An Unexpected Encounter

Early the next morning, the three adventurers woke up and cleared out their room, gathering their belongings. Lilith marveled at Elara's skills, saying, "I still have much to learn, Elara. I can't believe you can store all our stuff in such a small bag. And you made it yourself!"

Elara smiled at Lilith and replied, "What kind of maid would I be if I couldn't use space-storage magic? I would be ashamed to call myself a maid-knight if I couldn't do at least that much."

Ella, sitting nearby, watched them with a smile. As a faerie, she didn't need much space and could easily live off the land. She could survive on just magic and water for long periods.

Once all the supplies were packed into Elara's small bag, they went downstairs for breakfast and to say their final goodbyes to Emy, the innkeeper, and his wife. After heartfelt farewells, they walked to the meeting place Mila had told them about. There, they were greeted by a familiar face.

"Santos!" Elara exclaimed.

"Oh, what a delight to see you all here," Santos said warmly. He then beckoned over a tall young man and said, "This is my son, Benjamin. He is the merchant who will be traveling with you. He has traveled to Bez'Eru with me before, but this is his first time alone, so please take care of him."

Benjamin blushed and said, "Stop it, Father. I'm already 20."

"Yes, yes," Santos laughed. Benjamin greeted them all and said, "I'll be in your care, then."

The other guards stood nearby, and Benjamin led the group over to introduce them to their leader. Pointing to an older, stern-looking man, he said, "This is Kai. He is the group leader."

Kai looked them over, his gaze assessing. "Oh, they are a bit small, are they not?" he remarked. Then, after a moment, he continued, "Well, I guess size doesn't matter in a fight. Faeries are known for being great at scouting. And by looking at you," he said, addressing Elara, "I can see you are a maid-knight. What a delight. So, this little one is your apprentice?"

Elara looked at Kai and then said, "Greetings, Kai. We will be in your care. I'm Elara, a maid-knight indeed. This little one is Ella." She then pointed at Lilith. "And this one is not my apprentice but the one I serve."

Kai studied Lilith closely and said, "I see. I do sense some power hidden within her. Well, enough of that. Let me introduce myself. I am Kai of the demon race. I am a seasoned battle-mage. I wield magic while fighting with my spear. I have led many guard quests, so if you have any questions, please ask me. As for the travels, I'll let you stay in the front so the faerie can scout ahead."

"That sounds good," Elara replied.

Kai continued, grumbling, "All we are waiting on now is that damn nobleman. Why are they always late?"

As they waited, the group began to mingle, discussing the upcoming journey and sharing stories of past adventures. The morning air was crisp, filled with the promise of new beginnings. Lilith, Ella, and Elara felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness as they prepared to leave Everwood and embark on their next journey to the city of Bez'Eru.

Around noon, the nobleman and his entourage finally showed up. Kai, keeping his composure, approached the nobleman to inform him that they were ready to depart. The nobleman, a tall and well-dressed young man with an air of authority, looked at Kai and then at the merchant, Benjamin.

"That's great," the nobleman said, his voice carrying an air of apology. "Sorry I'm late. We ran into some trouble, but it's all taken care of now."

As the group prepared to walk out of the gate, the nobleman suddenly called out, "Ohhhh, MAID-KNIGHT! Maid-knight!" He ran over to Elara, his face lighting up with recognition.

Elara looked him up and down and sighed. "Greetings, Garret. So, you are the nobleman we are here to guard on our travels to Bez'Eru?"

"Yes, yes," Garret answered with a smile, clearly pleased to see her. "It must be our destiny to have you in my travel group. What a delight."

Elara's expression remained neutral. "So, we're heading to your home?"

"Yes, Bez'Eru is under Falstone territory. My father governs it—Lord Taitez of House Falstone."

Elara raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so you are a demon."

Garret grinned. "Yes, but you don't see any horns on my forehead, do you?"

Elara shook her head, intrigued. "No, I don't."

"Well, demons can conceal them. Without our horns showing, we look just like humans. Besides, my mother is of human origin."

After the brief exchange, the group set out from Everwood's gate, heading toward Bez'Eru. The journey began with a sense of anticipation. The path ahead was long, but the company was interesting and diverse.

As they traveled, the landscape gradually changed from the familiar forests of Everwood to the more rugged terrain leading to demon territory. The group moved in a well-organized manner, with Elara, Lilith, and Ella positioned strategically.

Ella flew ahead, scouting the area with her keen faerie senses. The sun was high, casting a warm glow over the road, and the atmosphere was filled with the sounds of nature and the occasional chatter among the travelers.

Garret, despite his noble status, made an effort to engage with the group, sharing stories of Bez'Eru and its rich history. "Bez'Eru is renowned for its magical prowess and the production of mana stones. You'll see some of the most skilled magic artisans there," he explained enthusiastically.

Lilith listened intently, her eyes shining with curiosity. "I've read about the mana stones. They're said to be incredibly powerful."

"They are," Garret confirmed. "And our city exports them widely. It's a significant part of our economy."

Elara walked beside him, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. "What kind of trouble did you encounter before meeting us?" she asked, her tone professional.

Garret's expression turned serious. "We were ambushed by a group of rogue mages. They seemed to be after our mana stones. Fortunately, my guards managed to fend them off."

Kai, walking slightly ahead, turned his head slightly to join the conversation. "Rogue mages are becoming more of a problem these days. They seek power without the discipline that true study and practice require."

As the conversation flowed, the group fell into a comfortable rhythm. The path to Bez'Eru was long, but with each step, they grew more accustomed to each other's presence. The shared goal of reaching the city and the promise of new adventures ahead kept their spirits high.

By dusk, they set up camp in a small clearing. Elara set up protective wards around the perimeter, a skill she had perfected over time. The travelers gathered around a campfire, sharing a meal and more stories of their past adventures. Garret proved to be a charming storyteller, his tales of Bez'Eru painting vivid pictures in their minds.

As the night deepened, the fire crackled softly, and the stars above shone brightly. The group settled into a peaceful silence, each member lost in their thoughts. Kai spoke up, "With the protection wards up, it should be safe to sleep, but we still need guards to watch out for bandits. And after what Garret has told us, we might see some trouble."

The night passed peacefully, and nothing happened. They continued their journey to Bez'Eru, encountering only minor problems like a rampaging boar and a hungry direwolf, which the group handled easily. About a week into their journey, while traversing rocky terrain, Ella, the group's scout, noticed something ahead. She rushed back and reported to Kai and Elara that there might be trouble up ahead.

Indeed, they were ambushed. The rocky terrain was the perfect spot for a bandit attack. Kai looked unhappy but quickly started ordering people around to set up defenses. The group followed his guidance. Kai then started twirling his spear around and yelled, "Come out, all of you! We know you are there."

The bandits stepped out with grins and said, "We are here for the stone. Just hand over everything, and you guys can walk away without any damage."

Kai sneered and then looked at Elara. "Maid-Knight, can you and Lilith protect the nobleman and the merchant? I'll take care of these bandits."

Elara nodded and ran over to Garret and Benjamin, with Lilith and Ella in tow. Kai then said out loud, "This is your last chance. Give up this assault, or you will all die."

The bandits laughed louder. Then, out of nowhere, Kai disappeared and reappeared next to one bandit, blasting him away with his palm infused with magic. The bandit flew into a giant rock, dead on impact, and began to burn from the magic Kai had used. Kai then swung his spear around, taking out three other bandits, and yelled out orders to the other adventurers. "Now attack with all you've got! This should be easy."

After a long fight, it was over. All the bandits were dead, and only minor wounds were on the adventurers. Lilith had her first fight against bandits, managing to defend Benjamin from a rogue mage—a bandit with magic that could conceal themselves to blend in with their surroundings. Elara watched over them all, ensuring nothing went wrong. After the battle, they rested for the day and continued the next day.

Not much happened after that, and after another week, they finally saw Bez'Eru on the horizon. The city stood proudly with its high walls and the distant glimmer of mana stones embedded in its structures. The sight of Bez'Eru filled them with a renewed sense of purpose.