Camp to Taple Town

Sunset has fallen upon the group. "We'll set up camp here" Halido commanded.

The dragonslayers got off their horses and began setting up camp. It should take one more day to arrive at Taple Town.

Akai got off the horse with a sore butt. He didn't want to ride a horse for a good while and wanted some rest. He didn't sense any dragons nearby.

The dragonslayers started a fire and simple blankets were given out from inside the wagon.

The chained woman was still cuffed to the wagon, but she didn't try to resist. Akai looked at the woman and she looked right back.

Akai noticed and looked away.

Night has fallen and Akai sat next to Captain Halido who was warming himself up from the fire. Some of the dragonslayers kept watch while others slept.

"Who is that woman?" Akai asked the captain.

"Her? Oh, she's a mage. A dangerous one. The inquisitor's captured her and put those magical chains on her to prevent her from casting magic." Captain Halido continued "I don't know what she did, but for now, the inquisition left her with us to use as we see fit."

"If she's unable to cast magic, what use would she be?" Akai asked. He was disgusted at the inquisitors. The inquisition hunts down dark mages. The term "dark" mages confused Akai at times. The inquisition employs mages and magic can be used, but when a mage uses magic for destruction or summoning demons, they're considered "dark". Akai didn't know what other magics could be considered "dark" to the inquisitors. The inquisitors blamed dark magic for everything. They would even burn down entire villages if they suspected one of them to be a dark mage. It sickened Akai.

"She is able to cast magic if I command her" Halido said as he took out a stone from his pouch "with this. As long as I hold this, I have control over that witch. She won't be able to disobey, unless she wants to experience some kind of torment, but I don't think she's a masochist. She hasn't tried anything."

"What do you think of the inquisitors?" Akai asked wanting to know whether he should trust this captain or not.

"That's a dangerous question." Captain Halido said with a smile "Just between you and me, I think they do more harm than good. Yes, they do capture dark mages, but they would trample over anybody else to do it."

Captain Halido paused. "You're not with them, are you?" the captain asked casually.

"Hah. No. I have the same thoughts about them." Akai replied. Captain Halido and Akai both laughed. Akai trusted this captain. He seemed to be a decent man. Far more considerate compared to Lord Vesuvius.

"Why did you become a dragonslayer? I know plenty of people who hunt monsters and dragons are on that list, but why specifically slaying dragons?" Akai asked.

"No real reason. My father was a dragonslayer and his father before that. I just wanted to be like my old man, but I know some of these guys with real grudges against them. Some of us do it for revenge."

Akai listened.

"I've heard stories from my men. Horrifying stories. Stories about dragons coming from above snatching men, women, and children. Stories about a mother losing her child in a fire caused by a dragon. Stories about villages going about their daily lives, but then being burnt down the next moment. I even heard one story of two dragons fighting each other above a village. In that story, the damage that they caused to each other spilled to the village below. You see, these stories - and not just any stories - but these belong to each one of my men. Men and women who have lost something important to them. Compared to other monsters, dragons are considered to be like Gods. And you may ask yourself, how do we kill a God? That is why the dragonslayers exist. To fight against these Gods. People who want to put their own lives to protect others from the dangers that these Gods pose. People who don't want others to have the same experience they had. "

Akai never knew anything about this, but as he followed along, he understood what he meant.

"I may have gone on a little rant, but that's why we're here."

"What happened to your father?" Akai asked.

"He's dead. Eaten by a dragon." Halido paused and said "But I'm not one for revenge. I was already a dragonslayer before he died. The dragon that killed my father was killed days later by me. Did it feel good getting revenge? Yes, but only for a while."

"I'm sorry."

"Oh. Don't be. It was a long time ago. But what about you? You're some kind of monster hunter. Even managed to kill that big dragon. Any wild stories?"

"Well, for that big dragon, I was just lucky. It was distracted by that young boy who seems to be in your employ. Leo, I think his name was. As for any wild stories, I could tell you a bit of my hunting experience for both criminals and beasts."

They both talked for a while before both of them fell asleep on their blankets.

---------------------------------------

It has only been around 5 hours later. Akai was sleeping on the ground and he awoke to the sound of a roar.

He got himself up as well as every other dragonslayer. The lookout was being eaten by a chimera. A large beast with the heads of a lion and a goat. It had wings of a small dragon and a tail of a snake's head. It's body was that of a lion with scales.

The lookout's screams could be heard for miles. Captain Halido charged at the monster yelling. With this, the other dragonslayers charged forward with their swords in hand. Akai unsheathed his blade and charged forward with the other dragonslayers.

The chimera's snake head lunged itself forward towards Captain Halido. It's speed was incredible and it would have bitten the captain's eye out. But Akai swooped in and cut the snake's head. The lion roared.

Akai with a serious expression on his face ran towards the chimera. The beast tried to swipe at Akai, but Akai dodged each one of them. The other dragonslayers looked in astonishment.

The young dragon took his sword and cut the chimera's paw. The beast roared and in a moment, he charged ahead and cut the beast's goat head and lion head in one clean swing. The heads fell to the ground bloodied. The beast was no more.

Akai breathed out and sheathed his blade. With that, the other dragonslayers cheered for him.

"Wow! I never seen anything like that!"

"That was amazing!"

"I couldn't even see what he did!"

These were the kinds of phrases that Akai heard as they surrounded him cheerfully. Akai was suprised and his surprise turned to embarrassment. He was never good with compliments.

As Captain Halido approached Akai, the cheering stopped. The captain looked at the young swordsman. Akai was afraid he may have done something wrong. The captain put his hand on the young man's shoulder and smiled. "Good work."

Akai smiled, but then remembered about the lookout. He ran towards the dragonslayer who was mauled by the chimera, but it was too late. He was already dead.

The other dragonslayers looked and each gave a prayer. Captain Halido said to his men "We may have lost a good soldier. But we have to keep moving. There is still a dragon that is terrorizing a town." The other dragonslayers went and started to pack up the campsite. One of them put out the fire. The sun was rising.

The dragonslayer was buried and Akai looked at the dragonslayer's simple grave. He was upset, but he couldn't let it get to him. He got himself up.

He saw the woman still cuffed to the wagon. The woman was watching Akai, but he didn't know why.

As the campsite was cleaned, the rest of the dragonslayers began to continue on their journey towards Taple Town. Halido told Akai to get on the now vacant horse. Akai took a couple of tries, but he managed to get on. He watched how the other dragonslayers hold their reins. Luckily, he didn't need to do much. The horse followed the horses in front.

However, sometimes his horse would go off track and graze on the grass. The other dragonslayers laughed at Akai's inability to control his horse, but the captain was just worried about delays and kept Akai's horse near his own. This didn't stop any of the dragonslayers from chuckling.

One moment, Akai was being praised, and the next he was the clown. This didn't bother him, though. He enjoyed every minute. He smiled as they went towards the town.