Our Reward

Kent Erwin

It's been a tough week. My team has encountered lots of C rank beast on our way out of the Nineveh forest which was located Western of Ixalt. We decided to take a break from adventuring.

"Kent, Freya. How do you guys plan on spending the winter?" Jade Willow asked us.

"Spend time with our neighbours. Try to help out those in need. And have lots of fun." My wife answered. She had forced it on herself to remain enthusiastic at all times. Ever since the incident happened. I still can't seem to forgive myself.

"Yah, we'll-" I heard noises beside us. Gesturing for my team to halt, lest we get ambushed.

*Rustle. Rustle*

*GRRR* lanky bipedal body with sickly grey skin and razor sharp teeth.

"Ghouls! Jade provide support. Freya with me." I lept down my Mount, Freya beside me. Her backsword held in place. Jade form a semicircular ice wall behind us and our horses.

Coating my gauntlets with yellow flames, I yelled. "Let's reap 'em to pieces"

"Damn. There's an alpha"

*Scream*

as if understanding what I meant the alpha ghoul roared at me. I stayed close to my team as ghouls charged at us. I went into a stance; my left leg leading. I threw a jab at the first ghouls face, which crushed the chin of my opponent. My flames burnt off the initial burst of blood.

I threw a forward kick to the injured beast before leaning back to threw a crossed punch at the second ghoul. The force of the blow breaking it's neck region. Two more closed in on me. An ice shard went through the late ones chest.

*GRRR*

I jumped back  to escape a lethal blow from the fourth beast. Those long claws were razor sharp. The beast was quite fast, even with such a poor physique. Getting into a counter, I threw a jab at the beast before following through with a sweep at it's face. Sending mana through my channels, I lunged forward to give a one-hit punch to the last beast at my wing. My flames roared, eating off it's hard before the force of the blow sent it off.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Frey cutting off her last ghoul with a wind cutter. Jade sent ice projectiles towards the alpha. But it's roars deflected a few projectiles. Sound magic. It was a B class beast, so I couldn't expect less.

Freya and Jade helped me corner the running beast as I slammed my palms together to deliver an expulsion spell. The beast was burnt to ash, but luckily its core was in place.

"I'll get the mana cores. You guys should ready the horses." I started gathering the cores of these c rank beasts. I made my way to my team; ready to go home.

"Hey Frey. I need your recipe for your special chicken soup." Jade asked Freya with a smug look.

"Hmph. Nope. You refused to spend the winter with us." Frey pouted. I could only smile seeing her looks. My gunmetal hair which the majority of elves possessed, were captivating. I walked up to her caressing her hair.

"Jade has to visit her-" I wasn't able to complete my sentence as Freya let go of me. Was she really mad?

"Can you guys hear that cry?" She asked her long ears twitching.

"Frey, what cry?" Jade asked jumping off her mount and taking out her wand.

"Jade, Kent. Follow me" Those were her last words before she dashed off into the woodlands. Jade followed suite.

"Stay put" I told the horses hoping dearly that they wouldn't run off. They responded with a 'neigh'. Putting back my gauntlets on, I scurried behind them.

Freya

I scurried through the woodlands hoping I could catch up to the crying sound of a baby. I vaulted across obstacles with ease. Born an elve made it easy to navigate the wild.

*Growl*

Above, I could hear the growls of vultures. The hovered above the trees as the watched their prey. The cries of the baby got clearer as I reached its location.

'Heh!'

I was met with a huge but cracked egg, which was inside a hole in a tree. Within was a baby with a patch of wheat blonde hair. I took hold of- him, before wrapping my scarf around it. Using wind magic, I formed a layer of warm air round the child. He stopped crying. The cold had left him. He opened his eyes to reveal green-blue eyes, which watched me with intelligence.

"Dammit Frey. Don't go running off like that." Jade complained as she drew nearer.

"A baby?, wow he's-beautiful". Jade watched the child I held.

"Frey!" The look of confusion turned to utter shock. Kent gave a solemn look at me.

"Can we keep him. I know it's not right, but-" I was being selfish but I couldn't stop myself. I lost my chance to bear kids a year ago.

Kent walked up to comfort me. Tears fell off my eyes. I had failed to make him a father before even getting pregnant. "Please Kent. I'll take good care of him." I searched his eyes for a response.

"Fine. We'll raise him." He smiled as he caressed my hair.

"So what you gonna name him? I need to know my nephews name now, don't I?" Jade said with a huge grin. I look into his otherworldly eyes. And I took in the area we were in. He was born in a harsher land than even the land of elfs, Alfheim. I knew what to name him.

"Finn. Finnr Erwin"