46 Tartarus (Part 2.5)

Three people leisurely rode on their carriage, one was an adult man, a young man, and a young woman. The two children – the boy which was at the age of 16, and the girl at the age of 15 – were both excited almost to the point their patience was not enough to hold them.

"You two been smiling this whole time, what's up?"

The man who asked has yellow blonde hair and short beard, and brown eyes. He had an average body build with the skin color of light brown. He had a kind face that one would not easily think of him as hostile.

His name was Cludio Breminu. A father of two children.

"It's just I'm excited to reach the village, Father. I can finally see everyone after a long time."

The one who spoke was a young girl with yellow blonde hair and brown eyes. Her long hair was tied and fixed and she positioned it over her shoulder exposing her silky looking hair. She had a skin color of light brown. She wore simple clothing paired with her simple beauty. However, despite the simplicity, some described her appearance as somewhere between beautiful and adorable, perhaps she was both.

Her name was Ela Breminu.

"Is that so? What about you Cel? You're not all that friendly and hardly interact with the others, so what could you be smiling for?"

"O-ah, it's nothing!"

The one who replied in panic was a man with yellow blonde hair and brown eyes. His hair was short only reached his ears. He had the skin color of light brown. Like his younger sister, he had a simple look, however, he was still good looking, some maidens might see him as attractive.

His name was Cel Breminu.

"Really now? Hmmm… perhaps you're just excited to see her."

Ela teased him with an amused smile on her face.

"Y-Yeah right! I'm just excited we can finally sell more of our goods."

"Oh come on Cel. It's so obvious. Me, your little sister, could easily tell. Every time we go there you would gawk at her. Hihihi, you think I wouldn't notice?"

"Don't be absurd. I don't remember doing that."

"Of course, you won't. You were mesmerized, or rather, hypnotized by her beauty."

"Shut up!"

"Hahaha, alright that's enough you two."

All of a sudden Cludio heard something on their right flank, amidst the trees. He heard a little of something like bushes and leaves being swept aside and trampled. Then, a loud sound rang out in the middle of the forest, it sounded like something bludgeoned a tree. Shortly after that, a loud roar – no, it was precisely more like a cry.

It sounded like a deep voice, but it sounded like it was in pain, however, the cry only lasted for a couple of seconds. With it, the three was alerted.

"What was that!?"

Ela asked worriedly.

"Dammit, hang on everyone."

Cludio snapped his reins so the one pulling the carriage will run. Sadly, before it could run, a group of demi-humans came running on their way. Thus, Cludio had no choice but to stop.

"What the hell are they doing here!?"

Cel asked in panic and confusion.

As Cludio was about to turn the carriage in hopes to escape from the demi-humans, more demi-humans suddenly emerged from the forest on their right flank. When the demi-humans saw them, the demi-humans halted. However, there were several which halted right in front of their way.

"We're surrounded!"

Cel shouted.

As there was no way of escape, Cludio was left with no other choice. He took a sword behind him on the carriage and gave the reins to Cel. Having done that, he went down from the carriage and unsheathed his sword.

"The two of you, escape while I distract them!"

The two was left shocked in what their father uttered all of the sudden.

"What are you talking about father!? You're coming with us!"

Ela said as she was about to cry.

"Don't be stubborn and just go!"

"No father! I refuse to leave you behind!"

Cel said while intently looking at his father.

What troublesome children. Well, at least they grew up to be good.

Cludio thought.

"Listen, I've lost your mother, I don't want to lose you too. Go! You still have a bright future ahead of you."

"No! We don't want to lose you too father!"

Ela said.

"That's right! So stop making stupid decisions such as leaving your children behind!"

Those words of Cel struck Cludio so hard that he had come to a realization. Dying was no different than leaving his children behind. However, what other choice did he have? They were surrounded, no way they could get out without something to distract the demi-humans.

"It appears you require aid."

A new voice reached their ears. However, they were not familiar with it one bit.

Cludio was about to turn his head around to look at the source of the sound when an Ogre charged at him and was about to swing the club to him. The Ogre was a giant, so it was no need to say that its club would be large. Surely, he would die in one hit of that club.

He wanted to move and evade. However, he was no warrior nor was he ever trained for something like this. Also, the Ogre was moving in fast, and it was about to swing its club, so a normal person like him won't have a chance to evade.

In a split second, he saw the Ogre swung its club. In reflex he used his arms as a shield and closed his eyes, futile it may be, at least there was a slight chance he may survive if he did just that.

However, as he expected the hit of its club, he instead heard something like a piece of wood hitting something hard.

Puzzled, he took a peak first, and what he saw left him speechless and unconsciously held his breath. A large glowing circle in the color of gold was in front of him. On the other side, he saw the Ogre, and its hand was pushed back due to the impact.

"What disgusting creatures."

A woman's voice reached his ears, then almost at the same time, he saw a bright reflected light seemed to have crossed on the Ogre for a split second. Shortly after, blood seemed to have splattered from the Ogre.

It was cut in half diagonally and red blood gradually spilling out. Cludio was confused, he never saw someone slice down the ogre. There was another thing, he was also surprised, he had never seen nor heard someone cut down an ogre down in an instant. Then who was it which done that?

Then when the ogre's body fell to the ground, Cludio's eyes went wide. He saw someone in full plate armor in the color of white and gold. The armor's design was something he never saw before nor had he saw something alike. Not only that, but the armor was also impressively designed. Judging from the armor's figure, they could already see that the one in the armor was a female, a female warrior at that.

The warrior brandished her sword, Cludio's breath was taken away at bearing a sight of that beautiful sword. The sword had the color scheme the same as her armor. The sword had a magnificent form which could make one think it was a legendary sword.

Shortly the glowing circle before Cludio vanished.

"Who's that?"

Cel asked.

"N-No idea."

Ela answered.

"You."

The warrior in white armor pointed at Cludio.

"Stay with your companions to preserve your own life."

"Y-Yes!"

Cludio frantically went back to his children after that tyrannical voice gave him an order. Then the warrior rushed towards another ogre, just like before, it only took a blink for Cludio to see that the ogre had been cut down.

Amidst all that, for some reason, the rest of the demi-humans seemed to be as though running frantically away from the warrior however they still went towards the carriage and some are about to pass by.

"[Soaring Orbs]."

The warrior said some words, and from her hands came out glowing orbs of gold. There were precisely five of those orbs flying around, then the orbs flew towards the goblins in front of the carriage. As the orbs touched the goblins, it looked like the orbs went through inside their body, then it was followed by the squealing of goblins, then in a couple of seconds, they seemed to turn into ash – no, they did turn to ash.

Amidst all that, the rest of the demi-humans came running to the carriage, however, at first, it only seemed like it. The demi-humans seemed to be in a hurry or perhaps in panic. They frantically moved to the side to avoid the carriage which was in their way, due to that Cludio was a bit puzzled.

Why does it look like they were avoiding them?

In the middle of the ruckus, a lone goblin climbed up the carriage, perhaps in panic and it can't run through the others it decided to climb up. In alert and knowing it was a demi-human, Cludio climbed up the carriage and pointed his sword toward the goblin.

"Be at ease, they will not harm you one bit."

A gentle voice reached everyone's ear. It sounded like the first unknown voice they heard. Then something black engulfed the goblin, immediately it looked like it was pulled while it squealed.

Cludio and the children followed the goblin with their eyes. Then all of a sudden, it looked like it was crushed and red blood came bursting out of its body. The goblin looked like it was crushed from all direction.

"Too weak huh. It's no surprise I suppose. Not only that, they also look stupid."

Cludio and the others followed the voice, and far back they saw a man. He had his hand extended and closed his fingers into a fist. The man wore black clothing and his coat seemed to have glowing markings on it. He also wore a black mask with golden linings and marking, he also had a hood drawn upon his head so no way they could fully identify the man.

The man lowered his hand and turned to look at the fleeing demi-humans. He lifted his right foot and slightly moved it forward. With it, the ground appeared to have been frozen in the instant after he returned his feet to the ground.

Not only that, the frozen ground seemed to be moving – no, it was moving. The ice seemed to be moving in great speed towards where the demi-humans were. It only took for like a second for the frozen ground to reach their feet. Then in an instant, before Cludio and the children could manage to inhale, all the demi-humans were already frozen in place. From the looks of it, the ice which entrapped them was thick.

As they stared dumbfoundedly, they heard sounds of metal coming towards them. They looked to the side and they saw the warrior walking towards the man in black clothing. The three looked behind them and what they saw left them more dumbfounded than before. Their jaws dropped at what they witnessed.

The demi-humans were all dead. The ogres were all cut down in half, and a few of goblin's corpse was lying on the ground. There used to be more of them, but they vanished, or perhaps there was just nothing left of them.

Then they turned to look back at the two and they had positioned themselves beside the carriage.

"Greetings, I'm relieved that you are all alright."

The man spoke to them. His voice was gentle and sounded like he was truly and sincerely cared and worried for them.