In the Hardest Way

[Location: Town of Navia - Kingdom of Tevell]

[7 days have passed]

The next morning I felt sore from yesterday's training, I think it was lucky that healing potions can ease the pain but the taste was still horrible and I was already running out, after getting ready I felt someone knocking on the door.

-Celes: My Lord, are you ready for today?

-Zyrus: I'm coming.

I went out the door and we went to have breakfast, I told Celes about my discomfort, she just smiled and mentioned that it was part of the training, that it would help me bear the pain in battles, we went downstairs and saw the innkeeper cleaning the entrance.

-Myrna: Oh! good morning!

We greeted the innkeeper who was already in that high spirits that she always had from early on, I felt bad about my reaction last night, my exhaustion, I didn't feel like chatting for a long time.

-Zyrus: About last night, I'm sorry for the way I behaved..

-Myrna: It's okay, don't worry about that.

We assured her another night at the inn and we said goodbye to her, we went to the restaurant for breakfast and then we went to the usual place for the first session of the day.

-Celes: Well, I hope you feel prepared My Lord, we will repeat the same training as yesterday morning and later in the afternoon we will practice your combat movements.

"Maybe I'm just imagining it but I can feel that Celes is hiding something from me, she didn't have the same imposing presence as yesterday when training, but I won't bother her with that now, I'll ask her at halftime"

As she said, we repeated the same training, stretching, wooden sword training and then meditation and I wanted to add some squats and push-ups

to strengthen my arms and legs more. But just as I thought, Celes lacked that strength from yesterday, there was no doubt, something had her mind distracted, after finishing the morning training we returned to the town to rest and have lunch, and once in the restaurant I decided to talk to her about two important points.

-Zyrus: Celes, you're hiding something from me and don't tell me no, today you were a little distracted in training.

-Celes: Huh? no... i just...

I took Celes's hand and looked at her somewhat discouraged.

-Zyrus: If something bothers you just tell me, you know you can trust me.

She sighed and it took her a few moments to collect her thoughts and give me an answer.

-Celes: It's about yesterday, when that incident with the little wolf girl happened.

-Zyrus: Oh...yeah, I remember, don't tell me you still feel bad for not being able to help her.

-Celes: It's not that, that's because it was my fault that girl almost died.

-Zyrus: Huh? I don't understand you, how did you have something to do with what happened yesterday?

She looked at me and told me what happened the day we arrived to the town, when she went to register as a Hunter.

-Zyrus: I see, wait! Does it mean that the reason why that huge guy was in a bad mood and the other two were hurt, was because of you?

She nodded almost feeling guilty, now I understood why she was so distracted, she felt guilty for what happened to that little wolf girl, that if Shawn and his group had not intervened, she would have died and that death would be on the conscience. Celes, now I was the one who felt bad for having stopped her.

-Zyrus: So I think we should thank Shawn and his group the next time we see them, just don't think about what could have happened if not how it all ended.

Still with a stricken face, she forced a smile and nodded, I knew it would take time for her to get rid of that guilt, but it was better that way, thinking about "what if?" It would only end up tormenting her more, now all that remained was to discuss the other important matter.

-Zyrus: Celes, there's another important point we need to talk about.

-Celes: Another important point My Lord?

-Zyrus: That's right and this is certainly more serious than anything else.

Hearing me say that, I noticed how his face showed concern while he swallowed in fear, there was no doubt that this was without a doubt the most serious situation we were in.

-Zyrus: Celes.....I hate to say this....but...we ran out of money....

-Celes: Guuhh!

-Zyrus: That's right, after paying for lunch, we will have less than 10 silver coins left, so we must do something about it.

-Celes: There is no doubt that we are in a desperate situation.

We were silent thinking about a solution to our dilemma, there was no doubt that I made the mistake of not planning our expenses better, I was so convinced of the large amount of money that we still had that I did not stop to think about all the expenses that we did, the new equipment, the stay at the inn, the daily meals, I was very careless on that point and now because of that I put us in a very delicate situation.

-Celes: I could take a hunt from the boards and earn money.

-Zyrus: I thought the same thing, but on the way I saw the Town Hall board and it was almost empty, the other hunters would have already finished those hunts.

-Celes: then.....I would only have to do some Jobs but....

-Zyrus: Yes, the board is also empty, we are in a monetary problem.

While we were racking our heads thinking about how to get out of this problem, behind us we heard a familiar voice.

-????: Oh! I knew I would find them here.

We turned to see who spoke to us and it turned out to be Liz, the blacksmith's apprentice.

-Zyrus: Liz? What are you doing here?

-Liz: I was looking for you, it turns out that we have a problem.

She sat with us at the table with a very worried face, as if something serious had happened.

-Liz: You see, a shipment of materials that came from the City of Andacia should have arrived two days ago from an old friend of my Master's but we haven't had any sign of him and the guards haven't seen anything either.

-Celes: I see and you are worried that something could happen to him on the way.

-Liz: That's right, I was thinking of putting a Job on the board but my Master told me it was better to seek your help.

-Zyrus: Our help? Why us?

-Liz: My Master is very worried about his friend since he is someone he has known for almost all his life and he wants someone who is capable of dealing with anything to take care of it, for some reason he trusts Celes' abilities more than anyone another Hunter of this town.

-Zyrus: There is no doubt that Celes' abilities are incredible but he never saw her fight, how does he know about her abilities then?

-Liz: My Master has been a blacksmith almost all of his life and that has given him a good eye to distinguish and recognize someone's skills just by seeing him once.

-Zyrus: I see, that explains how he found out about Celes' abilities the time we met him, but right now...

-Liz: Of course, we will also pay you for that, do not doubt.

-Zyrus: We accept the job!

I almost instantly accepted the job that Liz was not asking for, if it was just finding the driver and his lost wagon, it was something we could do without problems, I looked at Celes who, after being surprised by my answer, looked at me and nodded.

-Liz: I really appreciate it, I'll go back to the store to tell my Master and good luck.

After that, we finished paying for our lunch, left the restaurant and got ready for our first Job.

-Zyrus: Very good Celes, time to earn our pay, given our situation we can postpone the training until we finish the job, do you agree?

-Celes: It would be good for you to train on the road, we don't know at what point the shipment was lost so we will take advantage of the breaks on the road for you to train.

-Zyrus: Strict even at work, huh? I'm glad that Celes came back, well, according to the map, the City of Andacia is to the northeast of here, so let's get going.

-Celes: I'm in charge of your training, so I can't let you neglect yourself at any time, less on your second day.

I was glad that Celes had recovered her spirits so we didn't set off in the direction of the northeast of the Town of Navia.

"I'm glad to see Celes happy again, there is no doubt that what happened yesterday affected her"

Every 2 hours we stopped to rest and we trained with the wooden swords a bit, Celes suggested that we should have practice matches to improve my reactions and movements, I still had to know how to face the pressure of a fight so she, as always, did not hold back. and for that he received several blows.

"Shit, she doesn't hold back again, at this rate I don't think I'll live for another day"

After several hours of walking and training, we arrived at what seemed to be a clue to our lost driver.

-Celes: Look, my Lord, tracks of a cart that deviated into the forest.

-Zyrus: It seems that way and seeing the state of the road to the forest that he took, this did not happen long ago, it may have been attacked on the way, come on Celes.

-Celes: Yes!

We continued to the left of the road and followed the trace left by the cart as it passed here, but after a few minutes the trace disappeared in front of a tree where the cart surely impacted, only a few pieces of wood remained on the ground, but no trace. of the wagon nor of the driver.

-Zyrus: How strange, the trace ends here but there is neither cart nor driver.

-Celes: No sign of the cargo or its attackers either, this is very strange.

-Zyrus: Let's investigate the area, maybe we find something that tells us what happened here.

So we started looking for something that would indicate where the driver could have gone, we looked for anything, something that would guide us to the driver but nothing, after a few minutes I thought I had seen something strange deeper in the forest, I tried to not separate myself so much from Celes but if it was a clue I had to see what it was but what I found was something I never expected to see in my life.

-Zyrus: AAAAHHHHH!!!!

-Celes: My Lord!!!

After shouting, Celes rushed to where I was, but I was paralyzed by the scene I was witnessing and as soon as Celes arrived and saw that scene, she couldn't help but become paralyzed with fear as well.

-Celes: Bu...But what is this.....

Between the trees there was a small clearing where the sunlight clearly illuminated the place and there they were, what once were a promising group of Hunters, now their bodies were inert on the ground. The body of two girls whose clothes were torn and many wounds on their bodies and a young man whose body leaning against a tree covered in cuts, his face full of wounds and a bloodstain surrounding him, there was no doubt, they were the group of Shawn who we just met last night.

-Celes: Bu...But what happened here?

I was not able to form a single word, I was completely shocked by the scene I was seeing, Celes got closer to see what had happened to them, but then...

-Celes: AAAAHHHH!!

Her scream made me react and I saw her looking behind a tree trembling with fear so I ran towards her and what I saw was another horrible scene, the same little wolf girl from yesterday, just like the other two girls, her only garment torn and multiple wounds on her body, Celes was in tears when she saw that poor girl, I tried to tell her something but the words didn't come out.

-????: Well, well, this can be called good luck.

A man's voice was heard coming from the opposite side of where we were, we both turned to look and a huge guy appeared among the trees carrying his ax on his right shoulder and on his left dragging the body of an older man with a wound on his head, but he wasn't dead, just unconscious, there was no doubt, it was Boldor and next to him several dangerous looking guys appeared.

-Boldor: We heard a scream and I thought I would have to get rid of another witness but this is definitely unexpected hahaha!

-????: Stop wasting time, you big oaf and finish the job.

Behind Boldor appeared that man with long black hair and mustache, he was the owner of that little wolf girl.

-Boldor: Sorry boss, I just finally found that damn woman who made fun of us the other day hehe.

The huge guy looked at Celes as he dropped the older man's body and took a few steps forward.

-Boldor: Do you remember me, bitch? I had been looking for you to pay you for what you did to me and my boys.

Celes wiped away her tears and quickly regained her composure, drawing her sword and glaring aggressively at the group in front of us.

-Celes: Bastards! you all did this to them!?

-Egocentric Man: By my order, yes.

-Celes: What!? why!? what did they do to you?

-Egocentric Man: What did they do to me? Well, they meddled in my plans of course.

That man caressed his mustache while he saw Celes with a relaxed face as if the horrible scene was not there.

-Celes: And the girl, why did she have to die too?

-Egocentric Man: I had hired this hunter and his thugs to cause the incident in the town. At the moment of bumping into us, he will collide with the girl and then he will accuse her of trying to steal from him, that way everyone in the town will see how despicable and annoying non-human races are and that we should get rid of them as soon as possible.

-Celes: Aagghh..!

-Boldor: But that group of do-gooders had to interrupt our plan by stopping me, of course the boss wasn't happy at all.

-Egocentric Man: Exactly, that's why they all had to be punished, I sent a false request to that specific group and lured them to this place and so it was checkmate.

-Celes: Bu...But...and she...?

-Egocentric Man: The girl witnessed the punishment despite my order to wait outside the forest, so she also had to be punished, to my bad luck that cart driver saw us and well, he still lives but not for long.

Without losing that calm expression on his face, the man looked at the unconscious driver, implying that he too would die.

-Egocentric Man: And to make my bad luck worse, you appeared so you should suffer the same fate, a pity.

-Celes: Why?...why do all this just to spread hatred towards non-human races?

The fear that she felt at first slowly turned to anger as the man with the mustache revealed his entire plan.

-Egocentric Man: Why, you ask, oh my girl, all this is so that more people understand and accept that the teachings of the Holy Church of Divinity is the only and best way to live, of course.

-Celes: The Church?

-Egocentric Man: I'm tired of talking, Boldor, finish the job once and as I told you, don't leave witnesses.

-Boldor: It would be a pleasure boss ahahaha!

Boldor and his minions prepared to attack at the same time that Celes also prepared, but I was still shocked, I couldn't move because of the terror and this feeling of pain that is inside me.

-Boldor: This time we are prepared, your damn bitch, you will pay dearly for what you did.

-Celes: All of you will pay for what you did!!.

Celes launched herself to attack Boldor and his minions with all her might, but at that moment I felt someone grab my arms.

-????: Oops, look what we caught!

-Celes: Huh!?

The two guys we saw with Boldor in the incident had sneaked up behind us and grabbed both of my arms, although in the state I was in I didn't put up any resistance either.

-Scoundrel with Knife: We caught a small helpless child hyahaha!

-Bootlicker Mage: A helpless child shouldn't wander in the forest hehehe.

-Celes: My...My Lord!!

-Scoundrel with Knife: "My Lord"? do you really serve this brat? Hyahahaha!

She tried to go back to save me but the moment she took a step the guy on my right put a knife near my neck.

-Scoundrel with Knife: Be careful, unless you want to see the blood of your "Lord" scattered on the ground.

-Celes: Ggrr..!!

She was tied up in the hostage dilemma, if she fought they would kill me but if not, we would both die and Celes was aware of that but her duty as a Knight prevented her from doing anything that would put my life in danger.

-Boldor: I told you that this time we were prepared, bitch!!!

Boldor, who had approached from behind Celes, proposed a kick with her right leg to Celes's head, sending her flying to the ground almost close to the girls' body.

-Celes: AAARRGGHH!!

She stayed on the ground for a few moments and raised her head to see how the huge guy was approaching her.

-Boldor Ahhh, I'm going to enjoy this just like I did with those two girls hehehe.

Meanwhile I was not aware of what was happening, my mind was still focused on the scene of that group that just last night laughed and playfully mocked their leader, a scene that at first made me feel nostalgic but now the same group was in front of me, their bodies lifeless.

"Why? Why is this happening?"

At that moment I felt like this image was overwritten with another very similar one but with a more blurred image, I wasn't sure what it was but I saw bloody bodies of people I didn't know in front of me lifeless, I observed my hands that were also stained with blood and in the background I could see a large crowd, I couldn't recognize anything but I felt pain.

"Aagghh! It hurts, my chest hurts! Like someone is stabbing something big through it!"

I don't know what happened next, my senses began to fade, my mind was lost in a dense fog and my conscience was extinguished, the last thing I remember was hearing a scream.

-Zyrus: UUUUUAAAHHHHHH!!!!

-Celes: My Lord!?

-Boldor: What that hell!?

-Egocentric Man: What...What is that!?

-Scoundrel with Knife: Hyaaa!!!

-Bootlicker Mage: Ahhhh!!!