Burn (Part-1)

"From ashes you rise, to ashes you return"

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"Liam!! Stop it please..." Elaina cried out...

...Luca quickly turned the momentum and dashed straight back at me for another strike. I launched toward Luca as well, going for an upward slash...

*A few hours ago*

"You look happy." I said as I crawled over to Luca's side at the reins.

"Do I?"

He did. Even though Luca didn't smile much, he had this satisfied glint in his eyes. "Yeah you do."

He shrugged. "Hmm. I guess I do then. I got to spend an evening with the legion. It was a good experience."

I yawned streching my arms, enjoying the cool early morning air. "I didn't know the Legion means so much to you. Want me to pull some strings and get you in? Perhaps join the 10th Arsenal."

Luca smiled hearing that. "Nah, I respect the Legion enough to not join them without earning it. I have a new role now, I am an adventurer. Besides there is no way I'll work under you, party member is all you'll get from me."

"Haha, alright as you wish. But hey, stick around with me and I am sure we'll have more such camping opportunities with the Legion."

He again had this slightly excited look on his face, but continued to suppress showing it openly. "That will be worth looking forward to."

Morning had just started to rise with the gentle light of dawn and a cool breeze as we rode back to our destination while the Legion's convoy slowly disappeared in the opposite direction on to their own mission. The others were still sleeping back in the caravan. Ren had his scarf pulled up over his face as he slept leaning on to the wall, whereas Sylvie was sleeping in her own spot hugging her bag tight as a body pillow. Elaina slept with a cold wet cloth over her eyes and using her bag as a pillow. I also noticed she lightly placed her hand on her dagger while she slept. Instinctive defense habit I guess. I could understand her, as even I have a habit of sleeping with my sword, but I guess it won't be necessary any longer considering my new sword Lightbreak's abilities.

Luca must have read my mind. "Sleeping with a weapon close is something many warriors do. Nothing unusual about it."

True. Though as I remember, Luca himself not only slept with his daggers, he would also be in a constant state of restlessness without them at any time of the day.

I looked back at everyone sleeping. "Want me to wake them up?"

"No, let them sleep. All they'll do is talk a lot and annoy me early in the morning. In fact if you are gonna yawn so much, you should go back to taking a nap as well."

I realised while yawning again that I have been yawning unknowingly since I woke up. "Oh yeah, I guess. I came up to see if you wanted me to take over the reins for a while?"

"Hmph, with you like this? Nah I'll handle it. You'll get the horses sleepy too. Sheesh, you all are getting influenced by Ren too quickly. Who told you to stay awake till long past midnight? And now you wake up with less than 2 hours of sleep. Go hit the sack, let me enjoy my morning peace. This is why I went to sleep early."

"Alright, alright I'll go." I crawled back to my spot and instantly dropped asleep.

.

.

.

"Sylvie can you wake up the guys?"

"Okie"

"Liam? It's lunch time. Wake up Liam." I could hear Sylvie gently trying to wake me up.

I slowly opened my eyes, reluctantly waking up. As I slowly got to my senses, I realised it was really well and proper noon, and my stomach grumbled with hunger.

Sylvie went over to wake up Ren next as I groggily got off the caravan, grabbing my water bag and washing my face under the shade of a tree.

"Eeeeep! Elaina, help meee!" Sylvie called out. I looked back to see what happened. Sylvie had been caught by Ren who was now hugging her like a body pillow as she tried to wiggle out of his grip. He himself was still deep in sleep.

Elaina shook her head with a sigh and splashed water on Ren face. Ren didn't wake up but he did loosen his grip freeing Sylvie and turned over to the other side, grunting in his sleep.

"Let him sleep some more, we'll wake him when lunch is ready." Elaina said as she returned to the food preparation.

"You are gonna end up spoiling him too much." Luca said as he appeared from around the caravan.

"Luca and Liam can you get some fire wood? Sylvie come help me with the food preparation."

"Coming!" Sylvie went over to Elaina as I slowly dragged my feet following Luca, I still felt sleepy, the weather was just too pleasant.

Neither my sword nor Luca's knife are much suited for collecting wood, but with the use of magic we somehow managed. I guess this will also be a skill worth learning.

We returned with arms stacked with firewood to find Elaina and Sylvie had already prepared our lunch.

Ren still refused to wake up. "Call me when y'all fight." he said half mumbling and went back to sleep again.

So Sylvie packed a sandwich for him saying that she will definitely make him eat it later.

Just as the sun started to set, we approached our destination at a steady slow pace. The idea was simple. We'll stay overnight at the village, gather on-ground intel from the villagers, understand their problems and guard the forest-side in turns incase of another nighttime disruption. In the morning we'll all set for some good and easy goblin hunting.

"Something's wrong." All of a sudden Ren was awake, leaning in beside Luca, staring at the village ahead.

And indeed, soon even I noticed.

While we understand the goblin disturbance is concerning by itself, still I didn't expect what we started to notice as we closed in on Bien Village.

The village seemed deserted at an initial glance, but it wasn't really so. People were hiding in their homes, afraid to step out or even open their windows.

As the wheels of our caravan started rolling on to the seemingly deserted paths of the village, people started to step out. Slowly and carefully. It wasn't hope or curiosity that moved them. All I could see in their eyes was a dead expression of despair.

A frail old man wearing a torn and worn out brown cloak walked over to our caravan slowly and approached us pleading with his hands joined.

"Oh lord adventurers, please save our children..."