Chapter 24: A Show Of Force

"Two?"

"The first is assembling a hostile army in front of our home, and more importantly, the city. A clear act of aggression not welcome by any territory without explicit permission or prior warning. You can figure out the second"

Destroying something precious.

Merrah's bar was her home, and judging by Rider's reaction, she had personal connections to it as well.

"Then... Why did they set it on fire?"

"That's what we want to know as well. She has nothing to do with this-"

"You got eyes on er'?"

"Yes, we're telling Arisu to keep her away"

"Isn't she going to learn about it anyway?"

"Yerp. But we'd rather not see shots fired until we have some answers"

I had my doubts, mainly that her first reaction would be to start fighting.

When I first met her a few days ago her face was as still as a rock, but I felt exactly how hopeless she was. Although she can't express her emotions well, I could at least tell she wasn't at all like Rider, Enda or Red, who all relished the chance to fight.

If anything, she avoided killing at all costs, just like Arisa.

Her bounty hunting record alone was enough to prove that fact.

She took in the worst of the worst, those already sentenced to death with bounties labeled accordingly, all alive and breathing just fine. Apparently the same could not be said for her, as she always got pretty beaten up, if the rumors are anything to go by.

Nothing meaningful is ever easy.

"Hey... Do you want me to heal your leg?"

Aoife showed her cards first, neither Ota nor I knew what these strangers could do and so it piqued our interests knowing she could heal.

The only thing I've been able to learn around healing was a spell called 'Restrict', meant to help stop blood flow in an area when bandages and tourniquets aren't available.

It could also help against poisonous attacks when used correctly, but its a spell simply known as a 'bare necessity' most wouldn't bother to learn in the first place because it can be rather tricky to learn.

At least it was another spell under my belt that wasn't beginner tier, I suspected I could use it in unintended ways like 'Calegriss'.

"How did you know?"

"I meant what I said, they got a good shot"

"I, um-"

"Heh, it's fine kid, tell em'"

"My grandfather is a druid... He's been teaching me since I was six"

"So he's back then... I should've guessed by the flowers"

Hearing Eyebore talk about flowers brought back our trip through the city earlier today, vines and bright multicolored flowers connected light posts and signs bringing a much needed contrast to the extremely bright snow.

"Can you heal her fake eye thing?"

"Oh? Come now Ota, do you think I could be so good at scouting with one eye"

"So it's not just glass?"

"No. Rider, could you?"

"Yer, give er' here. I'll fix it"

"This eye is enchanted with 'far sight' and 'smoldering life'"

"Do you call it an Eagles eye?"

Thanks to Ota's misunderstanding of Arisa's sayings, I came up with the perfect nickname for Eyebore, based on an unhinged rant about how some birds became monsters and specifically, how what she called a 'Hawk' evolved into the migrating Beast-kin race; the Harpies.

"Hawk"

"What is it Touji?"

"I'm going to call you Hawk from now on"

"I see"

A very small smile crept upon her face before she could hide it and I knew it was the right choice.

I turned back to the cloud floating above the table while grabbing a stack of food Adelard had been putting together as we talked.

They say you shouldn't play with your food but it was hard to argue that stacking biscuits, slices of cheese and different fruits into a mini sandwich of sorts could be defined as such. If so that would mean that we pay people who play with food professionally and call them chefs.

Enda, in her disguise, alongside Red had almost reached the pitched tent setup nearby to the burning building which had attracted soldiers who decided to warm themselves up with the blaze.

Only Red retained his weapon, the great sword strapped and sheathed to his back, a weapon that went by the name 'Dainsleif'.

"So how does druidic magic work?"

"Can you pass me that Yama?"

As she walked next to Hawk, I passed her the fruit Arisa considered this world's 'Tomato'. Her efforts to make sauce with it so far have ended in disaster and she refused my help. I knew how to make it, but she would let me go so far as to give her a hint as to what she was doing wrong.

"Mana can create elements and objects devoid of life, then whatever is created is used to fill a purpose. As a druid, we don't create, but manipulate what already exists. With this fruit I can transfer its life into her leg like this"

Aoife held the food next to her leg, then I saw a green light transfer from the Yama as it withered away into Hawks calf muscle which she had injured while scouting.

"Better?"

"Yes, you're quite talented"

"T-thanks"

Stretching out her leg, Hawk was satisfied with her abilities as a healer, but before I could ask why the practice of druidic magic was banned, Enda and Red had reached the tent with two guards outside.

Hawk pulled out a strange stone that glowed blue when she held it in front of her and we began to hear the conversation taking place in the snowy field.

"-working for them?"

"This is my home, regardless of my job. I like my home"

"Settle down, both of you! Where is your leader"

"Not a chance. Prove your identity"

"Do you have a death wish?"

"Not you. Her! We have our orders"

The conversation taking place through didn't phase Rider nor Hawk. Ota and I knew exactly what Enda was capable of, but neither of us had seen what she could do with her illusion magic when she truly put it to the test outside of camouflage and sound manipulation.

"And how exactly would you like me to prove it?"

"We heard each General has to carry a card on them that can't be counterfeit. Show it"

"Your information is poor. We don't carry something that could be so easily destroyed in battle for identification, nor would we show something so valuable to hired blades. He asked you before, and you misunderstood him. Do you see my glowing eye? Anything and everything I see is sent back towards Dragons Mort, unless you want to end up like the ground behind us, move."

Enda was imitating someone else's voice perfectly. I was starting to believe her disguise wasn't made up on the fly, but one of the Generals I had yet to meet.

The young mercenary was visibly distressed, just short of shaking in his boots. Although I considered Enda a magnet for fights, she tended to avoid striking first.

"Groun-"

Enda didn't turn or flinch as for a split second, all light vanished and a bolt of lighting made of pure darkness hit right behind her, sapping all light from the world for just a moment in time.

It was a legendary spell known to many, and had a record of killing the strongest people in the world. The only person who would use such a spell for demonstration was Enda, and the mercenaries knew that.

What they didn't account for was the man who taught her that spell to be the caster, Myrddin.

Just like the light and loud crack that would follow a normal lightning strike, a powerful spell by any count, this ultimate version seemed to silence everything around it for a very brief second.

This was the first time I had witnessed its effect, and judging by Aoife and Ota's reaction, it was theirs as well. Adelard held steady, by his calm demeanor, I assumed this spell must have been used against the bandits that demolished his village.

All the mercenaries in the vicinity immediately drew their weapons and rushed to the commotion.

"What the hell?!"

"Are we under attack?"

Confused shouting and hostility filled the air around them. Weapons had been drawn and pointed directly at them, neither Enda or Red paid any head to the majority of the warriors except for two particularly well armored soldiers standing behind the crowd also trying to figure out the situation as well.

"I will ask this one last time before we start removing the weeds in our field. Take us to whoever is in charge"

"U-uh! They're inside! Just go in!"

The young mercenary had lost all sense of duty as he stumped to the ground in fear, realizing everyone in the vicinity was in range of a spell that could kill every single person, one by one.

It was more than obvious that who they were looking for was in the fancy tent, setup for a meeting.

In showing their military might and range without needing a single mage to leave the city, they had clearly established that each of these sell swords are truly considered nothing but a pest that could be dealt with.

I wasn't sure how much mana Myrddin had, but that spell was also known as a last shot trump card that could kill its caster if they didn't have an extensive amount of magical energy.

Rider wasn't sure how much mana Enda had, but she knew it was enough to destroy the world if need be if ever paired with powerful enough weapons, before I could ask how much, the misfit raised her hand with two fingers, then lowered one.

Her ability to understand others through life force was amazing, it was something I wish I was capable of through my blessing. I had already planned to ask Sister Naji to teach me the ropes at some point, but it looked like Rider knew just as much, or even more about those techniques.

Although I highly doubted she would teach me in a way that wouldn't threaten my life or indirectly just like how she worked with equipment at her forge.

After Enda and Red entered the tent, they were greeted by a sight that instantly killed everyone's appetite.

A fancily dressed Lord was beheading a well dressed Lady in front of them after he had stabbed her through her chest as blood drained out her now lifeless body.

He wore an immaculate dark blue tailcoat with a blood stained purple vest, dress shirt and black velvet pants alongside sharp shoes and expensive jewelry.

The man was rather slender, and his reddish brown neatly combed back hair and slightly bloodshot blue eyes with his flawed fair skin gave off the feeling of nobility.

Both Rider and I recognised both pieces of clothing under his coat as belonging to Merrah, from when she spread the ashes of her brother into the snowstorm three days ago.

"Truly such a troublesome business partner, even after death. I suppose you want her head?"