Chapter 5: Unexpected Visitors

Chapter 5: Unexpected Visitors

If there were one thing I would want to bring from a fantasy world into reality, it would be the brave hero's who fight for justice. There were just some days where I would wish for a knight in shining armour to appear and save the day.

The next morning Amelara and I are back at the guild building looking over the quests on the board aiming more to level up then to earn money, so manly our eyes are drawn to the extermination quests. Most of them seem simple enough with one quest asking us to exterminate giant rats on a nearby farm and another to kill a group of wolfs threatening livestock. None of the monsters seems that tough, and it will be an excellent chance to get some combat practice, but we haven't made up our minds as to what one we want to do.

I should mention that we both agreed to represent the guild in the guild cup, which is why we are looking to level up as much as possible before then. Zunra, the guild manager, was delighted to hear that and quickly registered us both for the cup, but I still am not sure whether we will be ready or not. Either way, both Amelara and I have to level up so here we are looking over the quests we believe will give us the most Exp rather than fighting for the highest rewards quest with the other adventures.

Killing a group of slims in a nearby cave appears to be our best bet on levelling up due to the number of monsters, but before I can mention it to Amelara, I hear a commotion behind me. Turning around, I see everyone staring and whispering to each other as that knight-like man from yesterday makes another appearance. Walking through the main lobby with his head held high, the handsome man pays little attention to the fact that all eyes are on him as he walks right up to the front desk to conduct his business. He must be used to being the centre of attention by the way he handles the staring. I really wish I can be like that.

"I found one," Amelara comes up to me, and I have to wonder how she wasn't distracted by that knights-like man's arrival, but I bite my tongue and listen to what she has to say. "Kill ten Vilebug's in the Petal Spring. It's not too far away, and as long as we buy some antidotes for their poison shots, we won't have any trouble dealing with them."

I look at the flyer she gave me and see a picture of a giant beetle with a warning about its poison written in red beneath it. They don't look so tough, but neither did that fairy yesterday and that still nearly killed me. I can't let my guard down just because it looks weak, but it should be an excellent chance to level up, so I have no objections.

"Let's take it," I nod and we head off to claim the quest but I can't help but feel like I am beging watched as we go.

The person at the desk is different from before as this one is a bold one-eyed man with big strong hands that I am surprised could handle delicate work such as writing. To be honest, I was expecting the pen in his hand to snap like a trig and part of me was secretly disappointed when nothing of the sorts happen. His pale skin is scared, and his face looks harsh and unfriendly but when he talks it quickly becomes apparent that this guy is a big softy on the inside.

"I need a second to fill out this form, and you will be good to go," The man says as he scribbles away behind his desk. "And here we go all finished," He says handing our guild cards back. "Good luck out there."

I look around still feeling eyes on me, but I don't see who is watching me. All I can see are groups of adventures, either leaving or fighting for quests. I know someone is watching me, but I can't tell who it is.

"Is everything okay Suki?" I turn to see Amelara looking concerned at me.

"Everythings fine," I assure her. "It's probably nothing."

It probably is nothing and only just those jerks who called me a thief and tried to rob me sending a glare my way. It may also be because I am the only Catfolk I have seen in this city. I can't tell, but this feeling of being watched just won't go away. I hope those idiots from before aren't plotting anything against me.

"Shall we get going then?" Amelara asks, still looking worried but not pushing the subject.

"Sure," I nod, taking one last look around before we leave still unable to spot whoever is watching me.

The weather is perfect today, and I can't help but find it pleasant as we leave Embershire. It's warm but not too hot, and there's a refreshing breeze that blows through every thirty seconds or so. I hope this game doesn't have weather settings that make it, so some days are so hot that you are soaked with sweat from doing nothing but sitting down. I wouldn't say I like days like those, and I loathed them, even more, when I had to leave my home to do something. I wished on days like them when that I could just take the day off, but I knew I never could. I can only hope that the weather never changes from this during my time in this world.

"Oh look there's The Mayflower!" Amelara suddenly jumps up and down, shouting and point high into the air.

I follow her finger and spot what appears to be a flying ship. I stop in my tracks, shocked at what I am seeing. It's a wooden sailing ship with three masks holding up sails and two wings flapping on either side apparently keeping it afloat. I can barely make out many details other than the sailes and wings are white, and the ship is painted blue. Besides the ships flying around them, I also see several smaller objects that look like horses escorting the Mayflower.

"That's the King's personal ship, and he even has The Pegasus Knights escorting him!" Amelara continues to call out the sights as the flying ships and knights pass overhead. "I wonder what he's doing here. Do you think he is in town right now?"

"I don't know," I tell her still watching the ship. "For now, we should focus on our quest and figure things out later."

"Right," Amelara sighs looking down. "Sorry I just got distracted."

"It's okay let's just finish up this quest and then we can go and see if the king is in town."

"Really?" I nod my head feeling like I am spoiling her too much.

Soon we have passed through the wheatfields, and apart from a few farmers and a group of traders, we don't see anyone along the way. The countryside in this world really is quiet, and I can see why with this being a game world and with the threat of monsters, but this area is starting to feel a little lonely. We do finally come across some people about twenty minutes later as a fancy-looking charge escorted by four armoured knights passes by us heading for the city. Judging from the fact that this carriage has an emblem of a raven and the armed escort, I say the person in the carriage is a noble of some sorts.

"Looks like the king really may be in town," I comment watching the carriage go by.

"Yeah," Amelara's replay is barely a whisper, and when I turn to look at her, I see all that excitement from early vanish. "Let's just get our quest over with I need a drink."

What's going on with her? I want to ask, but from the way she picks up the pace, I doubt I will get an answer. I hope she will open up more when she has that drink.

Petal Spring is closer to Embershire then the Warthog Forest, so it doesn't take us as long to walk there and looking at the place I can tell getting lost is something we don't need to worry about. Neither the less I set a waypoint so we can find our way out.

The trees here aren't as thickly packed together as they were in the Warthog Forest and their trunks aren't as thick, but the place is a much more beautiful sight. The leaves range in shade from pink to red and gently float down all around us. I can hear birds seeing and smell the pleasant scent of the place feeling entirely at ease in this place. If it weren't for the fact that there are dangerous monsters somewhere nearby Petal Spring would be the perfect place for a picnic. But despite all what's around her I see Amelara is still looking down. It has something to do with that carriage that passed us. Ever since then, she has been feeling down. I was about to bring up the subject only to notice my friend has already started to walk on ahead.

"The information provided with the quest said the Vilebug's should be this way," Amelara says forging her way through the trees towards the sound of running water in the distance. "Let's quest this quest over with quickly."

"Okay," I reply struggling to keep pace with her. I want her to talk to me, to tell me what's wrong but I can't figure out how to go about it. Some friend I am who can even be there for someone in their time of need. I hate being this helpless, and in the end, I can't stop myself from reaching out and grabbing her hand. "Amelara wait."

"What?" I have never heard her speak that harshly before.

Where has that friendly girl I have come to know gone? Stopping in our tracks, I still can't say anything as Amelara turns to face me. What is wrong with her? What could be eating her away inside to make the friendly girl who is always full of energy act this way?

"Amelara what…" I don't get to finish as a fireball shoots between us.

We don't think but react as Amelara aims her bow in the direction the spell came from while I draw my sword. To my surprise, I see what appears to be a cartoon ghost floating between the trees with a pure white body and black face. Its eyes are bright red, and a pink tongue hangs from its mouth. Beside me, I can feel Amelara pulling back her bowstring, but before she can fire the cartoon ghost disappears.

"I know you hear so come out already!" Amelara calls out lowing her bow and scanning the trees around her. I do the same. I don't know who I am looking for, but I don't doubt the fact that we are not alone out here. "Enough of your hiding! Show yourself before I start shooting arrows blindly into the trees!"

"Clap! Clap! Clap!" I hear claiming accompanied by a light chuckling.

"Well, I see you haven't changed Amelara." Out from behind one of the thicker tree trunks steps that handsome knight-like man I who killed that rabbit yesterday and appeared at the guild today. Clapping and stepping into the open he smiles at us as I hear Amelara let out a growl and feel her tense up. "It's been two years, and you still can't stand the sight of me."

"Come to steal more money, Neale?" Amelara asks, dropping her bow and clenching her fists looking ready for a fight.

Is this what has been bothering her? What could he have done to her to make Amelara act this way?

"I admit what my father did was disgraceful, but I can assure you I had nothing to do with that business," He calmly tells her. "Listen I didn't come here to fight you, but I have been ordered to assure you return safely to Embershire after you complete this quest and as you can see.." He points behind us where we see a burned Vilebug clearly struck by that fireball from earlier. "You need my help."

"We don't need anything from you," Amelara replies as she bends down to pick up her bow. "Come on Suki we are leaving this thief to find his own way back."

"I'm afraid I can't leave you," He says as I hear his footsteps keeping pace with ours. "Kings orders."

"Damit," Amelara curses stopping in her tracks.

"He wants to see both of you and asked me to assure that you arrive safely back to the guild building," Neale explains. "So I suggest we put aside our differences and just get this over with so we can go our separate ways as soon as possible." Amelara starts to walk again, pulling me along with her as I hear the knight-like man mutter. "You aren't the only one who dislikes this arrangement."

It doesn't take us long to find the rest of the Vilebug's as they are all together next to a picture-perfect pool of water covered in the leaves of the surrounding trees. It's a shame that monsters live here because the sight alone is enough to reinforce my early thoughts of this place being perfect for picnics.

"Don't mind me," I hear Neale say and turn to see him leaning against a nearby tree. "I'll let you two take care of them and come to your rescue if you need it."

He's like a different person as well. I don't know whether the man who gracefully assured everyone the situation was under control yesterday when a monster entered the city is the real him or if he changes his personality around Amelara as she has in his presence. What happened between these two? Unfortunately, as much as I want to know, I have a group of monsters to take care of.

The Vilebug's haven't noticed us yet at least as they drink from the pool of water, so we still have the element of surprise. Unfortunate looking over to Amelara I can only watch as she blows that advantage firing an arrow which kills one of the Vilebug's but alerts the others to the danger before we are prepared to deal with them. She really needs to put aside what happened in the past with Neale before she gets us both killed.

I don't bother communicating with Amelara as I charge already knowing she won't listen in the mood she's in. As I rush forward, I see another Vilebug die by Amelara's arrows, and I quickly kill another one by slicing it in two. As I thought when viewing the quest information, these things aren't so tough. Still, their numbers are making things complicated as I quickly find myself surrounded despite Amelara downing another of the Vilebug's.

"I guess you two will need me after all," Neale sighs pushing himself off of the tree trunk and raising his hand, so the palm of it is facing me. "Come forth and aid me, Blessed Dog!"

Both Amelara and I watch as a bright white light engulfs his hand opening up a portal in front of him. Even the Vilebug's freeze at the sight. Soon I can hear the barking of a dog, and when the light fades, I see a white dog with a halo above its head stood in front of Neale. Where did that dog even come from? Did it have something to do with what Neale just said?

"We don't need your help!" Amelara yells as the Vilebug's start moving again and I narrowly dodge their attack.

"I beg to differ, and from the looks of things I'm sure your friend could use my help," Neale says, and I feel so useless when I see him pointing my way before he turns to the newly arrived dog. "Devour those monsters."

The dog barks once in confirmation before charging in and quickly biting one of the Vilebug's to death. Clearly satisfied with what is happening I see Neale turn to Amelara with a smirk on his lips before I am forced to look away as I need to dodge another attack from the monsters. I wish those two would work together at least until we get through this.

"We could have handled it without you," I hear Amelara reply as I stab into a Vilebug calming my second kills and seconds later I see Amelara's arrow bring down the final Vilebug. "We had everything under control."

"You could have fooled me," Neale tells her, but I am paying more attention to the dog which fades away the same way that cartoon ghost had.

"Victory."

"Exp: 120."

"Items Dropped: Vilebug Meat X12."

For once, I am grateful for the distraction of the popup as I hear both Amelara and Neale start to argue about something.

The walk back to Embershire is painful and awkward as the closes thing to a conversation that happens during the journey is when Amelara and Neale argue about something. I am starting to get sick of it as it appears the two of them disagree on everything no matter how small and insignificant it may be. The only good thing about this is the fact that I learned a bit more about what they are fighting about.

Apparently, five years ago, Neale's father came to Amelara's village with Neale, and she and Neale became close friends. Unfortunately for them, it seems Neale's father isn't a good person as he ripped off the village buying their goods for only a fraction of what they were worth which is something Neale doesn't deny. Ever since then both Amelara and Neale have been at each other's throats every time they meet. I never knew Amelara was hiding such anger under her friendly personality until now.

"At least we are finally here," Neale mutters under his breath.

"For once I agree with you," Amelara grumbles. "Let us see the king then leave each other alone."