it up the moment it was decided you were all staying,¡± said Jimmy.


    ¡°Really now? You¡¯ve my thanks Jimmy.¡±


    Jimmy scratched his cheek shyly. He talked with Liza for a bit longer before deciding to leave and let them rest. After he was gone, Eliot and Boro went exploring while Liza sat with Ben on a bench in the porch.


    They stayed in silence, looking at the tranquil woods and hearing the soothing sounds of the birds. Liza was really pleased with this location, it was isolated enough without being unreachable, forested enough without being a jungle and most importantly, peaceful. She gazed at Ben from time to time, paying careful attention to his complexion. She was worried about how he would handle today¡¯s experiences.


    Outwardly Ben looked normal, but inside he was a mess. His stomach was constantly revolving, his breathing was unsteady, and his chest felt like it was crumbling under an invisible pressure. His emotions were all over the place to such an extent that he found himself in an almost catatonic state. In fact, if it weren¡¯t for the ring voicing his thoughts he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to communicate right now.


    ¡°Why did you do that? That time with the goblin as well.¡± asked Ben.


    His ethereal voice was always without emotion, only increasing or decreasing in volume depending on the situation. At this moment the ghostly voice was so quiet it was almost a whisper, which went to show how frail his current state of mind was.


    ¡°I¡¯m helping you. Maybe you can¡¯t see it now and maybe you¡¯ll hate me for it, but it¡¯s needed. This isn¡¯t the world you came from, you got to be ruthless when the situation calls for it.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯d already won. They were sleeping due to the tranquilizer and were no longer a threat. We could have restrained them and sent them to the authorities.¡±


    ¡°If we did that they¡¯d end up being public hanged in the city. We just saved some time and effort, both for us and for the gallows.¡±


    There was another period of silence. Liza knew Ben was still not convinced and sighed.


    ¡°Look, Ben, I get that you¡¯re not used to this, but we ABSOLUTELY did a good thing today. Some individuals at the end of the day can¡¯t be considered people and you should have no remorse when killing them.¡±


    ¡°That seems¡­ extreme.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Let me tell you a personal story. When I was small I lived in a little village much like this one, full of honest, hardworking folks, real salt of the earth. It was a peaceful and boring place, till one day when a group of bandits arrived. Everyone hid in their homes and the elder gave all our money to the outlaws, asking them to spare us. Do you know what they did?¡±


    Ben kept quiet. He¡¯d a guess, but he didn¡¯t dare to voice it.


    ¡°They killed the elder on the spot, complaining there was too little gold! What did they expect raiding a farming village?! They began breaking into the houses and killing at leisure. My mom hid me in the oven and stacked a bunch of firewood to cover up the entrance. She made me swore to keep quiet, so I did. I stood there and watched as they broke in and¡­ as they broke in and¡­¡±


    At this point Liza choked up and couldn¡¯t keep going. Her fists were clenched hard enough to draw blood from her palms. Ben looked at her in silence. He could only imagine what she must have been forced to watch as a kid.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. To lose your parents like that¡­ I can¡¯t imagine it,¡± said Ben.


    Hearing this Liza got angry again, but it was a different kind of anger.


    ¡°Not my parents, only my mother. My father abandoned us when I was still small. While I was growing up my mother kept praising him and saying how amazing he was, much to his embarrassment. But she was wrong! How can a father that abandons his kid and wife be any good? Where was he when we needed him the most? Wasn¡¯t he the strongest? The ogre killer? Blargh!¡±


    Liza unclenched her hands and brushed her face against her sleeve. She gave an awkward laugh and shook her head nonstop.


    ¡°Hahaha, I lost my composure. I was worried you¡¯d go to a dark place with everything that happened, but it ended up being me the one who cried. Quite pathetic,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°That¡¯s not pathetic at all. I¡¯m impressed you can still laugh and cry after everything you went through.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve master and uncle Paul to thank for that. They found me in that destroyed village and took me in. They saved me in more ways than one.¡±


    There was a subtle smile on her face as she remembered her saviours.


    ¡°You¡¯re strong. Much stronger than I thought,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Really now¡­¡± replied Liza quietly.


    They remained the rest of the time in silence, looking at the trees distractedly, both lost in their own thoughts.

 Chapter 29 – Peaceful Times (1)

    That night Ben¡¯s screams echoed throughout the wooden cabin. He had a restless and intermittent night¡¯s sleep. He¡¯d wake up mumbling from time to time, covered in cold sweat, only to fall asleep again due to sheer tiredness a few hours later. This cycle repeated itself until he was completely awake at dawn.


    Watching his frail state and his bloodshot eyes, Liza sighed. She¡¯d obviously heard his screams that night, it was hard not to. Even though she¡¯d no idea what he was saying (Ben would take the ring out before going to bed), it wasn¡¯t hard to guess.


    [It will take time for him to get better, but there¡¯s a way we can speed up the process,] she thought.


    ¡°Ben, I¡¯ve got a task for you. Every morning I want you to take Eliot and go get us some water from the well in the village. Use that basin by the door. In the meantime, I¡¯ll prepare our breakfast.¡±


    Ben nodded and got up with difficulty. He grabbed the empty basin and Eliot¡¯s arm, making for the village with faltering steps. He was feeling terrible in a way that was hard to describe. It was a mixture of tiredness, annoyance and self-hatred. It made the singing of the birds feel grating to his ears and made Eliot¡¯s energetic steps feel like they were mocking him.


    As soon as they got out of the grove, they could see the villagers busily scurrying by. They were surveying the fields, readying their tools and doing all sorts of preparations for a new day¡¯s work. Whenever they spotted Ben and Eliot, they would wave at them with big smiles.


    ¡°Top of the morning to you, sirs!¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s our saviours! How did you sleep? Do you need anything?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here! Wait just a sec! Yesterday I baked something for you as a little thanks, I¡¯ll go get it right away!¡±


    Wherever they went they were greeted with warmth and respect. Even Ben¡¯s grumpiness couldn¡¯t resist such amount of favour and goodwill. By the time they were returning to the hunter¡¯s cabin, Ben was carrying a bunch of foodstuffs he received as gifts and was feeling much better.


    ¡°Leave the basin on that log over there and wash your hands, breakfast is ready. We¡¯ve got gruel and eggs, not bad if I say so myself. Though I¡¯m sure Eliot and Boro will complain,¡± said Liza.


    They sat at the table to eat their breakfast. It was a simple meal, but with all the other gifts Ben received from the villagers there was enough to satisfy even Boro and Eliot.


    [Wow, this is good. I thought everything would taste bland, but I guess salt is not an issue here. Makes sense, otherwise there would be no way salted jerky was a part of the traveling rations,] thought Ben.


    After the meal, Ben offered to clean up the dishes and Liza went about doing her training routine. She chose a tree as her target and began practicing her archery. Eliot stood at her side and imitated her with his arms extended, shooting with an imaginary bow.


    His actions made Liza laugh, so the first few arrows missed their target. Thirty shots later, Liza¡¯s arms were trembling and she couldn¡¯t keep going. She rested for a few minutes, stretched her arms and shoulders, and did another round of thirty shots. That was her current limit. If she rested again for a bit and kept going, the shots would keep losing accuracy and strength, making continuing meaningless.


    She recovered the arrows from the tree, strapped the bow to her back and started running to build her resistance and stamina. At this point Eliot lost his interest and went to explore the woods with Boro.


    Left alone in the cabin, Ben sat on the bench in the porch and pondered about his future. It was the first time since he came to this world that he wasn¡¯t in imminent danger and had the time to organize his thoughts without feeling pressured.


    [All right, what now? Those bastards that summoned and imprisoned me said there¡¯s no way for me to get back¡­ could that be true? Am I stuck here forever? That shouldn¡¯t be the case! If there¡¯s a magic that can bring me here from Earth, there¡¯s certainly a magic that can send me back! They must have been lying to make me lose hope and accept the situation! Yes, I¡¯m sure of it!]


    [I should keep laying low for now. Then, when things calm down, I can keep traveling with Liza and begin gathering information. I need to learn about magic, see if there¡¯s a way I can become a wizard and research all kinds of spells. If that¡¯s not possible, I need to make acquaintance with some trustworthy mages I can pin my hopes on.]


    [Well, would you look at that¡­ I¡¯ve always complained that life was boring and meaningless and here I am, stuck in another world, thinking of how to become a wizard so I can go back home. I still can¡¯t say much about life¡¯s meaning, but I guess I can¡¯t call it boring anymore.]


    [But never mind that, focus! Later I can ask Liza to teach me the local language and see If I can keep following them. From there I can slowly start figuring out how to become a mage, collecting spells and all the other stuff. That¡¯s the plan then! Searching for a way back while traveling around Flanac!]If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Now that his future goals were clear, Ben felt like a heavy load was taken out of his chest. Coupled with the warmth he received from the villagers earlier, he¡¯d completely put out of his mind the nightmare that was the day before, at least for the moment.


    He waited in silence, admiring the nature around him and making a mental list of everything he needed to do in the future. About this time Liza returned. She was breathing roughly and sweating all over, her hair now in a ponytail that clung to her neck and shoulders. Ben couldn¡¯t help but appreciate her beauty.


    ¡°AH!¡± cried Ben in surprise.


    ¡°What?! What happened?¡±


    Liza drew her bow in a quick motion, readying an arrow as she spun around trying to find the cause of Ben¡¯s alarm. No matter how she looked though, there was nothing out of ordinary. Everything was normal, the woods were serene.


    ¡°Your ears!¡± said Ben after recovering from his shock.


    ¡°What? Oh. You scared me for nothing you jerk!¡±


    ¡°You have pointy ears! Are you an elf? Can I touch them?¡± asked Ben, his eyes glowing with interest.


    ¡°What? No!¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ve never seen an elf before! Let me touch them just for a little bit, just so I can see if they¡¯re real.¡±


    ¡°No way I¡¯m letting you touch them! It¡¯s just weird! They are real and I¡¯m not an elf, I¡¯m a half-elf!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°No buts! I¡¯m going inside to wash up. You better behave or I¡¯ll give you your very own pair of pointy ears!¡±


    Liza marched into the cabin and shut the door with a bang. Ben remained in a daze for a while, looking at the closed door. He felt a sudden impulse to go inside and peek, but he wasn¡¯t a kid anymore, nor was he a creep. In the end he just sighed an sat back on the bench. By the time Liza finished washing up, Eliot and Boro returned with a dead deer.


    ¡°Oh, good catch Eliot, Boro! Now we have meat!¡± exclaimed Liza.


    ¡°Isadora said the village doesn¡¯t have a hunter for some time now, the woods are probably bustling with wildlife,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°You¡¯re right! That¡¯s good news for us. It¡¯s a bit early for lunch, but we need to prepare the deer and that takes time. Come Ben, help me with skinning, deboning and all that.¡±


    ¡°I rather not¡­ I¡¯ve no idea how to do those things.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you! It¡¯s also good to build your resistance to gore.¡±


    ¡°Why did need you to remind of that,¡± said Ben squeamishly.


    They all sat at the edge of the porch and Liza began instructing Ben on how to prepare game. Eliot enthusiastically followed along. Almost an hour later they had the deer meat split in three piles. One with consistently and precisely cut pieces done by Liza, one with roughly cut chunks done by Ben and another one with completely butchered parts done by Eliot.


    ¡°Ok, we¡¯ll keep half for lunch and dinner. You can bring the rest to Isadora and she¡¯ll distribute it to the villagers.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go this time?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t like me much, it¡¯s better you go.¡±


    [Plus, it¡¯s part of your recovery treatment,] thought Liza.


    Ben made his second trip to the village that day and was once again greeted warmly by everyone he met. The elder happily took the meat he presented her and gave a few herbs and condiments in return.


    When he got back to the cabin, Ben found a rather idyllic scene. Liza was resting on a hammock, swinging lightly to and fro, and Eliot was sprawled on the floor with Boro atop of his belly, both looking bored. With the cabin in the woods as a backdrop, it would make for a good painting. It was a shame he didn¡¯t have any of the necessary apparatus to paint at the moment.


    He sat on the bench and stretched his legs lazily. The tranquil atmosphere made him sleepy. He yawned and almost gave in, but in the end decided now was not the time to take a nap. He wanted to broach the subject he was pondering previously.


    ¡°Hey, Liza, can I keep traveling with you guys in the future?¡±


    ¡°Sure, if you want to. I don¡¯t have a fixed itinerary though, just so you know.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfect. Everything here is new for me, so I want to learn and see the most of Flanac I can while searching for a way to get back to my own world.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine then. I¡¯m surprised though. I thought after our two close calls you would want to part ways now that things have settled down. Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d ask to stay of your own accord.¡±


    ¡°You guys are my saviours, there¡¯s no way I¡¯d depart to be on my own. I was just afraid you¡¯d refuse because of my uselessness.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not useless, your wits pulled us through twice already. Even if you were though, I wouldn¡¯t mind bringing you along after learning about your situation. If I left someone na?ve like you to fend for yourself in this world you¡¯d be dead in a ditch somewhere before the end of the week.¡±


    ¡°Ouch, that¡¯s harsh¡­ and probably accurate. Just out of curiosity, why don¡¯t you have a fixed itinerary? Are you exploring the world?¡±


    ¡°Nothing that grand. I¡¯m searching for my father. I want to look that scum in the eye and ask him why he left. I¡¯m not too sure what I¡¯ll do afterwards.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Ben kept quiet because he remembered how upset Liza got yesterday when talking about it, but this time she seemed ok. Since she was fine, and he was curious, he decided to probe a little further.


    ¡°It must be hard to find a single person in this big world. How long have you been looking for him? Aren¡¯t you afraid he might have already¡­ you know¡­¡±


    ¡°Died? Nah. My mom always bragged about how strong he was and from what I can remember it wasn¡¯t just bravado. Age also won¡¯t be a problem, because he¡¯s an elf.¡±


    ¡°Then, isn¡¯t it better to just go directly to an elven city?¡±


    ¡°Puahahaha¨C hahahahahaha¨C haha.¡±


    Ben watched flabbergasted as Liza almost fell down from the hammock because she was laughing so hard. Eventually she calmed down and dried her tears on her sleeve.


    ¡°That was a good one. Ah, it isn¡¯t so simple I¡¯m afraid. Different from dwarves, gnomes, halflings and other races that mingle with humans, elves are reclusive. They mostly stay inside their forests and hidden cities, rarely coming out. If you see an elf in a human city, there are usually two reasons. First, he¡¯s a young one that¡¯s traveling the world for gaining experience. Or second, he¡¯s a renegade, someone that ran away from the old traditions and prefers the hustle and bustle of civilization than their hermit¡¯s way.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Doesn¡¯t that make him even harder to find?¡±


    ¡°Yep. That¡¯s why my main hope is in the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, though I still don¡¯t have enough money nor rank to buy that kind of information. I travel around doing quests to pay for my food, save some coin and increase my guild rank all in one go. And who knows, maybe by wandering about I might bump into him someday.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± said Ben.


    Liza said why don¡¯t you go directly to an elven city under her breath and chuckled a few more times. Ben blushed in embarrassment hearing her clear and melodious laugh that was mocking him.


    [Heck, how could I know? But if something so obvious could resolve her problem, she wouldn¡¯t be traveling around all this time¡­ I guess I asked for it,] thought Ben shaking his head.

 Chapter 30 – Peaceful Times (2)

    Ben looked at Liza who was still swaying gently in the hammock. He waited for her chuckling to stop before starting the conversation again.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Can you teach me your language? I¡¯d like to learn how to read and write as well.¡±


    ¡°What do you want that for? Doesn¡¯t your ring cover all your needs?¡±


    ¡°But the ring is the ring, it¡¯s not my own voice. What would I do if it ever stopped working or if I lost it or something? Wouldn¡¯t I be screwed?¡±


    ¡°Hum, makes sense. I¡¯ve taught kids back in Tirin how to read and write, so it should be no problem but¡­ they all knew the language. It¡¯s something everyone knows since they¡¯re little, I¡¯ve no idea how to teach you that.¡±


    ¡°I can help with that, I¡¯m an expert after all. I know five languages and was amidst learning my sixth when I was transported here,¡± said Ben proudly.


    ¡°Wow, that sounds hard. I can speak common and I know a few random words in elvish, but that¡¯s all. I couldn¡¯t begin to imagine how difficult it would be to learn the language of the other races.¡±


    ¡°You just have to study and practice. It¡¯s the answer for learning any skill. As long as you¡¯re willing to teach me, I¡¯m sure I can master the language in six months.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m willing, but in return you¡¯re responsible for cooking lunch and dinner! And the clean up!¡±


    ¡°Deal!¡±


    A few hours later, Ben went to the kitchen to fulfil his part of the bargain. He searched around for the stocked goods and made a list of his available ingredients.


    [Ok, we have meat (thank you Eliot!), wheat, rye, cabbage, carrots, butter, salt and some herbs. Not bad! It¡¯s not great, but at least the food situation is not rock bottom. I can make this work.]


    He used the grains to make porridge, fried the meat with butter (after preparing it with salt and herbs), and boiled the cabbage and carrots. All in all, it made for a tasty and nutritious meal. Everyone sat at the table and ate heartily.


    ¡°Wow, that was good! You can cook well, I made a good deal!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, thanks. I guess Eliot and Boro liked it too,¡± said Ben as he watched the duo licking their plates clean.


    When they were done eating, Ben grabbed all the dishes and began cleaning up. He still wasn¡¯t used to this world version of doing the dishes. It only consisted of heating up water and rinsing the wooden plates and the cutlery while scrubbing any food remains off with his fingers.


    [I know detergent is too much to ask, but at least give me soap! Come on!]


    Done with the ¡°cleaning¡±, Ben sat back at the table, refilled his cup with more water and cracked his knuckles in anticipation. He was about to learn the most interesting tongue he¡¯d ever come across, a language from another world!


    ¡°Ok, let¡¯s start! You said you have no idea how to teach me, but it¡¯s very simple really. Teach me some simple words first. This way I can begin building a vocabulary and getting used to your phonemes,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Phonemes? What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Huh, how to explain it¡­ in simple terms, phonemes are sounds. Every language uses different sets of sounds, or phonemes, to form all its spoken words. Some phonemes are common and appear in many languages, others not so much. If you start to learn a new language that contains a phoneme you¡¯re not used to, it can lead to some difficulty in your understanding or speaking skills.


    That¡¯s why Japanese people can find hard to pronounce words ending with consonants, like the English word stop, or how English speakers can find hard to pronounce open words in Spanish or Portuguese, like agua/¨¢gua. Therefore, getting used to hearing and training to speak the phonemes is important, otherwise you can end up with a strong accent and finding hard to understand what a native is speaking.¡±


    Finishing his small rant, Ben noticed Liza¡¯s bewildered gaze and Eliot¡¯s tilted head. He understood that most of what he said was lost on them. He coughed embarrassedly and continued.


    ¡°Anyways, don¡¯t worry about it. This table we are sitting at, how is it called? Just keep repeating the word. I will remove my ring and listen carefully, then I will try to say it. You can give me a positive sign when you think I got it close enough and we¡¯ll move to a different object.¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Ok.¡±


    Liza repeated table, table, table like a broken record and Ben took off his ring and primed his ears. After some time, he was the one saying tablious, tabloou, tablee until he finally managed to say table and Liza gave him a thumbs up. After making sure he¡¯d the word table down, he asked Liza to teach him how to write it. Eliot followed the whole procedure with keen interest and clapped his hands in excitement.


    In this way they spent a good portion of the afternoon. Ben would listen to a word over and over, speak it till he got it right, then learn the symbols that made that object into writing. Surprisingly, Eliot and Boro didn¡¯t get bored halfway through (like they usually did with most things), but stayed focused the entire time. The first one to give up was Liza.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for today. If I need to repeat tree one more time I¡¯ll go crazy. We can continue tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. Thank you.¡±


    The days passed peacefully and soon two months had gone by. Ben still had nightmares some nights, but they weren¡¯t as frequent. He was learning in a good pace and could now hold a brief (although meaningless) conversation. The real surprise though came one morning when they were preparing a boar Eliot and Boro had caught.


    Ben had his ring off and was cutting chunks of the boar in rhythmic fashion. He was much better in dealing with all the blood now, but his enthusiasm for learning was driving Liza mad.


    ¡°Meat, meat. M-E-A-T. Bone, boneo, bone. B-O-N-E. Fur, furo, F-U-R.¡±


    ¡°Argh, this can be so annoying!¡± exclaimed Liza.


    Cleaning the blood from his hands in a bucket of water, Ben slid the ring back to his finger and nodded at Liza.


    ¡°Sorry, what did you say? I didn¡¯t catch that,¡± said Ben¡¯s ethereal voice.


    ¡°Oh, nothing, just talking with myself. I was, huh, admiring your learning efforts.¡±


    ¡°Haha, if you want to learn you got to put the hours in!¡±


    Ben happily took out the magical ring and continued repeating some simple words related to his task at hand, much to Liza¡¯s despair. She did her best to zone out all of his noise.


    ¡°BoOones, tusky, tuskk, T-U-S-K.¡±


    ¡°Meat.¡±


    ¡°Right, meat, meat, M-E-A-T.¡±


    ¡°I¨C I like meat,¡± said a raspy and low voice.


    Surprised, Liza dropped the knife in her hand while Ben scrambled to put his ring back on his finger, his eyes open wide in astonishment. Even Boro who was sleeping calmly in the hammock woke up and flew to Eliot¡¯s side in excitement.


    Only Eliot kept his head down, absorbed in his work. He kept cutting the creature, his eyes fixed at his assigned part of the job. He opened his mouth again and spoke with difficulty, his voice so low you would miss it if it wasn¡¯t for its crass quality that sounded grating to the ear. To Liza though, there was nothing irritating about it. She was extremely happy to see the silent young man finally talking.


    ¡°Meat, meat, meat. I li¨Cke meat,¡± said Eliot.


    ¡°Eliot! You¡¯re speaking!¡± exclaimed Liza with glee.


    Eliot stopped his work and looked at Liza with his head tilted sideways, like he usually did when he was confused. Liza ignored his reaction and grabbed his arm with enthusiasm.


    ¡°Quick, quick. Say my name. Say Liza.¡±


    Silence.


    ¡°Come on, say Liza.¡±


    Silence.


    ¡°Liza, Liza, Liza, Liza, Liza,¡± she repeated like she usually did for Ben.


    ¡°Li-za, Liza,¡± replied Eliot.


    ¡°Yeah! Hurray! Today I¡¯m making lunch! And it will be special! I¡¯ll go talk to Isadora and get a few more things for us! We¡¯re commemorating!¡±


    She smiled widely at Eliot, patted his shoulders affectionally and went to the village with a skip in her step. The trio watched her go nonplussed. Ben smiled and shook his head.


    ¡°She likes you a lot it seems. I¡¯m kind of envious.¡±


    ¡°Like? I like meat. Meat, meat, meat. I like meat.¡±


    Hearing Eliot¡¯s response, Ben laughed boisterously. It was like having a kid around. He thought about taking his ring off again to continue practicing but decided against it. He might miss something Eliot said after so long without talking, that would be a shame.


    Eliot kept his ¡°song¡± going for a bit longer, but his voice kept getting raspier and raspier, until he couldn¡¯t speak anymore. It was clear that those few sentences were already too much for him after such long period of silence.


    Ben was not worried though. He knew it was normal for that to happen and that Eliot would need some time for a complete rehabilitation. He went inside and brought back a cup of water, giving it to the young man.


    ¡°Drink, your throat should be parched by now, right?¡±


    Eliot drank the water with delight, his throat indeed felt uncomfortably dry. They continued their work on the boar and by the time they were finished Liza was back. She carried a wicker basket filled with different foodstuffs and ingredients.


    ¡°You¡¯re finished? Good job. Like usual, bring half to the kitchen and send the other half to the elder. I¡¯ll start cooking right away!¡±


    One hour later, they were all seated at the table and eating the best meal they¡¯d in this past few months1. There was pie, bread, meat, three types of fruit and five of types vegetables. For any local this lunch would be considered a sumptuous feast. Everyone ate with relish until there was nothing left. They finished the lunch with a toast of wine, like it was traditional for celebrations.


    ¡°For Eliot¡¯s first words! Cheers!¡± exclaimed Liza.


    ¡°Cheers!¡±


    Afterwards they fussed over Eliot for some time, trying to keep him talking and get a conversation going. Unfortunately, he only spoke sporadically and without stringing together his thoughts at all. He got tired of it a while later and stopped talking altogether, no matter what the others did. In the end they¡¯d to give up for the time being.


    With the celebration over (and everyone feeling bloated from overeating), they lay down to take a nap. Soon the cabin was filled with the sound of quiet breathing and some occasional snoring. Like this, the peaceful times continued.


    -


    1 Well, apart from Ben and, in some part, Boro. The feast he received (or stole, in case of Boro) from the Hampshires was in another level.

 Side-Chapter 4 – Fang Chu

    Somewhere in the vast plains of Balt, two figures were walking unhurriedly on a beaten path. They were both wearing rough and worn-down travel clothes, giving them a bedraggled appearance.


    One of them was a young man around fifteen years old with a strong build and short brown hair. He should be someone rather tall and with a good bearing, but right now his back was slightly bent over, and his forehead glistened with sweat.


    He was carrying two heavy rucksacks, one over each shoulder, and was holding a large rock near his chest. Why he did that was a mystery. This strange sight would always draw questioning glances from the occasional travelers they met on the road.


    At his side was a tall woman holding onto a walking staff, her long undulated red-hair swaying in the breeze. Her beautiful features were in stark contrast to the young man¡¯s, as she didn¡¯t betray an ounce of tiredness. She also drew her fair share of stares, but they were because even her baggy clothes couldn¡¯t hide her womanly curves. All in all, they made for a peculiar pair.


    ¡°Master, can I drop the rock now?¡± asked the young man with difficulty.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before to not call me master, Claude. I¡¯m just teaching you some things. A master-pupil relationship is something much more serious,¡± replied the woman.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry miss Fang Chu.¡±


    ¡°All right, since we¡¯re almost at Berat you can drop the rock.¡±


    Claude dropped the rock to the side and gave a long sigh. He adjusted his posture and stretched his arms, making low moans in the process. He didn¡¯t remember for how long he was carrying that boulder; he only knew that getting rid of it was sweet release. Fang Chu watched the young man from the side and shook her head slightly, her eyes containing a complex expression.


    Berat was a bustling river port town. All the goods coming from the northeast part of the kingdom passed through its docks to be sent further down river towards the capital, Kalafrana. From there the merchandise would be redistributed to the rest of the nation.


    As they waited in line to enter the city, the young man¡¯s eyes darted here and there with curiosity. He saw merchants organizing their cargo for inspection, boats drifting up and down along the river, and many non-humans, like dwarves, gnomes and halflings, going about their business. Everything was new to him.


    The woman on the other hand payed no mind to all of that, focusing her attention on the town¡¯s size, its wooden palisade and its overall infrastructure. Honestly, she was disappointed. An unintentional hint of contempt flashed past her eyes.


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s my first time seeing a city so big! It¡¯s so full of people!¡± exclaimed Claude.


    ¡°Big? Full of people? I guess. We haven¡¯t been to anything but villages and hamlets so far,¡± replied Fang Chu.


    A middle-aged pedlar that was waiting in front of them turned around to assess the duo. When he saw Fang Chu he was stunned at first, but being an experienced merchant he hid his surprise very quickly. He gave Claude and ingratiating smile and spoke in an open manner.


    ¡°Is it your first time traveling away from your village lad?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right sir, I¡¯ve never seen a place this big or crowded!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s nothing! You should see the capital then, now that¡¯s a big city! It¡¯s only a few days downriver by boat, you should go if you have the chance.¡±


    ¡°Really? How big is it? How many people live there?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°It¡¯s easily a few times bigger than Berat, miss. As for population, how can one tell? It should be around 200,000¡­ maybe. I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Two hundred thousand? Is that a lot? How many is that?¡± asked Claude.


    [Only 200,000? For the capital? That¡¯s so few!] thought Fang Chu in shock.


    ¡°Huh, how to put it¡­ here, look at this. See this grain I¡¯m holding? It¡¯s called rice. Look at how small it is. Now imagine that each grain is one person. To have 200,000 people is like filling one of the rucksacks you¡¯re carrying to the brim with this grain, that¡¯s how many people there are in the capital.¡±


    The young man took a while to understand, such kind of abstract thinking wasn¡¯t something he was used to do. Finally, he gasped with his mouth wide open.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a lot!¡± Claude said in astonishment.


    The pedlar smile faltered for a moment. He could feel that the young man wasn¡¯t being honest, but rather putting up a show. It was almost like the lad wanted everyone around to see him as na?ve and honest. That left the middle-aged man uncomfortable, because he couldn¡¯t figure out the reason behind such an attitude; they¡¯d just met, after all. He kept conversing with the duo for a while longer and disengaged himself politely. Soon it was his turn for inspection. He went through the procedure quickly, as he wasn¡¯t carrying too much goods.


    Claude and Fang Chu also had no difficulty passing through security. They weren¡¯t carrying any weapons or items for sale, so after giving their names, purpose and paying a fee, they were allowed in.


    The first thing the duo did after entering the city was to find a place to stay for a few days. In their journey so far, they¡¯d been camping outside or making use of the rule of hospitality, as no one of the small settlements they passed by had a proper inn.


    They chose a simple establishment and payed for a few days in advanced. After dropping their luggage in the bedroom, they went to the communal area to get breakfast, which consisted of some gruel and flatbread.


    ¡°Ok, after the meal we¡¯ll go looking around. If we search the slums and the docks, we¡¯ll probably find a lot of candidates. Do you remember what to say?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    A faint glimmer of discontentment and hatred flashed past Claude¡¯s face, but it went away just as quickly as it appeared. Fang Chu, who was focusing on her bowl of gruel, didn¡¯t seem to notice anything strange in the least.


    ¡°Yes, miss Fang Chu. I¡¯m to find abandoned kids or teenagers and give them a bit of food. Then I need to tell them they¡¯ll get more if they meet me outside town tomorrow morning for some work.¡±


    ¡°That will do. Few people showed up after you joined and even fewer managed to last more than a couple days, but it¡¯s time for us to get rid of this unlucky streak. This is a bustling port river town, I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be many candidates!¡±


    Claude tensed his shoulders and his stomach filled with butterflies. He eyed the red-headed woman carefully. She was still looking down, her full attention on the gruel bowl, like it was the most interesting thing in the world. He finally relaxed, concluding she didn¡¯t mean anything by it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll miss. I¡¯m just afraid they¡¯ll give up in one or two days like most of them, your training is too severe for those weaklings,¡± he said evenly.


    ¡°Then it can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯m stringent in my requirements. If they can¡¯t take that much there¡¯s no point in continuing. I¡¯ve told you before, I¡¯m not looking for strength our aptitude. What I want is someone with a firm will and a decent personality¡­¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Done eating their breakfast, they exited the inn and separated. Fang Chu went to the docks and Claude went to the slums, each carrying a bag with many flatbreads inside. Both had very different things in mind, however.


    [This is your last chance Claude! Don¡¯t disappoint me!]


    [Why! Why won¡¯t she accept me as her disciple? Instead we keep searching and searching! Like hell I¡¯ll let some weakling steal the favour of my guardian angel!]


    Claude walked on the main street with large strides. Finding the slums was never a difficult task. All you needed to do was head for the town outskirts. Shaking his bag, Claude counted the number of breads inside and clicked his tongue. He took three pieces out and tossed the entire bag to the first beggar he found. With that bag he could entice around twenty people, but that was too many. Three was more than enough.


    The beggar thanked him profusely, but Claude simply ignored the man. He kept walking around the alleyways, searching for his ideal targets. He was looking for someone alone, preferably young and easy to terrify. After searching around for some time, he found his first target.


    ¡°Hey, kid! Want this bread?¡±


    The child nodded.


    ¡°Take it,¡± said Claude, tossing the flatbread to the ground. ¡°If you want more you need to show up tomorrow morning outside the city gates. Don¡¯t tell anyone or I¡¯ll end you!¡±


    Scared, the child grabbed the flatbread from the floor and nodded his head again. Feeling satisfied with the result, Claude kept searching around till he found his other two targets. When the task was done, he returned to the inn to wait for his future master.


    -


    The next day, outside the gates of Berat a group of eleven people had shown up before Fang Chu and Claude. They were mostly young boys ranging from nine to twelve years old, but there were some that were older, and a few girls mixed in too. Fang Chu nodded at them and Claude distributed another piece of flatbread to everyone.


    ¡°I know that most of you are here to receive that small piece of bread. That¡¯s fine. You can leave now without a problem and that¡¯s two meals you got for free. However, if you want to continue receiving my aid, you¡¯ll need to listen to all my commands. That¡¯s all.¡±


    The kids ate their piece of bread in silence, but nobody dared to go back to town. They only had to obey some instructions to get some free food? Wasn¡¯t that too easy?


    ¡°Since that¡¯s your decision, follow me. We¡¯ll move away from the city¡¯s entrance to not bother everyone.¡±


    Fang Chu moved out of the road and began walking away from town. Claude and the other kids followed her. They walked for a long time, making the kids get somewhat apprehensive.


    [Where is she taking us?]


    [Isn¡¯t this too far away from town?]


    [Maybe we should run back?]


    Just when the kids started whispering amongst themselves, Fang Chu stopped. They were now far enough away from Berat. She grabbed her walking staff and began marking the ground. About ten minutes later, she¡¯d made a giant circle on the grasslands.


    ¡°Ok kids, let¡¯s begin! Get in line, one foot inside the circle and the other outside. Quick now, your lunch is waiting for you!¡±


    The kids were confused at the order, but excited at the prospect of more food. They quickly lined up as instructed, with the line of the circle under their legs.


    ¡°Now crouch like you¡¯re about to take a dump. Right, like that! Hold your hands on the back of your head. Now, without getting up, start walking, keeping the line on the ground between your legs. When you finish three laps, you¡¯ll get to eat an apple!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± one of the kids asked perplexed.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± said Fang Chu with a strange smile.


    Claude shook his head and sneered. The children soon realized the exercise wasn¡¯t as simple as it seemed. It was uncomfortable walking like that and the strain it put on their legs was tremendous. It wasn¡¯t long before the first kid grunted and fell to the side.


    ¡°I can¡¯t keep going, my legs hurt so much!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ok, you can rest to the side. Later you can enjoy watching the others eating their apple,¡± said Fang Chu.


    The boy gritted his teeth and got back in position. There was no way he¡¯d give up food so easily. Every time he made a step he would say quietly ¡°apple, apple¡±. He found, to his surprise, that reminding himself of the prize made it easier to keep going. Soon the other kids picked up on the trick and a chant of ¡°apple, apple¡± sounded as they did their laps.


    In the end, of the eleven children only seven managed to finish three laps and get their reward. The others were told to give their best in the next exercise, for the prize was a piece of jerky. In that manner the training continued, always a harsh exercise followed by some treat.


    The number of people that managed to complete the exercises dwindled until everyone was unable to keep going. Seeing they wouldn¡¯t be able to proceed with the training, Fang Chu decided to end it for the day.


    ¡°All right, that¡¯s it for now. Tomorrow we¡¯ll do the same thing. If you¡¯re interested in some more free food, come back here again in the morning.¡±


    The kids were sprawled all around in the ground, too spent to respond. None of them had easy lives, but this was perhaps the first time they felt so completely exhausted. There wasn¡¯t a single muscle in their bodies that didn¡¯t hurt.


    ¡°Claude here will keep you company till you recover enough to get back to town. You can have the rest of the food as a parting gift for today. Later kiddos.¡±


    Claude waited till Fang Chu was gone. The kind smile and honest expression he maintained during the entire training session finally vanished. He narrowed his eyes and grimaced.


    ¡°Listen up you little shits! Get the hell away from here as soon as you can walk. I won¡¯t wait for long! Those that can¡¯t leave will be left behind to the goblins and other creatures that prowl around here!¡±


    The children shuddered from the frostiness of his voice and did their best to recuperate and leave as soon as possible. Whenever one recovered enough to walk, they would limp back to town as fast as they could. Soon there were only four kids remaining in the training grounds, the only ones that were still too tired to walk back.


    [Four is good enough. Let¡¯s start the culling,] thought Claude.


    The following day only seven kids returned. They did another demanding training session and, like before, Claude was the one responsible to watch over their recovery. The day after that, only five children showed up. The numbers kept dwindling until finally, on the fifth day, the only ones in that patch of grasslands were Fang Chu and Claude.


    ¡°A bunch of weaklings, they don¡¯t deserve miss Fang Chu¡¯s care!¡± exclaimed Claude feigning righteous indignation.


    ¡°You¡¯re really a piece of shit Claude¡­¡± said Fang Chu with a sigh.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! They¡¯re a bunch of little shits¡­ wait, what?!¡± asked Claude in astonishment.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you time and time again. Focus on improving yourself. Don¡¯t be jealous of others. The person I¡¯m looking for doesn¡¯t need to be filled with strength or have a good aptitude, I just need someone with a strong will and a decent personality. In the end, you¡¯re not the one I¡¯m looking for. From now on, we¡¯ll go our separate ways.¡±


    ¡°What?! Why?! I don¡¯t understand! I¡¯ve gone through all the gruelling training! I¡¯ve done all you¡¯ve asked! Why I¡¯m not good enough?¡±


    ¡°Everything I asked? Did I ask you to keep beating and threatening the possible candidates that we find? To scare them so badly they don¡¯t return?¡±


    Claude¡¯s eyes opened wide, his mouth hanging in an ¡°O¡± shape. He never imagined she knew all the shady things he did to guarantee he was the only possible candidate remaining! He was always so careful! How could she have possibly found out?


    ¡°Did one of those little bastards rat on me?¡± he asked with gritted teeth.


    ¡°No, they did not. If they had the courage to come and find me or show up in the next day despite all your threats I would have been delighted. That would be someone worth nurturing. In the end they were too scared.¡±


    ¡°Then how did you know?¡±


    ¡°What, do you think I¡¯m dumb?! If you did it only once or twice I might have not caught on, but after so many times? You¡¯re really offending my intelligence!¡± roared Fang Chu.


    Fang Chu¡¯s shout made the young man tremble. He¡¯d never seen her so angry and filled with disappointment like this before. His saviour was always strict, aloof and beautiful. Her look of contempt towards him made his heart quake.


    ¡°Enough, let it be. You won¡¯t starve like in the past with your current strength. That¡¯s plenty. Try to fix your flaws and live a good life. Bye Claude.¡±


    ¡°Wait, miss Fang Chu! Don¡¯t leave me! Give me another chance!¡±


    Claude ran after Fang Chu in desperation, his arms outstretched in attempt to hold her in place. Like she¡¯d eyes on the back of her head, Fang Chu turned around with explosive speed, landing a roundhouse kick at Claude¡¯s side, lifting him up in the air. The young man flew a few meters and crashed on the ground. His entire torso was burning in pain, making hard for him to breath.


    ¡°Let that kick be compensation for all of those that you¡¯ve beaten up and threatened. I hope you¡¯ll do better in the future.¡±


    Claude was powerless as he watched Fang Chu fade from his sight. She was the person that saved his life, she was the one that gave him strength, and now she was gone. Claude began crying and sobbing like a little kid, saying ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± over and over again. In the meantime, Fang Chu was making her way back to Berat shaking her head endlessly, lost in a myriad of thoughts.


    [I told him, but he never listened! I gave him plenty of chances! In the end he was egotistical and self-centred to the core. Ah~, I¡¯m tired! None of the people I found in this Balt Kingdom were any good!]


    [I need some time off to clear my head and relax a little! I¡¯ll go to this capital and see how it¡¯s like. I doubt it will come even near one of our great cities. Everything here is so small, simplistic and dirty.]


    [Nevertheless, it should be many times better than the hamlets and small towns I¡¯ve been to so far. It¡¯s decided then! I¡¯ll take some time off, stay in a top of the line inn, take a real bath and get rid of these stinking travel clothes! Oh, I can¡¯t wait to feel the smoothness of silk upon my skin again! Kalafrana, here I come!]

 Chapter 31 – Preparations for Departure

    Time passed, neither slow nor fast, for Liza and company who were staying hidden in that small hunter¡¯s cabin. Their days were tranquil. No one came to chase after them again, nor there were any emergencies that required their helping hand.


    Ben continued his learning efforts, followed by Eliot who was now speaking more frequently and coherently (much to Liza¡¯s delight) and Boro. At first, everyone thought that Boro payed attention to the lessons just for fun, but they soon realized that the dragon could now understand what they were saying! It seems that Boro could always hear their conversations perfectly1, it¡¯s just that before he didn¡¯t know the meaning of the words that were being spoken.


    It was already their third month in hiding. On one day, much like the others, they were all gathered around the table, eating the lunch Ben had made.


    ¡°Guys, I think we¡¯ve waited long enough. From what the villagers said, things have been winding down at Starfall lately. They haven¡¯t been as careful with the check-ups and they are no longer breathing down the necks of everyone that brings that subject up. I believe they¡¯ve finally let go,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Hurray! We can finally leave! This place is boring! Me and Boro have already explored every nook and cranny of these woods! Right, Boro?¡±


    Boro nodded his head.


    ¡°If you think we¡¯re in the clear, that¡¯s fine by me. Do you have a destination in mind?¡± asked Ben rather slow and deliberately.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ I was thinking of maybe dropping by Tirin for a bit¡­¡± replied Liza.


    ¡°If you¡¯re unsure, how about we go to the capital?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°The capital? What for?¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Capital? I remember what a capital is! It¡¯s the biggest city in the kingdom, right?!¡± exclaimed Eliot.


    Finding that the conversation was becoming too complex for his current level of skill, Ben let the ring take over. The ethereal version of his voice continued the talk in his stead.


    ¡°That¡¯s not quite right Eliot, but almost there. The capital is not necessarily the biggest city in the kingdom, but is usually the most important one, because that¡¯s where the king lives.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, the king! The fat dude with a crown, like the one you drew for me before!¡±


    ¡°Well, they¡¯re also not necessarily fat, that was just an illustration. A representation of reality based on the preconceptions that the artist, in this case me, has of what your average king looks like.¡±


    Eliot blinked a few times and tilted his head to the side.


    ¡°Huh, what?¡±


    ¡°Just forget about it. As I was saying, I suggest we go to the capital because I assume that¡¯s where the main branch of the adventurers¡¯ guild is. Am I right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but what about it? We can do tasks for any branch, it¡¯s all the same,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Hey, Ben. Ben. Ben. What did you mean? Representation of reality and kings and all that?¡±


    ¡°What I meant is that was just a drawing, not the real king.¡±


    ¡°Oh, duh! Of course it¡¯s just a drawing! I could¡¯ve told you that! Hahahaha, Ben¡¯s stupid, he doesn¡¯t know what a drawing is!¡±


    Laughing out loud, Eliot ran outside followed by Boro, who was also snickering. Ben shook his head, smiling wryly, while Liza giggled lightly before nodding for him to continue.


    ¡°Yes, we can do tasks for any branch, but the main office of the guild should have a log of all the quests available throughout the kingdom. This way we can make a triage of all the most rewarding missions that we are able to clear and separate them by location. Then we just need to go to the place that will better reward our efforts.¡±


    ¡°Oh! I never thought of that! That makes so much sense! But do they actually keep a record of all the available missions?¡±


    [Well, that¡¯s just questing 101. You¡¯d probably have the same idea if you ever had the chance to play an MMO. Plus, the capital should be the best place for me to buy books about magic and other related stuff,] thought Ben.


    ¡°Going by what you¡¯ve told me on how they keep extensive records on tasks taken, quests completed and all other kinds of information, I¡¯m sure they do. Otherwise they wouldn¡¯t be able to stay as a centralized power for so long.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s decided then, we¡¯ll go to the capital. But before that we¡¯ll need to talk to Isadora and see if they are going to make a trip to Starfall anytime soon. There¡¯s a few things we need to check before we leave,¡± said Liza.


    In the afternoon, Liza, Eliot, Ben and Boro paid a visit to the elder¡¯s home. The old lady was surprised to see all of them together by her door and quickly invited them in.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Well, to what do I owe the pleasure of having you all visit me together? Eliot and Boro stopover every day, but you two are hard to come by,¡± said the elder.


    ¡°We were wondering if there are any plans to make a trip to Starfall in the next couple days. We need some information and to buy a few things,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°A trip to Starfall huh ¨C here you go Eliot, Boro, I made steamed meat buns today ¨C we were not planning to go, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt organizing one trip either. Some tools need fixing, and we need more cloths, threads, and a few other things.¡±


    Eliot and Boro devoured their meat buns and smacked their lips. Isadora gave them a wide smile, before looking at Liza and Ben apologetically.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, they come by every day, so I always have something special ready for them. Worry not though, I¡¯ll make some tea and get you some honey bread.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind us, we¡¯re fine,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Nonsense, just wait for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Thanks granny, it was delicious! Boro liked it a lot too! Can we also have some honey bread?¡±


    Boro nodded vigorously, his tongue flapping about in anticipation.


    ¡°Hahaha, of course my boy! I was going to bring you two some even if you didn¡¯t ask!¡±


    ¡°Hurray!¡±


    Soon, Isadora returned with two teapots and a wicker basket. She served everyone a cup with one teapot and poured the contents of the other in its entirety in a bowl for Boro. From the basket she grabbed delicious looking pieces of honey bread and put them on individual plates for everyone. This showed she knew what would¡¯ve happened if all the pieces were in one big plate for all of them to share.


    ¡°Humm, those are great!¡± exclaimed Liza.


    ¡°Hahaha, thanks! My goal is to one day surpass Paul, that old fogey.¡±


    ¡°Uh, uncle Paul cooking is super-super delicious!¡± said Eliot.


    ¡°Hehehe, I know. I still can¡¯t hold a candle to him, it¡¯s infuriating!¡± joked Isadora.


    ¡°About the trip to Starfall, could I¡¯ve Jimmy do the things we need?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Sure, borrow him all you want. That kid loves to play hooky and fool around, but whenever it¡¯s something for you guys, he does with all seriousness.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just playing around a bit. He¡¯s a smart and brave kid, you¡¯ve nothing to worry about,¡± said Liza with a smile.


    ¡°I know that, he¡¯s a smart bugger that one. The only problem is that the other kids have taken to follow his example, so it would be good if he were more serious about his chores.¡±


    They kept talking till dusk, enjoying their teatime. On the way back to the grove, Liza stopped by to talk to Jimmy, giving him instructions on what he needed to do for the trip to Starfall.


    A couple days later, a small horse drawn wagon left Kelna and moved westward. Jimmy was part of its crew, and the first thing he did after arriving at Starfall was part ways with his fellow villagers to do his assigned job for this outing.


    He followed Liza¡¯s instructions and asked for directions until he found himself in a rather dilapidated part of town. He was scared, but he trusted Liza implicitly, so he gritted his teeth and kept going. When he was about to enter an abandoned and unfinished house, a bright voice filled with suspicion stopped him.


    ¡°Where are you going friend, are you lost?¡±


    A small boy was sitting on top of an unfinished brick wall, watching Jimmy with a questioning glance. Jimmy was so focused on the directions he was given and not getting lost that he didn¡¯t even notice that someone was there.


    ¡°I was told to search for Popis,¡± said Jimmy.


    ¡°Ho? And who told you to search for this Popis person?¡±


    ¡°Liza, a friend of mine. She said she¡¯ll need Popis¡¯ help again this time.¡±


    The boy jumped from the wall and rushed at Jimmy, dragging him inside the abandoned house and out of view. He pushed Jimmy against the wall and stared at his face.


    ¡°Who are you? Who sent you here? How do you know those names?¡±


    ¡°Liza sent me! I¡¯m telling the true! Are you perhaps Nicola? Or Simon? No? Lars then?¡±


    ¡°You do know a lot¡­ but why should I trust you?¡±


    ¡°Liza gave me this, she said it¡¯s her guild necklace. She told me Popis would know it was genuine for sure.¡±


    ¡°Urgh, I can¡¯t read. Guess I¡¯ll have to take you to see Popis. Let me warn you though, if you¡¯re lying¡­ you¡¯re toast!¡±


    The young boy, who he later learned was Simon, led Jimmy to a hidden basement where he waited for Popis return. The few children inside that damp and dim lit basement eyed him with a mix of curiosity and caution. Looking around at the conditions these children lived in, Jimmy swore to himself to never play hooky again and do his part of the work properly.


    Eventually he met a dark-skinned girl who called herself Popis. She examined the necklace Liza gave him for only a brief moment before confirming it was real. Having heard the verdict, the other children approached him and asked many questions, which he answered enthusiastically.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to know they¡¯re safe. We figured it was the case because of all the wanted posters, but¡¯s good to have a confirmation,¡± said Popis.


    ¡°They¡¯ll be happy to hear you¡¯re all doing fine too.¡±


    ¡°All that is good and all, but why did she send you here?¡±


    ¡°First, she asked me to tell you this: you can all move to live at Kelna village if you want, she already talked to our elder about it. There you¡¯ll have a warm place to sleep and enough food for you to eat.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the offer, but I¡¯m good. I value my freedom and I already have a job. I won¡¯t trouble you if anyone wants to leave though.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m staying with big sis!¡±


    ¡°Right, there¡¯s no way we¡¯ll ever split up!¡±


    ¡°Right, right!¡±


    ¡°There you have it,¡± said Popis with a smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± replied Jimmy sadly.


    ¡°No need for the long face. What else has she told you to ask me?¡±


    ¡°Right, the second thing was this: how is the situation in Starfall? She wants to know if there¡¯s any news about them in the guild, both above board our underground. She said only you¡¯d know for sure. She also needs you to turn in some goblin ears for her and buy a bunch of things. Here¡¯s the list and the money.¡±


    Jimmy gave Popis a jar, a piece of parchment and a small coin bag. Popis gave the list a perfunctory glance and tossed the bag up and down on her small hand.


    ¡°All right. How long will you stay in town?¡±


    ¡°We leave in four days.¡±


    ¡°What inn?¡±


    ¡°The Drunken Pig Inn.¡±


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll have everything ready before you go. It was nice meeting you Jimmy.¡±


    ¡°Thanks! It was nice meeting you guys too!¡±


    Four days later the small horse drawn wagon exited Starfall, starting its journey back to Kelna village. Jimmy was sitting at the back of the wagon, looking at the retreating city walls.


    He thought about Popis and the other kids, wondering why they chose to remain living inside that dark and damp basement instead of moving to Kelna. No matter what, he couldn¡¯t fathom the reason. In the end he shook his head and began memorizing, for the twentieth time, all the information he needed to relay back to Liza when he returned.


    -


    1As was later translated to everyone by Eliot, who was always able to communicate with Boro non-verbally.

 Chapter 32 – Departure

    At Kelna village¡¯s main square, a bunch of people were surrounding a horse drawn wagon. They were unloading goods under the supervision of elder Isadora and asking all kinds of questions about the city to the returned travelers. Liza and company were also there, but they were talking directly with Jimmy, the one responsible for getting the stuff they needed from this trip.


    ¡°Here you go, a bunch of premium ranked travel rations,¡± said Jimmy.


    ¡°What? Those tasteless blobs were considered premium rations?¡± asked Ben in astonishment.


    ¡°Of course! Or do you think any pack will have jerky in it? You better be grateful that even though I need lots of coin, I¡¯m not stingy when it comes to buying the stuff we need,¡± said Liza half-jokingly.


    ¡°Oh, I love jerky! It¡¯s super salty and soft and yummy,¡± said Eliot.


    ¡°I get salty, and even the taste is passable, but soft? You just have monster teeth Eliot,¡± retorted Ben.


    ¡°Really? Cool, monster teeth! I like it!¡± exclaimed Eliot, making chewing gestures with his mouth with a *clank* *clank* sound.


    ¡°This other bag is yours also, it has everything you asked for. Your guild necklace is inside too.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Jimmy. What about the information we need? How are things over there?¡±


    ¡°As far as we could tell, the city is back to normal. There are wanted posters of you around still, but they are yellow and withered now. They don¡¯t look much different than the ones that have been there for ages, and who looks at those? Soon your names will be known just in passing, another urban legend, like Ernie, the giant.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then what about the guild? Anything there?¡±


    ¡°Popis assured me that there¡¯s nothing about you in the guild. The earl never came to make an official request, it seems like he wanted to find you all on his own, without drawing to much attention. Since that was the case, her boss didn¡¯t have any reason to pen down information about you in the records. She told me to remind you that he wants to be friends with you all.¡±


    ¡°He was sincere to the end¡­ guess we¡¯ll have to make up for him in the future. Anyways, that¡¯s great news! As long as we steer clear of Starfall, we can go wherever we want without much trouble.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really going after all¡­¡± said Jimmy sadly.


    Liza gave Jimmy a friendly punch on the shoulder.


    ¡°Sorry Jimmy, but we¡¯ve stuff to do. We¡¯ve stayed here for too long already.¡±


    Watching everything from the side until now, Isadora joined in on their conversation.


    ¡°When are you leaving?¡± asked the elder.


    ¡°Tomorrow morning,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll have a big commemoration tonight to see you guys off!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to bother with us elder, we¡¯ll just leave quietly in the morning.¡±


    ¡°What, it¡¯s no bother. We can¡¯t have the heroes that fought for us leave just like that. Plus, if anything, I¡¯d do one just for Eliot and Boro. I¡¯ll be sad to see those children leave.¡±


    ¡°Thanks granny! This place is boring but you¡¯re the best!¡±


    Eliot hugged Isadora and lifted her up from the ground while Boro snuggled his face against her cheeks. The elder reddened, embarrassed by their actions. Even though she considered them kids (and in some ways they were) it didn¡¯t change the fact that Eliot was a full-grown man.


    ¡°Hey, put me down Eliot! I told you to not do that!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, nope!¡±


    Seeing their usually taciturn and serious elder so flustered, the rest of the villagers laughed and joined in on the fun, whistling and making jeering remarks from the side.


    That night a great bonfire burned in Kelna village. Like the afternoon after the fight against the bandits many months ago, the residents gathered around the fire to sing, dance and cook.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    The children were excited to stay up late and ran around the square, inventing all kinds of fun games to play. The youths that were a bit older found the atmosphere suitable to courtship; soon, couples were moving away from the light of the bonfire to places that were darker and more private for their needs.


    The older folks stayed by the fire, eating, drinking and conversing. They thanked their guests for their help in defending the village once again and reminisced on their heroic deeds. Even Liza was talked and regarded warmly.


    This change came about when a travelling merchant stopped by the village a month ago. The man had brought news of hamlet that was destroyed, possibly by monsters or bandits, they couldn¡¯t be sure as the place was razed to the ground. Learning of such catastrophe, the villagers could better appreciate how lucky they were and how Liza¡¯s actions, as callous as they might have been, saved them from a gruesome ending.


    When the fire was gone and only embers remained, Isadora thought it was about time they ended their send-off celebration. She grabbed a cup of ale and held it in the air, drawing the attention of everyone around.


    ¡°A toast to our heroes that are departing, may their futures be filled with fortune!¡±


    ¡°A toast!¡±


    ¡°To our heroes!¡±


    Everyone drank their cups, finishing the ceremony. After a few more words of thanks and goodnight, the villagers began to retire to their residences for the night, grabbing their sleeping children on the way.


    Early the next morning, Liza, Eliot, Ben and Boro were back on the road after many months of living isolated and quietly. Their plan was to follow the eastern trail out of the village until they could hop on the stone road towards the capital, one of the few proper roads in the kingdom.


    After walking for a couple hours, Liza gave an exclamation with a start, like she suddenly remembered something. She rummaged through her rucksack and picked up a bundle wrapped with cloth.


    ¡°Here, this is for you. I meant to give it to you yesterday, but forgot,¡± said Liza handing the bundle to Ben.


    ¡°What, for me? What is it?¡±


    Ben carefully removed the cloth, revealing a set of small knifes that were fixated on a large piece of leather with straps. It was a set of throwing knives and a holster that could be wrapped around the leg or torso.


    ¡°You said it was one of your¡­ how did you call them?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Hobbies,¡± replied Ben.


    ¡°Right, hobbies, something you learn just for fun and amusement, was what you said. I¡¯ve noticed however, that you practiced throwing knives constantly the past month. It was a great idea. You finally understand the situation you¡¯re in. That¡¯s why I asked Jimmy to buy those for you. This way you have something you can defend yourself with in case me, Eliot or Boro have our hands full.¡±


    Ben was speechless. They¡¯d caught him practicing throwing knives before, but he explained it was just one of his many hobbies. He was much more careful afterwards, always making sure he was alone before having a go. He¡¯d no idea how Liza knew of his painstaking efforts this past month.


    He also couldn¡¯t explain why he was trying to hide it from them. Perhaps it was because they were such competent fighters that he¡¯d feel embarrassed to show his poor skills in front of them. Or maybe he was afraid they would count on him during a fight, when in fact he wasn¡¯t sure he was ready yet.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to say anything, just keep them around and train with them whenever you feel like it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re so cool Ben! What about me Liza? What did I get?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, you already have a sword.¡±


    ¡°But mine is made of stone and it¡¯s all shabby and broken! I want a new one, made from metal, all shiny and¡­ and¡­ shiny!¡±


    ¡°Urgh, a new sword of the same type you have would be expensive. A normal one would be around ten gold, but with your arm strength it would break in no time. You would need a fine piece of craftsmanship, that could go for as much as forty gold! That¡¯s enough for a normal household to live for five months or almost a year if living frugally!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, it¡¯s just coins right? You¡¯ve a bunch of them in your pouch.¡±


    ¡°I do, but they are not gold coins,¡± said Liza smiling wryly. ¡°Here, you can have this instead.¡±


    Liza tossed a small pouch to Eliot who grabbed it with anticipation. He jumped with happiness and made a smug face that said I knew you had something for me too. Boro eyed the pouch from Eliot¡¯s shoulder, wondering what was inside. His curiosity was soon sated, as Eliot opened the bag with haste. Inside the small leather pouch were a bunch of small rocks. Eliot¡¯s smile froze on his face.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? A bunch of pebbles?¡± asked a dejected Eliot.


    ¡°You can throw them so hard you don¡¯t even need a sling,¡± said Liza shrugging her shoulders.


    ¡°But they¡¯re just stones! Like my sword! You¡¯re making fun of me!¡±


    Eliot puffed his cheeks and ran ahead, making sure he was at least fifteen meters away from the rest of the group. Seeing his childish behaviour, Liza and Ben laughed, which in turn peeved him even more. Even Boro couldn¡¯t contain a snicker, resulting in Eliot grabbing him by the neck and tossing him on the ground.


    Thinking they¡¯ve had enough fun at his expense, Ben decided to appease the young man. He thought about all he was going to say and structured the speech in his mind, he didn¡¯t want to use the ring for this. Clearing his throat, he used his best coaxing voice.


    ¡°Look, Eliot, don¡¯t be mad. Your stones aren¡¯t bad! With your strength they¡¯ll be more powerful than my knives. Plus, you will be able to play five stones with them now that you know the rules. Jordan could do it with five stones, but you¡¯ve a bunch there. Wouldn¡¯t you be amazing if you did it with six stones? Maybe seven? Oh my god, what if you managed to do it with eight? Is that even humanly possible?¡± said Ben in a clear and exaggerated fashion.


    Eliot harrumphed, still keeping his distance.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I could do it with ten! I¡¯ll show you right now!¡± he said defiantly.


    Liza had to do her utmost to keep a serious face and not break out in laughter at this ridiculous exchange. After restraining herself, she delivered the finishing blow.


    ¡°Leave it for lunch time, let¡¯s keep going for now. And don¡¯t worry Eliot, when we make a bunch of money, we¡¯ll buy you a new, shiny sword.¡±


    Now reconciled, the group pressed onwards to Balt Kingdom¡¯s capital, Kalafrana.

 Chapter 33 – On the Road Again

    The third day of travel. Lunchtime. The group was seated by the side of the road, eating their travel rations. Eliot, like usual, was throwing stones in the air.


    He tossed them with moderated strength, because this way he could keep track of their flight trajectory. He tried using his full power before, but nine out of ten times the stones wouldn¡¯t return. It was hard to toss them straight upwards, after all.


    Watching the sky carefully, Eliot ran around in small circles, collecting the stones with great agility as they fell. Two stones were thrown badly and ended up falling a great distance apart each other. Eliot ran for one and, after catching it, came back in a flash, diving at the other. It could have costed him the game, but he managed to save it.


    ¡°Ten! Hahaha, told you I could do it! What now Boro?¡±


    ¡°That was great Eliot!¡± shouted Liza.


    ¡°Well done!¡± said Ben.


    Boro only snickered and grouped eleven stones in a small pile. He grabbed one pebble with his left claw and a leather pouch with his right. He flew to the sky and almost disappeared from their view before letting the stone in his grasp go.


    As soon as he released the pebble, Boro dived down with all his speed. He quickly grabbed another rock from the small pile on the ground and flew back up, catching the falling stone inside his leather pouch in the process. He did this eleven times, releasing and catching all the rocks before they touched the ground.


    ¡°That¡¯s cheating! It¡¯s not fair! I told you can¡¯t do that!¡±


    Boro ignored Eliot and proceeded to do the same thing with twelve stones. Eliot couldn¡¯t take it anymore and rushed at the dragon, punching him on the face when he was in the middle of diving down from the sky.


    Boro dropped his pouch with all the stones and hit the ground with a bang, tossing soil all around him. When he recovered, he flew straight at Eliot, clawing wildly at the young man. Just like that, another one of their mock fights began.


    Liza and Ben did nothing to stop this. At this point they were used to their play fighting, even though it could only be considered ¡°play fighting¡± to them. A normal person receiving one of those strikes would probably die.


    In this rowdy manner, their journey continued without any mishaps. It was only on the seventh day of travel that something peculiar happened. The group spotted a dust cloud in the distance as they were walking down the road. They paid little attention to it however, since this could be a merchant caravan or a large group of people traveling together.


    They only came to realize how wrong they were a few hours later. In the middle of the desolate road was a broken wooden cart, with four corpses covered in blood around it. A dwarf and three humans. The cart was empty, and the corpses were bereft of their possessions. Looking at the sight, Liza clicked her tongue.


    ¡°Tsc, that cloud of dust was probably the result of their fight. Maybe if we rushed over when we saw it¡­¡± said Liza.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter. It took us a few hours walking to get here, we wouldn¡¯t make it in time even if we ran,¡± said Ben, who was taking the sights surprisingly well.


    [The first dwarf that I¡¯ve seen and it¡¯s a dead one¡­ that¡¯s sad. Look at all this blood¡­ is that his intestines? I¡¯m surprised I don¡¯t feel like throwing up¡­ I guess I¡¯m really getting used to all of this. Though I don¡¯t know if I should be happy about it or not,] he thought, smiling wryly.


    Eliot and Boro circled the scene, looking on disinterested. Death, blood and gore would never be something that warranted a different reaction from them. The only thing that drew their attention somewhat was the corpse of the dwarf. They¡¯ve never seen anything like that before.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°Why is he so small? Is he a child? He doesn¡¯t look like one though, he¡¯s too wide and has a beard. Can children have beards?¡± asked Eliot.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a child Eliot, he¡¯s an adult dwarf. He¡¯s from another race. Remember what I¡¯ve said before about races?¡± inquired Liza.


    ¡°Oh, so are all dwarves this small and squarish?¡± asked Eliot in understanding.


    ¡°Yes, but never say that to their faces, they don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°What do you think got them?¡± asked Ben.


    Liza circled the scene before coming closer to check on their wounds. There were only three types of injury: short stab wounds, large serrated gashes and bite marks. The bite marks were a dead giveaway.


    ¡°Goblins.¡±


    ¡°Goblins can do this?¡± asked Ben in surprise. His first meeting with the creatures left such a weak impression that Ben was under the assumption that even he could dispatch one, if push came to shove.


    ¡°They only attack when they outnumber the opponents and, when properly armed, they¡¯re nasty little buggers. You shouldn¡¯t underestimate them. But they weren¡¯t alone in this case, see those deep, jagged wounds there?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing well, but I don¡¯t want to force it if I don¡¯t have to¡­¡± Ben copped out.


    ¡°Never mind then, but there are wounds here that are too deep for a goblin strength, probably done with an axe. One not very sharp. That means there are probably hobgoblins or orcs in their group.¡±


    ¡°Hobgoblins? Orcs? What are those?¡± asked Eliot with curiosity.


    ¡°Hobgoblins are just like goblins, only bigger and stronger. Orcs are large humanoid creatures. Their skin colour can be anywhere between brown and green, they have tusks and beast like features. You¡¯ll know when you see one.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so they¡¯re just monsters,¡± concluded Eliot.


    ¡°Yup, just another type of monster.¡±


    High in the sky, a bunch of carrion birds were circling around their location. Ben looked at them a sighed deeply.


    ¡°Should we bury them?¡± he asked.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a shovel, let¡¯s burn their remains instead.¡±


    They put all the corpses on top of the cart and filled it with its broken parts and other ignitable pieces. Liza added some lamp oil and started the fire by hitting a piece of flint with her fire striker. They watched for a while, making sure the fire wasn¡¯t going to go out of control.


    ¡°Shall we keep going?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°Yes, but not towards the capital. Let¡¯s make a detour and hunt those monsters,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Seriously? We don¡¯t know which way they went or how many they are¡­ it could be dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Yay, a fight, a fight!¡± shouted Eliot.


    Boro roared into the air approvingly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell their numbers, that¡¯s true, but we just need to be careful. Regarding which direction they went, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve gone south. They left some tracks behind.¡±


    Liza guided them south, stopping every now and then to make sure they were following the right trail. Ben, Eliot and Boro just tagged along, making sure to not disrupt her as she was concentrating.


    ¡°Hey, Eliot, why do you like fighting so much?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°It¡¯s fun! I was scared of fighting back when I was living in the forest, but I had to do it if I wanted to get some food. Then I just got used to it and it became fun! Every time you dodge an attack that was about to hit you, your heart goes bump bump and then you turn around and swing your sword with a pashan! Then bang! You got meat!¡±


    [Wow, just what the hell did you experience growing up¡­]


    ¡°I see, that must have been hard.¡±


    ¡°Hard? Why?¡±


    Ben felt his eyes tear up and Liza trembled slightly. Eliot didn¡¯t understand how harsh his life was. To him, everything that happened was normal and a matter of fact. This made Ben and Liza feel huge amounts of pity for the young man.


    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s great you¡¯re here with us Eliot,¡± said Ben, patting Eliot¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Un, I think so too!¡± exclaimed Eliot happily.


    Liza sniffled and dried her tears on her sleeve before hugging Eliot tightly.


    ¡°That¡¯s right Eliot! And you too Boro, come here.¡±


    She hugged both of them for a long while before letting go. Despite liking all of this, Eliot didn¡¯t understand that they were having a moment, so he continued the previous topic like nothing had happened. The others could only smirk at his antics.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see Ben, you¡¯ll end up liking fighting too.¡±


    ¡°I doubt I¡¯ll.¡±


    ¡°You never know Ben, Eliot might be right. Many people begin to work for the guild as adventurers to make some coin, but most of them never stop. Even those that managed to rake in enough money to live the rest of their lives comfortably.¡±


    ¡°Oh, they become adrenaline junkies then. That would explain why they keep throwing themselves at dangerous situations even though they don¡¯t need to.¡±


    ¡°Adrenaline junkies? What¡¯s that?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°It just means they¡¯re in for the thrill, nothing more.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, pretty much.¡±


    They kept following the track, with Liza at the head of the group and everyone following behind. So far, the entire scenery was dominated by plains, but now a rock outcrop could be seen further ahead of them. It was a prime location to hide and set up camp on such vast open fields.


    ¡°Boro, could you fly high and peek to see if there¡¯s anyone hiding among those rocks?¡± asked Liza.


    The dragon nodded his head and flew high into the sky. Liza was rather confident that the monsters were hiding there. Soon they would have their answer.

 Chapter 34 – Avenging the Dead

    A few minutes later, Boro returned. He gave low roars and made strange gestures with his head and claws. Liza and Ben couldn¡¯t understand what he was saying, thus they turned to Eliot.


    ¡°He said there are monsters there. They¡¯re cooking a horse and there¡¯s a human crying too.¡±


    ¡°What?! There¡¯s a human there? We need to move quickly, you can never know what those monsters could do. Wait here for us Ben. Let¡¯s go, Eliot, Boro!¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, you guys go ahead and save that poor fellow. I¡¯ll be waiting here.¡±


    Liza drew her bow and ran in a half crouching manner, followed by Eliot and Boro. They didn¡¯t make a straight line for the rocks, but dashed in an arc, making sure the stones protruding from the earth would cover their approach.


    They managed to get close undetected and pressed their backs against the tall rocks. From the other side they could hear the crackling of fire and the buzz of goblins as they jeered in their native tongue.


    Liza made a gesture for Eliot to stop and very slowly and deliberately approached the edge of the rocks. She crouched on the ground and took a quick peek to understand the situation better and gather the enemies¡¯ position.


    In the open space in the middle of the rock outcrop was a campfire. An orc was seated by it, working in a methodical fashion. He hacked large pieces of meat from the dead horse at his side, seasoned them with some powder and skewered them with wooden sticks. After preparing the skewers he would stab them on the ground, keeping them close by the flames.


    A sizzling sound and faint fragrance were already emanating from some pieces, making the more courageous goblins approach the fire. The orc made no reaction, his full concentration on hacking more meat and making more skewers.


    Encouraged, one little goblin extended his hands to grab a skewer when a loud shout boomed to the side of his big ears. Startled, the goblin rolled backwards on the ground for a long distance. The orc watched the creature roll with a terrifying gaze and scoffed.


    The remaining goblins laughed at their companion¡¯s misfortune and went back to hissing and harassing a crying human that was protected by a faint layer of white light. They surrounded him, tossing stones, kicking and even pissing on him, but nothing passed through the faint light barrier.


    Liza retracted her head and made some mental annotations.


    [Orc by the campfire, carrying a large one-handed axe. Seven goblins surrounding the human, but he got a barrier spell and should be fine for now. Another five goblins lazing around. That¡¯s a lot. Before I¡¯d have to run away as fast as possible encountering such a group, but now¡­]


    ¡°Climb this rock and wait Eliot. I¡¯ll draw their attention. When they get near, give them hell,¡± Liza whispered.


    Eliot climbed the rock in no time and waited obediently. Liza readied and arrow and took a deep breath. She abandoned cover and released the shot directly at the orc.


    Orcs are large creatures, around two or two and a half meters tall, but that doesn¡¯t mean that they¡¯re slow. Hearing the whistling sound, the orc jumped from his seated position and grabbed his axe. This sudden movement saved him, as the arrow aimed at his head ended up piercing his left arm instead.


    Shouting in their strange language, the orc directed the goblins that were still oblivious to the assault to attack the intruder. In less than a few seconds, Liza could see a small wave of tiny creatures followed by a large orc running at her. She could only make a few more shots before they closed in.


    The scruffy man crying inside his protective barrier finally realized what was going on and shouted desperately at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°Over here, save me please! They¡¯re going to kill me after the spell fades off, you¡¯ve got to save me!¡±


    [No shit,] thought Liza.


    She tried another shot at the orc, but he protected his vital areas with his large arms, making killing him in a few shots an impossibility. Since that was the case, Liza shot down two goblins and retreated with speed. They¡¯d soon be upon her.


    Seeing his potential saviour ran away, the scruffy man gave a heart piercing cry and fell to his knees. This quick change of emotions from despair, to hope only to end up in despair again was too much for him to handle.


    The monsters followed Liza outside the rock outcrop. They failed to notice anything strange about the situation and chased without thought. What could a single fragile human do to them?


    ¡°Now, Eliot!¡± shouted Liza.


    Eliot jumped from his position atop the rocks, followed by Boro who dived at high speed. It was like the gods of death were descending from high above. They landed in the middle of the goblins, killing five of them from the get-go.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Taking advantage of the confusion their surprise entrance had created, Liza took down another two goblins with her arrows. She was completely relaxed. The orc might need Eliot to put forth a slight effort, but that was it. The situation was under their control. Her tranquillity was soon shattered however, as a loud ethereal voice could be heard some distance away.


    ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t come near! I have weapons and I¡¯m not afraid to use them!¡±


    Liza was stunned. Did one of the monsters not chase after her? Even if that was the case, how could they have found Ben that was waiting in the back? Unless¡­ it was a patrol group! The orc probably tasked some goblins with scouting around their campsite!


    ¡°Damn it! Eliot, you and Boro finish things here! I¡¯ll go look at what¡¯s happening to Ben!¡± shouted Liza.


    ¡°Okay!¡± replied Eliot while fighting against the orc.


    ¡°And don¡¯t you dare eat them!¡± exclaimed the retreating Liza.


    ¡°Oh, dang it,¡± complained Eliot.


    This exchange both startled and infuriated the orc, who attacked with increased ferocity. Eliot dodged his strikes with ease and landed a blow of his own after one of the orc¡¯s attacks.


    ¡°You¡¯re not that strong. That bandit guy was stronger.¡±


    -


    Liza rushed with all her speed back to where they¡¯d left Ben behind. An arrow was already nocked on her bow and she was ready to draw it and let it loose at any time. In the end, she didn¡¯t have to.


    Ben was sitting on the ground, sweating non-stop and breathing roughly. A few meters away from him were two dead goblins. One had a throwing knife stuck on his chest, the other had one in his belly. They also had a few other cuts from knives that missed their target.


    Liza returned the arrow to the quiver and put her bow away before nearing the crestfallen Ben. She clapped her hands vigorously, bringing him out of his daze.


    ¡°Well done! You had me scared with your shout, but lo and behold! You can do it if you try.¡±


    ¡°You were scared? I was terrified! My targets were always a plank of wood or a tree, I¡¯ve never tossed against a living creature before! Much less to kill!¡±


    ¡°Yet, you did just fine. You missed a lot of throws, but that¡¯s normal. You¡¯ll get better with time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, maybe. In all honesty, I wasn¡¯t thinking straight. I shouted, but they kept coming closer with their daggers drawn. In the end I just panicked and hurled my knives at them.¡±


    ¡°How are you feeling? Can you get up? Eliot and Boro should¡¯ve finished their side by now. I need to go back and make sure he doesn¡¯t try eating their hearts.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how I feel, I guess weird would be the best description. I¡¯ll go with you, just help me up please.¡±


    Liza held Ben¡¯s arm and pulled him up from the ground. His knees almost buckled down again, but he manged to steady himself.


    ¡°Why the sudden change though? From what I¡¯ve remember, you didn¡¯t prevent him from eating goblins¡¯ hearts before,¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°The only thing I¡¯d strictly forbid him from eating is flesh from the common races, though I wish he could acquire a more normal diet. However, this time is different. We just rescued a stranger. Could you imagine his reaction if he sees Eliot eating the monster¡¯s hearts?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    By the time they returned, the corpses of twelve goblins and one orc littered the ground. Eliot was hacking their chests open, removing their hearts and livers and tossing them to Boro. The dragon chomped them down in a few bites, waiting impatiently for the next piece.


    ¡°Hey Ben! Why were you shouting back there?¡± asked Eliot.


    ¡°Goblins attacked me.¡±


    ¡°How many were there? Did you manage to run away till Liza got there?¡±


    ¡°Only two. I managed to kill them,¡± said Ben in almost a whisper.


    ¡°You did? Cool! How about it, do you like fighting now?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Hum, strange. Maybe you need to kill a few more?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass, thanks.¡±


    ¡°All right guys leave it be. Let¡¯s see how that fellow we saved is doing.¡±


    The group walked towards the center of the rock outcrops. The entire fight didn¡¯t take long, three minutes tops, as such the poor man was still kneeling there, lost in despair.


    He had medium height, light brown hair and dark eyes. His light beard gave his languid appearance a scruffy look and the white translucent barrier made his terrified face seem even more pale.


    Hearing the steps coming his way, the man¡¯s dazed eyes regained focus and his heart leaped to his throat. Large tears marred his eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re alive! That means you¡¯ve killed them all! You saved me, thank you! Thank you! I¡¯m Lawrence Grafton, a traveling merchant, and I¡¯ll be forever in your debt. Yet, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to reward you for your troubles,¡± said Lawrence feeling embarrassed.


    ¡°Why is that? It seems you¡¯re protected by a barrier scroll and those cost a lot. You should have some coin to give us, right?¡± asked Liza.


    In truth, she wasn¡¯t expecting a reward. They had no idea the monsters were holding someone captive when they decided to hunt them down, thus they weren¡¯t hoping to make much when they wiped them out.


    It¡¯s just that one of the first things this guy said was that ¡°he would be forever in their debt¡± followed by ¡°I won¡¯t be able to reward you for your troubles¡±. It felt like he was snubbing them, and that rubbed her the wrong way.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand heroes, I really cannot! I took loans to make a big trade in spices and that orc wasted half of it on that horse¡¯s meat! He killed my horse and seasoned it with my merchandise! If I don¡¯t take the other half back to the capital to break even, I¡¯ll be sold as a slave! If it comes to that you might as well just kill me where I stand.¡±


    Liza stared the man in the eye and judged he was telling the truth.


    ¡°Relax, you can have your goods. We¡¯ll just take everything else the monsters have,¡± she said.


    ¡°Thank you! You saved my live twice today,¡± said Lawrence, bowing deeply.


    ¡°Since the deed is done, we might as well enjoy a good amount of seasoned meat,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Right, you go ahead,¡± said the merchant with a pained smile.


    Ben took charge in preparing and looking after the food, while Liza went out to collect the spoils. She recovered Ben¡¯s throwing knives and searched the goblins one by one before cleaving their ears off.


    Killing goblins was usually a thankless task. Apart from their ears that could be exchanged in the guild for some coin, they rarely carried any other valuables. Only new adventurers would usually take missions involving goblins.


    Liza had no expectations, but she searched them all anyway. It had become part of her routine after a fight. It was to her surprise that in one of the goblins¡¯ shabby garments she found a raw gem. She was stunned for a good thirty seconds, holding the stone in her hand and looking dazed at its red luster.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be dammed! This turned out to be a highly profitable endeavour! I¡¯m glad I was thorough, otherwise I might have lost such a good thing! How did you manage to hide this from the orc, little guy?¡±


    The orc was rather poor in comparison, carrying only a pouch with some coins. Liza removed his tusks with difficulty and, after making sure she¡¯d left nothing behind, returned to the others.

 Chapter 35 – Kalafrana (1)

    ¡°How was it? Did you find anything good?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°As a matter of fact, I have! Check this out.¡±


    Liza sat down by the campfire and showed them the red gem. Her voice and movements were casual, but her eyes were trained on the merchant they¡¯d just rescued. Merchants were a special kind of breed in her opinion, with some of them becoming one of the most cruel and harsh people on Flanac when profit was involved.


    Everyone was surprised when seeing the stone. Lawrence¡¯s expression changed a few times in a couple of seconds. It went from surprise to greed, and from greed to acceptance. Watching his many transformations, Liza was somewhat reassured. It seemed that Lawrence wasn¡¯t the type to turn his back on his benefactors for profit. At least not this amount of profit.


    ¡°Wow, such a pretty stone! Can I play five stones with it?¡± asked Eliot.


    ¡°Are you crazy?! No! What if you lost it?¡± exclaimed Liza.


    ¡°Is that a ruby? I¡¯m not too knowledgeable when it comes to precious stones,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Would you mind if I have a look? I¡¯m not an expert, but I traded precious stones more than once,¡± said Lawrence.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± replied Liza as she tossed the gem to the merchant.


    Lawrence grabbed the gemstone and brought it closer to the fire to inspect it in detail. He played with it for a good while before giving his opinion.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a ruby. If I¡¯m not mistaken, this is a red carnelian. You should still be able to make some decent money from it, nonetheless. I can introduce you to a buyer in the capital if you¡¯re interested. Free of charge, of course.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take you on your offer then. We¡¯re also travelling straight to the capital and I could really use the money.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great! You wouldn¡¯t mind if I travel with you, right?¡±


    ¡°Normally we should charge you the standard protection fee from the guild at least, but whatever. You already owe us your life, who cares about a few extra coins,¡± said Liza jokingly.


    ¡°Haha¡­ ha¡­¡± Lawrence laughed nervously.


    They decided to spend the night where they were, since going by the position of the sun in the sky they wouldn¡¯t be able to make back to the road before nightfall.


    The group ate and talked merrily till it got dark, getting to know Lawrence better. The merchant was a born storyteller and kept them entertained for many hours. Even the most boring transactions became an epic tale when coming from his mouth.


    By his stories they could gather that he was a bold merchant, always trying innovative ideas and taking risks to maximize profit. When he saw Boro it was the same. He immediately asked where they¡¯d obtained the dragon and if they were willing to sell the breeding and training method to him. His enthusiasm only disappeared when he heard Boro was found in the Ancient Aldin Forest.


    The next day they gathered all their belongings and moved back to the road. The splashes of blood in the location of the attack were already dark, and only ashes and burnt bits remained from the wooden cart. Lawrence gave a huge sigh.


    ¡°Thanks for taking care of their remains. I didn¡¯t have enough coin to hire people from the guild, thus I got some local boys. I figured it wouldn¡¯t be too dangerous since my cargo was small and I¡¯d be sticking to the road for most part. Alas¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the job. They knew the risks when they took it, whether they¡¯re from the guild or not. You shouldn¡¯t feel too bad,¡± replied Liza.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s the job¡­ I¡¯m just glad I¡¯d the barrier scroll with me. I bought it after my first big deal went through and never had to use it¡­ until yesterday.¡±


    Lawrence paid his respects to the remains of his employees and the group continued onwards. A couple days later they finally arrived at the kingdom¡¯s capital, Kalafrana. Ben and Eliot were both impressed by the size of the walls that towered twenty meters into the skies. One could only feel dwarfed standing near them when waiting for their turn to enter the city.Stolen novel; please report.


    They¡¯d no trouble getting in after answering some questions and paying their fees. The capital was really on another level compared to the shabby hamlets and towns that dotted the kingdom. Even Starfall, which was considered one of the major cities of the nation, couldn¡¯t hold a candle to it.


    The buildings were all made of stone or brick and mortar, most of them being two to three stories tall. The streets were larger by a good margin and the sheer size of the city would easily accommodate two Starfalls in it. The only thing that remained the same was the style. Kalafrana was like a European gothic medieval city too.


    ¡°Well friends, here we are! Kalafrana! How would you like to proceed? Should I bring you to my acquaintance to sell the gem? Or a place for you to settle in perhaps? Or do you want to tour around for a bit?¡±


    ¡°Bring us to your acquaintance, we¡¯d like to sell the gem first,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    Liza grabbed Eliot¡¯s hand while Lawrence led them through the city. Losing him in this place wouldn¡¯t be funny. The youth gawked and shouted excitedly about even the smallest things. More than once he unconsciously tried to rush off.


    Lawrence brought them to a small shop on a busy street. The place was called Boni¡¯s Family Jewels and all kinds of rings, earrings and amulets were on display behind the shop¡¯s window that was protected by a steel fence.


    ¡°This name¡­¡± said Ben.


    ¡°I know, right? It¡¯s Boni¡¯s sense of humour,¡± said Lawrence, shaking his head.


    A large, armed and ferocious looking man also safeguarded the entrance, but he only gave them a look-over when they went into the shop. The inside of the store was small and simple, with only a few cabinets displaying the products, each protected by another armed warrior. Lawrence went ahead and traded a few words with an attendant before signalling the rest of the group to follow him.


    They entered a side door and after walking through a short corridor they arrived at a workshop. A gnome with scant amounts of grey hair on his head was sitting on a set of mini furniture, working on engraving a silver ring. He was completely focused on his task and didn¡¯t notice he¡¯d visitors.


    ¡°Boni, old pal! I¡¯ve brought you someone with a decent material to sell.¡±


    ¡°Is that a chi¨C¡±


    Liza clamped Eliot¡¯s mouth with her hand before he could finish the question. She looked him in the eye and shook her head. The gnome still didn¡¯t seem to have registered their presence, as he kept working without responding. Only after finishing his engraving did he look up.


    Ben was surprised to find that gnomes looked like kids, but with a bigger head and an adult¡¯s face. This appearance threw him off, as he was expecting someone with a pointy head and ears, a big nose and more of a chummy feeling.


    ¡°Grafton! What¡¯s the big haul you have this time?¡± asked Boni.


    ¡°Nothing! This time I¡¯m lucky to have escaped with my life. My friends here on the other hand found a raw stone they¡¯re looking to sell.¡±


    ¡°Really now? You¡¯re always treading dangerous waters, I keep telling you that. But we can talk about that later. Now, let me see this stone then.¡±


    Liza grabbed the stone and gave it to Boni. The gnome pushed all the tools on his tiny table aside and examined the gem under a set of magnifying glasses. After observing and making a few tests, he held out two fingers in the air.


    ¡°It¡¯s a red carnelian. Its size and quality are above average. I¡¯m willing to give you two hundred gold coins for it. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°Two hundred?¡±


    Liza was flabbergasted. Adding all the tasks she did for the guild so far would probably amount to only thirty to forty gold coins. That was over a big period of time as well. She never had such large sum of money on her hands in one go. Boni misinterpreted her silence as reluctance and added a few more words.


    ¡°That¡¯s the most I can give you, more than that and it¡¯s not worth it. Take it or leave it, but I guarantee you won¡¯t get a better price in this city.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a deal!¡± said Liza in a rush.


    A couple minutes later the group exited the store. Liza was still stunned. Her left hand held onto Eliot and her right hand clasped a leather pouch with an iron grip. Lawrence watched her expression and sighed, feeling nostalgic. Didn¡¯t he have this same expression when he first made big money?


    ¡°Very well heroes, my part here is done. I must make haste, for I too have money to make and many debts to settle. If you ever need my services again just go to the Logarth Union and ask for me,¡± said Lawrence.


    ¡°Right, take care Lawrence,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Bye Mr. merchant!¡±


    ¡°Uh? Oh, yeah, bye,¡± said Liza absentmindedly.


    Lawrence walked away, blending with the people coming and going on the streets. They quietly watched him until he was gone. Liza was still out of it, looking dazed at the passersby, when Eliot tugged her hand.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a child then?¡± asked Eliot.


    ¡°No, that was a gnome Eliot,¡± replied Liza.


    ¡°Oh. He looked like a kid though. An old kid.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just how they are.¡±


    ¡°I must say I was surprised too. I imagined gnomes differently,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Say, Liza, we made good money, right?¡± asked Eliot mischievously.


    ¡°Yes, we did! I almost can¡¯t believe it!¡± exclaimed Liza without thinking.


    ¡°Are we going to buy my sword now then? You said we¡¯d when we got the coin.¡±


    ¡°Urgh¡­ we can¡¯t Eliot. I really need this money. Could you wait a little longer? I promise you I¡¯ll buy you an awesome sword when I can!¡±


    ¡°Boh-Boh, but you said you¡¯d buy it!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡±


    Seeing Liza out of words and in a tough spot, Ben approached Eliot and whispered something in his ear. Eliot seemed surprised and nodded his head vigorously. He tugged Liza¡¯s hand again.


    ¡°That¡¯s ok Liza, just buy it for me when you can.¡±


    Liza eyed Ben, feeling both curious and grateful, before replying.


    ¡°Thanks Eliot! I promised you I¡¯ll get you a sword, so I will! It might just take some time, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Hum, I understand.¡±


    ¡°All right, where should we go from here? Look for an inn perhaps?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°No, let¡¯s find the guild! This should be enough to get the info I need. I want to make the request right away!¡±

 Chapter 36 – Kalafrana (2)

    The group toured around the city, asking passersby for directions whenever necessary (which was frequent). After a lot of walking, they finally found the city¡¯s main plaza where the headquarters of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild was located.


    The building was majestically constructed, with arches sustaining its four stories, stone gargoyles watching from above and many alcoves containing statues of heroic looking figures. Ben felt like the whole thing looked more like a church than an administrative building.


    The inside of the guild was similar to that of its branches, the difference being that everything was high-class and in a bigger scale. The notice boards on the right and the office desks at the end of the room were both made of marble stone. The social area on the left side had large mahogany tables and comfy chairs. Despite all its grandeur, there was very little activity going on inside.


    After Liza talked with the clerk, she was guided to a private room on the second floor. This room wasn¡¯t much different in substance from the ones she used to sell information before too, but the opulence of the chamber made her feel out of place and dirty when compared to her surroundings. It wasn¡¯t a nice feeling.


    Sitting in front of them was a middle-aged woman that was going to be responsible for the deal. She served everyone a cup of tea and some biscuits before asking what they wanted to know. Boro, of course, was not included.


    ¡°Okay my dears, I¡¯ve been told you¡¯re here to buy information. What are you after?¡±


    Liza opened her gambeson and grabbed a silver brooch from an inner pocket, putting it on the table. The brooch was exquisitely crafted in the form of a stylized tree.


    ¡°I was told that this is the symbol of an elven tribe or society. I need to know where they live or how I can find them.¡±


    The broker held the brooch in her hand and rotated it a few times.


    ¡°Peculiar. I¡¯ll have to look into it. Elves are secretive and it¡¯s always a hassle to learn things about them. I¡¯ll have you know that the fee starts at a hundred gold coins and has no upper limit. Your guild rank might have to be considered too. Are you ready to make the investment?¡±


    Liza opened her leather pouch and stacked nineteen large gold coins on the table. These were known as royal gold coins and each was worth ten normal gold coins. To most people that was an astronomical amount of money.


    ¡°Decisive, I like that. Your request has been taken. Come back in five days and we shall talk again. Perhaps I¡¯ll have good news for you then.¡±


    They left the guild, but not before turning in all those goblin ears and the orc¡¯s tusk. The amount they received as compensation was a pittance compared to the sum of money they¡¯d left on the table in that room on the second floor.


    The real reward was that Liza had finally completed enough tasks to earn herself the rank of Novice. A necklace representing the new rank would be ready for her in a few days, this time casted in iron.


    ¡°You¡¯re now a Novice, huh? What are the benefits?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°Access to harder but more profitable tasks and information. It¡¯s the last level you can reach by work alone. Every rank after that you¡¯ll need to have obtained some sort of strength development too.¡±


    ¡°And how one does that?¡±


    ¡°Mostly by buying an elixir from alchemists. They¡¯re usually refined from monster parts that contain a lot of mana and other ingredients. A good elixir will increase your body¡¯s capacity to absorb and store mana, which is a boost to your overall strength.¡±


    ¡°Wait, doesn¡¯t that mean that every rich brat could be super strong?¡±


    ¡°In theory, yes. However, the elixirs are not that easy to handle. Consuming one brings large amounts of pain and there is always a risk your body won¡¯t be able to handle it. If you were a rich noble with all the power in your hands already, would you take the risk and go through all that pain?¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Probably not. That¡¯s kind of disappointing still. They¡¯ll always have the option to grow stronger with no effort involved. I was hoping one could only get stronger by defeating monsters.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a sure way to get stronger. By fighting a lot you¡¯ll gain experience and that¡¯s invaluable. You could also hunt down the ingredients for the elixir by yourself and bring them to an alchemist, making it more affordable. Most important of all, someone who works hard will get more benefit from the elixir than those that only take it to brag about.¡±


    ¡°I know, combat experience. You just said that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about experience in this case. Mana improves our bodies in the same way our bodies improve themselves, just to a much higher degree. That means that someone that sits around all day doing nothing will only benefit slightly from drinking an elixir. They¡¯ll be healthier and have a mild gain in body strength, but that¡¯s it. A swordsman on the other hand will have his power brought to another level. His attacks will have more force, his speed will increase, and his reflexes will be faster.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good then! The thought of someone buying levels with gold was really pissing me off! Fuck those pay to win mechanics!¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ what?¡±


    ¡°Never mind that, I just didn¡¯t like the idea of gold buying power.¡±


    ¡°Gold does buy power though.¡±


    ¡°¡­ true.¡±


    As they were walking around searching for a place to stay, they noticed a commotion brewing. The people that were scattered everywhere on the street moved to the sides, shoving each other in the process. Soon, a large avenue opened for some folks to pass. The whole thing felt like a parade.


    Ben was careful to always speak with his own voice, both to practice and to not draw attention, but upon entering the city he decided to have the ring on full time. This way he could still talk normally while making sure he always grasped perfectly what other people were saying, like was the case now.


    ¡°Wow look at that! Aren¡¯t they showing off?¡± whispered someone begrudgingly.


    ¡°Most of the guards seem to be from house Melis. Richard is trying really hard today. Look at all those packages! Are they all gifts?¡±


    ¡°Oh, how I wished someone cherished me so!¡± exclaimed a young lady.


    ¡°Look at Albek, so handsome! What do I care if he¡¯s only the third in line for house Esin? I¡¯d be happy just to be gazed upon by those sharp eyes!¡± said another woman.


    The whispers were growing nearer. Liza, Ben and Eliot copied the others and moved to the side to make away. Whoever the big shots passing by were, they would be able to see them soon.


    A squad of guards were escorting two men and a woman. One of the men was fawning over the lady, with many attendants at his side carrying gifts. The other youth kept more of a distance and his demeanour was calm and polite, which differed from his hawk like eyes.


    The woman was on a class of her own. She had green eyes that made for a stark contrast with her long undulated red hair. Her white one-piece silk dress accentuated her thick curves and made a faint rustling sound whenever she walked with her swaying motion.


    To Ben, she was possibly the most beautiful and sexy woman he¡¯d ever seen. Bear in mind that he¡¯d access to the amazing vault that was the internet in the past! He was caught so off-guard that his inner thoughts surfaced without resistance.


    ¡°She¡¯s beautiful!¡± a loud ethereal voice exclaimed.


    The entire crowd went silent and those near Ben moved away. They were also talking about them only a moment before, true, but they were whispering. Nobody had the courage to say what they were thinking aloud in the presence of nobility.


    The trio stopped. Fang Chu was already used to the catcalling. It happened constantly ever since she arrived in the capital. She¡¯d mostly ignored the mild ones, but she would beat up whoever was crass and crossed the line.


    Yet, this time was different. The comment was simple and she could tell it was not charged with any jeering. It was almost like someone was surprised and ended up letting slip what was on his mind, making her feel at loss of how to respond.


    ¡°You dare talk about lady Fang Chu? Guards, capture and beat up this lowlife!¡±


    Ben was still staring straight at Fang Chu, unaware of how bad the situation was turning. Eliot frowned and Boro let out low growls from inside his clothes. Liza looked up to the skies and felt like crying.


    [Why does this keep happening to me!] she thought in exasperation.


    ¡°Let him be, Richard. Look at this poor fellow, he¡¯s completely smitten. It was probably a slip of tongue. This alone speaks about lady Fang Chu¡¯s grace. Since he wasn¡¯t disrespectful, how about we let him go? What do you say my lady?¡± asked the sharp-eyed youth.


    ¡°Albek, are you saying we should let a commoner address lady Fang Chu however he pleases?¡±


    ¡°Stop, Richard. Thank you for looking after me, but that¡¯s enough,¡± said Fang Chu turning around to look at Ben. She wanted to see how the fool who almost lost his life by complimenting her in front of a jealous noble brat looked like.


    She almost laughed at Ben¡¯s surprised face, with his mouth hanged open and glazed eyes. Fang Chu was always confident in her looks, but it was nice to see a reaction like this from time to time. Much better than drooling bastards with sleazy eyes like Richard Melis.


    As she regarded his average looks, Fang Chu unconsciously probed for the amount of mana on Ben¡¯s body. She was instantly dumbstruck. The amount of mana he¡¯d was less than that of a new-born baby!


    [How could this be possible? How is he still alive? This is unbelievable! He¡¯s the one! If I can train a grown man who has only a shred of mana in his body into a proficient martial artist, no one will be able to say a thing! I¡¯ll show those old fools! Let¡¯s see who has no value apart from forming an alliance through matrimony!]

 Chapter 37 – Kalafrana (3)

    Fang Chu recovered her wits at the same time Ben snapped out of his daze. He was now blushing fiercely and sweating nervously at the same time. Looking at his embarrassed and frantic appearance, Fang Chu gave a wide smile.


    ¡°You should be mindful of what you say in the future. Some commoners are executed just for talking to nobles without permission. You might lose your life just like that, so please be careful,¡± she said kindly.


    Ben nodded and kept his head down. Liza thanked the gods this noble lady didn¡¯t seem into killing peasants for fun. She gave a respectful curtsey and grabbed Eliot and Ben, dragging them into the crowd and away from the spotlight.


    ¡°Humph, you were too kind lady Fang Chu. This rabble only learns with their bodies. You should have lashed him a few times at least,¡± said Richard.


    The rest of the crowd averted their eyes and backed away a few more meters from the trio. No one contested his claim. In fact, if one were to ask the people present, there would be a good part that agreed with Richard.


    This was the truth of such strict class-based system. Only those with power could do as they wished. Those without strength were beaten down and indoctrinated since they were born to do as they were told. To accept the current situation as reality and never rise up.


    ¡°Enough, Richard! His comment was aimed at me. You have no grounds to interfere in how I deal with the situation. That¡¯s it, I¡¯m tired. I¡¯ll be returning to my inn. You can keep your gifts, I¡¯ll only accept the gesture,¡± said Fang Chu before rushing off.


    ¡°Wait, lady¡­¡±


    Richard Melis didn¡¯t have time to stop her as she walked away with astonishing speed. Albek on the other hand gave a relived sigh and massaged his shoulders, like he was finally rid of an annoyance.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going as well, see you later Richard.¡±


    ¡°Farewell, Albek,¡± said Richard through gnashed teeth.


    The crowd soon dispersed, and Richard was left alone with his entourage. His entire face was red, and his complexion kept shifting between rage and lust.


    [Fang Chu! You won¡¯t escape me no matter what! I will pin you down and have my way with you one day!]


    -


    At this point Fang Chu had already rushed ahead and found a secluded alleyway. She extended her right hand in the air and her green jade ring sparkled in the sunlight. In the next moment, an old and tattered travel cloak appeared on her hand out of the blue, like magic.


    She donned the cloak and put the hood over her head, hiding her beautiful red hair and voluptuous body. Dressed as such she could finally move about unhindered and without drawing attention.


    This entire process didn¡¯t take long, yet Fang Chu was already feeling nervous. She rushed back to the plaza where the incident had happened and began searching for the man with no mana. She finally found him and his friends having a heated discussion on a side street.


    ¡°What were you doing Ben?! You could have been killed! Even if Eliot, Boro and I tried our best to protect you it wouldn¡¯t matter! We would all die!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! It just slipped! I didn¡¯t mean to! She was just so beautiful that I blanked out and lost control.¡±


    *Cough* *Cough*


    Fang Chu turned her head away and crouched on the ground coughing. Liza and Ben looked at the back of that tattered old cloak and thought nothing of it. There were throngs of people with similar attire coming and going throughout the entire city. By the cape¡¯s condition it was probably just a traveler that ended up choking on something. They lowered their voices and continued talking.


    ¡°All right, I admit, she was something else. Maybe you ought to keep the ring off for now,¡± said Liza begrudgingly.


    ¡°That way I wouldn¡¯t be able to understand everything people are saying. I would probably draw more attention to myself and miss on interesting bits of information.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but you need to be careful. A slip like that could be fatal.¡±


    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve seen her, beautiful women won¡¯t surprise me anymore. It won¡¯t happen again.¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    *Cough* *Cough*


    ¡°Are you okay over there? Do you need some water or something?¡± asked Liza as she turned around to look at that cloaked figure crouched on the corner.


    Fang Chu froze over for a split second when she was addressed, but she recovered quickly and shook her head. She got up and moved further away from the group before sitting on the ground. To anyone watching the scene, it just looked like she was a traveler (or a bum) that didn¡¯t appreciate other peoples¡¯ kindness.


    ¡°Wow, sorry I asked,¡± mumbled Liza.


    ¡°But man, she was something else¡­ right, Eliot?¡±


    ¡°She was pretty, but I like Liza better.¡±


    ¡°HAHAHA! You¡¯re the best Eliot!¡± exclaimed Liza happily. She put her arm around his shoulders and began leading them away. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s find an inn to stay! We¡¯ve five days to tour the capital while we wait for the guild¡¯s result.¡±


    Fang Chu waited for the group to depart, giving them a good head start before following after them. With her skill and the sheer number of people on the streets she was confident they wouldn¡¯t find out.


    [Damn, what¡¯s wrong with me, I almost blew it! People praise my looks all the time, so why when he is the one doing it I keep getting caught off guard? And why is his voice so different now? What does a ring have to do with anything?]


    She followed the group around the capital until they paid for a five day stay at the Flying Fish Inn. She calmed herself when she confirmed where they were staying and went to a restaurant a few streets away to plan her next move.


    [Okay, how should I proceed? He¡¯s different than those poor kids with no one to rely on and nothing to lose. I can¡¯t entice him with some food and expect him to follow me. He¡¯s not a kid, he¡¯s not starving, and he has companions. I also don¡¯t know how he¡¯s like. If he is scum of the earth there will be no point to this. I need more information. They talked about waiting five days for something¡­ Guess I¡¯ll have to pester Albek again.]


    -


    Albek had just returned to his manor and was sitting on his study. Upon his desk were ink bottles, pens and tons of parchments containing all kinds of drawings. From large buildings like castles, city walls and mansions to more simple things like pillars, foundations and other architectural structures.


    His sharp eyes were razor focused as he copied notes and sketches from a booklet handwritten by a famous mason. A smile danced on his lips whenever he understood something new or grasped a particular hard problem.


    *knock* *knock*


    ¡°Come in,¡± said Albek.


    ¡°My lord, Miss Fang Chu has come to pay a visit. She¡¯s waiting for you in the side hall,¡± said an old butler.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d gotten rid of her for the day,¡± he sighed. ¡°What does she want now?¡±


    The butler remained quiet as he understood that was a rhetorical question. Albek got up and went to see his guest straight away. He didn¡¯t even bother to clean up the ink smudges on his hands.


    The side hall was small and cosy, with a fireplace, two sofas and a tea table. Fang Chu was sitting on one of the sofas and enjoying some refreshments. Albek opened the door without announcing himself and went straight to the heart of the matter.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s hear it, what do you want this time? I¡¯m sure Richard wouldn¡¯t be so shameless to come looking for you again after you already indulged him for today. What do you need me for?¡±


    ¡°Ouch, that¡¯s cold! Do you think I only come here to ask for things?¡± said Fang Chu pretending to feel hurt.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure. I regret the day I got mixed up on your spat. Why didn¡¯t you show your family¡¯s crest sooner? Why the need to beat up his guards? Ah~, I really miscalculated¡­ then again, how could I¡¯ve guessed? In what world does a noble travel without an armed escort?¡± sighed Albek.


    ¡°Hahaha, I only bother you because you¡¯re a good man. Who would¡¯ve thought you would risk conflict with another noble house for a peasant woman. Or did you perhaps have ulterior motives as well?¡± asked Fang Chu coyly.


    ¡°Ahem, never mind that, it¡¯s all in the past now. Are you going to tell me what you want or are you really here just to pass the time and piss Richard off?¡±


    ¡°Fine. Remember the fool that almost got killed by Richard today? I need to dig information about him and his friends. I want to know who they are, what are they doing in the capital and everything you can possibly find out.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you plan to get back at them for just talking to you?¡± asked Albek in surprise.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t bundle me with that dunce. There are two reasons for it. First, I don¡¯t want to see Richard taking his jealousy on the poor fellow and his friends. You would need to protect them if it came to happen. Second, it¡¯s his voice. Didn¡¯t you find it strange? It felt almost ghost like. That got me curious,¡± lied Fang Chu.


    ¡°Hum, now that you mentioned, his voice was indeed strange. What are you thinking? That he¡¯s possessed or something? Maybe cursed?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think is anything that serious or dangerous. It just piqued my curiosity, so why not investigate? For that I¡¯ll need your help. You¡¯re the one with the contacts, being a local boy and all.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I guess. If it¡¯s going to keep you out of my foot for a while I¡¯ll gladly oblige. It might take some time though, we¡¯ve no idea where they might be staying. For what we know they might leave the capital today even.¡±


    ¡°No worries, I got that part covered at least. They¡¯re staying at the Flying Fish Inn and they¡¯ll be in the capital for at least five days. Thanks a lot Albek, I¡¯ll make sure to reward you for all your help so far,¡± said Fang Chu while getting up from the sofa.


    Hearing this, Albek gaze drifted to her bosom. He knew this wasn¡¯t what she meant by reward, but he couldn¡¯t help it sometimes. It was a natural biological reaction. He quickly averted his eyes and looked at the ceiling.


    ¡°You keep saying that, but I¡¯ve no idea how you plan to reward me.¡±


    Fang Chu approached him and brought her mouth close to his ear.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make it worth your while,¡± she blew into his ear.


    Albek shuddered and cursed in his head. He knew she was just teasing him. He hadn¡¯t known her for long, but he believed to have grasped her personality well enough. She might tease and use her looks for gaining and advantage sometimes, but she would never cross a certain line. As he looked at her disappearing figure, Albek couldn¡¯t help but mumble softly.


    ¡°Ah~, what a woman¡­¡±

 Chapter 38 – Kalafrana (4)

    Ben¡¯s forehead was wet with perspiration and his countenance was one of full concentration. He was holding a cooper plate with his left hand and a small blade with his right. Doing his best to keep his hands steady, he brought the blade close to his face and began carefully shaving his overgrown beard using the distorted reflection on the cooper plate. Despite being extra careful, he managed to cut himself a few times.


    [Ouch! Using a knife to shave is scary!]


    Ben tossed the plate aside and cleaned the blade with a piece of cloth before putting it away. He filled a small wooden basin with water and submerged his face in it for a few seconds. His shaving attempt didn¡¯t go too well, but at least he now felt cleaner and more presentable.


    Now that he was done, Ben looked around the room. Eliot and Boro were sitting on top of one of the beds, gorging themselves on an entire baked chicken. Liza was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Hey, Eliot I¡¯ve just noticed, but how come you don¡¯t have a beard?¡±


    ¡°Dunno.¡±


    ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t know? Look at your face, it¡¯s completely smooth. Even if you didn¡¯t have much of a beard, you¡¯d have to shave from time to time to keep it like that, no?¡±


    ¡°No. Ne¨Cvever mughug,¡± said Eliot with chicken bits spilling from his mouth.


    ¡°Chew and eat properly first, then talk.¡±


    *chomp* *chomp* *gulp*


    ¡°I never had to shave.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so weird.¡±


    Eliot just shrugged and kept eating. A few minutes later, Liza arrived carrying two large linen sacks. She tossed them on top of one of the beds and gave Ben a small leather pouch.


    ¡°I bought the basics and saved some coin for any eventuality. This is how much I can lend you right now. I¡¯ll be honest, I don¡¯t know if you can get a single book from it,¡± said Liza.


    Ben opened the pouch and looked inside. Doing a quick calculation, he figured there was three to four gold coins worth in there. If that wasn¡¯t enough to buy a single book he¡¯d be in trouble. How much would it cost him to become a mage?


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll look around. Maybe I¡¯ll find some second-hand ones for cheap. You never know.¡±


    ¡°I find it unlikely, but good luck.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. For the money too.¡±


    He left the inn and began walking around the streets, searching for bookstores. After an entire day of searching he was disappointed. There were few places that sold books in Kalafrana and even fewer were the ones with magic tomes in stock.


    Worst yet was that all magic grimoires were considered premium goods and costed ten gold coins or more for even the simplest spells. In the end, Ben had to make do by buying an introductory book about mana and the principles of magic for three and a half gold coins.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s not only Liza that needs tons of cash right now,¡± he sighed.


    It was getting late, thus Ben returned to the inn. They didn¡¯t have anything to do for the following days, so they toured around the capital. They visited the magical water fountain, the famous temple of Dandara, goddess of mercy, and many other known spots in Kalafrana.


    Whenever there was free time, Ben would pour his head into his new book and try to understand what mana was and how magic worked. The tome proved to be challenging for his current language skill, but with some help from Liza here and there, he managed to finish it in four days.


    It was night-time. After an entire day of walking and touring the capital, Ben lay on the bed summarizing the knowledge from the book he¡¯d just finished a few hours ago.


    Mana was a particle present everywhere in this world. Some people were born with affinity for this particle, making them able to sense it and perhaps, for those incredible talented, manipulate it somehow. Magic was the study of this particle and how it could be gathered, transformed and utilized.


    The very first mages were considered virtuosos, able to manipulate mana naturally from a young age. With time, those mages began to have a better understanding of mana and developed a system to better control it, having it do what they wanted more easily and consistently. This system made things better for them and also helped those with less sensitivity to cast their first spells.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Since then, there has been constant improvement on the study of magic. Today, even those with the barest sensibility can cast some of the simplest spells when following the tried and true formulas.


    ¡°Ah~, I can¡¯t feel mana at all. Does it mean I¡¯m done for? Will I never be able to cast a spell or find a way back home?¡± sighed Ben.


    Despite these depressing thoughts, Ben didn¡¯t get discouraged or fell into a panic attack, like would usually be the case. Without realizing it, he was becoming a tougher person.


    ¡°Can¡¯t say for sure! I need to buy more books! One about mana sensitivity and one that teaches simple spells. I¡¯m sure they will have some kind of test I can do written down. Maybe there¡¯s an artificial way by now to acquire mana sense too. Like eating a strange fruit or using a magic item. Yeah, there must be!¡±


    As he mumbled, a pair of green slits focused on him in the darkness. Boro was watching Ben talking with himself with extreme interest until he was shoved aside by Eliot. The young man got up, scratched his back and yawned.


    ¡°What are you doing Ben? You¡¯re talking to someone?¡± asked Eliot.


    ¡°Sorry, did I wake you? I¡¯m just trying to figure out what I¡¯ve learned.¡±


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m not sleepy,¡± said Eliot before yawning again.


    Ben shook his head and admonished himself in his mind. Eliot was a light sleeper and was always alert. He would¡¯ve to be more careful in the future.


    ¡°Just lie down and go back to sleep Eliot. I¡¯ll be quiet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sleepy! Hey, Ben, why don¡¯t you teach me something new? Or tell me a story? It¡¯s been ages since you told me the last one!¡±


    Ben scratched his head in embarrassment. During their stay in Kelna he would teach Eliot something new or tell him a story every day. However, he seldom had the energy to do it since they began traveling again.


    ¡°All right. Once upon a time¡­¡±


    -


    It was finally the morning of the fifth day. They all sat on the inn¡¯s common room and ordered breakfast. Liza¡¯s hair was a mess and she¡¯d dark circles under her eyes. It was clear she didn¡¯t manage to get a wink of sleep last night.


    ¡°Are you nervous?¡± asked Ben as he chomped down some oatmeal.


    ¡°Huh? No, I¡¯m fine,¡± lied Liza.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to be nervous, you know? You¡¯re about to learn something you¡¯ve been after for a long time. If it were me, I¡¯d probably be freaking out,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°I told you I¡¯m fine,¡± grumbled Liza.


    They ate their meal in haste (mostly because Liza kept unconsciously hurrying them with her eyes) and ran to the guild. After a brief conversation with the clerk, they were sent to the second floor to wait in the same room they had used last time.


    ¡°Hello everyone, how are you all doing in this fine morning?¡± asked the middle-aged woman as she entered the room.


    ¡°Morning,¡± replied Liza curtly.


    ¡°Would you care for something to eat?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re fine, thanks. We just ate,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°I want some!¡± exclaimed Eliot.


    ¡°Hahaha, here you go dear. Have your fill,¡± said the broker handing a plate of honey bread to Eliot.


    ¡°Did you manage to find out the information I need?¡± asked Liza in a hurry.


    The warm and gentle mood around the middle-aged woman changed instantly to a cold and business-like demeanour.


    ¡°I can see you¡¯re anxious to find out. Please pardon my unprofessional behaviour. We indeed discovered where the elven society pertaining that brooch you provided us inhabits.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great! Where are they? Do you have a map?¡± exclaimed Liza.


    ¡°However, it was much more difficult than we thought. Like I told you five days ago, the price for information we don¡¯t have readily available can shift a lot depending on how hard it is to acquire it.¡±


    Liza¡¯s happy mood instantly plummeted and she calmed herself down considerably. Ben who was about to congratulate her closed his mouth and Eliot kept eating the loafs of honey bread on the table, occasionally giving some to Boro in a sneaky manner.


    ¡°How much will it be?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°The total cost of this piece of information will be a thousand gold coins. You¡¯ll also need to have the rank of Professional Adventurer or higher in the guild. I¡¯m sure you are aware, but your initial deposit cannot be refunded. Of course, its value will be subtracted from the total amount you need to pay. To summarize, you¡¯ll need to raise your rank one more time and gather eight hundred and ten gold coins to buy this information.¡±


    The room fell in an awkward silence. Even Eliot stopped chewing. Liza¡¯s face was one of despair and hopelessness. The broker shook her head slightly and slurped on some of her tea while waiting for them to recover.


    ¡°Another eight hundred gold coins¡­¡± said Liza exasperated.


    ¡°And ten,¡± added the middle-aged woman calmly.


    Liza gave her a smile that wasn¡¯t a smile.


    ¡°And ten, of course. Thanks for your time. We¡¯ll try to figure out a way to get the money and return later to make the payment,¡± said Liza, her lips twitching from time to time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry and take it slow. There¡¯s no need to rush,¡± said the broker getting up and opening the door for them.


    They returned to the lobby on the first floor and sat at one of the tables in the living area. Different from their previous visit, there were a couple groups of people sitting sparsely here and there.


    ¡°How are we going to get eight hundred gold coins? Getting two hundred from that gem was already my greatest lucky break. That was the most money I¡¯ve made from all my time adventuring,¡± said Liza weakly.


    ¡°Calm down, we can do this,¡± encouraged Ben. ¡°Let¡¯s revert to the original plan. We¡¯ll grab the index of all open requests and figure out the most lucrative tasks, grouping them by location. Who knows? If we can make around a hundred gold coins per trip, it will only take eight trips before we make the money needed.¡±


    Liza understood Ben was only trying to cheer her up and that it wasn¡¯t that simple, but she appreciated the gesture. Moments like this made her wonder why she¡¯d taken so long to find a group to wander around with.


    [Oh, right, it was because those bastards wanted to take advantage of me,] she reminisced.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll go ask if they have a book with all the missions available. It might take long, but we can do this!¡± exclaimed Liza with renewed energy.


    ¡°We can also ask Mr. merchant. Didn¡¯t he keep saying he was good at making money?¡± said Eliot innocently.


    Liza and Ben looked as if they¡¯d been struck by lightning. Of course, how could they have forgotten that they just recently made acquaintance with a traveling merchant? Who would know better about making money but him?


    The entire time they were talking, people kept coming and going from the common area in the lobby. It appeared that today was a busy day for the guild.

 Chapter 39 – Kalafrana (5)

    In a backstreet near the guild, a cloaked figure sat on top of some wooden crates. At regular intervals, different individuals would pass by that alley and trade a few words with that hooded person.


    ¡°Reporting to miss, they are still combing through all the available requests and sorting them by region. They¡¯re almost done now and going by their reaction it¡¯s looking like the northwest region is going to be the winner.¡±


    ¡°Finally! That tension was killing me. Quick, tell me about some of the places northwest of here that the guild already has a few tasks for,¡± said Fang Chu.


    ¡°The names that popped up the most were the Kolmio Ridge and Tumma Forest.¡±


    ¡°Tumma Forest sounds great! You know what to do, create a plausible task for escorting someone to the depths of the forest,¡± said Fang Chu as she tossed a coin purse to the man.


    ¡°As you wish, miss.¡±


    -


    Inside the guild, Liza, Eliot and Ben were still sitting at one of the tables in the living area, pouring over stacks of parchments.


    ¡°Ok, the last one. It¡¯s a mission for culling the numbers of lizardmen on Tulvia Swamp. Ten silver pieces per head. How does it look?¡± asked Ben.


    Liza closed her eyes and concentrated. She was trying to recall where Tulvia Swamp was located on her mental map of the kingdom.


    ¡°The swamp is southeast of here. I¡¯ve never fought against a lizardman before, so I can¡¯t say for sure how adequate the reward is.¡±


    ¡°Here, Eliot. Put it together with the others on the southeast pile. How many do we have so far?¡± asked Ben.


    Eliot grabbed the parchment and put it on top of one of the eight piles they¡¯d on the table. He then proceeded to count how many parchments there were on each pile.


    ¡°We have a lot. The ones with the most stuff are the west region with ten requests and northwest region with six.¡±


    ¡°Hum, from what I recall the tasks west of here didn¡¯t pay that great. Let me have a look,¡± said Liza.


    They spent another twenty minutes going over all the assorted information and counting the potential gain from each region.


    ¡°Northwest is the way to go. Five gold per person for defending the town of Tolus during harvest season, ten gold minimum for clearing a cave in Kolmio Ridge, seventy-five gold for a set of heart and liver from an ogre, and at least three different herbs to collet in Tumma Forest, paid by gram. If we manage to clear them all, and with a bit of luck, we can make another two hundred gold coins in this trip,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°I wish. You forgot to subtract the travel and preparation cost too. If we¡¯re really thinking on taking down an ogre, we¡¯ll need to spend a good amount in the proper gear,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s more than I thought.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m now a novice adventurer and we¡¯ve got Eliot and Boro here. By myself it would be impossible to take any of these missions. The most money I made at once was a couple gold from gathering a few herbs in the fringe of the Ancient Aldin Forest¡­ wait!¡±


    Liza looked at Eliot like she suddenly remembered something.


    [Since he couldn¡¯t talk before and was just like a lost child it totally slipped my mind! Don¡¯t we have the ultimate guide for the ancient forest right here? How much money could we make by gathering materials from that treasure trove?]


    ¡°Eliot, do you think you and Boro could guide and protect us through a trip inside the Ancient Aldin Forest?¡± asked Liza.


    To her surprise, Eliot made a strange face. He looked at her for a bit and then a long time at Ben, before shaking his head.


    ¡°No. Our territory was probably taken over by now and that bear, that snake and that panther wouldn¡¯t let us back inside that easily. Boro and I could fight for a new region, but¡­¡±


    Although Eliot didn¡¯t finish his sentence, Liza and Ben could get the gist of it. The ancient forest had many strong creatures and they were simple too weak to contend. Eliot and Boro could fight them, but she and Ben would most likely die.


    ¡°Never mind then, forget I asked. Let¡¯s go talk to the clerk and get things started.¡±


    They collected all the parchments and approached the only clerk in the lobby at that moment, a young black-haired man around twenty years old.


    ¡°Thanks for letting us search through all the commissions. We¡¯d would like to take these ones here,¡± said Liza handing the parchments back in two groups.


    ¡°No problem at all. Let me have a look at them.¡±


    He parsed through all the documents and shook his head.


    ¡°I can only start the process here, but you¡¯ll need to check in at the Tolus Town branch to officially take on these requests. These tasks are all from that region, after all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Your guild badge, please.¡±


    Liza handed her new badge to the clerk. Instead of the old and somewhat cumbersome wooden plaque she¡¯d as a fledgling, the new badge was a small, oval shaped iron piece with her name and rank carved on it. Ben said it reminded him of dog tags, whatever they were.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    She was surprised to see that the clerk didn¡¯t smear her badge in ink like usual, but simply wrote her name down on the documents needed after looking at it once. It seemed that novice adventurers were given more respect than fledglings even on the smallest things.


    ¡°Here you go, give this document over to our people at the Tolus branch when you arrive. It should speed things up.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. Have a nice day.¡±


    ¡°Wait, miss Liza. Since you¡¯re going on that direction perhaps there¡¯s a task that might interest you.¡±


    ¡°Huh? But we just looked through all the available commissions,¡± said Liza feeling confused.


    ¡°A new one was posted here but a few moments ago. Have a look.¡±


    The clerk handed her a new parchment in which the ink was not even dry yet. The request was to escort someone inside the Tumma Forest for an offering to Eleanor, goddess of life and the woods. The pay was a hundred gold coins for a group of three to five armed escorts.


    Liza¡¯s hands trembled. It was the best paying task amongst all they¡¯d seen so far, and it was for doing something they were already planning on doing in the first place! There was no better request than this!


    ¡°We¡¯ll take this commission!¡±


    ¡°Okay. It says here the minimum is three people and you have that set already. Please give me your badges too, gentlemen.¡±


    Eliot handed his badge over and Ben looked on awkwardly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not registered yet. Would it be possible to do it now?¡±


    The clerk let out an inaudible sigh and grabbed a different document from inside his drawer. Annoyed as he was, he maintained his professional bearings.


    ¡°No problem at all, what¡¯s your name sir?¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ Neb. My name is Neb.¡±


    ¡°Neb? What are you talking about Ben?¡± asked Eliot.


    Ben looked over at Eliot in shock. How could he forget that Eliot would never understand his reasoning and follow along without prior explanation? The clerk looked at Ben and his betrayed reaction with a knowing smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite common sir, no need to be embarrassed. Most people try to reinvent themselves when signing up to join the guild and change their names to more heroic or cool sounding ones. I¡¯ll register you as Neb and won¡¯t tell a soul about it.¡±


    Liza did her best to not laugh out loud and Eliot made an ¡°Oh¡± sound. The rest of the process went smoothly, and they agreed to meet their employer in the guild on the following day.


    After spending most of the morning in the lobby assorting tasks, they went looking for Lawrence in the Logarth Union. They wanted to probe their merchant acquaintance for any money-making opportunities. On the way, Eliot brought up what happened on the guild again.


    ¡°Say, Ben, should we call you Neb now?¡±


    ¡°Hahahahaha,¡± laughed Liza, unable to contain herself this time around.


    ¡°No, just call me Ben like usual. It¡¯s not like I wanted to change my name in the first place, I just did not want to leave records of my real name behind for now. One can never be too careful.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ haha¡­ true, but your face was priceless!¡± exclaimed Liza.


    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s why! You were tricking the bad guys!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I wanted to deceive the bad men after us, just in case they searched for all the people named Ben on the guild register.¡±


    ¡°Eliot and my name are already there though¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. It¡¯s not perfect, but at least it makes me feel safer.¡±


    They arrived at the Logarth Union near lunch time. The union building was just as large as the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, but while the guild headquarters was imposing and grandiose, the union edifice focused on practicality.


    That wasn¡¯t to say that the construction was shabby, just that the union, being an association of merchants, new better places to invest their money other than looking fancy.


    The lobby of the union looked just like a high-end inn. A walkway led from the door to the front desk located at the end of the room, with tables spread on both sides of the hall for people to eat, drink and make business. Just as they were looking around at all the energetic people talking and shouting on the tables, they heard a familiar voice.


    ¡°My friends, welcome to the Logarth Union! How come you¡¯re here? Were you perhaps looking for me?¡± asked Lawrence.


    ¡°Oh, Mr. merchant! Hello!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Lawrence. We were looking for you indeed. Is there a place we can talk?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Of course! Have you guys eaten yet? Let¡¯s go to this restaurant that I know, you¡¯ll love it for sure!¡±


    The merchant led them to a small restaurant at one of the capital¡¯s many backstreets. The place was noisy and crowded with people. They ordered some dishes and sat on barrels at a corner table.


    ¡°Places like this are the best! Sure, you can dine at the finest restaurant in Kalafrana, but how much would you need to pay for that? The food here is great, the atmosphere is cosy and there¡¯s no need to fear having your conversation overheard,¡± said Lawrence almost shouting.


    ¡°I can see that,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Huh?¡± asked Lawrence.


    ¡°I SAID I CAN SEE THAT!¡± shouted Ben.


    They made some small talk while waiting for their food and only after everything was served did Liza get to the main topic. She leaned closer and made a gesture for Lawrence to do the same. This way they wouldn¡¯t need to shout to be heard.


    ¡°We¡¯re in need of some money. The coin we made from the gem wasn¡¯t enough. Then we remembered some of the stories you told us and decided to come looking for you,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s surprising. How much money are we talking about? How much coin do you have on hand to invest?¡±


    ¡°We need around a thousand gold coins. We have nothing on hand right now. We were hoping you¡¯d have a way or maybe we could take part in one of your risky endeavours,¡± said Liza weakly.


    ¡°Ouch! That¡¯s not a light amount! It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have any ideas¡­ One could make a trip north and buy pelts from Kemoth or go south and acquire pearls from Ruel. Of course, we would have to get creative with our route to avoid getting taxed by every single landed noble on the way¡­¡±


    ¡°Then,¡± said Liza hopefully.


    ¡°The problem is that I¡¯m no longer able to get credit. Well, not that amount of credit. Even though I managed to pay back what I owed on this last trip, everyone with eyes could see that my undertaking was a failure. This smudged my reputation and now people are being conservative with the amount they¡¯re willing to lend me. They want to play safe.¡±


    ¡°I knew it wouldn¡¯t be that easy¡­¡±


    ¡°But hey, if you manage to raise half the amount you need, nay, raise one third of the amount and we can talk again. If nothing changes, the pelts could be sold here at four times the cost and Boni would pay six times the cost for the pearls. Even factoring in my cut you¡¯d have more than enough.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a pie in the sky right now,¡± murmured Ben.


    ¡°Why would there be a pie in the sky?¡± asked a confused Lawrence.


    ¡°Never mind that. Give us three to four months. We¡¯ll do some commissions for the guild and try to raise the money,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll be doing one of my old routes soon, so tell you what. Let¡¯s meet again in half a year here in the capital. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    They finished their lunch, talked some more and parted ways. Liza, Ben, Eliot and Boro took the afternoon to go window-shopping. They wanted to see how much coin they¡¯d need to buy all the things required for their future battles.


    -


    After having a sumptuous lunch, Fang Chu was resting in her room at the inn. When it was confirmed where her targets were going to go, she entrusted one of Albek¡¯s subordinates to create a suitable mission and left that alleyway.


    From what she¡¯d gathered so far, there was no way Liza and company would refuse such juicy and well-paid task. Therefore, she patiently waited for the good news while sipping a cup of tea.


    Not long after, one of Albek¡¯s men knocked on the door. He said that the targets had accepted the mission and delivered the official note from the guild before departing.


    Fang Chu was delighted and opened the note that read: ¡°Your commission has been officially taken by the registered adventurers Liza, Eliot and Neb. Please come to the guild tomorrow morning to discuss the details with them. If you cannot make it at this time, please inform us so we can schedule the meeting at another time.¡±


    Fang Chu smile froze over, her countenance changing to one of rage.


    ¡°Neb? Who the hell is Neb? What about Ben? Why is his name not here?!¡±

 Chapter 40 – Kalafrana (6)

    Liza, Ben, Eliot and Boro were at the common room of their inn, eating their breakfast. The meal consisted of a bowl of vegetable soup and a single piece of flatbread.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe this was a bad idea after all¡­¡± said Liza.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°This request¡­ It¡¯s too good to be true. What if our employer is a noble? We would be treading on eggshells the whole time.¡±


    ¡°You said it yourself already. A noble would have his own knights and armed escorts, so why worry?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s say it¡¯s a rich merchant then. How is it any better? What are we going to do about Boro in such long trip?¡±


    ¡°Going by the reaction of the few people on the capital that have seen him, I think we¡¯re good.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s because they think he¡¯s a weird serpent. Nobody saw him, you know¡­ fly,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll just have to ask Boro to bear with it and not detach from Eliot for some time.¡±


    The dragon got his snout out of his bowl and looked at Ben in annoyance. Ben just shrugged his shoulders and gave a ¡°nothing I can do¡± look back.


    ¡°But he¡¯s a significant part of our combat strength. We can¡¯t have him shackled when push comes to shove.¡±


    ¡°How about this then: when it comes to a fight, I¡¯ll escort our employer away. I¡¯m not that helpful in a battle anyway and this way you guys can fight to your hearts content.¡±


    ¡°That could work. I¡¯m also thinking of buying a magical contract, just in case. We can say it¡¯s to ensure his or her secrets, but we can also sneak in a few of our clauses there too.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one option, but we first need to guarantee an advance. By the prices we saw yesterday, we¡¯ll need some help to buy all the stuff you said we require,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be a problem. Someone willing to fork over a hundred gold coins for this task won¡¯t be a miser about paying twenty gold upfront.¡±


    ¡°We shall see.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­ It¡¯s just too good to be true. I can¡¯t help but be worried. Yet, we need the money. How could we ever refuse such a deal?¡±


    Since that was the third time Liza said something on those lines, Ben chose to ignore it. They continued eating their breakfast in a leisurely manner.


    -


    Not that far away from where they were, Fang Chu was also having worries of her own. She ate a quick meal the moment she woke up and rushed to the guild. After identifying herself as a commission giver and her purpose there, she was guided to one of the private rooms on the second floor to wait.


    Factually, she had to wait two hours, as Liza would never expect the rich employer to be the first to wake up at dawn and rush to the meeting place. To Fang Chu, however, it felt like an eternity.


    Only when someone knocked on the door and ushered Liza, Eliot and Ben in did she calm down and smiled. Both Liza and Ben were shocked, with Eliot and Boro being the only ones to give a deadpan reaction.


    ¡°My, what a coincidence! To think the adventurers to take on my task would be you. Fate truly is a whimsical mistress. According to this note I received you should be Liza. What about you gentlemen? Who¡¯s Neb and who¡¯s Eliot?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Eliot.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Neb,¡± said Ben weakly.


    ¡°I¡¯m called Fang Chu and it¡¯s a pleasure to meet all of you formally. To be truthful, I was worried Richard would do something to you out of spite after our previous encounter. I¡¯m glad to see everyone doing well.¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been careful ever since,¡± replied Ben.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. It¡¯s important to be careful. I¡¯m happy to see you took my advice at heart,¡± she said with a smile that left Ben looking a bit silly.


    Liza still had not recovered from the shock. At first, when the request was made, she was ecstatic and took the job without thinking it through. Only afterwards she came to realize how suspicious everything sounded.


    It was almost like the request was tailor made for them. But who would go through such troubles? By making an official request they would have to fork the payment in the end. Were they worth that much? Well, yes, but nobody would think so by looking at them.


    Upon seeing Fang Chu, Liza¡¯s suspicions were somewhat confirmed. The chances of this being pure coincidence were astronomical in her opinion. It seemed that this woman was targeting them. Yet, she¡¯d no idea why.


    Stranger still was that, even though Liza didn¡¯t believe this meeting was an accident, there were many factors going against the notion that this job was a trap of some kind. Nobles didn¡¯t need to be restrained and could do whatever they wanted with commoners. She even had the perfect opportunity to mess with them, but she ended up letting them go. Why come after them now?


    Not only that, but Fang Chu treated them with respect and didn¡¯t go around imposing her status like it was common for most nobles. All in all, she seemed like one of the few decent aristocrats out there. Since Liza couldn¡¯t figure out for sure if this was a trap or not, she decided to take it one step at a time.


    ¡°This is a surprise for us as well. Who would¡¯ve thought that the kind noble lady that spared my dumb teammate would hire us for a job?¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Hahaha, I could see you were just as stunned as I was. Let¡¯s talk business then. How soon can we depart? Are you sure in your skill to defend me? Apart from some emergency tools for my protection, I won¡¯t be bringing anything or anyone else along.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sure we can protect you as long as all you want is to visit Tumma Forest for prayers. On the location we¡¯ll be able to advise you on how deep it is safe to enter the forest. We just can¡¯t promise you from the get-go to be able to take you to the heart of the woods.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfectly understandable. How about the departure date and time?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± said Liza somewhat embarrassed. ¡°We can go as soon as we finish buying the supplies we need. The thing is¡­ we are short on money at the moment¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh? Are you asking for an advance?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s possible. Otherwise we¡¯ll be ill equipped for the journey,¡± said Liza with her head down in shame.


    ¡°No problem. I can see you¡¯re all honest folks, as Neb here isn¡¯t afraid to speak whatever comes to his mind,¡± she said with a captivating smile. ¡°Shall we go to the lobby then? I¡¯ll ask them to give you half of the reward upfront and we can leave tomorrow at dawn. How does it sound?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfect. We¡¯ll buy everything we need this afternoon. Let¡¯s meet tomorrow outside the guild before departing.¡±


    They left the room and went to the lobby on the first floor where Fang Chu talked briefly with one of the clerks, clearing half of the reward for it to be given as advancement. Liza collected the gold and they talked briefly before parting ways.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s her!¡± exclaimed Ben.


    ¡°I know, it¡¯s super suspicious. Yet, what reason would she have for coming after us?¡± pondered Liza.


    ¡°What should I do? We¡¯re going to be traveling together for a month and change!¡±


    ¡°What should we do, you mean? I¡¯m not sure. Guess we can just do the task we were hired for and keep an eye on her for any hidden motives.¡±


    ¡°I already screamed she was beautiful for everyone to hear! Did you see the way she was smiling at me? It¡¯s like she¡¯d me at the palm of her hand. I¡¯m in a complete disadvantage! This could get so awkward! And she will know me as Neb! NEB! I don¡¯t even look like a Neb.¡±


    At this point Liza realized she and Ben weren¡¯t thinking about the same thing. She just harrumphed at his drivel and began making a list of all the things they needed on her mind. They managed to get more gold than they thought with the advance, so it was time to buy some stuff.


    Thinking about how happy she was to have fifty gold to expend on gear, she couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly. Why was she in such a haste to dump most of her money on the information about her father? The rational thing to do would be to pay the base cost and wait to see how much extra she would have to pay-out.


    [Lesson learned, lesson learned,] she thought.


    Since they were leaving the next morning, they didn¡¯t have any goods made, but searched for readily available equipment. They bought three high-quality gambesons (black for Liza, dark-blue for Eliot and dark-grey for Ben) and high-quality leather boots with double layered soles for everyone.


    This were expensive for peasants, but nothing they couldn¡¯t afford before. The real cost came from buying their trump cards. A single arrow enchanted with a decent perforation spell was three gold and fifteen silvers! A basic healing potion could go around for ten to fifteen gold coins and magic scrolls were equally expensive.


    In the end, they bought two healing potions for emergencies, three enchanted arrows and a magic scroll. The scroll contained the mind blast spell and could be used to give a jerk to the opponent¡¯s mind, stunning them temporarily. It was proven that the smarter and the stronger willed the person was, the easier it was to recover or perhaps even resist the effects. Thus, it was the perfect choice of spell to be used against an ogre.


    After buying all of this they were left with four gold and some change. They used this money to buy a few more odd things and ended their shopping trip. Feeling pained, but more confident in their chances, the group went back to the inn to rest for the day. The following morning they¡¯d be embarking on a new adventure.

 Chapter 41 – Dont Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth

    The next day, at the break of dawn, everyone was gathered in front of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. The building was still closed and there were very few people walking on the streets. The start of the day was a bit later for the city people than it was for those out on the fields.


    Liza, Ben and Eliot were wearing their new gambesons and carrying their gear, looking like proper adventurers now. Only Liza had the suitable equipment before, but it was shabby and torn after being used for so long. Fang Chu on the other hand was wearing simple but immaculate travel clothes and carrying a rucksack.


    ¡°Morning, everyone. I can see you¡¯re all looking dapper today. I assume the advance was well invested,¡± said Fang Chu.


    ¡°Good morning, Lady Fang Chu,¡± said Liza with a curtsey.


    ¡°Please, stop that. It makes me uncomfortable. Just call me Fang Chu and treat me like you would a normal client. We¡¯ll be traveling together for some time, it would be stifling if you all had to keep proper etiquette the entire time.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, that saves us a lot of trouble,¡± said Liza, feeling much more relaxed.


    Ben kept quiet for most of the time. Apart from a short greeting, he kept his distance from Fang Chu and tried hard to appear natural. He was failing miserably at it.


    They walked together to the gate, falling in a formation they¡¯d discussed the previous day. Eliot and Ben walked by Fang Chu¡¯s side and Liza brought the rear guard. Eliot could protect the employer from all but the gravest dangers and Ben could lead her away to a safe place so that they could all fight to their hearts content. Liza kept tabs on everything around them and was poised to shoot at any time.


    They waited for the gates to open and soon were on their way. Hours later, the city finally woke up and people poured on the streets for another day of work.


    -


    Albek was sitting on a long table in the dining room, having breakfast. He spread copious amounts of strawberry jam on his flatbread before shoving it entirely onto his mouth. His old butler brought another tray with a variety of pies to the table and addressed his young master.


    ¡°Master, one of the men you lent to lady Fang Chu is here to report. Should I ask him to wait?¡±


    ¡°No need, send him in. When he¡¯s done reporting, give him something to eat from the kitchen. I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t have eaten breakfast yet.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    A regular looking man entered the room and approached the table, bowing to Albek. He kept his genuflecting posture and began his report.


    ¡°My liege, we¡¯ve done as you instructed. We helped lady Fang Chu to monitor those people and did whatever else she asked of us. She left a note on her inn today, thanking us for the help and dismissing our service. She also left a package for you as a token of appreciation.¡±


    The butler approached the man and grabbed a notebook from his extended hand, bringing it to Albek. The sharp-eyed youth gave a quick look at the pad, identifying as one you could buy in some shops in Kalafrana. He didn¡¯t open it to see what was inside and addressed his subordinate instead.


    ¡°Very well, thanks for the good work. What did you discover about those people? Was the interest Fang Chu had for them justified?¡±


    ¡°Not much, my liege. We know they aren¡¯t from around here. The young woman is called Liza, the black-haired youth is called Eliot and the other one is named Ben. Their pet monster is called Boro and is very well trained, from what we could tell. They¡¯re all registered adventurers. It seems they¡¯re short on gold at the moment. We don¡¯t know what for, but due to their occupation we assume it is to buy a magic item.¡±


    ¡°That would make sense, magic items are a costly investment for most adventurers. I don¡¯t remember them having a trained monster though.¡±


    ¡°It is a weirdly shaped serpent, my liege. It keeps coiled around Eliot¡¯s arm and hidden by his clothes most of the time. I assume they don¡¯t want to draw attention and cause panic, that¡¯s why they keep it hidden for most part.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s smart. Tamed monsters can be a force to be reckoned with, but sometimes they¡¯re more trouble than they are worth. What about that Ben fellow, did you figure out the deal with his voice in the end?¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡°We did not. I know you said his voice had a strange quality to it, but whenever he talked it sounded normal to us. The only thing we found odd is that he talks slowly and he¡¯s a weird way of saying some words.¡±


    ¡°Now, that¡¯s peculiar. It almost looks like he doesn¡¯t know the language too well. If he was a dwarf, a gnome, a halfling or someone else from the common races I could understand. After all, they¡¯ve their own dialect and that makes them have a particular way of speaking. But he¡¯s human, he should know how to speak common. Everyone knows common! That¡¯s why we named the bloody thing as such.¡±


    ¡°Yes, me and the boys thought it was strange too. We joked around that maybe he was abandoned as a child and brought up by dwarves.¡±


    Albek laughed out loud and shook his head. He wanted to say how absurd such conjecture was, but in the end this theory could explain quite a few things about the abnormality of that man¡¯s way of speaking and behaving.


    ¡°Who knows, stranger things have happened. You have been working through the nights for the last five days. Have everyone take two days off for recovery.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my liege.¡±


    Albek dismissed his subordinate and got lost in his own thoughts.


    [Fang Chu was right in the end¡­ this group is peculiar. Not everyone can tame a monster, not mention keep it so obedient as was described. That Ben fellow too¡­ could he have actually been raised by dwarves? That¡¯s too absurd to believe¡­]


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s see this so-called reward Fang Chu kept talking on and on about¡­¡±


    Albek opened the handbook. It was a small pad, around the size of the palm of his hand, with only thirty pages of parchment or so. In each page was a well-made sketch of different buildings and architectural structures, all of which Albek had never seen.


    His eyes bulged as he leafed the pages hastily with his trembling hands. All sketches depicted buildings in a very different style from the ones found in Balt. To sum it up in a few words, they were all simple and graceful in form. If Ben was present, he would easily pinpoint its similarity with oriental architecture back from Earth.


    ¡°This is amazing! I¡¯ve never seen such beautiful pillars! Look at this¡­ how do you read it? Tori gate? Fabulous!¡± exclaimed Albek.


    -


    In another manor in the capital, someone else was receiving news about Fang Chu, but his mood was completely different.


    ¡°You bunch of incompetent fools! How could you haven¡¯t noticed that she left the city for so long! Quick, gather a few men and go after her!¡± shouted Richard at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°Milord, remember what happened to the previous guards we sent? I¡¯m afraid¡­¡±


    ¡°Damn it! Send those mercenaries then! Wasn¡¯t for this very reason that we hired them? To have stronger, but unaffiliated men at our disposal?¡±


    ¡°As you command milord.¡±


    Soon, a group of five horsemen left the city galloping at full speed. Liza and company had a few hours head start, but they were walking leisurely at a constant speed, unaware of the pursuit.


    The mercenaries maintained their gallop for the initial stretch before switching to a slower trot, after all they had no intention to injury their horses on this pursuit. They calculated that in an hour or so they should be bumping on their prey. Their prediction was spot on. After traveling for this long they could finally see a small group up ahead that matched the description they were given.


    ¡°All right folks, remember. We¡¯re bandits assaulting a group of travelers, that¡¯s all. Our target is a noble lady, so we can¡¯t just capture them using the name of our employer.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, bandits. That¡¯s serves nicely.¡±


    The others laughed as well. In truth, mercenaries weren¡¯t that much different from bandits. Whenever they were fighting or invading a land in the name of a lord, they would always rape and pillage after the combat, much like bandits would. They were mostly crude and cruel men, used to the violence and living on the edge of a blade.


    They broke in a gallop again and rushed at the group. Feeling the trembling of the earth and hearing the sound of horses, Liza turned her head around to see five horsemen approaching them fast, their swords glistening in the air.


    ¡°Shit! Bandits! Attention everyone! Boro, get ready to take care of the horses!¡±


    The group stopped walking and turned around to face the incoming enemies. Liza readied and arrow, Eliot drew his sword and Ben dragged Fang Chu away and stood in front of her. Fang Chu watched the whole preparation with interest, keeping most of her focus on Ben.


    The horsemen were already a hundred meters away.


    ¡°Wait!¡± exclaimed Liza.


    Fifty meters away.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Twenty-five.


    ¡°Now, Boro!¡±


    The dragon slid to the top of Eliot¡¯s shoulders and reared his head back before giving and explosive roar. Even Liza, who was waiting for it, was somewhat shocked. The horses neighed uncontrollably and tried to stop with all their might, their front hooves swinging wildly in the air.


    The mercenaries weren¡¯t expecting such reaction and were caught off guard, all of them falling from their mounts. Now that they were freed from their rider¡¯s control, the terrified horses ran away. Liza gave up on her shot and grabbed Boro from Eliot¡¯s shoulder before running after the horses.


    ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t! I¡¯m not letting horses gifted to us run away this time! Eliot, finish them off!¡±


    Obeying the command, Eliot jumped at the mercenaries with his stone sword at the ready. Most of the enemies had the wind knocked out of them when they fell on their backs, with one unlucky guy having passed out after his head hit the ground. They were defenceless.


    Eliot crushed their skulls one by one. There was no contest, it was an execution. It didn¡¯t take more than a few seconds before he was on the last survivor. The man had just recovered his breath and was horrified.


    ¡°Wait, please don¡¯t kill me! I¡¯m just a nobody who was hired for this! Richard Melis hired me, go take up with him! Don¡¯t kill me please!¡±

 Chapter 42 – Tolus

    The last surviving mercenary blurted out the name of his employer readily, believing it would at least save him from death. Yet, Eliot didn¡¯t flinch, nor did he stop for even a second. Liza asked him to finish them off, so he did.


    ¡°Richard again? Later I¡¯ll have to make him pay,¡± said Fang Chu in an annoyed tone.


    ¡°Is he that noble that wanted to kill me? Was he waiting all this time until we left the city to strike back at us?¡± pondered Ben.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Neb, they were after me. It would not be the first time he wanted to take me by force. You guys dealt with it very well. I¡¯m glad I hired you.¡±


    It took Ben a few seconds to notice she was talking to him. This ¡°Neb¡± thing was looking like a bad idea the more time went on.


    ¡°Huh, yeah,¡± said Ben embarrassed. ¡°They weren¡¯t counting with how easy Boro can frighten horses and other animals. That made things simple.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure if they were on foot the result would be the same. It would be three against five, but you all look more experienced and imposing than them,¡± said Fang Chu probingly.


    Ben found himself in an awkward situation. He believed Eliot could win that fight singlehandedly, but that was different than ¡°you all look more experienced and imposing¡±. That statement included him in the fighting force and that would be a lie. He didn¡¯t want to lie to Fang Chu.


    ¡°Hum, to be truthful, Liza and Eliot could probably win easily in an open battle against those thugs. I on the other hand wouldn¡¯t be able to contribute much, I¡¯m not really a fighter,¡± said Ben with his head down.


    [It would be surprising if you were a fighter with that amount of mana in your body. Color me impressed, an honest response from the get-go. Admitting your weakness instead of hiding it or playing it up to impress me. We¡¯re off to a good start,] thought Fang Chu.


    ¡°Oh, really? I thought every adventurer needed to know how to fight. Isn¡¯t that true?¡± asked Fang Chu with feigned interest.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about other groups, but that¡¯s how it is for us. I¡¯m responsible for cooking, cleaning and out of the box thinking.¡±


    [So, you¡¯re basically a servant? That could be a good leverage¡­ but what does a box have to do with anything?]


    ¡°Out of the box thinking? What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Huh, it means sometimes I come up with some wacky ideas and different ways for us to do things. Don¡¯t worry though, we can definitely accomplish your mission! Eliot is super strong and is worth at least three people by himself!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m super strong! I¡¯m worth ten normal fighters! No, twenty! No, no, infinite normal fighters!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, I wasn¡¯t worried. Liza has a good record in the guild and you guys have your own registered monster. I¡¯m sure you can handle yourselves. Plus, it¡¯s not proper for me to inquire or complain about the inner workings of your group. If you¡¯re capable enough to finish the job, everything else is fine.¡±


    [Wow, noble and reasonable¡­ and beautiful,] thought Ben as he gazed at Fang Chu.


    ¡°What? Is there something on my face?¡± she asked with a smile.


    ¡°Huh? Oh, no, pardon my rudeness! Eliot, help me drag the corpses out of the road and search them for anything useful.¡±


    Ben dragged the corpses by their feet and searched them from the waist down, making sure his head didn¡¯t veer to the side. He was more resistant to gore, but crushed skulls were still a bit too much.


    [Hum? He¡¯s scared to look at their heads? How old is he? A normal teenager would already be used to this level of gore. Did he grow sheltered in a place devoid of mana for most of his life? Does a place like that even exist?]This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    They collected the weapons and the coin pouches from the corpses and waited for Liza¡¯s and Boro¡¯s return. Almost an hour later, Liza and Boro came back bringing with them five exhausted horses by their reins.


    ¡°Hello everyone, look at what we got! For today they¡¯ll need to rest, but tomorrow we can go ahead on horseback!¡±


    ¡°Poor Richard, he sent his men after us but only ended up helping us instead,¡± mocked Fang Chu.


    Hearing that name, Liza¡¯s radiant smile fell and she paled instantly. She began to franticly examine the horse¡¯s backside yet again for any marks.


    ¡°That noble? It couldn¡¯t be! I checked! The horses aren¡¯t branded with the insignia of any noble house!¡±


    Seeing Liza¡¯s nervousness, Fang Chu couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, they shouldn¡¯t be branded. If I¡¯m not mistaken, he sent these men after me. I¡¯m also from a noble house, so he can¡¯t afford to have anything that can trace back to him on them, including the horses.¡±


    ¡°Really? Phew, that¡¯s good¡­ wait, how did you know it was him that sent them?¡±


    ¡°One of them sold Richard out in an attempt to save his own life. Eliot didn¡¯t seem much interested though,¡± Fang Chu replied with a snicker.


    ¡°Damn, what a bastard! Well done Eliot, no point sparing them!¡±


    They walked for the remaining of the day, letting the horses recover. When the morning of the second day arrived, they saddled up. The rest of the journey would be on horseback. Everyone got their own mount, while the remaining animal was responsible for carrying their combined gear.


    Ben had never ridden a horse before (unless you count riding a pony once when he was in fifth grade), so he ended up needing Liza¡¯s help. The half-elf had to ride carrying the reins of both the cargo horse and Ben¡¯s horse, making for a comic sight.


    The rest of the journey was relatively tranquil. They trotted the whole morning, stopping for a moment to eat lunch and let the horses rest. They would then continue riding for the afternoon, making short stops whenever they felt it was needed. When it began to grow dark, they would set up camp for the night.


    At first, Ben was rather nervous and awkward, both around Fang Chu and riding a horse, but after three days he started to get used to it. He could look Fang Chu in the eye and answer normally and Liza no longer needed to hold the reins for him. He was finally back to his normal self and not behaving like a shy teenager, something Fang Chu was regretful about.


    Eliot (and Boro) also got used to riding alone, though they had to hear a good amount of scolding first. They would always ride ahead and at top speed, creating troubles for everyone.


    The only disturbance they had in those last days of travel was when they happened upon an orc attack on a group of traveling merchants. They naturally helped out and received some coin, fodder and other things needed for their new horses as reward.


    They made it to the town of Tolus on the seventh day of travel. Tolus was a medium sized town surrounded by an earthen rampart. Their main destination, Tumma forest, was a two-day journey north of Tolus, making the town a perfect spot for them to have as a base.


    They paid for a night¡¯s stay at the inn and a full month of boarding for five horses at the stable. They weren¡¯t planning on staying there for this long, but it was normal to pay for an extended period upfront. If you returned earlier, 80% of the cost for the remaining days would be returned to you. If you were late for more than two weeks however, the stable gained legal ownership of your horses.


    Because of this system, everyone preferred paying for much more time than they needed and then retrieve 80% of the money that was left when they returned. It was much better than being delayed for whatever reason and losing their horses forever.


    ¡°Fang Chu, you can go and rest in your room, I¡¯m sure you should be tired from the journey. Eliot and Neb will be on the room next to you. If you need anything, just give them a shout.¡±


    ¡°All right, sorry for all the trouble. I¡¯ll be retiring for now then.¡±


    They watched Fang Chu enter her room and went to check their own accommodations. After setting Eliot and Boro down with some food, Liza and Ben walked to the front of the inn to talk more privately.


    ¡°So, did you notice anything strange about her?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Not really. The only thing I¡¯d point out is that she doesn¡¯t look like a noble. Sure, she has all the grace and pomp, but she¡¯s tough. While I was complaining from the pain from horse riding, she didn¡¯t let out a single groan.¡±


    ¡°I noticed. She could have received knight training, though that is rare for female descendants. The other thing that¡¯s bothering me is that I can¡¯t remember any noble house named Chu, no matter how hard I try.¡±


    ¡°The other two guys back in Kalafrana acknowledged her as nobility though.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s weird! Why would she hire adventurers? Why not use her own guards? Why walk instead of using a carriage? There¡¯re too many strange points to this. Anyway, house Esin and Melis are names I know and they¡¯re harder to fool than we are. I¡¯m probably thinking too much into this.¡±


    ¡°We keep going then?¡±


    ¡°We keep going. Carefully. I¡¯ll go to the guild and ask for the tasks we already had an eye on, but only the ones we can do at the same time we escort her inside the forest.¡±


    ¡°Ok.¡±


    ¡°You should go rest in the room with Eliot. The way you¡¯re walking with your legs apart right now¡­ it¡¯s just too funny,¡± said Liza with a smirk.


    ¡°I¡¯m not used to horse riding! That¡¯s why I¡¯m walking like this! It¡¯s normal!¡± said Ben in a more defensive manner than he would like.


    ¡°I know, but it¡¯s still hilarious! It looks like you shat yourself, hahahaha.¡±

 Chapter 43 – Tumma Forest (1)

    The group did not stay long in Tolus. After recovering from their travel fatigue and putting everything in order, they departed towards Tumma Forest. When they arrived at its border two days later, Liza gave her last reminder of what they could possible find inside.


    ¡°Just to reiterate, according to the information I gathered, we¡¯re fine as long as we don¡¯t go too deep inside. We should expect the normal hazards usually found in the woods: spiders, bears, insects and stuff like that. They also warned me that some goblinoids and orcs might show up, as some of them drift here from Kolmio Ridge. Any questions?¡±


    ¡°None! Let¡¯s explore!¡± exclaimed Eliot in excitement.


    ¡°How deep should we go in then?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°I was told that if we enter from here and keep going straight for a few hours we¡¯ll reach a clearing. That¡¯s the place the locals used to do their own rituals and offerings, before things got too dangerous for them. I think that should be a good spot. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine for me.¡±


    ¡°Off we go then.¡±


    Liza led the way as they entered the forest. The trees were somewhat spread apart and between them the ground was covered with moss, bushes and other types of smaller plants and grasses. The air inside the forest felt cool and fresh, and their visibility was not that bad from the waist up, all things considered.


    They progressed slowly. Liza opened up a path with her long knife, cutting any bushes and plants on the way. Whenever they came across a snake or any other venomous creature, she would ask Boro to take care of it.


    An hour later, they began hearing a small hiss and some clicking sounds from time to time, like the ones done by serpents or some types of lizards. The noise seemed to be coming from all directions, making it very hard to pinpoint. This made Liza and Ben somewhat tense. They searched their immediate surroundings with care, but they found nothing in the end.


    While the rest of the group pondered on how to proceed, Fang Chu closed her eyes and concentrated, feeling the flow of mana in a twenty-meter radius around her. From their group she could sense the beacon that was Eliot, the normal flame that was Liza and the void that was Ben.


    At the very edge of her perception, she could sense a small creature. It would move in and out of her range, keeping tabs on them and hiding extremely well. The creature was really stealthy. It didn¡¯t shake the foliage when moving around and barely made any noise, apart from the occasional hissing and clicking. It also wasn¡¯t emitting an ounce of hostility, but Fang Chu knew it wasn¡¯t because it was friendly, it just didn¡¯t want to give away its position.


    [Oh, this should be interesting,] thought Fang Chu.


    Since they couldn¡¯t discover the source of the sound, they decided to keep going and do periodic checks on their surroundings, clearing an area of around two meters from any foliage. Even an hour later, the sounds never stopped. Whenever Fang Chu concentrated, she could sense that the number of creatures increased. After this long, the constant hissing was starting to grate on Liza¡¯s nerves.


    [Should I¡¯ve Ben distract Fang Chu and have Boro and Eliot go wild? I doubt we wouldn¡¯t be able to find the source of the noise then!]


    As Liza struggled with her decision, Eliot jumped and swung his sword to the right. He¡¯d finally felt the presence of a hostile being and struck out immediately. A high-pitch screech soon followed his attack and a small creature was bisected in two.


    It was a bipedal reptilian-like creature, around sixty centimeters tall. Its body was covered in small green scales and it was carrying a crudely made bone spear. Eliot grabbed one of the bisected halves of the creature and examined with interest.


    ¡°So, it was a kobold all along,¡± said Liza feeling relieved.


    ¡°Are they dangerous?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°Not much. According to the records, their threat level and attack behaviour are very similar to goblins.¡±


    ¡°Which means¡­ they don¡¯t attack unless they have the numbers advantage right?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    As if prompted, numerous hissing and clicking sounds erupted in their surroundings. It was impossible to be sure how many there were, as it all blended in a cacophony of sounds.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Get ready, they¡¯re coming!¡± shouted Liza.


    The kobolds were small enough to hide in the low vegetation present throughout the forest, and they were very adept at it too. Now that they were attacking in a fit of rage however, the plants shook and swayed as they ran through, giving a clear indication where they were coming from.


    Ben drew one of his knives and positioned himself in front of Fang Chu protectively. He was really scared, but this was one of those do or die moments he couldn¡¯t run away from. Fang Chu watched the whole thing with glittering eyes. Though this was a farce to her, a mere play, she¡¯d to admit she kind of liked it. This type of protective behaviour was not the one she was used to receiving.


    Liza and Eliot closed the other sides, effectively putting Fang Chu inside of a triangular formation. Boro dropped from Eliot¡¯s shoulder and slid on the ground until he was besides Ben. They¡¯d just finished adjusting their positions when the kobolds began pouring on them.


    No other term was more apt, as the kobolds seemed to come in endless waves. With each swing of his sword, Eliot would kill three to five creatures in one go, seven if they clumped up nicely, but more would soon follow after.


    Ben was desperate, swinging his knife at anything that drew close, regardless if he hit it or not. The only reason he was holding out was because Boro was unleashing a slaughter at his side. The one worse off was Liza, who didn¡¯t have Eliot¡¯s superhuman strength nor Boro¡¯s assistance. The short range of her knives were also a problem when dealing with such small creatures.


    After watching the initial clash, Feng Chu pondered if she should interfere and help out. In her analysis, Boro would be fine, as the creature¡¯s weapons didn¡¯t seem to harm him in any way. Eliot would also be ok. He was killing the kobolds in a fast pace and would suffer a few injuries to his legs at most. Liza and Ben were the real problem though. If the fight continued at this pace for another fifteen seconds, they could be gravely injured.


    Not wanting to waste time, Fang Chu closed her eyes and concentrated. She would gauge the number of creatures still remaining in her area of perception. If it was a number they could deal with, she would do nothing. Otherwise, she would have to lend a helping hand.


    The black world in her mind¡¯s eye was soon filled with flickering flames. Apart from the ones that represented their group, there were many small ones surrounding them and they filled the entirety of her perception!


    [What?! This many? When I was checking periodically there was never this much flames! Guess I¡¯ll have to act!]


    Just as she was about to step out, the kobolds stopped their attacks all of the sudden and looked at one particular direction. Glad to have a moment of respite during that frenzied combat, the group followed the kobold¡¯s gazes.


    Through the vegetation that was swaying left and right, they could see what looked like the back of a large lizard-like creature coming their way. They couldn¡¯t see any other characteristics from the monster at that point, as everything else was hidden by the foliage.


    The kobolds soon entered in a panicked state and began running away in all directions. This prompted the mysterious creature to rush in and attack. It dashed out of a bush and stared straight into the eyes of a kobold that was attempting to escape.


    The kobold stopped on the spot, one of his little feet stuck in the air as if he was paralyzed. Soon, to his horror, he started to lose the feeling on his legs as his scales and flesh began to turn into stone. His eyes were the last to transform, the despair in them more than apparent. Liza, who was watching the scene in a daze, felt her entire body go cold.


    ¡°A basilisk! Run!¡±


    She tugged at everyone and brought them out of their stupor before running away. The rest of the group followed suit and they soon disappeared deeper into the forest.


    The basilisk petrified another four kobolds before it gave up chasing the creatures that were scattering in all directions. It casually approached one of the five kobolds it turned into stone and chomped at it, breaking a part of the statue off before gulping it down.


    By the time the basilisk began his meal, Liza and company were already out of sight. Noticing everyone was too preoccupied with running, Fang Chu let herself lag behind. After making sure they weren¡¯t paying attention to her, she conjured a canteen out of thin air and splashed a bit of water on her forehead. She adjusted her breathing and used her fingers to press certain pressure points on her body. Her face soon drained of blood and paled.


    The rest of the group was oblivious to what she was doing, as they kept running without pause. They only stopped when they ran out of breath and felt they¡¯d traveled far enough already.


    ¡°Who the hell told you that it wasn¡¯t too dangerous unless we went too deep? We should give him or her a few punches when we come back!¡± said Ben with indignation.


    ¡°It was the information available at the guild. Truthfully, it was a bit dated, that¡¯s why I managed to get it for so cheap,¡± said Liza as she shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡°Under normal circumstances, kobolds wouldn¡¯t be considered dangerous to us, but their numbers this time were abnormal. We probably entered their territory and unknowingly approached their lair. Their stern reaction to our intrusion was what must have drawn the attention of the basilisk,¡± she continued.


    Ben looked over at Fang Chu and saw that her face was a bit pale and her forehead was wet with perspiration. He couldn¡¯t help but feel that they¡¯ve been unreliable bodyguards.


    ¡°Are you okay, Fang Chu? Were you hurt anywhere?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. That was something else, huh?¡± she said weakly.


    While the two conversed, Liza scanned their surroundings and probed her injuries with her hands at the same time. She¡¯d received three puncture wounds, but thankfully they were not grave. She was cursing inwardly though; her gambeson was brand new and already had three holes in it. Gambeson was fantastic against slashing weapons and even against medium to low quality arrows, but the help it provided against spears and stronger piercing weapons was not that great.


    However, her grievances were soon forgotten. Amidst the scenery she was scrutinizing for danger, she found a particular bush of emerald green leaves. The moment her eyes landed on it she recognized it instantly. It was one of the three plants they were tasked of searching the forest for: Dancing Sage!

 Chapter 44 – Tumma Forest (2)

    Feeling elated, Liza hastily smeared a bit of medicine paste on her wounds to prevent future infection and approached the bush of Dancing Sage. She crouched down and called Ben over.


    ¡°Be¨C uh, Neb come here and give me the bag! We found the first herb!¡±


    ¡°Oh, which one is it?¡±


    ¡°Dancing Sage.¡±


    From the bag, Liza took a hand spade, a small earthen pot, a rope and a knife. She began collecting the outer leaves and trimming the branches once they were bare. In the end, only the newest branches with the newest leaves were remaining, reducing the bush considerably in size.


    She then dug around the plant and carefully transplanted it into the pot. She tied the rope firmly around the pot and used it as a sling to place it over her shoulder. It was a bit weird and uncomfortable, but for the price they would receive when delivering the plant, it was worth it.


    ¡°Do you really need to carry this around? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just take the leaves like you did with most of it?¡± Fang Chu asked with some curiosity.


    ¡°One can use the leaves for their medicinal attributes, but only a complete plant or sapling, with its roots, branches and leaves has a certain mystical property that makes it much more valuable in some circles.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What property?¡±


    ¡°Dancing Sage is very sensitive to mana levels. Once the seed sprouts, it will grow accustomed to the mana native to its birth location. That means if you take that plant to another region it will react differently depending on the mana level present. If there¡¯s more mana in the new location than the place it grew, the leaves and branches will move around like they¡¯re dancing due to the higher energy, hence the name. If it¡¯s brought to a region with less mana instead, it will grow dejected and eventually die due to the lack of nutrition.¡±


    Since Ben had only managed to buy a single book pertaining to mana and magic, he ended up reading it again and again. Therefore, he instantly realised the inherent value of this strange plant.


    ¡°That means that, as long as you know where the plant is from, you can use it as a detector! Places with higher mana have much better chance to give birth to stronger and more useful resources, be it vegetal, animal or mineral. It¡¯s really useful for hunting valuable materials.¡±


    ¡°There you go. That¡¯s why the value of a Dancing Sage sapling is much greater than its leaves, and it also varies wildly depending on its birth place.¡±


    While they were chatting around in excitement, the earth began to tremble. At first, the tremor was so soft that nobody noticed it, but soon it grew intense enough that it startled everyone.


    ¡°What¡¯s, what¡¯s, happening?¡± stuttered Ben.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know and don¡¯t care to find out, let¡¯s run!¡± exclaimed Liza.


    They ran as fast as they could, but the tremor only grew stronger. Birds all around them screeched and flapped their wings in desperation as they flew away. Something heavy was chasing them and it was approaching fast.


    ¡°We¡¯ve just escaped a mob of kobolds and a basilisk! We barely had time to take a breather. What is it now?¡± complained Ben.


    ¡°Hahaha, running in the woods is fun!¡± exclaimed Eliot.


    ¡°Whatever it is, we can¡¯t seem to shake it off! Let¡¯s find a suitable place to battle!¡±


    They ran for a bit longer until they reached a small clearing.  Figuring they wouldn¡¯t find a more suitable place, they stopped there and prepared to fight.


    Soon, the shaking was strong enough that they could feel their feet tremble slightly. They could see a towering figure moving across the trees. It was almost six meters tall and two meters wide. It was human-like in its composition, but with a grotesque and brutish appearance. It wore a weird mixture of countless pelts and tree bark as clothing. It was an ogre.


    The creature sniffed the air and focused his cruel eyes on the little fellows that barely reached his kneecaps. His lips curled in a disfigured smile as he ripped a thick branch from a tree to use as a weapon.


    ¡°Damn it! Why here and now?! We wanted to hunt an ogre, but we wanted to do so in Kolmio Ridge and after preparing enough traps for the big guy!¡± complained Liza under her breath.


    Ben grabbed Fang Chu¡¯s wrist and dragged her to the other side of the clearing, keeping her the farthest away he could from the confrontation. He knew there was little he could do to contribute to this fight, and it was taking his all to not run away while screaming1.


    ¡°Careful, everyone!¡± shouted Liza.


    Once he was done preparing his ¡°club¡±, the ogre left the cover of the woods and walked into the clearing. Liza let go of her arrow, aiming for the creature¡¯s head, but the ogre simply lifted his arm and shielded his face. The arrow hit his forearm and got stuck there, but the ogre didn¡¯t seem to care. He didn¡¯t feel the attack at all.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    [Damn,] thought Liza.


    Eliot broke into a run and held his stone sword up high. The ogre gave a guttural scoff and brought his ¡°club¡± down. Eliot dodged the blow with a jump to the side and kept on running. In no time at all, he was near the ogre¡¯s legs and slashed at his calves with all his strength.


    The monster¡¯s visage finally contracted in pain and he gave a grunt. He moved his legs around and attempted to kick Eliot, forcing him to back off. Eliot¡¯s strike was a good one, but the size disadvantage was too much. He would need more attacks like that before he could inflict considerable damage.


    Taking advantage of their proximity, Boro flew from Eliot¡¯s shoulders and ascended behind the ogre¡¯s back until he was level with the creature¡¯s neck. Wasting no time at all, he chomped at the back of the ogre¡¯s neck, taking out the biggest lumps of meat he could with each bite.


    The ogre grunted in pain again and slapped his free hand against his neck, attempting to squash Boro. However, the dragon was even faster than Eliot and easily managed to slip away. As soon as the ogre removed his hand, he felt another sting of pain at the back of his neck.


    In this form, the duo continued to torment the ogre, one taking bites of his neck and the other slashing away at his legs. This infuriated the monster who began to trash about wildly.


    He started spinning around in circles, using the tree branch to swing randomly at his feet and using his free hand to try to swat the annoying dragon off the air. Lost in fury, the ogre speed increased and in turn the situation became increasingly dangerous for the duo.


    Liza had already put away her normal arrows and was observing the fight with apprehension. She was ready to fire one of the three enchanted arrows they bought, but it was impossible with the ogre rotating around like a spinning top.


    Eliot was laughing as he jumped around like a monkey, dodging the tree branch and the occasional kick thrown his way here and there. By now however, his attacks were doing more damage to the ogre than Boro¡¯s and his laugh was infuriating the creature even more.


    The ogre gave up on the dragon and used his free hand to throw a blow at Eliot, who dodged it by jumping backwards. Once Eliot was in the air, the ogre followed up the attack with a swing of his ¡°club¡±. Eliot had no way to avoid it this time. The only thing he could do was try to protect himself with both his arms and his sword. The blow hit him squarely in the middle, launching the young man out of the clearing and into the woods.


    ¡°ELIOT!¡± screamed Liza.


    ¡°He¡¯s dead¡­ that thing¡­ that thing killed Eliot,¡± said Ben¡¯s ethereal voice.


    Only Fang Chu retained her calm. This was to be expected. Ben and Liza had seen Eliot get injured and bleed before, so although they knew he was powerful, they thought he was just a bit tougher than they were. Only people like Fang Chu and Barnabas, who could sense the incredible amount of mana present in Eliot¡¯s body, knew it wasn¡¯t that simple.


    The ogre was elated to have finally gotten rid of one of the annoying buggers, but he was confused at the same time. He was expecting that this attack would have crushed the little human, making pancake of his flesh and bones. Instead, it felt like he hit something solid and hard, like a rock.


    Boro roared with indignation and burrowed inside the ogre¡¯s clothes. The intelligent dragon figured his attacks weren¡¯t being painful enough and decided to change his target¡­ to the ogre¡¯s genitalia!


    The ogre howled for the first time since the beginning of the fight. He tossed the tree branch aside and quickly grabbed at his nether region with his two hands.


    Ben was still spacing out after what happened to Eliot when he registered a gigantic tree branch flying towards him. He felt like time had slowed down for that moment and, in a fraction of a second, he knew what he¡¯d to do. He turned around and threw himself at Fang Chu, hoping they could drop to the ground and avoid being squashed.


    Things went against his expectations however, as Fang Chu received him in her arms and used his momentum to turn around and deliver a back kick to the large tree branch, splitting it in half. Ben was stunned, both by having her in his arms (though it was him that was being held) and about this strange turn of events. Fang Chu completely ignored his idiotic gaze, her eyes staring firmly at the region Eliot was thrown into.


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡±


    A bloody shout echoed in the woods, one that rivalled the painful howls of the ogre that was still dealing with Boro. Eliot jumped back into the clearing and rushed at the ogre again. His face was covered in small cuts, one of his arms was broken and his eyes had lost any reasoning. He jumped at the ogre and began punching and biting at him in a crazy frenzy.


    [Not good, he completely lost it. He¡¯ll be done for if the ogre targets him again. Maybe he could take another punch, but definitely not two!] analysed Fang Chu.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to do something now or Eliot will be in trouble!¡± Fang Chu shouted as she tossed Ben towards Liza. She wanted to see what they¡¯d do. If they couldn¡¯t handle it, she would. Even if that meant a painful backlash later.


    The shout seemed to awaken Liza who was staring tear-eyed at Eliot. She searched her pouches in haste, grabbed a scroll and shoved it in Ben¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Read it with the ring! We can¡¯t afford stutters or slip ups!¡±


    Ben was still confused at all the sudden developments, but he did as he was told and read the scroll, letting the ring vocalize his thoughts. As the incantation was being made, Liza took a deep breath and readied herself.


    Ben¡¯s ethereal voice finally finished speaking. There were no show of lights or strange phenomena, but the ogre that was trashing about wildly in his struggle against Boro and Eliot suddenly stopped moving. He let his arms drop to the side of his body, his mouth opened, and his eyes glazed over.


    Liza had been waiting for this moment. She took aim, drew the bow to the absolute max and let the magic arrow fly. The projectile crossed the air and pierced towards the ogre¡¯s nostril, lodging itself in the monster¡¯s brain.


    The ogre keeled over. Eliot uttered a deranged shout and began clawing at the creature¡¯s chest with his hands, to little effect. Frustrated, he looked around until he saw his sword that was stuck in a tree in the edge of the clearing and grabbed it. Together with Boro, they carved the ogre¡¯s heart out and feasted on its flesh and blood. At this moment they both looked like beasts.


    -


    1 I was making a gigantic rant about height, distance and perception, but I figured it was too long and disgruntled that very few people would read it or make sense of it. So here is the short version.


    When you read six meters it might be hard to grasp how scary something that big would be. To that end, I have a suggestion. Imagine the tallest person you know. They should probably be around 1,9 ¨C 2m tall and, if you have medium height like I do, they might seem gigantic to you (even though they¡¯re less than 30cm taller than you). Now imagine that there are three of them and they¡¯re on top of each other¡¯s shoulders. There you go. A creature six meters tall is scary!

 Chapter 45 – Tumma Forest (3)

    Fang Chu was a bit surprised by this turn of events. She¡¯d heard that some barbarians ate the raw flesh of their opponents to acquire their strength, but it was her first time seeing it.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s seventy-five gold!¡± exclaimed Ben.


    His first instinct was to move forward and stop Eliot and Boro from continuing eating the heart, but he hesitated. The way the young man was acting right now was a bit scary. He didn¡¯t know how Eliot would react if he tried to stop him. While Ben was at a loss of what to do, Liza put her hand on his shoulder and just shook her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s better we let him calm down first,¡± she said.


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    For a moment, they were all spellbound watching the savage scene of the young man and his dragon feasting on flesh and blood. However, they were soon brought out of their reverie by a loud sound of something splinting and cracking somewhere behind them.


    Liza, Fang Chu and Ben turned around just in time to see another ogre slamming the ground with her two hands. It was an eight meters tall female and she was about thirty meters away from them. If it wasn¡¯t for the huge force which she slammed the earth with, it would almost seem like she was kowtowing to them.


    ¡°Curse you, Murphy!¡± complained a terrified Ben.


    ¡°What the hell is she doing?¡± asked Liza with a sense of unease.


    Upon seeing this new enemy, Fang Chu was alarmed and entered on full alert. After concentrating her senses to the utmost, she could feel a strong flow of mana rushing underground towards their location.


    [Damn!] she thought.


    She took a huge breath and blue vein markings began to appear all over her skin. In the next moment, she grabbed Ben and Liza by their gambesons¡¯ collars and threw them over to where Eliot and Boro were eating the ogre¡¯s remains. She did it with ease, like she was throwing a pillow with each hand.


    Liza and Ben were befuddled as they suddenly felt their vision spin and lost all sense of balance, direction and weight. Fang Chu rushed right after them, not wasting any time at all. Her usual beautiful and radiant complexion was marred with many blue wriggly markings and she looked at the ground with a serious expression.


    Eliot and Boro ignored the dishevelled newcomers that crashed near them with a grunt. They continued feasting and roaring to the sky. Fang Chu arrived soon after and they were finally all within an arm¡¯s reach of each other.


    Extending her hand in the air, Fang Chu made a crystal orb appear in her palm out of nowhere. She then infused the item with a lot of mana before crushing it. A spherical and translucent barrier materialized around the group moments before the ground beneath them exploded.


    A great number of earthen spikes pierced the ground and hit both the spherical barrier and a part of the dead ogre¡¯s body. The monster¡¯s torso was shredded and lacerated badly, while the group felt a huge impact hit them from below.


    The spherical barrier was launched into the air at an angle and its light dimmed greatly. It was like all of them were trapped inside a glass marble that was launched to the skies by the flick of a finger.


    This time it wasn¡¯t just Liza and Ben who felt a sense of weightlessness and loss of direction. They were all rolling about inside the barrier, spinning and crashing on each other.


    To the few brave souls that were exploring or fighting on Kolmio Ridge (and just happened to look at the forest¡¯s direction at that moment), it looked like a flash of white light crossed the sky and crashed deep into the woods.


    The barrier¡¯s light was much dimmer after being hit by the underground assault and it finally lost all its luster when it hit the ground. The walls cracked open and dissipated, making everyone roll around on the ground due to the momentum.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    The pot with the Dancing Sage sapling had already been broken when Liza was tossed by Fang Chu, but the plant was brought along with them inside the barrier. After spinning around and being squashed several times by different bodies, the herb was damaged. Yet, now that they landed, its roots, branches and emerald green leaves were all wriggling and swaying lightly. If Liza had noticed this behaviour, she would be shocked; but she¡¯d other things to worry about right now.


    *cough* *cough*


    ¡°What, what the heck was that!¡± exclaimed Liza.


    ¡°Holly molly, we flew! We were in the air! What hit us just then? How? Why? What¡¯s going on?¡± asked Ben with a husky voice.


    Eliot was panting and holding his broken arm with a frown. After being shaken around for a bit he¡¯d recovered his reasoning and was trying to remember what happened. The only thing he knew was that he was tired. He¡¯d expended a great amount of energy in that fight.


    *urgh* *cough*


    He was not the only one. Liza sat down with difficulty and tried to piece together what had happened. This entire turn of events, including the earlier fight with the ogre, occurred in less than three minutes. It was understandable that their brains hadn¡¯t caught up yet.


    ¡°Fang Chu! Who the hell are you?¡± asked Liza.


    She got up and walked towards her employer who was doubled over a small distance away. Liza was under a maelstrom of emotions regarding this mysterious woman that hired them. She was feeling suspicious, furious and grateful all at the same time.


    *cough* *cough*


    However, Liza¡¯s mind drew a blank as soon as she saw Fang Chu¡¯s condition. The read-headed woman was pale as a ghost, sweating a lot and coughing blood every few seconds. Fang Chu turned around and lay on her back, breathing roughly. She eyed the surprised Liza and gave her a weak smile.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Liza?¡± she asked trying to maintain her usual composure.


    ¡°Huh, I¡­¡± Liza was temporarily taken aback. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Ha¡­ Haha, I¡¯ll be fine. Just let me rest for a spell.¡±


    ¡°What? Fang Chu is hurt? Where? Is there something I can do to help? What about the potion? Should we give one to her and one to Eliot?¡± asked a panicky Ben.


    ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary. Save them for when you really need them. Just give some time to rest and I¡¯ll be fine. Truly,¡± said Fang Chu.


    ¡°No biggie, I¡¯m okay too. My arm is funny again, that¡¯s all. It moves by itself, see? It kind of hurts though, hahaha.¡±


    ¡°Funny? Your arm is not funny, its broken! Stop wriggling it around!¡± exclaimed Liza. She turned around to look at Fang Chu again. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re ok? Don¡¯t you need anything?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go take care of Eliot, but we¡¯ll need to have a talk once your condition improves.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m certain you¡¯ve lots of questions,¡± said Fang Chu as she closed her eyes to take a brief rest.


    ¡°Boro, keep an eye out on the surroundings please. Neb, help me out here.¡±


    Liza took Eliot¡¯s gambeson off and had him lie down. She began to trace her fingers dexterously all around his body. From his calves, to his thighs, to his torso. Every now and then she would pressure down with her fingers at key points and ask Eliot some simple questions.


    [A few cracked ribs, a broken arm and some ruptured blood vessels. Is that the extent of his injuries? Not that it doesn¡¯t look bad, but I thought he was a goner after that attack!]


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll help you put the gambeson back and we¡¯ll immobilize your arm.¡±


    With Ben¡¯s help, Liza set Eliot¡¯s arm straight and immobilized it by tying his sword sheath and a few wooden branches around his arm with a piece of rope. After that was done, she opened her medicine box and mixed two powders with some water and gave them for Eliot to eat.


    ¡°This is to help you recover your vitality and make some new blood. Take it.¡±


    With the preliminary treatment on Eliot done, Liza returned to take a look at Fang Chu. The redhead said she was going to be fine, but Liza would rather keep an eye on her. If there were no signs of improvement during the ten minutes or so she was treating Eliot, Liza would try to diagnose her.


    To Liza¡¯s surprise however, Fang Chu was no longer coughing blood and her complexion was a good deal better. Her eyes were still closed, and she looked as if she was sleeping. It took another five minutes before she opened them again and smiled at Liza.


    ¡°My, were you worried?¡± she asked sweetly.


    ¡°First of all,¡± Liza interrupted brusquely.


    Ben tensed up. He remembered that tone. It was the same one she used when she¡¯d interrogated him after they¡¯d just met. He pissed his pants then (but for a totally justifiable reason, he thought to himself).


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Hahaha, no problem.¡±


    ¡°What happened to you just then? I¡¯ve never seen a condition like that before.¡±


    ¡°Hum, how to explain it¡­ to put it simply, I overexerted myself. You see, I¡¯m a cripple. I suffered a heavy injury in the past and now not only can I not progress in my training, I¡¯ll suffer a backlash every time I try to use anything close to my old level of strength.¡±


    ¡°You call yourself a cripple?!¡± exclaimed Liza and Ben almost in unison.


    ¡°You tossed two grown people through the air like they weighted nothing!¡± continued Ben. He felt it was absurd someone with that amount of power call themselves a cripple. Liza agreed with him, as she nodded her head seriously.


    ¡°Hahaha, just some brute strength. Nothing to be proud off.¡±

 Chapter 46 – A Lady from the East (1)

    When hearing this, Ben remembered some of the people that frequented his gym back on earth. It seemed that their whole purpose in life was to see how much weight they could lift, as there was nothing else they ever talked about. It was always gains, diet, supplements, and other workout related stuff. How would they feel seeing a woman much stronger than them saying brute strength was nothing to be proud off?


    [Depressed, I¡¯m sure,] he concluded.


    ¡°Ok, so after the backlash all you need to do is rest?¡± Liza continued.


    ¡°Yes, pretty much.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this bad though? Won¡¯t it kill you in the long run?¡±


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯ll be fine. Although I was injured in the past, I¡¯m much healthier than a regular person. Everything will be ok as long as I don¡¯t abuse it too much and take my time recovering after each instance.¡±


    ¡°Ok then, if you say so. Now that I¡¯ve thanked you for saving us from that pinch and know you won¡¯t be dying on me, let me ask you¡­ who the hell are you?¡±


    ¡°Oh? I thought I¡¯d already introduced myself. I¡¯m Fang Chu, remember?¡± she said with a smile.


    Liza chose to ignore her childish remark.


    ¡°You can clearly defend yourself. Why did you hire us? What are you plotting?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I targeted you guys from the start. Ever since our chance meeting back in Kalafrana, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about you, Ben.¡±


    ¡°Wha¨C what? Me?¡± asked Ben in a fluster. His heart began racing and his face flushed to a light pink color. He thought he was already immune to Fang Chu¡¯s dazzling appearance and demeanour, but this one sentence left him scrambling.


    Liza was also surprised by this revelation. She looked over at Ben with an evaluating glance and pondered. [Nope, definitely not because of his looks,] she thought.


    ¡°Yes. I want to take you in as a pupil. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± exclaimed Liza.


    ¡°Huh?¡± said Ben, who was caught off guard. That was not what he was expecting.


    ¡°What¡¯s a pupil?¡± inquired Eliot.


    A short silence followed as everyone adjusted their mindset.


    ¡°What¡¯s a pupil?¡± asked Eliot again.


    ¡°Not now Eliot, I¡¯ll explain to you later,¡± said Liza quietly.


    ¡°So, what do you say Ben? Will you take me as your master?¡±


    ¡°Huh, I¡­ wait. You know my name is Ben?¡± he asked befuddled.


    ¡°Hahaha, indeed. It¡¯s been mightily entertaining seeing everyone refer to you as Neb for the past few days.¡±


    Liza and Ben looked at each other with wry smiles on their faces.


    ¡°Ah~, and I was doing so well too! I didn¡¯t let it slip once, just like Liza told me to,¡± said a dejected Eliot as he kicked randomly at a few bushes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel down Eliot, you did great!¡± encouraged Liza.


    ¡°So, what do you say Ben?¡± she asked again.


    ¡°There are a few things I need to know before I can answer that.¡±


    ¡°Ask away then.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a noble? Why are you searching for a pupil? Why me? What are you supposed to be teaching me? What¡¯s in it for you?¡± he asked in rapid fire fashion.


    ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m not nobility at all. I¡¯m not even from around here. I¡¯m part of the Heaven Reaching Sect located on the kingdom of Zahur. What I¡¯ll be teaching you is how to defend yourself with your fists and a variety of weapons.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re not nobility? But people from house Esin and Melis acknowledged you as so! How would that be possible if you weren¡¯t a true noble?¡± interrupted Liza.


    ¡°Oh, that? It¡¯s because I have this,¡± said Fang Chu as she made a small metal shield appear on her hand. It was masterly crafted and on it was carved the crest of a noble family with minute detail.


    ¡°Oh, cool!¡± exclaimed Eliot.


    ¡°I bumped into an old man and his entourage when I was wandering around. Turns out he was another lecherous bastard of noble origins. He ordered his guards to capture me the moment he laid eyes on me. I was left with no other choice but to give him and his men a good trashing. I lifted this up from his person afterwards.¡±


    ¡°Uh, what?!¡±


    ¡°Then, during my stay in the capital something similar happened with that Richard fellow. Ah, being this beautiful is so troublesome sometimes,¡± Fang Chu sighed melodramatically before continuing.


    ¡°I also beat his guard up. He became furious that I, a peasant, was trying to fight back. Albek, who happened to be passing by, overheard the commotion and came in my defense. They began arguing with each other and things started to heat up. To avoid further complications, I flashed this crest and said I was a recently adopted daughter of that old man. They were doubtful, but the emblem is genuine so there was nothing they could say. They probably sent people to verify the information on that same day, but I wasn¡¯t worried as I knew I¡¯d be out of the capital when they got their confirmation back.¡±


    Liza and Ben were both astonished. That was brazen! That was bold! To antagonize nobles whenever she went and have a firm mind and cold blood when dealing with them showed how brave Fang Chu was. Actually, maybe crazy would be a better adjective.


    [Since she is from a foreign nation and is this powerful, I guess she just doesn¡¯t care. If she¡¯s always on the move it would be nigh impossible for anyone to take revenge on her,] thought Liza.


    Fang Chu made a simple gesture and the emblem that was on her hand disappeared into thin air again. Eliot¡¯s eyes shined brightly and he clapped his hand on his leg vigorously.


    ¡°Cool! So cool! Do it again! Make it appear and disappear again!¡±


    ¡°Now that you mentioned it Eliot, how are you doing that? You did it with the orb that protected us too,¡± said Liza.


    Ben was also surprised by this, but that was not what was on his mind right now. He wanted to keep talking to Fang Chu and hear her answers, but before he knew it, the conversation got side-tracked.


    [Maybe it¡¯s not that bad. It gives me more time to process everything.]


    ¡°This?¡± said Fang Chu as she made the metal emblem appear and disappear repeatedly. ¡°It¡¯s because of this ring. It contains a spatial pocket inside where I can store my things. I noticed that only in the capital you have something similar, but they¡¯re all rucksacks. Bags of holding they were called, if I¡¯m not mistaken. Since I didn¡¯t want to draw attention or suspicion, I bought this rucksack to pretend I¡¯m taking stuff out of my bag. Of course, there¡¯s little reason for it now with how things went in the last fight.¡±


    ¡°Amazing. I always wanted something like that,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Hey, uhm, can we bring it back a little please?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± said Liza as she retreated a few steps to give them space.


    ¡°Then, what do you think?¡± asked Fang Chu with a smile.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t finish answering my questions. Why are you searching for a pupil? Why me? What¡¯s in it for you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right, I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Fang Chu paused for a moment. Those were things she didn¡¯t want to share, but she knew there would be no chance of Ben accepting her proposal if she wasn¡¯t completely honest.


    ¡°To put it bluntly, I¡¯m searching for a pupil to show my worth. I was always considered a promising seedling and that reflected on my status within the sect. However, things changed. After I was unable to progress any further due to my injury, the upper echelons started pressuring my father. They wanted to have me married to an important figure of another sect to make an alliance,¡± said Fang Chu with a sigh.


    Ben felt a pang on his heart. Hearing Fang Chu was being pressured into marriage irked him a lot somehow. Why did this annoy him so much? He barely knew the woman. Was this what they called loved at first sight?


    [Pfft, don¡¯t be ridiculous Ben. You just find her super attractive and that¡¯s why your brain is messing with you with all its chemicals and stuff,] he tried reasoning with himself.


    ¡°Of course, I wanted none of that. Even though my father was shielding me, I knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back the upper echelon forever. I knew I¡¯d to show that I was still valuable to the sect before it was too late. I was always focused on improving myself, so I already had a lot of my own thoughts about the training regimen and how to get stronger. Thus, I began teaching the younger disciples, but I soon realized that they were a bunch of lazy, ungrateful, self-righteous little bastards,¡± said Fang Chu with a scoff.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what? Why would you keep people like that around?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Every sect has limited resources, so we can¡¯t accept everybody. Therefore, we always conduct an entrance exam to gauge every participant aptitude. We only take in the most talented, the best of the best. The sect would never send them away willingly, specially not after wasting resources on them.¡±


    ¡°But you said they were lazy, ungrateful and self-righteous.¡±


    ¡°Well, I might have gone overboard a little,¡± said Fang Chu with embarrassment. ¡°They do train and do their own diligence. It¡¯s just that my training regimen is a tiny little bit harsher. Just a bit. In the end, all my students gave up and asked to be assigned to a new instructor before the end of the month,¡± she said shaking her head.

 Chapter 47 – A Lady from the East (2)

    Just a tiny little bit harsher? Yet all the students asked to be transferred to another instructor in less than a month? Who was she kidding? Thoughts like these kept swirling around Liza¡¯s and Ben¡¯s minds.


    Fang Chu harrumphed and continued. ¡°Anyway, sometime after this failure I began noticing a change on the atmosphere in the sect. Whenever I went people would gossip. Every time I crossed paths with an elder, they gave me disapproving looks. I knew my time was running out. So, I set out in search of people I could teach. I figured if I could train one of the people the sect would never accept at its entrance exam into someone strong enough to trash our own so-called geniuses, there would be nothing they could say.¡±


    [So, she¡¯s running away. I wonder if she realised it herself,] thought Ben.


    ¡°Ok, I think I get it. Why me though? I¡¯m well aware of my ineptness, but I¡¯m certainly not the only weakling out there,¡± he said.


    ¡°You¡¯re certainly not the first I tried to recruit, but no matter who I selected there were always factors I was dissatisfied with. In the end, none of them were worthy. However, you surprised me. When we met in Kalafrana I instantly noticed your strange condition. You have less mana on your body than an infant. I was shocked. How could you have lived like that for this long? If I could turn you into someone strong there would be nothing left to say. All that remained was to see if your heart was in the right place. After traveling together for these past few weeks and seeing how you treat the people around you and react to dangerous situations, I¡¯m satisfied.¡±


    ¡°What? You could tell I have almost no mana in my body?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I can vaguely sense the mana of my surroundings and even conjure a more vivid image if I concentrate. Your lack of mana is really eye-catching.¡±


    [She can sense mana to this extent¡­ Just like it said in the book, there really are virtuosos out there. She would probably be a great mage if she wanted to,] thought Ben.


    ¡°I see,¡± he said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve answered all your questions. How about it, Ben? Aren¡¯t you tired of being the group¡¯s servant? Of being unable to protect yourself and have to watch the combat from afar? You do realise that your mere presence increases the danger factor for everyone involved in your party, right?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    Her speech was harsh, and Ben found it hard to stomach it. Nevertheless, he couldn¡¯t find fault with it, as it was all true. Whenever they were traveling, he was the weak point. He was the one pulling everyone down. That¡¯s why he began practicing with throwing knives again, a hobby he dropped long ago. It was all in the hope he could alleviate some of the burden he imposed on Liza, Eliot and Boro.


    Liza wanted to say something, but she wasn¡¯t sure it was right for her to poke her nose in this instance. She could see Ben was hurt by what Fang Chu said, but this was part of a proposal of guidance and apprenticeship. She knew how important that was. The whole reason she could fight and take care of herself was because she¡¯d a senior teach her the ropes. Perhaps this was exactly what Ben needed. Eliot however, had no such calms.


    ¡°Ben¡¯s not a servant! He¡¯s our friend! It doesn¡¯t matter that he¡¯s weak as a goblin!¡± exclaimed Eliot.


    ¡°Shh, be quiet Eliot. Let them talk,¡± said Liza. Although she was scolding him, her tone was bright and she¡¯d a smile on her face. Eliot¡¯s actions were perfect to show Ben they didn¡¯t care about his weakness, but simple enough that didn¡¯t nudge him in any particular direction.


    Fang Chu only smiled lightly at this show of support. Ben was both part happy and part sad by what Eliot said. They didn¡¯t care that he couldn¡¯t fight, but he was as weak as a goblin in the end, huh? He took a deep breath and looked at Fang Chu in the eye.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    He felt a bit conflicted about the whole situation. Fang Chu did approach them with second intentions, but he couldn¡¯t fault her in the end. The mission was real, and they would be paid at completion.


    She also never forced the issue. They were the ones that took the bait of their own accord. It was like she paid a hundred gold coins just to travel with them for a while. Not only that, but she even helped them out during a dangerous situation at the expense of injuries to her own body.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Due to certain circumstances I cannot accept your proposal.¡±


    Fang Chu closed her eyes and let out a sigh. Honestly, she wasn¡¯t confident in her chances from the beginning. If possible, she wanted to travel along with them for longer and get to know them better before delivering her proposal. Unfortunately, outside factors forced her hand earlier than she¡¯d have liked.


    Although she was rejected, there was another alternative. She could easily see Ben was infatuated with her. If she played her cards right, she could probably convince him to accept. But that was not the kind of woman she was. She¡¯d too much self-respect to stoop this low and Ben wasn¡¯t a horrible person that she would have no calms to trick or toy with.


    ¡°Ah~, what can you do. I guess I¡¯ll need to keep on searching,¡± she said with a sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ben said weakly. He was completely in his right to refuse, yet he couldn¡¯t help but feel bad about it. Especially thinking his refusal might force her into an unwanted marriage.


    [Well, that was surprising. I assumed he would accept it. If not because of the opportunity to grow stronger and learn to protect himself, at least to increase his chances, given how smitten he is by her. People are known to lose their reasoning when it comes to matters of the heart,] thought Liza.


    ¡°Hahahaha.¡±


    The somewhat heavy atmosphere was broken by the clear laughter of Eliot. He was squatting by the broken pot of the Dancing Sage sapling, watching the plant with keen interest. The herb was wriggling lightly, from its leaves to its roots, and this motion was making it move ever so slightly.


    ¡°Look guys, the plant is moving! It¡¯s like a little snake!¡±


    Everyone was surprised by this statement and glad they could change the subject for the moment. Fang Chu got up slowly and joined everyone as they formed a circle around the broken pot.


    ¡°How could this be? We weren¡¯t thrown that far away. How come we¡¯re suddenly in a zone with higher mana density?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Look, they are all wriggling in a certain direction,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. Doesn¡¯t that mean there¡¯s a zone even richer in mana nearby?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°Definitely! We might have stumbled upon something super valuable! Let¡¯s hurry and fix the pot to go looking for it,¡± said Liza with excitement.


    The earthen pot was mostly broken in huge chunks, so it was still salvageable. While Liza was busying herself with collecting the pieces and searching for a binding agent on her pouches, Fang Chu interrupted.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to use another pot?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yeah, but we don¡¯t ha¨C¡±


    A small pot appeared on Fang Chu¡¯s hand before Liza could finish her sentence. It was a cooking pot made of pottery, but it would do just nicely. Fang Chu just shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I keep a lot of things around. Just in case,¡± she said.


    They transplanted the sapling to the cooking pot and resumed their travel, using the swaying motion of the Dancing Sage to find the zone with higher mana. At this point they¡¯d no idea if they were going deeper into the forest or not. They¡¯d lost all their sense of direction after being thrown in the air by that ogre¡¯s attack.


    After walking for fifteen minutes they came across a clearing. In the middle of the open space was something one wouldn¡¯t normally see inside a forest. It was a mausoleum. Its stone walls were covered with moss and ivy, making it look old and abandoned. The rays of sunlight shined on its surface, giving it a golden hue, and the chirping of the nearby birds gave the place a peaceful and harmonious feeling.


    The group advanced together at the same time, almost like they were mesmerized by that strange sight. They weren¡¯t paying attention to where they were stepping and soon a crunching sound broke the spell.


    Everyone looked around and focused at Ben¡¯s foot which was lifted from the ground. Beneath it was a piece of broken bone that was previously hidden by the foliage. Suddenly, that small clearing didn¡¯t seem as peaceful and inviting like it was before.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange. Why build a mausoleum here? Who would come visit or pay their respects?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe it was part of a town or something that stood here long ago? But if that was the case, we would¡¯ve found other traces of ruins on the way,¡± said Ben.


    Liza kept quiet and continued walking until she was in front of the building. The mausoleum was small, and its doors were wide open. The only thing that could be seen were stone steps leading down.


    On the stone doors that opened towards the inside she could see a carved symbol behind some of the moss. It was an inverted triangle with a stylized eye in the center.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned,¡± she said.

 Chapter 48 – Mausoleum (1)

    ¡°What happened? Did you find something Liza?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°That,¡± said Liza as she pointed towards the symbol.


    ¡°An inverted pyramid with an eye inside. What is it? The upside-down illuminati?¡±


    ¡°There you go again with the nonsense. No, that symbol explains why we would find a tomb in such a remote place. It¡¯s the symbol of Mirsha.¡±


    ¡°How does it explain why this mausoleum is here?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°Mirsha followers believe that they¡¯ll be taken to the afterlife by their goddess, together with everything they have been buried with. To the poor it doesn¡¯t matter much, they just ask to be buried anywhere with the little that they have. The rich and powerful on the other hand will have their tombs filled with all kinds of goods, making them a high-profile target for grave robbers. Since they don¡¯t want to be robbed from their belongings before the goddess comes to take them, they usually erect their tombs in secrecy and on isolated places, building all kinds of contraptions to the safekeeping of their fortune.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s kind of similar to the ancient Egyptians. Why were you cursing then? Doesn¡¯t that mean we stumbled upon a fortune?¡± inquired Ben.


    ¡°You just paid attention to the good parts, I see. This mausoleum was built inside Tumma Forest. Whoever was buried here sure didn¡¯t want anyone to find out. It¡¯s probably filled with traps and really dangerous.¡±


    ¡°So, what should we do? Should we go inside to take a look or just leave?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°Dunno. I¡¯m not sure how I feel about it¡­¡± said Liza as she bit her lower lip.


    [Oh, right, I forgot. She doesn¡¯t like stealing¡­]


    Ben knew Liza hated bandits and what they did, so she abhorred taking from others what didn¡¯t belong to her. But he also knew she wasn¡¯t completely inflexible. She could understand and look the other way in some cases, like what Popis and the children did to survive. She also had no problem taking things from people she killed in self-defence. Perhaps to those that saw the world in black and white she would be a shameless hypocrite, but to Ben there was another word for it: normal. Who didn¡¯t contradict themselves from time to time? Being a mess of paradoxes and contradictions was at the core of what made people human. The famous ¡°it¡¯s complicated¡±.


    Seeing that Liza couldn¡¯t make her mind about the situation, Ben decided to give her a helping hand and tip the scales. He put his hands on the back of his head, looked up and began talking to himself.


    ¡°They believe the goddess will take them to the afterlife with all their belongings? Looking by how old this place is, this fellow or lady should be long gone. The crypt is probably empty by now, all its valuables taken by the goddess. How does this work by the way? Does she come to the place in person, carrying a large bag? Or does she make a tally and give the person the corresponding wealth back in heaven? For shame, for shame, just when we were in dire need of money too¡­¡±


    Robbing a grave was something that definitely crossed Ben¡¯s line before, but after killing people (in self-defence, mind you) most of those lines seemed insignificant now. Especially in cases like this, were it would be beneficial to them without harming anyone. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t feel guilty at all by pushing Liza in this direction.


    ¡°Urgh¡­ argh! Let¡¯s go in and see. You¡¯re probably right, whatever is inside should be what the goddess left behind. Then we might as well take it. At this point it¡¯s basically ownerless, right?¡± asked Liza with uncertainty.


    ¡°Right, it should be so,¡± said Ben seriously.


    ¡°But we need to be careful. Let me prepare a few things first.¡±


    Everyone watched as Liza went to the edge of the clearing and cut a rather long branch from a tree. She put it under her arm and began scanning the ground. She was looking for a sizeable rock. It took a while, but she found one. Looking at her return to the mausoleum¡¯s entrance carrying the branch and the rock, Ben felt nostalgic.


    ¡°Ah, the most basic tools for dungeon crawling¡­¡± he said.


    ¡°Oh? You know of it too?¡± asked a surprised Liza.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Yes. Never went without them after losing a friend to a trap.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Liza sadly. ¡°But from what you¡¯ve told us, the place you grew up in was peaceful and non-violent. How come trap filled dungeons existed in a region like that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, they do exist. In our minds,¡± said Ben solemnly.


    Liza¡¯s mouth slacked open for a moment before her brows creased in annoyance. She dropped the branch and the stone to the ground and slapped Ben on the shoulder a few times with moderate force.


    ¡°You¡¯re just messing with me!¡± she exclaimed.


    ¡°Ouch, no, it¡¯s true! Stop it! You win, I¡¯m sorry! My bad!¡±


    Fang Chu laughed at their antics while Eliot was left puzzled. After Liza was done slapping Ben, she grabbed the rock and dropped it downstairs towards the inside of the mausoleum. The rock rolled awkwardly down the steps with a rumbling sound. Nothing happened. Liza then grabbed the branch and began testing every surface before moving forward. Everyone followed suit.


    ¡°How come there are dungeons in your mind?¡± asked Eliot.


    Liza¡¯s mouth twitched, but she kept quiet.


    ¡°It¡¯s a really cool game. We can play it one of these days when we have the time.¡±


    ¡°Is it better than five stones?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a thousand times better than five stones!¡±


    ¡°What?! No way!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±


    At the end of the stairs was a square room. The light from outside was just enough to partially illuminate the chamber, revealing at its center a two meters tall humanoid creature. It had a polished head with no facial features and large cylindrical limbs made of mud that were covered in cobwebs. By its feet were a couple of shattered skeletons wearing rags and holding rusted weapons.


    ¡°Woah, that¡¯s scary! But it¡¯s also cool!¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Don¡¯t step inside! Stay on the stairs!¡±


    ¡°Me stepping inside? Are you crazy?¡± he replied.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s curious. Is that an autonomous servant? We don¡¯t have many of those where I come from.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a clay golem. Wizards sure love their golems.¡±


    ¡°What does it do?¡± asked Eliot.


    ¡°This one? Kills any intruders,¡± said Liza while looking at the broken skeletons on the floor.


    ¡°What should we do then?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go whack him!¡± said Eliot.


    ¡°No! I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be able to, but right now you have a broken arm and many fractures! You need to focus on resting and recovering!¡±


    ¡°Buuuh, boring!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s boring, just wait patiently!¡± said Liza before turning to Fang Chu. ¡°How are you feeling? Can you move like you did before? I¡¯m not asking you to injure yourself, I just want to know if you can distract him for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I can do that. No problem.¡±


    ¡°Go in first then and distract him. I want to see what¡¯s in that corridor up ahead.¡±


    Liza lit up a torch and readied herself as Fang Chu casually stepped inside the room. The golem that was dormant for who knew how long stirred the moment her feet touched the ground. It moved its limbs, breaking apart the cobwebs that covered them, and rushed at her.


    It swung his large arm like a mace, hoping to crush the intruder, but hit nothing but air. Fang Chu had graciously dodged to the side. The golem was faster than his size betrayed, but it still wasn¡¯t enough. It tirelessly swung his arms around, but Fang Chu dodged them each time, leading him in circles. Her moves were light and fast. It seemed as if she was dancing as she glided from one spot to the other. Ben was left in a daze as he watched that mesmerizing scene.


    While the two were locked in combat, Liza snuck past them and bolted straight to the corridor. This time she couldn¡¯t take things too slow, so besides the torch she only brought the rock with her. The moment she reached the corridor¡¯s entrance, she tossed the rock forward and watched as it rolled on the floor. It moved for a few meters before suddenly vanishing into the ground. A few seconds later, the sound of the rock hitting something echoed on the corridor.


    ¡°Shit! It¡¯s a hidden pitfall. I can¡¯t be sure how big it is for now.¡±


    The light of the torch wasn¡¯t enough to illuminate the entire corridor clearly, so Liza wasn¡¯t too sure of what was ahead. Knowing now was not the time to stop and ponder, she returned in a rush back to the stairs and signalled Fang Chu to fall back as well.


    ¡°Let¡¯s run back up for now. We¡¯ll need to figure out a way to deal with this golem before proceeding,¡± she said.


    ¡°Do you want me to destroy it?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°Can you do it without hurting yourself?¡±


    ¡°Not likely.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t do it. What I said for Eliot goes for you too. Let¡¯s go back and think of a better way to get past him.¡±


    The golem attacked Fang Chu all the way to the stairs, but once she was outside the room it stopped. Finding there was no more intruders in the zone it was tasked to protect, the golem went back to the middle of the chamber to wait in its original position. Meanwhile, the group gathered around outside and sat on the ground to discuss what to do next.


    ¡°What did you find? What comes after this room?¡± asked Ben with interest. It was his first time experiencing a real dungeon. He was both parts excited and scared.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long corridor. I couldn¡¯t see in its entirety since I was afraid of triggering a trap if I went in. So I threw the rock. After rolling for a few meters it sunk into the floor like the ground wasn¡¯t even there! I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s an illusory pitfall trap.¡±


    ¡°Ah, a pitfall. Classic. I¡¯m sure there are spikes on the bottom. Any self-respecting dungeon master would add in a few spikes,¡± he said seriously.


    Liza made a strange face. She was already used to Ben having all kinds of random knowledge, but he was usually wary or scared of most of the dangers they had come across. It was the first time that he seemed genuinely excited about a perilous situation.


    The truth was that Ben couldn¡¯t help himself. The shock of finding he was stuck in a foreign world had lessened by now and dungeons were the bread and butter of many of the things he found enjoyable back on Earth. It was a major part of the games and books he used to distract himself from the existential void that threatened to consume him.

 Chapter 49 – Mausoleum (2)

    ¡°Ah, just let me smack him Liza!¡± exclaimed Eliot.


    ¡°No means no.¡±


    ¡°What if Boro ate the golem¡¯s joints? Without arms or legs, he wouldn¡¯t be much of a threat.¡± suggested Ben.


    The dragon flew across the air and used his tail to slap Ben¡¯s face. It was like he was saying What? Do you want me to eat mud? Are you crazy? Seeing Boro flying around like that surprised Fang Chu. Liza, on the other hand, facepalmed. They were hiding it so well before¡­


    ¡°Ouch! Sorry, my bad! I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea for you to disarm the golem anymore!¡± exclaimed Ben as he massaged his cheek while being stared down by the dragon.


    ¡°That explains why he managed to climb that ogre so easily. He wasn¡¯t climbing at all! He just flew there. Impressive stuff. I knew your tamed monster couldn¡¯t be just a regular old serpent,¡± said Fang Chu.


    Boro glared at Fang Chu through narrowed eyes and snorted. Now that he could understand the spoken word, he didn¡¯t like being called tamed monster or pet. He could bear with it when needed, as was the case when they were in a village or town, but that was it. Even then, it was only possible on those occasions because Liza explained to him that he was too awesome for their own good. They would find themselves in all kinds of troubles if people found out more about him. That whole talk left Boro feeling quite smug for a while.


    ¡°Oh? Did I offend him somehow?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t like being called a tamed monster or pet. He¡¯s our companion,¡± said Liza. Her eyes that had casted away her suspicions of Fang Chu were serious once again.


    The redhead could easily notice the immediate change in the atmosphere. It was surprising to her that Boro could understand the spoken language, but that wasn¡¯t important right now. She needed to make sure that her recently earned trust from the group wouldn¡¯t melt away due to a misunderstanding.


    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry then, I hope you pardon me Boro. You also don¡¯t need to keep looking at me like that Liza. The only one I¡¯m interested in stealing from you is Ben,¡± she said candidly.


    Ben instantly blushed. Although he knew she was talking about her desire of taking him as a pupil, the way she said it was too suggestive. Liza laughed and then relaxed. She could see Fang Chu was just genuinely surprised about Boro and nothing else. There was no greed in her eyes.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get back on topic. What should we do about the golem?¡± asked Ben in an attempt to change the conversation and dispel the awkward mood.


    ¡°I was thinking of a couple ideas, but maybe yours is the easiest,¡± said Liza.


    Boro looked at Liza in astonishment.


    [Look at his face! It¡¯s like he¡¯s saying Et tu, Brute?] Ben laughed inwardly.


    Liza patted the dragon lovingly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Boro, I¡¯m not going to ask you to do it. I¡¯ve something else in mind. Say, Fang Chu, you¡¯re rather well-off¡­ could you lend me forty gold?¡± asked Liza shamelessly.


    At this point she didn¡¯t feel awkward about asking for money. Fang Chu wasn¡¯t really nobility and although she was technically their employer for this task, Liza could no longer see her as such. As of now she treated the other more like a friendly acquaintance.


    The redhead pondered for a few seconds and nodded. ¡°Sure, but I don¡¯t want you to pay me back. I¡¯d rather you let me continue travelling with you until I¡¯m satisfied.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ben was delighted but also feeling shameful. He just couldn¡¯t accept Fang Chu¡¯s proposition no matter what. He wanted to be a mage. Nay, he needed to be a mage. That is, unless he was fine with being stuck in Flanac forever.


    ¡°Fang Chu, I really can¡¯t¨C¡± he started.


    ¡°I know, you don¡¯t need to fret about it,¡± she laughed while cutting him off. ¡°It¡¯s just that staying with you guys for a bit looks interesting. You also seem to travel a lot and that suits me just fine. So, what do you guys think?¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    [Ouch! Awkward!] thought Liza.


    [Ugh, that was a slap to my face. Of course, it¡¯s not all about me. I was being completely delusional¡­ how pathetic.]


    [I¡¯m not giving up yet! We barely know each other, so of course you refused. Maybe you do have a reason, but so what? That can change! I¡¯ll just take it slowly for now and we¡¯ll see. If it¡¯s really impossible, I¡¯ll just move on.]


    [I¡¯m kind of hungry.]


    There was a brief period of silence while everyone was lost in their own thoughts. Liza contemplated everything she knew about Fang Chu and her attitude so far, then nodded her head. This was more than a great deal! It was perfect for them!


    ¡°You¡¯re strong, wealthy and already helped us out in a dangerous situation. Never mind the money, I would¡¯ve accepted it if you asked to join us straight away. But you can¡¯t take the offer back, we really need the money to bypass the golem with ease.¡±


    ¡°No worries, take it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll pay you back.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, really.¡±


    ¡°I will, it¡¯s not your choice.¡±


    ¡°All right, if it means this much to you,¡± Fang Chu shrugged.


    ¡°What do you want to buy with the gold?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°Explosive arrows. The perforation arrows I¡¯ve left could penetrate that golem, but unless I lucked out and managed to hit the core, it would do no damage at all.¡±


    ¡°That is indeed better than have Boro risk being squashed by the golem while being forced to scrap away at mud with his jaws.¡±


    The five of them chose the opposite direction from the tomb and walked away. They would return to town and shop for what they needed before returning to explore the mausoleum again, better prepared this time.


    As usual, Liza was walking ahead and clearing a path with her knife. This time however, Fang Chu was no longer being protected at the center of the formation. Ben was the one that took that spot, as he was the most vulnerable in the group. Around thirty minutes later, Liza who was slashing away mindlessly at the front hit an invisible barrier. That caught her so unprepared that the rebound almost made her stab Ben who was standing behind her.


    ¡°Woah, careful with that thing!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? I just hit something.¡±


    Liza used the knife and poked the air in front of her. As she expected, something was blocking her path. This confused her greatly. The way ahead was clearly visible, so what was preventing her from moving forward? She moved to the side a bit and tried a wide slash, but it was also blocked by something.


    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s this? Looks interesting,¡± said Fang Chu.


    The redhead walked to the front and extended her arm forward. She could feel a strong force repelling her hand backwards. Taking a wide stance, she let out a powerful punch against that barrier. Faint ripples ran across the air and spread in all directions, like a stone hitting the surface of a calm lake. The rebound was strong enough to make Fang Chu retreat a few steps.


    ¡°That looks cool, let me try it!¡±


    Before anyone could say anything, Eliot took his sword and swung it against the barrier with all the strength he could muster with his one good arm. Wide ripples broke the surface of the air and traveled a great distance, going further than when Fang Chu hit it.


    Following the movements of the ripples they could see that whatever was blocking their path seemed to be a giant dome of some kind. Eliot didn¡¯t have the time to appreciate his handywork though. His sword went flying out of his hand and he was tossed back a good distance before slamming against a tree.


    ¡°Eliot! Are you ok?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m fine! That was fun! Let me do it again!¡±


    ¡°No! If you hit it with more force than that you could get seriously hurt!¡±


    ¡°This looks like a dome. Doesn¡¯t that mean we¡¯re trapped here?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°Most likely,¡± noted Fang Chu.


    ¡°How are we going to get out?¡±


    ¡°No idea.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s closed in its entirety. Maybe there¡¯s an entrance somewhere.¡±


    They walked around the border of the dome, with Liza scrapping her knife against it the entire time, looking for any gaps in its circumference. A bit more than three hours later, they had returned to their starting point. The barrier was solid all around, with no entrance or exit to be found.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this! It must be a magic barrier, but one this big and completely transparent? And when did we get inside of it? A barrier that lets people in but doesn¡¯t let them out? I¡¯ve never seen or heard anything like this!¡± said Liza.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably another mechanism prepared by the owner of the tomb. It makes sense, if you think about it,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°It makes sense? Why don¡¯t use the barrier to prevent people from finding out his grave in the first place?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°What would you do if you found a strange barrier in the woods that didn¡¯t let you through?¡±


    ¡°I would assume it¡¯s hiding something precious. Then I¡­ oh, I see. It does make sense.¡±


    ¡°Right. You would try to break it so you could get in. If you couldn¡¯t on your own, you would gather enough trustworthy people to try. By that point the tomb wouldn¡¯t remain a secret and eventually all his fortune would be stolen. If you let people in instead, they¡¯ll discover the mausoleum immediately, but they¡¯ll be trapped. They¡¯ll be doomed to take this secret to the grave if they¡¯re not strong enough to break out.¡±


    Ben started his explanation calmly, but by the end he was sweating buckets. ¡°We are strong enough to break out, right?¡± he asked with a tinge of worry.


    ¡°Through this barrier? Unlikely,¡± said Fang Chu.


    ¡°Our only hope is in the mausoleum. A spell this strong and enduring couldn¡¯t be casted by a human or scroll. There must be something that keeps constantly feeding energy to the barrier to keep it going. That¡¯s our goal,¡± said Liza gravely.

 Chapter 50 – Mausoleum (3)

    With no other option, the five of them returned to the clearing and sat by the mausoleum¡¯s entrance. Their only alternative at the moment would be to investigate the tomb in its entirety to find a way out.


    ¡°Since we need to proceed, let me crush that golem into pieces for us,¡± said Fang Chu.


    ¡°What are you going to do about your backlash then? I¡¯d rather you saved your strength for an emergency. Let¡¯s be calm, we just discovered this place. I¡¯m sure we can figure an easy way through that golem. I still have a few ideas, even if we don¡¯t have explosive arrows at our disposal,¡± replied Liza.


    ¡°Let me! I can crush it with one arm! I won¡¯t suffer from a backlash!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t trouble Liza, Eliot. We just want you to recover as soon as possible. You can¡¯t go around fighting all the time for that to happen.¡±


    ¡°What are your ideas then? Do you need something from me? I still have some one-time use items and other knick-knacks in my ring.¡±


    ¡°What kind of tools do you have? Do you¡¯ve at least an axe and a strong rope?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Yeah, I do. I¡¯ve a one-handed axe and a double-edged one, which one do you want? For the rope I¡¯ve this high-quality silk one, it can sustain a lot of weight without breaking or fraying. Is there anything else you need?¡±


    ¡°What?! You guys use silk to make ropes? Such a waste! How much did it even cost?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I just asked for the best rope they had and bought it together with a bunch of other stuff. Is it too strange?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is! Silk is expensive! Here it¡¯s only used to make clothes and they are so costly that only nobles can afford them!¡±


    ¡°Never mind that Liza, what is your idea?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°Yeah, sorry, I was just too surprised. One of my ideas is kind of crazy and troublesome, so I won¡¯t bother you with it. The other one is rather simple and I¡¯m confident it will work. A golem without its master will only execute the last command it received, making them inflexible and unable to adapt to the circumstances. Just look at how it stopped chasing and returned to center of the room after Fang Chu reached the stairs. We¡¯ll use that against it.¡±


    ¡°Oh! That gives me an idea!¡± exclaimed Eliot before rushing off.


    ¡°Eliot, wait! Where are you going?¡±


    Footsteps resounded on the tomb as Eliot made his way down to the first chamber. Feeling the presence of an intruder, the golem awakened and rushed forward to attack. When it was about to reach the invader, Eliot took a step back and stood on the stairs. The golem stopped moving and scanned the surroundings once before returning to the center of the room.


    It had barely deactivated again when Eliot stepped inside once more. The golem rushed forward yet again. Eliot retreated. He kept messing around with the automaton, laughing the entire time. Seeing the new game Eliot invented, Boro¡¯s eyes sparkled. He joined in on the fun and they began taking turns. The others just watched as the duo entertained themselves at the cost of the tomb¡¯s guardian.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking this for a while, but he¡¯s really pure, isn¡¯t he?¡± said Fang Chu.


    ¡°Yup. That¡¯s Eliot,¡± replied Ben.


    ¡°Let¡¯s return to the surface. As long as he doesn¡¯t fight it, I¡¯m ok with him messing around. This just reinforces what I was saying, its actions are limited. So, let¡¯s crush him with a battering ram!¡±


    ¡°What? You want to build a battering ram?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°Not the whole thing. We don¡¯t need the wheels, the protective housing and all that stuff. We only need a tree trunk suspended on a frame by ropes. Then we can lure the golem near the stairs by walking into the room and letting the battering ram do the job.¡±


    ¡°That could work! I think is better than what I¡¯d in mind,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Which was?¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°To build some sort of contraption to push the golem into the pitfall trap.¡±


    ¡°That could work too,¡± Liza nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, but it would be much more troublesome. Let¡¯s go with yours.¡±


    While they were discussing, screams and shouts kept coming from the underground. ¡°Hahaha, you big dummy! Catch me if you can! Boro, fly high! Let¡¯s see what it does!¡±


    Hearing this, the others smiled. This was one of Eliot¡¯s hidden qualities. He could turn a tense situation into a relaxed and leisurely one just by being himself. Liza and Ben each grabbed an axe and they began to search for a suitable tree. What followed were hours of intense physical labour. Whenever someone got tired, they would switch with Fang Chu or take a break. At some point, Eliot got bored of fooling around with the golem and joined them in felling the trees they needed.


    When it started to turn dark, they returned to the clearing and made their arrangements for the night. Liza distributed a quarter portion of ration and looked at Eliot¡¯s and Boro¡¯s pleading face with some guilt.


    ¡°Sorry, we have to be careful with our food. We don¡¯t know how long we¡¯re going to be stuck here and it seems that there are no animals or fruits inside this dome from what we¡¯ve seen.¡±


    ¡°But this is too little¡­¡± Eliot complained.


    ¡°Here, Eliot. Eat up! I¡¯ve plenty of food,¡± said Fang Chu as she tossed a bundle of ham to him.


    ¡°Hurray! Thanks!¡±


    ¡°Really? How much food do you have?¡± asked a surprised Liza.


    ¡°I¡¯ve a mixture of fresh food, rations and a bunch of traveling potions. It¡¯s a special liquid my sect makes that can keep you going without drinking or eating for a day. All in all, I think it should keep us fed for three months.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a relief! We only brought food for a week or so. If we ate sparingly, we could drag it out for about fifteen to twenty days, but I was at a loss of what to do about water. Still, we better ration your supplies too and make them last longer. Let¡¯s eat half as much and double your estimation to six months. If we can¡¯t find a way out of here after that long¡­¡±


    Nothing more needed to be said, it was all too easy to imply. Half a year was a long period of time and if they couldn¡¯t find a solution by then they would surely end up dead. A period of silence settled in, broken only by the crackling of the bonfire and the hooting of owls.


    ¡°Your sect sure is capable though, to be able to develop a potion like that,¡± Liza continued after sighing. ¡°I¡¯m knowledgeable about herbs and know bits and pieces about alchemy, but I¡¯ve never heard of an elixir like that. How does your sect work? When you invited Ben earlier, you said you would teach him how to defend himself, so I thought you were a military or combat focused organization. Yet now you talk about a potion your sect developed. That¡¯s clearly something only alchemists can do. I¡¯m confused.¡±


    ¡°The Heaven Reaching Sect is a large organization, we¡¯ve all kinds of skilled people in our ranks. Fighters, blacksmiths, herbalists, alchemists, you name it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange. Here almost all professions have their own guild. Only like this can they fight for their interests. If you gather them all together like that in one place, won¡¯t they struggle against each other all the time?¡±


    ¡°Sure, there is a bit of competition, but nothing like you¡¯re imagining. We¡¯ve many rules in place. The amount of benefits you¡¯ll receive depends on the contributions you bring to the sect or, in some cases, what future advantages you¡¯ll be able to bring forth. To the sect, a promising member is sometimes as good as a full-fledged one.¡±


    [Interesting, they operate similarly to a modern company, but instead of salary they pay their members in shares. This way everyone will work hard to make the sect grow, making the yields they¡¯ll receive increase in turn. Also, since the members usually join up when they¡¯re young, they develop a sense of belonging to the sect. It¡¯s clever system,] thought Ben.


    ¡°I see. I don¡¯t think that system would ever work over here though,¡± said Liza.


    -


    The next morning, they were at it again. After some time, they¡¯d cut down all the trees they would need. The next step was to clean them up the best they could, trimming any branches that were on the way. To finish it off, they needed to make wood joints by carving, so they could assemble all the pieces together and keep them in place. This was done mostly by Ben, who was the most skilled among them. It took them a few days, but they finally had everything ready to go.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s set it up at the entrance of the room. Eliot help me carry it at the front. Fang Chu, you help Ben at the back. One, two, three, up!¡±


    The golem watched as the group busied themselves at the entrance of the chamber, setting up their contraption. It didn¡¯t have any thoughts of its own, it just did as his master instructed and attacked anyone that entered the room. It never understood the terrible fate that was going to befall him.


    The group positioned themselves around the mounted battering ram. Fang Chu pulled the log from the back, while Liza and Ben helped from both sides. They held the log back as far as it would go to maximize the damage it would inflict.


    ¡°Step inside now Eliot. Remember to duck really low when we shout!¡±


    ¡°I know, I know!¡± exclaimed Eliot as he stepped inside the chamber. ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m back! Come and get me, dummy!¡±


    As it was expected, the golem rushed forward. The trio at the stairs let go of the heavy log and even gave it a push from behind. Before Liza had to warn him, Eliot ducked and the battering ram passed over his head, striking the incoming automaton in full force. Bam. The resounding clash pushed the construct a few steps back, revealing its chest that was now covered in small cracks.


    ¡°We still need to hit him a few more times. Come back Eliot, let it return to the center of the room before we go again.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°This took a while to set up, but it¡¯s quite safe and effective,¡± Fang Chu commented.


    ¡°Safety is the keyword when exploring dungeons. One slipup and you¡¯re done for,¡± replied Ben.


    ¡°Right you are, Ben! Let¡¯s do it again!¡±

 Chapter 51 – Mausoleum (4)

    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    Eliot and Boro took turns to lure the golem over and watched as their contraption hit the automaton square in the middle each time. On the fourth strike, the chest of the creature crumbled. Bits and pieces of clay flew to all corners of the chamber. Having lost the main structure that held it together, the golem¡¯s limbs fell to the floor. The construct was no more.


    ¡°Hahaha, it just kept being pounded and pounded! So dumb!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it! First room done,¡± said Ben with glee.


    ¡°I wonder how many there are¡­¡± muttered Liza.


    They enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment for a spell and then moved onwards. Liza was holding her trusty trap detection apparatus, the wooden stick, and taped at the floor regularly. Under the light of the torch, they all saw as the stick suddenly sank into the ground.


    ¡°It really looks like a normal floor! It¡¯s vexing to admit, but I¡¯d have probably fell for that,¡± said Fang Chu.


    ¡°The hole occupies the entire width of the corridor. We need to figure out how long it is and see if we can jump over it. Can you help us with that, Boro?¡±


    The dragon nodded and sunk into the floor. A few seconds later, he reappeared from the ground, five meters away from them. It was as a large pitfall trap. Those that detected it would not necessarily be able to make the jump, especially those that wore heavy armor.


    ¡°That¡¯s doable. I was afraid it would span the entirety of this corridor,¡± said Fang Chu.


    ¡°You can get to the other said?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Easy.¡±


    Liza turned around to ask the same to Eliot when she saw the young man make a dash and jump across the air. He flew over the hole and landed a few meters past Boro. Liza, whose mouth was agape for a moment, shook her head. She then put on her stern face and shouted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go ahead alone Eliot! If you keep doing that, I¡¯m going to get mad!¡±


    The young man shuddered, his itch for exploration subsiding greatly, like a bucket of cold water was thrown on top of his head. He took his distance, broke into a run and jumped over the hole again, joining the rest of the group back on the other side. Liza eyed Eliot sternly and continued.


    ¡°I think I can make that jump, but honestly, I¡¯m not too thrilled to find out. Since you two can seemingly cross over it at leisure, let¡¯s make a rope crossing so Ben and I can reach the other side without much effort.¡±


    Fang Chu grabbed one end of the rope and jumped over the pit. She and Eliot held the cord tight, enabling Liza and Ben to avoid the obstacle safely. Once they were all on the other side, Liza grabbed her stick again and took the lead. No other traps were found by the time they reached the end of the corridor. They stopped at the edge of the passage and peeked inside the next chamber.


    It was a rectangular room in shape, with its walls and floor constructed of the same grey stone that was used throughout the rest of the tomb. There were no monsters present in this new area, nor were there any other doors or exits. It seemed like this was the final chamber. Liza and Ben were both perplexed by this.


    Inside this final room there were only three things: a sarcophagus, a large table jam-packed with treasures and a grand mirror. The sarcophagus was made of white marble and was resting on top of ascending steps, like a throne. Statues of angels and demons were placed on every step, one in each side. It made for an imposing resting place and it occupied the entire right side of the room.


    The large table and the grand mirror were both set up against the left side wall. Piles of precious gems, strange containers, bars of rare metals, ancient books and all kinds of things littered the surface of the table. It was enough to leave anyone stunned and tempted beyond measure. The mirror was two meters tall and of intricate crafting, but it seemed rather plain and simple when compared with the huge amount of treasure besides it.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°That¡¯s it? Kind of a short dungeon,¡± said Fang Chu.


    ¡°Wow! Look at all those stones!¡± exclaimed Eliot as he was about to rush off.


    ¡°DON¡¯T MOVE AND DON¡¯T TOUCH ANYTHING!¡± shouted Liza and Ben at the same time.


    Eliot was caught off guard by the shouts and stopped on the spot. He could tell Liza was really angry this time and even Ben was shouting at him now. What had he done this time? He felt wronged! Pouting, Eliot walked outside the room and sat on the corridor floor, his back turned against the rest of the group. Boro followed him in an act of solidarity.


    ¡°Is that okay?¡± whispered Fang Chu.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave him be for now,¡± Liza sighed. ¡°We already verified the corridor and the first chamber, he should be fine over there. If he starts doing as he pleases here though, things might turn for the worse. I¡¯ll need to have a long talk with him later.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he has no concept of danger. Eliot is too accustomed to being impervious to anything it seems,¡± Ben nodded.


    ¡°We¡¯ll coax him later. Right now, I¡¯m curious about this room. It goes against everything we¡¯ve seen so far. A Mirsha believer erected his tomb on a remote forest and protected it with a large dome barrier. How could he make it only two chambers big and leave a clay golem and a pitfall trap as the only defense mechanisms? It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t like it. Any room that looks like a safe place is definitely a trap! The most annoying rooms are always the ones with no monsters in it,¡± added Ben.


    ¡°You two stay put, I¡¯ll make a pass on the area with the stick.¡±


    For the next two minutes, Liza went around the place poking her stick on the ground. Her forehead was wet with perspiration and her muscles were tense. She was ready to react as soon as there was a response of any kind. Liza didn¡¯t dare to approach the sarcophagus and kept her probing to the center and the left side of the room. Especial attention was paid to the region near the table and the mirror, but she didn¡¯t mess with them. Only when she was done poking around and saw that nothing had happened did she let out a large breath of relief. At least on the ground there was nothing waiting to harm them.


    Back on the corridor, Eliot would look behind his back and watch as they carefully explored. He was felling even angrier now that no one had come to talk to him. The young man harrumphed and continued to ¡°ignore¡± the rest of the group.


    At this point Liza was ready to move to the most suspicious target in the room: that huge pile of treasures. She grabbed the stick by the very end of it and stayed the furthest away as she could from the table. Then, in a swift motion, she poked at one of the largest gems and pulled back. The wooden stick went straight through the gem before returning. Again, it was an illusion. However, this time it was not that simple. The tip of the pole that made contact with the illusory stone was ignited by a black flame that began to spread quickly.


    Startled, Liza dropped the stick and jumped back with a shout. The black flame soon enveloped the tree branch completely and burnt it to nothingness. Not even ashes remained. The flame then consumed itself, leaving behind no evidence of its actions. The stone floor remained spotless, without a single scorch mark.


    Surprised by the shout, Eliot turned around in haste. He was just about to get up to inquire what was going on when he noticed that everyone was fine and they were talking amongst themselves, completely ignoring him for the moment. Puffing his cheeks, he sat down again.


    ¡°Holy shit! What was that?¡± exclaimed Ben.


    ¡°That flame was strange. Are the treasure illusions made of this flame or are they just a bait, encouraging you to put your hand on the fire?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m just glad I reacted fast enough. That spread too quickly!¡±


    ¡°If those treasures are a trap for the greedy, where are the real ones hidden? It must be somewhere in this mausoleum, right? Or is it actually true that the goddess collects them? Maybe those are illusions of the real treasures the goddess took?¡± Ben said unsure. He half believed his theory. If it was possible to teleport someone from Earth to this world filled with magic, why couldn¡¯t a goddess who took dead people¡¯s things exist? It was only fair.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. No one knows if it¡¯s real or how it works. People¡¯s tombs are either discovered early and raided or not found at all. Perhaps you¡¯re right, but who knows? There is one thing for certain though. This is not the last room! It simply can¡¯t be! Where is the thing that is keeping the barrier around this place going for this long? Unless it¡¯s in the mirror or sarcophagus, which I highly doubt it, there must be a secret passage!¡±


    ¡°We have to search for a secret passage again?¡±


    ¡°Hey, at least this time our backs are against the wall¡­ well, they¡¯re actually. But it¡¯s not that urgent! We have six months to figure this out!¡± said Liza encouragingly.


    ¡°Oh, you guys did something like this before?¡±


    ¡°Once, but the situation was different then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to hear about it.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps another time.¡±

 Chapter 52 – Mausoleum (5)

    ¡°How are we going to find if there really is a secret passage in this chamber then?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to poke around. The treasure table is a trap. That leaves only the sarcophagus and the mirror as the other suspicious elements in this room. Do you have a pole or a spear in your ring somewhere?¡±


    ¡°I do. You can use this spear, it¡¯s no biggie if it gets destroyed too as I got a few more. If it¡¯s a weapon you want, chances are I have it stored on my ring!¡±


    [The mystery of a woman¡¯s purse holds true even in another world!] marvelled Ben.


    ¡°Thanks. Then, let¡¯s start!¡±


    Grabbing the spear with her two hands, Liza approached the mirror from the side. She traced the end of the spear around the entire filigree frame of the mirror. For a moment, only the sounds of wood scrapping on metal could be heard inside the chamber. This mirror was real at least, and the frame seemed safe. The spear didn¡¯t catch on fire, nor there was any strange residue on the part that touched the metal frame. Liza continued to poke and prod at the mirror, going so far as trying to insert the spear behind it to move it away from the wall. Yet the mirror didn¡¯t budge. It was as if it was one with the wall.


    Encouraged by all the testing Liza had done, Ben concluded the mirror was safe and stood before it in contemplation. What was the purpose of this grandiose mirror? What could it be hiding? The moment he saw his reflection however, he froze. Superimposed where his head should be, he could see the image of a ghostly face. It looked at him maliciously and gave him a creepy smile. Ben wanted to scream, but he couldn¡¯t. He tried to close his eyes and back off, yet his body didn¡¯t respond. The only thing he could do was keep staring at that apparition as he felt something inside of him being drained. This only lasted for a brief moment before he felt dizzy and collapsed. As he was falling to the ground, Ben could swear that the apparition had a surprised look on its face.


    While Ben was standing in front of the mirror, Fang Chu had felt a slight disturbance on the local mana and closed her eyes to concentrate. Just as her vision had gone dark, she heard a thud followed by the surprised shout of Liza.


    ¡°Ben! What happened? Are you alright?¡±


    Ben was lying on the ground, his face pale and filled with perspiration. Liza¡¯s shout surprised not only Fang Chu, but also Eliot who was pouting back on the corridor. He rushed back at lightning speed to see what had happened. Seeing Ben collapsed on the floor, Eliot walked around him in a frantic manner, his face filled with worry.


    ¡°Are you okay Ben? Did something attack you? Tell me and I¡¯ll crush it!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just feeling a bit weak right now, nothing to worry about. There¡¯s something strange with that mirror, you shouldn¡¯t¨C¡±


    ¡°What? This mirror?¡± asked Eliot as he turned around.


    ¡°Eliot, no!¡±


    The same thing that had happened to Ben occurred to Eliot. He could see that ghostly face looking at him maliciously and feel the energy inside him starting to drain. Eliot was startled, but he wasn¡¯t one to turn down a challenge. He stared at the apparition and began to fight back the best he could. It wasn¡¯t a conscious effort, but a pure instinctual response.


    The flow of mana that was going from the young man to the mirror slowed down considerably, surprising the apparition yet again. This time the amount of mana involved on the transfer was on another level, so Fang Chu promptly perceived what was going on. Without needing to be prompted, she covered Eliot¡¯s eyes and moved him to the side. Surprisingly, she¡¯d to spent quite a bit of strength to do this. The connection between the young man and the mirror was thus broken and things returned to normal. Eliot felt a bit tired, like he¡¯d undergone a strenuous task, but besides that he was fine.


    ¡°There¡¯s a ghost in the mirror!¡± shouted Eliot in surprise.


    ¡°I was about to explain that when you acted!¡± complained Ben.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get away from this mirror!¡± exclaimed Liza.


    They helped Ben up and gathered at the center of the room. Eliot and Ben explained to the others what they¡¯d experienced, leaving everyone puzzled. Nobody had ever heard of an evil mirror like this.


    ¡°How come I was fine when I was inspecting it?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°I was also reflected on the mirror multiple times,¡± added Fang Chu.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe it only works when you¡¯re standing right in front of it and look at your reflection. I felt like something was being drained from me. It was terrible,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°That was your mana. I could feel it when Eliot was the one standing in front of the mirror. Large amounts of his mana were being transferred into the bloody thing.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    ¡°That¡¯s another deadly trap then. It must be terrifying to have your mana drained while the only thing you can do is stand and watch. Ben is probably fine because he wasn¡¯t born with mana to begin with. You said that the apparition looked surprised right? It must have been confused why you had so little mana and didn¡¯t die. Anyone else that was completely drained of his or her mana would end up dead.¡±


    [What? He wasn¡¯t born with mana?] thought Fang Chu. She wanted to ask more about it, but decided against it in the end. This revelation was probably a slip of tongue by Liza, and now wasn¡¯t the time to probe for their secrets.


    ¡°Thankfully, I¡¯m an abnormality,¡± Ben sighed.


    ¡°Can I smash that bastard then?¡± asked Eliot. After experiencing the trap first hand, he¡¯d finally understood why Liza and Ben were nagging at him all the time. What if I triggered a trap that ended up killing Ben? He¡¯s so fragile!


    ¡°We better leave it alone for now. We haven¡¯t looked at the sarcophagus yet. I was hoping we could¡¯ve avoided it, but I guess we can¡¯t. We need to find a way out of this place!¡±


    Liza took the front and began her safety procedure once again, poking with her spear at anything and everything. She only approached the sarcophagus when she was sure that the steps were safe and that the statues wouldn¡¯t pounce on them out of the blue.


    ¡°Looks safe, at least nothing I did spurred a reaction.¡±


    ¡°Should we open it?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it dangerous? Tutankhamun¡¯s curse an all that?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I know it¡¯s bogus anyway, yet it still makes one worry.¡±


    ¡°Again, what are you prattling about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Shall we do it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really annoying when you do that! Let¡¯s open it!¡±


    They gathered around one side of the stone coffin and pushed its lid with all their strength. The large cover moved with a rumbling sound as it was being opened. Inside was a humanoid skeleton with its arms crossed against its chest while holding a rusty sword. A blue fire lit on the skeleton¡¯s eyes and his jaw snapped open with a cackle.


    Everyone reacted differently. Ben jumped back with a scare, Eliot¡¯s and Boro¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest, Liza was surprised and went for her weapon, and Fang Chu slammed her fist against the skeleton¡¯s head. A crunching and satisfying sound filled everyone¡¯s ears as the skeleton¡¯s skull was crushed to pieces. The redhead patted her hands casually, getting rid of the bone dust that lingered on her knuckles and shrugged.


    ¡°Guess there was nothing in it too.¡±


    ¡°Ah! You were so quick! Why didn¡¯t you let it leave the coffin first?¡± asked a disappointed Eliot.


    Liza and Ben gasped. Those two simply defied common logic. After the initial shock passed, they took a second look at the sarcophagus. It was now obvious that it was a fake one, a decoy left to fool those who entered the mausoleum. The owner of this tomb couldn¡¯t possibly have let himself become an undead, much less such a weak one. They unceremoniously tossed the destroyed skeleton aside and inspected the inside of the sarcophagus. The interior was made of smooth stone and there was nothing worth noting inside.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be! There must be another way out of this room!¡± said Liza.


    ¡°We checked the table, the mirror and the sarcophagus. What¡¯s left to do?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°Let¡¯s search the walls! It¡¯s got to be here somewhere,¡± said Liza uncertain.


    Everything pointed at this not being the last chamber in the mausoleum, yet no matter where they looked, they couldn¡¯t find the entrance for a new room. They spent the next two days carefully combing through each wall and stone tile, but they ended up with nothing.


    ¡°How is this possible? We must be missing something!¡± exclaimed Liza. Her hair was untidy and all over the place. She looked like a coffee addict suffering withdrawal or one of those crazy conspiracy theorists.


    ¡°Can I smash the ghost now?¡± asked Eliot.


    ¡°Yeah, just go for it,¡± she responded absentmindedly.


    Liza continued lost in her own thoughts when she was assaulted by a terrible sound that shook her soul. It was the high-pitched, nerve wracking, shrill sound of something scratching glass. Amplified by a thousand times. At least, that was what it felt like it. She dropped to the ground, covering her ears with her hands and agonized for a few seconds until the torture was over.


    Everyone gathered around Eliot while complaining and holding their ears. The young man had swung his sword with a lot of strength, resulting in that awful sound, yet there wasn¡¯t a single scratch in the shiny surface of the mirror. This left them more than startled. They did another round of experiments, but it didn¡¯t yield any results. Left with no other ideas, the group dispersed around the room. No one was in the mood for conversing right now.


    In this somber atmosphere, Ben was getting restless. Knowing they were trapped and with no clear objective to work on for the past three days, his anxiety was kicking in. That in turn gave him a type of reckless courage. He decided to recheck every element of the room, going from the safest, the sarcophagus, to the most dangerous, the treasure table.


    Hours on end were spent with Ben walking around the stone coffin, trying to find secret buttons, orifices, cryptic codes and anything of the like. He only stopped when he inspected the whole thing three times over and ran out of ideas. Next was the mirror. Before he could stand in front of it however, Liza grabbed him by the arm.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°Testing things. Don¡¯t worry, the mirror won¡¯t hurt me. How much more mana can it get from me?¡±


    Liza was surprised by his change of attitude and decided to keep quiet. She silently positioned herself to his side, ready to break his contact with the mirror the moment things went south.


    The strange ghostly face appeared once more. For a couple seconds, Ben felt something drain from him. He¡¯d low mana to begin with and after being drained a couple days ago, there wasn¡¯t much left to be stolen. Seeing that there was nothing else it could do to the human standing in front of it, the apparition was enraged.


    Ben was relieved to see that he was safe and calmed his mind to look at the reflection. That ghost only appeared when you were standing directly in front of the mirror, so perhaps there was something else that could only be seen from that specific spot. He combed the image carefully from top to bottom. As he expected, there was something different in the low corner of the reflection. It was the image of a barely visible hourglass by his feet.


    ¡°I found something!¡± exclaimed Ben.


    ¡°You did? What is it?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°There¡¯s an hourglass in the reflection!¡±


    ¡°What? Where?¡±


    ¡°By my right foot! Can you see it?¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing by your feet! Not in the room, nor in the reflection! What¡¯s going on? This must be it right?¡± she asked expectantly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! Time is running out, let¡¯s wait and see!¡±

 Chapter 53 – Mausoleum (6)

    They waited for what felt like an eternity. From time to time, Ben would check up on the apparition and see it going insane with rage. It stared at him and tried draining his mana a few more times, but there was nothing left to take.


    When the time was up, a bunch of characters appeared on top of Ben¡¯s head in his reflection on the mirror, spelling strange words. He¡¯d no idea of what they meant. It was the first time his ring had failed to translate something.


    ¡°Do you have any idea what Nal Hapur Nakala1 means?¡± he asked.


    Before anyone could reply, a loud rumbling filled the room. Surprised, everyone turned to look at the back wall. A cloud of dust filled the air as a large section of the wall slowly slid into the ground. When the dust settled, another passage had been formed. A stone staircase led even deeper into the earth. The opening was so well made that it blended seamlessly with the ground, making it look like it was there from the beginning.


    ¡°I was right! There is another room!¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Cool! The wall went brbrbrbr and then clank! Can the others do that too?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no indication a wall stood here before at all! No wonder we couldn¡¯t find this passage even after going through the entire room with a fine comb,¡± said Fang Chu.


    After days feeling the helplessness of being stuck, the group was immediately instilled with energy now that they¡¯d a way forward. They spent a few minutes calming down before moving on in the same cautious manner. Even Eliot was much more restrained this time.


    They spent a good while walking down the stairs until they found themselves in a strange corridor made entirely from black stones. It was two meters wide and very tall. So much so, that the light from the torch couldn¡¯t reach the ceiling.


    ¡°What now? Left or right?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, we¡¯ll check out both directions in the end anyway,¡± replied Liza while shrugging.


    They turned right and proceeded cautiously. After walking for a bit, the path branched again. They picked a new direction and moved onwards. A few minutes later, the same thing happened once more. A suspicion began crawling inside their minds. They soon confirmed it to be true when they reached a dead end.


    ¡°This is a maze!¡± exclaimed Ben.


    ¡°Cool! A maze! What¡¯s a maze?¡± asked Eliot.


    ¡°Great! Nothing better than trying to figure out your way through a maze while slowly looking out for traps,¡± said Liza sarcastically.


    ¡°We better return to the entrance and figure out a way for us to not get lost, otherwise this is going to be a headache,¡± said Fang Chu.


    The group retraced their steps while Ben explained to Eliot how a maze worked. Fortunately, they hadn¡¯t moved that deep inside the labyrinth and managed to get back to the entrance with no problems. Liza approached one of the walls and slashed at it with her dagger. A thin, barely noticeable scratch could be seen, but only when she positioned the light from her torch just right.


    ¡°This won¡¯t do. Try scratching the wall with your sword Eliot.¡±


    Eliot drew his broken sword and placed it against the wall. He then moved it around while applying pressure to it. The grating sound of stone scraping stone reverberated on the corridor. A large line now marred the previously smooth wall.


    ¡°All right, you¡¯re responsible for marking the way for us. Let¡¯s follow the right-hand rule and get this done,¡± said Liza.


    The group made slow, steady progress. The rasping sound of Eliot¡¯s blade against the wall was constantly ringing throughout the labyrinth. Eventually, they came across a section that they¡¯d previously marked.


    ¡°What? How can this be?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Damn, this isn¡¯t a continuous maze. There are probably islands in it. We¡¯ll have to use Tremaux¡¯s algorithm to get out of this one,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Uh, Treuma what? Wait, so you¡¯re saying you know a way to get through it without blindly guessing?¡±


    ¡°Yup, I do.¡±


    ¡°Awesome! How does it work?¡±


    ¡°We just need to make some markings and follow some easy to remember rules. We choose a way at random and mark it. When we reach a dead end or a path that leads back to one we¡¯d marked before, we mark them again. We never go in a path we marked twice. By doing this, we¡¯ll find the right way. We can also easily go back by following the path with only one marking.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°I think I get it¡­ but at the same time it¡¯s kind of confusing. It¡¯s better you take the lead.¡±


    Following Ben¡¯s instructions, they started moving again. Their pace was slower at first, but as the number of paths with two markings increased, they could feel they were making decent progress forward. Since slowly traversing the labyrinth was boring, at some point Ben had turned picking the paths into a game. They would take turns choosing which way to go and get points based on the result. Picking a way that led you to unexplored paths gave varying points, while choosing one that they¡¯d have to backtrack later gave none.


    ¡°Another intersection. Should we go right, left or straight ahead? It¡¯s your turn to pick Eliot,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Right ahead!¡± said Eliot.


    They followed the path for a while and reached a dead end. Eliot was beyond disappointed and cursed out loud. He¡¯d have to be content with his five points for now. When they backtracked to the intersection, Ben turned to Liza this time.


    ¡°Your turn Liza. Two possible ways, you can earn two points. Maybe you can finally catch up to Eliot now!¡±


    The half-elf rolled her eyes and chuckled. She was putting an act because of the preposterousness of the situation, but she¡¯d to admit that this was kind of fun. It sure helped ease their tension somewhat. Without saying anything, she pointed towards the left.


    ¡°Left it is then!¡±


    Ben walked ahead while tapping the spear on the floor. He was feeling rather relaxed because after hours of exploring, they hadn¡¯t come across a single monster or trap. That was the only reason he managed to come up with such a game for them to play. However, he soon regretted his carelessness. When he shifted his weight forward, the floor tile he was stepping on sunk with a clank.


    [Shit!] he cursed inwardly.


    Everything happened too fast. In a panic, Ben dropped the spear he was holding and tried to retreat. Eliot also dropped his weapon onto the ground, but he did that so he could grab Ben¡¯s arm and drag him further back from the trap¡¯s trigger. Liza and Fang Chu jumped backwards and readied themselves for whatever was coming.


    A large, gelatinous cube-like creature fell from the ceiling right on top of where Ben was previously standing. Others smaller in size and not uniformly shaped monsters also rained down in different parts of the corridor. The group dodged them the best they could and, without realizing it, ended up isolating themselves from each other.


    ¡°What are those things? They look so flimsy!¡± said Eliot.


    ¡°They¡¯re slimes! Don¡¯t let them touch you, they¡¯re corrosive. Try to destroy their core with long weapons! They¡¯re pretty slow, but can pounce quickly at times, so watch out,¡± Liza instructed.


    Eliot, who was about to punch the large gelatinous cube, retreated and grabbed his sword. Fang Chu materialized a naginata from her ring and Liza readied her bow. Once the slimes recovered from their fall, they began edging towards the party.


    Now armed, Eliot slashed at the gelatinous cube with his sword, cutting part of its membrane and spilling some of its corrosive liquid on the floor. The cut healed almost instantly, and the cube edged forward, reabsorbing all the gooey it had spilled out. Eliot was frustrated to find out that he could do no damage towards the large monster, as his sword couldn¡¯t reach the small round nucleus that swum around freely inside.


    Liza backed herself against a wall and shot arrows nonstop. Whenever one of her shots pierced the core of a slime, the creature would lose its cohesion and turn into a puddle of that sticky, corrosive liquid, only to be absorbed by the other slimes surrounding it.


    Fang Chu was also fighting vigorously, swinging her naginata in wide arches and cleaving through the nucleus of many slimes with a single strike. They were surprised attacked by a large number of monsters, but at this rate there would soon be none left.


    Ben was the one better off. While the others were surrounded by dozens of slimes, he only had to deal with three. Taking advantage of the slimes¡¯ slow speed, Ben kept his distance and drew his throwing knives.


    He let out a large breath to steady himself and began his attack. His first throw went straight at the ground, it was an embarrassing miss. Thankfully, the others were rather busy right now and couldn¡¯t keep tabs on him all the time. The second throw hit the slime, but there wasn¡¯t much force to it. He could only watch as the throwing knife broke the slime¡¯s external membrane and stopped inside the creature, floating slowly in that corrosive liquid. Finally, he managed to hit the core spot on with his third attack, making it rupture. The monster deflated in a puddle of liquid and was absorbed by the others.


    [Wait, they can absorb each other? I don¡¯t like that! Look, they¡¯re bigger now!]


    Desperate to finish them off before anything unexpected happened, Ben increased his pace and attacked another slime with his throwing knives. It too died and was absorbed by the last one. The final slime was now at least two times larger than before. Sweat dripping from his face, Ben tossed more knives at the monster in hopes to kill it, but no matter how much force he put on the throw, the knives lost their momentum before reaching the core.


    [Oh no, it¡¯s too big now! I¡¯m not strong enough to kill it!]


    Ben looked around to ask for help but clamped his mouth when he saw that everyone was dealing with their own thing right now. The incisive questions Fang Chu asked him before were ringing on his head at this moment. You do realise that your mere presence increases the danger factor for everyone involved in your party, right? Aren¡¯t you tired of being unable to protect yourself?


    [If only there was a way to reduce it back to its original size. Then I could finish it off like the others¡­ wait, there is!]


    Retreating to a safe distance, Ben started to rummage through his bag. The slime was faster now that it was bigger, but it would still need a couple seconds to reach him. He grabbed a large jar from his bag and smiled. He needed to borrow money from Liza to buy this, but it was worth it as it was something he sorely needed. Inside the container was a white, crystalline powder that made any food taste better. Salt.


    Grabbing a handful of salt from the jar, Ben skirted around the slime and tossed it at the creature. The salt was readily absorbed, and the slime let out some of its liquid. Ben couldn¡¯t contain himself and laughed. He dodged one of the monster¡¯s awkward pounces and tossed handful after handful of salt on it.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be defeated by the power of osmosis!¡±


    His laughter and behaviour were so strange that it attracted the attention of the others. They could see Ben running around the slime in circles and tossing a white powder at it while shouting.


    ¡°What the hell is he doing?¡±


    -


    1 This is supposed to be nonsensical magical words. If they do exist in any language, it¡¯s purely coincidental.

 Chapter 54 – Mausoleum (7)

    In her distraction, a slime protracted itself and latched onto Liza¡¯s leg. She didn¡¯t notice it at first (Ben¡¯s show was that strange), but when her trousers corroded and she felt the burning sensation on her leg, she screamed and jumped away.


    ¡°Damn you Ben, just what the hell are you doing?¡±


    Grumpily, she nocked an arrow and let it fly, killing the slime that had attacked her. Thankfully, she¡¯d bought reinforced boots, so she wouldn¡¯t need to walk barefooted just yet.


    After using the entire jar of salt, the slime was back to roughly the same size as before, but it was much weaker and sluggish. Ben took his time, aimed, and tossed the throwing knife with all his strength. The knife pierced the nucleus with a pop and the monster collapsed. Ben raised his two hands in the air in a victory pose and shouted.


    ¡°I win! I win!¡± he exclaimed while laughing.


    The others were still confused at what exactly he¡¯d done, but they were relieved to know Ben was now safe. This way they could devote their entire attention towards their own battles. Eliot tried to cut large chunks of the gelatinous cube and kick them aside to reduce the overall size of the creature, but the parts that spilled out lost their consistency and were impossible to be moved out of the way. Thus, the creature would reabsorb them easily when edging forward. Eliot was starting to get frustrated when he heard Liza¡¯s shout.


    ¡°Let¡¯s change targets Eliot! Get rid of these annoying ones near me and leave that one to me!¡±


    The young man turned around to see Liza backed against a wall with a dozen slimes surrounding her. She was shooting them down the best she could, but the fire rate of the bow just wasn¡¯t quick enough when there were this many and they were this close. He rushed back and sliced through the core of two slimes at once, making them deflate and flop to the ground. Liza dashed through that opening and left the other monsters to Eliot.


    ¡°Thanks!¡±


    After taking a few seconds to readjust herself, she nocked another arrow to her bow and pulled its string back to the max. Liza lined up the shot and let it loose. The projectile soared through the air and pierced the large gelatinous cube, but it quickly began to lose power once inside the creature. The arrow ended up never reaching the core.


    ¡°All right big guy, if that¡¯s how it¡¯s going to be.¡±


    Her hand went to her quiver and she palpated the fletchings of her arrows until she found the one she was looking for. She grabbed it with care and nocked it on her bow. After two breaths of time, she drew the bow taut and let it go in one swift motion. This time the projectile pierced the membrane of the monster and kept going strong inside its body. These enchanted arrows were sure worth their investment. Once the projectile reached the core, it pierced it all to easily.


    The large gelatinous cube fluctuated for a moment before collapsing without form on the ground. The vast amount of corrosive liquid it contained spilled everywhere on the corridor, like a large water tank that was suddenly cracked open.


    ¡°Back off guys, let¡¯s keep some safe distance from that stuff,¡± shouted Liza.


    The others complied immediately. No one wanted to be bathed in corrosive goo. Since the fight was happening on the intersection, the liquid spilled in all directions and didn¡¯t managed to get too far on any particular pathway.


    ¡°Liza.¡±


    ¡°What is it Eliot?¡±


    ¡°Besides a new sword, I also want a bow!¡±


    ¡°That can be arranged. I¡¯ll teach you too,¡± she said with a prideful smirk.


    ¡°Look at all that goo¡­ it¡¯ll be a hassle if any of the surviving slimes were to absorb it and grow bigger,¡± Ben chimed in.


    ¡°Not a problem, there¡¯re won¡¯t be any slimes left,¡± said Fang Chu as she threw two javelins at the last remaining monsters, killing them on the spot.


    ¡°Yep, I guess that does the trick,¡± he conceded.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Speaking of doing the trick, what the hell were you doing before?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Fighting a slime?¡± Ben replied with confusion. He¡¯d been so lost in the moment back then that he didn¡¯t notice the amount of attention he was drawing with his strange actions.


    ¡°Fighting? You were dancing around a slime, throwing some sort of powder on it.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± he said while blushing. It was somewhat embarrassing when he thought back at his previous behaviour.


    Ben tried his best to explain the principles of osmosis, but all the others could understand was that it was some sort of alchemic magic of sorts. Since they wouldn¡¯t take it any other way, he decided to ignore it and let them think whatever they wanted. He continued leading them forward, more carefully this time.


    They spent an entire day marking the routes, excluding wrong paths and moving onwards. There were other traps on the way, but they were all detected earlier and didn¡¯t cause a problem. Finally, when they were reaching the end of their patience, they arrived before a new door.


    ¡°Ok, I got us through the maze. You can have the honours on the door,¡± said Ben as he handed the spear1 back to Liza.


    Grabbing the spear that was being handed to her, Liza started her entire procedure on the door. Five minutes later, she was confident there weren¡¯t any traps on it. Nevertheless, she decided to push the door open with the spear shaft. It was never a bad thing to be extra careful.


    Once the door was completely open, the clanking sound of moving mechanisms resonated throughout the entire maze. This sound was something they were starting to dread at this point, there was never a good thing that followed it. In front of their very eyes they could see the walls of the labyrinth changing, with some of them going down while entirely new walls were raising from the ground. It was clear that, from now on, the maze had an entirely new configuration.


    ¡°Was that really necessary?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°It¡¯s not throwing arrows or raining monsters down on us, I¡¯m not complaining,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s just more work for when we want to get back,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°See, I knew it! Other walls can move too! This place is cool. When I¡¯ve a house I want it to have moving walls like these.¡±


    ¡°What for? They¡¯re also probably super expensive,¡± said Liza while shaking her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, I¡¯ll have them!¡± Eliot fired back with puffed cheeks.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll bet you¡¯ll have tons of them,¡± Liza gave in. ¡°Okay, it seems there is a large curved corridor ahead. I¡¯m spent after today. Let¡¯s eat and rest here before going forward tomorrow morning.¡±


    No one objected. They closed this new door, averting the temptation to discover what lay ahead, and used their torch as substitute for a bonfire. These torches were specially made and could burn for a long period of time. This way they¡¯d always have a source of light and warmth in that dark underground mausoleum.


    The rations were distributed, and they ate mostly in silence. The longer they were stuck in this place and the deeper they went underground, the more solemn they got. Even Eliot and Boro weren¡¯t up to their usual antics. Before going to sleep, they set up the lookout shifts, something only possible now that they¡¯d more people and Eliot and Boro were more collaborative.


    Many hours later, when everyone managed to get at least six hours of rest, they got ready and moved onwards. Beyond the door was a corridor that curved to the right. It was very similar to the passageways in the maze, but this one didn¡¯t have any branching paths. At the end of it was a large square room that instantly drew their attention.


    In the middle of the room there was a strange pillar. It was made of a dark metal, different from all the stone structures they¡¯d encountered so far. It was also weirdly thick. One would need two to three people to embrace it completely with their open arms. At the back wall of the chamber there was an open passage to another room, but they couldn¡¯t see it too well from where they were standing.


    What really got their attention though, were the many shelves that occupied the entirety of the side walls. They were filled to the brim with glittering gems, precious metals, books, rare alchemic materials and all other sort of wonderous items. Many of them resembled the illusion they¡¯d seen in the sarcophagus room before. This huge assortment of treasures took their collective breath away.


    ¡°Is this one for real this time?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°Who knows? Let¡¯s find out!¡±


    Liza wielded the spear with renewed enthusiasm and went around the room checking for traps. She was glad to discover there were none on the floor or the pillar. When she came close to the other passage at the end of the chamber, Liza peeked from the outside.


    It was a short corridor, maybe not even two meters long, that connected to another room. This new chamber was spacious and had strange grooves carved on the ground. She didn¡¯t glance at it for long and returned to her companions in a much calmer mood. This treasure they¡¯d found wasn¡¯t in the last room, which made the chances of it being real drop a great deal on her mind.


    ¡°Nothing I could find. You can come in now. It¡¯s time to see if any of this is real.¡±


    Liza poked at some of the precious stones on the shelves with the spear and dropped the weapon immediately afterwards. She was dreading the return of the black fire that they¡¯d witnessed previously. This move nudged the gems around, making a few of them fall to the floor. This stunned Liza. The others however, couldn¡¯t conceal their glee.


    ¡°Uh? It¡¯s real?¡±


    ¡°So many pretty stones,¡± said Eliot as he grabbed one that had fallen to the ground. ¡°This time you¡¯ll have to let me play with some!¡±


    ¡°Look at all of this,¡± laughed Ben. ¡°Our money problems are gone!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a decent stash,¡± nodded Fang Chu.


    ¡°It¡¯s really real? How come? There are more rooms left...¡±


    -


    1 For those keeping tabs, that¡¯s a new spear. Fang Chu has a lot of weapons, multiple of the same in some cases.

 Chapter 55 – Mausoleum (8)

    For a moment, everyone eyed the shelves with enthusiasm while Liza was filled with disbelief. However, they weren¡¯t hasty and tested each shelf individually for traps. When they confirmed none of them were boobytrapped and all their contents were real, they were beyond themselves with happiness.


    ¡°Look at all those precious stones! I¡¯ll be able to buy all the books I need!¡± laughed Ben.


    ¡°I can get my sword now, right? This will give us enough gold right? Can it be a super cool and big sword?¡±


    ¡°With this I¡¯ll finally have enough. I¡¯ll smack that lady¡¯s smug face with a bag filled to the brim with eight hundred and ten gold coins! And then I¡¯ll finally know his location. I look forward to punching you in the gut, father¡­¡± Liza muttered.


    Fang Chu was the calmer of the bunch. Personally, she didn¡¯t have that much wealth, but she¡¯d seen the treasury of her sect on more than one occasion, so this collection wasn¡¯t enough to stir her heart. She was also aware that the only way they could take all of this back was by relying on her storage ring. Although everyone seemed to trust her implicitly by now, this amount of treasure could lead to suspicion and troubles she didn¡¯t want to deal with. Therefore, she was the first to voice her opinion.


    ¡°There¡¯s simply too much stuff in here, I think it¡¯s better we make an inventory first. I¡¯ve enough parchment and ink on me. What do you guys think?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for the best. It¡¯ll help us when we go about selling it too,¡± said Liza who understood Fang Chu¡¯s intention on the fly. She was liking the redhead more and more.


    They spent the next couple hours compiling a long list of everything they¡¯d acquired. For anything they weren¡¯t sure of what it was, they would write down an accurate description of the item and have Ben sketch its likeness too. When they were done with the last shelf, Liza suggested that Fang Chu should store most of the items on her ring, if not all. There were no objections. Soon, the shelves that were filled to the brim before were emptied in no time at all.


    ¡°Okay, now that this matter is over and you guys are back to normal, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been meaning to say. I can feel large amounts of mana emanating from that metal pillar.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s strange. I¡¯ve inspected it at length and didn¡¯t find anything different about it other than the fact it¡¯s made of metal.¡±


    ¡°Too bad we left the Dancing Sage outside, we could see if it would sway towards the pillar or not,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Nothing we could do, it¡¯s a plant. It needs sunlight. Also, can you imagine going through all of that while carrying it?¡± replied Liza.


    ¡°No need for the sapling, I¡¯m sure. Maybe it¡¯s better than me when detecting slight variations, but there¡¯s no need for finesse when the quantity involved is this grand.¡±


    ¡°Why would a pillar have this much mana?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°How would I know? I¡¯m just telling you what I felt,¡± Fang Chu shrugged.


    ¡°Let¡¯s examine it once more. You guys can help me this time too.¡±


    They spent another twenty minutes knocking on the pillar, searching for a hidden crevice or button, and otherwise trying anything they could think of, but to no avail. Since no progress was being made at the moment and there were other rooms to explore, they decided to leave the mystery of the pillar behind for now.


    Taking the lead once again, Liza stepped forward onto that open passage and into the next room where the ground was filled with grooves. Now that she was inside, her torch could illuminate a greater part of the room, giving her a clearer picture than earlier. It was a large, empty chamber with a door on the other side. She grabbed the spear and began testing the floor methodically.


    *Tok* *Tok* *Tok*


    The sound of the wood striking the stone tiles on the floor resounded in the room. Liza had cleared an area of two meters around the entrance when she heard a surprised exclamation coming from above.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Hum?¡±


    She felt like her blood had frozen over as a sense of deadly crisis assaulted her. Without stopping for even a second to ponder, she let go of her spear and the torch, retreating at full speed to the previous room where her companions were waiting. Liza felt a harsh gust of wind pass by her back just as she crossed the room¡¯s threshold. A huge arm slammed against an invisible barrier, followed by the voice of someone cursing.


    ¡°Ah, fucking hell! Not in a million years I thought someone would show up here, so I was paying attention elsewhere! I can¡¯t believe this!¡±


    The voice was hoarse, and its owner seemed exasperated. Now that she¡¯d averted a disaster, Liza calmed down a little and could register the expression on her companions¡¯ faces. Ben¡¯s complexion was pale and he was frightened out of his mind. Fang Chu had one of her rare seen serious countenance and Eliot and Boro¡¯s eyes were shining with curiosity. Liza took a deep breath and turned around.


    The vast and dark room she¡¯d just escaped from was now completely illuminated by a white light that emanated from the grooves on the floor. Those grooves formed a shining pentagram that spanned the entire room. Near the entrance of the chamber was standing the creature that had just attacked Liza. It was three meters tall, with goat like legs, a human torso and an insect like head. The monster¡¯s arms were so long that they dragged against the floor, its skin was fiery red and it had a set of wings coming out of its back.


    ¡°A demon!¡± shouted Liza.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t offend me! Demons are bunch of dumb anarchists! They just do whatever they want with no thoughts to the consequences and long-term sustainability. I am a devil. D-E-V-I-L. Know the difference!¡±


    The creature¡¯s response left everyone flabbergasted. He seemed to take a real offense to be confused by a demon. Yet his human like speech and indignation didn¡¯t match well with his hoarse voice and the pincers that opened and closed near his mouth.


    ¡°Then which are stronger, devils or demons?¡±


    ¡°Devi¡­ depends. Which devil or demon we¡¯re talking about? It¡¯s not like all humans have the same strength, right?¡± the devil replied while nonchalantly sitting on the ground.


    ¡°Hum, true,¡± conceded Eliot.


    ¡°Wait, Eli-Eliot. Don¡¯t talk with the devil,¡± said Ben after much effort.


    ¡°Come on, my friend, don¡¯t be prejudiced. We¡¯re just having a friendly conversation here.¡±


    ¡°Friendly? You just tried to capture me!¡±


    ¡°Well, duh. If I could¡¯ve captured you, I¡¯d have guaranteed company and entertainment for a while. Do you know how boring it is to wait here till the end of the contract?¡±


    ¡°Company? Don¡¯t make me laugh, you¡¯d have killed me!¡±


    ¡°No, no, no! We would have talked for days, played some games and THEN I would have killed you,¡± the devil smiled.


    At least, they thought he was smiling. His pincers were pinching against each other making tik, tik, tik, noises nonstop. Maybe it was a laugh? Nevertheless, his candidness with his intentions caught everyone by surprise. Wasn¡¯t this going against his purpose of having a friendly conversation with them?


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m called Sogdrith. What about you folks?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m El¨C¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say your names!¡± shouted Liza.


    ¡°How much suspicion,¡± scoffed the devil. ¡°I already know you¡¯re Eliot, little buddy, and I can see you have a young¡¯un from that clan following you around. How quaint,¡± he said while eying Boro. ¡°I guess the others will be rude and not identify themselves.¡±


    Hearing this, Liza gave Ben a side-eye. He could only respond with an apologetic look, there was nothing to be done at this point. It was not like he was thinking straight at that moment under his shock and fear.


    ¡°I have to congratulate you,¡± the devil applauded. ¡°You¡¯re the first to have come this far, yet I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be done in just like everyone else. It¡¯s sad really. That guy was such a bastard, making all those traps and contraptions¡­¡±


    ¡°Which guy? How do you know we won¡¯t be able to make it out?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°Hohoho, now you¡¯re interested in talking? Nothing is that easy. What¡¯s in it for me?¡±


    They stared at each other for a while. Finally, Liza broke of the eye contact and dragged everyone further back into the previous room, away from the devil. They entered the curved corridor and moved just enough to break line of sight with the creature before sitting down on the ground.


    ¡°What now? The way forward is blocked. That devil is protecting the next room. I don¡¯t think we can deal with him,¡± said Liza sombrely.


    Eliot looked down. It was the first time he didn¡¯t jump at an opportunity to fight. When sizing up that devil he could sense an immense pressure emanating from him. It was the first time in many years since he felt something like this. Felt like he could die.


    ¡°He said something about a contract and about being here for ages. That devil was a rather chatty fellow, maybe we can get some information out of him. Since we know he can¡¯t leave that room, there¡¯s not much danger in just talking to him,¡± said Fang Chu.


    ¡°Yeah, but you heard him. It won¡¯t just spill things for free, that devil isn¡¯t dumb. It would want something in return,¡± added Ben.


    ¡°I¡¯m not comfortable making a deal with the devil. I heard enough stories and legends to know how those things usually turn out,¡± said Liza.


    They talked it over, a depressive mood hanging around them. As of now, they¡¯d no idea on how to proceed.

 Chapter 56 – Mausoleum (9)

    They spent the next two days combing through the pillar room with minute attentiveness, hoping to find something. However, they were out of luck. There was no other secret passage, nor hidden mechanism that could give them an inkling of what to do next. Sogdrith eyed them from his room with malicious intent, his pincers bashing against each other with tik, tik, tik sounds.


    [Soon they¡¯ll come to me. Breaking humans is always such fun. First, I¡¯ll give them a faint ray of hope. Then, when they notice that this ray of hope is unreachable, they¡¯ll despair. In the final moment, when death is looking at them in the face, they¡¯ll accept any terms I give them,] the devil laughed internally.


    ¡°This can¡¯t go on, we need a plan,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°What do you suggest? At this point I¡¯m all out of ideas,¡± sighed Liza.


    ¡°Maybe we should talk with that devil,¡± he said with a trembly voice.


    ¡°Is there no other way?¡± Liza frowned.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just talk with him for a bit, Liza. We don¡¯t need to agree to anything he says or asks us to do,¡± encouraged Fang Chu.


    ¡°All right. But be careful! Don¡¯t go revealing things to him.¡±


    They gathered themselves and walked towards that open passage. The devil eyed them with interest and got up from his lazy, lying down position to address them.


    ¡°Well, well, well, what do we have here? Coming back to talk?¡±


    His entire demeanour was so poignant and affected that Liza¡¯s face twitched in anger. She was in the mind of tossing something at that smug insect face and turn around to leave. Unfortunately, Liza knew she was trapped here and that pissing a devil off had no upside besides make her feel better for a while. Thus, she took a deep breath and just signalled to Ben to do the talking. She wasn¡¯t sure she could keep her cool while interacting with him.


    ¡°Previously you asked what¡¯s in it for you. What exactly do you want?¡± asked Ben after gathering his courage.


    ¡°That depends on what you want from me. If you want me to bust you out of this place, I¡¯ll require a hefty payment. Something like your souls after death, for instance.¡±


    Everyone felt a cold shiver run through their spines when hearing this.


    ¡°What if we just want you to answer some questions?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°Questions, eh. Tell you what. I¡¯ve been in this place for so long that I haven¡¯t tasted a good meal in a while. Why¨C¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t give you our blood or body parts!¡± interrupted Liza.


    Sogdrith looked at Liza with his pincers wide open and a look of shock.


    ¡°Why, I¡¯m offended! Do you think I¡¯m some kind of barbarian? I was just talking about a good meal with some wine! Oh, golly me! It¡¯s because of my appearance isn¡¯t it? I totally forgot about that.¡±


    After saying so, the devil was enveloped by rays of light. Liza and company could only avert their eyes from the blinding radiance. When things returned to normal, they turned their heads back to see a dashing man standing tall where the devil once was.


    ¡°How is this? More to your liking?¡± he asked while adjusting his fancy clothes. After waiting for a few seconds without getting an answer, he ignored their confusing gazes and continued.


    ¡°Like I was saying before I was interrupted, make me a sumptuous meal and throw in some good wine. Then I¡¯ll answer some of your questions based on how well I¡¯m satisfied. Now off you go,¡± he shooed them with his hand.


    They hated to admit it, but his new appearance matched perfectly with his dandy and careless disposition. Just the fact he no longer looked like a monstrosity made the group unconsciously less guarded against him. It wasn¡¯t much, mind you, but at least Liza didn¡¯t feel like lashing against him all the time. They returned to the maze, which was their current base of operations. It was a place they could talk and ¡°relax¡± far away from the devil¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°That was¡­ unexpected,¡± said Ben.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Right, just a meal and some wine? That¡¯s too easy,¡± said Fang Chu.


    They failed to realize that this was Sogdrith¡¯s first attempt at an insidious strike. To them, losing a few days¡¯ worth of food to make the devil a sumptuous meal meant little, since they¡¯d enough supplies for six months with the way they were rationing it. To another group however, cutting a few days of food from their supplies while trapped in this place would be a heavy blow.


    It was also true that Sogdrith had been trapped here for too long and missed savouring the tastes of the human¡¯s cuisine. His deal of asking for food in trade of answering a few questions had thus three purposes. Fulfilling his cravings, reducing the party¡¯s food stock and offering his prey that little ray of hope with his answers. Only then he¡¯d be able to crush them completely.


    ¡°How can we trust his answers? What if he lies?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°From all the stories I heard and records I read, devils never lie when it comes to a deal they made. Nonetheless, it wouldn¡¯t hurt if we were careful,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°What are we cooking then?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°He said that the number of questions he¡¯ll answer will depend on how well we satisfy him, so we¡¯ll leave it to you Ben,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°No problem! What do we still have on store that¡¯s not rations or travelling potions?¡± he asked.


    With the help of the others, Ben started to make an inventory of everything they had available. It was a lot. Flour, meats, fish, cheese, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, basil, oregano and a bunch of other ingredients, spices and condiments. Fang Chu surely didn¡¯t mistreat herself.


    ¡°Wow, with this much stuff I could try to make pizza!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a pizza? Is it good?¡± asked the others.


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing! One of the best foods there is! If only we had an oven,¡± he said while eying Fang Chu with anticipation.


    ¡°What? Do you expect me to have an oven? Sure, I carry a lot of stuff around, but there¡¯s a limit you know?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I thought¡­ woman¡¯s purse and all that, maybe,¡± he mumbled dispirited.


    ¡°What are you muttering about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Anyway, with this much stuff I can make something delicious for sure. I¡¯m glad you have potatoes, I haven¡¯t seen one in ages. Let¡¯s start with french-fries, there¡¯s no one in the world that could dislike french-fries.¡±


    Fang Chu had an oil-based burner, something convenient that let her cook anywhere, provided she¡¯d enough fuel. Ben¡¯s cooking area was limited, since he could only work on top of the cutting board or the pans, but he made do. His plan was to make fried chicken and french-fries, a KFC menu. It wasn¡¯t the healthiest of meals, but that wasn¡¯t something he was worried about. The important thing was that it was novel and delicious. So far, all the fried foods he saw in Flanac were made directly on the pan with a bit of oil or butter. Nobody used flour, eggs or breadcrumbs. That was such a waste!


    Ben spent two hours getting everything ready. The others looked at his meticulous care and wondered why he needed to take this long or take these many steps. What was the point of cutting potatoes in thin slices and let them soak in a bowl of water for that long? The same went for the pieces of chicken. He let them soak on the spices for ages, then doused them on flour, then on the eggs, then on small pieces of breadcrumbs. What was the point of such mixture?


    All their doubts disappeared the moment he started frying. A strong smell welled from the pans, stirring their stomachs. The sliced potatoes and chicken fillets were changing colour, making them look delicious. Liza and Fang Chu unconsciously gulped down a mouthful of saliva, while Eliot and Boro were actually drooling.


    ¡°Let me just drain this for a while, add a bit of salt to the fries and done. Now we just need to set this on a bowl and deliver to Sogdrith.¡±


    ¡°Can we eat some?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°Here, everyone can grab a couple fries for now. There are still ingredients remaining, later I can make some more for us. Right now, we need to serve the devil and get our questions answered.¡±


    They all grabbed a handful of french-fries and munched on them with glee. None of them had tasted anything quite like this before. For a moment they were all silent, appreciating the taste.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can stand watching that bastard eating such good food in front of us. You should know what to ask right? I will stay here with Eliot and Boro,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°But I want to go over there,¡± complained Eliot.


    ¡°Stay with me, will you? Pretty please?¡±


    Eliot couldn¡¯t resist Liza¡¯s pleading gaze and sat down beside her. The half-elf put her arms around his shoulder and rested her head on his while thanking him. Ben set the three large bowls of food on a tray and carried it forward, followed by Fang Chu. When they were some distance away from the others, the redhead muttered quietly.


    ¡°That was really sly by Liza.¡±


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°What do you think are the odds of Eliot wasting one of our questions by asking something stupid in a moment of impulsiveness?¡±


    After a period of silence, Ben conceded. ¡°I could see that happening.¡±


    As they approached his room, the devil¡¯s eyes lit up when he sensed the delicious smell coming from the tray. He got up with a jump and rubbed his hands against each other.


    ¡°What do you have for me?¡±


    ¡°Something you¡¯ll like. Now back off to the end of the room, or I won¡¯t be sending this tray in.¡±


    ¡°My, my, so distrustful. Okay, I¡¯m going!¡±


    When Sogdrith reached the end of the room, Ben pushed the tray inside and quickly backed off. The devil didn¡¯t try to jump and grab his arm like he thought, but calmly walked back and sat before the tray he¡¯d put down. Eyeing a french-fry tentatively, the devil grabbed it with his fingers and pushed into his mouth, chewing it with a crunching sound.


    ¡°Oh, this tastes wonderful!¡±


    For an entire half-hour, the only thing that could be heard were Sogdrith¡¯s chewing sounds and his endless exclamations and praises. After he was finished, the devil wiped his mouth with a napkin and belched contently.


    ¡°All right. I was going to let you ask three questions at most, but your meal was devilish indeed. You can ask six questions. Go ahead, you earned it.¡±

 Chapter 57 – Mausoleum (10)

    Ben took a deep breath. They¡¯d discussed before about what questions to ask and made a list by degree of importance. There was a consensus that they¡¯d be able to get at least two answers from Sogdrith. In that scenario, there was little room for manoeuvring and they would just have to trust the general knowledge that devils didn¡¯t lie in their deals. Now that he could ask six though, Ben could sacrifice a question to figure out the devil¡¯s style.


    ¡°How can we get out of here?¡±


    ¡°You need to exit the mausoleum, break through the barrier outside and leave.¡±


    Fang Chu and Ben eyed each other. That answer went in line with what they were expecting and heard about devils. Sogdrith would tell them the truth (probably), but that didn¡¯t mean he was going to help them in any way. One might see this as a waste of a question, but it helped create a baseline that they could use to orient their future inquiries.


    ¡°How is the barrier outside being maintained for this long?¡±


    ¡°It relies on the power of a magic formation.¡±


    ¡°Where is the core of this formation?¡±


    ¡°Inside that metal pillar behind you.¡±


    Ben and Fang Chu exchanged glances once again. That explained why the redhead was feeling such vast amounts of mana emanating from the pillar. Turns out it wasn¡¯t the pillar itself, but something inside of it.


    ¡°Can we get access to the formation core through a mechanism or do we need to break down the pillar?¡±


    The devil¡¯s eyes narrowed at this question. It was a clever way of phrasing it, getting two doubts erased at once. It could even be called a form of cheating. Ben did this because he was afraid that asking the simple question How can we get access to it? would make the devil reply with the most difficult method.


    Ben was afraid his question would be denied or at least cost for two, but the truth was that Sogdrith didn¡¯t care. That was the question he was hoping they would ask the most. It was the information they needed to see a ray of hope for the future, only to find out in the end that it was useless and then wallow in despair. The only way to access the formation core was to destroy the protective pillar. It was made of adamantine and was, technically, breakable. Thus, he wouldn¡¯t be lying.


    ¡°There are no mechanisms to reach the formation core. The only way to get to it is by destroying the protective pillar.¡±


    Fang Chu and Ben let out a long breath, feeling relieved. The most crucial information they needed was finally secured. If they could get past this last hurdle, they would be home free. The pillar looked sturdy, but considering Eliot¡¯s and Fang Chu¡¯s strength, it seemed only a matter of time till they got out. It was as if a heavy boulder was lifted from their stomachs. Since they got what they wanted, they could use the last two questions to satiate some of their curiosity regarding this place.


    ¡°What¡¯s beyond this room and that door you¡¯re guarding?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°That¡¯s the inner sanctum, the last resting place of the owner of this tomb.¡±


    ¡°From what we could gather, the person that build this place wanted nothing more than to protect his belongings. How come you¡¯re guarding only his inner sanctum?¡±


    ¡°Ha! Do you think he could¡¯ve afforded it? If he could, I would be standing on the very first room, in place of that stupid golem. His offerings were insufficient, so I¡¯m just protecting his body and a few of his most precious belongings for a period of time.¡±


    The duo was surprised by this answer. Did that mean that all the things they got from the other room were not the real treasure of this place? How much wealth did this guy have? Who was he? There were many questions they wanted to ask, but their deal was now over. Food was offered and they got six questions answered in return. If they wanted to know more, a new deal would¡¯ve to be made.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°That was excellent cuisine. It appears that for the time I was locked in here, humans have progressed tremendously in their culinary ability. You can have your cutlery back. For now, I¡¯m going to have a nice nap,¡± said the devil as he slid the tray onto the floor until it reached the entrance of the room.


    Ben waited for Sogdrith to lay down on the ground before retrieving the tray with haste. He and Fang Chu returned to the others, their steps much lighter than when they¡¯d first arrived. Liza and Eliot were still resting with their heads against each other, with Boro laying on top of Liza¡¯s lap. The half-elf jerked to attention when she saw them returning.


    ¡°How was it? What did you guys find out?¡±


    They retold how things went, making sure to not leave any detail behind. Liza¡¯s expression changed quite a few times during the story, and she let out a huge breath when they were finished.


    ¡°That explains why we couldn¡¯t find anything strange regarding that pillar. It¡¯s just a protective housing for whatever is inside.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Once we break through it, we just need to disturb or deactivate it and we¡¯ll be home free,¡± Ben added as he sat down.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go break it then! I want my new sword!¡± exclaimed Eliot.


    ¡°We could¡­¡± said Liza. ¡°But don¡¯t you want to taste that meal Ben made to that bastard?¡±


    ¡°I do! I do!¡± said Eliot. He¡¯d just got up and grabbed his sword, but he instantly let it go and sat down again. Eating something delicious was a thousand times better than swinging his broken sword against an immobile target.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve just finished cooking for him¡­¡± complained Ben.


    In the end, he couldn¡¯t resist the pleading gazes of everyone. Grabbing all the necessary apparatus, he spent the next few hours cooking a batch of KFC for each one of them. Everyone was delighted by the crispness and flavour of the chicken. They ate and talked heartily. Now that they¡¯d a way out, no one was feeling under pressure anymore.


    They rested for a bit longer to recover from their bloated bellies before gathering around the metal pillar. Sogdrith was lying down on the floor in his room, resting his head against his hand. He watched them through the corner of his eye, feigning uninterest. This would be a good show for him.


    Grabbing his sword with his good arm, Eliot aligned the strike before having a go at it. CLANG! The sound of the sword hitting the pillar reverberated underground. The recoil from the hit was harsh, making Eliot almost lose the grip on his weapon. The devil¡¯s eyes opened slightly. He was surprised by the strength of the blow, but he soon calmed down.


    Once the sound subsided and Eliot recovered, they got close to see the results of the blow. There wasn¡¯t even the faintest of marks where the sword had struck the pillar. It was in pristine condition, like it was never attacked before.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Liza gasped.


    ¡°It¡¯s really sturdy. What kind of metal is this?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°No matter what kind it is, it should give up eventually,¡± replied Fang Chu.


    The redhead conjured a large maul from her ring. That was her primary weapon and it was magic enchanted to boot. The dissonance between that curvy and gracious woman carrying such bulky and brutish weapon was rather startling. She took a heavy breath as squiggly blue veins marred her skin. Everyone backed off right away as Fang Chu rotated her body and slammed the maul on the same spot Eliot had hit before. A loud noise like a gong reverberated in the chamber. Unable to stop the recoil completely, Fang Chu backed up a few steps while looking pale. She rested her back against one of the shelves and let herself slid to the ground.


    This attack surprised the devil once more. He was no longer lying down on the ground lazily but sitting down while crossing his arms. [That was surprising, but so what? It doesn¡¯t matter you have people with some strength. That¡¯s adamantine! It will take them too long to break it open like this. Soon they will be running low on food and feeling exhausted. Their only option then will be to make a deal with me!]


    ¡°Are you all right, Fang Chu?¡± asked Ben with concern.


    ¡°Yeah, just let me rest for a bit,¡± she replied while trying to adjust her now messy hair with her fingers. ¡°More importantly, how was it? Did this open a crack?¡±


    They inspected the pillar again and were once more disheartened. There was no damage whatsoever that they could spot on the metal. Not even a dent. If two full powered blows from Eliot and Fang Chu weren¡¯t able to damage the metal pillar, how could they get out?


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me we¡¯re stuck in here¡­¡± muttered Liza.


    ¡°Don¡¯t despair just yet. Are you familiar with the concept of material fatigue?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°I¡¯m not, but I guess I¡¯m about to be...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. If you put a material through a repetitive strain it will eventually weaken and break. Like when you bend a thin wire repeatedly until it snaps.¡±


    ¡°So, we just need to keep striking it?¡± asked Eliot.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It might take long, but it will eventually break.¡±


    ¡°Even when it looks like it¡¯s not making any difference at all?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Yup. We probably did some damage, but it¡¯s on a microscopic level so we can¡¯t see it. It just goes to show that it will take us a while.¡±


    That¡¯s how he replied, but internally Ben was praying that this metal, whatever it was, didn¡¯t have too high of an endurance limit. If it¡¯s endurance limit was higher than the output of their strikes, they wouldn¡¯t be able to break it even after a thousand of years.

 Chapter 58 – Mausoleum (11)

    For the next two weeks, everyone took turns while striking the pillar repeatedly. The clanging sounds reverberated in the room almost rhythmically. Sogdrith watched everything in a rather sour mood. Two weeks had gone by and they were still going at it with no intention of stopping. He thought that by now they would be despairing already, but it turned out entirely different than he was expecting.


    [How much food do they¡¯ve left? Humph, I just want to see how long you¡¯ll be able to keep your composure like this!]


    After striking the pillar for who knows how long, the group stopped and retreated to the maze. Fang Chu¡¯s appearance was much worse now that she¡¯d used her full power constantly for the past two weeks and the time she needed to recover was increasing. She coughed lightly and distributed the rations that would be everyone¡¯s lunch.


    They began eating in silence. The enthusiasm of knowing the method out of this place was being supplanted by the reality of the situation. There were still no great changes to the metal pillar. At this rate, how long would they need to keep striking at it for it to break?


    ¡°Say, Ben, if you don¡¯t mind me asking, why did you turn my tutoring offer down? You said there were some reasons you wouldn¡¯t be able to accept it. Could you tell me what they are?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    It had been long enough now that Fang Chu felt comfortable bringing her offer up again. She wasn¡¯t thinking of forcing or pressuring Ben into accepting, but she felt curious as to why he refused in the first place. Only by learning this would she be able to see if there was a chance of him accepting it in the future or not.


    Ben looked at the redhead and felt his heart tighten. Her face was much leaner than before and he could see faint markings where that blue wiggling veins usually appeared. It was clear she was giving her all and pushing herself to get everyone out of here. He sighed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯d believe me. Liza certainly didn¡¯t take well at first.¡±


    ¡°Well, what did you expect?¡± said the half-elf while shrugging her shoulders.


    ¡°Try me. Why wouldn¡¯t I believe you?¡±


    In this manner, Ben started his tale. Of how he was dragged to this world from a different place and held captive. Telling her how Liza, Eliot and Boro ended up rescuing him unintentionally as well as some of the dangers they¡¯d come across. Fang Chu listened to everything without interrupting. It was hard to judge what she was thinking, as she kept her expression mostly neutral throughout the story.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I need to focus on becoming a mage. That way I can search for the right spell that will be able to bring me back home.¡±


    ¡°Whew, that was fantastical indeed, but I believe you. That explains why you were able to grow this old without a single spec of mana inside of you. However, for that same reason I¡¯ve some bad news for you.¡±


    ¡°What news?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible for you to become a mage by yourself with your current condition. Mana is foreign to you and your reserves are basically non-existent. You would never be able to sense mana, manipulate it and gather it inside of you to learn and cast spells.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I need to focus entirely on studying magic. Only then would I be able to find a way to overcome these problems.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be able to, not in a hundred years.¡±


    Ben frowned. No matter how much he liked Fang Chu and felt attracted to her, no one would enjoy having his hopes and dreams denied to his face. His mood soured and he responded in a more aggressive tone.


    ¡°So what? Are you telling me to accept the fact that I¡¯m doomed to die in this foreign world and do nothing about it?¡±


    Fang Chu coughed some more, splashing a bit of blood onto the ground. The strain of using mana repeatedly left some minor damage on her lungs, something she¡¯d need a day or two to recover from. This caused Ben to rein in his feelings that were starting to run out of control. Arguing and shouting with a feeble person was never something to be proud about.


    ¡°You¡¯re being silly. I said you can¡¯t do it by yourself. Didn¡¯t you hear it? I can help you!¡± said the redhead after recovering from her coughing fit.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°What? You can?¡± Ben was taken aback.


    ¡°Yes, but only if you accept my proposal.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m trying to con you. They¡¯re related in fact. Most of the warriors from my country train in the same way. You need to learn the secrets of your own body and how to connect it to the world. And what is the language of the world? Mana! It permeates everything and allows for life to flourish. Once you can feel mana and manipulate it, you can make it flow into your body through special channels, strengthening your muscles, your reflexes and perception.


    The next step is to gather that mana inside of you, creating a pool. Most of the Zahurian warriors use it to unleash powerful strikes, but some do learn magic they can apply in combat. What a person does with their reserves is their own choice. You could use it to cast the spells you¡¯re so eager to learn.¡±


    ¡°Is this true?¡± asked Ben in excitement.


    ¡°Why would I lie to you? I would gain nothing in the long run,¡± she scoffed.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it like that! I was just surprised¡­ This is like multiclassing! Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡±


    ¡°So, do you accept my terms?¡±


    ¡°Can we still keep traveling with Liza, Eliot and Boro while I train? I want to help them out and see things through the end!¡±


    ¡°Naturally. With the way you guys always seem to find yourselves in trouble I¡¯d say it¡¯s the perfect environment for your growth,¡± said Fang Chu with a chuckle.


    Liza was happy to see that Ben still thought of them even in this circumstance. Eliot and Boro were also glad to know he wouldn¡¯t be departing anytime soon.


    ¡°All right! I accept your terms!¡± Ben exclaimed. He was beyond happy right now. Not only would he finally be able to progress towards becoming a mage, he would be helping Fang Chu avoid her fate of forced marriage. If he was being honest, he wasn¡¯t sure which he was happier about.


    ¡°Then call me master. From now on you¡¯ve to listen to what I say and do what I ask. I¡¯ll train you from the ground up to heights you couldn¡¯t even imagine before!¡±


    [Master?] Ben¡¯s mind instantly whirred into motion. The word master in the modern world was used a lot when describing the relationship between mechanical parts, but to say it out loud to another person usually meant another thing: roleplaying. The sexy kind of roleplaying. He couldn¡¯t help but imagine Fang Chu in a tight leather corset while holding a whip.


    The redhead noticed the change in his glance and felt extremely uncomfortable all of the sudden. When he replied ¡°Yes, master!¡± the next moment, she didn¡¯t feel the glee she thought she would, but felt a cold shiver run through her entire body instead. It left her in goose bumps.


    ¡°Thinking better of it, it would be strange if you call me that, giving your age and the fact we are all together in one group. Just call me Fanu, it¡¯s what my friends call me. You can all do that in fact, I¡¯m sure Fang Chu is mouthful.¡±


    Ben reined in his wild imagination and took a deep breath to calm himself. ¡°Ok, Fanu. When do we start?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I like your eagerness. I hope you can keep it like that all the way,¡± she laughed. ¡°I need more time to recover, then we can start. That is, if the others don¡¯t mind that we slack off for the rest of the day.¡±


    ¡°Nope, you guys can take your time. I¡¯m glad you figured everything out,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Yes, leave it to us!¡± exclaimed Eliot.


    A couple hours later, Fang Chu was ready to begin. She placed one of her hands on Ben¡¯s chest and the other at his back. Ben felt a little hot due the contact and blushed a little. A slow trace of mana began to flow from Fang Chu¡¯s right hand, passing through Ben¡¯s body to arrive at her left hand, thus completing the cycle.


    ¡°Close your eyes and try to feel it. I¡¯m circulating a thin thread of mana through your body.¡±


    Ben did as he was told and closed his eyes. He concentrated to the utmost, trying hard to grasp this incredible chance he was presented with. However, he didn¡¯t feel anything at all besides a slight increase in his temperature. And that was probably because he was feeling nervous. After two minutes, Fang Chu stopped and let out a long breath.


    ¡°How was it? Did you feel anything?¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t despair yet. I have a trump card if everything fails. Let¡¯s try again.¡±


    They tried a couple more times, every one of them ending up in failure. Fang Chu decided to stop cycling such small amount of mana and went for a bigger volume, just above what Ben could tolerate with comfort. This time, Ben felt something. Pain. A prickling pain spread through his body and yet, he couldn¡¯t pinpoint the cause. He couldn¡¯t sense the mana moving through, only the consequences of its movement.


    ¡°That hurt a bit, but still nothing.¡±


    ¡°Well, guess I¡¯ll have to use it. Here, take it and eat it,¡± said Fang Chu as she passed to Ben a small darkish-purple fruit.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°A rare fruit. It¡¯s called the Seer¡¯s Plum, and it¡¯s said that when correctly prepared it can help people see the future. By itself it has the capabilities to enhance one¡¯s senses by a lot. You need all the help you can get.¡±


    Ben¡¯s hand trembled. The thought about refusing such wonderful gift crossed his mind for a split second, but the truth was that he wanted this. He needed it! Putting the entire fruit in his mouth, Ben chewed on vigorously and swallowed. A few minutes later, he started feeling strange. He suddenly could see everything around him much better, even the distant parts of the maze where the torch¡¯s light didn¡¯t reach. Fang Chu¡¯s silent breathing and her heartbeats (as well as his own) were clearly audible to him now. Everything felt amplified and odd.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this again. I¡¯m not sure how long the effects will last, we need to make the most of it!¡±


    Fang Chu put her hands on his chest and back again. Ben could feel them much more clearly this time, but he didn¡¯t get distracted and closed his eyes. He needed to give it his all! This time it had to work!


    -


    -> This chapter has an alternative title: Accepting a Master. I decided to stick with Mausoleum for this one in order to not spoil anything ahead of time.

 Chapter 59 – Training

    Fang Chu started the procedure once again. The mana flew from her left hand to her right, using Ben¡¯s body as intermediary. The amount was decreased once again, because if Ben felt pain with his temporally enhanced senses, he wouldn¡¯t be able to concentrate at all.


    Ben finally felt something. It was a tingling sensation coursing through his body. Wherever it went through, his bones, muscles and other cells would rejoice and strengthen slightly. It wasn¡¯t like he was seeing this with his eyes, it was more of an instinctual understanding that was hard to describe. He felt his entire mind quaking with such discovery. An entire new world of understanding was slowly opening up to him.


    ¡°How was it?¡±


    ¡°I felt something! Do it again!¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do a couple more and then I¡¯ll teach you the basic mantras.¡±


    ¡°Mantras?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what people around here call magical spells or formulas. A way to manipulate mana through words, gestures, breathing, materials, etc.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Fang Chu circulated mana through Ben¡¯s body a few more times. With each try, Ben¡¯s senses towards mana grew clearer. It was a wonderful feeling, like putting on prescription glasses for the first time and noticing how blind you were before.


    After that, the redhead taught him her sect¡¯s training mantra and helped him through it. Ben sat with his legs crossed, his eyes closed and controlled his breathing. He repeated the words Fang Chu taught him under his breath and concentrated the best he could. It took him half an hour before he could get everything right and feel the first specs of mana draw into his body from his own efforts. He did a full circulation cycle before opening his eyes in excitement.


    ¡°I did it! I managed to circulate mana into my body! It was much less mana than when you did it, but still!¡±


    ¡°Congratulations,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°I think this is obvious, but it bears saying anyway. You¡¯re not allowed to disclose what I taught you to anyone.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s keep going. We need to make the most of the Seer¡¯s Plum.¡±


    They trained for another hour and a half, with Fang Chu demonstrating things to Ben and clearing any doubts that he came across. Following her instructions, Ben did his best to concentrate on the feeling of mana and the way it circulated inside his body. According to her, this was something he needed to engrave on his mind beyond a shadow of doubt, or his chance might be lost forever. Therefore, he didn¡¯t slack.


    Finally, the effects of the magical fruit started to wear off. It was as if someone had snatched the glasses that helped Ben see clearly. All his sharp senses gradually subsided until he was back to normal. This caused him to panic a little. Humans adapted easily to something better, but they always found the hardest to go back to something worse.


    ¡°It¡¯s gone,¡± Ben sighed.


    ¡°That¡¯s normal. What? Did you want it to last forever?¡±


    ¡°It would be amazing if it did, not gonna lie.¡±


    ¡°Greedy, aren¡¯t you?¡± she chuckled. ¡°Now calm yourself and concentrate. I¡¯ll circulate mana through your body again, see if you can still sense it.¡±


    ¡°I thought I already did?¡±


    ¡°Yes, under the effects of the Seer¡¯s Plum. Now there won¡¯t be any crutches to help you. That was why I told you to concentrate on the feeling of mana and the way it circulated in your body. If you can no longer sense it, then¡­¡±


    Ben instantly got nervous. He thought he¡¯d already crossed the hurdle and was feeling much more relaxed. Turns out things weren¡¯t that easy. Taking deep breaths to calm himself, he closed his eyes and clenched his teeth.


    ¡°Do it, I¡¯m ready.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Mana once again entered his body. Ben concentrated hard and focused on the path he knew it would take. Yet he felt nothing. Despair welled within him.


    [This can¡¯t be! I sensed it before! I know the feeling! It must be here somewhere! I refuse to accept it!]


    Five minutes passed, yet there was no response from Ben. He didn¡¯t open his eyes, nor did he confirmed or denied anything, but Fang Chu knew what this meant. At this moment, she regretted her harsh actions a little. However, since Ben hadn¡¯t given up, she wouldn¡¯t either.


    [Come on, you can do it! Please don¡¯t let all my efforts on you go to waste!]


    Thirty minutes later, Ben sensed something. It was a hazy and ethereal feeling, almost imperceptible, but there it was, flowing through his body in an endless cycle. When he confirmed it was real and not a figment of his imagination, he let out a huge breath and flopped to the floor.


    ¡°I did it. I could feel the mana running through me. It was much hazier than before, but it was there nonetheless.¡±


    ¡°Great! That¡¯s great!¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Fanu.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too early for that,¡± the redhead laughed. ¡°We got a long road ahead of us, you and I.¡±


    Ben could only smile weakly in response. He felt mentally exhausted after this long training session. Fang Chu patted him on the shoulder and sprawled herself onto the ground as well. She also felt tired, especially after how tense the last moments were for her.


    Hours later, when Liza, Eliot and Boro returned, they found the two of them sleeping on the ground. Liza put her fingers against her lips, exhorting the others to not make any noise and distributed some leftovers for they to eat. They dinned and went to sleep too. There was no longer the need to make lookout shifts, as they weren¡¯t attacked by anything in the two weeks they had been here.


    Fang Chu and Ben woke up early the next day. The redhead signalled for Ben to follow her and went to the next room. He went after her, making sure he didn¡¯t step on anyone on the way.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± he said.


    ¡°Morning. Did you sleep well?¡±


    ¡°I did. After yesterday I feel energized!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Time to put that energy to use! Give me five hundred crunches, five hundred push-ups and then you can rest for a bit while planking.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too much! No way I¡¯ll be able to do all that!¡±


    ¡°All that? That¡¯s just the beginning! You must do as I say, remember? Come on, get to it, chop-chop.¡±


    Left with no other alternative, Ben had no choice but to get started on the exercises. He used to go to the gym back on Earth, but he was casual about it. He was not hardcore like other people there. Asking him to do five hundred repetitions of any exercise was way over what he could really achieve. As he did his workout, Fang Chu would watch his form and correct him whenever it was needed.


    ¡°Remember, a strong and healthy body can hold more mana and with more mana your body grows stronger and healthier. It¡¯s a virtuous cycle. That¡¯s why being fit is paramount!¡±


    Every time Ben showed weakness, stumbled on the floor, slowed down or did anything of the sorts, she would whack him with a rod she took out from her ring. The first time he was struck was a calamity. It hurt like hell and made him slow down, which in turn got him wacked again. This turned into a vicious cycle, until a point he was basically being beaten.


    ¡°Creating resistance is also important! In combat it¡¯s not a question of if you are going to get hit but a question of when you¡¯re going to get hit! No one can dodge forever. Your body needs to be resistant to blows and your mind used to the pain! Only this way you¡¯ll be ready to face your enemies head on!¡±


    For a moment, Ben thought of getting up and say to hell with all of this. He didn¡¯t do it in the end. The gift he received was too heavy and he agreed to her conditions. Plus, what she was doing right now was beneficial to him, or at least it was going to be beneficial in the future. It¡¯s just that it hurt like hell and it was infuriating at the same time.


    [Spartan! Totally spartan! The mad woman! No wonder all her students ran way! How well she hid! She may look graceful, but inside she¡¯s a brute!]


    The torture only stopped when Fang Chu was sure he¡¯d reached his limits. Her plan was a simple one. To push Ben to the brink of collapse every time, wait for him to recover and do it again. It was like forging. The metal needed to be struck again and again until it got in its desirable shape. It needed to be tempered. Only then would a strong and durable weapon be created.


    The devil watched the whole thing from his chamber and was left speechless. They now had time to waste in things like this? Working out and torturing? It didn¡¯t make any sense!


    [What the heck is wrong with these people!] he cursed inwardly.


    When the rest of the group woke up and went to the next room, they found a shirtless Ben soaked in his own sweat sprawled on the floor. He was breathing roughly, his eyes were out of focus and his skin was red in many places. Fang Chu on the other hand was sitting on the floor with her back against the wall, eating a piece of jerky leisurely.


    ¡°What happened to Ben? Is he okay?¡± asked Eliot.


    ¡°He¡¯s fine, he just passed out. He¡¯ll wake up in a bit.¡±


    ¡°What did you have him do? It¡¯s the first time I see him so¡­ spent,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Just some basic training that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ basic¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry about yesterday, in the end we ended up sleeping and you guys did all the work. It¡¯s time we pick up our slack,¡± she said as she got up and approached the pillar. Grabbing her maul from inside the ring, Fang Chu activated her inner power and got to work, slamming it hard against the metal structure.


    The metallic clangs once again reverberated underground. Eliot joined Fang Chu and they alternated their strikes for a bit. In the end, it all came down to this. If they weren¡¯t able to break the pillar down, all their efforts would go to waste.

 Side-Chapter 5 – The World Outside

    While the group was stuck inside the mausoleum, the world outside kept on turning like usual. Those on Kolmio Ridge who saw the flash of white light crash inside the forest that day returned to Tolus after a couple months. They asked around town and were surprised to find out that nobody knew what had transpired. This was also good news for them because it meant nobody had found the treasure that fell from the sky yet.


    These courageous adventurers prepared the best they could and went forth to Tumma Forest, hoping to get rich. Some of them were unlucky. A middle-aged man stumbled upon a kobold¡¯s lair and was swarmed to death. A muscular woman and her companion were ambushed by a group of giant spiders. They fought bitterly, but in the end they were captured and made into cocoons.


    Only a couple of adventurers made deeper into the forest. When they finally started to close in on the tomb¡¯s location, their eyes suddenly blanked over. They walked around aimlessly for half an hour and when they came back to, they were already a good distance away from that region and completely lost. It wasn¡¯t known to Liza and company, but there was also a confusion spell protecting that place. They had bypassed it entirely when they crashed near the tomb from the sky.


    ==//==


    Back in Kalafrana, Richard Melis and Albek Esin received news that would surprise Fang Chu. The messengers they¡¯d sent to house Ranna to verify her story came back. The response was a rather tricky one. Ranna¡¯s house head said he looked favourably upon the young lady and that she was in some sort of probation period. He exhorted them to tell him her current whereabouts and kept going on and on about different things.


    To summarize, he would recognize her, but only if she didn¡¯t cause trouble. The moment she did anything that would cause harm to house Ranna she¡¯d be denounced and left to the wolves. Ranna¡¯s house head also seemed desperate to find her without alerting the redhead. It seemed to them as if she had run away from home. If Fang Chu knew all of this, she would¡¯ve died laughing. It looked like the old man hadn¡¯t given up on her or maybe he was trying to cover-up his humiliation. Either way, it was something quite beneficial for her at the moment.


    ==//==


    Somewhere else, a large group of knights rode calmly under the night sky. There was at least two hundred of them, all sporting the same uniform equipment. A chain coif, a breastplate and leg guards. Most of them were wounded, with different parts of their bodies covered in bandages. Their armor was damaged in places and dyed red by blood in others. It was a squadron that clearly went through combat recently.


    Leading them were three distinct figures. One of them was equipped like the other knights, but his armor was more exquisite and had distinctive patterns that indicated he was someone with a higher rank. He was a man with a squarish face and a large moustache. To his right was a dark-haired young man with a flashy armor, bearing a long sword and shield that exuded a faint light that screamed magic item. The last person was the only one using a full helmet that covered his face. He was a thin man that wore leather armor and sported a flexible spear.


    ¡°I must say, this was the most competent group yet, sir Eustass. To have zero causalities is something to be admired,¡± said the dark-haired youth.


    Confusion clouded the face of the knight with a large moustache. From what he knew of the young man, he wasn¡¯t someone that usually complimented other people. Because of this, he took a few seconds longer to reply.


    ¡°You mustn¡¯t praise them too highly Regor, or they¡¯ll grow complacent. Still, I must say I wasn¡¯t expecting this result either. I¡¯m proud of them.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, you should be! You know I¡¯m not too fond of knights, so my words ring true. Every other group had a couple deaths, and some were downright so pathetic that they almost got wiped out,¡± the youth scoffed. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you agree, Mr. mute?¡±


    Eustass smile contorted for a moment, but he kept quiet. That clarified things. Regor was praising them only so he could badmouth the other groups some more. The affected behaviour of the young man annoyed him somewhat, but there was nothing he could do. Not only was he under orders from his liege to listen to the youth, Regor had the power to act however he liked.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    The thin man addressed as Mr. mute by Regor didn¡¯t as much as turn his head. He was ignoring the others completely. Regor scoffed and drew his sword with lightning speed, striking in one motion. The thin man lowered his torso and the attack struck the air where his head was moments before. He grabbed his spear and turned to face Regor, ready to fight. The dark-haired youth clicked his tongue and sheathed his sword back in the scabbard.


    ¡°You¡¯re the most annoying of them all Mr. mute, but at least you have skill.¡±


    They kept on riding into the night. The light of the moon and the few light-stones they¡¯d were enough to show the way. When they saw the torches at top of Starfall¡¯s walls in the distance, the group stopped. Sir Eustass turned around and addressed his knights.


    ¡°We¡¯ve reached home. You should know what to do. Cover the light-stones and return to the campsite to recover. I¡¯ll go report to the lord about your progress. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be delighted to hear your exploits!¡±


    There were no cheers or shouting. The knights crossed one of their arms against their chests in a salute and silently departed. They weren¡¯t going towards the city, but to a hidden location instead.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Eustass.


    The three men kept on riding towards Starfall by themselves. When they were finally close enough to the walls, the sentries spotted them and aimed their crossbows at the strangers.


    ¡°Halt! The city does not open at night! Camp away from the walls and comeback in the morning!¡± yelled one of the guards.


    ¡°Not even for me?¡± asked Eustass as he approached the light. He looked up so the guards could see his face while he played with his moustache.


    ¡°Sir Eustass, you have returned! Open the small gate! It¡¯s Sir Eustass!¡±


    ¡°Ha, that¡¯s better,¡± laughed the knight. ¡°Good job men.¡±


    The three of them entered the city and went straight to the lord¡¯s manor. Earl Frederick was informed of their return and waited for them alone in the main hall. When they saw the earl, the thin man and Eustass dropped to their knees while Regor gave Frederick a light salute. The barrel shaped earl narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Welcome back. I trust everything went well?¡±


    ¡°The batch this time wasn¡¯t as useless dear earl. They did an okay job,¡± said Regor.


    ¡°We had no causalities my liege. Every man fought bravely and returned victorious,¡± added Eustass.


    ¡°Excellent! Have all of them moved to the elite group Eustass! I received a letter from the guild master and the next batch of elixirs will be delivered shortly. They¡¯ll soon be able to enjoy the rewards from their hard work.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be thrilled my lord.¡±


    ¡°Oh? The guild master sent news? Will someone be sent here to take my place?¡±


    ¡°Not at the moment, Regor. He said you¡¯re the best man for the job and you know things can¡¯t be done too above board due to the contract¡¯s restriction. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to impose on you to train my men for a bit longer.¡±


    ¡°Ah~, as I expected,¡± sighed Regor.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re tired from the journey and all the fighting. A lot of amenities were prepared and are waiting in your room for you. Do take a break and enjoy yourself for the next couple days while we prepare the next batch of soldiers,¡± said the earl.


    ¡°At least you know how to treat your guests well! Then, I¡¯m off,¡± said Regor as he left the hall.


    ¡°You should be tired as well Eustass, go rest,¡± said the earl. ¡°As for you¡­ go see Hanna. She¡¯s waiting for you.¡±


    The two of them rose from their kneeling position and saluted the earl one more time before leaving in different directions. The thin man walked to Hanna¡¯s room and knocked on the door.


    ¡°Enter.¡±


    After being prompted, he opened the door and went in. The room was illuminated by the lights of countless candles and a large number of blankets, pillows and cushions were prepared in one of the corners. Hanna was standing near them, wearing a tight leather corset and holding a horse whip. After the man closed the door, she pointed at a goblet with a strange green liquid by the table with her whip.


    ¡°Drink it, my slave.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, mistress.¡±


    The man opened his visor and drank the liquid in one go. He soon felt his blood rushing towards his nether region in a crazy fashion, making him groan involuntarily.


    ¡°Take off your clothes and lay down on the blankets. Keep the helmet.¡±


    The man did as he was instructed. He was thin, but his body was deceivingly muscular. Scars of all shapes and forms covered his torso, arms and parts of his legs. Hanna bit her lower lip and her eyes flashed with a strange glint. She began whipping the man with her horse whip, panting lightly all the while.


    After having fun for some time, she removed her corset, straddled on top of him and continued the whipping. Soon, her moans and shouts of pleasure echoed in the room. Strangely, the man never once reacted. He didn¡¯t cry from pain nor he shouted in pleasure like she did. It was as if he was devoid of all emotions and senses.

 Chapter 60 – A Long Time Later

    ¡°Moss covers the stone walls. The air is heavy and damp. The occasional sound of water dripping somewhere echoes in the dungeon, giving you all an uneasy feeling. The room you find yourselves in is empty, and an ancient wooden door bars your way forward.¡±


    ¡°I open the door.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Eliot!¡±


    ¡°Too late. The strong dwarf approaches the door fearlessly. The beautiful sorceress runs forward to try and stop him, but he doesn¡¯t listen. He grabs the handle and turns it. A searing ball of flames shoots from the now open corridor, engulfing the adventurers. Roll to dodge.¡±


    Fang Chu scowled at Eliot and grabbed a pair of dice. She shook it on her hand before throwing it at the ground. A one and two. That was bad. She referenced a parchment with some of the things Ben had written down and gave her final result.


    ¡°I got four.¡±


    ¡°What about you Eliot?¡±


    ¡°I got two fives!¡±


    ¡°Yes, but how much do you have on dodge again? You need to add them together, remember?¡±


    ¡°One! That¡¯s eleven.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you both fail to dodge. Let¡¯s see here,¡± said Ben as he did some rolls in secret. ¡°You both take eighty-four points of damage.¡±


    ¡°What? I¡¯m dead! Look at what you did Eliot! I always managed to survive so far!¡±


    ¡°Urgh, I¡¯m dead again?¡±


    Liza was sitting on the side-lines, watching as Ben tried hard to keep his composure. The others were so frustrated with their ¡°deaths¡± that they didn¡¯t notice his smirk. She just shook her head, thinking to herself that they were all hopeless.


    It was almost the fifth month that they were stuck inside the mausoleum and, as Ben had promised Eliot on their first day here, he¡¯d taught them how to play the game he claimed it was better than five-stones. An RPG, as he called it. Not only was it useful for them to have fun and keep their sanity in check after being stuck in this dark place for so long, it also had other benefits.


    Ben was using the game to teach Eliot. He made him interact with a bunch of NPCS, go shopping, investigate for information and do every kind of useful activity he could think off. Whenever Eliot did something stupid, he¡¯d dole out punishment. If said stupid action was in a fight or dungeon, he¡¯d straight out kill his character. It was a dick move, but one that was proving effective. The number of times Eliot would just straight up charge ahead were reducing over time.


    He was also using this opportunity to get back at Fang Chu and her hellish training. With her however, it was tougher. No matter how many of Eliot¡¯s characters he killed, the youth would always create a new one and keep playing. He was that addicted to the game. On the other hand, the redhead might outright quit if he was too heavy handed. Therefore, he was always striking the balance of giving her powerful things before taking some of them away. Again, he was being a dick Dungeon Master1, but it was his only form of resistance.


    Quite a few things changed after this much time had passed. Fang Chu state had deteriorated to such an extent that she now needed almost two weeks to recover every time she used her full power. The backlash got so bad that she was no longer contributing to the destruction of the pillar. Though Liza and Ben helped, that job was now mostly on Eliot, whose broken arm had made a full recovery.


    The one who changed the most was Ben, as he¡¯d endured countless spartan training sessions. Every day he would be grinded down by the merciless Fang Chu and then ordered to rest. When meditating after training, his exhausted body would absorb mana like crazy to recover. The mana helped ease his pain and nourish his tired body. He believed this was the only reason he didn¡¯t break down, after all no human body should be able to withstand such harsh tempering without the proper time to recover. He now had a lean physique with toned muscles and much more mana than before.


    Liza almost couldn¡¯t believe how much he had changed, especially when she saw him and Fang Chu sparring. Ben was no longer startled or paralyzed by fear. He always did his best to try and land at least a blow on Fang Chu, but even in her weakened state she was easily able to walk all over him. He was beaten to a pulp every time. It was hard to reconcile the Ben she met with the one she was seeing now.


    ¡°Ok, since both of you died, let¡¯s get to work,¡± said Liza.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°No, let¡¯s keep playing! I¡¯m going to be a gnome this time!¡±


    ¡°Liza¡¯s right Eliot, we played enough for now. You guys can make a new character later,¡± added Ben.


    ¡°Right, go give that pillar hell Eliot. Ben, we¡¯re sparring!¡±


    ¡°What? Now? Let¡¯s not! I need to help Eliot with the pillar¡­¡±


    ¡°Liza and I will be fine without you Ben, go train with Fanu,¡± replied Eliot honestly.


    ¡°See? He doesn¡¯t need your help. If you don¡¯t want to, you can just stand still while I beat you up!¡±


    [Eliot, you traitor! Damn, I shouldn¡¯t have killed her character!]


    Cursing on his mind, Ben got up and readied himself to get beaten again. Liza, Eliot and Boro went to the next room, leaving the two of them alone to their own devices. Eliot grabbed his sword and approached the pillar. He would have the first round.


    After incessant days of abuse, the pillar had finally showed signs of wear. Crack lines appeared on its surface and were spreading over time. It took two months for the first tiny crack to appear and they celebrated like never before. At that point they¡¯d almost given up, thinking that breaking out would be impossible.


    This momentous occasion did not escape Sogdrith and now their roles had reversed. It was the devil¡¯s turn to despair. Every day since the first crack appeared, Sogdrith would pull his hair out and wonder how come they still had supplies left. Did they perhaps know about this place beforehand? Had they made a deal with someone that would bring them a cart of food and water every month?


    The now familiar clanging sounds continued. Every hit on the pillar would widen the cracks a bit further. Eliot¡¯s stone sword was also having trouble resisting the impacts. Nowadays it would lose a chunk after every strike. The broken blade that used to be the length of a bastard sword was now more of a short sword.


    *clang* *clang*


    ¡°It¡¯s useless, it¡¯s going to take you another six months before you break that down,¡± laughed Sogdrith. Seeing the cracked pillar, the devil no longer could sit still and would try to demoralize them whenever he could.


    *clang* *clang*


    ¡°If you begin to run out of food, I can always get you guys out¡­¡±


    *clang* *clang*


    ¡°Ah~, humans are so foolish.¡±


    Under Sogdrith¡¯s unending nagging, Eliot¡¯s strikes got more and more violent. Yes, he would never refuse to play that fun game that Ben called an RPG, but that didn¡¯t mean he liked having his character killed. And now there was this stupid devil calling him weak and saying he would need another six months to break this thing down. The nerve!


    Grabbing his sword with both hands, Eliot reached an unprecedented level of concentration. His arms were taut as he held his sword over his shoulder. He inhaled deeply. When he breathed out, he let his arms swing in one swift motion, releasing all the accumulated power. A deafening metallic sound rang underground, like a huge bell was struck. What remained of Eliot¡¯s sword was pulverized at this moment. He was left looking pathetic as he held onto a handle with no blade.


    The crack on the pillar widened at an incredible speed and a splitting sound soon followed. Large chunks of the pillar fell to the ground with a ringing noise, revealing a large hole. Eliot was in his usual rhythm and struck again without thinking about it. Of course, with his sword gone and the pillar now broken, nothing happened.


    ¡°It broke!¡± shouted Liza with a mixture of glee and disbelief.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Eliot was still slow on the uptake. He was so focused on following his usual rhythm and venting through the blows that he failed to process his success.


    ¡°Damn it! I can¡¯t believe those brats actually did it!¡± cursed Sogdrith.


    Inside the metal pillar was a large blue gem that emitted dazzling rays of light. It floated on top of a thin pedestal that was connected to a magic circle on the floor. While everyone was too flabbergasted to move, Boro flew through the air at lightning speed and chomped down on the gem, swallowing it down.


    ¡°What? Boro!¡±


    Light surged from within the dragon. He gave out a roar before curling himself on top of the altar. Luminous strings enveloped him, forming a small cocoon. The light eventually faded, leaving that strange green cocoon on top of the altar.


    ¡°We heard the noise! Did you guys do it?¡± asked Fang Chu as she ran into the room. Following after her was Ben, whose face was pummelled to a point it was double his usual size. His smile of relief and happiness looked extremely ugly in his giant and distorted face.


    ¡°Boro¡­ what the hell was he thinking?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Liza. He told me that rock was really good to him, that¡¯s why he ate it,¡± said Eliot.


    ¡°How did he know?¡±


    ¡°Dunno,¡± Eliot shrugged.


    ¡°It was probably his natural instincts that told him it would be beneficial to him. After all, that incredible amount of mana I sensed before is coming from the cocoon now,¡± said Fang Chu as she opened her eyes. Just now she had made an inspection of the local mana.


    ¡°That looked really valuable¡­ Whatever, if it¡¯s good for Boro it¡¯s not wasted. There¡¯s a magic circle here, so that stone should be the thing powering up the formation. We should be finally able to leave!¡±


    Just to be safe, they broke the pedestal and undid a part of the magic circle by ruining the etchings on the ground. When that was done, they stored the broken parts of the pillar on Fang Chu¡¯s ring, grabbed Boro in his cocoon form and began their way back to the surface. By all accounts, the barrier outside should be dispelled soon.


    As he watched the group depart, Sogdrith flopped to the ground. He looked up with soulless eyes and sighed. With a snap of his finger he returned to his original form and fixed himself upside-down on the ceiling. Covering himself with his wings, he went to rest like a bat.


    [Forget it, they were too abnormal. I might have lost this prey, but now that the barrier is down is only a matter of time until new guests arrive. I guess I¡¯ve finally something to look forwards in the future.]


    -


    1 For those that don¡¯t know, Dungeon Master (or DM) is the one responsible for telling the story and overseeing the players¡¯ actions based on the rules of the system. For a simple comparison, you could say that he is like the campaign of a videogame. He¡¯ll tell you the story and make the world react to your, the player¡¯s, actions.

 Chapter 61 – A Day of Happiness

    They made the course back to the surface in record time. They¡¯d stayed underground for months now and couldn¡¯t wait to bathe in the sunlight and take deep breaths of fresh air. Technically, they could¡¯ve returned every now and then to the surface, but since it was a hassle to go back and forth all the time, they thought it was better to just wait until they could leave for good.


    ¡°Ah, sunlight! My eyes burn, but it feels good!¡± exclaimed Ben.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more,¡± giggled Liza.


    They all laughed with their eyes half closed, their tears flowing freely. The bright luminosity was too much for them who spent this long in the dark. Eliot took a deep breath and shouted.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat! Eat till we¡¯re full! And food this time, not that terrible potion!¡±


    ¡°Agreed!¡± the others exclaimed while laughing.


    ¡°Food, it¡¯s delicious~! Food, it¡¯s so good! Meat is my favorite~¡±


    While Eliot sang one of his nonsensical songs, cradling Boro¡¯s cocoon to and fro on his arms like he was dancing, the others went about preparing the area for their meal. Fang Chu was separating the pans and cutlery, Liza was making the fire and Ben was rummaging through what they had left in stock.


    The rations were all gone now. They only had Fang Chu¡¯s potions and some food they¡¯d set aside for their last meal. It was agreed that no one would make a deal with the devil to get them out, that¡¯s why they¡¯d prepared something like that. If it really came down to that however, would they be able to see it through? Nobody could tell, and they were glad they didn¡¯t have to find out.


    They ate a full meal while laughing and talking the whole time. Their empty bellies and lean faces recovered somewhat from the months of rationing food. When they were done, they cleaned up and walked towards the edge of the dome that previously blocked their path.


    ¡°Who wants to do the honours?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Me! Me! I¡¯ll go!¡± exclaimed Eliot.


    ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡±


    Eliot extended his arm forward and took a step. Then another. At one point he felt some resistance on his arm, but it was so weak that it didn¡¯t compare with anything they¡¯d seen before. He pushed forward. There was a pop sound and he soon found himself outside the limits of the dome. Everyone exchanged glances and knowing smiles. They were finally free.


    For the track back through the forest, Fang Chu lent Eliot one her weapons and the young man took the lead. He¡¯d too much energy to go around, so the others just let him do as he pleased. While he was leading the way, Liza was carrying Boro¡¯s cocoon. The strange cocoon pulsed with a strong heartbeat and it was increasing in size at a noticeable rate.


    They weren¡¯t sure what part of the forest they were at, but it didn¡¯t matter. The plan was simple. Walk in a straight line till they were out, then find their way back to Tolus. Every poor monster that managed to stumble upon their path had a terrible fate on the hands of the enthusiastic Eliot. A giant spider, a bear, a murdering vine. They weren¡¯t strong enough like an ogre nor had plentiful numbers like a horde of kobolds to give the group any trouble. Fang Chu wanted to save a few to test Ben, but the monsters were always dead before she could speak up.


    It took them many hours to exit the forest, but to them it felt like a short time. On the grassy plains they could finally see the broader world and after locating Kolmio Ridge, they adjusted their course and began the walk back to Tolus.


    ¡°Ah!¡± shouted Liza.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Did you see something?¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Our horses! We paid for a month, but how long did we stay in there? We lost our horses!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re worrying about? We can just buy new horses! We¡¯re rich!¡± said Ben.


    Though that was true, Liza still felt a bit down. Money was always tight for her, so it hadn¡¯t sunk down yet that now they had more than enough to spare. She could only think mournfully about the horses they¡¯d lost.


    On the way back they were surprised to see a large group of corpses littering the vicinity of the city. Orcs, goblins and humans were all sprawled on the ground. Even an ogre had fallen near the city¡¯s ramparts. A large group of people walked on that battlefield, gathering the corpses and taking any valuables they might find.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Wow, what happened here? Why are there so many dead?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°Look, there¡¯s an ogre there!¡± exclaimed Eliot.


    Seeing the signs of the conflict and looking at the clear fields, something clicked in Liza¡¯s mind. She suddenly remembered one of the quests they thought about taking in the city eventually.


    ¡°No wonder they put on a quest asking for help to defend the town after the harvest. It seems they were victorious, but a lot of people were lost.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m impressed they were able to take down an ogre. I thought only Eliot could go toe to toe with one,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Hehe,¡± Eliot gave a silly laugh and puffed his chest proudly.


    ¡°That¡¯s the power of humans for you. Individually they might be weak, but if you put a bunch of them together and teach them proper tactics¡­ they can go to accomplish great things,¡± said Fang Chu.


    They passed by the workers, the scavengers, and the crows that went from one corpse to the other and entered the city. The mood inside the town was a strange one of subdued happiness. It was clear that the battle had finished at least a few days ago and they were victorious. As they approached the inn, Liza, Fang Chu and Ben let out a breath of air at the same time and spoke in unison.


    ¡°I want a bath!¡±


    An order was put for a lavish meal, tidy rooms and baths for all. Eliot fought back saying he was fine without one, but to no avail. While they cleaned themselves from months of grime and fatigue, tables were set on the common room for their dinner. The other patrons watched with envy as what only could be described as a banquet (for the inn standards) was prepared for them.


    Half an hour later, they all came down wearing a batch of fresh clothes, all borrowed from Fang Chu. Thankfully, she did have some unisex tunics and trousers the men could wear without feeling ashamed. They feasted to their hearts content and celebrated loudly.


    The other patrons were already envious about the food and treatment they received from the owner, but they couldn¡¯t get mad at the dazzling beauties nor at the dashing Eliot. Therefore, all the ill will was concentrated on the average looking Ben. He looked like any one of them, so how could he be dinning with such distinguished people? The stares felt like they could pierce the back of his head.


    [That¡¯s unfair people! Give some of that evil eye to Eliot too!]


    Ben wasn¡¯t the only one that was annoyed, as some of the drunkards would ¡°whisper¡± crude and crass things about Fang Chu and Liza. Being already tipsy as they were, these drunkards were the only ones that thought they were being discreet, as anyone could hear their ¡°whispers¡±. Fang Chu was frowning at their harassment, but she decided to let it go for the moment.


    Later during their meal, a group of those harassing drunkards passed near their table, giving Fang Chu an opportunity for a small revenge. She extended her leg as they were about to walk past them, tripping them up. They fell face first into the floor. While everyone was confused about what happened, Fang Chu decided to pull and additional prank and covered her mouth with her hands while laughing.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do that, dear. That¡¯s mean!¡± she said while looking at Ben.


    ¡°Uh?¡± Ben replied in confusion.


    ¡°Prepare for your first real combat. A bar brawl,¡± she whispered in a low voice.


    ¡°What?¡± Ben was stunned. He didn¡¯t process what she said right away and was distracted by the commotion.


    ¡°You sunnav pig*hick*!¡±


    Before Ben could make any sense of what was going on, one of the drunkards got up, grabbed him by his collar and headbutted his face. Eliot was about to get up and help his friend when Fang Chu interrupted him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, Eliot. This is Ben¡¯s fight.¡±


    The young man nodded in understanding. Ben¡¯s head was still dizzy when he felt a hard punch connect to his side. He cursed out loud and stumbled sideways for a couple steps.


    The drunkards kept throwing their fists haphazardly. The tables and chairs all around them made for a restricted area of movement and Ben was still a bit out of it due to the sucker punch, thus he ended up eating a few more blows.


    ¡°You sunnav *hick*, you¡¯re just, just *hick* average looking!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that there lady over there is too good for ya!¡±


    At this point Ben finally recovered his senses. My first fight. A bar brawl. Damn, can¡¯t you do things like a normal person? Having snapped out of it, he felt mad. What were all these bastards punching him for? It was Fang Chu that tripped them! And what about all these curses? It was clear they had it out for him from the start! Ben dropped low to dodge one of the attacks and clenched his fist.


    ¡°You blasted drunkards! If that¡¯s how you want, take this! Shoryuken!¡±


    He got up quickly and threw a hook towards the chin of one of them. Ben felt the pain on his fist indicating that the blow connected. The man¡¯s eyes rolled on their sockets until only the white could be seen. He was down for the count.


    The others cursed in an unintelligible manner and kept swinging their arms at him. This time however he was completely aware of their attacks and dodged them. He responded one of their blows with a palm strike and was surprised to see the man fall back a good distance before collapsing on top of another table. When he tried this technique on his party it never worked well like that.


    To finish the last drunkard off, he landed a knee strike to the opponent¡¯s stomach. The man barfed some of his alcohol back and fainted on the spot. Ben was draining the sweat off his face with his sleeve when he heard someone behind him saying I¡¯m going to hit you. He knew what was going on immediately and a cold shiver ran through his body. He turned around and tried his best to block the incoming blow, but soon everything went dark.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that too much?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°I told him a bunch of times already, he needs to be aware of his surroundings. Besides, I even warned him before the attack. I¡¯m just too good natured,¡± sighed Fang Chu as she held onto Ben to prevent him from falling to the ground.


    Liza shook her head at Fang Chu¡¯s unreasonable explanation. After watching Ben¡¯s training for the past few months, it was easy to see why her students ended up requesting for a new instructor. When it came to training, Fang Chu had no mercy. Most surprising of all was that Ben managed to live through it.


    All the other patrons watched the fight in silence until its conclusion. Many were confused when the lady struck her lover in the end, but they were glad he took some wallops. Eliot grabbed Ben from Fang Chu and put him over his shoulder, they were preparing to leave and go to sleep. At this moment, a dwarf that was sitting in a corner put his tankard down on the table with force and yelled.


    ¡°BAR FIGHT!!!¡±


    Chaos ensued.

 Chapter 62 – Transformation

    Amidst the chaos, the group sneaked back to their rooms and slept like logs for the night. The noise and rumble downstairs due to the bar fight couldn¡¯t faze them. The inn wasn¡¯t a high quality one, but having a bed was always better than sleeping on a bedroll. As such, they had an amazing night¡¯s sleep for the first time in a good while.


    The next morning, they ate breakfast in the middle of broken chairs and collapsed tables while listening to the innkeeper complain as he served their dishes. They settled their tab, adding some extra coins to the innkeeper for the trouble, before leaving to the adventurers¡¯ guild. In the guild¡¯s lobby, Liza talked with a clerk to clear up their status that currently read as missing/dead in action and collected the reward for clearing Fang Chu¡¯s task.


    As for the other tasks, although they¡¯d already defaulted, she officially declared them as failed. It would hurt her record a bit, but there was nothing that could be done. Although they¡¯d spent a lot of time in the forest, most of that time they were stuck at the mausoleum. The only other commission they could turn in was for the Dancing Sage, but now that money wasn¡¯t an issue, they had little reason to do so.


    Liza also didn¡¯t sell any information this time. She was afraid that if news about an ancient resting place of a Mirsha believer was found out, it would put them on the crosshairs of other people. Having wealth was a good thing, but it could also lead to one¡¯s demise. Another strong reason for not selling information was because she didn¡¯t want other people to have contact with that devil. Who knew what kind of troubles it could bring?


    With all this resolved, they restocked on food and started their journey back to Kalafrana. There was less than a month before their agreed meeting with Lawrence and Liza finally had the funds to learn the information she always sought after. She was impatient to get back.


    The return journey was a breeze. There were no problems on the road and not having to carry their gear, a benefit of having Fang Chu around, made everything easier. Though that didn¡¯t apply to Ben. He¡¯d to carry a rucksack with Boro¡¯s cocoon on his back (that was now rather big and heavy) and strange metal weights that clamped on his wrists and ankles. To him, the march back was a torture. He was only spared when they reached the city, something he thanked the heavens for.


    To avoid troubles, Fang Chu disguised herself and entered Kalafrana by a different gate from the others. She never expected she would have to return and had no idea of how the situation inside looked like right now. She thought that by this point, Richard and Albek must have learned the truth about her and were on the lookout.


    The only reason she even dared to return was because too much time had passed. After they went missing for this long, the security was bound to become laxer. Of course, she was overthinking things. House Ranna strangely hadn¡¯t blown her cover, so there was no one out to get her specifically. It was just something she¡¯d no idea about.


    == \\ ==


    Liza held Eliot¡¯s hand as they walked, and Ben followed after them while carrying the rucksack with Boro inside. They¡¯d agreed to meet with Fang Chu on the plaza where they first met, so they were going ahead to wait for her. Liza and Eliot made quite the dashing pair and drew the attention of the other people walking in the streets.


    The passersby would brazenly look over and whisper amongst themselves, sometimes even pointing at them. Ben was glossed over as usual. To everyone watching he was just someone going in the same direction as the other two. To them, he was clearly not related to that couple.


    ¡°Look at that perfect couple.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    ¡°What a hunk.¡±


    ¡°The world is really unfair...¡±


    All the attention and whispers made Eliot suddenly feel a bit hot and bothered. He freed his hand from Liza¡¯s and rushed a few steps ahead.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°I can walk by myself!¡±


    Everyone was flabbergasted. What was that reaction? Were they having a fight? Liza was stunned for a moment. She looked at her hand then at Eliot¡¯s red face as he ran ahead and felt like a bolt of lightning had struck her. Eliot was embarrassed! She tried to contain herself, but in the end she couldn¡¯t. Liza turned her head to the sky and began laughing.


    ¡°I won! For the first time, I won!¡±


    Nobody understood what was going on, including Ben. He could only nudge Liza out of her crazy spell and rush after Eliot before he disappeared in the crowd. They did manage to regroup in the end, though the atmosphere was a bit awkward. Things only went back to normal after Fang Chu arrived, as Liza stopped savouring whatever she was going weird about and Eliot got distracted by other matters.


    Now that they were all inside the city, the first thing they did was go to Boni¡¯s Family Jewels. Their current wealth was mostly in the form of precious stones and materials, so they needed to exchange them for gold coins they could use. They wouldn¡¯t exchange all of it in one go, as that would draw in too much attention and they weren¡¯t sure Boni would have enough money or even want to exchange for it all. Thus, they turned in a small pouch of stones for a couple thousand gold coins. This amount of money was so large to them that they could barely get excited, as it was all just so surreal.


    Since their arrival in Kalafrana was late in the afternoon, they decided to book a large room on Fang Chu¡¯s favourite inn and rest for the remainder of the day. They ordered some snacks and were leisurely eating them while talking.


    ¡°That went better than I expected,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Indeed. I was sure there were going to be people looking for me, yet there was nothing of the sort,¡± said Fang Chu.


    ¡°Still we better keep a low profile and get out as soon as possible,¡± added Ben.


    ¡°We need to buy my sword before we go! I¡¯m not budging before we do!¡±


    ¡°We will. Not only your sword, we¡¯ll buy a lot of things this time. We finally have the funds to do so.¡±


    As they were discussing what to do with the money, Boro¡¯s cocoon that was placed on one of the chairs around the table began to emit faint rays of light. The cocoon had grown nonstop all this while and for the first time it was showing signs of cracking. Thin lines spread through its surface until it finally broke into pieces. From inside of it flew a dark green dragon. His body was much thicker than before and his length was now of three meters. He¡¯d an imposing air previously, but it contrasted strangely with his smaller size. Now he could finally display some of his majesty.


    ¡°Ha, now I¡¯m even more amazing and stronger than before!¡± exclaimed a deep and powerful voice.


    ¡°Boro! Finally! I was wondering for how long you were going to be napping!¡± exclaimed Eliot.


    ¡°You can talk now?¡± asked the others in unison. They were all shocked.


    ¡°Talk? That¡¯s nothing! Watch this!¡± exclaimed Boro.


    The dragon rolled itself up and was soon covered in light. Fang Chu could feel a strong fluctuation in the local mana as this happened. A few seconds later the light subsided. Standing where the dragon had been was a small child, probably around ten years old. His skin was black and had a greenish tint to it. The same was true for his long hair that reached all the way to his back. His eyes were of a clear green that would leave anyone looking mesmerized.


    ¡°Impressive, right?¡± he asked with his deep voice.


    ¡°Wow, you became a human Boro?¡± asked Eliot in excitement.


    ¡°Just a form I can use to make things easier when traveling. Why would I want to be human?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m human!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my brother Eliot, that doesn¡¯t count. Besides, the other humans we encountered aren¡¯t as awesome as you are.¡±


    ¡°True, I¡¯m awesome!¡±


    ¡°We are awesome,¡± corrected Boro.


    ¡°Right. Hahahaha.¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha. Oh, food!¡±


    The others were speechless as the two brothers conversed and praised each other while eating what was left of the snacks. It took them a good while to recover. Nobody even mentioned Boro¡¯s rude comment towards humanity. It was true that few could compare if your measure stick was Eliot. They were much more perturbed by the deep voice coming from the frame of a small child.


    ¡°Shapeshifting!¡± exclaimed Ben. ¡°Or is it polymorphing?¡±


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯m now a hundred percent convinced, he is a dragon.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t believe me before?¡±


    ¡°I did, but part of me also found it impossible to be true. How could a dragon just be lying around? Also, he didn¡¯t look like one at all. I know, you explained about western dragons and eastern dragons, but that¡¯s from where you came from. Who knew if it would hold up here in Flanac?¡±


    ¡°Fair enough, I guess.¡±


    ¡°How did you learn to do that Boro?¡± asked Eliot.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I just did. After I ate that gem, I just acted on instinct and went to rest. As I digested the power inside of it, I grew increasingly more powerful and discover I could do new things.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the power of your race for you,¡± said Liza. ¡°Every creature has some things it was born knowing how to do. Spiders spin webs, beavers build dams and you can change forms it seems.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I can do much more!¡± he said proudly. ¡°I just haven¡¯t seemed to grasp it yet.¡±


    ¡°Right, right, you can stop all the bragging now. I¡¯m going out for a bit. We need to buy some clothes for you. Now that you¡¯ve a human form we can¡¯t have you running around naked.¡±

 Chapter 63 – Powering Up

    Liza went in the first clothing store she could find, bought a set of children¡¯s garments and returned to the inn. It was getting late and they all needed to buy new clothes afterwards anyway, so there was no point in buying all of Boro¡¯s outfits straight away. The dragon put on his new garments and they continued enjoying the amenities of the high-class inn while discussing their future plans.


    ¡°What are we doing first thing tomorrow? Straight to the guild to get your information Liza?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°No. There¡¯s also a restriction based on rank for that information, remember? The first thing we ought to do is visit an alchemist¡¯s store or their guild and buy a couple of strengthening elixirs. We need to power up! Then I can take a measurement test at the guild and advance ranks.¡±


    ¡°I remember when we talked about those! It took a lot of effort, but it¡¯s finally our turn, huh? I wonder how it feels like¡­¡±


    ¡°How it feels? Painful, excruciatingly painful. Those elixirs work by brute forcing mana into your body and pressuring it to adapt the best it can, thus increasing your mana capacity and overall strength,¡± said Fang Chu.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m not that eager to find out anymore.¡±


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that,¡± she said with a smirk.


    ¡°On a serious note though, is it fine for me to drink it? Both in terms of my endurance as well as what you¡¯re trying to achieve Fanu? Isn¡¯t kind of cheating if I drank these potions? Would your sect accept the results of our hard work if we use these elixirs?¡±


    ¡°Of course, they would! These lower grade potions are standard for disciples and every one of them get a grade 1 and grade 2 elixir eventually. Only the higher-grade potions are more carefully handed and given to a chosen few. No need to worry there. Regarding your body, I guess we¡¯ll have to make some adjustments in how we administer the dosages. It¡¯ll probably take three grade 1 elixirs to bring you up to par with a normal person that drank a grade 1 potion.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still that far behind¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop bringing yourself down, you¡¯ll catch up in no time! You should look at how far you¡¯ve come instead! You can almost take a good blow from me without fainting now,¡± she laughed.


    They continued talking and fooling around till late at night. They were still riding the high of escaping a months¡¯ long imprisonment and coming into riches, thus making them excitable and happy-go-lucky for most part.


    The next morning, they searched for stores that sold alchemic goods, trying hard to find the elixirs they needed, but it was to no avail. All the stores cited the slow and steady dwindle of supply for the past year and how it was harder and harder to find them lately. Only a couple elixirs made to the shelves each month and they were gone almost instantly. With no other option, the group decided to go straight to the source, the alchemists¡¯ guild.


    The alchemists¡¯ guild was the only major building in Kalafrana that had a single floor. That was by design, as all the experimentation, research and study was done in underground rooms, by order of the king. This change came about after a couple explosions destroyed the previous edifice and set fire to the nearby buildings.


    The lobby of the guild consisted of an open space divided by a large counter where clerks worked. Behind them were countless shelves filled with bottles and other strange apparatus. A grand staircase led to the levels below where strange sounds came from every now and then. Liza and Ben patted Eliot¡¯s back and gently pushed the young man towards a free clerk.


    ¡°Hello, we¡¯d like to buy strengthening elixirs please,¡± announced Eliot. After he said his part, the young man turned his head around to see Liza and Ben giving him a thumbs up. That left him pleased.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say sir, but we¡¯re out of strengthening elixirs at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Huh, but I¡¯d like to buy them,¡± replied Eliot feeling a bit lost.


    ¡°Do you know when more will become available? We¡¯re willing to compensate you well,¡± said Liza coming to the rescue. As she talked, she grabbed a small pouch filled with gold coins and dropped it ontop of the counter.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    The clerk opened the pouch and took a sneaky glance at what was inside. He then closed it and carefully pocketed it. Glancing around a few times to make sure no one was paying attention to them, he leaned closer and began talking in a low tone.


    ¡°All sales are supposed to be on a first come, first serve basis¡­ but I¡¯ll tell you what, I¡¯m going to keep some of the next batch saved for you guys. How many do you need and what grades?¡±


    ¡°Four grade 1 elixirs and two grade 2. If you¡¯ve any grade 3 we¡¯d like to buy them as well.¡±


    The clerk¡¯s eyes widened and he was stunned for a moment. A single strengthening elixir was something few could afford and here was a group trying to buy several of them at once. Just how rich were them?


    ¡°Grade 3? That¡¯s impossible. You¡¯d need to bring the ingredients in yourself or have connections in high places to secure one. I¡¯ll see what I can do about the other ones, but it will cost you a pretty penny.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as long as you don¡¯t go overboard, we¡¯ve a deal.¡±


    ¡°The next batch will be ready in five days. Make sure to come back by then because I won¡¯t be able to hold onto them indefinitely.¡±


    Five days later, they completed the transaction and returned to their inn with the potions in hand. Liza and Ben lay down in bed and readied themselves for what was to come next.


    ¡°Are you guys comfortable? Your body will seize up after drinking it, so make sure you¡¯re feeling okay right now,¡± said Fang Chu.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, but is it really okay for you, Eliot and Boro to not get any?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°It would be useless, trust me. It would be like drinking juice to Eliot and Boro. As for me, I drank those long ago and there¡¯s no point in it anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°I like juice though,¡± said Eliot.


    ¡°With lots of sugar,¡± added Boro.


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you two some later, for now let¡¯s watch over them.¡±


    ¡°Well then, bottoms up!¡±


    Liza and Ben chugged down on their respective elixirs. The half-elf was drinking hers in its entirety, while Ben was taking one third of his first elixir diluted with some herbs¡¯ extracts. Their bodies tensed up immediately and theirs eyes turned bloodshot. They began to shake and tremble slightly, like they were having a small seizure. It was quite a scary sight for those watching.


    They remained in this state for around twelve hours. As soon as it was over, their bodies relaxed and they fainted. Fang Chu, Eliot and Boro watched over them the entire time without taking a moment¡¯s rest.


    ¡°All right, the first part went without a hitch. I¡¯ll go grab us something to eat and grape juice for you two. They¡¯ll probably wake up in a few hours. We can finally rest for a bit,¡± said the redhead.


    Hours later, Liza and Ben woke up feeling rather weak and spent. They took a bath to get rid of the sweat and rested for the night. The group spent the next couple days inside the inn, as the duo went through a cycle of drinking the elixirs, suffering excruciating pain and then resting. Liza was done by the third day, but Ben needed to take it slower.


    ¡°Argh, done! Finally! That was rather torturous, but I must say, the results are pretty good,¡± said Ben as he clenched his fists. He now felt like his body was bursting with energy. It was a wonderous feeling that was made even sweeter after all he endured to obtain it.


    ¡°Right? I went outside and shot my bow non-stop for a good while and my arms still felt completely fine! I knew these elixirs were good stuff, but seeing it by myself is certainly different,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Congratulations you two, you¡¯re now considered grade 2 warriors,¡± said Fang Chu.


    ¡°At long last I can finally get some clues about that bastard¡¯s whereabouts¡­¡± whispered Liza.


    Now that she reached all the pre-requisites, Liza rushed to the adventurers¡¯ guild with everyone in tow. She talked with a clerk about the rank advancement and was guided to a private room after paying a fee. The advancement test was a simple one. All she needed to do was enter one of the guild¡¯s magic formations and they¡¯d be able to tell approximately how much mana she had in her body. Ben was somewhat disappointed by the procedure, as he expected a fight with a higher-ranking member or maybe a quest to slay a powerful monster. In the end though, he¡¯d to admit that this way was much more practical and reasonable.


    Without much surprise, Liza passed the evaluation and was now a Professional Adventurer in the guild. This was probably the highest she¡¯d ever be able to climb in the ranks and her dog tag (as Ben called it) now had an additional symbol to represent her new standing.


    ¡°Congratulations on your promotion Miss Liza. Is there anything else I can do for you?¡± asked the clerk as she guided the half-elf back to the lobby.


    ¡°Almost six months ago I tried to buy a certain piece of information, but I didn¡¯t have the funds nor the rank to make the purchase. Now that I¡¯ve both, I look forward for good news.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, follow me please.¡±


    Minutes later, they were seated in one of those familiar rooms on the second floor waiting for the information broker to arrive. Soon after, the same woman they¡¯d dealt with last time entered the room with a servant carrying a tray with tea and refreshments in tow. She greeted everyone, sat down and waited for the servant to finish setting the table and take his leave. She was about to ask them what information they were after when a large pouch filled to the brim with gold landed in front of her.


    ¡°Eight hundred,¡± said Liza. A smaller pouch soon followed the first one. ¡°And ten. Now tell me what I want to know!¡± Liza¡¯s attitude was rude, but damn her if she didn¡¯t feel good about it.


    [Are you going to be snobbish now? Come on, start talking!]

 Chapter 64 – A Clue, Finally!

    Despite Liza¡¯s rude attitude, the broker didn¡¯t feel offended at all. On the contrary, she was happy they could afford the price. The losses they took while gathering this piece of information were not light and the one hundred gold coins Liza used to start the investigation were not even close to make up for it. It was certain that they were going to make much more money than they¡¯d spent in due time, but this particular investment was in the red right now.


    ¡°My congratulations for your big break and rank advancement. I was sure it would take you a bit longer than this. I¡¯m glad you proved me wrong,¡± said the woman with a smile.


    ¡°Tell me what I want to know,¡± said Liza impatiently.


    ¡°Certainly. The brooch you showed me before is the symbol of a reclusive and extremist tribe of elves called Valenfele. From what we could gather, they live deep inside Duskwood. You¡¯ll be fine in the outer perimeter of the forest, but the moment you start to go deeper inside you¡¯ll be shot down, no questions asked.¡±


    ¡°Valenfele. Duskwood.¡±


    ¡°If you plan to visit them, be advised that they are not going to receive you with open arms. In case you manage to go in and come back alive, we¡¯re willing to pay you a good amount for more information on them, like their numbers, the size of their settlement, so on and so forth.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± Liza replied absentmindedly. She was consulting her mental map of the kingdom and locating Duskwood. It was a large forest on the eastern part of Balt, north of the Tulvia Swamp.


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll leave you to your endeavours. If there¡¯s anything else you need in the future, don¡¯t forget to call on us again,¡± said the broker as she exited the room.


    ¡°Are you okay Liza?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°Huh? Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I got what I wanted¡­ and now is time for us to go on a shopping spree!¡± she exclaimed.


    To Fang Chu, it was clear that Liza was somewhat out of sorts and trying her best to keep cheery, but since she didn¡¯t want to talk about it there was nothing the redhead could do.


    ¡°Hurray! A sword for me! And new dice!¡±


    The group went to Boni¡¯s to exchange more gems for gold, leaving the gnome feeling perplexed. How many precious stones did these people have? And the last two batches were perfectly cut and polished too.


    Now that their pockets were full again, they could go buy things to their heart¡¯s content. For starters, they bought four bags of holding. Fang Chu¡¯s ring was convenient and she didn¡¯t mind letting them store their things on it, but it was better that each had their own bag.


    Eliot acquired a bastard sword enchanted with a sharpness spell, a reinforced great bow and a set of new dice. Funnily enough, the dice were the ones that took him the longest to decide on, as he tested them thoroughly to identify the lucky ones, as he so called them.


    Liza also got herself a new bow. Now that she¡¯d drank the strengthening elixirs, her draw weight had increased significantly, and she needed a new weapon to take advantage of it. She bought a sturdy short bow enchanted with a precision spell. For ammunition she acquired a never-ending quiver, a wonderous item that could supply her with all the arrows she¡¯d ever need. The quiver only supplied normal arrows however, so the half-elf also bought a variety of special arrows for different situations.


    The rest of the group didn¡¯t get as much stuff. Boro was curious about fighting with his human form, so he asked for a club. Fang Chu said Ben needed to use his fists to fight for now, so he only got the standard protective gear Liza bought for everyone and some basic spell books for his study. As for the redhead, she refused everything Liza suggested, saying she already had all she needed.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    To finish off their fulfilling day of shopping, Liza bought a bunch of miscellaneous things. Healing potions, magic scrolls, antidotes, you name it. She even went back to the alchemists¡¯ guild to order a few specialty products that could come in handy when they were in Duskwood. She wanted to be prepared for any and all situations that could arise.


    They returned to the inn at night, feeling satisfied. Now they only had one last thing to do in Kalafrana: meet Lawrence. Most of the group lazed about for the next couple days, waiting for their agreed meeting with the crafty merchant. Only Ben would leave early in the morning, return for lunch at noon and spend the rest of the day writing down documents.


    On the agreed date, the group went to the same restaurant the merchant had showed them before. Lawrence was sitting at a corner table, eating some soup. His face was gaunt, his beard was messy, and his garments had seen better days. It was clear that his attempt at recovering his lost wealth was taking its toll on him. When he saw Liza and company enter the restaurant, his eyes lit up.


    ¡°Friends, you¡¯ve made it! Come, come, sit down! Waiter, bring us another three, make that five, main dishes please!¡±


    They greeted Lawrence and sat at the table. The merchant eyed them up and down for a while, paying close attention to the two newcomers he didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°That¡¯s rather rude you know,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Sorry, I was just curious. I heard talks about a group of five people that were going around spending coin like it was water. By the looks of it, they were speaking about you lot. Are these two new friends the ones that brought you boundless wealth?¡±


    With a single glance, Lawrence could tell that Fang Chu and Boro were special. The lady had stunning looks and a bearing of high aristocracy, while the boy, although young, had an imposing air. He was sure they were nobles of high status, though he¡¯d no idea why they would be moving around with people like his saviours.


    ¡°People are talking about our wealth?¡± Liza frowned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s news exclusively to shop owners. They were competing and trying their best to draw your attention to their own stores.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s why there were so many hawkers in the commercial district all of the sudden! I¡¯d found strange that their number almost doubled overnight,¡± exclaimed Ben.


    ¡°When there¡¯s a fat sheep, everyone wants a piece,¡± explained Lawrence.


    ¡°Including you, Mr. Merchant?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°In this case, the fat sheep are the people who saved my life, so I¡¯d never deign to profit off them. But pardon my rudeness, I¡¯ve yet to introduce myself. I¡¯m Lawrence Grafton, a lowly merchant at your service. Your distinguished selves are?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Fang Chu.¡±


    ¡°Boro.¡±


    ¡°Boro? Where did I hear that name before?¡± the merchant pondered out loud. He quickly remembered that the trio traveled with a fantastic serpentine monster with that name. However, he mentally scoffed at himself upon arriving at this thought. The names might be the same, but to him there was zero chance that there could be a relation between the monster and the person.


    ¡°Anyway, they¡¯re our friends and you¡¯re right, they are part of the reason we managed to make some coin,¡± interrupted Liza.


    ¡°I see¡­ I guess you¡¯re no longer in need to throw your lot with me to make some money then,¡± said Lawrence with disappointment.


    ¡°Who said that?¡± asked Ben with a cunning smile.


    In fact, Lawrence was right on point. At first, Liza wanted to meet the merchant to catch up and tell him they¡¯d no longer need to make a dangerous gambit to earn some gold. That was when Ben interrupted her, going on about the depreciation of money over time, inflation and how one should always use money to make more money. In the end, he talked for so long and so passionately that she decided to let him do as he wished. After all, he wasn¡¯t stupid and knew many things she had no clue about. As such there was no fear of him just throwing away their hard-earned gold.


    ¡°Not only are we going to invest in your endeavours, we¡¯re going to invest big,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Oh? Truly?¡± asked the merchant with sparkling eyes.


    ¡°Yes. The amount we¡¯re talking is such that we are not comfortable with only a verbal agreement. We want to do it officially through your union.¡±


    Lawrence was stunned. He considered all of them his friends. They were the people that saved his life, so he was rather certain there was a good amount of trust between them. At least, he felt that away. The fact they wanted to go through the proper channels, not even minding in losing a percentage of the profits to the guild, meant that the amount involved was going to be astronomical.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to need a witness¡­¡± said the merchant, still feeling a bit out of it.


    ¡°Get Boni. We¡¯ll also need his appraisal services. Also, please find someone trustworthy that can evaluate rare materials too.¡±


    ¡°Right, I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±


    The waiter arrived and served the dishes for everyone. The menu was a bowl of vegetable soup with scraps of meat and a piece of flatbread. They ate and chatted for a while longer, but Lawrence¡¯s mind was racing at full speed trying to guess what his saviours were planning. He tried asking about it a bunch of times, but Ben would shoot him down every time he brought something up.

 Chapter 65 – Negotiations

    Two days later, they were all gathered on a meeting room on the Logarth Union with the addition of Boni, an elder gentleman and a bulky lady. The elder was called Sarin, and he was knowledgeable about rare goods and materials. The large woman was Fiona and she was the manager for the main branch of the Logarth Union in Kalafrana.


    They were all sitting at a long wooden table which was covered by a bunch of different materials. Sarin observed them with glittering eyes. He was evaluating them with attention before giving his conclusion.


    ¡°This is a piece of rainbow silk! Wonderful! Rainbow silk is currently on the rise, but I¡¯ve never seen one of such good quality! A spindle of it should be worth at least five gold coins, no doubt in my mind!¡±


    As the elder gave his assessment, Ben would write the values down on a piece of parchment. Of course, what Sarin was seeing was just a sample of the materials, he¡¯d no idea about the amount the group had of each one. If he did, he wouldn¡¯t just be this excited, he would be blown away.


    Fiona watched the procedures with interest. Today she was here as an intermediary, so she wasn¡¯t required to do much apart from mediating and applying the soul contracts as needed. Normally, this was a job for the union¡¯s clerks, but she decided to do it herself this time. What caught her interest was the preliminary form her subordinate asked her to review. The form guaranteed a transaction of six figures and asked that a high raking representative of the union be present, one capable of making decisions for the Logarth Union. This made her believe that this mediating session wouldn¡¯t be a simple one.


    So far, Fiona was just mildly impressed by the collection of strange materials and waited eagerly for the real fun to start. She stealthily gazed at Liza and company with the corner of her eye. While Sarin was assessing the value of the materials, she was evaluating the people who brought them.


    As the manager of the main branch of the Logarth Union, Fiona had heard whispers about a strange group of five that were spending a lot of coins in weapons, elixirs and protective gear for the past few days. It seemed that the ¡°culprits¡± were right in front of her. She was curious to know how much wealth they had and what they were planning on joining Lawrence in a venture for. He wasn¡¯t a bad merchant per se. He was bold and daring with his ideas, but he didn¡¯t come close to the top earners. If they were going to deal with someone, why him?


    Once he was done with all his evaluations, Sarin was paid and guided out of the room. Liza collected the materials and shoved them in her bag of holding, clearing the table for them to use.


    ¡°Boni, old pal, it¡¯s your turn. My friends here want you to evaluate some precious stones. Since you also need to be our witness, I¡¯ll have to ask you to sign this magical contract now,¡± said Lawrence.


    The gnome grabbed the parchment, unfolded his glasses and comfortably set them on top of his nose to read the document. The contract was a simple one. He was to keep his silence about everything that was going to happen in this room unless one of the parties wanted him to testify in case of a disagreement. His fees as a witness and appraiser were also noted and the amount left him feeling satisfied. Seeing nothing wrong with the terms, he nicked his thumb and pressed it on the parchment before signing besides it. The contract lit up in a flash of fire before multiplying into copies that were given to all parties involved.


    ¡°All right, now that this part is out of the way, can you tell us how much this is worth?¡± asked Liza as she grabbed handful after handful of precious stones from her bag of holding and put them on the table. Each time she did so, Boni¡¯s, Fiona¡¯s and Lawrence¡¯s eyes would widen in shock. In no time at all, a small pile of gems glittered on top of the table. Apart from a few they were going to keep in case they needed money in the future, all of the stones they acquired were on display. They were going all in with this deal.


    ¡°This¡­ you had this much more stones still?¡± asked the flabbergasted gnome.


    ¡°Ha¡­ Hahaha! You really did make it big!¡± exclaimed Lawrence.


    [How did they manage to enter the city with this much wealth? The inspection at the gate would certainly flag them for taxation and since they don¡¯t seem to have a backer, I could easily imagine what would happen afterwards¡­] pondered Fiona. The union manager was right. The guards indeed checked their belongings when they entered the city, but although they knew about bags of holding, they¡¯d no idea that existed a ring that could do the same. Therefore, Fang Chu ended up acting as their smuggler as they entered the city.


    It took Boni a couple minutes to recover from the shock, but he soon pulled his instruments from a suitcase and set them on the table. He began evaluating the gems one by one. Since it was going to take him a while to finish appraising them all, Ben decided to start the main conversation about the deal. After all, everyone in the room was either trustworthy or bound in a soul contract to not divulge any information.


    ¡°While Boni appraises the gems, let¡¯s talk business Lawrence.¡±


    ¡°Certainly! In what are you willing to invest? Pelts? Pearls?¡±


    ¡°Neither. You said it before that those require the use of dangerous alternative routes to make an astounding profit. We¡¯re not that desperate anymore. What we want is low, but steady profit.¡±


    Upon hearing Ben¡¯s speech, Fiona nodded her head. There were different times and circumstances for trying to make money. Sometimes you could take a higher risk in search of better profits, while in other occasions it was better to take a steadier approach. That was especially true when dealing with bulk transactions, as the smallest percent of profit would lead to a sizeable increase in wealth.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°We want to hire you as a manager Lawrence. We need someone we trust to oversee a lot of things we want to do in the future.¡±


    [Ah, that explains why they didn¡¯t go to the top merchants in the union. None of them would accept such condition,] thought Fiona.


    Ben¡¯s statement caught Lawrence by surprise. He was used to have independence and autonomy as a merchant. A manager was different. He would be someone else¡¯s employee and therefore would have to follow his superior¡¯s instructions and orders. Lawrence was an independent merchant who dreamed of making it big with his own skill, as such this kind of path had never crossed his mind before.


    ¡°This¡­ why can¡¯t we make a normal business transaction? It¡¯s not a problem that you require less risky goods, I can think of a few at the top of my head.¡±


    ¡°Because we need a manager,¡± said Ben as he shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ve big plans, but not the contacts nor the time to make them happen personally. Trust me when I say you¡¯ll be handsomely paid and we won¡¯t treat you poorly. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°Let me think about it.¡±


    ¡°No worries, we¡¯ve got a lot of time until Boni finishes his appraisal.¡±


    Silenced reigned afterwards. Eliot and Boro soon became bored out of their minds, so Liza decided to take them out to have fun. It wasn¡¯t like the others were going to need their help for anything here anyway.


    Lawrence on the other hand was sweating buckets. He was torn between his personal dream and the prospect of making easier money, but under someone else¡¯s roof. At first, his pride made him want to deny the proposition right away, but his spirit wavered each time Boni said the value of one of the gems out loud. He looked over at Ben, who had a slight smile plastered on his face. It was a look of confidence, one he saw on the top merchants whenever they came to the union, like everything was under control and the result was already known.


    ¡°I evaluate that these gems should be worth about¡­ 232,000 gold coins,¡± said Boni as he finished to add the numbers up.


    ¡°A respectable sum,¡± said Fiona. She was keeping her cool and professionalism as a merchant, but in fact she was shocked to her core. They seem like impoverished commoners¡­ where did they find this much wealth? Questions like this were popping nonstop on her mind.


    Lawrence gnashed his teeth for a bit and let out a sigh. What was the point of being frustrated about being someone else¡¯s employee? With this amount of gold on the table it didn¡¯t matter anymore. Any future dealings they would have were sure to surpass the size and scope of anything he could imagine right now where he stood.


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll be your manager!¡±


    ¡°Great! We¡¯ll add some materials to round that number to 250,000 gold coins. Your first task is to manage this fund and invest it in safe venues.¡±


    Now that he¡¯d overcome his prejudice, Lawrence was feeling much better and his mind was spinning with the realization that he was now responsible for all that gold. Fiona on the other hand was frowning. That was it? she thought. With the amount of gold involved it made sense they wanted to officialise the contract through the union, but they could have done so in other ways besides requiring this large room and her presence.


    ¡°For these movements and for the sake of our future ventures, I¡¯d like you to start a small company for us. I hope you could help us with that lady Fiona.¡±


    ¡°Certainly. Anyone with enough coin can start a business after going through the normal procedures.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but that represents only the normal amount of backing and amenities provided. We want a stronger backing and help from the union.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± refuted Fiona on the spot. Inside however, she was grinning. Finally, we¡¯ve come to the interesting part!


    ¡°Hear me out first. From overseeing this contract you got 2% of the amount involved as fee, that¡¯s a nice chump of change. But what about being our partner and receiving 5% of the long-term profits? And better yet, we won¡¯t ask you to bend the rules or help us tremendously at the start. We only want your word that you¡¯ll protect our people once the big dogs bare their fangs due to our success.¡±


    The large lady narrowed her eyes. This seemed like a good deal. The union wouldn¡¯t have to help them anymore than normal at first and would be payed extra to do so. They¡¯d gain a steady stream of income in the future for only letting them throw the union¡¯s name around for a bit. That would be more than enough to dissuade any predatory merchant or small time noble that set their sights on them. The only question was how big of an income stream this was going to be. No matter what though, they¡¯d be gaining in the end.


    ¡°In that case¡­ agreed.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, you won¡¯t regret it. I can finally be completely open about my plan then,¡± said Ben as he piled a couple documents on the table. They were the ones he painstakingly wrote for the last couple days after visiting all the stores he could find. They contained not only his observations of the current state of the market as well as a bunch of modern marketing and business concepts like branding, positioning, target audience and such. He handed all of them to Lawrence.


    ¡°Read them all later. Here¡¯s the plan. Start a company and invest on safe goods all across the kingdom. The main objective of this phase is not the profit you¡¯ll obtain, but creating a trade route and footing in all the major cities of Balt. Then slowly start to acquire and store all you can get of this fruit.¡±


    ¡°Cacao? That thing is bitter and worthless. Only desperate peasants would eat them when hungry. What do you plan to do with those?¡±


    ¡°For now, that¡¯s a secret. Start trading, create a footing and then I¡¯ll teach you how to transform this worthless fruit in the most delicious thing you have ever eaten. Then we¡¯ll sell it across the kingdom and rake in so much money you¡¯ll go jittery.¡±


    Fiona was curious to know from where the confidence of the young man came from, but she was certain there was some money to be had in case he really did know how to transform a worthless item into something sellable. Ben on the other hand had no doubt on his mind. How much money did the chocolate industry make on Earth? Billions! And that was split between all the brands and companies. Here in Flanac however, they¡¯d have monopoly! He was so sure of success he wanted to laugh maniacally.


    They spent a few more hours ironing things out before finally ending the meeting, each of them with different thoughts in their heads. The group spent their last night in the inn and readied themselves to depart. As they were about to leave Kalafrana, Fang Chu suddenly stopped in place. ¡°Guys, there¡¯s something I need to do before I leave, but it¡¯s not convenient with you here. There¡¯s an inn two days of travel down this road. Do you mind waiting for me there?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell us what it is Fanu? Don¡¯t you need our help?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°Right now, it would be inconvenient. I promise I¡¯ll tell you about it when we meet again at the inn.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Since that was the case, the others decided to leave ahead of Fang Chu. The redhead watched them go, her eyes filled with tenderness. Once they were gone however, her expression turned frosty.


    [It seems he isn¡¯t searching actively for me, so maybe I shouldn¡¯t poke the bear¡­ but that is not my style. I endured that bastard for so long when I resided here and yet he¡¯d the gall to send mercenaries to capture me after I left! It¡¯s time I teach that arrogant brat a painful lesson!]

 Chapter 66 – A Small Revenge (1)

    Turning back, Fang Chu returned to the city and walked through the streets with ease. After residing in Kalafrana for a period of time, the redhead knew how to find her way in the maze-like structure of the capital¡¯s roadways. She was wearing a travelling cloak and some old baggy garments that made her inconspicuous in the crowd. Her destination was the central district, where most of the noble manors were built. After passing in front of the Esin household, Fang Chu couldn¡¯t help but smile when she saw a small Tori gate on the garden.


    [Maybe I ought to visit Albek once before leaving. I could introduce him to Lawrence and see how that goes. Having a noble¡¯s backing would sure help their plans.]


    Her assumption was indeed true. Having the backing of house Esin would sure make things smoother for Lawrence¡¯s movements and was something Ben considered asking Fang Chu¡¯s help on. However, after remembering she wasn¡¯t in fact a noble herself and that one of those so called ¡°noble acquaintances¡± of hers had sent men to capture her and kill them, Ben saw little hope for cooperation. Thus, he never asked her to set it up.


    Fang Chu shook her head and cleared her mind before proceeding onwards towards her target, the Melis mansion. The mansion was a three-story stone building with a front yard surrounded by a metal fence. The perimeter was heavily guarded, with most troops concentrating around the front gate and the backdoor. The windows were barred with metal rods, making for an impenetrable house to any thief (if there were any thieves bold enough to steal from a noble).


    The redhead closed her eyes and let herself follow the rhythm of the crowd as she looped around the manor a few times. She was concentrating her senses and trying to detect if there were any large concentrations of mana somewhere on the building. If there were, that would indicate the presence of a defensive magical contraption or maybe an alarm of some kind. As she expected, there were none. The Melis mansion in the capital didn¡¯t have a single defensive magical enchantment on its doors, windows or outside perimeter for what she could tell.


    Of course, there were ways to mask such signs in order to fool an observer. For instance, when they were trapped in the mausoleum, the only time Fang Chu managed to sense something was when they encountered the metal pillar. Every other magical contraption ended up evading her perception. This went to show that the owner of the tomb was much more proficient than her in regards to the understating of mana and its applications.


    However, she believed that this wouldn¡¯t be the case here, thus she was unafraid. Fang Chu had been traveling through Balt for a good while now and she could say with certainty that they were far behind her home nation of Zahur when it came to most things. Most applications of magic she found here were straightforward, finetuned specifically for combat and direct confrontation. The few enchantments they had were rather simple and crude ones, like sharpening, precision and toughening. She hadn¡¯t seen any defensive spells meant for safeguarding buildings yet. Perhaps only the royal palace would have some. Balt was so backwards that she was sure the only reason Zahur hadn¡¯t tried to conquer it was because of the Impregnable Mountains and the constant infighting between the sects.


    [Now for a way to get inside¡­ If I was alone and in top condition, I could just barge in through the front door, make a mess and then run away afterwards. But I can¡¯t be this reckless anymore¡­ the others are still waiting for me nearby.]


    Therefore, Fang Chu decided to take things slowly. She spent two days casing the manor and was able to notice quite a few things. The guards had long shifts and their alertness would drop after long hours. It was also easy to track were Richard was at night. Few rooms would be lit after dusk, and they were mostly illuminated by the faint light of candles. Only a single room on the third floor was constantly lit by the bright glow of a light gem for most of the night.


    [So that¡¯s where you are tonight, you little bastard. Just you wait, this lady will give you a good scare in a moment,] she harrumphed. After casing the place for two days, a simple plan was already formed on Fang Chu¡¯s mind. The redhead stretched her limbs and chuckled with anticipation.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I used mana, it should be okay if I exert myself for a little bit,¡± she murmured.


    A crystal orb appeared on her hand out of thin air and she powered it with her mana. An invisible field extended from the orb, covering everything within a one-and-a-half-meter radius inside. The world suddenly went silent. It was like the invisible field from the orb separated her from the outside.


    ¡°This should hold out for long enough,¡± she exhaled as she pocketed the orb into her clothing.


    Fang Chu looked around the dark and cramped alley she was in and, after making sure there was no one around, climbed the houses on her left side with agile movements until she reached the rooftops. She looked towards the Melis manor and aligned herself with that bright window on the third-floor. From her calculations, she would land on the window below it, which was currently dark. That would do nicely. She regulated her breathing and prepared for the long jump.


    Once she was ready, the redhead ran till the edge of the roof and jumped in a high arch. The air rushed by her, rustling her hair and clothes as she quickly approached the manor. She extended her hands, grabbing the iron rods that blocked the window and planted her feet against the wall, bending her knees to absorb the momentum from the jump.


    Anyone passing by would have a hard time detecting anything that had just happened. The moon was covered by dark clouds, so most of the city was enveloped in darkness, making impossible to detect a shadow flying through the air. Sound, which was usually more pronounced in the quiet of the night, was also not present. Not when she ran across the rooftops or when she latched on to the manor. The invisible field created by the crystal orb was a sound barrier. Sounds from outside couldn¡¯t get in and sounds from inside couldn¡¯t get out. It was a charge based magical item her father gifted her when she was small. Use it when you want to gossip or exchange secrets with your friends, he¡¯d said with a smile. In the end, she never used until now.


    Fang Chu looked up and saw that the bright window was just on top of her. She climbed against the manor wall and positioned herself besides it, taking a quick peek to see inside. Richard Melis was sitting at his desk, reading a book. His back was turned towards her and there was no one else in the room.


    The redhead giggled evilly and grabbed the iron bars. Faint blue wriggling markings appeared on her face as she used tremendous force to bend them, making enough space for a person to squeeze through. Once that was done, she kicked the window, breaking it completely. Glass shards and parts of the frame fell inside the room, but the only person that could hear its loud noise was Fang Chu. She quickly squeezed through the opening and set her feet on the floor.


    The faint blue markings on her face disappeared, leaving her countenance a bit pale and a small amount of blood trickled down her nose. She conjured a handkerchief from her ring and shoved it up her bleeding nostril. Her appearance had nothing of graceful or refined at the moment. Fang Chu slowly approached Richard. Soon, the noble was inside her sound barrier, though he¡¯d no idea about it.


    ¡°Hi Richard, did you miss me?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    The young noble was startled and turned around with a jump. In the brusqueness of the movement his chair was shoved aside and fell to the floor. Upon seeing who¡¯d called him (and her current appearance), Richard was dumbstruck. Behind her he could also see the broken glass and the window¡¯s iron bars that were warped beyond recognition.


    ¡°You! What? How?¡± he exclaimed in a single breath.


    ¡°Youwhathow? What the hell is that? Don¡¯t you know how to speak? Aren¡¯t you happy to see me? After all, you did send mercenaries at my heels to capture me, no?¡±


    ¡°GUARDS! Get in here!¡±


    ¡°Tsc, tsc. Sorry but they can¡¯t hear you at the moment. We are in our own private world right now. Wow, that¡¯s so romantic!¡± she responded with a smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes.


    Before he could say anything more, Fang Chu punched at his two shoulders, dislocating them and swiped his legs. Richard fell to the floor while grunting in pain. The redhead nonchalantly conjured a piece of rope from her ring and began to tie up the noble¡¯s arms and legs, preventing him from running away or acting up. Once that was done, she picked the chair from the floor and sat the young man on it, while she sat on top of his desk.


    ¡°Richard, Richard, what should I do with you¡­¡±


    Richard eyed his former muse through his scowl of pain. Her eyes were cold and the handkerchief sticking out of her nose made for an odd sight. No matter what though, he couldn¡¯t comprehend what was going on. How did she managed to get inside? How come he never heard the window breaking? Also, the guards hadn¡¯t responded to his call, just like she said. Where they truly isolated? Upon thinking that, he started to sweat.


    Fang Chu put her hand inside her tunic and took out a dagger from her ring. She toyed with it in front of Richard, who accompanied its movements with worried eyes.


    ¡°Tell me, Richard, should I kill you for your transgressions?¡±

 Chapter 67 – A Small Revenge (2)

    ¡°Ki-kill me?¡± Richard stuttered. ¡°You can¡¯t! If you kill me it won¡¯t matter if lord Ranna disowns you or not, our families will go to war and you¡¯ll be done for! You better not touch me if you don¡¯t want to die!¡±


    Richard¡¯s outburst stunned Fang Chu. Her eyes blinked in confusion for a couple seconds and she had no follow up. The young man believed this was a sign that his threat was working and decided to keep pressuring her.


    ¡°Just let me go, lady Fang Chu. I swear on my family¡¯s honor that I won¡¯t tell lord Ranna about this. This way you won¡¯t lose your position as his adopted daughter.¡±


    What followed his proposition was the redhead¡¯s clear laughter. She laughed for a good while before stopping abruptly and glaring at Richard. ¡°Shut up! You hired men to kidnap me and kill my friends and now you think I¡¯ll just let you go? Who cares about that old fart and my position as his adopted daughter? I¡¯m a skilled adventurer and I¡¯ll do just fine on my own.¡±


    Her rage was real, yet inside Fang Chu was still chuckling. It was impossible that after all this time Richard and Albek had not contacted house Ranna to inquire after her identity. Since that was the case, Richard¡¯s words could only mean that the old pervert was backing her spiel about her being his adopted daughter. He probably did so out of shame and to not stain his family¡¯s honor. After all, the story of how a single woman beat up his guards and stole his family¡¯s emblem was something the other nobles would never let them forget.


    Under her fierce glare, Richard shivered and instinctively closed his mouth. Cold sweat trickled down his neck and he¡¯d a hard time breathing. He could feel in his guts that if he made a wrong move he would truly die tonight.


    ¡°Now then, what should I do? If I kill you, things will get messy fast but they won¡¯t know who did it for a while or maybe, if I¡¯m lucky, they¡¯ll never find out the truth.¡±


    ¡°Lady¨C¡± Richard started but didn¡¯t finish. He was interrupted by the redhead with just a look. She casually played with her knife, tossing it from one hand to the other, while staring down the young noble.


    ¡°On the other hand, I could beat you up till my anger is sated and call it quits. This would cause way less chaos with the only problem being that you know damn well who did it¡­¡±


    ¡°Please, spare me! I promise I won¡¯t retaliate!¡± Richard screamed. She¡¯d asked him to be quiet, but he was too terrified right now. Till this day, he¡¯d never suffered any hardship and the world was always at his feet. Now that he was staring death in the face, all his courage and arrogance were gone.


    ¡°Well, I could ask you to sign a magic contract,¡± said Fang Chu as she grabbed a rolled-up parchment.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it! Just let me live!¡±


    [I would if I had one strong enough... The ones I have and the others sold around here could probably be dispelled by someone he knows. Nobles have lots of connections after all.]


    ¡°But that¡¯s not fun. More fun would be to not have a contract at all and just wait and see. If you dare to let out a squeak about what happened here or try to get back at me in any way¡­ I will visit you again and at that time you will wish you were dead,¡± said the redhead with a distorted grin.


    Richard trembled at her words. The beautiful woman of his dreams turned into a demon in his mind. He regretted ever crossing paths with her. The only thing that kept him from breaking down was a faint hope of survival. He could tell she was still in the fence about killing him or not, or else he¡¯d already be dead.


    [I shouldn¡¯t kill him after all. The chaos and consequences that would follow for killing an heir of a noble household in the middle of the capital wouldn¡¯t be light. Let¡¯s just rough him up a bit and call it a day.]Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Fang Chu got up from the desk and moved closer to Richard. She moved one of her long legs forward and stepped on his feet hard, keeping then pinned. Richard cried in pain and squirmed about on top of the chair.


    ¡°What? I haven¡¯t even started yet! This is just so you won¡¯t fall down.¡±


    After saying this much, Fang Chu¡¯s clenched fist rushed through the air and connected to the right side of Richard¡¯s face, making him lose a bunch of teeth in the process. He screamed and sobbed as his face grew hot and swelled, bringing pain like he never felt before. His body swayed and wanted to fall down of the chair, but his feet that were being crushed beneath her boot kept him in place. Soon after, he felt the same thing on the other side of his face and more teeth flew out of his mouth. Right now, Richard had only a couple teeth remaining and copious amounts of blood and drool were dripping from his lacerated mouth.


    ¡°Pease, sbob, I beg¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop? That was only two punches. How could you be so weak? I thought that, with you being a rich young master and all, you¡¯d have taken strengthening elixirs till you exploded. I guess you were not too keen in feeling the pain required, huh?¡±


    After those two strikes, Richard really seemed to be on his last legs. Seeing such pathetic sight, most of Fang Chu¡¯s rage had been vented and the fact that she knocked out his teeth was also a big deal. Good teeth were one of the marks of aristocracy, as they ate softer foods and had a better diet overall. Peasants had to eat coarse grains and hard breads that grinded their teeth down and eventually made them fall. As such, having the majority of his teeth knocked down by Fang Chu would be a great shame and humiliation for Richard in the future.


    However, when she thought about what Richard had tried to do, this punishment still felt too light. Therefore, Fang Chu decided to break both of his arms for good measure. This time the young noble howled until he passed out from pain.


    ¡°Since I can¡¯t kill him, that should be enough.¡±


    She untied the unconscious young man and positioned his chair near the desk, making it look like he¡¯d fallen asleep while studying his documents. This way it would take a little longer until the servants realised something was wrong. The redhead gave one last look around to see if there wasn¡¯t anything she missed and approached the broken window. She closed the curtains behind her and escaped into the night.


    -


    That night, Richard had a dream. It was a memory from a conversation he had with his father some years ago. So far, everything had occurred exactly how he remembered. They were talking in the garden under a beautiful blue sky, but for some reason Richard was feeling nervous and in pain. He didn¡¯t understand why that was happening. Regardless, the dream continued.


    ¡°Father! How come the king is allowing such a thing! Why would he authorize the creation of this Adventurers¡¯ guild and let armed forces gather under a banner that¡¯s not his or from one of the aristocratic families?¡± asked the young Richard.


    ¡°You fool, do you think he wanted this? He was fuming! I heard that in his rage he broke a lot of rare and expensive furniture in the castle.¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡±


    ¡°He had no other choice. The man who brought forward the petition managed to get quite the backing. He united a group of famous adventurers that were previously scattered under a common goal and he has a few powerful merchants and nobles that are supporting him.¡±


    ¡°What of it? Adventurers are trash! If the king strikes now before they unite, there¡¯ll be nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish, child. Sure, we can suppress and exploit the adventurers with our power, but what then? We¡¯d have nothing to fear from the weak ones, but a powerful individual when cornered can be quite the force to be reckoned with. Some of them are stronger than our best knights, while others are more cunning than or wisest mages. Against individuals like that the best bet is to compromise. That¡¯s what his majesty did. He¡¯s drafting a soul contract together with the future guild master as we speak. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll put the right precautions in place.¡±


    Suddenly, the blue skies were covered by dark and stormy clouds. A gigantic shadow loomed over Richard and his father. The youngster trembled and his sensation of pain and fear increased. He turned around to see a gigantic Fang Chu standing behind him. Her bright red hair was blowing in the wind, her eyes were pure evil and a gigantic handkerchief was coming out of one of her nostrils till part of it dragged on the ground.


    ¡°THAT¡¯S RIGHT RICHARD, YOU SHOULDN¡¯T HAVE MESSED WITH ME, A POWERFUL ADVENTURER! HAHAHAHA!¡±


    The young Richard in the dream pissed his pants because of the fear and ran away. The gigantic Fang Chu chased after him, threatening to torture him in all kinds of horrendous manners.


    -


    In the meantime, the real Fang Chu took the handkerchief out of her nose and checked to see if it was still bleeding. Noting that everything seemed in order, she put the handkerchief in the pile of laundry to do and made her way towards another noble manor.


    ¡°It¡¯s better to see Albek as soon as possible and get out of town before things get too hectic. I¡¯m pretty certain I scared him good, but I can¡¯t be sure of what he¡¯ll do when he wakes up.¡±

 Chapter 68 – A Late Visit

    A cloaked figure approached the guards that were on duty in front of the Esin manor that night. Startled, they both grabbed their spears and took a defensive stance. A cloaked figure walking in the night was as suspicious as one could be.


    ¡°Halt! Don¡¯t move any closer! This is a noble¡¯s residence and you have no business being here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but I do. Tell Albek that Fang Chu needs to speak with him urgently,¡± replied a sweet voice.


    A few minutes later, the redhead was sitting comfortably on a couch while sipping a cup of warm tea. Albek was sitting across her, rubbing his temples like someone who was having a tremendous headache. A servant left a plate of pastries on the center table and left the room, leaving the two alone.


    ¡°You¡¯re one hard to fathom, lady Fang Chu. You asked for my help to track a group of strange adventurers, then you left with them on some fake task and disappeared from the face of Flanac for six months. Now you¡¯re back out of the blue paying me a visit at the dead of the night. Couldn¡¯t you have waited till the morning? Do you know how hard is going to be to stop the servants from gossiping?¡±


    ¡°Stop whining, Albek! Who would believe you scored a beautiful lady like myself?¡±


    Albek let out a long and distressed sigh. ¡°What do you want this time?¡±


    ¡°Wow, so rude! Aren¡¯t you going to ask how I¡¯ve been doing or where have I been?¡±


    ¡°Will you tell me if I do?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± replied the redhead sticking her tongue out in a childish gesture.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t bother asking. Plus, you look healthy to me, so all is well. What happened to that strange group you were travelling with though? I was hoping to hire them now that you¡¯ve finished your dealings with them.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What for?¡±


    ¡°Nothing really. After you had my men follow them around for a couple days, I have to concur with you that they are a peculiar bunch. Therefore, I¡¯d like to learn more about them and perhaps bring them into our house if they¡¯re worthy.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, not happening. I¡¯m travelling with them still and we¡¯re quite busy at the moment.¡±


    ¡°What? After all this time you¡¯re still travelling with them? I know you won¡¯t say, but what the hell are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°If you know I won¡¯t say it, why bother asking? Anyways, if you want to form a connection with them there¡¯s someone you must meet. In fact, that was the purpose of my visit.¡±


    ¡°I was going to say it didn¡¯t matter, I only have a slight curiosity towards them after all, but I guess now I¡¯m forced to oblige. Who is this person? Is he or she also going to grace us with his or her presence tonight?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯ll need you to ask one of your servants to fetch him for me in a bit. He doesn¡¯t know that I haven¡¯t left the capital yet nor that I plan to introduce you two. Before that though, I want to come clean with you. I¡¯m not a noble Albek. I¡¯m not even from Balt. I¡¯m just a foreign traveller.¡±


    ¡°What? But lord Ranna confirmed you are his adopted daughter! You have his emblem!¡±


    ¡°Oh, that? That old man tried to abduct me on the road, so I beat up him and his guard and took his insignia,¡± said Fang Chu while shrugging her shoulders.


    ¡°Uh¡­ I see.¡±


    Albek lowered his head and closed his eyes as he rested his face against his hands. His mind was whirling with a dozen different thoughts and he was having a hard time settling down. Finally, he let out a loud sigh and faced Fang Chu again.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t keep up with your thinking. What were you hoping for by revealing this to me here and now? You do realize that you came to my house alone, in the middle of the night and confessed to assaulting and robbing a noble of his possessions, right? As of now, you¡¯re in the palm of my hand and whatever I decide to do to you is justifiable,¡± said Albek as he scanned her from top to bottom, purposely slowing his gaze when he reached her chest and hips.


    ¡°Yes, so what are you going to do?¡± replied the redhead nonchalantly.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± sighed Albek. For some reason he always felt extremely tired when dealing with Fang Chu. He took his boots off and lay down on the sofa in a slouched manner. This was an extreme breach of etiquette, but he didn¡¯t care. He was usually more relaxed around the redhead and now that he knew she wasn¡¯t from another aristocratic family he gave up all form of pretence.


    ¡°I thought you would say that. I¡¯m a good judge of character,¡± Fang Chu laughed.


    ¡°Yeah? But what if you were wrong? You could have been screwed. Quite literally, in fact.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please. I could have cut off your willy before you unbuckled your pants and made a victory lap around your manor before the guards managed to notice anything was wrong.¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    A cold shiver ran across Albek¡¯s back making him so uncomfortable that he had to sit up straight again. He knew Fang Chu was exaggerating, nevertheless, the imagery of the described scene left Albek feeling unwell.


    ¡°Now that this is out of the way, we can dispose the formalities, so just call me Fanu. The person I want you to escort here is a merchant by the name of Lawrence. I don¡¯t know where he¡¯s staying, but he is registered in the Logarth Union, so you probably have a way to find it out, right?¡±


    ¡°I do. I¡¯ll have my coachman bring him over in a bit. Why do you want me to meet him though?¡±


    ¡°Because I want you to help him. He¡¯s working for me and my friends in a new business endeavour and having the help of house Esin would make things easier for us. Of course, I¡¯m not asking your help for free. I told you the truth about me because I consider you a friend, but also as a means of repayment.¡±


    ¡°You want me to blackmail house Ranna?¡± asked Albek who was quick in the uptake.


    ¡°Nothing that harsh. You could just let them know that you somehow discovered their secret and, you know, ask for a slight better deal on the transactions of goods between your two houses for the next couple years. I¡¯m sure that would raise your standing in the eyes of your eldest brother as well.¡±


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t care about power. Yet, we both know that if my brother thought of me as more valuable, I would have more funds and freedom both for my studies as well to help your friend out in this business endeavour. You¡¯re truly fearsome.¡±


    ¡°You flatter me. I wasn¡¯t thinking that far.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, I also want you to look after a plant for me,¡± exclaimed Fang Chu like she suddenly remembered about it out of the blue.


    -


    Lawrence was having a metaphorical heart attack. He was currently sitting inside of a luxurious carriage while holding a potted plant. The plant was wriggling and moving in a weird manner and all of its branches were bent in a single direction. The strange thing was that after the carriage made some turns, the direction the plant was bent towards started to change. Having experienced this before when he first received the task of looking after the plant, Lawrence paid no attention to this phenomenon. Besides, there were other things for him to be worried about right now.


    A few minutes ago, he was happily counting gold in his sleep when he was disturbed by the gentleman that was now driving the carriage. Apparently, Fang Chu asked for him to be picked up and requested that he brought the plant together with him. Lawrence was doubtful, for he knew that the redhead had left the capital already. Yet, when he learned that the one summoning him was a nobleman, there was nothing left for him to do but to grit his teeth and accompany the coachman. As the carriage swayed on the cobblestones, Lawrence prayed quietly for the summons to be real and not a trap of some kind.


    -


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought him over, my liege.¡±


    ¡°Let him in.¡±


    Lawrence walked into the room with stiff steps and quickly swept his gaze around. From his location he could see the back of Fang Chu¡¯s head and her signature red hair as well as a young man with hawk like eyes that were watching him with interest.


    [Thank the heavens! Fang Chu really is here!] he thought relieved.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lawrence, a humble merchant at your service,¡± he saluted.


    ¡°Come, come, sit. It was Fanu that asked me to fetch you.¡±


    ¡°Lawrence, you¡¯re here. You brought the plant? Good, give it to Albek, it will be easier for him to look after it.¡±


    Albek received the plant and gave it to one of his servants to take care of. The redhead introduced them again and spurred the conversation for a while until she felt Lawrence was more comfortable with the situation. Now that the merchant could keep the conversation going and make his demands, she decided it was time to leave and got up.


    ¡°Uh? What¡¯s wrong Fanu?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± said the redhead as she stretched her limbs.


    ¡°What? Now?¡± asked Lawrence.


    ¡°Yes. I just wanted to introduce you two. Now it¡¯s your job to negotiate and win Albek¡¯s support. You should know the others already left the capital and I need to catch up with them.¡±


    ¡°You came out of nowhere and now you¡¯re leaving just as abruptly. Aren¡¯t you going to visit Richard before you leave town?¡± joked Albek.


    ¡°I already did.¡±


    ¡°Uh? You did?¡± Albek was flabbergasted. That was an answer he didn¡¯t see coming.


    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re going to learn about it soon,¡± laughed Fang Chu.


    The redhead put on her old cloak again and left, heading for the edge of the city. At this time the gates of the capital would be closed and they wouldn¡¯t open for anyone but the king. This was an insurmountable barrier for anyone trying to leave the city at night, but Fang Chu was quite experienced in such situations.


    She walked along the wall until she found a spot that was overlooked by the guards and took out her grappling hook. With practiced movements, she secured it on top of the wall and began climbing the rope with dazzling speed. After reaching the top, she quickly secured the grappling hook on the other side and began rappelling down. When her feet touched the ground, she stored the rope and the grappling hook on her ring, making them disappear. All in all, the entire process took only a couple minutes. The patrolling guards finally walked by the spot she used, but there was nothing there to see.


    Fang Chu adjusted her course and followed the road. After a few hours of travelling she could see the bright glow of a bonfire a few meters away from the beaten path. Loud voices could be heard coming from that vicinity as well.


    ¡°That¡¯s not fair Eliot! I could never beat you even if it was clear, how do you expect me to hit you when it¡¯s so dark?¡±


    ¡°Fanu said you need to practice at all times and for all situations! Stop complaining and come at me Ben!¡±


    *Bang* *Bam*


    ¡°Ouch! Ease on the punch! I¡¯m not sturdy like you!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re considered a grade two warrior now, Fanu said this force should be acceptable.¡±


    *Bam* *Whack*


    ¡°Ugh, what the hell are you doing Boro! You can¡¯t whack me too! Two against one is just too much!¡±


    Hearing the commotion Fang Chu was stunned. What are they doing camping by the side of the road? Shouldn¡¯t they be waiting at the inn by now? She approached the bonfire and saw Liza sitting alone while eating some food.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re back! Did you finish what you needed to do?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. What are you guys doing here however? Why aren¡¯t you waiting in the inn I told you about?¡±


    ¡°The inn was too far away. We knew you didn¡¯t want us putting our nose into your business, but we figured we might stay close by in case you needed us for something. Ben said you had the face of someone that was going to stir trouble when you stayed behind.¡±


    ¡°What? Me?¡± Fang Chu blushed.


    Seeing her reaction, Liza laughed. ¡°Yeah, I guess he was spot on.¡±


    ¡°Why, that little¡­ I¡¯m going to show him a thing or two.¡±


    The redhead had barely sat down when she got up again and walked away from the bonfire to hide her embarrassment. She followed the voices that were a bit further away and decided to join up the others in tormenting Ben for a while.

 Chapter 69 – Otto Clemens (1)

    The group left the surroundings of the capital and started their journey towards Duskwood. The forest was located to the east of Kalafrana, but the path was blocked by a mountain range, so they had no choice but to take a roundabout route. It had been many days since they left the comfort of the capital and today was just like any other day.


    -


    ¡°Don¡¯t let them surround you!¡±


    After hearing Fang Chu¡¯s shout, Ben quickly jumped backwards and began circling his enemies, trying to keep the three of them in his line of sight. The rest of the group watched from afar as the orcs pounced on him with their crude weapons, trying to end his life.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this too much since he¡¯s unarmed?¡± asked Liza with furrowed brows.


    ¡°Nah, the goblins last time were too easy and the bandits the other day were too unskilled. Thankfully we spotted these orcs from afar so he could rush over to fight them. They will be just the right amount of difficulty for the current Ben.¡±


    ¡°This is boring, Fanu! Why do we have to leave everything to Ben all the time?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Eliot. I¡¯ll spar with you later if you want to.¡±


    ¡°Really? Hurray! This time I¡¯ll hit you for sure!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, you¡¯re still too green. I told you before, you¡¯re never going to hit me if all you do is rely on your speed and strength. You¡¯ll need to start using your head If you want to get a good strike in.¡±


    ¡°Ben is too slow. If it was me, I would have sent them flying with one swing of my club,¡± said Boro as he rose his eyes from the book in his hand to look at the fight far away.


    Realizing that things would take a while, Liza sat beside Boro and peeked at the book from over his shoulder. ¡°What spell are you learning this time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called |magic hand|. It lets you manipulate small objects from a distance like you¡¯re touching them, but the range is small. Do you want to see it?¡± he asked with excitement.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    After a brief incantation, an ethereal hand appeared in front of them. Boro controlled it and began grabbing small objects and moving them around. When he tried to grab and lift his club however, the ethereal hand crumbled and disappeared.


    ¡°Tsc, that¡¯s it? I wish Ben had bought more advanced magic books instead of this crap. If I knew magic was this fun I¡¯d have asked for some too.¡±


    ¡°We can always buy more later. Also, don¡¯t call them crap. Travelling now that you know |clean| and |no-smell| is much more pleasant. But dragons sure are something, you only need to read it once and you can soon conjure it. Ben is still trying to cast |candlelight| after all this time.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m just that awesome,¡± said Boro with a smug face. ¡°But what a disappointment. I was hoping I could swing my weapon around with |magic hand|. Imagine how cool I¡¯d look if I just sat back with my hands behind my head while my weapon trashed the enemies.¡±


    While the trio was relaxing and watching from afar, Ben was sweating buckets and dodging nonstop. Under Fang Chu¡¯s orders, he ran at top speed to reach these orcs, so he started the fight already somewhat spent. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, the enemies outnumbered him, they had longer reach due to their weapons and they were orcs. Orcs were typically muscular and bursting with vitality, so trying to take one down with your fists was quite the ordeal, let alone three. The fight had been going for almost a minute now and it seemed like neither side could finish the other off.


    Ben rushed forward and prepared to punch one of them, but he ended up having to retreat as an axe came whistling down in an attempt to cut his outstretched arm. As he retreated, he was beset again by multiple attacks from the orcs and had no other option but to keep dodging.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    [Damn it, they keep covering for each other. I didn¡¯t manage to land a single clear hit so far. If it keeps going like this, I¡¯ll get exhausted and lose.]


    ¡°Fanu, I can¡¯t do it at this rate! Let me take the weights off!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°Fine!¡±


    [Now we¡¯re talking!]


    After this quick exchange, Ben did something that perplexed the orcs. He dodged one last attack, turned his back against them and ran away. Seeing their opponent show such clear weakness after the long struggle made the orcs delighted. They hacked towards Ben¡¯s back, but ended up missing the mark due to his speed.


    As he ran, Ben undid the straps that were keeping the weights around his arms, torso and legs. One by one, they fell to the ground. When they were all gone, Ben felt a liberating sensation of weightlessness and freedom.


    [Ah, much better! I feel like I can reach the moon with one jump now, though that is absolute nonsense.]


    He faced the orcs again, this time with much more confidence. The monsters soon reached him and their struggle began anew. Ben didn¡¯t rush it and remained cautious. Whenever he took out the weights, he needed some time to adjust his control, otherwise all his movements would overshoot his desired target.


    [Jump back. Lean left. Step forward. Rush sideways at the club, dodge the axe. Good, I got this. After this swing I¡¯ll get one down.]


    After stepping backwards to dodge an axe swing, Ben rushed forward with all his might and jumped towards one of the orcs. He grabbed the head of the monster with his two hands and firmly pulled it against his incoming knee. The sound of a broken nose and a muffled grunt soon followed. Ben let go of the head and the tall orc fell to the ground unconscious. The other two kept attacking fervently, but now that they were one down, things proceed much more smoothly. Twenty seconds later, all the orcs were passed out on the ground. Ben took the enemy¡¯s axe and sighed.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re just trying to live, but I¡¯m just trying to live too. It¡¯s funny right? We don¡¯t even know the point to it all, yet we still struggle to keep going. I wish I could let you guys go, but then you might attack a village or some traders on the road, so I can¡¯t do that. Sorry.¡±


    *Chop* *Chop* *Chop*


    ¡°Are you finished?¡± asked the redhead.


    ¡°Yup,¡± said Ben as he let go of the bloody axe.


    ¡°Then put your weights back on,¡± said Fang Chu as she extended her hand that was holding all the strapped weights.


    Ben sighed and took the weights to put back on.


    ¡°You had more trouble this time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, since they covered for each other I only managed to hit them in the arms most of the time. Only without the weights did I managed to be fast enough to hit them where it hurts. The five bandits from last time were much easier.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Mana-wise, those bandits were at the same level as these orcs, but you can¡¯t compare their physique. However, your inability to hurt them easily tells me your fists are still not strong enough. It¡¯s time you stop punching bark. You need something sturdier. From now on you¡¯ll use a metal plate for your training. Liza already prepared another batch of ointments to treat your hands and keep them from crippling.¡±


    ¡°Ah~, I guess I won¡¯t be able to eat without making a mess for a while.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about? Your shaky hands after training? Hahaha, I like your mentality. Don¡¯t worry, I can spoon-feed you for the first days.¡±


    [Well, that¡¯s because I figured there¡¯s no point complaining,] thought Ben. ¡°Though it¡¯s a bit embarrassing, I¡¯ll count on you then.¡±


    Later that day, during dinner.


    ¡°When are we arriving in Tirin, Liza?¡± asked Eliot.


    ¡°We should reach it tomorrow before noon.¡±


    ¡°Do you think your grampa will be there?


    ¡°I hope so, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve last seen him and I also want to tell him the news. If he¡¯s not there I guess I¡¯ll have to be content with leaving a message for him.¡±


    ¡°Hum? What is this about?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, you were out training when we talked about it the other day. Remember the story I told you way back? That someone took me in after my village was destroyed?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°His name is Otto Clemens, a travelling apothecary. He took me from the wreckage and healed me, both in body and mind. I grew up following him as he went from one village to the next, offering his services and saving those in need. He taught me everything that I know about medicine. He¡¯s a remarkable man, my master. Tirin is his base of operations, of sorts. Whenever he isn¡¯t on a route or needs more time and equipment to refine medicine, he stays at Tirin. He saved the residents there from a plague many years ago, so they built a house for him as gratitude and take care of him whenever he stays.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s awesome. I hope we can meet him.¡±


    ¡°Here Ben, open up.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thanks, Fanu.¡±


    *munch* *munch*


    ¡°How is it Ben? Do your hands still hurt much?¡± asked Eliot.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit better now. It doesn¡¯t sting as much and I can feel the cool sensation of the herbs doing their work.¡±


    ¡°Your training was really something. The best part was when those peddlers passed by our camp,¡± laughed Boro. ¡°They were about to offer some goods to sell us when they saw you teary-eyed and with bloodied fists. Those guys can run, let me tell you!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, with your strange appearance and savage aura back then, who knows what they thought,¡± nodded the redhead.


    ¡°Give me a break, guys. No one can strike their fists at full force against a metal plate with a smile on their faces while having a casual conversation. I needed to psych myself up to gain the courage and bear the pain. They just came at a bad time, that¡¯s all.¡±

 Chapter 70 – Otto Clemens (2)

    Inside a small but tidy room that was saturated with the strong smell of herbs, an elderly man was resting on a simple bed. His pale visage, sunken eyes and rough breathing were a tell-tale of someone struggling with a disease. Despite this fact, the elderly man was grabbing his own unkempt beard with force as he stared fiercely against a black skinned dwarf that was sitting at his bedside. The dwarf also didn¡¯t back down on his stare and tried to overpower the other with his gaze.


    ¡°Just drink the panacea!¡± exclaimed the black skinned dwarf.


    ¡°No! My own treatment is doing just fine, thank you.¡±


    ¡°You old coot! How long have you been afflicted now? Seven months? It¡¯s praiseworthy that you managed to keep it at bay so far with your skills, but now you can barely get out of bed! If you keep this up, you¡¯ll die.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been saying that for the past seven months and ain''t I just fine till now?¡±


    ¡°Just fine? You keep getting worse as time goes on!¡±


    In the middle of their discussion a small boy ran to their house and knocked on the door with vigor. He smiled from ear to ear and gave the residents of the house the good news.


    ¡°Mister, mister! Liza is back! She was spotted just outside the village. I¡¯m going with the others to receive her, so stop sleeping already.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Now what? I bet the little girl is going to shove it down your throat, whether you want it or not. I¡¯m going out to welcome her too.¡±


    ¡°OLGAN!¡± shouted the old man with more energy than his frail body suggested. ¡°Ever since I¡¯ve saved your life many years ago you have been going on and on about repaying me. Do not betray me now. Not a single word, you hear me?¡±


    ¡°But Otto¨C¡±


    ¡°No buts. Bring me my medicine bag and go receive her. I¡¯ll wait for you two back here.¡±


    The dwarf clenched his fists and struggled for a couple seconds, but in the end, he gave up with a sigh. He scratched his large and bald head and went to the other room to fetch the medicine bag. He dropped the bag on the old man¡¯s lap and stared at him once more.


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll be happy with your decision after she finds out?¡±


    ¡°Probably not, but my decision remains.¡±


    -


    ¡°So that¡¯s Tirin village. A lot of people are coming out,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°They are here to receive us. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve last visited,¡± replied Liza.


    The children of the village all rushed forward to hug and welcome Liza. She was like the elder sister who looked after them and taught them a bunch of new things. It was the same before she went to travel on her own and now.


    ¡°Gather around now, I¡¯ve brought some snacks from the capital for all of you. Just don¡¯t eat it all on your own. Remember to save some to give to your family.¡±


    ¡°Yay! Thanks, Liza!¡±


    ¡°Big sis is the best!¡±


    The black dwarf watched the commotion from afar and smiled. He approached the group slowly, giving time for the children to grab their presents and disperse a little. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to get close unless he trampled over the young ones.


    ¡°Hey there, girl,¡± said the dwarf with a smile.


    ¡°Olgan! How have you been?¡± asked Liza as she got on her knees to hug the large dwarf.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been well. I¡¯m especially okay today now that I can see you¡¯re doing fine.¡±


    ¡°How is master? How come he isn¡¯t here?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see for yourself,¡± said Olgan after releasing an imperceptible sigh. ¡°He¡¯s waiting for us in the house. But before that, aren¡¯t you going to introduce me to your companions?¡±


    ¡°Right. Everyone, this is Olgan. He taught me how to use the bow and everything I needed to know to be an adventurer and survive by myself. He works as security for my master when he does his routes.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Ben.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Eliot!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m called Boro. You can bow down if you want.¡±


    ¡°The name is Fang Chu. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you all. Thanks for looking after our girl. Come, let us go to see Otto.¡±


    They walked slowly. Along the way, Liza told him some stories and heard a few back from the dwarf. The children followed along, delighted to hear about the interesting things that happened in the world outside their village. When they arrived at Otto¡¯s house, the kids said their goodbyes and went back to their work.


    The group went in to find an elderly man busying himself in the kitchen preparing lunch. The pale countenance and sunken eyes were all but gone and a rosy glow lingered in his face. Anyone who saw him before would have a hard time believing this man was sick just a few minutes ago. Liza and Olgan trembled slightly upon seeing the old man mincing meat, but for completely different reasons. Fang Chu closed her eyes for a bit and furrowed her brows slightly.


    ¡°Master!¡± exclaimed Liza as she ran forward.


    ¡°Oh! Hello, my girl!¡± said Otto as he dropped the knife and received her in an affectionate hug. ¡°But why don¡¯t you call me grampa like you used to? Master is so dry it makes me sad.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°It became a habit, grampa. Whenever I help someone with my skills, I make sure they know that the one who taught me medicine was my master, Otto Clemens. This way they know that they survived not only because of me, but because of you too.¡±


    ¡°Foolish girl, what¡¯s the point off increasing the fame of this old man? You should be trying to make a reputation for yourself.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need such thing. Right, let me introduce you. These are my friends, Eliot, Ben, Boro and Fang Chu. Everyone, this is my grampa, Otto Clemens.¡±


    ¡°Hello everyone, nice to meet you. You came just on time, lunch will be ready after a while, so just relax for now.¡±


    ¡°Let me help you. I¡¯m sure you weren¡¯t expecting four more mouths to feed,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°All right, I won¡¯t say no to that. Grab another portion of meat and mince it for me.¡±


    Half an hour later, they all sat at the table to eat. The meal was simple but tasty and the mood was good. Liza and Otto were especially happy about reuniting after so long.


    ¡°How long are you planning to stay, Liza?¡± asked Otto.


    ¡°We¡¯re only stopping by, grampa. I was just about to tell you, but I finally found a clue. It seems his people live in the depths of Duskwood. After looking for him for so long, now I¡¯m this close! We¡¯re leaving tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Really? You¡¯ll finally be able to put that matter to rest. That¡¯s good. And honestly, even if you hadn¡¯t found out any clues about him, I¡¯d have kicked you out by tomorrow anyway. I don¡¯t want you to turn complacent before you finish out what you started. A day¡¯s rest is more than enough for you,¡± laughed Otto.


    In the middle of their conversation, Olgan clenched his teeth and got up abruptly. ¡°Sorry, my stomach is acting up. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    ¡°Wow, so cruel grampa!¡± Liza joked. ¡°I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°Who knows? But here, I¡¯ve a present for you,¡± said Otto as he got up. He rummaged in his belonging for a bit before placing a small bottle on the table in front of Liza.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± asked the half-elf as she grabbed the bottle and eyed it closely.


    ¡°The divine medicine, a panacea.¡±


    ¡°What? Did you make this, grampa?¡± asked Liza in astonishment.


    ¡°How could I? I don¡¯t have the recipe, much less the skill necessary. This was a gift I received from a friend that I once helped out,¡± replied Otto. [Strangely though, neither I nor Olgan can remember exactly when I received it or which friend of mine it was that gifted it to me. Though I better not mention that or she would waste part of it on authenticity experiments,] he thought.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too fishy? You may have helped him, but to gift you the divine medicine as repayment?¡±


    ¡°It does feel somewhat too good to be true, but all my years of experience tell me that this is the genuine article. It also checks out with all the historic documents, be it in appearance, color, smell and viscosity. The legendary medicine that can cure all ailments and close the gravest of wounds. No matter how grave the injury, if one is alive, they can still be saved by this legendary elixir.¡±


    ¡°Incredible, a legendary item!¡± exclaimed Ben.


    ¡°Wow, it must taste good! If it wasn¡¯t so important, I¡¯d have liked to drink some,¡± said Eliot.


    ¡°If it¡¯s true, then keep it, grampa. It was a present for you, after all.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! What would I use it for? You¡¯re the one always going to dangerous places and putting your life at risk. If you refuse to take it, I¡¯ll just use it to cure one of the cows in the village that got sick!¡±


    Seeing the stubborn face that Otto was making, Liza decided to keep the present. She knew that when he got like this there was no stopping him. He might really use the legendary elixir to cure the village¡¯s cow if she didn¡¯t keep it.


    ¡°Right, now that this is over with, why don¡¯t you go outside to see how that buffoon, Olgan, is faring? While you¡¯re at it, show him how much you¡¯ve grown. I¡¯m sure he¡¯d like to see your friends¡¯ skills too, to know if they have what it takes to travel alongside you.¡±


    ¡°Might as well. Sparing after lunch is a bit much, but shooting some arrows is fine.¡±


    ¡°You guys go ahead, I¡¯ll help Otto clean up,¡± said the redhead.


    ¡°Let me help too, Fanu.¡±


    ¡°You already helped with the cooking, Ben. Now go outside with everyone and rest. Tomorrow we resume your training, so enjoy it while you can.¡±


    Only Otto and Fang Chu stayed behind to clean after the meal. At first, they worked while exchanging some small talk, but after the noise of the others outside got loud enough, Fang Chu asked what she really wanted to know.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your condition? Why are you hiding it from Liza?¡±


    ¡°Oh? You could tell?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sensitive towards mana. You look fine on the outside, but your flame is weak and flickering. There¡¯s no way someone with a flame like that is healthy.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand your talk about flames, but if you can tell my condition is not optimal, I can say you¡¯d be a great apothecary. Even my best student didn¡¯t realize anything was wrong.¡±


    ¡°So, what is wrong? Why are you hiding it?¡±


    ¡°I contracted a rather troublesome disease. It keeps gnawing on me and makes it hard to even get out of bed. You¡¯ve been travelling with Liza for more than half a year, so you should know how much that little one is carrying on her shoulders. It took her many years and a lot of effort to move forward. I¡¯d rather die than become the reason she gets held back again. So, I took some herbs that stimulate my vitality. I¡¯ll look like a completely healthy person until tomorrow. After that my condition will become somewhat worse than before, but that¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m glad I did it, even more so now that I learned she finally has some clues about her father¡¯s whereabouts. I¡¯d never forgive myself if I was the reason she stayed behind.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you drink the panacea then?¡±


    ¡°To use a miracle medicine that could save her life in a moment of peril on me? Never! I¡¯m old. Even if I wasn¡¯t sick, how much longer would I live? One year? Three years? At most, five more years. That would be a waste.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a waste! Can¡¯t you see how much she cares about you? She would be devasted if she found out!¡±


    ¡°Of course, I know. But that¡¯s the order of things. In every village, when famine hits, the elderly will refuse to eat so that the young ones may survive. The parents pave the way for their children. I bet you are the same. If you were blessed with good parents, I¡¯m sure they went above and beyond to help you out and make you happy. So please respect my wishes and don¡¯t tell her.¡±


    The redhead bit her lip in frustration. She remembered her father and all he did for her so she could grow safe and unfettered. When she left the sect to avoid getting married, it was him that urged her on and prepared her ring of holding with all kinds of necessities for travel. Even though her disappearance would cause a lot of trouble and pressure to fall on his shoulders, he sent her away with a smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s right or not, but I¡¯ll respect your wish.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I can see you¡¯re a kind person. Please continue to look after our Liza.¡±


    -


    Outside, Olgan was finishing observing Liza¡¯s archery practice.


    ¡°What do you think? I can probably match you in distance now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that, but you improved a lot, girl! I can see your bow has a heavier draw weight too, that¡¯s good. Your arrows will be faster and penetrate harder targets.¡±


    ¡°Right. I almost forgot, but I¡¯ve a present for you too. Here,¡± said Liza as she took out one of the pieces of the metal pillar they broke in the catacomb and gave it to him.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? This is an unusual metal. Could it be? Nah, it couldn¡¯t. But maybe¡­ I¡¯ll have to go back home and check it out with the smith.¡±


    Liza left the black dwarf speaking to itself as he marvelled about that broken piece of metal. All she knew was that it was one of the hardest and sturdiest pieces of metal she¡¯d ever seen. Therefore, she was sure it was valuable and that Olgan¡¯s friends would be able to make a wonderful weapon or equipment from it. The other piece they¡¯d use it themselves.


    The rest of the day passed blissfully. Liza enjoyed being back at Tirin and made the most of it, spending her time with Otto and Olgan. The others also appreciated a rest day after such long while. Early the next morning, the duo saw them off and Liza could swear she saw the brave dwarf cry a little. That night, Otto Clemens collapsed and, two days later, he passed away.

 Chapter 71 – Duskwood (1)

    After leaving Tirin, the group traveled for a week before finally arriving at the edge of a forest. Duskwood was composed of tall trees that were somewhat evenly spaced out and a low amount of ground vegetation. Though in most cases such configuration would allow for a pretty good line of sight, that wasn¡¯t the case in Duskwood, where the uneven terrain and mist that blanketed the forest for most of the day made it hard for one to see far.


    ¡°There are no settlements near this region, so not much is known about this forest, but remember the price we had to pay for the information. This is a dangerous place, keep your wits about you,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Boro and I lived in Aldin. No forest can scare us.¡±


    ¡°Remove all of your weights, Ben. This is no longer training.¡±


    ¡°Gladly.¡±


    They assumed a star formation, with Eliot, Boro and Ben in the front and Liza and Fang Chu in the rear. Keeping pace with each other, they delved into the forest. From time to time, the redhead would briefly close her eyes and scan the surroundings. As the group advanced, their movements fell upon the eyes of a small brownish owl that was perched up on a high branch in one of the trees. The owl watched them with interest and began following them from afar.


    -


    Somewhere deep inside the forest, there was a large circular clearing. Gigantic roots weaved in and out, forming a strange natural wall on its perimeter and the only gap was were the roots thinned out a little, forming an archway. This was the entry point to an ancient elven settlement.


    Inside these ¡°walls¡±, houses made of wood and stone were spread around a humongous tree that sprouted from a mound at the center of the clearing. Between two of its many huge roots that rose above the soil were large stones stacked upon each other, forming what looked like a tunnel. However, its entrance was closed off by a vast number of crisscrossed roots. Elves could be seen walking all around the place, but none approached the mound with the humongous tree at the center.


    Near the entrance to the settlement, a group of elves were standing guard. They had light colored hair, going from platinum blonde to chestnut, and donned clothes and armor made of fur and leather. One of them was sitting to the side with his eyes shut. Looking closely, one could see his eyeballs moving around beneath his closed eyelids. Suddenly, he snapped his eyes open and quickly got up.


    ¡°Go grab the others! I was patrolling with one of my owls when I spotted intruders. There are five in total,¡± he yelled.


    The shout was abrupt, but there was no confusion among them. Once the order was given, one of the elves ran away and returned shortly after with a couple more people.


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving two behind to watch the entrance. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    They departed with haste. Seven elves ran across the forest like it was a flat plain, not slowing down in the slightest due the uneven terrain or poor visibility. As they drew closer to their targets, they began to slow down their speed and move more carefully. In this state, their movements didn¡¯t make any noise. They were like ghosts, drifting in the woods.


    The elves positioned themselves ahead of the invaders, with some of them climbing over the trees while others just stood hidden behind the tree trunks. Spotting Liza and the others not that far away, they began communicating through a secret sign language.


    ¡°Uhm, those two look strong,¡± communicated one of the elves with a hand signal as he pointed towards Eliot and Fang Chu.


    ¡°Yeah. Maybe we should¡¯ve brought more people. We should focus on making sure one of them goes down from the start at least,¡± another signalled back.


    ¡°One arrow for each, but have the shamans focus on immobilizing the strong male so he can¡¯t dodge it. He feels the most dangerous,¡± signalled the leader.


    ¡°Just give the go ahead,¡± the others replied.


    While the elves were waiting and communicating silently, Liza and the others were oblivious to it. Despite their caution, none of them were able to detect the enemy¡¯s movement or their presence. When Fang Chu closed her eyes to scan the surroundings, the only flames she saw were the myriad of plants and small animals that existed in the forest.


    Nevertheless, they were on high alert and had their weapons drawn since they already had to deal with some of the beasts living in the woods. Liza was scanning the surroundings when she saw a silhouette suddenly pop out from behind one of the trees at their eight o¡¯clock with a drawn bow.


    ¡°Watch out!¡±


    As she shouted, Liza ran towards Eliot. There wasn¡¯t any thought out plan going through her mind at this juncture. She acted only out of instinct the moment she realized Eliot was going to get shot from behind. Everything went down in an instant. Liza¡¯s warning was still lingering in the air when roots shot up from the ground and, moving as though they were alive, entangled Eliot¡¯s legs. Almost at the same time, the twangs from bows could be heard all around them.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Liza tackled Eliot with all her might, but the roots kept him from being pushed out of the way. The arrow that was aimed at Eliot¡¯s back ended up hitting her instead. She could feel a fiery pain spreading from her flank to the rest of her body. Her legs soon lost strength and she fell to the ground.


    The others were more fortunate. Due to her warning, Fang Chu, Ben and Boro managed to move away just enough to get out of the arrows¡¯ trajectory, while the one aimed at Liza missed entirely because of her rush to reach Eliot.


    ¡°Liza!¡± Shouted Eliot, Ben and Boro.


    The young man began to struggle desperately against the roots, cutting them with his sword, but they kept growing at a fast pace. Boro gave a ferocious roar and transformed into his dragon form, hellbent in making their attackers pay. Ben was about to rush towards the fallen Liza when Fang Chu grabbed him by the arm and pulled him along.


    ¡°We need to stop them from shooting again! Leave her be for now!¡±


    While they were feeling a bit panicked because of the ambush, the elves also became somewhat astounded when they saw Boro in his dragon form. If not for that fact, they could have probably shot another round of arrows and finished a few of their enemies off.


    ¡°That form! Isn¡¯t him from the divine clan?¡± shouted one of them.


    ¡°Shit! What do we do?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it for now! Let¡¯s capture them alive and have the elder deal with it!¡±


    While they were stunned, Boro, Ben and Fang Chu split up in different directions and rushed towards them. The elves had lost the benefit of surprise and now had to face their enemies head on. However, they still had the advantage of terrain and higher numbers, so they grouped up to deal with the attackers. Ben and Boro faced two each while Fang Chu ended up against three.


    The elves kept retreating and moving in circles, shooting arrows to ward them off. This worked well against Ben and Fang Chu who had difficulties keeping up with the elves due to the terrain, but did little to Boro who could fly freely. Regarding the dragon, the elves that were facing him were in a pickle.


    ¡°Oh, great being, please surrender for now! We don¡¯t want to fight you!¡±


    ¡°Surrender? As if the likes of you could subdue me! I¡¯ll tear you apart for almost killing my companions! You¡¯re going down, pointy ears!¡± roared Boro.


    He tried using |magic hand| to grab a hold of his opponent¡¯s ankles, but the illusory hand crumbled almost instantly. The elves retreated and dodged, but they didn¡¯t make any attacks against the dragon. Looking at how nimble and hard to pin down they were, Boro had an idea. He casted another |magic hand| but instead of going straight for his opponent, he used the illusory hand behind them and moved a vine to be in the way as one of them retreated backwards. The elf, not expecting an obstruction to be there, stumbled just momentarily, but that was enough. Boro was ready and dived straight for the jugular.


    ¡°Joel!¡± the other elf shrieked.


    After crunching part of his enemy¡¯s neck, Boro let go and spit the rest of flesh and blood that was on his mouth.


    ¡°And to think I used to like the taste of blood and raw meat. How uncivilized,¡± he said as he turned to face the remaining enemy. ¡°You¡¯re next, elf!¡±


    -


    Ben was having a considerable harder time than Boro. The elves were much faster than him while trekking in the forest and he couldn¡¯t get close enough to hit them with his fists. With no other option, he grabbed as many throwing knives as he could and tossed them at full strength towards his enemies.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    The sheer number of knives and their speed guaranteed that some hit the elves, but he wasn¡¯t sure how grave their wound was. Their movements didn¡¯t seem to slow down at least, as they soon were far enough away that he couldn¡¯t see them other through the mist. As soon as that happened, Ben jumped backwards and stayed low. Shortly after, two arrows hit the ground near his previous position, but their power and speed were much lower than before.


    [I can¡¯t see them through the mist, but it seems they can see me. This is going to be troublesome. At least it looks like I hurt their arms with the knives. That will help a bit.]


    -


    Despite being the stronger of the three, Fang Chu was the one in the worst position. She was facing the shamans and the leader of this ambush squad, so roots and vines kept shooting from the ground and the trees to grab her. No matter how well she dodged or crushed them, new ones would sprout. This made avoiding them indefinitely impossible. The moment she was caught, she had to use a lot of strength to free herself quickly, otherwise she would become a pincushion for arrows. This was draining both her patience and stamina rather quickly. Those three countered her perfectly so far.


    -


    Back in the original ambush location, Eliot had managed to free himself and was holding Liza who was feeling a bit feverish.


    ¡°An arrow will normally keep you down, but I¡¯m feeling way too weak. Shit. It¡¯s probably poisoned.¡±


    ¡°Quickly, Liza, tell me where is the panacea! You need to drink it!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Eliot. The panacea is too important. Get me my medicine box instead. You know which one is it, right?¡±


    ¡°I know, but will it be enough? You look so pale and there are black spots appearing on your face.¡±


    ¡°It will be enough,¡± said Liza as she gobbled down the highest-grade all-purpose antidote she had. [Hopefully,] she added internally.


    Eliot looked her in the eyes and said with a strong and firm tone that was highly unusual for him ¡°If you start to worsen, I¡¯ll have you drink the panacea no matter what you say. I¡¯ll force it down your throat if I¡¯ve to.¡±


    Liza looked at his dashing face and, for a brief moment, forgot all the peril they were in as her mind wandered. [At first, I saw you as a man and was embarrassed by your naked body only to find out you were a kid inside. As I began to treat you as such, you grew bit by bit every day and look at you now, a grown man again. You¡¯re making me blush.]


    ¡°Never mind that, can you see a bunch of bottles with ropes sticking out of them?¡± she asked after recovering from her reverie. ¡°Grab them all, quickly.¡±


    Eliot once again rummaged through Liza¡¯s bag of holding and took out ten glass bottles that had pieces of rope sticking out of their stoppers.


    ¡°Help me light the end of those ropes with fire, Eliot. Imprison them, they said? Hell, no! I¡¯m done getting locked up or stuck in places I don¡¯t want to be!¡±

 Chapter 72 – Duskwood (2)

    Utilizing a piece of flint and striking against his sword, Eliot set a torch ablaze and used it to burn the cords sticking out of the glass bottles. The cords were treated to burn slowly, giving the user some time to prepare.


    ¡°All right, now comes the hard part since we¡¯re surround by trees and this mist that makes difficult to see. I need you to toss them away in different directions, around a circle would be the best. Aim high so that they don¡¯t hit a tree trunk to close to us and, considering it¡¯s you, don¡¯t use too much strength when tossing,¡± said Liza weakly.


    Eliot did as he was told and began throwing the bottles away. Some didn¡¯t go far and soon hit a thick branch, exploding in a conflagration of flames. Other bottles only hit small and flexible branches that slowed them down, but did not break them. Those travelled further, but their ultimate end would be all the same.


    -


    Ben was hidden behind a large tree trunk and breathing roughly. He¡¯d been running and taking cover whenever he could for the past couple minutes, dodging arrows from his concealed assailers. Being hunted in this way that made him helpless to defend or counterattack was taking a burden on his mental fortitude. He took a deep breath and once again rushed from behind his cover. After taking but two steps, he felt an extreme sense of danger. Not hesitating in the slightest, he broke his run and threw himself back behind the tree in an awkward posture. Shortly after, two arrows hit the ground where he was just standing a few seconds prior.


    The elves targeting him cursed inwardly. They could see Ben whenever he left cover, but they¡¯d to keep a certain distance or they would be seen in turn. Their only option was to try and encircle him, but whenever they tried to do so, Ben would run to a different tree and block their line of sight once again. There was a moment they thought that he could sense their position, but the erratic and unsightly way that he ran from one place to the next made them sure that he was just trying to remain unpredictable.


    ¡°Damn, he¡¯s slippery as a rabbit,¡± signalled one of the elves.


    ¡°The fact that we were done in by his knives doesn¡¯t help either. I can¡¯t draw my bow without my arms trembling. Soon I¡¯ll have no strength left to shoot,¡± the other gesticulated back.


    ¡°Me too. Let¡¯s get him before it happens!¡±


    As their game of cat and mouse continued, a flask zipped through the air and exploded against a nearby tree trunk. Flames burst forth in a small conflagration and settled on the nearby vegetation. Both Ben and his attackers were surprised by this sudden occurrence, but the elves soon began to laugh.


    ¡°You guys want to burn Duskwood? Ha, dream on! Just watch as this fire dies on its own without spreading any further.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Oi, it¡¯s not extinguishing! What¡¯s going on?¡±


    The fire kept burning, ever so slowly. It didn¡¯t fizzle out like the elves were expecting, but it¡¯s rate of expansion was also not that great. However, if left unchecked, it would surely bring about a huge forest fire eventually.


    ¡°Forget the rabbit, we need to regroup and figure this out,¡± signalled one of them.


    The other nodded and they retreated. Ben didn¡¯t know of the elves decision and kept running and taking cover for a while before he was sure that his enemies had departed. Once he felt safe, Ben approached the fire with furrowed brows.


    [Did Fanu do this? If it becomes a forest fire, forget the elves, we¡¯re going to be cooked alongside them! Is she crazy? Well¡­ she is. Damn, this affected area is too big for me to put out by myself. At the very least it¡¯s burning slowly. Hopefully, this will give us time to get the hell out of here. I need to return to the others. Liza, please be well!]


    -


    Fang Chu remained in the same predicament as before. Her attackers were experienced and patient, choosing to wear her down instead of rushing for the kill. At some point, she changed her maul for a sword, but the weapon switch did little to alleviate her troubles. Another set of roots restrained her and an arrow was shot towards her center of mass.


    ¡°You guys are pissing me off!¡±


    Bluish veins marked her pale face as she broke free from her restraints and rushed forward, dodging the arrow by turning her body slightly sideways. She was halfway through her sprint when a new set of roots and vines constrained her.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    [Damn, do I really need to go all out? Eliot probably freed himself as soon as we left and with Boro being able to ignore the terrain, they should¡¯ve finished with things on their side by now. Twenty breaths! If there¡¯s no change in twenty breaths I¡¯ll exhort myself and trash the floor with those bastards!]


    As the redhead was analysing the situation, a flask whirled through the air and crashed on the base of a tree near the place they were fighting, creating a small sea of flames. The elves gave the fire a slight glance and ignored it, concentrating their efforts on keeping Fang Chu at bay.


    [What was that? Is it another one of Ben¡¯s ideas? I know he¡¯s eccentric, but doesn¡¯t he know how dangerous forest fires are? Though the elves nonchalant attitude towards it is strange.]


    The fight kept going as before. After a while, the elves glanced at the fire one more time and noticed it hadn¡¯t diminished in the slightest. Furrowing their brows, they looked at each other and, in a tacit understanding, changed their tactics. The archer increased his firing speed, drowning Fang Chu in a rain of arrows, while the others turned to the fire and started to cast a spell. Due to the barrage of projectiles, Fang Chu had to adopt a defensive stance as she advanced. The shamans soon finished their spell, conjuring a large amount of water that they then dropped over the fire. Instead of dowsing the flames like they were expecting, the fire sizzled and burst, spreading the flames to an even larger area.


    ¡°How could this be!¡±


    ¡°It only made it worse!¡±


    ¡°Forget the fire for now, stop her again!¡±


    The shamans obeyed and changed their focus once again to Fang Chu. After a couple more seconds of struggle, the archer put his bow down and glared at the redhead. His arm was now considerably swollen and had a purplish tint to it.


    ¡°Restrain her one more time, we¡¯re retreating,¡± he commanded out loud.


    Hearing this, the redhead made an aggrieved look, but inside she was laughing sinisterly. Roots and vines once again raised up from the ground to constrained her. This time however, she didn¡¯t bother trying to dodge them. Instead, she focused her concentration on her ring of holding. This way she would be able to swap weapons as soon as she needed. Since the elves were now familiarized with the time needed for her to break free, they turned their backs toward her without worries and began their retreat. They had but taken two steps when the sound of roots splintering and breaking reached their ears, followed by the crack of a whip.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°How could¡­¡±


    They barely had time to be surprised when one of the shamans had his leg snared by a whip and was pulled back by a monstrous strength. By the time the others turned around, Fang Chu was holding him by the neck and had a knife to his throat. Her face was a bit paler than before and there was a small amount of blood dripping from her left eye, like bloody tears. It made for a rather ghastly appearance.


    ¡°Lazul!


    ¡°You wench!¡±


    ¡°Now, now¡­ do you really want to do this? If you try anything, I¡¯ll slit his throat, then it will be two against one. You three could barely keep me in check, I¡¯m sure I can take you down if it¡¯s only you two. I won¡¯t even need to break a sweat now that your arm is in that state.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± asked the leader.


    ¡°Nothing much, I¡¯ll only ask this fellow some questions and use him to guarantee our safety. You have my word that I won¡¯t kill him if you don¡¯t try anything funny.¡±


    ¡°Like we could believe the words of a human!¡± exclaimed the shaman.


    ¡°Silence!¡± the leader interrupted. ¡°What if he refuses to answer your questions?¡±


    ¡°Normally I¡¯d rough him up a bit, but since I don¡¯t want you guys to be jumpy, I promise I won¡¯t torture him. That¡¯s as far as I¡¯m willing to compromise. If it¡¯s no good, I¡¯ll just kill him and capture one of you to interrogate.¡±


    The archer looked at the fire that was spreading ever so slightly and then back at his friend that was captured. Their eyes met. The shaman tried to nod his head, but the blade dug on his skin and prevented him from completing the full gesture.


    ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll hold you to your word for now. We¡¯re withdrawing!¡±


    After saying his part, the elf put his fingers in his mouth and gave a loud whistle. He glanced at his captured companion one last time and sighed. Shortly after, he and the other shaman retreated into the mist.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care for what you want to know, my mouth is sealed!¡±


    ¡°Right, right. Just shut up for a bit,¡± said the redhead as she knocked her captive unconscious. ¡°Now let¡¯s tie you up and then return.¡±


    -


    ¡°Please your grace, be reasonable! Let us take you to see the elder and I¡¯m sure things can be resolved!¡± exclaimed the elf as he watched the dragon carefully.


    ¡°Oh? Even now, after I¡¯ve killed one of your own?¡± said Boro as he dived in for an attack.


    The elf rolled to the side to avoid the dragon¡¯s sharp teeth and tried to placate Boro once again. ¡°We¡¯re aggrieved, surely, but since you¡¯re from the divine clan and we attacked first, I¡¯m sure a peaceful solution could still be achieved.¡±


    ¡°What about my friends then?¡±


    ¡°Normally, they would be executed. However, since they are your companions, the elder will probably be lenient. I¡¯m positive he¡¯ll only sentence them to life imprisonment for their crimes,¡± explained the elf in all seriousness.


    ¡°Hahaha, how generous!¡± exclaimed Boro with scathing sarcasm.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± the elf nodded, missing the sarcasm entirely. His complexion remained solemn, like imprisoning these intruders was the most merciful act imaginable.


    ¡°You should really die!¡± roared Boro with rage.


    As he said that, one of the bottles randomly thrown by Eliot crashed against the elf¡¯s back, enveloping him in flames. The elf screamed at the top of his lungs and began rolling on the ground. He did his best to put out the fire, but it was to no avail. Eventually, he stopped moving. Boro watched everything a bit slack jawed. He didn¡¯t see the elf being hit by the bottle from where he was hovering. To him, it seemed like the elf spontaneously burst on fire.


    ¡°Wow, is that one of my new powers? Strange though, I didn¡¯t feel like I did anything at all.¡±

 Chapter 73 – Duskwood (3)

    The dragon watched the elf burn for a moment, still unsure of what exactly had happened. Although he was somewhat confused, Boro didn¡¯t waste too much time pondering. His enemies were dead. What mattered right now was seeing how his companions were doing. Thus, he left the corpse to burn and hurried back.


    ¡°Liza! Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°As well as I could be at the moment, I think,¡± said the half-elf weakly.


    ¡°Damn those bastards! You got them, right, Boro?¡± asked Eliot.


    ¡°Of course! Like I¡¯d let them go after what they¡¯ve done!¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± the young man nodded firmly.


    ¡°Oh? So, you guys did finish things on your side. I¡¯m done too and I brought you a present,¡± said Fang Chu as she walked towards them and dumped the tied up and unconscious elf on the floor. ¡°Wait, Liza, you¡¯re still not up? Was it that bad of a wound?¡±


    ¡°The arrow was poisoned, it isn¡¯t going to be as simple as taking it out and then using a healing potion,¡± she said with a sigh.


    ¡°Damn, they sure were vicious. Did you use an antidote? Is there anything I can do to help?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll need your help in a bit. I took an all-purpose antidote for now, but I feel it¡¯s only slowing down the poison instead of treating it. I¡¯ll need to prepare a new antidote to counteract the effects of the toxin, but self-diagnosis is the worst. I can¡¯t see the wound nor notice any external symptoms, though it¡¯s easier to tell the internal ones, since I know how I¡¯m feeling down to a T¡­ and the answer is ¨C like shit.¡±


    As they were talking, Ben arrived in a hurry. He was about to tell them about the fire and their need to leave post-haste when he spotted Fang Chu. The redhead also looked at him and they both pointed their fingers to one another and exclaimed.


    ¡°Fanu!¡±


    ¡°Ben!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know how dangerous it is to use fire in a forest?¡± they asked at the same time.


    ¡°Uh?¡± they gaped at each other and stared in confusion.


    ¡°Uhm, that was me, guys. Eliot helped me with it,¡± said Liza feebly.


    ¡°You? Are you crazy, Liza? That fire is even catching on green wood! The elves were so surprised that they retreated. We need to leave this place before it turns into a huge forest fire. How are you doing? Can you move?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°Relax, we don¡¯t need to rush. Like you said, this forest is mostly green and moist due to the mist. A normal fire would spread at a snail¡¯s pace and be easy to control. That¡¯s why I used a special fire from the alchemists¡¯ guild. It will still spread slowly, but it¡¯s a pain to put out. It¡¯s just enough to keep the elves busy for a while,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°That explains why the fire spread when they tried to dowse it with water,¡± said Fang Chu.


    ¡°They did something like that? Definitely a mistake,¡± grinned Liza.


    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s why of one my opponents suddenly burst in flames and, no matter what he did, they wouldn¡¯t go out! For a moment I thought I¡¯d done something to him without realizing.¡±


    ¡°Wait, the bottle struck him and he was incinerated?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°No matter what he did, he couldn¡¯t put the flames out?¡± Ben followed up.


    The two of them looked at each other again, their mouths slightly twitching in a nervous grin. That could¡¯ve been us! As that thought reverberated in their minds, they turned their judgmental gaze towards Liza.


    ¡°Uh, it never crossed my mind that someone could be hit with this sea of trees all around us,¡± said Liza defensively. ¡°Let¡¯s just say he was unlucky¡­ and all is well that ends well. Never mind that though. I need to prepare my antidote, but we shouldn¡¯t stay here any longer. Eliot, can you carry me?¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s move.¡±


    Eliot gently put his arms around Liza and lifted her up in a princess carry, while Fang Chu tossed the unconscious elf across her shoulder unceremoniously. They chose a random direction and departed. After walking for a while, they found a position that was decently hidden due to the elevated terrain and the large roots of a tree.


    ¡°This place will do. Fanu, help me take my gambeson off.¡±


    The redhead broke the part of the arrow sticking out and began to carefully undress Liza. Feeling like it was improper, Ben turned his back to them and gazed at the trees, a gentlemanly action that made Fang Chu smile. Eliot, on the other hand, kept on looking brazenly.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take the arrow out, get ready.¡±


    ¡°Go for¨C ugh!¡±


    ¡°Done. Good, it came out intact.¡±


    ¡°How deep is the wound? What color is the skin around it? Are there any noticeable patterns?¡± asked Liza after panting for a bit.


    ¡°The wound is not that deep. Looking at your gambeson, it seems it did a nice job protecting you and rubbing off a good part of the poison on the arrowhead. The skin around the wound has turned a mixture of black with purple, with wriggling patterns radiating from the center.¡±


    ¡°Collect some blood for me and then clean the wound with the herbs I¡¯m going to tell you.¡±


    Fang Chu kept doing as Liza instructed and, after fifteen minutes, the half-elf had her wound bandaged and was resting against the tree trunk. She felt really weak, but she was confident in her treatment.


    ¡°Are you ok now, Liza? Don¡¯t you need to take the panacea?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Eliot. Now I just need some time for the toxins to be expelled from my body, then I can take a healing potion and be good as new.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Yeah! If that wasn¡¯t the case, me and Eliot would¡¯ve destroyed this forest and those elves in revenge!¡± exclaimed Boro. Eliot nodded with a serious face, confirming the bold statement.


    ¡°Speaking of them, isn¡¯t it time we wake our guest up and have a talk with him?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°Is he going to talk to us, though? Maybe if it¡¯s Boro¡­ they did seem reverent of him, saying he was from the divine clan and all that,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Right, we need to formulate a plan first, then wake him up. Before that though, spread this herb on his clothes and parts of his body,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Ugh, Liza! You¡¯re using that smelly herb again!¡± complained Boro.


    ¡°Really? I don¡¯t smell anything at all,¡± said the redhead.


    ¡°It¡¯s bad, it makes my nose stings!¡±


    ¡°Precisely! Then, whether he answers our questions or not, we can let him go and follow him back to their place through Boro.¡±


    ¡°What? You want to use me like a mere dog?¡± asked the dragon with indignation.


    ¡°Of course not! How could a dog¡¯s snout compare to your mighty nose? A dog could barely smell this herb, much less track it from a distance! Your sense of smell is ten times, nay, a thousand times greater than a lousy dog! This is a job only you, a powerful dragon, could pull off!¡± exclaimed Liza in a speech filled with righteousness.


    ¡°Humph, of course,¡± said Boro with a smug face.


    [Though he grows more pompous by the day, at heart he¡¯s still a child,] thought Liza with affection.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s plan this thoroughly before we wake him up. Here¡¯s what I think we should do¨C¡±


    -


    While Liza and company were dealing with her wounds, the group of elves that tried to ambush them had arrived back at the elven settlement. The four of them were all standing respectfully around an old elf with white hair, green eyes and a faintly wrinkled face.


    ¡°So not only you¡¯ve failed, but you had one of ours captured and two others killed. Despite those grievous losses, you only managed to kill one of the intruders. This is a grave blunder.¡±


    ¡°Our ambush failed because one of them reacted unnaturally fast and warned the others. It was almost like she spotted us through the mist.¡±


    ¡°Was she an elf?¡± asked the elder.


    ¡°No, her physique and appearance are that of a human and, if she was an elf, she would have spotted us way sooner and we wouldn¡¯t have been able to encircle them to begin with.¡±


    ¡°Then maybe one of you made a mistake and got too close. The mist made by the heart of the forest protects and helps our elven tribe, but it doesn¡¯t completely blind the other races. You know this too well, Drannor.¡±


    Drannor, the elf who led the ambush, wanted to protest and say there was no way one of them could¡¯ve made such mistake, but what other answer was there? He knew for a fact that members of the other races could only see a couple meters ahead in the mist, so one of his companions must have stepped over that boundary.


    ¡°Why you¡¯ve failed is no longer important. To think a member of the divine clan would be hidden amongst the intruders, truly a headache. I wish we could invite him over and show our hospitality, but the other invaders can¡¯t be forgiven! To think human pests would dare to enter our forest and even set fire to it! Sometimes I wonder why they must be part of the natural cycle¡­ they only take, plunder and destroy! If only they were outsiders or aberrations, then we would be able to purge them off without consequences!¡±


    The remaining elves looked at one another with exasperated faces. Whenever the elder started his rant about humans and some of the other races, he could go on for hours without end.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, elder, how should we deal with the fire?¡±


    ¡°By your descriptions, it seems to be a special fire. Another means of destruction the humans concocted, I¡¯m sure. You were separated at the time, yet both your groups saw a bottle exploding¡­ this means they probably spread it around haphazardly. I¡¯ll take the others and search the area. We¡¯ll focus on preventing it from spreading first, then we shall attempt to put it out.¡±


    ¡°What about us?¡±


    ¡°You four stay back to guard the elderly and the children. Take this time and reflect on your mistakes. Also, Drannor, take responsibility as this group leader and use your owls to search for Lazul. Once you find him, monitor the situation and think of ways to get him back to us in one piece.¡±

 Chapter 74 – Duskwood (4)

    Lazul was struggling in the dark sea of his consciousness. He was in the peculiar state where he knew he was sleeping and, no matter what he did, it seemed impossible to wake up. Despite this, he tried his hardest to awaken because he was worried about the fire in the forest and the evil intentions of his captor. While he was struggling, he felt a cold sensation on his face that woke him up with a start. He quickly looked around and saw the individual from the divine clan hovering in front of him, as well as an ethereal hand that was squeezing a canteen on top of his face.


    ¡°You¡¯ve finally come to,¡± said Boro as he transformed back to his humanoid form.


    ¡°You¡­ what about the others?¡±


    ¡°I had my servants retreat from the forest. I never imagined you would open fire on them like that¡­ and on me too!¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t know, your honor! Normally, a member of your distinguished race would fly directly to our village in your majestic form. That¡¯s what the elder told us. He saw one of your ancestors when he was a child, an imposing golden dragon that came to visit the elder of that time. You should also be aware that we don¡¯t tolerate the presence of outsiders in our woods, especially humans. Please don¡¯t blame the incident this time on us!¡±


    Boro¡¯s eyes flashed the moment a golden dragon was mentioned and many questions popped in his head. Who was that golden dragon? Where did he come from? How long ago was that? How could he find him? If that dragon was his ancestor, would it know why he was left alone in an abandoned temple inside a dangerous forest? Although these questions bothered him, he soon shook them off. This time he was here to help out Liza, who he cared dearly for. Besides, the elves didn¡¯t seem hostile towards him, so he could always come back at a later time and ask what he wanted to know.


    ¡°Oh¡­ of course I knew,¡± said Boro very slowly to give himself time to think of a response. ¡°But how I choose to travel, be it flying or walking around, is none of your business.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, how could I¡­¡± said the elf somewhat flustered.


    ¡°If you¡¯re saying that the blame is not on you, then are you implying I¡¯m the one responsible?¡± Boro pressed on with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°That is¡­ of course not. This time it was due¡­ due to bad luck and misunderstanding! Yep, bad luck! We¡¯re sorry for killing one of your servants, but they were in the wrong for stepping inside the forest!¡±


    Boro clenched his hands hard and turned his back to the tied-up elf. He was having a hard time keeping his anger from surfacing and he didn¡¯t want the prisoner to see it. He only managed to speak again after a couple seconds went past.


    ¡°Even if they were my lowly servants?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Your ancestor said it was fine for us to keep living as we were and that we didn¡¯t need to change our ways to accommodate him.¡±


    [I see, respectful but not submissive, just like Ben said,] thought Boro. He turned back to face the elf, this time with a slight smile. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. I ended up killing two of yours, so I guess we¡¯re even.¡±


    Lazul¡¯s face contorted in grief and anger. He was struggling between the respect he¡¯d for the divine clan and the pain of having lost two friends. After a while, he ended up sighing. The golden ancestor of the divine clan was a great benefactor of the Valenfele, not to mention they were the ones that failed to ambush the other party in the first place. Although unwilling, Lazul felt that he¡¯d to let it go.


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re even,¡± said Lazul with mixed emotions. Though you could¡¯ve just left your servants outside the forest and flown directly to us and none of this would¡¯ve happened in the first place! ¡°Then, might I ask why you came to visit us, your honor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you see, I came to visit Alluin Vanarel. I befriended him years ago on my travels and thought it was about time I paid him a visit.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°The elder¡¯s son? That would be troublesome¡­¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°He is confined beneath the great tree and none are to see him.¡±


    ¡°What? Why is that?¡±


    ¡°He committed a great crime against our traditions and beliefs. Thus, he was locked up to ponder and understand the error of his ways.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s indeed troublesome¡­ but can¡¯t you let me sneak in and trade a word or two with him? It wouldn¡¯t be a problem, surely?¡± said Boro in a casual and somewhat self-important way.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Even if I wanted to, the way is blocked by the heart of the forest. Only the elder and those of his blood can open the entrance.¡±


    [Heart of the forest? What¡¯s that? Wait, they told me I shouldn¡¯t be too greedy. Just keep the conversation flowing naturally and at a constant pace,] thought Boro. ¡°So, one of the keys is locked inside and the person holding the other one would probably refuse me?¡±


    ¡°He will definitely refuse if you ask,¡± Lazul nodded. ¡°The elder was livid with Alluin. I guess he finds even harder to forgive transgressions from his own son. Specially one against our traditions and beliefs.¡±


    ¡°Ah~, nothing to do then. When will he be released?¡±


    ¡°Uhm, let¡¯s see. It¡¯s been a while since he was locked up, so anywhere between seventeen years to thirty-seven years.¡±


    ¡°That will take some time¡­ All right, thank you for letting me know and I¡¯m sorry my poor and lowly servant was rough on you,¡± said Boro as he began to rummage through his bag.


    ¡°Could you untie me and let me go now, your honor?¡±


    ¡°Not so fast. It was but a moment ago when I told my poor, lowly, and incapable servants to retreat. If I just let you go now, they won¡¯t be able to outrun you in this forest. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll just have you sleep for a couple hours to make sure they get out safely,¡± said Boro as he imbibed a piece of cloth with a liquid from a small flask.


    ¡°Wait! There¡¯s¨C¡±


    ¡°Hush now, go to sleep. I promise you¡¯ll be fine in a couple hours.¡±


    Without letting the elf talk further, Boro brought the damp cloth against Lazul¡¯s nose, rendering him unconscious. He left the piece of cloth bellow the elf¡¯s nostrils and walked towards a big tree a few meters away. Liza, Ben, Eliot and Fang Chu were hiding behind it, waiting inside the redhead¡¯s bubble of silence. It was time to tell them what he had discovered.


    -


    The elven elder, Uilan Vanarel, led his men around the forest as they approached the area where Drannor and his squad were fighting a while back. From that place, it was easier to see the smoke rising amidst the trees and locate the focus spots for the fires.


    ¡°Leave one person behind at each spot to keep watch on the fire. The rest will help me put them out, one by one. After this is done, we¡¯ll hunt the intruders down and then have a proper burial ceremony for our fallen brothers.¡±


    ¡°What about the person from the divine clan, elder?¡± asked one elf.


    ¡°If he understands and accepts the situation, we¡¯ll receive him with great hospitality and fanfare. If not, we¡¯ll drive him away, with force if necessary.¡±


    ¡°Are we not being ungrateful?¡± asked Linares, a free-spirited female elf. ¡°Won¡¯t the divine clan resent and punish us if we use force against one of their own?¡±


    ¡°I remember like it was yesterday. That golden dragon was imposing and dignified, truly a magnificent being. He praised us for our care towards the natural cycle and the rules of nature, as well as our commitments to follow tradition,¡± commenced Uilan.


    The remaining elves made painful expressions and looked accusatorily to Linares. The female elf just made a goofy face in response, like she was silently saying: my bad, forgive me.


    ¡°My grandfather, the elder back then, asked if there was anything we could do for him and the golden dragon vehemently refused. He told us he was from the divine clan and there was nothing he lacked, so we should just keep living as we were, without worrying about accommodating him in any way.¡±


    ¡°Ah! That¡¯s when he warned us about the humans and gifted us the heart of the forest, right? I love this part!¡± said Linares with excitement. She was younger than most elves present and still had a childish streak on her.


    Upon her remark, the other elves almost began to tremble. They knew the worst thing to do when the elder was reminiscing was to egg him on, so they felt like strangling Linares to keep her mouth shut.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The golden dragon warned us about a nearby group of humans that was expanding relentlessly and would soon encroach on our forest. He then brought out a seed the size of a palm and said it was a gift to help us protect ourselves. My grandfather tried to refuse, saying it was too much, but the golden dragon ignored him and drew a drop of blood from my grandfather¡¯s forehead and merged it with the seed. The seed is now bound to your blood and I can no longer use it, so take it and live prosperously, he said. Do you understand now, Linares? Ungrateful would be if we changed our ways now, allowing humans to invade our forest and do as they please because of the whims of a young member from the divine clan.¡±


    [Finally, he¡¯s done talking! Luckily, it was kind of quick this time around,] thought the other elves.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the rest of the story and the speech to the burial ceremony. It¡¯s about time we deal with this pesky fire that our mist is unable to put out.¡±

 Chapter 75 – Duskwood (5)

    ¡°Water only made it worse and wind will probably do the same. Let¡¯s try to shovel some soil onto it and see how it goes. By all means, it should work,¡± said Uilan.


    The elves used their spades and began throwing dirt upon the fire. Strangely enough, the loose earth would bump on the flames like they were solid and fall around it. There, it would slowly combust and become ash. This weird phenomenon puzzled the elves, as this was not the reaction they were expecting. What they didn¡¯t know was that this fire was one that burned the mana that existed inside all things and, given enough time, it could burn down a solid rock.


    ¡°This won¡¯t do. We need to cover it up in one go. Shamans, get ready! We¡¯ll raise enough soil to blanket the entire area.¡±


    Following the elder¡¯s order, each shaman expended a lot of energy preparing a spell that would raise the earth. At his signal, a huge pile of loose dirt was thrown into the flames, covering it up in a small mound. The fire was nowhere to be seen, but giving its persistency till now, they waited with bated breath. After nothing happened for a few minutes, they finally felt relieved. The flames might have been special, but they still needed oxygen to thrive. Uilan looked around at his fellow shamans who were resting against the trees. Moving that much earth was really strenuous for them and now they needed some time to recover. At this rate, it would take till nightfall to deal with situation.


    -


    ¡°¡­ and that¡¯s what he said,¡± concluded Boro.


    ¡°Thank you, Boro,¡± said Liza as she hugged the small child. ¡°I¡¯m sure you were tempted to ask about your ancestor and other things related to the divine clan. Don¡¯t worry though, after I interrogate my father, that bastard, you can ask him anything you want. If he doesn¡¯t cough up the information you are looking for, I¡¯ll personally beat him up for you.¡±


    ¡°Humph, it¡¯s nothing,¡± said the dragon proudly.


    ¡°He said your father is locked up¡­ what do you suppose he did?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°Maybe he fumbled one of their rituals? That elf did say it was related to their traditions,¡± suggested Fang Chu.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. For all I know, it serves him right,¡± said Liza with schadenfreude.


    ¡°If the entrance is blocked by that forest organ or whatever, then Liza should be able to open it, right?¡± asked Eliot.


    ¡°I¡¯m his daughter, unfortunately, so I should be able to. Though I have no idea how.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll be able to feel it when you get close?¡± suggested the redhead.


    ¡°Perhaps. Then, should we continue with the plan? Most of the elves should be busy putting out the fires for now, so this will be our best chance.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please! Have that stinky guy move away from here,¡± exclaimed Boro.


    ¡°All right, then let¡¯s remove the piece of cloth from under his nose and hide ourselves far away.¡±


    -


    Lazul once again woke up with a start. He¡¯d been knocked out for only a couple minutes, but his hazy mind and Boro¡¯s words told him it had been a couple hours at least. He looked at his arms and legs and was happy to find he was unbound and there was no one in the vicinity. Nevertheless, he carefully scouted the surrounding area to assure himself this wasn¡¯t a trap of some kind. Only after doing so and finding nothing did he feel secure enough to return. He was desperate to know what was the current situation, so he rushed through the forest with all his speed towards the village. Along the way, a small brownish owl hooted and flew to his shoulders.


    ¡°You guys were looking for me? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine,¡± he said as he patted the owl¡¯s head. He knew Drannor couldn¡¯t hear him through the owl, but his feelings were conveyed through his expression.


    After running for an hour, he could finally see the village¡¯s entrance. The small brownish owl finally left his shoulder and flew to a nearby tree as Drannor and his companions rushed over to receive him.


    ¡°Lazul! Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Did they do anything to you? Were you followed?¡± asked Drannor.


    ¡°They haven¡¯t done anything to me. The child from the divine clan wanted to know somethings, but that was it. I also made sure that the area was clear before returning.¡±


    ¡°And you talked?¡± asked Drannor with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°Only enough to find out his motives, don¡¯t worry. And I only talked with the child from the divine clan, the humans weren¡¯t there.¡±


    ¡°And? What did you find out?¡± asked Drannor with a hint of annoyance.


    ¡°The dragon is an acquaintance of Alluin and he¡¯d come to visit him. I told him Alluin is locked up and explained that there¡¯s zero chance he would be able to meet him. After learning this, he said he would come back when Alluin was released. Then he knocked me out with a drug and left.¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°Well, telling him this much should be fine,¡± sighed Drannor. ¡°But what of this drug? Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m all right. He said it would make me sleep just enough so his servants would be able to leave the woods unharmed. What about things on your end? Where¡¯s everyone?¡±


    ¡°Uilan took every able person to deal with the fire. Only the elderly and the children are home at the moment. We were ordered to stay and watch over them.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re still dealing with the fire?¡± asked Lazul in surprise.


    ¡°You saw it yourself, that fire was special and they haven¡¯t left that long ago. What did you expect?¡±


    ¡°Wait, for how long was I gone?¡±


    ¡°An hour and a half, give or take. Are you okay? Sit down for now, that drug they gave you probably messed up with your head.¡±


    -


    ¡°So that¡¯s their settlement,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Look at those walls made of roots! Now that¡¯s fantasy-like!¡± whispered Ben with excitement.


    ¡°He said your father was locked up beneath the great tree. That one is easy to find, at least,¡± said Boro as he gazed at the gigantic tree.


    ¡°Should we find a hidden place to sneak in? The mist around here is really thin. It makes easier for us to see, but it will also make it easier for them to spot us too,¡± said the redhead.


    ¡°It¡¯s too quiet and peaceful. I thought they¡¯d be in a frenzy due to the fires, making it easy to sneak in. Maybe we need another distraction,¡± pondered Ben.


    ¡°What do you suggest? I¡¯m already out of alchemist¡¯s fire, though I still have some fun stuff, like¨C¡±


    ¡°Please, no more of your dangerous gadgets for now! Also, that would make obvious it was someone trying to create trouble. I was thinking that maybe Eliot and Boro could chase some monsters to this place. That would keep them busy for a while.¡±


    ¡°Oh! We¡¯re experts on that! We used to do it all the time back on Aldin! If you scared them good and chased them long enough, they¡¯d bump on other monsters¡¯ territory and they would fight. It was really fun watching them go at it.¡±


    ¡°Wait a second! Then it¡¯s your fault that Aldin was a mess and dangerous creatures were appearing where they shouldn¡¯t be! Does that mean that those golden razorclaw monkeys that almost killed me were because of you too?¡±


    ¡°Err¡­ ugh¡­¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, I should have known! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not mad at you. You did save me from them in the end, after all,¡± Liza said with a smile.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah I did!¡± said Eliot feeling relieved. ¡°I thought you were a strange monster at first, rolling around desperately like that on the ground. Then I noticed you looked similar to me and¡­¡±


    As he continued talking, Liza¡¯s bright smile started to cramp a little and Eliot could see Ben, who was standing behind her, making frantic gestures for him to stop talking.


    ¡°Anyway, yeah, me and Boro can do it,¡± he concluded somewhat out of sorts.


    ¡°Off you go then, chase some monsters this way and make sure you¡¯re not seen by the elves,¡± said Ben hoping to get his friend out of a sticky situation.


    ¡°Yeah, leave it to us!¡± Eliot exclaimed as he left in a hurry. Boro snickered, changed into his dragon form and flew after him.


    -


    [Strange. He said I¡¯d be knocked out for a couple hours, so how come I woke up so quickly? Did he trick me? But what for? I¡¯m positive nobody followed me and Alluin can¡¯t get out no matter what. Maybe his drug wasn¡¯t a good match to my constitution?] pondered Lazul.


    While the shaman was lost in thought, a shadow streaked by unnoticed high above his head and carefully descended in an empty place inside the village. After looking around and making sure the area was clear, Boro dropped on the ground a small cub he was carrying in his claws. The cub looked like a bear, though it had two heads and six limbs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry little guy, your parents will soon be here to bring you home. How troublesome though, if only the others could fly too, then everything would be so much easier,¡± the dragon sighed.


    The cub, feeling afraid, quickly ran to hide between some baskets that were piled outside an empty house and stared at the dragon with fear. Boro couldn¡¯t help but finding the trembling creature cute.


    [You¡¯re adorable, but your parents are something else¡­ Eliot should¡¯ve held them back long enough for now. I better regroup with the others.]


    While Boro was dropping his ¡°special package¡±, Lazul was still torn trying to connect the dots of everything that had happened. Though he wasn¡¯t sure what he was missing, he thought he would feel better if he urged Drannor to scout around with his owls. He was just about to ask him when the angry roar of multiple beasts echoed through the woods.


    Two double-headed bears with six limbs emerged from between the trees and charged at them in rage. They were twice the size of a large grizzly bear and their mighty charge made the earth tremble. The elves opened their eyes wide and stared in shock.


    ¡°Twin-headed bears! Why would they be here?¡±


    ¡°Forget that for now, don¡¯t let them inside the village!¡± shouted Drannor. ¡°Lazul! Elmer! Restrain them with your magic!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    A fierce battle ensued, drawing the attention of the few elves that remained behind in the village. It had been a long time since their settlement was attacked by such ferocious beasts.


    ¡°Wait, this is wrong! It couldn¡¯t be!¡± exclaimed Lazul with a sudden realization after a while. ¡°You guys hold on for a bit, I¡¯m just going to check on something! I¡¯ll be right back!¡±


    ¡°Lazul, come back here! We need everyone to hold these beasts off!¡±


    The shaman ignored Drannor¡¯s shout and rushed back inside the village. He ran straight towards the great tree, his head a mess of thoughts. Along the way he passed by a small child, but he didn¡¯t spare a single glance towards her. He needed to confirm his suspicions as soon as possible.


    ¡°Mr. Lazul, look at what I found!¡± exclaimed the child excitedly as she tried to show off the small twin-headed bear cub on her arms. However, the shaman ignored her and kept running. ¡°Wait, mr. Lazul! What creature is this? Do you think I can keep it? Wait for me, mr. Lazul!¡± shouted the child as she clumsily ran after the grown elf.


    Lazul rushed past the empty houses. The small child was the only other person he bumped into along the way. Most of the villagers were out in the woods fighting the fire, and the ones that remained behind crowded near the entrance to watch the commotion from the twin-headed bears¡¯ attack. After running for a while, he finally had a clear view of the base of the great tree. He could see the black-skinned child who was the member of the divine clan, as well as the human lady that should have died from their ambush. They were both standing in front of the barred tunnel that led under the great tree.


    ¡°It was them! But what¡¯s the point of all of this? They can¡¯t get inside! No matter, I should warn the others!¡±


    Lazul broke his run and prepared to turn around when he heard the wind whistling. Then his vision spun and he saw his headless body fall to the ground as everything went black. Eliot cleaned his bloodied blade and turned around to see a small child running towards his direction in the distance. She was running with her head down and panting a lot. On her arms was the heavy twin-headed bear cub and it was clear she was having trouble carrying it around while running. It seemed she had yet to noticed the man she was chasing was no more. Eliot watched the child approaching with a frown on his face.

 Chapter 76 – Father & Daughter (1)

    As Eliot was struggling about what to do, a pair of beautiful legs blocked the little elvish girl¡¯s path and she bumped into them at full speed. While she was disoriented, strong hands picked her and the cub up and brought them away before they could see the grisly sight. After recovering, the little girl looked at the person that was holding her. An uncannily attractive face with a head full of red hair. The elvish girl was mesmerized. It was like she was seeing one of those fabled fire spirits or fairies she heard about in the flesh.


    ¡°Are you a fairy?¡± she asked.


    Since the little girl spoke in elvish, Fang Chu had no idea what was said, so she just smiled brightly and pointed towards the village¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°Do you want me to go there?¡±


    The redhead grabbed the cub and gave it back to the child. She then pointed at the cub, the child and the village¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°You want me to bring it to the village¡¯s entrance? But there are scary noises coming from there.¡±


    Fang Chu patted the child¡¯s head, gave her an encouraging smile and lightly pushed her forwards from the back.


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll do it! Will you visit me again, miss fairy?¡±


    Fang Chu just smiled. The elvish girl moved forward and then turned back to look. The redhead had to keep smiling and waving to egg the child on. After she was twenty meters ahead, the child suddenly stopped in place.


    ¡°I almost forgot! What about mr. Lazul?¡±


    She turned back once again and saw the redheaded fairy waving and smiling at her while pointing forwards. The fairy didn¡¯t speak, but the little girl could tell that she really wanted her to go towards the gate.


    ¡°Well, mr. Lazul did seem busy... I¡¯ll do as the fairy wants and show this cub to the other grownups near the village¡¯s entrance. Wait a second, I could also ask them about fairies!¡± exclaimed the little girl with a sudden realization. ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll know how to talk with them! I hope she stays for a while so we could be friends.¡±


    With new found motivation, the little elf sprinted towards the village¡¯s entrance. Once she was finally out of sight, Fang Chu sighed in relief and returned to where her companions were. They were all waiting for her besides the tunnel¡¯s entrance that was now open. Just a few meters inside the tunnel was Lazul¡¯s body. His remains were placed against the wall and his head was resting on his lap. They had no time to properly dispose of the body, so hiding it inside a place only the elder could access was the best they could do.


    ¡°You managed to open it? That¡¯s great!¡± said the redhead as she approached them.


    ¡°It took some blood and conveying the command with my thoughts for the roots to move out of the way,¡± said Liza as she showed her bandaged palm.


    Besides the injured hand, Fang Chu could see that Liza was somewhat pale and had sweat on her forehead. The redhead suspected that this had nothing to do with such a small amount of blood loss nor did it have to do with her constitution that was currently recovering from the poisoned arrow.


    ¡°Come on then, let¡¯s do this!¡± she said while patting Liza¡¯s shoulder with some vigor.


    The half-elf felt a tiny amount of pain and heat spreading across her shoulders from the patting. That small action filled her with warmth and new found confidence. She sighed deeply and turned her eyes to the dark tunnel that was faintly illuminated by Ghost Mushrooms.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Everyone get in so I can close this entrance again.¡±


    Liza closed the entrance behind them and they were soon trapped inside that dark place, their steps echoing as they moved forward.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know if he¡¯s the only one inside, so let¡¯s use this again,¡± whispered Fang Chu as she created a sound barrier. After this occasion, she would be able to use that magical item only two more times. Though it took her years to use it for the first time, her father¡¯s present turned out to be rather useful recently.


    -


    Beneath the great tree there was a round chamber. Its walls were made by weirdly shaped parts of the tree trunk and its roots, while the ground was paved with neatly arranged stones. A single entrance connected this room to the tunnel that led outside. At the center of the chamber was a large seed the size of a palm that emitted a hazy light. The seed was hanging at chest height, dangling from a thin root that came from the ceiling, like a strange chandelier. One could see it as something strange that sprouted from the tree¡­ or maybe the other way around, like the entire tree was growing out of that strange seed.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    An elf was sitting on his knees just below that seed, at the center of the chamber. He¡¯d long blonde hair and pleasing facial features, though they were currently marred by his emaciated physique. Thorny vines were wound all around his body and tied him up to various parts of the ground. The thorns dug ever so slightly on his skin, making so that almost any movement would make them go in deeper and draw some blood. Even his face wasn¡¯t an exception, as thorny tendrils wrapped around his head and made sure he kept his eyes shut. The only part he was allowed some freedom was on his neck and jaw.


    The elf was sitting completely still, when he suddenly turned his head upwards and opened his mouth. Like it was prompted, a clear liquid formed at the seed¡¯s body and dropped down to his open mouth. He let that single drop slid down his throat and finally felt like he¡¯d some energy in him.


    ¡°Thank you for today¡¯s meal,¡± he said quietly.


    It looked like his actions prompted the liquid, but in fact he just had the timing down like clockwork. After wasting this meal during the initial days when he was imprisoned, he never got it wrong again. As he was about to return to his normal stillness, he heard the faint sound of footsteps in the distance. They came and went so quickly he wasn¡¯t sure if he heard it right or if he was hallucinating.


    ¡°What? Has already been thirty years, old man?¡± he shouted.


    His voice that was rough from being unused filled the chamber and travelled upwards the tunnel, echoing along the way. There was no response. Liza and the others were now inside Fang Chu¡¯s sound barrier, so they had no idea someone just shouted at them. The elf chuckled derisively at himself and let his head drop.


    ¡°Great, now I¡¯m hallucinating again. Not only that, but it had to be about the old man coming to visit me. What a joke! If I must hallucinate, at least show me something I truly want to see!¡±


    -


    Liza and the others finally reached the round chamber after walking for a while. It took them some time because the half-elf that was leading the way unconsciously let her pace slow down to a crawl along the way. When they crossed the entrance, their eyes were instantly drawn to the tied-up elf that was illuminated by the hazy light of the seed. Liza immediately stopped in place, like she was struck by lightning.


    Though he was in a strange situation and much thinner, he looked exactly how she remembered him when she was little. Liza felt a swelling on her chest that made it hard for her to breath. She used to love him with all her heart, but one day he simple vanished. A couple days after he left, when both her mother and her were desperate, a courier came carrying his words. I¡¯m sorry. That was it. Like that meant anything! Her mother cried like never before that night and she cried too. To think he once had the gall to call her mother his love and her his little treasure. To make matters worse, their village was attacked by bandits soon after.


    Past scenes like that and many others kept surfacing to Liza¡¯s mind. The floodgates of her memories were suddenly opened and many things that she kept bottled down and locked away deep inside her being were coming to the surface like an erupting geyser. Her resentment and rage towards that man which was festering over the course of twelve years was now boiling over in one go. The fact that he was restrained and clearly emaciated had completely flown out of her mind. She just wanted to rush over and punch him nonstop, until she could vent all those emotions that were bursting in her chest.


    While Liza was going through this rollercoaster of emotions, the others were similarly stunned, but their surprise was towards the peculiar situation of the prisoner. When they turned to see her reaction, they saw she was beginning to rush forward with a fighting posture. Before she could take two steps however, a strong pair of arms embraced her from behind and locked her in place. Eliot was observing her from the start and noticed her unusual temperament. Feeling that something was wrong, he decided to restrain her and keep her from acting harshly.


    ¡°LET ME GO, ELIOT! That bastard is right there!¡± she shouted at the top of her lungs as she trashed about in his arms.


    If this was ten months ago, Eliot would¡¯ve let go immediately upon hearing that angry voice, but he¡¯d grown a lot during this time. From a feral boy who grew in a jungle and knew nothing of the world, he was slowly turning into a functional young adult. One a bit more childish and cold-blooded than others perhaps, as conflicting as such characteristics could be. Nevertheless, he knew now was not the time to let her go.


    ¡°No,¡± he responded firmly.


    ¡°Let go of me! Let go of me!¡± she continued shouting hysterically while scratching his arms with all her strength and even biting them at some point. No matter what she did however, Eliot never let her go. After struggling powerlessly for a while, she finally broke down crying. Eliot relaxed his arms a tiny bit and tried to soothe her.


    Fang Chu silently sighed and eyed the restrained elf with a harsh judgmental look. Ben and Boro were both stupefied as they looked at Liza. They¡¯d never seen her act wild like this before. Meanwhile, the one responsible for the whole thing, the root cause of it all, was still sitting motionless, oblivious to everything and completely unaware that he¡¯d just escaped from taking one hell of a beating.


    After some time, the loud crying turned into a quiet sobbing as Liza began to calm down. After regaining her rationality, she looked at the arms that were holding her. They were full of scratch marks, with some of them bleeding, and there were even deep bite imprints. She caressed them tenderly as she eyed them with an apologetic look.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Eliot¡­ and thank you,¡± she said quietly.


    ¡°Uhm, no problem,¡± he responded softly.


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s like we are not even here,¡± said Boro.


    And just like that, the moment was gone.

 Chapter 77 – Father & Daughter (2)

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you can release me now,¡± said Liza.


    Eliot reluctantly moved his arms away. The half-elf took her canteen and splashed some water on her face, letting the droplets wash some of her puffy and crying appearance away. After venting her feelings with such intensity, she was feeling much better and was more coolheaded about the situation. She once again stared at the restrained elf. That man was her father, Alluin Vanarel, someone she hadn¡¯t seen for almost thirteen years now. His current appearance was rather woeful, yet she didn¡¯t feel a single shred of pity for him. After long minutes of staring, Liza finally made her mind.


    ¡°Since he can¡¯t see us right now and Fanu made it so he doesn¡¯t know we¡¯re here, there¡¯s something I want to do. Could you guys help me?¡±


    ¡°What do you need?¡± they asked.


    ¡°I need Boro to change into his dragon form and fly beside me when I exit the barrier. Once we¡¯re outside, you just need to read the things I¡¯m going to write on this parchment to him. I don¡¯t think he would have recognized me if I talked, but I¡¯m also not sure if I could keep my cool if I was the one asking the questions. Given this opportunity, I want to make sure I get his most honest answers. As for the rest of you, I¡¯ll have to ask you to stay inside the barrier, as more than one set of footsteps could confuse him. If it looks like I¡¯m about to go crazy again though, quickly cover me with the barrier and restrain me if needed. I must stay calm and collected if I want to learn the truth and get to his innermost thoughts.¡±


    Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. Liza took another deep breath, prepared her writing utensils and patted Boro on the head before moving forward. The dark-skinned boy transformed into his dragon form and quickly floated after her.


    ¡°Shame, I wish I could hear what they¡¯re going to talk about,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± agreed Eliot.


    The redhead just smiled at their remarks, took a high stool from her ring and placed in front of her. Then she settled down the magical tool on top of it, walked till the border of the sound barrier and casually stuck one of her ears out. Ben and Eliot quickly looked at each other and rushed to do the same. Outside the barrier, Liza¡¯s first steps reverberated in the quiet room.


    ¡°What, am I hallucinating again?¡± Alluin spoke out loud.


    *scratch* *scratch*


    ¡°Wait, that sound is different. Father, is that you? What brings you here so stealthily after all this time?¡± he asked sarcastically.


    ¡°Ha-ham,¡± Boro awkwardly cleared his throat. ¡°You¡¯re not hallucinating, nor am I your father.¡±


    ¡°Who are you? How did you get in here? Did my father send you?¡±


    *scratch* *scratch*


    ¡°The name is Boro and I¡¯m a member of the divine clan. Your father didn¡¯t send me, but he did let me in after I asked if I could talk with you alone.¡±


    ¡°Figures! Only a member of the divine clan, the great benefactor of the Valenfele, could move that stubborn bull. Why did you want to talk with me though? Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m delighted to have someone to speak to after all this time! It¡¯s just queer that you would go out of your way to see a prisoner,¡± he quickly added.


    *scratch* *scratch*


    ¡°Why do you take so long to answer? And what¡¯s with all that weird sound? Are you writing or something?¡±


    *scratch* *scratch*


    ¡°I¡¯m rather young, so I¡¯m still learning about other cultures at the moment. Thus, I must constantly note down my observations. You could say it¡¯s like a travel journal.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see, that makes sense. Then, is this the reason you requested to talk to me? To see what a ¡®criminal¡¯ like me thinks of our laws and punishments?¡±


    *scratch* *scratch*


    -


    ¡°She might have gone wild earlier, but man, Liza is super strong. I don¡¯t think I would be able to remain calm like that in such situation,¡± said Ben. Since only one of his ears was sticking out of the barrier, his commentary could only be heard by Fang Chu and Eliot who were still inside.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Indeed, maybe I should¡¯ve taken her as a disciple instead. If only I wasn¡¯t lured by the strangeness of your constitution back then¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t say such mean words after the hell you have been putting me through the past months,¡± replied Ben while feigning feeling hurt.


    ¡°Shhh!¡± interrupted an angry Eliot.


    -


    ¡°Kind of. I wanted to know why you were locked away, especially now that I¡¯ve seen the strange situation you¡¯re being held is like,¡± said Boro.


    ¡°What, the old man didn¡¯t tell you? Well, it¡¯s not much of a story. Like you¡¯re doing right now, we, the Valenfele, also have a time during our youth when we go out in the world to learn, called the journey of discovery. Though unlike your noble intentions of educating yourself about other cultures, ours is more designed to make us see the ugliness of the human world and the importance of our own values.¡±


    This time Liza didn¡¯t write anything, but made a gesture with her hand.


    ¡°Go on,¡± said Boro.


    ¡°When it was my time, I did indeed see the ugliness of the human world, but I also saw its beauty. Though there were some that stabbed their ¡®friends¡¯ on the back, there were others who helped complete strangers without asking for anything in return. It was a world filled with opposing extremes, much different from my own, be in its music, cuisine, law or customs. I was fascinated. When the time came for my travels to end, I decided to not return. The few years of the journey of discovery were nothing compared to our long lifespans. There was so much more I wanted to see, so much more I wanted to do¡­¡± said Alluin with a mellow voice. It was clear he was reminiscing times which he dearly missed. Specially towards the end, where his last words came by means of a soft sigh that conveyed many feelings, like yearning and resignation.


    Unaccustomed to speak so much in one go after years of silence, Alluin got a small coughing fit. Boro waited patiently in the air for him to continue or for Liza to write something new. Meanwhile, the half-elf was squeezing the hand that was holding the parchment with all her strength. This was much harder than she thought it would be. Though she looked fine from the outside, the truth was that she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, grab him by his collar and directly ask him what she wanted to know. Why did you leave? Did mother and I mean nothing to you? Weren¡¯t you going out just to take care of some small trouble? Why didn¡¯t you return? Is it because your journey of whatever was over? How could you be here, speaking so casually, while mother had to go through that and die? How is that fair?


    Alluin finally controlled his coughing and continued. ¡°Since I didn¡¯t return, my father organized a group to go out and search for me. He worried I might have fallen prey to the humans and their ¡®sinister ways¡¯. His men found me when I was on the road and it was there and then that I knew my journey was over.¡±


    With her hands slightly trembling, Liza wrote down the next question.


    ¡°That was it? All of this just because you didn¡¯t return when you were supposed to?¡±


    As one would expect, Alluin interpreted the ¡°all of this¡± as if Boro was referring to his current predicament, when in fact, Liza, the one who wrote the question, was thinking about her entire journey and life experiences so far.


    ¡°Well, I said I would only return if they promised me to help some of the local villages with a few tasks and if they gave me a couple minutes alone in the next city so I could retrieve some belongings. Those demands made it clear to them that I was friendly with the humans. That certainly didn¡¯t help my case, but I wouldn¡¯t have returned peacefully otherwise. Regarding this setup you find so strange, it is more because I¡¯m his son than anything. Only those of the elder¡¯s bloodline can command the heart of the forest. If he only locked me inside here like it¡¯s usually done, I could¡¯ve just waltzed right out, so my father had to get creative. Normally, vines or ropes would do the trick, but I guess he was really angry this time since he bound me with thorny ones and even covered my eyes so I could not see. You need to reflect inwards; forget outside distractions and take your time examining your flawed self, he said.¡±


    At this point Liza was barely holding on. Oh, I see! They came to pick you up because you were late in returning! Why didn¡¯t I think of that? I guess all is forgiven now¡­ like hell it is! Thought the half-elf, her anger beginning to boil again. Feeling impatient, Liza decided to jump ahead and quickly wrote the next question. On the parchment, the words ¡°what about your wife and daughter?¡± were written with such a haste and fury that they were hardly legible. Boro, albeit still young, was extremely intelligent and could see that this question was too direct and would throw away what Liza was trying to achieve earlier. Therefore, he took the liberty to change it a little.


    ¡°Tell me, Alluin, do you have kids?¡±


    When this question was uttered, the elf jerked slightly and the thorns prickled his skin, drawing small droplets of blood. He also began to cough incessantly once again. This question came out of the blue, taking him completely by surprise. After a couple minutes of coughing, Alluin finally calmed down a little and talked with a much rougher voice due to his dry throat.


    ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m single, there¡¯s no way I¡¯ve kids.¡±


    Snap. The quill pen on Liza¡¯s hand immediately snapped in two and she felt weak on her legs. Inside the bubble, Fang Chu cursed out loud and ran to grab the magic orb, moving it forward so it would cover Liza once again. The half-elf let go of the parchment and collapsed to her knees, knocking over the ink bottle she¡¯d left on the ground. Boro remained floating on the air, unsure of what say or do, while the others rushed over to comfort Liza.


    ¡°Cough, what was that snapping sound? And why would you ask me something so strange?¡±

 Chapter 78 – Father & Daughter (3)

    ¡°Hahaha, he doesn¡¯t even acknowledge mine and mother¡¯s existence!¡± exclaimed Liza with a mirthless laugh. Her eyes began to well up again and her entire body was shaking. The feelings going through her heart right now were too many to describe. Anger, sadness and defeat were but a few of them. Everything she did till this day to find him felt completely pointless. Sure, she could still beat him to a pulp, but that would only serve to vent a tiny portion of her emotions.


    -


    ¡°Hey, are you still there? You asked me such a weird question and then went completely silent all of the sudden,¡± asked Alluin.


    ¡°I broke my quill pen by accident. Give me a couple minutes till I prepare a new one,¡± said Boro with a harsh and annoyed tone. After watching Liza break down again, he was the one feeling like giving this elf a good trashing. He gave the restrained Alluin one last prejudiced glare and flew back inside the sound barrier with the others.


    -


    Eliot was quick to hug Liza once more, both to comfort her and restrain her if needed. Fang Chu, Ben and Boro also crouched near the half-elf, each trying to cheer her up in their own way.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s like you told me before, Fanu,¡± said Liza amidst sobs. ¡°Hating someone when they are unaware or simply don¡¯t care about it is pointless. You weight yourself down, wasting time and energy carrying this burden while the target of your hatred just goes about their life without a care in the world. I feel so dumb. What was I expecting would happen? That he would feel bad for leaving? Would apologize? Would cry and mourn mother¡¯s death?¡±


    ¡°Just say the word, Liza. I¡¯ll kill him right away for you!¡± exclaimed Boro.


    ¡°Easy there, Boro. His reaction to the question was a bit strange, so perhaps there are more to this than he¡¯s letting on. Maybe we should try again, asking different questions this time,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°I agree with Ben regarding his reaction. However, if he really turns out to be a bastard, I say we just leave. Give him a couple of good punches if you feel like and then let¡¯s go. There are some people that are just not worth our time and emotional investment. Let¡¯s go to a tavern, drink till we¡¯re drunk and then go do some fun stuff to cheer you up,¡± said Fang Chu.


    ¡°You heard him yourself, he¡¯s single and has no kids. What¡¯s more to ask?¡± sobbed Liza.


    ¡°Just sit here and stick one of your ears out of the barrier. Let me and Boro handle this. And Boro, try to not sound too angry please,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Do as you please. As soon as I find my strength back, I¡¯ll beat him into unconsciousness and then we leave,¡± she said.


    -


    *scratch* *scratch*


    ¡°Got your new quill pen ready? That took a while. By the way, you still haven¡¯t answered me yet, why did you ask such strange question?¡± asked Alluin. In his voice was an imperceptible trace of anxiousness.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just that I met a woman and child that claimed to be your wife and daughter on my travels years ago. They were little Liza and Mrs. Branwen, if I recall correctly.¡±


    When he heard this, Alluin¡¯s heartbeat increased like crazy and he suddenly felt very nervous.


    ¡°But I guess it¡¯s for the best that they were lying about being related to you, or perhaps they were talking about a different elf called Alluin.¡±


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡± asked the elf with a falsetto.


    ¡°Because they¡¯re both dead now.¡±


    ¡°LIES!¡± Alluin screamed as he jerked about violently. The thorns dug deep on his skin, drawing blood from all over. ¡°Who are you? How do you know my wife and daughter? What did you do to them?¡±


    Liza, who was listening from inside the sound barrier, shuddered and began crying once again. Alluin¡¯s current reaction couldn¡¯t be faked. He was screaming at Boro and Ben at the top of his lungs and was doing his best to get free from the vines that were binding him, completely ignoring the pain as they lacerated his flesh.


    *scratch* *scratch*


    ¡°What are you angry about? It was you that abandoned them in the first place!¡±


    Alluin once again winced violently. ¡°Shut up! shut up! What do you know about me and my circumstances! They aren¡¯t dead! You¡¯re lying!¡±


    *scratch* *scratch*


    ¡°I wish I was. It was I that gave them a proper burial, as they had no one to look after them after you left.¡±


    Alluin gave a fiendish shout and hung his head low as copious tears began to flow freely from his closed eyelids. He muttered words in elvish under his breath nonstop, like a raving lunatic. Words that Liza understood and Ben¡¯s ring translated for him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry honey, your husband has failed you.¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°My little treasure, father is to blame for everything. Don¡¯t you worry though. As soon as I find out what happened and take care of things, papa is coming to see you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, please forgive me. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    There were no more exchanges for a good while. Both father and daughter were crying their hearts out, only a few meters apart each other, yet emotionally they were worlds apart. After what felt like hours, Alluin finally recomposed himself enough to speak again.


    ¡°Tell me, how do you know my wife and daughter?¡± he asked with a broken voice.


    ¡°They gave me food and shelter when I stopped by their village. I learned from them that they were looking for you who¡¯d gone missing a few days prior and I agreed to keep an eye out during my travels.¡±


    ¡°How did they¡­ how did they die?¡± he asked with some difficulty.


    *scratch* *scratch*


    ¡°Two weeks after I left them, I heard their village was assaulted by bandits. I rushed back as fast as I could, but when I got there everything was razed to the ground. Their bodies were amidst the wreckage.¡±


    ¡°Bandits? A short time after I left? That¡¯s impossible! I asked them to clear them out for me¡­ I¡­ of course they didn¡¯t! Hahahaha,¡± Alluin began to laugh hysterically in a self-deprecating way. ¡°Why would they clear a group of bandits out? Just because they promised me? Pfft, they¡¯re all just humans in the end, right? Let them sort themselves out! I bet that¡¯s what they thought!¡± he exclaimed as his laughter got higher and higher, angrier and angrier.


    ¡°DRANNOR! ELMER! LAZUL! MALON! SYLLIA!¡± he shouted each name with abhorrent hatred. ¡°As soon as I get out of here, I¡¯ll have your heads!¡±


    Seeing her father like that, Liza felt like saying something, yet she did not know what to say. Her head was a mess and her chest felt like it was going to burst, leaving her with difficulty to breathe. She kept on sobbing silently on Eliot¡¯s arms. The young man held onto her, but his eyes were fixated on the grieving elf, his mind wandering to distant corners as he watched his furious outburst.


    *scratch* *scratch*


    ¡°I can see you cared deeply about them, so why did you leave?¡±


    ¡°What does it matter now? They¡¯re gone. Gone forever...¡±


    At this point, Liza managed to calm down a little once again, more due to exhaustion than anything else. She discovered her father did indeed care for her and her mother deeply, but that didn¡¯t make her any less angry about her abandonment.


    ¡°It matters to me,¡± said Liza as she crawled outside the barrier.


    ¡°Who is this? What¡¯s going on? There¡¯s no way my father would¡¯ve let more people come here! You¡¯re all liars! What you said about my wife and daughter are lies too!¡± exclaimed Alluin with renewed hope.


    ¡°What he said was mostly true. However, you¡¯re right, the elder didn¡¯t let us in here, so how do you think we got inside, father?¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­ my little treasure, is that you?¡± asked Alluin while choking up. To hear his wife and daughter were dead, only to find out minutes later that his daughter was standing in front of him made for a rollercoaster of emotions.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that! You¡¯ve no right!¡±


    ¡°It is you!¡± exclaimed Alluin, without caring at all about how mad Liza was. ¡°So that was all a lie, right? Your mother is fine too, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Fine? Fine? Mother is dead! Shortly after that courier you sent over delivered your lousy words, a group of bandits raided the village. The village elder gave them all our money, but they cared little for it and began their rampant killing. Mother gagged me with a cloth and made me promise to not make a peep, hiding me inside the oven and stacking a bunch of firewood on top to keep me out of sight. The bandits entered our house and pinned her down¨C¡±


    ¡°Stop! Stop! I don¡¯t want to hear it!¡± exclaimed Alluin as he began to sob again.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to hear it? I had to watch it! I had to watch as those monsters raped her, too afraid to make a sound, too afraid to be the next one to be pinned down! I hated myself for that cowardice every single day afterwards, but I hated you more for leaving us alone to fend for ourselves! I¡¯m sorry, that¡¯s all the words you left us! What a joke!¡±


    Alluin shook and bawled, his veins dangerously protruding on his skin like they were about to pop at any moment. Liza, having revisited that cursed moment, once again felt her rage boil and feebly walked till her restrained father. She raised her arms and swung them weakly at him, not because she didn¡¯t want to cause harm, but because she couldn¡¯t find her strength. This time, Eliot didn¡¯t stop her. She threw blow after blow, not caring if they landed on the thorny vines that covered his body.


    The half-elf only stopped when she couldn¡¯t physically raise her arms anymore due to her fatigue, and collapsed on her butt next to her father. The two of them sobbing on the ground with their tears, boggers and blood made for a sad sight. Liza was soon supported by her friends, who began to treat her cut fists, leaving the bound elf as the solely pitiful one.


    ¡°You¡¯re right to blame me, it¡¯s indeed my fault in the end,¡± said Alluin, half choking. ¡°Let me tell you what happened on that day¡­¡±


    ¡°Back then I¡¯d heard hearsay of a group of bandits moving near our region, so I told your mother I would go out to deal with a small trouble in a nearby village, as not to worry her. My plan was to eradicate the group before they caused harm, but I was found by my father¡¯s men while I was on the road. I thought about escaping, but not only did they greatly outnumbered me, Drannor was also part of the group and it was only a matter of time till he tracked me again with the use of his animal companions.¡±


    ¡°My options were extremely limited and I knew I probably wouldn¡¯t be able see you or your mother ever again. However, the most important part was making sure they didn¡¯t find out about the two of you. Especially you, Liza. A half-elf is the greatest shame to the Valenfele, an aberration born from an elf and a disgusting human, as they put it. They would¡¯ve hunted both of you down to the ends of Flanac and killed you. The whole thing was as bad as it gets and it only made it worse since I was the elder¡¯s son. As you¡¯re probably aware already, the elder here has a special significance, since only his bloodline can command the heart of the forest.¡±


    ¡°I tried asking for some time so I could deal with the bandits. Perhaps ridding you from this hidden danger was the last thing I could do as a husband and a father, but they were having none of it. I had already breached the law and was to return immediately. I drew my weapon and threatened to fight them if they wouldn¡¯t budge, so we ended up with a compromise. A few of them would stay to deal with the bandits, while the others would escort me home. On the way back, I managed to convince the ones escorting me to give me five minutes on a nearby city to ¡®retrieve my belongings¡¯. I wanted to send a message for you and your mom, so as to not make you two languish in wait for me. There was so much to say and so little time, so an ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯ and a few elvish words were all I could leave behind. Elvish words that the courier didn¡¯t convey, I¡¯m guessing. Figures, he probably couldn¡¯t understand or pronounce them.¡±


    ¡°As you can see, it was indeed my fault. To think my tribesmen would poke their noses at human business just because they promised me was the height of folly, and you and your mother payed the price for it¡­¡±

 Chapter 79 – Father & Daughter (4)

    They all stood still while they listened to Alluin¡¯s tale. As the elf recounted his story, Ben, Eliot, Fang Chu and Boro finally felt some trace of sympathy towards the poor soul. Here was a person who went against his culture and traditions to find happiness, only to have it all snatched away by his family and tribesmen who were bound to it. Liza, on the other hand, didn¡¯t know how to feel. By all accounts, it seemed she ought to forgive him, for he was a victim too, but a warped upbringing and childhood trauma weren¡¯t things so easily resolved.


    ¡°Damn, this is all just sad,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Another voice¡­ at this point nothing can surprise me anymore,¡± said Alluin weakly.


    ¡°Those you¡¯re hearing are my friends and companions. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to get this far without them,¡± replied Liza.


    ¡°That¡¯s good¡­ I¡¯ve just learned that reliable friends are a hard thing to find. Liza, though what happened to your mother was terrible, I¡¯m glad at least you¡¯re safe¡­¡±


    ¡°Humph, not thanks to you.¡±


    Those words were a harsh stab at Alluin, but the elf didn¡¯t complain. He understood that there was a chance Liza would hate him for the rest of her life, and he found that perhaps that was warranted too, for there was something he didn¡¯t tell her, nor could ever tell her. When he was found out by his father¡¯s men and thought that he had the problem with the bandits sorted out, there was very tiny fraction of himself that was glad. Liza was growing too fast and the realisation that one day he would have to bury her beneath the ground terrified him. That tiny and accursed portion of his mind thought that perhaps this was for the best, as elf¡¯s and human¡¯s lifespans were too different. Burying his wife would¡¯ve destroyed him, but burying his daughter would¡¯ve made him go completely insane. Of course, later, in isolation, he came to hate himself for such thoughts.


    ¡°Perhaps this is my true punishment¡­¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m just trying to digest it all¡­¡±


    Now that things had finally calmed down somewhat, Fang Chu felt like it was a proper time to bring out the urgency of their situation.


    ¡°Liza, I know there¡¯s much more you want to say or ask, but remember we don¡¯t have forever. We should leave as soon as we can.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true! I was so caught up in the moment that I didn¡¯t realize it. How did you guys sneak in here in the first place?¡± asked Alluin after controlling himself once again.


    They all turned to Liza, asking with their expression if it was okay to tell him or not. The half-elf sighed, wiped her tears with her sleeve and began a quick recounting of their journey from the moment they stepped in Duskwood.


    -


    While Liza was writing questions for Boro to ask her father, outside, the elves were in a furor as they dealt with the frenzied attacks of the twin-headed bears. At this point, the elderly elves that still had some vigor and the prodigious children that had some knack for magic were also helping rebuke the creature¡¯s charges. Amidst this confusion, a young elvish girl came near the entrance carrying the twin-headed bear cub, making the beast¡¯s attacks even stronger. An old timer noticed the girl and his jaw almost dropped to the ground in surprise.


    ¡°Lina, where did you get that?¡± he exclaimed.


    ¡°I found it hiding behind some baskets. It seemed to be really afraid of something. Then miss fairy told me to bring it here.¡±


    The old timer was nonplussed by the child¡¯s explanation, but now was hardly the time to question its veracity. He extended his arms and quickly grabbed the cub from the girl¡¯s bosom.


    ¡°Wait here, we¡¯ll talk later! Don¡¯t move!¡±


    ¡°Wait, grampa, do you know how to talk to fairies?¡±


    The old elf didn¡¯t respond, quickly running somewhere as fast as his old legs could take him. Lina waited patiently on the spot and noticed that the noises and shouts coming from the entrance were gradually subsiding. Ten minutes later, the old elf returned, bringing with him Drannor and the others responsible for the village¡¯s defense.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°Was it you that found the cub?¡± asked Drannor with a serious voice.


    The young elf nodded her head timidly. Normally she wouldn¡¯t be afraid of the protectors, but when they were covered with blood and carrying with them the intensity of a recent battle, the young girl couldn¡¯t help but be intimidated.


    ¡°She said she found it hiding behind some baskets,¡± helped the old timer.


    ¡°You found it inside the village? It wasn¡¯t something you found outside and brought back, hoping to keep and nurture?¡±


    ¡°No! It was already inside the village! I found it and tried to show it to mr. Lazul, but he ignored me, then I ran after him, then I bumped into something, then miss fairy showed up and then told me to bring it here and show it to the grown-ups! I didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡± exclaimed the little girl as her eyes began to swell up.


    ¡°There, there, Lina. We know you didn¡¯t do anything wrong. In fact, you saved us by bringing the cub here, otherwise we wouldn¡¯t be able to make the beasts retreat,¡± said the old timer as he soothed her.


    ¡°Really? I did good?¡± asked the little girl, her eyes moving from the old timer to Drannor and the other protectors.


    ¡°Yes, you did good, Lina,¡± said Drannor who was having difficulties keeping his patience when dealing with a child after the troubles of the day kept piling up. ¡°You said you saw Lazul. Where did he go? And what is this fairy you keep talking about?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, he ran too fast for me. It¡¯s not fair, grown-ups have longer legs, I can¡¯t keep up!¡± she exclaimed with a pout. ¡°Miss fairy is miss fairy. It was she that told me to bring the cub here. Do you know how to talk to fairies? Can you teach me?¡±


    ¡°Fairies communicate telepathically and they rarely speak, so you shouldn¡¯t have problem communicating with one. Tell me, what did this fairy look like?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± said Lina, suddenly feeling sad.


    ¡°Lina, dear, perhaps she¡¯s a young fairy that doesn¡¯t know how to use telepathy yet. Now please be good and finish answering the question,¡± coaxed the old timer.


    ¡°Really? Yeah, that must be it! It¡¯s not like she hated me or anything! She even waved and smiled! Yup! Yup!¡±


    ¡°Lina¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, she was around your size, with a pale face like birch, flaming waving hair like ever-red maples leaves and green eyes the color of a still lake. An astonishing beauty, just like the tales describe them!¡± Lina replied with a dreamy voice.


    However, as her description went on, the color drained from Drannor and the others who had participated in the ambush. That was, without a doubt, the features of the powerful human they encountered a few hours earlier. It meant that not only they¡¯d found their village, they managed to sneak inside unnoticed.


    ¡°Quickly, gather everyone that is still around the village¡¯s entrance! Don¡¯t let them disperse alone! We must search the grounds in big groups!¡± Drannor barked.


    The sudden change of mood and attitude scared not only Lina, but the old timer as well. That reaction felt even more serious than when the twin-headed bears attacked.


    ¡°Drannor, what¡¯s going on exactly?¡± asked the old timer.


    ¡°That¡¯s no fairy! That¡¯s one of the intruders that invaded our forest today!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°What?¡± the little girl and the old timer exclaimed in unison.


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t a fairy, but an invader? Does that mean she was a bad person? Did I help a human? Did I do something bad?¡± Lina asked as she once again began to get misty-eyed.


    ¡°Shh, nothing of the sort, Lina. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Now let¡¯s just do as the protectors say and gather around with everyone. Everything¡¯s going to be all right, don¡¯t you worry,¡± the old timer said as he patted the young girl¡¯s head. However, his other hand was trembling slightly. Humans invading and getting in this deep was something unheard-of ever since they acquired the heart of the forest.


    All the tribesmen that were in the village gathered once again and began to search the grounds. The children were excluded from the search and were put under watch of the most elderly elves who would also only be a liability in case something grim happened. It didn¡¯t take long until they found traces of blood that indicated a battle. Ben had tried to cover it up as best as he could, but there was only so much he could do about a pool of blood in so little time. However, he made sure to stop the corpse from bleeding before they took him in towards the great tree, otherwise it would be the same as announcing to the world what they were doing.


    The signs didn¡¯t bode well for Lazul, but no matter where they searched, they couldn¡¯t find a trace of him or the humans. Drannor¡¯s impatience and nervousness began to grow each second and he felt like there was something he was missing. Once again, he went to question little Lina and tried to retrace the day¡¯s events. Then he looked at the great tree and his eyes flashed for a moment, but he soon chuckled in ridicule at himself. Thinking the humans infiltrated the great tree was ridiculous, as he knew it to be impossible.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting desperate and hasty, that won¡¯t do. Let¡¯s take this from the top. They invaded our territory and captured one of our own. They asked him about Alluin and learned he was confined, without any chance of being reached as of now. Yet, they chose to sneak in our home all the same¡­ perhaps is not Alluin they¡¯re after, but something he has! Years ago, when we were escorting him back, he did stop by a city to retrieve some belongings. Perhaps he acquired a human treasure of some sort! That must be it!¡±

 Chapter 80 – One Man(’s) Revolution (1)

    ¡°What? They almost killed you? Those bastards should die a thousand deaths!¡± shouted Alluin as he wiggled around.


    ¡°Easy there, mister, you¡¯re already a mess. No point letting the thorns keep wrecking your body like that. Besides, isn¡¯t Liza just fine and dandy?¡± asked Fang Chu as she threw the half-elf an inquiring gaze.


    ¡°Not thanks to them! If she didn¡¯t have medical knowledge¡­ I shudder just thinking what might have happened!¡±


    Seeing her father¡¯s wounded body, Liza sighed and drew one of her knives. She carefully cut the vines binding him one by one, paying special attention to the smaller tendrils wrapped around his head.


    Once he was freed, the first thing Alluin did was open his eyes. Thankfully, they were in a dark chamber with the hazy light of the heart of the forest being the only source of illumination, otherwise he would¡¯ve been blinded for a good while. Nevertheless, it still took some time for him to get used to things, as he could only see hazy forms at the beginning. When he could finally see the face of his daughter, the elf couldn¡¯t stop himself from getting misty-eyed again. He tried to get up to hug her, but his body was feeble and thus he staggered. To make matters worse, Liza instinctively withdrew at his attempt. He knew why, he understood it, yet it hurt more than being stabbed by a thousand blades.


    When she saw her father struggling to get up, Liza steeled herself and went over to help him. She wasn¡¯t sure of how to proceed, as any script or thoughts she¡¯d prior to their meeting were long gone out of the window. She only knew that she couldn¡¯t keep on hating him like before, for his situation wasn¡¯t so different from hers. He was also a victim to forces beyond his control that led to this series of unfortunate events. That didn¡¯t mean she¡¯d forgiven him and everything was fine however, but at least it was a start. Maybe one day she would be able to forgive him and, perhaps, forgive herself too.


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown into such a beautiful young lady. Your mother would be proud. You resemble her a lot¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t help myself. Get me a little closer to the heart of the forest, please. With its help I¡¯ll be able to recover in no time at all.¡±


    Liza brought him closer and helped him stay steady as he grasped the heart of the forest with his two hands. First, he let the energy of the strange seed drip into his body slowly, but as his constitution recovered, he began to drain it more and more aggressively. Soon he went from an emaciated elf that was bleeding nonstop from many small cuts to a muscular one, bursting with vitality and not a single wound on his body. As soon as he could stand on his own, Liza quickly let him go and retreated a few steps backwards. At this moment he looked exactly like she remembered him; it was like he hadn¡¯t aged a day at all.


    ¡°Phew, that¡¯s more like it. Now that I feel like myself again, first things first,¡± said Alluin as he turned around to face Liza one more time. He raised his arm slightly with the intention to caress her cheek, but remembering her reaction from a short moment ago, he decided against it and lowered his arm again. ¡°I know you probably can¡¯t forgive me, but I¡¯m sorry. For everything. When we have more time, I¡¯d love to hear about everything you went through and all the complaints you might have against me.¡±


    Liza held his gaze for a moment, only managing an ¡°we¡¯ll see,¡± after a while. Then Alluin turned to Eliot, Ben, Boro and Fang Chu, engraving each one of their faces in his mind. Those were his daughter¡¯s friends and companions, people that he and his daughter owned a lot to, for many reasons.


    ¡°Let me introduce myself properly, I¡¯m Alluin Vanarel, Liza¡¯s incompetent dad. It¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Fang Chu, but you can call me Fanu. I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t turn out to be scum of the earth,¡± said the redhead nonchalantly.


    ¡°Eliot.¡±


    ¡°Boro.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Ben, pleased to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for looking out for my daughter and please remain being her steadfast and loyal friends.¡±


    ¡°Father!¡±


    Looking at Liza¡¯s annoyed reaction, Ben couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the ability to embarrass their kids when they were in their mid to late teens was a universal trait all fathers possessed.


    ¡°Of course,¡± said Eliot and Boro energetically.


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to have her as a friend,¡± said the redhead.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one constantly being helped out, so¡­¡± replied Ben.


    ¡°Good!¡± said Alluin.


    ¡°Now that the introductions are over, we should leave. They probably already dealt with the twin-headed bears and in a few hours the fires will be no more,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, now that you¡¯ve freed me, there¡¯s no one here that can harm you guys. I will protect you till the end. It¡¯s also a good time to take my revenge on those that reneged on their words to me. Once this is all over, we can sit down and talk at leisure,¡± said the elf.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be conceited, at this point even I could probably beat you,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Now, now, don¡¯t look down on your papa. From your group, only Fanu and Eliot would be able to beat me. But you¡¯re right, there is no way I could hold down against the entirety of the Valenfele on my own, that is, not if I didn¡¯t have this,¡± said Alluin as he pointed towards the heart of the forest.


    The elf then proceeded to make a cut in both of his palms. With his hands bleeding, he grasped the seed. The heart of the forest absorbed his blood, enhancing the connection between them. Alluin then began a battle of wills to grasp the mysterious seed out of his father¡¯s control.


    His previous replenishment or Liza¡¯s act of opening the way to the depths of the great tree were simple actions to the heart of the forest. They were like a drop in the sea, easy to miss. However, his current overbearing act of taking control was like a gigantic tsunami that could cover half the ocean. Only a complete doofus would remain unaware.


    -


    ¡°That¡¯s good, only a few more and we¡¯ll be done!¡± shouted Uilan. Just as he was about to bark his next orders he stopped with a jolt, all color draining from his face. ¡°Not good! How could this be happening?¡± he exclaimed in surprise before quickly closing his eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, elder? Are you feeling okay?¡±


    The other elves surrounded Uilan, but he remained unresponsive. He couldn¡¯t answer their pleas, as he was fighting an invisible battle of wills at the moment, one that he was losing rapidly. Normally one would need to have physical contact with the seed or its sprouts to command it, but Uilan had been its owner for countless years and his control over it could be called superb, allowing him to maintain a faint connection to the wondrous item even when he was far away.


    However, keeping this connection was his limit. There was no way he could compete against his son who had the seed in his grasp at that moment. The old elf began to sweat as he felt his connection to the heart of the forest grow thinner and thinner. After a couple of minutes, his connection to it was finally blocked off entirely. Once it was over, he finally opened his eyes.


    ¡°Damn! That irresponsible brat! What has got into his head right now? And how did he freed himself to interfere with the heart of the forest?¡±


    ¡°The heart of the forest? What happened, elder?¡± the other elves asked in panic. That mysterious seed was a true lifeline for their tribe.


    ¡°Alluin, that brat! He took advantage that I was away to meddle with the heart! Half of you stay behind and deal with the fires. It might be harder and take longer, but do it properly! The rest of you come with me, we¡¯re returning immediately!¡±


    Uilan left most of the shamans behind and grabbed the warriors to follow him. Altogether, twenty elves were making their way back to the settlement as fast as they could while the others remained behind to dowse the fires.


    -


    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± said Alluin as he grabbed the seed and ripped it from the thin root that was holding it aloft. As he did so, the entire great tree began to wither in a rate noticeable to the human eye, with its bark drying and emitting splintering noises. Perhaps in an hour or so, this once majestic tree would be no more than dry wood.


    ¡°What¡¯s done? And what¡¯s the use of that thing?¡± asked Liza.


    ¡°The heart of the forest is a natural treasure, or perhaps something greater than that, since we¡¯ve never known anything else quite like it. The Valenfele have been using it to create the mist that these woods are known for. We elves can see through it like it wasn¡¯t there, while the other races can barely see a few meters ahead. Inside the mist our presence is greatly masked and even our mana is cloaked. You can imagine how much of an advantage that gives us in this place. We¡¯re basically unmatched when defending our home. The mist also has a bunch of other features that keep the forest healthy and safe.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why they managed to sneak on us like that!¡± exclaimed Fang Chu.


    ¡°Pretty much. You should all thank my daughter, for she is the only reason you¡¯re still alive,¡± said Alluin.


    ¡°A half-elf,¡± muttered Ben.


    ¡°Exactly. As a half-elf, Liza can see farther in the mist than they¡¯d expected and, as such, was able to spot them before they were fully prepared.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, didn¡¯t they screw up big time?¡±


    ¡°Thankfully they did, but it¡¯s no wonder. Do you have any idea what the odds are that a relationship between a human and an elf will bear a descendent? Incredible small. There¡¯s a reason I call her my little treasure, you know.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t. I won¡¯t say it again.¡±


    ¡°My bad, my bad,¡± replied Alluin as he made a dumb face.


    ¡°That¡¯s really useful and all, but I don¡¯t see how taking that advantage away from them will make you able to face the entire tribe by yourself,¡± said the redhead.


    ¡°Just imagine how much energy it takes to cover an entire forest with such wonderous magic¡­ now the mist is gone and I have control of this incredible source of power in my hands. You could say I¡¯m nearly invincible,¡± he chuckled.


    As they talked, they finally approached the entrance of the tunnel and the decapitated body of the elf shaman they¡¯d hidden inside.


    ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t the bastard Lazul! It¡¯s a shame I wasn¡¯t the one to send him off,¡± said the elf coldly. As of now, Alluin wasn¡¯t much attached to the Valenfele any longer. There was simply too much his tribesmen had put him through. He didn¡¯t hate them necessarily (if you excluded a few individuals), he only felt indifference. Lazul, however, was one of those individuals he detested. He was present in the group that came to fetch him in the human world and was indirectly responsible for his wife¡¯s death. Not only that, he also participated in the ambush that almost killed his daughter. Therefore, Alluin had no tears to shed for his former companion.


    ¡°Now that you took the seed, it¡¯s not opening anymore,¡± said Liza as she retracted her hand from the mess of entangled roots that barred the entrance.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just blast through then!¡± he exclaimed.

 Chapter 81 – One Man(’s) Revolution (2)

    No one remembers who noticed it at the start, but after the first shout, everyone gathered around the great tree. The elves watched in horror as their great symbol, once bursting with vitality, greyed and withered in front of their very eyes. As it happens in most disasters, they couldn¡¯t look away no matter how painful it was to watch, nor were they able to mount a reaction other than cry mournfully and shout.


    As they wondered what might have brought such calamity, the entrance to the inner sanctum was blasted open with a deafening splinter. A huge greenish root moved about like a tentacle as it destroyed the barred entryway before disappearing back into the tunnel. From the broken entrance, a group of individuals calmly walked forward, led by a tall blond elf.


    ¡°It¡¯s Alluin!¡±


    ¡°The elder¡¯s son is out of confinement! Was he the one who did this?¡±


    As the elderly and children gawked at the scene, the four protectors who remained behind to look after them stepped forward. They did so more because of reflex and a sense of duty than anything, as they were just as shocked as everyone else.


    ¡°Alluin! How? You were completely secured in place! It was impossible for you to freed yourself or take control over the heart from the elder!¡± exclaimed one of them.


    ¡°The intruders! How did they find this place? Also, that girl! I¡¯m sure that I shot her! How can she still be alive?¡± asked another. Before anyone else could say anything, a huge root sprouted from the seed on Alluin¡¯s hand and, in a flash, coiled around the elf that had just spoken, crushing him in an instant. The root then quickly reduced in size, retreating back to the seed and disappearing just as abruptly as it came, leaving only a gory mess behind. Shouts and screams soon followed, with those weak of heart fainting, puking or quickly looking away.


    ¡°Alluin! How could you! To abuse the power of the heart of the forest to kill one of our own!¡± shouted Elmer.


    ¡°Hahaha, how could I?¡± laughed Alluin with unbounded fury. His anger was such that he found hard to articulate his words. ¡°You messed with my family!¡± he hissed.


    ¡°Your family? We¡¯re your family! Your tribesmen!¡± exclaimed Elmer.


    ¡°They were inside the great tree¡­ how¡­¡± Drannor stuttered.


    ¡°I care not for explaining myself to you. Listen well, everyone. I only have grudges against these three, Malon and Syllia. The rest of you just needs to stay back and not interfere. After I¡¯ve my revenge, I¡¯ll have a talk with my father and leave this place for good.¡±


    Those that were still conscious instinctively retreated and began to murmur amongst themselves. They were both terrified and perplexed, wondering what kind of devil possessed the elder¡¯s son for he to do such cruel things. Little Lina had fainted, sparring her further gruesome sights, but the old timer holding her in his arms watched everything with weak knees.


    ¡°Any last words?¡± asked Alluin coldly.


    ¡°You¡¯re a traitor! A disgrace for our honourable tribe!¡± shouted Elmer.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to do this, Alluin. Let¡¯s calm down and talk it out.¡±


    ¡°How did they get inside to free you?¡± asked Drannor quietly. As he asked his question, his eyes drifted towards the group of invaders standing behind Alluin. Whether it was on purpose or coincidence, he saw Liza tucking a strand of hair behind her ears and understanding suddenly dawned on him. ¡°I see,¡± he said softly as three thin, but extremely sharp roots shot from the seed and pierced his and the others hearts. Though Elmer tried to fight back, the other two didn¡¯t put up resistance, for they knew it was a pointless struggle.


    The audience stood in place, too afraid to leave or even to breath too loudly. The mist around the forest was slowly dissipating and the great tree continued to wither. As they waited for what felt like an eternity, Uilan and the nineteen protectors he brought back finally arrived. The crowd quickly parted ways to give them space, for the experienced elder was the only person capable of bring the situation back under control.


    ¡°Alluin! What have you done?¡± asked Uilan as he gazed at the dead bodies of Drannor and the others. The elder was doing his utmost to control himself at this moment, for he could tell there was something strangely wrong and feral about Alluin¡¯s disposition, something he never felt before. That coupled with the strangers standing behind his son were more than enough to sound all kinds of alarm bells in the elder¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Have Malon and Syllia come forward. After I¡¯m done with my revenge we can talk!¡±


    Malon and Syllia, who were standing behind the elder together with the others felt a cold shiver run down their necks. They wondered if what waited them was the same fate as Drannor¡¯s and the others.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°Why would you want revenge against us?¡± asked Malon in nervous confusion.


    ¡°You promised me you¡¯d take care of the bandit group!¡±


    ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡± inquired Syllia.


    Alluin was at the end of his patience and used the heart of the forest to conjure two roots that he sent forward with an impetus. Uilan was prepared for this and, as the roots dived ahead, he cut his palm with a ceremonial dagger and quickly used his blood to cast a spell. The elder might¡¯ve been old, but he was the controller of the heart of the forest for many years and, as such, had a trick or two on his sleeve. The blood spell latched onto the roots, making them lose much of their force, enabling Malon and Syllia to dodge out of the way.


    ¡°I sealed a great portion of the heart¡¯s power! Protectors, quickly restrain Alluin and retrieve the heart! The spell won¡¯t last forever!¡±


    The elven protectors drew their weapons and sprinted forward.


    ¡°What now? Do you need help?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°It¡¯s but a small setback, they won¡¯t be able to take me down. Just watch.¡±


    The protectors rushed forwards toward Alluin and the crowd watched with both fascination and horror. That was the first time since anyone could remember that the Valenfele had a serious internal strife and the first time they saw their sacred item, the heart of the forest, in action. Though a good part of the seed¡¯s power was sealed, it actually benefited Alluin in a way, as he wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid mass casualties otherwise. From that small seed he brought forth many thick roots that wiggled in the air like tentacles and used them to strike or shove his attackers away. Only the ones aimed at Malon and Syllia moved with deadly intent and vigor, making the two of them devote their entire energy to defense.


    The morale of the protectors quickly began to wane as more and more of them got hit hard enough to be put out of commission for a while. When they chopped one root, two others would sprout from the small seed to take its place and the more they courageously charged in, the harder it was to approach Alluin. In the chaos of battle, Malon and Syllia were finally unable to hold on and were executed by the roots. Uilan watched everything in dismay and steeled his heart. He would have to use a powerful spell that could perhaps endanger his son¡¯s life.


    ¡°There¡¯s no other option... Alluin is out of his mind,¡± he muttered quietly. The elder began to stealthily gather his mana and to prepare his spell. His actions went unnoticed, for there¡¯s an old saying: fear not the wizard who knows ten spells, but beware of the one that knows only one, for death comes without warning. That was certainly the case, for those with the mental fortitude to study a spell ad nauseum would become specialists. The more profound their study and the more intimate they were with the spell, the less effort and procedures required to cast it. The elder knew more spells of course, but this was one of the few that he knew like the back of his hand.


    There was no flare or spectacle. While everyone was focused on the protectors that kept being thrown around by the wriggling roots, a whistling wind came forth at astonishing speed, cutting everything on its path. The roots were cut one after the other and the wind soon reached Alluin¡¯s outstretched hand that was holding the seed. A bloodcurdling scream followed. The roots quickly retreated back and disappeared as the heart of the forest fell to the ground together with Alluin¡¯s severed hand.


    ¡°Quickly, catch the heart of the forest!¡± shouted Uilan as he tried to gather some strength. Though this was one of his best spells, making it powerful enough to cut through a sea of roots was still taxing.


    To his dismay however, the first to react was Liza. She pounced forward, quickly retrieving the seed from the severed hand. Uilan was furious, both with his tribesmen inability to react as well as the fact that their treasure was being held by a filthy human.


    ¡°Wake up! Don¡¯t let that human defile our treasure any longer, grab it from her!¡±


    As the few protectors that were still in shape to move advanced, a root sprouted from the heart of the forest and struck them with ferocity, blowing them away. There was an audible gasp from the spectators and the sound of many throats swallowing some saliva.


    ¡°How¡­ how could this be?¡± asked Uilan with dismay.


    Liza eyed him impassively and, as she was about to strike, a hand patted her on the shoulder. She looked back and saw that it was her father, who¡¯s stump was still bleeding profusely. Her friends were just behind him, scrambling madly trying to gather bandages and other first-aid equipment.


    ¡°Could you let me borrow that again for a bit? Also, if it¡¯s not too much trouble, could you bring me my severed hand? I don¡¯t feel like having only one hand for the rest of my life if I can avoid it,¡± he said with a strange calmness.


    Liza did as she was told, bringing him the severed hand which he reattached with the help of the heart¡¯s power. This didn¡¯t take long, giving everyone just enough time to recover from their shock.


    ¡°I was going to talk about this after everything was over, but by now you should¡¯ve understood. This is your granddaughter.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible! You never had anyone you were interested inside our tribe! It always gave me a tremendous headache! How could you have a daughter?¡±


    As obvious as the situation was, Uilan simply couldn¡¯t fathom. His values and prejudice blinded him from the most simple and correct answer, or perhaps he just didn¡¯t want to believe. Seeing as his father was struggling to put two and two together, Alluin sighed to himself, like he was expecting such reaction in the first place.


    ¡°Move back with your friends, Liza. Things are probably going to get hectic again and your grandfather will probably say a bunch of mean things. Just ignore the old fart and know that I love you.¡± After he told her to back away, Alluin turned to his father. ¡°Seems like you still refuse to see it. She used the heart of the forest. She is the child I had with the woman I loved. She is Liza Vanarel¨C¡±


    ¡°Branwen. I¡¯ll never use your last name,¡± Liza interrupted coldly.


    ¡°¡­ Liza Branwen, my half-elf daughter.¡±


    Once again, audible gasps were heard from the spectators. Most of them had deduced such thing already, but it was always more impactful to hear it straight from the horse¡¯s mouth.

 Chapter 82 – One Man(’s) Revolution (3)

    ¡°You had a child¡­ with a filthy human?¡± asked Uilan while shaking violently. ¡°Since you were little, you embarrassed me time and time again with your unruliness, but to think¡­ to think you would sire an abomination!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not an abomination! She¡¯s my precious daughter, your granddaughter!¡±


    ¡°I have no granddaughter!¡± exclaimed Uilan in rage. ¡°Nor do I have a son! You¡¯re a shame for the Valenfele!¡±


    ¡°Shame? Ha! The Valenfele that are shameful! Living isolated from everyone, thinking they are superior and hating on the humans without putting any effort to truly understand the outside world!¡±


    ¡°Understanding of the outside world? I¡¯ve lived much longer than you have and understand it much better than you do! You¡¯re just lost in your fantasies, enthralled by the curiosity of the young! Once you know the atrocities that they¡¯re capable of, you will understand and disgust them as much as I do!¡±


    They continued back and forth for a couple exchanges, until their faces were red from shouting and their spit was flying everywhere. The spectators watched without batting an eye, and the few young ones that didn¡¯t faint earlier asked the elderly what was going on or who was right.


    ¡°Enough!¡± exclaimed Uilan. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking the heart of the forest back and I¡¯ll punish you more severely than ever!¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t before even with the help of the protectors. What¡¯s your chance now?¡±


    Uilan snorted and began preparing another spell. This time, he wasn¡¯t being stealthy about it. Soon the two of them went at each other as they shouted and argued back and forth during battle. After the first couple of exchanges, it was clear for the most experienced ones that the elder was probably going to lose.


    ¡°Man, what a mess this has been,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± sighed Liza. ¡°But we¡¯ll be out of it shortly. Eliot, could you grab some parchment and ink from my backpack, please?¡±


    ¡°Uh? Oh, sure,¡± replied the young man. For a while now, his mind seemed lost in thought and he was constantly being absentminded.


    Liza quickly wrote down some words on the parchment, folded it and stuck it to the great tree with an arrow. She then looked at the fight that was still ongoing and the spectators who were watching it while mesmerized.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Liza.


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying we should leave,¡± she continued.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± asked the redhead.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The group quietly gathered their belongings and sneaked out, unnoticed by everyone. The father and son duo continued with their battle. Spikes rose from the earth, roots entangled on one another and wind blades cut through the air with their whistling sound. In the end, however, Alluin¡¯s source of power was almost unlimited, while Uilan drained himself spell after spell. With the heart of the forest recovering and Uilan draining himself, the young elf could have finished the battle at any point, but he decided to stay passive and let his old man tire himself out. It was a way to let him vent so they could talk more calmly afterwards. He did regret his choice a bit after a while however, as the stubborn elder managed to last for a lot longer than he thought before finally collapsing from exhaustion.


    ¡°Why this is happening¡­ What did I do wrong?¡± asked Uilan as the blackness of unconsciousness took him.


    ¡°You know, father, I keep asking myself the same thing,¡± sighed Alluin.


    When the battle finished, the gathered elves couldn¡¯t help but murmur in anxiousness. Their fate and future were now more uncertain than it had ever been.


    ¡°Now that this is over, we can finally talk at leisure,¡± said Alluin as he turned back, only to find the figures he was looking for were nowhere to be seen. He panicked for a second before discovering an arrow letter that was pinned to the great tree. With trembling hands, he removed the arrow and unfolded the letter.


    I¡¯m sorry. If you feel like it, stay in the capital, Kalafrana, for a few years and we might meet again. Those were the only words on the parchment. After reading it, Alluin¡¯s heart clenched and he chuckled to himself. Is this her way of getting back at me?, he thought. For a moment he considered rushing after them, but thought better of it. If Liza left unnoticed first and he chased after her, she might get mad and bring about the worst outcome. Their relationship was as strained as it could be and he wouldn¡¯t risk damaging it out of recklessness.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    -


    After a couple hours, Liza and the others were finally out of the Duskwood. The journey back was mostly a silent one. Liza was reticent, Eliot was lost in thought and Boro was watching him with a worried eye. Ben and Fang Chu tried to make small talk a couple times, but the atmosphere was just too tense.


    ¡°Ah~, we¡¯re finally out of that place!¡± exclaimed Liza.


    ¡°Are you sure this was fine?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°The truth is that, from the start, I never knew what I wanted from this exactly. I only knew that I needed to see him and ask him a bunch of questions. Only then I could put this past me and move on. Now that I did it, I feel a lot better, especially after knowing me and mother weren¡¯t simply abandoned. However, at the same time, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready to receive him back in my life for now. I now know he wasn¡¯t entirely at fault, yet I still begrudge him. I need time. Time to sort out my feelings and think things through once more. Let him be the one to wait and wonder this time around.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯m glad it worked out for you,¡± said Fang Chu.


    ¡°Thank you, Fanu. And thanks everyone, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do this without you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. Like I told your father, it¡¯s you that is always helping me out. I¡¯m glad to be of assistance when I can,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Likewise,¡± said the redhead. ¡°You¡¯re my friend and you¡¯re always helping my pupil, so of course I¡¯ll have your back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Liza, don¡¯t fret over it. It¡¯s a dragon¡¯s job to help their friends,¡± said Boro, though he probably just made out that rule.


    They then all turned to Eliot, as they were expecting the young man to say something next. He still had his eyes clouded and seemed to not be paying attention to the conversation, so Ben quickly gave him some nudges with his elbow to prompt him out of his daze.


    ¡°Hey, guys, do you think I also have a father?¡± he asked innocently.


    The heart-warming atmosphere suddenly turned upside down, as they got struck by this simple, yet complex, question. Liza was the first to recover and she approached Eliot to caress his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you do, Eliot. One day your memory will return and you will remember who your father and mother are, where you lived and what happened to you. Then we can all go visit them together.¡±


    ¡°Right, about that, why don¡¯t we visit my home? Zahur medicine is the best in Flanac and scholars have studied and researched it for centuries. I¡¯m sure there must be some concoction that would bring back one¡¯s memory.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± asked Eliot eagerly.


    ¡°I¡¯m positive. We have an entire library dedicated only to medicine and herbs in my sect, and the old man who¡¯s responsible for the concoctions we use is at the top of his field. I¡¯m sure he could help. While we¡¯re there, we can also see how Ben does in the martial tournament. It¡¯s time to show those old fogies what my pupil can do!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea? I¡¯ve improved a lot, but to go against people that¡¯ve been training since they were six years old is kind of scary,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Be more confident in yourself! You¡¯ve been through my training and, though you complained a lot, you never quitted or ran away. Those you¡¯ll be facing are going to be the ones that ran away from my training, how could you possible lose?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then! I also want to know who Eliot¡¯s parents are!¡± exclaimed Boro.


    ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s go!¡± shouted Eliot who¡¯d recovered his cheerfulness.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine by me,¡± shrugged Liza.


    ¡°It¡¯s decided then! Let¡¯s go to Zahur! If we keep going east from here, we¡¯ll reach the Impregnable Mountains, then is just a matter of crossing over it and we¡¯re there,¡± said the redhead.


    ¡°Before that, we need to settle something though. Boro, how fast would you be able to travel if you flew by yourself?¡± asked Ben.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Three to four times faster than you walk, probably, maybe more depending on the terrain. Why are you asking?¡±


    ¡°I would like to ask you to deliver some letters to Lawrence back in Kalafrana. If we walked back it would take us a long time to circle the mountains again, but you can just fly over them and come back in no time at all.¡±


    ¡°What? You want to use me, a dragon, as an errand boy? Maybe I should make you piss yourself, like the first time we met!¡±


    ¡°I agree with Boro here. Why don¡¯t you just hire a courier to deliver it on the way?¡± asked Fang Chu.


    ¡°The contents are too important. I can¡¯t trust a courier to deliver it. Boro, like you were saying, remember when we first met?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you were trembling in fear and almost pissed yourself!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, but remember what I gave you?¡± asked Ben with a smirk. He was confident Boro would take the job without complaining.


    ¡°Yes! That sweet, sweet candy! I asked you for more, but you said you didn¡¯t have any. Were you lying?¡± the dragon eyed him furiously.


    ¡°Nope, I didn¡¯t have more. But the letter I want you to give Lawrence has the recipe to make that sweet. It¡¯s called chocolate and, as you can attest, it¡¯s the desert of gods! If I gave it to a courier, he might lose it, get attacked on the way or somehow damage its contents. However, if you decide to handle the letter yourself, by the time we¡¯re back from Zahur Lawrence will have many factories set up and you¡¯ll be able to eat as many chocolates as you like!¡±


    ¡°What? Give me this letter at once! I¡¯ll deliver it and be back in no time!¡±


    ¡°Easy there, I still need to write it. How about you, Liza? Want to write a letter to Otto? I¡¯m sure he would be happy to hear about you and Boro could deliver it on the way.¡±


    ¡°Not at the moment. My head is a mess right now. I¡¯ll send a normal courier to Tirin after I sort things out.¡±


    ¡°Stop offering my services like that! Just write the damn letter!¡±


    ¡°Right, right, chill out.¡±


    Ben wrote different variations of recipes he remembered, as well as a bunch of instructions and things of note for Lawrence to be mindful of regarding their business. If things proceeded as he thought in the future, the merchant would be in hot water soon. There was much to be cautious about. He sealed the letter with some candlewax and gave it to Boro. The dragon was about to set off immediately, but he managed to hold him down long enough for they to discuss where they would meet again.


    ¡°Done. Boro is off and he¡¯ll meet us before long,¡± said Ben.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the east! To Zahur!¡± exclaimed Eliot.


    ===


    End of book 1.

 A look back & update

    == Thank You! ==


    First and foremost, I¡¯d like to thank you all for reading Sanctuary. If it weren¡¯t for you guys, I would probably have given up somewhere along the way. A special shout out to DarkSpark, gary0044187 and the others who left comments every now and then. The site can show me the number of people who are reading, but it never feels real to me until I see a comment on the chapter page. That¡¯s when realization hits me and I feel funny inside, so thank you for your comments!


    == Looking Back ==


    I¡¯ve always enjoyed stories. It¡¯s basically at the core of everything I consume, be it books, comics, movies, tv series or games. The idea of creating my own stories did occur to me every now and then, but I always told myself ¡°I¡¯m not a writer¡± and feared whatever I put out wouldn¡¯t be worth other people¡¯s time.


    That started to change when I began to stumble upon some Japanese web novels which will not be named for various reasons. They were, in my opinion, very bad and made me want to facepalm most of the time. However, what fascinated me was that there were people translating it and thousand others reading it. It was then that I began to gain some confidence. Maybe I could do this after all. Whatever I write won¡¯t be as bad as these, surely¡­ at worst it will be at the same level.


    What pushed me over the edge was when I saw, a few years later, some of those same web novels I thought to be really bad were being published here in the west. Those works I thought to be terrible were becoming actual books. There were no more excuses I could make for not writing, if they could do it, so could I. So I finally decided to give this whole thing a shot.


    For my first work I wanted to change a lot of things that annoyed me about other stories, like:


    - The MCs always meet and get friendly lightning fast, generally through some warped logic. Therefore, I made Liza and Ben start at odds with each other and had them overcome some hurdles together before they could party up. The same could be said about the addition of Fang Chu. And if you are wondering about Rudi/Eliot following Liza, that¡¯s because she was a person, something that gave him a sense of familiarity and nostalgia after living isolated inside a forest for many years.


    - The summoned person from earth is always a cheat character who accepts being kidnaped to a strange world like it was no big deal and starts to kill monsters and people like it is normal. Yeah right, totally normal procedure for humans born and raised during our current age¡­ Thus, I made Ben a normal bloke who has no superpowers and takes his time to adapt to his new and unfamiliar situation. Plus, he hates the person who kidnapped him and doesn¡¯t work for him ¡°just because¡±.


    - Wuxia/xianxia novels always have retarded sense of scale and other absurd things. I mostly wanted to include an eastern like kingdom and their martial arts in a more reasonable way. That¡¯s how the whole thing with Fang Chu got started.


    - The author treats the readers like they are five years old, constantly reminding them who the characters are and what are their objectives. I just didn¡¯t. Though maybe I should have, at least to refresh people¡¯s memory every now and then. Perhaps then there wouldn¡¯t be people confused about what the story is about, but pacing probably has some guilty part in that too (more on it later).This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    - The author treats the readers like they are five years old (again) and explain everything, leaving no subtleness. In this I was just plain wrong. There¡¯s already misunderstanding when people talk face to face, if you¡¯re not clear with your written word it will fly over people¡¯s head 99% of the time. Though I still find it enjoyable to use in cases where the information is not vital. Did you get why Eliot, although much stronger than Liza, would listen to her in the early chapters when she made a harsh and stern voice? Or more recently, when Boro was interrogating Lazul, have you noticed how he starts to have fun when referring to the others as his servants, so he keeps adding a pejorative adjective each time?


    - It is always about good vs. evil and heroes vs. the demon lord. Therefore, I made my story about different individuals trying to accomplish their personal objectives. Liza wants to find her missing father, Eliot wants to recover his memory, Fang Chu is trying to not get forcefully married away and Ben wants to find a way back to Earth. Boro is a bit of a special case.


    The result is what you¡¯ve read. Maybe I should¡¯ve taken some of those ideas and worked on them in different stories, since they end up making Sanctuary an amalgamation of various clich¨¦d tropes. Well, it¡¯s too late to worry about that now. Putting those ideas into practice also made the pacing suffer a lot, since I wanted to give time for things to develop. This made the story slow and bored countless people, as can be seen from some comments and reviews. It also made people hate Ben¡¯s guts for the longest time and made them annoyed at Liza and her forceful ways at the beginning. All in all, not ideal if you want people to like your story and keep on reading.


    However, I still believe the plot I came up with to be good and maybe what left it wanting is my delivery and pacing. What this book 1 needs right now is polish. A lot of editing, writing and rewriting needs to be done before I could consider it a finished product. But wow, what a ride. More than 150 thousand words, a book of 619 pages according to RR. I never thought I had it in me to write this much.


    At least, that¡¯s how I see it. But now I want to hear your thoughts. What do you think about book 1? How did your feelings about the characters develop and change from the beginning till now? I¡¯d love to hear if you came to like a character you hated or vice-versa.


    == Update & Going Forward ==


    Now for the sad part: I don¡¯t think I can keep Sanctuary going for now. Writing can be fun, but, like anyone else, I would like to see the things I put my time and effort into succeed. To spend another year and half writing book 2 to a dwindling number of readers¡­ just thinking about it drains my motivation. I¡¯ve been feeling down for a while now, but I soldier on to finish book 1 and, now that it¡¯s done, I believe it¡¯s a natural place to stop.


    If you think I¡¯m being egotistical or whining, I can understand. I don¡¯t think is fair, but I understand, because I too get annoyed when a work I like gets axed or enters hiatus. I still hope to complete the story, since I have the entire plot points mapped out, but I¡¯ll work on it at my own leisure and it will be done anywhere between ¡°I don¡¯t know¡± and ¡°soon¡± by Valve time standards (which, for those who don¡¯t know, is not soon at all).


    For now, I want to focus on editing and rewriting book 1 and maybe send it to a publisher when I think it¡¯s good enough. Who knows what might happen? At the same time, I want to try and expand on a few ideas I had for other stories as I was writing Sanctuary. For those I¡¯ll try to not take it too seriously, so as not to drain me, otherwise there wouldn¡¯t be a point to stop updating Sanctuary. I¡¯ll probably release them here on RR after I manage to mass some chapters.


    That¡¯s all folks. Thanks once again for reading and I¡¯m sorry for leaving you guys hanging without the completion of Fang Chu, Ben and Eliot¡¯s story arches. But hey, keep following Sanctuary here on RR and maybe you¡¯ll receive an e-mail a few years later with tons of chapter notifications.


    See you and stay healthy,


    Norlum