Chapter 07: Giving Chace to the Unknown

With nowhere to turn to, in an area unknown to them Geo has to find a way to shake of those who were lurking in the shadows. Strong enough to eliminate their targets and skilled enough to not give away signs of their presence, Geo stood there with its mouth full of teeth. Were they targeting him? Did they see he wasn't alone?

And... if so, why did they only strike at his enemies? Geo looked around, hoping to find anything... Clues to those who he knew were still there, watching them from the shadows.

On the ground around the goblin, Geo graced and examined the dirt underneath the creature, which had become drenched by its blood.

Looking at the creature's head, its eyes had rolled back into its skull which only revealed,

veinless white eyeballs. Blood was dripping from its temples as well as its eyes.

Truly a sight which could turn many men's stomach.

Without making a move, several minutes passed, not a single sound was made.

Without any signs of life, Geo presumed the unknown assailant had not been sent to take care of them.

Quickly Geo turned towards the shelter, checking if Hikari was okay,

but lifting the protective layer revealed that she was still unconscious.

"She must have slept through the whole thing..."

Geo released she was still where he had left her, pulled up its shoulders. And shrugged its head left and right.

"Sleeping so peacefully, without a care in the world... I wish I could be her right now."

Slowly Geo walked towards the some covered in roots, he then proceeded to gently put his hands on the ground beside the dome. Doing so slowly reverted the dome into nature,

almost like he could turn back time, itself.

"The party who appeared to have been targeting you seems to have left."

Geo said relieved everything was finally over. But when everything had reverted to nature,

and Geo looked in the pit he had created to protect her. Inside, there appeared to be nothing.

"Nothing... wait... didn't I leave her right here?"

Geo thought he was mistaken and looked around the place where the dome had been located. What he soon realized was something that had not crossed his mind before.

"They took her... no... NO! So they had the same objective all along!! Think Geo! Think! What did the goblin say?"

Geo began to summarise what had been saying before the disgusting green bastard had been killed.

"What could it have been he wasn't allowed to share with me? The objective was obvious the both were targeting Hikari? But why?!"

Those bastards who were behind the ambush Michael mentioned, might this be related?

Baath got shot just before he was about to tell me about the contractor's objective, or... that's what I think... can't be too certain about it..."

Geo thought hard, but since he wasn't sure frustration began to take over. Unable to protect the important companion of his one true friend, he screamed over the top of his lungs.

As he finally calmed down, he began to think rationally and followed the impulse to find the nearest town. He blamed himself for not being able to protect her but knew he shouldn't lose sight of what was important. Finding a way to rescue her.

And where better to find information about her whereabouts than the nearest town?

Looking around, he knew following the river upstream should help him find the area, but before heading off he wanted to be certain that he had not left behind any possible clues.

As Geo thought about the trajectory, quickly he found the tree from which the arrow had been shot from. Looking closely at the ground surrounding the willow tree, he could see fresh leaves,

knowing the autumn season wasn't close. This must have been a sign of movement from above.

Geo stayed low to the ground in search for more similar clues, what he found were small twigs, even branches which led him further away from the area.

He knew if he would follow the trail that chances were that he would find whoever was responsible for the attack from the shadows and the kidnapping of Hikari.

Quickly but silently Geo followed the trail of leaves, twigs, and dirt when he realized there were better ways to trail someone.

If he remembered correctly back when he first arrived at Sharoo, someone from the guild approached him, as the person resonated with his elemental affinities.

The person was a professional hunter and told him about the basics of hunting. Such as reading trails, feeling essence around oneself, and even thinking like the prey they wanted to catch.

In doing so it should become more effective and proven efficient enough to work.

As Geo remembered he quickly jumped into the tree above him. As he concealed his presence and calmed down his heartbeat, again he looked around. But this time, what he was looking for was not the same, this time he asked himself.

"What would they do, what was their objective? And where would they go if they succeeded?"

In doing so he began to think, visualize and act in a way he remembered the unknown enemy to act. This in turn let him visualize a path of action to follow. Soon after he opened his eyes.

Although the clues were almost non-existent, Like on the ground now they had become visible.

With the clues Geo had found on the ground he calculated which way the unknown enemy might have gone to.

As he followed the path, soon he found the edge of the forest, once there he could see an open field. No town to be seen, but instead a small house on the other side of the horizon.

This was where the trail ended... with nothing more to go on Geo worried if this was where he needed to be.

The sun began to set, it became apparent that someone was inside,

inside the lights were on and even smoke was coming out of the chimney.

Geo decided to approach with caution, slowly closing in on the building.

As he now was crossing the open field, there was nothing to hide behind if...

Someone would decide to come out.

Not to mention if wild animals would decide to attack they could do so from all directions,

but instead... The weather was cool, a small breeze crossed the fields and there was no one to be found.

Now almost next to the building Geo could hear voices coming from inside.

But he recognized none of them. Jolly laughter, singing, and glasses crashing against one another. Almost like a barn, or a tavern. Still... he had to find out if they had stopped here for the night so he walked up to the window.

What he saw was a band of dwarfs who were partying hard, without a care in the world.

A total of 4 and someone sat at the head of the table. Geo presumed that the one sitting there must have been the leader. Geo decided to walk up to the door and ask for help,

for all he knew, they might have seen something, right? Then again...

They could be henchmen sent to hold me back.

"Well... no point in worrying."

Geo walked up to the front porch and knocked on the door.

Suddenly the jolly partying noises stopped.

Geo heard someone walk up to the door. Suddenly a small part in the middle slit open.

A small man was looking at him. The lit got shut and the door opened slowly. In the opening a small bearded man was standing, he had red cheeks and was holding a huge pine in his right hand. Their eyes met for a moment when the dwarf yelled in confusion to the others.

"Oiii!!! Who might this young one be?!"

The others looked in anticipation as the dwarf turned to Geo.

"I'm a long way from home sir! I heard you enjoy a party, might there be room for one more?"

The majestic bearded dwarf looked at the others and suddenly shot out in laughter.

"Yohohoho! Of course!! The more the merrier I always say!! Quickly grab a pint or two and join the other, maybe you could make yourself useful and get some for the others too!!"

The dwarf said laughing as he chucked down the pint left in his hand, before letting Geo in.

*Buuuurrrrpp*

Geo couldn't believe what he saw, the dwarf had chucked the huge pond in one go!

"I see! Do you wish to challenge me?! You're on!!"

Geo walked inside, went to the bar, and ordered a few pints to join the party.

He held them up with pride, slammed them on the table, and joined the others.

Quickly Geo sat down next to the others, and shoved a pint to each of them.

Silence fell... And before Geo could inform them,

the lot of them crashed the pints together and quickly resumed the party.

Jolliness returned to the barn as they party to deep into the night, the group got fond of Geo as he was welcomed by the lot of them.