2 Chapter 39: Second Day, Start

"They sent a group back to the city this morning?" The monster woman questioned Aliaa.

"Yep, they left about an hour ago." The cat woman confirmed. "Should I send a team to follow them?"

Lucilla fell silent as she contemplated the question. "Send someone to follow, but don't engage." She decided.

"Got it boss." Aliaa answered before disappearing.

Sighing Lucilla looked up, the thick canopy of the trees blocking her view of the light blue sky. The little sunlight that managed to get through was drowned out by the light glow of vain wood trees and the grass around her. Taking in a deep breath, allowing the mana to enter her body, giving her a refreshed feeling, with the strong smell of nature enveloping her.

The large amount of mana in the air made it hard for Lucilla to make out individual smells, unless she planned ahead of time. Meaning she wouldn't be able to pick out anyone strong until she was right on top of them. She might be able to make out the Hero thanks to his massive amount of mana, but that was only on the off chance he wasn't suppressing it.

"Ready to go?" Lucilla eventually said glancing in Sara's direction. She was sitting on a large root of a nearby tree, waiting for Lucilla to finish doing what she needed to do. The young girl looked up at her teacher as she stood and gave her firm nod in affirmation. Lucilla nodded back in acknowledgement before walking towards the forest edge.

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The Lords army slowly approached the Fay Forest. It's mysteries and bounties laying just past the tree line, waiting for a brave Champion to braves its depths. Yet instead, there was a large force trampling over anything and anyone. The animals sensitive to danger have long since left, the normal sound of birds singing replaced by the rhythmic sound of stomping boots.

"They're just letting us enter." Drakove stated with a frown. "It's clearly a trap."

"That and we would be even more at a disadvantage fighting inside the trees." Vadim pointed out.

"Should we turn back and think of another plan of attack?" Drakove asked, more to himself than Vadim.

The young Lord carefully watched his father from the corner of his eye. There was no real need to be cautious, both the Hunter's and the Dragon Slayer Guild's were acting as Vanguards. They had ample experience fighting within forest, their gear and assured footing representing this well. As long as he himself didn't get too close to any of the Griffin mounts the two Dragon Slayer Guild's brought with them, they should be fine.

Just as he was thinking that a panicked neigh appeared behind him. One of the supply horses behind them got too close, and when it noticed Vadim, or smelled him rather, the poor animal's instincts told it to run. Vadim looked at the chaos behind him with a cold glare as the soldiers tried to calm the animal.

"I told you too keep any and all animals away from Vadim!" Drakove shouted angrily. "Don't let this happen again."

"Yes sir. Sorry sir." Responded the soldiers giving a swift salute, falling back a little more than before.

"Looks like my curse for breaking the contract is getting stronger. Military grade horses didn't panic before. They just didn't let me ride them." Vadim said patting his own horse's head. They burned away the sense of smell on the two horses they both rode, making them the only animal that Vadim could still approach.

"Bringing you along probably isn't a good idea, no? Aren't monsters going to extra aggressive towards you?" Inquired the Lord.

"Sure, but don't you worry Father. I have a plan."

"Care to share this plan of yours?"

"You'll learn what it is soon. Don't worry so much."

Drakove furrowed his brows in annoyance and was about to tell his own son off when a commotion suddenly happened at the front. A large portion of the army had already entered the forest depths, just as a fifth of them passed the forest line, the trees suddenly came to life, attacking and injuring a tone of people. Not expecting an attack from behind, many of them couldn't defend themselves before being thrown. In one swift attack more than half of the people that entered the forest first was knocked down, unable to fight back.

"Tree Ent's!" Branko yelled, being one of the very few that managed to protect themselves. Twirling his mace in one hand the old Guild master met the next attack head on. With a large one-handed swing with his heavy weapon, the large limb that would've collided with him splintered and shattered, the fragments raining down around him.

After gathering themselves the Hunter's quickly got to work. Many took out glass vials and chucked them towards the Tree Ent's, the contents inside splashing onto the creatures, before getting into a fighting stance of their own. The mages quickly started working on programming their spells. Avoiding using fire since they didn't want to burn down the forest. They still fully intended to harvest the forest bounty after this.

With half the mages quickly programming support spells, buffing many front-line fighters with increase endurance, and the other half of mages using attack spells, they quickly started pushing back against the lesser Tree Ent's. The Elder Ent's however held their ground, flinging seeds from their branches that exploded when it hit the ground, sending out razor sharp projectiles at high velocities in all directions.

"SKREEEEEEE!" The larger older Tree monsters sensing danger, despite holding themselves firm, let out a high pitch screech, making everyone in the vicinity wince as the sound penetrated their ear drums.

What followed was reinforcements revealing themselves from the forest depths. Dryads quickly took control of the surrounding plants, trying to entangle the Lords army, rendering them immobile to let the Intelligent Monster that fight in close quarters such as Ogre's and Goblins, some of which rode atop Unicorns. At the front of this attacking force was the monster woman with two blades covered in cloth, with two others by her side. A smaller figure about the size of a child and a water Nymph.

Noticing her Branko quickly rolled out the way of a Tree Ent's next attack and disengaged with the enemy. "You won't get away this time!" He shouted as he charged in her direction. The only response he got was a glare from the woman as she raised her right blade and pointed forward.

As if waiting for this cue, the small force behind her surged forward, causing a minor panic to spread across the Lords army. Not only do they have to deal with large heavy hitting Tree Ent's, but much smaller and nimbler opponents that were equipped with actually weaponry they seem to know how to use. The Golbin archers being especially difficult to deal with.

Bronko ignored all of this, and anyone that got in his way was swiftly delt with. A single swing of his mace knocking them aside, his sole focus being the monster woman. Just as he was about to reach her, warning bells rang out in his head, not one to ignore his instincts Branko quickly skidded to a halt, using his Mace to block the swing of two dagger.

"The hell?" He said with mild shock. A cat woman covered in assassins' garb quickly retreated. replacing her however was the Vampire pirate from yesterday.

"Glad we're fighting in the forest this time, my friend that has been letting me use him till this point has no more blood to give, otherwise he would die." The woman said with a smile.

"The hell you on about?"

"Well, there was a reason I fought ya during the day light hours yesterday."

Not really caring to understand what she meant by that, Branko slammed his weapon down in the place the blond woman was located just seconds ago. With a toothy grin, that showed her fangs, the woman pulled out a cutlass, which quickly froze over as ice formed over its blade.

"Hey now, that's not nice." She tutted, feigning disappointment. "We didn't even introduce ourselves yet. I'll go first, names Cristina."

Branko didn't bother answering as he threw a red colored Crystal in her direction. Cristina in response created an ice dagger and threw it at the Crystal as she retreated backwards. The resulting explosion ultimately causing no damage. Not letting his distraction go to waste, the Guild Master was already next to Cristina before she realizes it.

A look of genuine shock crossed her face as she used her Sword to dampen Branko's blow. The resulting attack caused her to be lifted from the ground a be sent flying. She quickly orientates herself midair and uses a nearby tree as a springboard to launch herself back at Branko. Forming a fire ball and hurtling it at her opponent.

Landing she then then followed up her attack with a swing to his abdomen. Branko was able to avoid the attack, but it still grazed him, causing ice crystals to form were the blade nicked him. The pain from his skin and part of his blood freezing over making him grit his teeth as he blinked tears from his eyes.

Cristina didn't pursue, instead she looked at her blade and the amount of damage it had taken. It wasn't a strong weapon so facing someone like Bronko with it would cause it to break soon rather than later. She frowned as she saw how damaged it became only after such few exchanges. With a sigh Cristina sheathed the blade calling out to someone in the prosses.

"Ialiana! Sword please!" She yelled.

Not knowing what she was planning, but not willing to let it play out, Branko channeled Chi through his legs, letting him to dash in the Vampires direction slightly faster, not as fast if her were to use wind Chi, but still faster than normal. Unfortunately, he was still too slow. A large broad sword fell from the sky, it's landing causing dust and dirt to kick up, covering his view. Seconds later the large blade, almost the same size as a regular person cut through the dust, nearly cutting him in half.

With the dust being cleared from just that swing alone, Cristina was revealed to be wielding a weapon nearly as tall as her. With the way she moved it was clear she was far more proficient with this than the Cutlass. The large silver blade tinted blue resting against her shoulder as if it were as light as a feather.

"Now then, I don't use ma weapon here that often these days...." She paused, before dropping her strange dialect once more. "But you pissed me off Guild Master Branko."

Before he could respond Cristina froze the ground over with a stomp of her foot. She wasn't just sitting there talking for no reason, she used magic to secretly coat the ground in water before freezing it. She then used ice magic to create ice skates on her feet and started gliding across the ground. Swinging her large heavy broad sword at speeds faster than one would expect from such an unruly weapon.

With his footing compromise, Branko looked for opportunities to escape, Avoiding the devastating swing of the Vampires weapon that made an audible, swoosh, every time it swung by him. He could feel the air currents the sword generated against his skin, causing a cold sweat to run down his back.

"UUUHHHGGG!" With a mighty yell, the Guild Master swung his mace down, shattering the ice, and the ground beneath him.

Cristina used her sword to quickly catch herself before once more pulling it from the ground as Branko used his mace to try and send her flying again. This time however she stood in place, not letting up an inch as a contest of strength between them developed.

"You know coming so deep into enemy lines wasn't smart of you Branko. Now no one can come to help you." Cristina mocked.

"I don't need help to take you down." He responded with a growl.

"Yes, but you forget on thing."

"What are you-" He started before he stopped. "Ack, cough." 

Coughing up blood, Branko stumbled backwards. The cold but hot feeling of two blades penetrating his back making him realize he screwed up. "You forgot I have friends of my own former Guild Master Branko." Cristina said with a smile.

Which was the last thing he saw before passing out.

-- -- --

Cristina looked down at the man in front of her before looking up and at the Cat woman Aliaa. She smiled and gave her a nod of appreciation, as the Assassin once more disappeared into the trees.

"Guess I should finish you off then." She said raising her sword, the tip pointed down, hover over his neck.

Before she could kill him however, she felt the presence of imminent danger. Instead of executing the Hunter's Guild Master, she instead used it to deflect, real silver daggers flying in her direction. Before she could process what happened someone grabbed Branko from where he laid on the ground before retreating. Cristina would've pursued, but the person that threw the silver daggers also held a silver blade in hand, along with more daggers strapped across their chest.

"A Vampire hunter from the Empire it seems." She spat with disgust. "Along with Guild Master Osmond." She said turning to the man carrying Branko.

Both Osmond and the Vampire hunter turned to leave. Cristina wanted to go after them, but fighting Osmond along with a person specialize in killing her kind made her hesitate. She just hoped they wouldn't go after Lucilla like Branko did earlier.

"Fuck."