Chapter 9

Six of us quickly have breakfast and pack up camp. The encounter with this strange hooded man and demonic energy that surrounded him left all of us a little uneasy. I look back at Caleb and Zeke who are frequently scanning the forest. When traveling it's standard for adventurers to wear their protective armor and special equipment but I can see Zeke and Caleb both have their hands on their main weapon ready for an attack. I gaze over at June who is walking next to me. I can see her clenching her magic staff hard enough for the tips of her fingers and hands to turn white. She is wearing her enhanced white cloak which has high defense for both physical and magical offensive. Then my eyes travel front words towards Leon and Abigail who take the forward position. Leon and Abigail also have a hand on their swords ready from it and attack. The attention is so thick you could snap a twig and everyone would take a defensive position. It's not like I can blame them either, we are basically exposed to whoever this hooded stranger is. After my sensory feeling was broken the demon must have told his hooded companion that we were watching because every now and then I can feel eyes staring at me and it's not just me the others can feel it too. But we have no way of knowing if the eyes we're feeling are the hooded stranger or his demon companion. As an adventurer one moment of carelessness could mean your life. It's something that the five of them know quite well, Leon and his party, and it's something that my teacher, a former adventurer, once taught me and instilled in me to never let my guard down. I know how they feel with no way of knowing if the hood stranger decides to come after us and ignore his mission, whatever it may be, or continue on with his mission. Or this could all be his plan as well to make us nervous for long periods of time and then make a surprise attack or he could very well ignore us for it is too far for us to do anything about it regardless all the uncertainty and nervousness takes a toll on an adventurer. I look back up at Leon and I can feel that the five of them are more tense than they should be. As experienced adventurers I'm certain that they have experienced almost all of the possibilities for situations like this before so what is it that's making them so much more nervous than usual. Could it have something to do with me? I know that the demonic companion used his energy to try and kill me but June and seek recited a holy chant and were able to get rid of it's magic from my body. Magic spells that are meant to kill from distance are no surprise to an adventurer so that can't be it. Normally I would have no hesitation to ask them but they're so tense I feel that if I try and say something it'll only make things worse.

My eyes scan the forest in the distance trying to think of something I can do to help ease the tension that's around us. An idea strikes like a bowl of lightning as I reach inside my bag that's at my hip for an herbal remedy bag. These herbal remedy bags are something that Alexandria made they're made from strong smelling flowers in other herbs when Magic is forced inside these little remedy bags they release a powerful soothing aroma. Alexandria made them for me a while ago saying to use them when I ever feel tense for a tense adventure could lose their head. I'm sure Alexander won't mind if I use them for Leon and his party. I gently flow my magic into the little remedy bag and the aroma comes seeping out almost instantly. As I look at everyone's reaction I can see that it's working. They can smell the powerful aroma and I can see a look of ease flash across all of their faces.

"My teacher once told me that being tense out in the field where there could be hundreds of dangerous monsters is no way for an adventure to walk its path" I say aloud. "Just relax everyone even if this Hood stranger and his demon companion know where we are it doesn't mean anything my teacher taught me one of the most powerful defensive spells for situations like this so it's all right" I continue. As we come to a stop in the middle of the road everyone flushes a little and hurts their gaze.

"Sorry about that we just never came across such powerful Magic then it almost killed you" Leon looks at the ground and I can see his hands clench his sword tightly. I reach inside my bag and pull out a magic item that my teacher once gave me.

"See I told you it's all right even if June and Zeke had recited that holy chant I still had this to rely on I almost used it until I heard June and Zeke started reciting a holy chant" I hold up a spell and curse breaking Rock for everyone to see. These rocks aren't real rocks, their handcrafted paper mache filled with special special powders, minerals and other stuff and enchanted with some of the most powerful spell and curse breaking magic that there is by breaking it it can remove almost anything.

"We never had to use our holy chance until now that's why we're so nervous tense" June jumps in.

"Yes well everything is different now we have more powerful foe's to look out for and you have a sixth member. I am by no means a newbie I have powerful magic spells myself and since I'm a princess I have access to all kinds of magic items that you guys can only ever dream of having and I wouldn't hesitate on using any of my most expensive stuff to save any of your lives but being that tense and your guards up so high is what takes an adventurous life that's what my teacher told me. He told me that no matter what no matter how big or powerful the enemy may be, to always stay calm whether you're in battle or not staying calm and thinking things through is what wins a fight and saves lives" I said. I can almost see a look at shock on everyone's face.

"You're right, being too tense is how mistakes happen and how lives get taken. We are seasoned adventurers. We ought to know better. Thank you for snapping us out of it" Leon says as he slightly bows at me. We continue walking and the mood has gotten a lot better. June starts asking me about what else I have in my bag and my magical inventory so I tell her about everything that I have. Then Abigail starts asking me what kind of spells that I know so I tell her about the more important spells I know the ones I would be helpful to know in a fight. Everyone takes turns asking me questions to better understand how I would handle myself in a fight and what I have at my disposal to use in a difficult one. Leon then asks me about some of the monsters that I have faced. So I told them about all the monsters that I have faced within my country and different monsters I have fought in different countries. As we stop for a much-needed break I not only drink all of my water but most of June's after all the talking that they had me do. Leon and Luke I went off for a bathroom break so it's June and Abigail to keep watch while me and Zeke have a bit of a snack. I can see that he has something to say to me by the way he shifts in his spot on the ground and keeps fidgeting.

"I can tell you have something to say so it's all right come out and say it" I said to Zeke.

"You didn't hesitate," he said.

"What?"

"Most people would say something or flinch when they see my elf ears, and since most races don't do anything with each other a whole lot it's unheard of for an elf to be part of a human's adventuring party, you know most adventuring parties aren't usually mixed race like this one is and yet you never seem to fazed by my ears" Zeke said. I smile a bit.

"That's because you never came across an adventurer who was also a princess in another country. We've had non-human visitors before but it is true that I've never come face to face with an elf before. It doesn't mean that I'm not accustomed to anything that's not human. Growing up my father the king wanted me and my brothers to have all of the knowledge that we could have that way we could defend ourselves or know what to do in a survival situation. He also wanted us to know how to deal with elves, dwarves, fairies and all the other non-human creatures of this world. I took the liberty of learning as much as I could" I say. I can see him trying to cover up a smile. I can understand that he's surprised most of the races don't mix so it's understandable why he's hesitant and he's the only elf in a human party and it makes sense. The cold shoulder and dark clothes and a hood when we first met he was scared that someone may find out he's an elf. It's true that most races are comfortable going into another one's city; it doesn't mean that any of them would actually do it without a good reason. It's because of fear. Inches ago among our ancestors when the races became known to all the others there's a lot of discrimination and a lot of other unsavory Acts but these days those things are no more and yet creatures like elves are still scared to be around a human but for good reason. Out of all the races humans are the only ones who would actually do harm to their own kind. Elves have strict laws about never bringing harm to a forest or any of the animals within. Elves respect nature and their fellow elves it's pretty much the same way with dwarfs and fairies and other beasts but humans are the only ones who could do harm to another human. After all the dark and evil things that humans have done to themselves and to others it's only natural to be protective of your own life.

We continue walking after Leon and Caleb come back. The closer we get to the Capitol the more solid Land there is. It's almost time now and as we come closer to solid continuous land near a checkpoint just before the capital you can see wagons and people just ahead of us. The sounds of commotion are easy to hear.

"Wonder what's going on"June said.

"Ugh oh no" Zeke said. As soon as Zeke said that I dashed off because I can hear what he heard as well. Sounds of a couple of thugs trying to whisk away a young girl and I see one of them is raising a sword to her old man in an attempt to quiet him by killing him. I make a solid punch against the thug who has his hand around the young girl's wrist. I hear a clash of steel look over to see Leon has stopped the other thugs' sword from killing the old man.

"Who the hell are you guys? What do you think you're doing?" another thug to my left says. As I turn and face the five thugs that are to my left I can feel the young girl clasping her hands against my shirt. I can barely hear her when she says "don't let them take me".

"What are we doing I think the better question is what are you doing harassing an old man who can barely even stand up straight and a girl who doesn't even look 11 yet" I say with a tone of anger in my voice. June, Abigail, Luke, and Zeke have all rushed in behind us. June starts casting healing Magic on the old man for he has collapsed on his knees on the ground. I can feel Abigail and Luke closer to me since there are more Thugs over here. While Zeke is probably near June keeping an eye on both me and Leon since he is an Archer.

"We weren't doing nothing, we were just helping them along to a rest stop. It seemed like the old man could use it" another thug said.

"Oh really then explain why he had his hands on a young girl" Abigail practically shouted. The thug that I knocked to the ground has risen to his feet and is holding his wound.

"I was just helping to steady her, she seemed a little wobbly" the one who I had punched has a scar running across his face.

"Then explain why their cart and some of their goods that look like they were damaged and smashed in" Luke said. The thugs take an aggressive stance as it seems like they are still rearing for a fight. The big one would hit with the scar when you cross his face standing near inches in front of me trying to be more posing than he actually is. I flare my magic in response to his demeaning pose. I can see them flinch after I flare a lot of my magic. They scramble off towards the rest stop that's in the forest as they grumble and cuss at us as they walk away.

"Thank you thank you so much for helping us. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't come by when you did" the little girl said as we turned back towards her and the old man.

"My name is Dollop and this is my grandfather Hyne our family runs a small shop a couple of towns over my father was supposed to take our goods to the capital today but my mother is sick as well as my siblings so he had to stay behind and look after everyone while me and grandfather come to Capital to sell our wares" Dollop said. " It was supposed to be an easy trip but lately local thugs have taken over the traveling routes to the Capitol".

"My name is Amethyst. This is Abigail and Luke. Over there attending to your grandfather is June and Zeke" I point out.

"And my name is Leon we're the Stray Stars adventuring party" as Leon walks over.

"We're headed towards the capital as well please allow us to help you" Luke said.

"Oh wow the Stray Stars I've heard of you guys you're one of the most powerful adventuring parties there is but you're new I never seen you before" Dollop said looking around and back at me. June continues to tend to the old man as everyone else flips the wagon back on its wheels and starts to fix everything.

"I joined very recently" I say as I pat the young girl's head.

"You're so awesome the way you dashed in and protected me like that. You said your name was Amethyst right I'll remember that" Dollop said.