Returning to Village, Plans for Future
Before Sam could leave the battle arena, he spotted the dead body of Mankirk that a cave behind him.
"Could it be?"
Sam walked into the cave, holding his sword and remaining cautious in case he gets a surprise attack.
Soon, he spots a bunch of people chained to a stone and all looking malnourished and beaten.
"You guys alive?!"
"…"
Silence.
Sam walked up to one of the bodies and ran his finger on the person's nose and mouth, seeing that they are breathing well.
'One is alive, how about the rest…'
He continued to check if everyone is breathing, which he confirms is correct.
'Let us head back and get some people to collect them.'
Sam quickly broke the chains and walked out of the cave and rushed back towards the village where his soldiers were.
-
"Lord! Are you okay?!"
The militia who took out the rest of the bandits saw Sam walk out of the forest with a smile on their faces.
"I killed him, his body is on the ground in the forest. Go there, cut off his head, and take it as a trophy and a means to prove the bounty we will collect in the future" Sam who saw Dale tapped his shoulder.
"Another thing, I've spotted a few chained-up prisoners in the camp. Go with some people and get them."
"Could it be?" Dale looked stunned before nodding and rushing towards a group of people nearby and commanding them to follow him to get the prisoners and the head of Mankirk.
Sam who saw the scared villagers in the distance then walked towards them. They began hugging each other in fright, but Sam raised his hands showing he isn't going to harm them.
"I am Sam, a leader of another village not far from here. We are rebuilding ourselves after the bandits attacked our land, and we have enough space to accommodate you. We want everyone for everything, workers aren't discriminated against. Your children will be fed, and so will you. If you do not wish to come with us, you may leave and not travel with us when we return back."
Sam bows before walking off to meet with his soldiers to make sure they are okay. The scared villagers who heard Sam's introduction then began discussing with one another, figuring out what to do with their future now that their home is gone.
-
Meanwhile, Dale and a group he quickly made rushed towards where Mankirk's body was resting and soon saw the dead bandit leader.
"He really killed him…"
One of the people in the group was shocked and knelt on the ground and shed a tear.
"Mother… you are avenged!"
Dale who saw the guy kneel didn't bother him as he understood how he felt.
He then took out his sword and gave it to the person who was kneeling.
"Cut Mankirk's head off. Lord's order."
"I will gladly do so, thank you… thank you!" With excitement, the kneeling man took the sword and began chopping at Mankirk's neck like it was a lumberjack cutting down wood.
Dale who saw the man doing work then turned his head towards the cave, where Sam said there were prisoners in it.
"Cave is there, let us head there!" Dale pointed to the cave and rushed into it, not wasting time.
Soon, he spotted a few bodies laying on the ground unconscious.
"Aaron?"
Dale who recognized one of the bodies quickly picked him up and instructed the others to do the same and rush back to the village.
"I got the head!"
"Good, let's head back and quickly nurse these prisoners back to health!"
Dale not wasting time quickly ran back to the village, alongside the others who were carrying a person each.
Dale returns moments later, and Sam quickly welcomed him and told him to give the prisoners to others who will return back to Mendo Village.
"I'll go with them?"
"Hm?" Sam saw that Dale was carrying someone and understood what he meant.
"Your friend that was missing?"
"Yeah, I didn't see the other one so it's safe to assume that…"
"*sigh* I understand, I'll see you when I arrive at Mendo Village."
Dale nods and walks away. Sam turned his head and saw that Ramon was standing around doing nothing.
"Hey Ramon, begin gathering the men. Best we head back and spread the news about our victory."
"Yes sir!"
After a long while, the militia all gathered around Sam and began preparing to travel back to the village. The villagers who were discussing amongst themselves all went silent, and Sam realizing this went towards their location and saw a young woman the same age as him walking towards Sam.
"A few of our villagers left, they think it is best they try their luck near the kingdom. The rest of us want to join you since you saved our lives and we have nowhere to go."
"You are welcome to join, we have homes already set up although it isn't the best soon it will be. Get your stuff, we begin traveling very soon."
The woman who saw Sam being extremely welcoming smiled before rushing back to the villagers who were staring at the both of them from afar.
After everyone packed, they all began their march back to the village to share the good news and return home afterward.
"Auntie Sylvie! They are back!" One of the villagers who was tasked as a lookout screamed as soon as he saw Sam's group walking toward their village.
Soon, everyone began to rush out to the entrance of the village screaming in celebration as Sam raised his arm in the sky signaling that they did it.
"Welcome back Sam!" Sylvie walked up to Sam who arrived with a massive grin on her face.
"I did it, so you are all safe. Did Dale and others arrive?"
"Yes he did, he seemed anxious and we are lucky that our herb gatherer understood basic medicine, or else your friends would have died from those injuries."
"Thank you, we have some things to discuss now that the bandit situation is handled."
"Yes, we do, come with me to my office." Sylvie and Sam begin walking towards the office, while the rest of the militia begin celebrating, knowing that they have avenged their loved ones that were lost due to the bandits.
-
"Take a seat! Did you suffer any casualties?"
Sam sat on the seat slowly, "None, the bandits were raiding a village and we caught them by surprise. Mankirk was relatively close by, but I faced him alone and killed him before he could terrorize my allies."
Sylvie chuckles and looks at Sam's arm which now had a bunch of scars and burnt marks covering it.
"Mankirk did that?"
"Yeah, he had an enchanted axe funny enough. Did you know that or is that news to you?"
"That's… very big news actually. Could that be the reason why the kingdom couldn't deal with the Orc as fast as it does to other bandit crews?"
"Probably, he was green in terms of combat meaning he didn't earn that weapon from anyone."
"Oh? And you seem experienced in combat?" Sylvie picked up Sam's meaning, and Sam stared while staying silent.
She chuckles and continues on with the conversation, "I saw you had the head of Mankirk with you, you want to claim the bounty?"
"Yeah, but I will be busy focusing on my village for the next few months. Wondering if you could take the bounty in my stead, with me giving you some of the rewards for the help."
"Oh? You sure?"
"Yeah, I don't really care for the rewards. But you need to make sure my name is mentioned when you get the reward."
"Oh? Any reason why?"
Sam doesn't say a word and instead shrugs his shoulder before slowly getting up from his seat.
"Do you want to take the head or not?"
"I will, gold is gold to me. Listen, kid, whatever you need, Mendo Village will be at your side. Unless you do something stupid that is."
Sam laughs, "Just remember to speak to that merchant when you meet him in the near future. Introduce me to him and get someone to take him to my village. Be seeing you, Village Leader Sylvie!"
"Hope you stay well, Village Leader Sam!"
Sam then walks out of the office and begins heading toward Dale's location.
Dale, sitting next to a small bed where his friend lays is silent.
"Bad time for me to check up on you?" Sam knocks on the door, and Dale who was deep in thought suddenly jumps from his seat but realizes it was Sam.
"No, come in Lord." Dale sighs in relief and slowly sits back down on his seat while staring at his friend Aaron.
"His kid is currently in our village… He lost his wife due to the bandit raid and he looked devastated, but for his kid, he stayed silent and fought on. I look up to him, so seeing him so defeated and broken like this, I feel like I am the one to be blamed."
"Why?" Sam questioned.
"I should have gone in his stead, rather than allow the two men to fall into the bandits' trap and get captured. It should be me dead, and the other two fine and with their kids."
Sam shakes his head, "If Aaron could hear what you said, he would beat you up and say you are wrong."
Dale takes a deep breath, "Probably, but still. I will always have that feeling in me. Anything you need of me, Lord?"
"We are heading back to the village soon, but it looks like you want to stay until Aaron is fit. We will head back, just return when you can."
"Thank you."
Sam walked out of the room and began preparing the men to head back to the village.
**
A few days later, Sam returned to the village and is soon greeted by Old Man Jim who looked extremely happy.
"Lord! You have returned, which means?"
"Yes, we killed the bandits. Be at ease, everyone's loved ones are now avenged."
"Oh Lord, you are our chosen one, thank you!" Old Man Jim with his frail body gave Sam a massive hug before running off and spreading the news about Sam's victory.
Soon, cheers began to be heard in the village. Many stopped their work and rushed towards the returning group.
"WELCOME BACK!"
"YOU DID IT!"
"MOTHER… YOU HAVE BEEN AVENGED!"
Loud cries and laughter filled the air, and many began dancing around the village with some taking out instruments that were saved from the previous attack and started playing music.
Sam watched from the distance as his people began celebrating, and knew that this was just the beginning. From here on, he would be planning his ascension from being a village lord to a much bigger figure.
His plan is to first make a name for himself with the kingdom and eventually get a title. With a title, he would be able to expand his village without the kingdom being suspicious.
'Let's stay here for a few days and then return back to Earth, I think my rent is due soon.'
-
The next day, Sam woke up and began walking around the village making sure that production is still going on.
"Here is the report since you were away. The lumberjacks have cut down a huge amount of land and are now flattening it for future buildings. The farm has grown extremely fast, with the crops now showing from the soil meaning we would see results in the coming months. Hunters who were tasked by me to get some meat from the forest found Horses a few days ago and began herding them to our village. Stables are right now being currently built and we shall have a horse farm up and running."
Sam listened and nodded his head without saying a word.
"You have done amazing. The extra land we got can be used as an apothecary station. We need herb gatherers and medics in our village as soon as possible. Also, have you settled in the new villagers?"
"Yes, Lord! The houses are now packed with new people, and they have all met with the others and feel welcome. When do you want them to start working?"
"Give them a week, they need rest after losing their loved ones. If some need work, for now, get them working with the farm as I'll be missing for a few days."
"Missing? Are you leaving again Lord?"
"No, I will be staying in my room. I got hit hard and need a long needed rest, meaning I can't be disturbed at all, okay?" Sam then pulls up his arm, and Old Man Jim understood what Sam meant.
"Understand, hope you recover well Lord!"
"Thank you. For now, get the apothecary and stables built, and ask the hunters to look around the forest once more for a cave."
"It shall be done!"
"Alright, see you later!" Sam then walks off and returns back to his courtyard home and closes his door.
'Time to return back to Earth!'
**
Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Alaria, the City of Brom
"Is that the head of who I think it is?" A middle-aged man sitting on a desk with paperwork laying on the desk stared at the severed head with shock in his eyes.
"Mankirk." The person holding the head of Mankirk then laid it on the desk before crossing their arm.
"Wow… you really killed him huh! Just wait, let me write this down and get the bounty ready for you!"
"I didn't kill him. My village leader tasked me to collect the bounty but also spread the word that Sam, village leader of Hope had slain Mankirk the Red Eye."
The middle-aged man stopped and looked at the villager before nodding his head and writing down the words that the villager said.
"Let me get your reward. But before I do, just know that once this information gets out to the public, the city lord will want to meet with this Sam."
"I shall relay that message when I return home."
Soon, the villager was given a full sack of gold and began their journey back to the village.
-
A few hours later, the middle-aged man was standing in front of a noble who was seated on a golden chair with jewels on it.
"So, you are telling me this 'Sam' person who is also a village leader killed Mankirk? That Mankirk? The one who stole the Crimson Fire Axe from his orc tribe Mankirk?"
"Yes, his head is now resting on my desk at my office. I rushed here to tell you the news"
"Well, I need to meet with this 'Sam' person as soon as possible. He may be the one who can help me…"
"Well, I asked the villager to relay the message back to their leader but if you want I can send a person to send the message to them as well?"
"Do that, and make sure you are nice to him. He is the one who defeated that monster after all."
"Yes City Lord!"