Chapter 7

The sound of leaves rustling in the cold night breeze filled the forest as Claus finally finished his report. All the party members are quietly mulling over what they have heard, Artreus included.

Finally, someone broke the silence. "A Manticore on the loose eh. I don't think it would be much of a trouble then." Drogo said confidently. Even in the dark, the glint in his eyes can be seen as he anticipates a fight.

Wearing a troubled expression on her face, Micaela chimed in. "It doesn't make any sense. A Manticore usually wouldn't be able to upset the balance of ecosystem by this much. Unless…" She looks toward Claus

"Your suspicion is correct. It is a Manticore bigger than any that we have seen before." Claus said in a serious tone. "Judging from the footprints alone it is at least twice the size normal ones."

"So what? It just means he is twice stronger. The beast should be at least that strong for it to be fun." Drogo's expression shows that he is itching to fight the beast.

"Twice the size doesn't always mean twice the strength. Sometimes, it is worse." Claus answered. His face shows concern.

"Worse how?" Drogo looks annoyed.

Claus with a serious tone explained. "A Manticore that size means it lived a long life and fought countless battles. At the lowest estimate, it should be at least 3 times stronger than normal manticores, if that wasn't already bad, the experience from living a long life and fighting battles means it is more adept in fighting. So don't expect an easy battle and be careful."

"Stop it Claus. You are just making more excited." Micaela said in an exasperated tone as she watches Drogo act like a child looking forward to receiving presents.

"Hell yeah I am excited. I haven't had a good fight for so long." Drogo grips his sword in excitement.

"Damn it old man. Haven't you just beat up all the other adventurers in the sparring area this week?" Micaela grumbled.

"Mimi, oh little girl. Sparring and a fight to the death is vastly different from each other. There is a saying, 'only through intense heat and pressure could a great sword be forged'. So we must relish any difficulties life throws at us. It's what makes us strong."

"Stop trying to sound like some wise sage. You just want to fight." Micaela huffed as she crossed her arms.

Not perturbed even one bit by his companion's displeasure, Drogo declared. "Hell yeah I want to fight! Come on! Let's go! Adventure will not wait!"

"This is not a game old man. We should at least call for backup just to be sure." Micaela says before shooting a look at Porsha, seeking help from the eyepatch wizard.

But instead of cooling the barbarian down, she threw more fuel to the flames. "I am sorry dear, but I am with Drogo in this one." Taking out a long pipe from her pouch and lighting up the herbs, she took a long puff and exhaled a cloud of sweet scented smoke. "An ancient manticore of that size and age would be an exquisite source of ingredients for my experiment. I wouldn't let such an appetizing prey away or share it with those third rate magic casters from the guild."

"Oh yeah! Thanks Porsha! I promise I will slay the beast cleanly so you have as much ingredients to whatever magic soup you are making." Drogo cheered while grinning from ear to ear.

That's barbarians for you. Artreus thought to himself. He kind of remind him of his friend Devin, who also relish the fight even when facing an insurmountable odd.

"It is not soup you idiot." Despite trying to sound offended, Porsha looked like she is having fun.

Hearing the two laugh manically at the prospect of fighting and harvesting the manticore, Claus couldn't hold his temper no more. Even in the dark Artreus could swear he could see the veins popping up in Claus' head and neck. "Well even if the witch sided with you, we're still 2 for and 2 against. That means we are at an impasse, and based on our rules, when in an impasse we will adhere to the safest choice." He declared as he grits his teeth.

As if enjoying Claus' irritation, Porsha answered. "Not exactly." Porsha said before exhaling another cloud of the sweet scented smoke. It kind of smell like the dream herbs that Conley used to smoke back in the days. It eases the nerves and dulls pain.

"What do you mean? It's 2 on 2. Clear as day." Claus said. Anger at the teasing of the Wizard could be sensed in his voice.

"Yes it is. But we still have one who hasn't voted yet." She said while puffing more of the dream herb smoke.

"What are you-? Oh no. You mean this butcher? No freaking way. Why does he get to vote? He is not a part of our party." Claus vehemently refused.

A mischievous smile appears on Porsha's face. But even the eyepatch or the smile diminish her bewitching beauty. "Technically he is. Just now. We allowed him to travel with us. That makes him a party member, although temporary."

Upon hearing it, Claus became silent as he tries to push back his anger. But still, someone voiced her disapproval. "Damn it. Why does a pervert like him get to have a say? I don't like this." Micaela grumbled, staying as far away as possible from Artreus who is sitting just across her.

"But Mimi. You just said that he is allowed to be in our party. Don't tell me you are backing off of your words." Drogo tries to look as innocent as he could, which only made it creepier since he have a rough appearance.

"Guhhh!" Artreus could see the conflict in Micaela's face and after a few seconds, she finally decides. "I said what I said. I will not go back on my words. So, Mr. Pervert. What do you say we do?"

Artreus was slightly shocked by her behavior. Based on her previous actions, he was sure that she would disagree on letting him say his opinion, and while he is a bit hesitant to barge in on their descision as an outsider, as a Paladin, it is his duty to protect the people, and this manticore is clearly a threat to the nearby town. "I believe that the sooner we take care of the manticore, the sooner the townsfolks would feel safe. We should scope the area and if we judge that we could take the beast out on our own, then we attack. But.." He raised a finger before Claus and Micaela disagree. "But if we deem it too dangerous to take the monster on our own, we should retreat and seek reinforcement."

Pondering for a few seconds, Micaela spoke. "Hmmm… Not a bad plan." She murmurs before casting a suspicious look at Artreus.

"My oh my. We got a devious one here." Porsha wraps her arm around his neck and blows a cloud of smoke on his face.

"Hmph. I could've thought about it on my own." Claus grumbles.

"Retreating and asking for backup really is not my style. Fortunately, it will not come to that because I am going to beat that beast's ass down." Drogo declared with confidence. Artreus also think that he could do it too. After all, this man is strong. There is no doubt.

"Now that is settled, how about we camp for the night?" Micaela asked.

"I have a request." Artreus raised his hand. There is something that has been bothering him for a while, and he couldn't take it anymore. Seeing that everyone is waiting for him, he started. "Could anyone lend me clothes? Or at least light up a fire. It is freezing in here that I feel my balls are about to fall off." His body is no longer used to feeling the weather. He's been fighting in the Void Plains for god knows how many decades. Back there, there was weather to think about. There was only slaughter.

"Bahaha! Straughtforward and vulgar! I like that! Claus, go lend him some of your clothes before he become an eunuch for sure."

"What? No way. He already got to go with us and even give a say on what we'll do. Now you want me to give a cruel animal butcher my clothes? That is where I draw the line. Don't even try to bribe me. It will not work on me." Claus stomped his foot as if to say that his word is final.

"I see… Too bad." Said Drogo.

"It's fine. Could we at least light a campfire?" Asked Artreus.

Seeing that all the others are looking at him, Claus sighed and answered. "It is fine. We are at least 10 kilometer away from where the manticore is staying. I will also summon a few of my familiars to watch over us for the night." After patting the eagle's head, a magic circle shone beneath them and they vanished. After murmuring a silent incantation, a large shadow owl and direwolf appeared. "Go and watch over the camp. Alert me if you sensed something approach within a kilometer." After bidding the animals goodbye, he turn towards the party. "There. We should be able to rest easy for the night. We need all the strength we have in case we need to fight tomorrow."

He might be a stickler, but Claus is clearly a capable hunter.

Taking out a few talismans, Porsha posted it on the trees surrounding the camp. "I am also done with the runes. In case something or someone slip past through Claus' familiars, we should at least be alerted and defended by a barrier."

"Loran and Miko will not fail." Annoyingly answered Claus

"Just being careful." She answered.

"Tch!" Claus clicked his tongue before sitting once more.

"See. We are getting along just fine! Light up a campfire so that our friend here won't freeze his balls off." He then walk towards a fallen tree and with a few swings of his great sword, it was reduced to a pile of firewood. Grabbing a handful of wood and piling it in the middle of the clearing, he turned towards Porsha. "There. Porsha if you mind?"

"Not at all." Then without even an incantation, the wood pile burst into flame with a snap of her finger.

Laughing in front of a raging flame, Drogo shouts. "There! With this there should be no more complaints, right?"

Finally feeling warm after almost shivering to death. Artreus expressed his appreciation. "Thanks."

"Now that all of that is out of the picture. Let's eat to celebrate for our fight tomorrow!" Then with a slight pause. He looked at Artreus and continued. "And also for our temporary companion. Cheers!" Drogo cheered while taking out a barrel of beer from his bag. A well-equipped adventurer party with a dimensional bag, they must be a well-to-do group.

Having a dimensional bag is a luxury especially for an adventurer. It enables the adventurer a lot of benefits. Not having to carry a lot of items that may hinder an0020adventurer's mobility for example. Even though the space within the dimensional bag is finite, it will still enable to adventurer to carry more than he usually could. Not to mention that food and drinks placed within will retain their freshness and temperature from the moment they were placed within, example was the ice cold beer and the still warm spiced mutton that Drogo pulled out and handed to everyone, including him.

Unfortunately, the other party members except for Drogo are in party mood. Drogo keeps on harping on how excited he is for the upcoming battle while Porsha is satisfied with just listening and puffing on her dream smoke pipe. Claus and Micaela is unapproachable. Not that he wants to talk to them either, he has to focus on figuring out what the Goddess wants him to do.

Protect the world. From what? From wars? From monsters? All of those have been present since time immemorial and the Gods doesn't seem to mind them. For Goddess Yue to be this concerned that she revives a paladin like me. What does she want me do?

Shaking his head to brush away the thoughts on his mind, if he doesn't know what his mission is, then all he could do is to right the wrongs that he could see. He is sure that along the way he will find what the Goddess is planning for him, and if he doesn't, he will still do anything that he could in order to protect this world. This world that he and his friends sacrificed our life for.

That is his mission.

The partying finally died down as Drogo finally fell asleep from drunkenness. For a barbarian who are always ready for battle, he sure drink a lot. Devin also drinks but he does so in moderation, indulgence in alcohol and food is for the weak he says, he must always be ready to fight he says, and it is an advice that I put in my heart. It is one of the advice that kept me alive for those decades of fighting. Looking around, Prosha is already asleep wrapped in a blanket near the fire. Claus is also asleep, leaning by the tree. He was acting like he doesn't want to party earlier, but when Drogo finally convinced him to drink a glass of beer, he started to drink so much that he fell asleep earlier than any of us.

The only one that is still awake except for me was Micaela.

"What are you looking at?" After staring at her for a few seconds, Micaela seem to get annoyed.

"Nothing. Not going to sleep?" Artreus asked.

"No." She answered while staring at him warily.

Is she waiting for him to sleep to make sure he won't do anything to them? It is only natural to think so since he is a stranger. "Suit yourself." He said before going to sleep. The only reason he was able to because he somehow trusts them not to kill him while he sleeps. Drogo seem to be a good guy. Porsha is somehow a cool woman, and while Claus and Micaela tried to kill him earlier, they seem to hold their party's choice above their own to do any harm to him. While on this journey at least.

After a while he finally drifts into dreamless slumber.

"Hey. Wake up! We're moving!" Artreus was woken up by a kick to his side. When he opened his eyes, he saw the red head standing over him. "Eat your breakfast while we march. I don't have the patience to waste on you." She says before grumbling to herself, something about him being lazy or something.

Artreus quickly stood up and saw that it was already daybreak. When he was a trainee in the Order, he usually wakes up even before daybreak to train with his fellow trainees. From then on, he always wake up early to train. To wake up this late, he must have one hell of a goodnight sleep last night. Which he couldn't blame himself for, he did fought for decades with barely a wink of sleep with the help of his Ring of Endurance and Sustenance. Both which is not in his possession now. Which means he have to regain his strength the old fashion way.

"Don't mind her. Normally she is a cheery little girl, but she's not used to travelling with strangers, especially those who streak naked in front of her. Give her some time. She will come by." Drogo claps his shoulder before handing him bread stuffed with beef jerky and a water skin.

Apparently hearing what Drogo said, Micaela pouts and started to march forward, following Claus who is already a few meters ahead. At least there was someone who enjoys the situation as Prosha chuckles sofly as she peels off the talismans that she placed last night.

The party moves through the forest without even a peep, their minds focused on different things. Drogo stomps along the path, swatting away the branches and shrubs that barred his way, he is visibly excited as he anticipates the fight ahead. Prosha on the other hand seem to be daydreaming, possibly thinking about the different experiments she could do with the ingredients they will harvest from the manticore's corpse. But even while daydreaming, she seems to be aware of her surrounding as she avoids getting caught on the shrubs and low hanging branches on her way. Different from them were Claus and Micaela, both of them moves like shadows among the trees, seamlessly and quietly traversing the forest, not even a sound could be heard from their footsteps.

Artreus could see now how they were able to sneak on him as even his brain thinks that he is seeing an illusion where he could see them but couldn't feel their presence even while he is watching both of them in action. To be honest, it is unnerving to know that both of them could end him without him able to sense it coming. Therefore, he focused his senses on the two as he try to unveil their skills, watching them as they speedwalk their way in the forest as if they are trying to reach the manticore as quick as they could.

s that? I think I hear something." Claus signaled the others to halt. Cupping his ears to figure out which direction the noise is coming from, "It's this way." He pointed to the right. Then turning towards Drogo, he asked. "What do we do?"

Drogo stops and thinks for a moment before speaking. "I think we should check it out." He said, which surprised Artreus because he expected Drogo to urge the party to ignore anything and march towards the manticore as quickly as possible.

"Wow old man. To hear those words from your mouth. Honestly I'm shocked." Micaela said while looking at Drogo with a surprised.

"What? Why are you looked surprised?" Drogo asked.

Instead of an answer, Claus asked, "Would it be okay? Wouldn't you want to fight the manticore as soon as possible?"

Drogo shrugged and answered. "It's alright. A short detour wouldn't hurt. Who knows, we might find something interesting."

"If you say so old man." Micaela shakes her head and smiled. "Okay, let's go." She says before leading the party towards the origin of the sound they heard.

The party continued to trudge along the forest for at least 30 minutes before they arrived to where the noise came from. What greeted them was a gruesome sight. Corpses of guards and civilians were scattered along the road. Men, both old and young were killed, some with arrows, while some were slayed with sword and spears. Carriages were overturned and ransacked.

Artreus' heart begin to smolder with anger as the gruesome sight made him remember a distant memory that was buried in his mind. Appearing from behind the carriage, he saw 2 men sorting through the wreckage. His anger reached his boiling point and he growled under his voice, "Bandits."