Chapter 9 - First Quest (3)

"Damn, why's it gotta be like pulling teeth just to track down a handful of orcs in their own turf?"

"Quit your bellyaching. This forest's a labyrinth, makes spotting three orcs feel like finding a needle in a haystack."

*Sigh* "Should've just stuck to guard duty."

"Ha! Guard duty means tangling with bandits if we get jumped."

Boom.

"What in the bloody hell was that explosion?"

"Over there."

A finger jabbed towards a plume of smoke deep in the woods, prompting a sprint towards the source. Arriving, they were met with a gruesome sight - a scattered mosaic of monster and human remains.

"The hell is this?"

"Damn it, scour the area, and do it quick."

Their search yielded nothing but corpses and soil blasted by whatever caused the explosion.

"Check the bodies, see if any ring a bell."

"Some are guardians, but the rest? No clue."

With grim faces, they trudged back to town, ready to spill to the guild about the attack in Verde Forest.

***

"What in the bloody hell is this?" Lloyd's brow furrowed as he took in the scene of devastation.

"Looks like an attack, judging by the carnage. Monsters, humans... all torn to shreds," Seth filled us in, his voice grim.

"Hoeekk..."

"Ken, you alright?" Lloyd's concern was evident as he saw me retch at the sight of the mangled corpses.

"I-I'll manage."

'Gods, the stench of death is suffocating.'

"Ken, take a breather here. Seth and I will scout the area. Lenia, stick with him," Lloyd commanded.

Lenia remained silent but nodded in agreement.

"Let's move, Seth."

"Right."

As they set off to investigate, I settled under a nearby tree, observing Lenia as she examined the monster remains. Then, a thought struck me.

I rose and approached Lenia, determined to ask her something.

"Why'd you finally agree to join this quest, after refusing at first?"

"...Just felt like it."

"Come on, talk to me. I want to understand."

'She's as tight-lipped as ever.'

"Fine, you don't have to spill your secrets. Just remember, when your skills are needed, they better be sharp."

"Yes..."

Lloyd and Seth returned, their faces etched with frustration.

"Nothing. Seems this mess has been brewing for a while," Lloyd reported.

"In that case, onwards we go. Maybe we'll stumble upon some damn clues," Seth urged, his voice tinged with impatience.

"Agreed."

Pressing on, we traversed the Verde Forest, encountering only a smattering of slimes and goblins - the chosen path tailored for fledgling Guardians, deemed safe.

"I still don't get why we're called Guardians. 'Hunters' would make more sense, considering our line of work," I mused aloud.

"We're tasked with guarding and clearing out monster dens in designated zones, as well as gathering materials for equipment sellers. Once you earn a recommendation from the kingdom, you'll graduate to 'Traveler' status, free to roam beyond our borders. From there, you can even team up with folks from distant lands to tackle demons. Who knows, you might even rub elbows with heroes, especially now that rumors swirl of the Demon King's return. I'd kill to fight alongside heroes," Lloyd elucidated, shedding light on the intricacies of our roles as Guardians.

"So that's the deal..."

With Lloyd's explanation ringing in my ears, we finally reached the outskirts of Lupo Forest, where sentinels stood watch at its entrance.

"Yo! Ash."

"Hm? Oh, Lloyd!"

"So, you snagged the gig guarding the Lupo Forest entrance?" Lloyd inquired.

"Haha, our crew's got its own hustle. Plus, figured I'd stack some extra coin for gear while waiting for you to hit that next level," Ash replied with a grin.

"Sorry I'm late, heh."

"No worries, mate. You weren't exactly in peak form back then."

"Don't sweat it. Just a few more quests, and I'll be hitting the iron level."

"Haha, we'll hold the fort for you."

Lloyd's buddy, Ash, then cast his gaze over our motley crew as Lloyd introduced me.

"Pleasure to meet you. Name's Ken, still green around the edges, and this here's my maiden voyage," I greeted.

"Likewise," Ash nodded in acknowledgment. "I'm Ash... Oh, Seth, you're rollin' with Lloyd too, huh?"

"Yeah!"

Ash then leaned in to Lloyd, a whisper on his lips.

"What's the deal with her?" he gestured discreetly towards Lenia.

"Ken brought her along."

"No kidding? Thought she'd sworn off questing ages ago. Plenty've tried to recruit her, but she always passed."

"Beats me, mate. Ken extends the invite, she jumps aboard."

"Hmm... Alright, just keep an eye out."

"Will do."

'Huh? She turned down invites before? But didn't Lloyd call her useless? Ah, must've been because they only saw her healing chops.'

As we ventured deeper into Lupo Forest, our sights landed on two Grey Wolves feasting on a deer. With weapons at the ready, I called for a buff, gearing up for the imminent skirmish.

"Lenia, fire element."

She began her incantation, clutching a rune tight.

[Oh flames of eternal fire, heed my call and unleash thy fury upon my foes, engulfing them in a fiery embrace as I harness the power of the inferno. Fogo do inferno, ouça meu chamado e liberte tua fúria sobre meus inimigos, envolvendo-os em um abraço ardente, enquanto eu domino o poder do inferno. Vlammen van het eeuwige vuur, hoor mijn roep en ontketen uw woede op mijn vijanden, hen omhullend in een vurige omhelzing, terwijl ik de kracht van de hel beheers. Eld av evig brasa, hör mitt kall och släpp ut din vrede över mina fiender, omslutande dem i en låga omfamning, medan jag bemästrar helvetets kraft...]

We held our breath as Lenia concluded her chant, my sword igniting with flames. With a nod, we surged forward, attacking the two Grey Wolves.

Lloyd hurled his spear, but the agile beast dodged, lunging for him. Seth intercepted with his shield, giving me an opening. My blade struck true, grazing the creature's eye.

Focusing, I infused Shu energy into my sword, flames roaring to life. It was time for a skill.

[Fire blade slash]

A searing arc tore through the air, piercing one of the Grey Wolves.

"Only one left, push!"

Seth erected an earthen barrier, sealing the creature's escape. Lloyd's spear soared once more. As the wolf leaped to evade, I lunged, slashing its neck in a swift, decisive strike.

"Haha, nice work back there, Ken. Just two more and we're golden," Lloyd praised, a grin spreading across his face.

With dusk settling in, we opted to make camp by the riverbank, resting up for the next day's quest.

"Let's pitch the tents here and pick up where we left off tomorrow."

Seth set up two tents he'd brought along - one for Lloyd, Seth, and me, and another for Lenia. Before darkness fully descended, we hunted for some game, managing to bag a deer.

Come nightfall, we grilled the meat over the fire, engaging in some casual conversation.

"Ken, where do you hail from?" Seth inquired, prompting a moment of hesitation from me, as the king had cautioned me to conceal my origins.

"I-I'm... from a place not too nearby..."

"Ah, from another continent, perhaps?" Seth prodded further.

"Let's just say... it's quite a ways off."

After fielding Seth's queries, Lloyd took his turn.

"Where'd you get that sword?"

'Huh, asking about the giver instead of the place? Does he know it was Darwin?'

"An... acquaintance bestowed it upon me, knowing I was bound for Guardian duty, so he set me up."

"Mind if I take a look at it?"

"Sure."

Handing over my sword, Lloyd examined it closely, his expression shifting to one of astonishment.

"This... can't be. How's it possible this blade's entirely crafted from this material? Take a look at this, Seth."

Seth, inspecting the sword, mirrored Lloyd's surprise, then turned to me.

"K-Ken... this..."

"Hm?"

"The material used here is extremely rare. How did you come by a sword forged entirely of it?" Seth questioned.

"What?"

"Good grief... you mean you don't know? This sword's made of Neronium, incredibly scarce, only found in Espil Forest. Normally, it's only used for crafting rings due to its rarity," Lloyd enlightened me on the material composing my sword.

"...ah, I see."

Lenia, who'd been quiet until then, rose abruptly and wandered off.

"Lenia, where are you headed?" I called after her.

"...just need some air."

"Hey, it's dark out, not safe to wander," I cautioned.

Ignoring my words, Lenia pressed on into the woods.

"If you're worried, go after her," Lloyd suggested.

"Yeah, better follow her, Ken."

"...Alright."

Trailing Lenia, I found she'd ventured quite a distance.

"Ken seems smitten with her," Seth remarked.

"No surprise there. A Runemaster's a catch, especially with her wealth and that exceptional blade," Lloyd remarked.

"Hmm, hard to say. Could just be another newbie," Seth mused.

After locating Lenia by the lake, I approached her.

"Mind if I join you?"

"..."

'Ugh, same old silence.'

Seating myself beside her, just as I was about to speak, she uttered a sentence that caught me off guard.

"Leniaー"

"You're a hero, aren't you?"