Agori

The pixies and Kestrel assumed a defensive stance as Kestrel cautiously approached the front of the cart to investigate why the golem had abruptly come to a halt. As she peered out the right side, she found no one in sight. Suddenly, a man's voice cut through the air, "Hey, Miss."

Kestrel jumped in surprise, and the others in the cart shared her astonishment. She shifted her gaze to the left side and spotted a man, shirtless, with a piece of black fabric tied around his waist held by a thick rope. His long black and grey braided hair formed a bun atop his head, while a matching beard adorned his face and chest. A layer of grey powder, resembling ashes, covered parts of his skin.

Riding a black horse, the man had minimal luggage, featuring a small sachet with glimpses of gold coins through tiny holes. Two one-handed axes and a hefty two-handed axe were strapped to the horse's back.

"Who are you?" Kestrel asked, her voice slightly trembling. "And how did you stop my golem?"

The man grinned. "I'm called Agori. I thought your golem was heading the wrong way, Miss."

"It's going the right way," Kestrel replied as the others cautiously exited the cart, ready for a confrontation, except for Orochi, who remained inside, still resting.

Agori, seemingly unfazed, surveyed the group, his smile unwavering. Turning back to Kestrel, he said, "You know there are ruins of Shap ahead?"

"Yes," Kestrel affirmed.

"And you're aware of the dangerous bandits that lurk there?" he inquired.

"Yes," replied Kestrel.

Agori's gaze shifted to the pixies and Finn. "I see you have a group, but I doubt it's enough for self-defense," he remarked.

"We can handle ourselves," Kestrel asserted.

Agori turned back to Kestrel. "Look, I may seem intimidating, but I'm a helpful person. I work as a hunter at the Upper Atoll. I can guide you through the ruins of Shap, and I promise, your group won't suffer a scratch."

"Upper Atoll!" Kestrel exclaimed, mirroring the astonishment of the pixies who knew that a lone hunter from outside Central Island would undoubtedly possess formidable strength.

"Yes," Agori confirmed with a smile. "However, my services come at a cost—100,000 Warble."

"No, thank you," Kestrel promptly declined.

"Perhaps I overestimated," Agori mused. "Alright, 80,000."

"Still, no," Kestrel firmly replied.

Meanwhile, Finn activated his appraisal skill on Agori, hoping to gauge his threat level. However, all he could discern was Agori's race—human—and his height. The inability to determine the potential danger made Finn uneasy.

"This doesn't look good. That guy might be on Orochi's level," Finn pondered. "If he's on par with Orochi, we're fine, but if he surpasses Orochi, we're in trouble."

Simultaneously, Agori persistently attempted to negotiate with Kestrel. "Alright! 50,000, and that's my final offer," he declared.

"Nope," Kestrel firmly replied.

"Damn. What's the going rate here in Central Island? Perhaps people are strapped for cash. I need to lower my price," Agori thought, then suggested, "Fine. I understand, money might be tight. As a special consideration, I'll protect you for 40,000 Warble."

"No, thank you," Kestrel maintained.

Observing Agori's efforts, the group began to relax, and Kestrel's fear diminished.

"30,000?" Agori proposed, raising an eyebrow in anticipation.

Taking a deep breath, Kestrel replied, "No."

"20,000?"

"No."

"10,000?"

Kestrel's patience wore thin. "Can you please stop? We don't need any bodyguards. We can take care of ourselves."

"But that place is dangerous," Agori expressed concern.

"I know, and I've been there countless times," Kestrel assured.

"Okay, I'll do it for 5,000," Agori conceded.

"No, really, just go on your way, and we'll go ours," Kestrel insisted.

Finally relenting, Agori sighed. "Fine. Have a safe journey."

As Agori veered in the opposite direction, Kestrel called after him, "You too. Safe travels."

With Agori departing, the group reboarded the cart, resuming their journey toward the ruins of Shap.

As they continued their journey, Kestrel released a sigh of relief. "I'm grateful that he turned out to be a nice person," she admitted.

"Was he really strong? He seemed kind of pathetic in his bargaining," Butterbell commented.

"Yeah, he didn't exude any strong aura. Still, I'm convinced he's the one who halted the golem," Kestrel replied.

"Maybe he had some artifact specifically designed to stop rhino golems," suggested Creambell.

"Could be," said Kestrel in agreement.

"That's a possibility," Kestrel agreed, and for a moment, it seemed like they had been needlessly bothered.

However, Orochi interjected, shattering their sense of ease. "That hunter was formidable," she stated.

Everyone turned their attention to Orochi, expecting more details. Orochi didn't disappoint. "He wielded three axes, and those small ones were enchanted with different runes, making them high-level weapons. The large axe, though, was on a different level altogether. The markings on its handle and the material of the blade were unlike anything I've seen. A regular hunter can't handle those weapons, especially the large one," Orochi explained.

A collective gulp echoed through the group, fear palpable in the air. After a brief silence, Moonlight lightened the mood. "When do we expect to reach Shap?" she inquired.

"If we're lucky, before the sun sets," Kestrel replied.

"Lucky? What do you mean?" Butterbell asked with curiosity.

Kestrel explained, "There are numerous creatures lurking in the surrounding forests. Some travelers have reported encountering level C creatures that attacked them."

"Level C!" exclaimed Butterbell.

"Yes, but they are exceedingly rare," Kestrel reassured.

"Let's hope we don't run into any," Creambell remarked, a note of concern in her voice.

Their journey persisted along the manmade stony road, with intermittent halts. However, not a single village or town appeared along the way; instead, the path led them through dense forests and sporadic, isolated houses.

As the sun dipped towards the horizon, signaling the approach of evening, Shap loomed just a short distance ahead. The golem maintained a steady pace, pulling the cart, when an unexpected growl emanated from the mechanical creature.

Startled, Moonlight inquired, "What was that?"

"The golem has detected some creatures. I need to check," Kestrel announced, swiftly moving to the front.

Finn, curious to identify the creatures, followed Kestrel. There, blocking the road, stood a massive black bull, towering at approximately 10 feet with imposing horns and formidable musculature. A herd of cows and calves followed behind, crossing the road.

Kestrel brought the golem to a halt at a safe distance from the herd. Finn utilized his appraisal skill to gather information about the imposing bull and studied its details.

"

Gorre

Threat Level – D

Description – Gorre are very gentle creatures even though they are very intimidating to look at. They don't attack unless threatened or provoked. Gorre live in a herd with 1 or 2 males in each herd. The males are 3 times larger than the females. They attack using their horns, which are as strong as a thick iron shield. Moreover, their skin is so thick that normal arrows won't even penetrate it.

Length X Width X Height – 20 feet X 6 feet X 10 feet

Weight – 3500 kg "

"I've encountered even larger Gorres during my travels before becoming a bodyguard. They're truly gentle giants," Creambell reminisced.

Moonlight, curious about the potential threat, inquired, "Do we need to worry about them?"

Kestrel reassured her, "No. We just need to wait until all the Gorres cross the road."

"Okay," Moonlight nodded.

In a matter of minutes, the Gorres completed their leisurely journey across the road. Just as Kestrel was about to restart the rhino golem, a haunting howl reverberated through the air. The group immediately assumed a defensive stance, scanning their surroundings. Rustling sounds emanated from the forest, the same direction the Gorres had emerged from. A grey-colored wolf-like creature, smaller than the Midnight Flamehowler but sharing a similar appearance, emerged and fixed its gaze on the group.

Soon, ten more of these creatures, displaying either grey or brown fur or a mix of both, joined the first one. The group remained vigilant as Finn utilized his appraisal skill on one of these mysterious creatures.

"

Daylight Flamehowler

Threat Level – E

Description – These are the weakest species of Flamehowlers. They have all the abilities of any other flamehowler, but they are smaller in size compared to other species and they can breathe fire only once a day. Therefore, they only use fire breath when hunting or absolutely necessary. They are also the most commonly found flamehowlers.

Length X Width X Height – 8 feet X 1.5 feet X 3 feet

Weight – 70 kg"

"Do we need to be afraid of them?" Moonlight asked, a tinge of concern in her voice.

Kestrel reassured her, "Not necessarily. But a pack can be bothersome."

The entire pack of Daylight Flamehowlers glared at the group, emitting threatening growls while displaying their sharp fangs. Although the flamehowlers seemed poised to attack, the group maintained confidence, readying their weapons. The creatures began a slow advance toward the group.

However, just as the tension reached its peak, a spear soared through the air and landed precisely between the pack and the group. The unexpected intervention surprised both the travelers and the pack of flamehowlers.

The pack, fixated on the newly arrived spear, ceased their approach and aggression. In a sudden reversal, they turned and retraced their steps, disappearing into the depths of the forest. The group, left in bewilderment, exchanged uncertain glances, pondering the mysterious savior who had thwarted the impending confrontation.