The Demon's Princess: The Ranger's Exam

STILL MORE FORESTING.

DAY 8.

SUNDAY.

GOLD: 8,050.

Tyler woke to the sight of Belfast asleep beside him in his bedroll. She had rolled on her side and pressed her back into the curve of his body with his arm around her narrow waist holding her hand to her breast. he smiled at how she felt in his arm and kissed her awake.

"Good morning Tyler."

"Good morning Belfast. You're warm."

She smiled as he kissed her again.

"I admit I like this."

"I do too."

She smiled happily at that one before they got dressed and left the tent. He relit the fire as she cleaned up in the river while the warrior made their breakfast. She came back refreshed and he took his turn in the waters. The pair fed well afterwards and Tyler looked at the rest of the heroes' tents noting Asia and Rias had snuggled together and Kirito and Asuna had flushed faces of their own as they exited their own tent. He chuckled as he saw that one and Belfast smiled knowingly as well.

"Good for them."

Once the camp were people again Strand took Tyler back into the woods.

"This day you will spend in the forest. You are not permitted to return to your camp until the sun goes down."

He nodded and got moving through the trees as his unseen shadow kept watch. The warrior had a smile on his face as he wandered through the forest keeping track of his direction as he did so. Tyler smiled as he enjoyed the rather relaxing walk through the forest. I'll see Seria when I get back and we'll go snuggle on that bench on that balcony. Tyler crossed a stream and found himself on the edge of another clearing of sand. He tossed another rock and got no reaction this time so he walked out fearlessly. The sand crunched softly under foot as he walked when he noticed a rockwall jutting from the floor of the forest. Curious he walked over to the thing and blinked at the light grey and orange lines that indicated tin and copper.

"Cool. Oh that could be fun. I'll learn how to be a blacksmith."

He took a pickaxe from is enchanted toolbelt and began digging at the rockface. The stone gave way easily enough for the warrior as he pried the valuable ore from it's grasp. He retrieved several dozen pounds of workable ore from the fire before he got the last of it from the rock. Happy with the haul he headed off to hunt something. Strand's voice was heard from the trees.

"Seek a proper apprenticeship if you wish to learn smithing Tyler."

"Will do Strand."

She was gone and he was alone again. A deer bounded across his path and an arrow took the hart in the heart. Tyler butchered the buck and took the pelt with him as he made a fire by a stream. He made a lunch of cooked deer meat and some stream water before moving on. He shouldered his pack without a sound as he continued on his walk when he walked out into an odd clearing in the forest. This one more a VERY beaten path leading through the forest and he looked at the ground....and blinked.

"Oh damn."

A set of large three toed tracks were crushed into the dirt leading through through the torn up forest.

"I'd know those anywhere. Tyrannasaur. And a BIG ONE too."

He looked in the direction the apex predator had gone and smiled as he got to tracking the immense animal.

"Two for two."

Strand appeared from a treetop and landed her leap beside him.

"I will accompany you on this hunt. Tyrants are that kind of prey."

"Thanks Strand."

The elven ranger nodded as they tracked the beast. Tyler had a look ahead at the trail as they walked and Strand kept her own watch as well. The ground started shaking after a fifteen minute walk and Strand looked for a suitable ambush point as Tyler chuckled.

"I got it."

He put his hands to his mouth and blew a long, echoing trumpet into the air. Strand smiled thinly at the plan as an earsplitting;y loud bellow of rage came back at them and tyler mirrored it with a more aggressive noise. The ground started shaking from the immense animal as it charged towards them and it appeared a few seconds later. Unlike Maneater, the last tyrant Tyler had fought, this one was a deep forest green with longer jaws and more teeth. Tyler merely fired a grapple into a tree and swung towards the immense theropod as the thing lunged at him. it missed and Tyler used the grapple's retract ability to send him hurtling over the back of it's neck with his greatsword in a vicious swing. the back of the animal's neck was sliced open and the beast dropped to the ground with a slam from a severed spinal cord. he landed beside the thing as Strand clapped slowly at the feat.

"Well done Tyler. VERY, well done. To kill a fully grown forest tyrant with such ease. We Rangers will see to the animal and the material sent to the Capital."

"Thanks Strand."

"You may return to the camp. By the time you return it will be that time anyway."

He smiled and headed back through the forest on the way he came. He returned to the camp a few hours later and found he was not the first to return. Rias was firmly seated by his fire with her boots beside her and was rubbing her sore feet tenderly as he walked up.

"Worked a little TOO hard Rias?"

She smirked as he flopped beside her.

"Shut up."

"Ha."

He took his Status Plate out and smiled.

"Level 3."

"HOW are you DOING that?"

"I'm picking fights."

"Oh."

He opened his stats and smiled.

"I got 30 points this time. Alright. Strength is 50, Defense is 200, Stamina is 250, Vitality is 300, Dexterity is 15, Agility is 15, Intelliegence is 500, Mana is 15, Magic is 15, Magical defense is 15. I'll put 5 into Strength, Dexterity, Agility, Mana, MAgic Defense, and Magic. so 55 strength, 20 mana, 20 dexterity, 20 magic, 20 magic defense. I have 5 left. I'll put them into strength. So 60."

He smiled at the new numbers as Rias sighed.

"I haven't even leveled up ONCE."

"You'll get there, Rias. Just practice in the arena a few hours a day and you'd be amazed how fast you'll level up"

"Thanks Tyler."

"Sure thing."

She smiled and he patted her fondly before she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'll snuggle tonight."

"sure thing Rias."

She smiled at the easy acceptance and he rubbed her back affectionately, making her smile warmer as they relaxed by the fire. Belfast returned a little later and smiled as she saw the friend snuggled up by the fire. The kindly lady sat across from them and Rias smiled sheepishly at the knowing light in her eyes.

"It's nice."

Tyler just chuckled at that one as Belfast placed some deer meat by their pile. The three friends then relaxed by the flames as around them the rest of the heroes relaxed as well from a hard day's training in the forest. Victoria strode into view then with a smirk.

"Alright Maggots. Tomorrow we are returning to Berun. One day back in the city, then we are riding for Dunkrick for the next leg of your training. I will explain it on the ride."

Tyler smiled at the news.

"I can't wait to see Seria again."

Rias smiled at that excitement with a sad onging in her eyes as she was right there on his shoulder, and yet was longing for another girl. Belfast saw this and smiled understandingly. Tyler didn't notice Rias' reaction as he was wrapped up in the thought of his princess. The day wound down and he was on first watch again. He did his statue of armor imitation by the river for the required hours before he returned to his tent. He found it empty for once and shrugged as he laid in it. The warrior settled on the bedrolls and smiled at the ceiling.

"I'll see you soon, my Princess."

HONEY, I'M COMING HOME.

DAY 9.

MONDAY.

GOLD: 8,050

Tyler woke the next morning with a refreshed smile. The tent was empty for once besides him and he aid it no mind as he cleaned up in the river and got ready for the day. Around him the rest of the heroes did so with excitement to return to the city. Victoria strode among them smirking.

"Break camp."

They broke camp in 20 minutes and had the horses ready in five. Tyler mounted Shadow and the massive Morbol tossed his head with excitement. Tyler chuckled as he patted the big guy.

"I know. I feel it too."

"Maggots, MOVE OUT!"

Victoria's bark had them moving through the forest back to the road and she was again upfront with the warrior and the leaders of the heroes company. Asuna smiled as she saw te excited smile on his face.

"Missing someone?"

He chuckled.

"Yeah. Seria."

"She's a lucky girl. Do it right."

"OVERdo it you mean."

They returned to the road and thundered along the familar sight with the warrior's black image in the lead as he saw Berun's palace in the distance rearing up against the landscape. The force rode hard that day and camped in the same spot as before for that night. Tyler had smiled as he remembered they'd reach the city before noon tomorrow.

"I'll be home soon."