The Demon's Princess: Results and the Village.

WE'RE NEARLY THERE.

DAY 14.

SATURDAY.

GOLD: 10,193.

Tyler woke to the feeling of two girls asleep ontop of him. He opened his eyes to see Asia asleep n his shoulder with her arm around an adorable girl with silver hair curled into a ball on his chest. he smiled at this vision and ran a hand up her spine like she was a cat.

"Oooh that tickled!"

"Mornign Shiro. morning Asia."

The blonde opened her green eyes with a smile.

"Morning! Wow Shiro you're really warm."

She smiled and yawned hard.

"It;s too early in the morning."

"Go back to sleep and I'll hit you with an ice spell Shiro.....on the SPINE."

She woke with a shiver.

"You're EVIL."

"Ha."

The trio left the tent and he relit the fire for their breakfast. Once fed and refired with good coffee, Tyler met with Asuna at the Table with the rest of the leaders. Asuna smiled as he walked up.

"Morning. We'll reach the village either today or early tomorrow."

"Good. What do we know so far?"

Victoria slid the Royal Scry into view snd Mylissia was seen. Tyler smiled.

"I'm kidnapping Seria tonight."

"I'll be sure she is free. Now. The coal mines."

"How bad?"

She sighed.

"All but ONE mine was secure. The one mine that WASN'T had been overrun by goblins. They've been cleared out but there are signs it was a Draken backed raid. Their weapons were Draken forged, their armor too. Plus they bore the marks of Draken controlled monster as well. Tyler, your hunch was correct. they were planning to put fire to the mine. And thank the gods they didn't succeed. If they HAD, the entire Black Mountain range would have been destroyed by the chain reaction."

Tyler frowned.

"Any sign of the puppet master?"

She shook her head.

"None. which in itself is bizarre. from all indicated reports, the Monsters controlled by the Draken CAN'T go far from their masters or they drop dead. Reports indicate a MAXIMUM distance of 40 meters."

"That's about 131 feet. Hm. That't not good."

She nodded gravely.

"NO it is NOT. There is a chance the village attack was the work of Drakens. If that is the case, Tyler, I HOPE you are ready."

He smiled.

"We'll get this done."

"Our hopes lay with you."

The orb went out and he looked at the map.

"Okay. Draken sign, weapons, and armor. But NO ACTUAL DRAKEN."

Sora walked up then with a yawn.

"Morning."

"Mornin. Get a look."

The still half asleep NEET looked at the new details and tilted his head.

"That doesn't make any sense. I get we're at war, but why leave such BLANTANT clues pointing back at you for such an over the top idea?"

Tyler nodded as he looked at the map.

"I think it's a front."

Sora frowned.

"Blame damage done by another enemy on the known enemy. A classic."

"And a VERY worrying one as well. You hear of the worms?"

"I have. They just make this weirder. They had the perfect position to launch a sneak attack on the queendom but didn't. There are multiple players in this game Tyler. Some using different playstyles."

"US against the world huh? Sound familar?"

Sora chuckled at that one as a knowing light appeared in his eyes.

"Those always DO make the best games."

"Lets go show them how WE play this world."

The Company broke camp and got riding along the road. The road was still threading through a narrow valley and the warrior frowned as he saw the steep hills either side of them.

"Strand, this place prone to landslides?"

The Ranger shook her head.

"No Lord Berserker. This road is ancient. Even older then the Ranger Brigades as a whole. There is Deep Magic in this valley and it has kept it safe from landslides for millienia."

"Good. This valley goes the road's lost."

The company rode hard through the valley until they came to another snakeback climb of two wagons wide and Tyler took point with Shadow as they went. The warrior made it to the top of the cliff and looked ahead at the road. They were now riding into a dense forest not unlike Wilder forest while in the distance was seen small pillars of smoke from fires. Tyler nodded as he saw this and pulled his horse to the side as the rest of the Company climbed the snakeback without issue. Once they were all on the top Tyler pointed out the smoke. Strand nodded.

"That's Drikin Village alright. Let us make haste."

"We go in nice and easy. Lest we run into an ambush."

"Ah. Understood."

The heroes rode at their usual pace of a moderate canter through the forest toward the pillars in the distance. Tyler kept an eye on the forest around them and frowned as he noted something.

"Strand. The forest."

"Yes i sense it too. The forest is far too quiet."

Asuna had her hand on her rapier.

"What are we dealing with, Tyler?"

He frowned and looked at the fringe of the forest closely now. The trees were far smaller then Wilder and more akin to a north american deidcious woodland. As he looked a shadow flitted between trunks.

"Raptors. we're surrounded."

The company nodded as they moved with hands on weapons. Strand frowned.

"This is not normal behaviour for Forest Wolves. We are far too many in number for a pack to stalk like this."

"Hmm. Someone do a magic check on them. ready ice spells."

The heads nodded and the mana was channeled as a low squack was heard....followed by all hell breaking loose. Dozens of leaping velociraptors came screeching from the woodland as the heroes cast their ice spells. Tyler nodded as the dinosaurs dropped from the arctic attack.

"FROZEN WASTES."

The ground for 10 meters under Shadow turned to ice and the air became frigid. The dinos were repelled with not a one suriviving and a few slashes on horses and hero alike. Once the heals were dealt out Tyler hopped off Shadow to examine the body of the largest raptor with Strand. Teh ranger placed a hand on the narrow snout of the dead predator

"Natrual Eye."

Her eyes glowed bright gold as she saw what the dinosaur had seen while around them the bodies of the dinos were harvested for the Company's uses. Strand nodded after a few minutes.

"I have an answer Tyler."

He looked over from loading the wagon with meat.

"What are we dealing with Strand?"

She sighed.

"A rogue Draken. A man that has sought to control this area. Why we will have to ask. But he has HUNDREDS of raptors, forest tyrants, forest BREAKERS, and even a Alpine bear under his command."

"I only know two of those."

She smiled.

"The Breaker was the horned creature you fought in the arena."

"A triceratops. Okay. And an Alpine Bear?"

She pulled her own photo crystal and an image of a Sasquatch was seen. Tyler nodded.

"So a Bigfoot. Alright. We'll check in at the village and the Ranger station before we go hunting."

She nodded.

"Agreed. The Station is outside the village. Only another Ranger can find it."

"Alright. Asuna. Status?"

"we're good."

"I am keeping the biggest toe claw. ACCEPT IT."

Those that knew chuckled as the nearly 12 inch claw was tossed to him by Akeno.

"Don't sit on it!"

"Akeno, you REALLY use that as an opener?"

"err."

"remember. I know you."

"OOoookay. SUUUUPER creepy."

The claw was added to his pack and Rias chuckled as he mounted Shadow.

"Jurassic Park."

"Yup."

"Ha. A classic. yet you didn't keep any t-rex teeth?"

"Oh I did. Just haven't done anything with em yet."

They got moving and refocused on the village. Tyler was the first to spot the battered gate to the village around a bend and the tired men cleaning the mess groaned visibly at the heavily armed and well supplied company of soldiers approaching. Tyler manuvered Shadow up to the group of dejected men as they looked up at him and the tallest man spoke in a deep grunt.

"Please. Tell us you're here to help."

Tyler smiled.

"I'm Tyler. We're the Heroes Company. We'll take it from here. Alright people. You know what to do. BREAK."

The company got to work with a WILL. The tired and weak villagers broke out into hoarse cheers as the Heroes and the knights rolled in with magic and fresh arms. Tyler stayed mounted while the rest split to their tasks whiel he examined the forest. The village of Drikin was a small yet hardy place with maybe 50 buildings in all built in a perfect circle around the road leading through the mountians. Population wise it had maybe 500 people living there in wooden structure reinforced by stone and earthenwork. The largest building sat in the center and was the Chief's longhall that housed the chief and his family. Tyler looked at the damage now as he sought to piece together the attack. The gate they'd rode through had been ten feet tall and made from solid oaken planks while the fencing around the village was made from the same. Only the front gate had been damaged and from the look of the people, had been done so mulitple times. Tyler dismounted the horse and threw himself into the work with all of his strength. The sun rose high into the sky as the main gate was risen once more and locked by the reinvigorated villagers. Once it was, Tyler took the leaders to the Chief's longhall for a debriefing on the attack.

The leader of the attack was a mountain of a man named Bjorn Treebreaker. He rose to an imposing 8 feet tall with coal black skin and razor sharp hooded brown eyes. His attire was the pelt of a large black bear and he spoke in a deep growl not unlike the animal he wore.

"On behalf of my village, Lord Berserker, I thank you for your aid here this day. we are a hunting village by trade, and we offer our stores as repayment."

Tyler chuckled as he saw at the animal bone table in the center of the longhall.

"We'll talk repayment later. Job is only half done in my book, Chief Bjorn. Okay. We encountered the Forest Wolves on our way in. They are NOT acting as they should."

The massive man nodded in agreement.

"No they are not. We did not learn of this until they came screeching through our gates. Led they were, by an Alpine bear. A MONSTER of an Alpine Bear too. It stood maybe 20 feet tall and was as wide at the shoulders as my door."

The door in question was 8 feet across. Strand frowned as she heard this.

"This is not the description of an Alpine Bear, Chief Bjorn. Have you any material from the beast?"

"We have some hair."

The strands were placed in view for all and Tyler blinked as he saw it.

"I know that fur. It's another breed of Alpine Bear. I think the name in my world was Stonish Giant. No one's ever seen one straight on before."

Strand nodded as she inspected the slate grey fur.

"That is my deduction as well. In our words, they are refered to as fathers of the forest."

"I'dda thought that been a bear."

"THOSE are called Bear kings."

"Ah."

Bjorn continued.

"Now we are used to random animal attacks as a rule of the forest. But we were NOT prepared for this. The Wolves attacked without direction or seeking of food while the Alpine Bear retreated as soon as the gates were breached. We killed many, many wolves but they came in hordes. We were about to be overrun when they turned as one and left without feasting on the flesh of the dead. we were so confused but what had just occured. The attacks came daily. Only this morn have they broken schedule. The toll is 50 men, 40 women, and about 25 children had been taken by the beasts."

The massive man sighed deeply at this fact and Tyler sat back in his tyrant bone chair.

"Have you sent scouts?"

"we have. NONE have returned."

"And these are people that grew up in these woods too. Hmm. Strand, we need to see the Station."

"Absolutely. Ingot is no fool. And NOT suicidally valorous. If they were attacked and overwhelmed, he will have left SOMETHING for another Ranger to find."

Tyler looked at Asuna.

"We're splitting the crew. I'm going with Strand with a squad and the rest will defend the village."

She nodded.

"Understood. Who are you taking?"

"Kirito, Erza, Asia, annnnnd"

He reviewed his fighting force.

"Bell."

She nodded.

"We'll keep them safe."

"Use wall spells to reinforce everything."

"We'll get right on it."

Tyler looked at Bjorn.

"YOU and your people rest. We are still fresh. As hard as it will be, get some sleep."

The man smiled at the command.

"You be a young buck yet, but your eyes are an Old Wolf's eyes Lord Berserker. we greatly appreciate everything you have done thus far and will do for us in the future. And when we are rested we WILL aid you."

"That be the plan. Points a saving your asses if you don't try to do the same?"

"HA."

The villagers went to their beds for a well earned rest while Tyler gathered his fighters. Erza smiled as she adjusted her greatsword. She was an imposing girl with deep scarlet hair that hung to her lower back and clashed with her blued steel armor nicely. her frame was slender with evident muscles from her rough lifestyle and her bust large. Her eyes were a bright shade of brown and her voice a hardy bark.

"I'm ready. and I do want a rematch tyler."

"Sure thing Erza."

Kirito nodded as he cracked a wrist.

"Let;s get this done."

Bell and Asia nodded and Strand looked to the deep forest.

"Let's move. Follow my steps EXACTLY. Very few see our Stations, and even fewer walk away unharmed."

They entered the forest at a light trot and Tyler noticed something nearly instantly as they left the village behind.

"No rodents, no INSECTS, no birds, jesus I am not liking this, Strand."

"Something has the forest TERRIFIED, Tyler. And there are a VERY few select things that can silence a forest like this."

"A demon?"

"They can yes. But only one of power."

Asia came up with a serious expression on her otherwise adorable face.

"I don't think it's a demon Tyler. The feeling is all wrong."

He looked at her.

"Can you put a finger on the feeling?"

"Like a mix of Rias's aura plus Irinia's light and.....a breeze in the trees. Best I can describe it."

"A nature Spirit?"

"THAT. YES. That fits perfectly."

Tyler looked at Strand.

"Someone pissed off the Nature Spirit in the forest. OR it turned."

She nodded as she scanned the forest around her with her Ranger skills and elven senses.

"And that is cause for extreme concern. if a Spirit has turned, the ENTIRE forest has turned. The Station will know more."

"So why are they so well hidden?"

She smiled.

"They serve as loding for Rangers when we want to be left the fuck alone."

"HA. Okay I want one."

"Amusing and I do not blame you. They are also our temples to our various nature deites that protect our forests."

"If a temple is desecrated?"

She blinked.

"That would be cause for the deity to turn or fight back. And to appease them we would need to repair the damage."

"We have motive. AND a solution."

Erza was lookig around at the forest now.

"hm? I just saw Lucy, one of my guildmates, stepping behind that tree."

"DON'T MOVE. it's a trap."

Strand's voice stopped the redhead in her tracks. Tyler looked over in the indicated direction as a rather busty blonde was seen flitting from tree to tree.

"That's not Lucy. Not even CLOSE."

Erza chuckled s she looked at him.

"You know Fairytail?"

He turned and lifted his left hand in a backwards L and she shivered as she returned the salute.

"No matter where you go, no matter what you do, know I am always looking in your direction. even though our paths may part, I am ALWAYS on your side. We are Fairytail. We are FAMILY."

Erza smiled proudly as he finished the Fairytail oath.

"Master would be PROUD to call you a guildmate. And we will discuss this later."

"Absolutely. Now, the spirit."

Strand had not taken her eyes off the dancing apparition.

"Stab it in the heart, Tyler. Or use a holy spell."

"Alright. I have two, Kirito."

"On it."

Tyler walked up to the dancing blonde as she smiled invitingly at him.

"Hey. You dead yet?"

The blonde giggled and leapt back a step and Tyler flicked a rock into the spot she wanted him to step on...and it sank into the bed of soft looking moss.

"A sinkhole. Get a new trick."

The blonde huffed in disappointment at the foiling...before LUNGING at him suddenly.

"Switch. HOLY SLICER!"

Kirito came in with his now white coated swords to stab the thing in the chest and the creature screamed in agony before exploding into dust leaving her gown impaled on the blue sword of the swordsmen. Tyler smiled as Kirito lowered his sword cautiously to let the potentially cursed gown slide from his sword.

"Good kill kirito. You level?"

He looked.

"Yup. Level 2."

"Do numbers later. Strand?"

She took the gown.

"It'll need to be purified at an altar before we can use it. But good kill. That was a Forest Ghost. The fact that was here, means the Spirit HAS turned."

They continued through the trail and Kirito smiled.

"Catching up."

"Bro I'm level 4. HALFWAY to level 5."

"I'll catch up."

Bell chuckled as he perked up.

"I'll catch up too, Tyler."

"I hope so. it's lonely here at the top."

The group smirked at THAT cocky kick to the balls and Asia giggled.

"I'll be sure to tell the others that Tyler!"

"Please do, Glowball."

"Hey! Dick."

"Cute."

She giggled as the friends shook their heads at that fact. Strand smiled fondly before she looked ahead as they climbed an embankment by a streamlet.

"The Station is just ahead."

Tyler sniffed the breeze.

"Strand. The breeze."

"I smell it too."

A scent of rotting meat, dried piss, old shit, burnt wood, and ash was on the air as they crested the embankement to be faced with a badly burnt stone structure in the shape of a wall. The structure was 50 feet tall, 150 feet long and 300 feet wide with a pyramid style construction. It had collasped in on itself with scorch marks and dried blood all over the outside. Tyler had his lance and shield up as Strand led them to the shattered front door where a mass of tracks led in with only a few coming out. The warrior sighed as he saw the small humaniod feet.

"goblins?"

"Indeed. A mass of goblins attacked the Station."

They pushed the shattered door open to reveal a grisly sight. Upwards of forty Rangers lay in piles of ead and rotting goblins that had brought them down. The bodies mutilated from the weapons and spells of the caught by surprise Ranger Brigade and Tyler noted the way the tracks were laid out in the muddy floor.

"The goblins got through the door by sheer weight of numbers ALONE. These poor bastards held out for a very long time."

Strand nodded with dry eyes as she looked atnthe carnage.

"A Ranger's first duty in this instance is to defend the Altar. It's the spirit's home and sacred place."

They walked inside and Tyler noted the battered ceiling above.

"worry not. Stations are BUILT to be sacked and repaired. Due to where they're built, they are VERY sturdy."

"Makes sense, Strand. but that support beam is worrying me."

She looked at the beam in question and nodded as she saw the shattered timber.

"Me as well. That section of the roof is unstable. Let us hurry."

They moved into the circular structure that was lined with the bodies of goblins nearly two feet deep. The creatures were of a uniform 2 feet tall and built like hairless rats but with the crushed faces of a certain breed of dog. The things were stacked three deep on the floor with individiual Rangers playing rearguard for the clear retreat. Tyler frowned as he saw this.

"How many Rangers can a place like this hold at once, Strand?"

"Up to 60. As this is a popular stophouse, it is usually full."

"Huh. I counted forty in that main hall."

"we are missing 15."

"Captives?"

"Not likely. We have suicide abilities to avoid such hells."

"Smart."

They made their way deeper into the Station and the numbers of dead goblins started making Tyler frown for a new reason as he looked at them.

"THIS many goblins at once and the village knew nothing? that doesn't make any sense."

The Ranger again provided insight.

"Goblins do not sue fire for their food. And they are like rats when they move in numbers. The MOST you'd would expect to see is a mere rustle in the trees for ten thousand."

"Huh. Their food?"

"They eat meat. Anything that moves really."

"That still doesn't add up then...actually it does. it explains why the forest was so damn quiet. feeding an army on the march is a task of the gods. Monsters or not."

She nodded sagely at this truth as they entered a new section.

"it is indeed. Which is why the fact they are moving in numbers at all is cause for alarm."

"Hmm. Have you noticed differences in tribe or clan?"

"I have. I counted thirty clans in the main hall alone."

"If one were to control the CHIEFTAINS?"

She blinked.

"One could build an army of the rodents in an afternoon."

Tyler nodded.

"Some idiot is trying to play overlord. Greeeat."

The rest of the party were ashen faced by the horrific sight of the massecre and Asia shivered.

"You're okay Asia."

"I know. Just kinda gross."

"Ha. We'll make sure those bastards pay one way or another."

She smiled and kirito frowned as he noted something.

"Hey Tyler. None of the meat's been eaten."

"Yeah i noticed that as well. which means a hurry. THAT'S not good."

Strand looked ahead at a larger pile of goblin bodies.

"The Inner Sanctum. I will need an oath from you all."

They nodded.

"NEVER reveal a WORD of what you see, hear, or experience inside the sanctum with any but another Ranger. NOT even the Princess. Are we clear?"

"We are Strand."

Tey nodded and the elf looked at the pile.

"Alright. I'll open it."

She walked up and placed her hand on a spot on the stone wall. There was a click and the wall opened like a mouth to reveal even MORE dead goblins inside that fell out like trash from a dumptruck. Tyler whistled at the sheer mass of dead.

"Damn. I see what they did. Open the door, let in a mass, close the door, and CRUSH THEM. rinse and repeat. Scary thing? That was one o MY ideas."

Kirito whistled as well as the piles of dead goblins were pushed aside by the door.

"The numbers involved is just plain scary."

Once they could get through the door the friends walked down a staircase made from granite now encrusted in three inches of dried goblin blood that was a deep purple in color. The walls were decorated in animal totems and emblems while paintings of hunts, healing, herbology, and other such natural work was seen. Tyler spotted a wolf totem covered in purple goblin blood and stopped to clean the thing off with a cloth before he put it back.

"BEtter."

The wolf's head totem growled and Strand chuckled.

"Lupus says thank you."

"No wolf worth her fangs should go around like that."

The totem's eyes glowed a moment and Strand smiled approvingly.

"Lupus approves of your existence. And has granted you access to other Stations that house her totems."

"Thanks Lupus."

He walked away and Kirito chuckled.

"I halfexpected you to get a perk or a title there, Tyler."

"Oddly enough me too. But hey that'd a been a little TOO easy."

He chuckled at that one as they reached the bottom of the stairs where a circular door was seen buried under more goblin bodies. Strand frowned at this blockage.

"I have a fire spell."

"It would damage the sanctum."

He shrugged.

"Hard way it is then. Come we need to get this door unblocked."

The friends sighed but got to work tossing dead goblins out of the way. the work took a solid thirty minutes until Strand could force the nearly solid purple thing open with a creak of hinges. The friends were then faced with the Altar of the Ranger station. The thing was a large slab of stone sitting on pristine grass surrounded by small shrubs and flower bushes. Strand tugged her ear in tribute to the Altar and Tyler dipped his head to it. The friends showed their respect before they inspected the chamber. There was not a drop of goblin blood inside the chamber nor any signs of a struggle. Tyler frowned as he saw this.

"Strand, there another way outta here?"

"There is. A secret exit only the Station Master knoes about."

"Ingot."

"Exactly. And we're still missing 15 rangers."

"If he got out, he would have taken the survivors with him."

"Absolutely. Rangers together."

Tyler looked at the Altar.

"IS there something that should be sitting on that bench?"

Strand nodded now.

"Yes. The Station Gem. The Spirit's gift to the Station so it can even be here. If memory serves, this one's was a giant opal."

"Explains why it's so pissed. Ingot took it with him to make sure the goblins couldn't have it."

"Which means he lives yet."

She went to a wall and looked at them.

"This is a Ranger Secret. I am a Master, so I know this exists. DO NOT betray my judgement."

More nods were seen and a small stone door was opened to reveal a single file tunnel leading into the distance. Tyler followed Strand as they went down the thing and the door shut behind them, leaving them in near total darkness. They kept moving however and after a few minutes they climbed out of a treetrunk on a hill overlooking the Station. Tyler frowned at the distance they'd gone from the Station and Strand pointed to the dirt.

"They went this way."

They followed the faded tracks of the survivors away from the station and Erza sighed.

"I know how they must have felt. Having to retreat while your Hall burns."

Tyler sighed.

"I think they more mourned the loss of their Station Mates then the building itself. A building can be rebuilt. But you can't bring back to dead."

ERza shivered at that reminder and Kirito patted him on the back.

"Here and now Tyler."

"Thanks Kirito."

"I gotchyer too ya know."

"Ha."

Strand smiled at the moment as they came to a sandy clearing where the elven Ranger nodded.

"The trail leads into a hidden storeroom. NO other tracks are found. They;re inside."

Tyler looked around.

"Wait. that doesn't make any sense Strand."

"explain."

"They had the numbers to FLOOD a RAnger Station to the extent we saw. NOW do we know they didn't have RESERVES in WAIT?"

She blinked at this nasty possibility and Kirito looked at the clearing now. It was situated inside a slight bowl with the rockface they were standing by at the end. Tyler looked at the sandy clearing and noted it was not a perfect circle. Bell frowned.

"We have to find out, Tyler. If it's a trap, it's the kind we have to set off. Just to know what happened."

Tyler sighed at this.

"You've a point Bell. Part a me wants to say cut our losses and secure the village. Then come back in force."

Strand smiled at this.

"Caution in a leader is always a good thing. And seeing the more important goal over the rest. Yet this is my duty as a Ranger to find out what happened to my companions. YOU do NOT have to follow."

He chuckled at that.

"We'll follow to hell an back Strand. We're friends. we gotchyer back. Now crack it open and let's start this shitshow."

She smiled at this and set her hand to the wall. She twisted and there was a deep click before the door swung open...and the friends were met by a swinging mace on a chain aiming RIGHT for Strand's chest. Tyler reacted like lightning to pull the elf from danger as the nearly thirty pound spiked ball missed. Tyler chuckled as he saw this/

"That is such a classic trap."

He looked into the tunnel.

"Hey! You alive in there?"

A deep, gravely chuckle was heard.

"BARELY laddee! Be ya friendly?"

"Depends on the day! You're fine today! tomorrow's up in the air at the moment!"

The voice chuckled at that as a shorter man in battered steel armor wielding a battleaxe stepped into view.

"Ya got heart laddee. Rangers Together."

Strand smiled.

"RAngers forever. Ingot!"

"Belay mah eyes. if it ain't Little Strand! Ha! C'mere lassie! Lemme get a look atchya!"

a 4 foot tall barrel of a man stode out of the tunnel in fine cheer even though he was covered from head to foot in old wounds, badly healed wounds, and dried blood. His red hair was nearly purple, his browned skin the same and his one eye was still twinkling. Tyler smiled as he looked into the hole and found the remaining 14 rangers limping weakly into view.

"Asia, time to strut your stuff."

"Kay! Come on out."

Once the wounded were retrieved,

"Twilight Healing."

Asia clasped her hands together in prayer as her immensely powerful healing spell encased the 15 and healed their infections, wounds, aches, ad even removed the scars. Bell was awestruck by this flex of power from the pretty blonde.

"Wow Miss Asia. You're amazing."

"Aww thanks!"

She blushed shyly at the geninue praise as the spell died, Tyler then approached the chuckling dwarf.

"Nice to see you still in piece. I'm Tyler. We're with the Heroes Company."

THe dwarf clasped arms with the taller man.

"Good to know ya laddee. What news of the village?"

"They got hit hard by an army of forest wolves. My company has them defended for the time being."

"Good. we've the gem for the Altar with us. We need replace it before Lady Nightshade gets any angrier."

Tyler nodded as the nearly three foot wide Opal was presented.

"We'll do that now. Come on."

The grouo moved for the door to the secret exit as Ingot told the tale.

"We got attacked out of nothing. Horders a em. Goblins to the last. they came barging into the station and we held them for hours. But there was just too many a the damned things. That battle lasted three days and we made those bastard BLEED for EVERY inch. finally we were driven to the Altar. Took the gem and we got out through the back door. Reached the storeroom and locked the door."

Tyler nodded.

"Any sign of a leader?"

"Hmm. We got glimpes of a Draken giving the orders through windows and such, but nothing certain. There WERE shifters in the fray."

"HAllowed Ground."

Tyler cast his Hostile detection spell and smiled as he got no hits. Ingot chuckled at the ploy.

"Ya be a WILY twit an no mistake. we got em all."

"The goblins or the shifters?"

"BOTH laddee, BOTH. why do ya think none got into the Altar?"

"Dwarven engineering?"

"HA!"

They returned to the Altar and Ingot replaced the gem in it's rightful place.

"Me apologies milady Nightshade."

A deep, feminine voice was heard from the chamber now.

"You have returned my Gem, dear Ingot. And you removed it only to defend it. I forgive this slight. Even IF it took longer then it should have."

Tyler chuckled at that one and the voice turned to face HIM now.

"So. Lord Berserker. There have been WHISPERS of you in the Astral plane. NAmely that CURSED ability you have."

The warrior smiled.

"So we have an understanding."

"Cocky mortal."

"Piss me off, and I TAKE your world from you. revenge of the Demon. read it."

The voice was then heard to SHUDDER.

"By the FOREST."

Tyler nodded sagely.

"DO NOT, push me. ONLY warning. We clear?"

"We are."

The voice had a new tone of wariness in it that made the natives gulp. Tyler then refocused.

"Alright. So what's next?"

The voice cleared her throat to regain her composure.

"Now I resecure MY home. The Station is permitted to be rebuilt once the MESS has been cleaned."

TYler nodded.

"We'll deal with that once we're done with our current mess."

The voice chuckled now.

"NOT you. The Rangers. This is their mess, their home, they clean it up"

"Oh. That's fair. Alright."

The gem was sealed inside the chamber before the wall was rendered solid by the Spirit's power. Ingot followed the party as they left the Station.

"What be our path now, Tyler?"

"Secure the village and plan our next move. Right now we have beads on TWO full armies out there, Ingot. One of Forest Wolves, and the other of goblins. Sorry, I don't think yuo got them all."

He smirked.

"And yer REASON?"

"It'd be too easy."

"Lad that is a SCARY way to look at the world. And a true one at that."

Strand nodded.

"It is indeed. Yet, he hasn't led us wrong thus far."

"Ha. Kinda hard to when we're following a map."

They chuckled at that one as Asia giggled.

"You're pretty good with them knives, Bell!"

"Thanks Asia. I'm not the best though."

"hmm, I think you are."

Tyler looked back and smiled at the sight of Asia and Bell chatting with red ears and nervous smiles. Then he chuckled at Kirito.

"I think SOMEONE needs a word."

"I completely agree."

They returned to the village to find the walls reinforced with sheets of magical ice. The exhuasted Rangers smiled in relief as they walked into the village and Tyler looked at Ingot.

"You and the Rangers get some proper rest. DON'T GO THERE. My crew is fresh. You're not."

Ingot sighed at this.

"Aye. Goes against the grain somethin fierce letting others fight me battles, but aye"

"Well when you're a person again, get back out here and show us outworlders what a dwarf can do."

"HA! Good on ya laddee!"

The fiery dwarf went with his battered Rangers to get some well earned shuteye and Tyler looked at Strand.

"we'll check in with the rest."

She nodded and they met up with the Leaders in the longhall. Asuna slid a mug of cordial to him.

"Tell us everything."

"We're under Ranger Oath for a few pieces, but we can tell you the majority."

They reported ion the results of the search and the destruction of the Ranger Station. Strand adding her own input here and there before they were caught up. Then Tyler looked at Rias.

"So you know? Asia seems to have a CRUSH on Bell. And vice versa."

She smiled.

"Good for you Asia. we'll see to her."

"we got Bell."

The heads nodded and Tyler opened the map.

"Somewhere in this forest are TWO full armies on the march. One is made of Forest Wolves and other such creatures, the other is goblins and whatever else. we need to find them."

The heads nodded and Victoria frowned.

"we don't have the numbers Tyler. And your heroes are NOT READY for such a hard war yet. Send for the Queen."

He frowned at this and Asuna nodded.

"It's not worth the risk."

He sighed.

"Alright."

The orb was placed on the table and Mylissia appeared. she saw the grim expressions and nodded.

"A moment."

The queen returned to her study.

"What happened?"

Strand explained everything but the Ranger Secret and Mylissia sighed.

"It is worse then I feared. Two full armies are on the march inside my borders and I am JUST learning of them. Okay. Tyler, what do you need?"

He looked at the map.

"A full Ranger Brigade, an extra 250 knights used to mountain combat, 100 skilled mages, and that'll do it."

Victoria smiled approvingly.

"A VERY well balanced fighting force."

"They won't make it in time."

They blinked and Mina looked at him with a frown.

"How can be sure?"

"It'd be too easy."

They sighed at that one and Asuna smiled.

"Sometimes it is."

"I am LOOKING at it like it NEVER IS."

Sora nodded with a smirk.

"OVERestimate your enemy, and you will NEVER be surprised. Alright. What do we do?"

Mylissia smiled.

"I'll call muster for the soldiers Tyler. They'll reach you in three days."

"Good. we have 400 reinforcements coming to us in three days. Which means we have to hold the line until then. In the morning we're on reinforce. Bjorn and his villagers can fight too. So the force is already bolstered by 250. we had 151. So we have a fighting force of 416. we got the numbers for a good defence of the village."

Mina nodded.

"A seige?"

"We win. Once the Rangers get there they'll tear that forest apart the only way they know how. A good RAnger Brigade can clean house on a hundred miles of known woodland."

Strand smiled.

"More three hundred."

"Better. They have to try and attack us directly as he have the advantage of supplies, lodging, and morale on our side. we CAN wait. THEY can't. we have the means to hold out for MONTHS up here. and on a road like this that just isn't an option for an occupying force."

Mina nodded and Mylissia did as well.

"You know war well. This is good. The call went out and we will have them on the trail in an hour."

"Good. Seria?"

"IS waiting for you."

He smiled and Asuna chuckled.

"We got this. Go to her."

The warrior left the meeting and went to where his tent had been pitched as the inn was reserved for wounded. He used a spell to clean up before he smiled.

"Night's Longing."

Seria appeared from the ground with a smile in a thin nightgown.

"I'm here my love."

He grabbed her in a tight hug.

"I missed you Seria."

She smiled as she held him tightly.

"I missed you too, Tyler. And we're alone."

"Rias was hiding from the truth."

"Ah. So you made her face it."

"I did."

"Good. And to be honest I was testing you."

"I love you, Seria. No one else."

She smiled as they laid in the bedroll.

"I love you too, Tyler. I don't want to share."

"You won't."

She smiled as they had a meal of fried raptor and some cordial.

"And the Lady says I have a talent in my lessons!"

"Sexy."

"Yup! I can't wait to try them on you!"

He hugged her to him as they settled for the night.

"Good night, my beloved fiance."

"Good night my beloved HUSBAND.