Reward

" Everyone, gather here." Bonnie's loud voice rang out in the storage room, grabbing the attention of all the attendants working there. 

Stopping their work, all of them walked in front of Bonnie, forming a crowd. 

' So it is beginning?' Vritra had an idea as to what this announcement could be. 

" All of you, be silent and listen carefully. This announcement is directly from our great Priest. It is a good news, at least for some of you." Bonnie spoke and after seeing that they had all become silent and were looking back at him curiously, he began to announce. 

" A group of rune masters has arrived here from the continent and they will soon be leaving to clear an inheritance. 

The Sanctum will be sending a group of ten to assist the rune masters on their journey, for taking care of normal tasks. 

Those who are selected are sure to get huge benefits and might even get something from the inheritance. 

I can only select ten of you, so tell me who among you all wants to go?" Bonnie said in an excited tone. 

And the attendants' response didn't disappoint him. 

Most of them cheered and raised their hands, even shouting for themselves to be selected. 

Only a few stood there without a reaction. 

They knew how dangerous it is to go on such a journey and the reward could never be worth the price they might have to pay. 

"Good, good. Just stay on your spot with your hand raised." Bobbie gazed over the crowd. 

Vritra stood among the attendants. 

He hadn't raised his hand and just stood there without any expression on his face. 

Beside him, Jackal had raised both his hands and was even jumping up and down. 

"Hmmmm. You and you, both of you come and stand there side by side." Bonnie's gaze landed on Vritra and Jackal. As he called them both to the other side. 

" Yesss!!" Jackal shouted and almost ran to stand on the other side, a proud expression on his face, as he looked at others haughtily. 

Vritra didn't try to refuse. 

He just followed Jackal and stood behind Bonnie. 

Earlier, Sana had not raised her hand since she was content with just living her life between these peaceful walls. 

This life was much better than her life in the continent where she was almost beaten to death when she was just a kid by her own parents. 

But thankfully for her, the plague took both of their lives, turning her into an orphan.

Yet, when she saw Vritra being selected. Sana didn't know what came over her as she unconsciously raised her hand. 

For some reason, now she wanted to go too, even if it might be dangerous. 

After five minutes, all ten participants were selected, and these were the exact same members that Vritra had seen in that vision. 

" The rest of you can go back to your work. Maybe you can get such a good opportunity in the future, " Bonnie said. 

Most of the attendants looked disappointed as they got back to their work. 

" And you lot, follow me outside, " Saying that, Bonnie turned around and walked out of the storage room. 

Sana followed behind Vritra, looking at him with a small smile. 

Just the fact that she would be going together with him made her happy. This was such a sweet feeling, falling in love that is.

Vritra glanced at her a couple of times, feeding to her beliefs further. 

After they walked outside, Bonnie explained a few things about their trip to the group and gave them some time to prepare. 

They would be leaving as soon as tomorrow's morning. They were told to bring some clothes and other basic necessities while keeping the luggage light. 

And they have to follow the orders of the rune masters from the continent. 

Bonnie didn't speak anything about the dangers of the forest or the inheritance, only speaking the good things like rewards. 

After Bonnie was done explaining, they were free to retire for the day. 

Vritra turned around and walked towards his room with Jackal walking beside him and speaking something in excitement. 

Sana looked at Vritra's back. 

She wanted to talk to him, but suddenly felt too shy to approach him. She never thought feelings could be such a complex thing. 

' No matter what, I will get close to him on this trip, ' Sana thought with resolve and then walked away. 

******

Vritra didn't have much to prepare. He packed his clothes and some food and water. 

He didn't use the Omen Weaver today; otherwise, the headache won't go away until a few hours, and he might need to use that skill the next day. 

The day passed quickly; all ten of the attendants, seven male and three female, had arrived outside the side gate of the main building at sharp 6 a.m. in their white robes, after taking a bath. 

All of them were carrying small bags made of cloth in which they carried their clothes, rations and some other things.

Bonnie had already arrived there with his two underlings; it seemed he had just woken up as he kept yawning, with his hair unkempt. 

"Haa! Are all of you prepared? Ask me if you have any haa doubts." He spoke, looking at the group with pity, who knows how many of them would return alive. 

Maybe none!!

The boy whom Vritra had seen shaking hand with him in the vision was the tallest and oldest in the group, around sixteen or seventeen years old. 

His name was Azhar; he was like the kind older brother who always helped others. 

He had short black hairs like most of the other attendants, a muscular body that made him look slightly older than his age, and a good-looking face which was quite above the average. 

Azhar raised his hand and waited. 

" Yes, you can speak." Bonnie said, not showing any enthusiasm from the previous day. 

" What are our tasks? And is there going to be a merit-system based on which we could be rewarded? Also, what kind of rewards will we receive?" 

Azhar asked all his doubts, and the other members looked curiously except for one girl who was busy stalking someone. 

" Hmmm Good, good, you didn't disappoint me, Azhar. You have the qualities of the leader, so I am tasking you with looking over them all." 

Bonnie said, straightening his back as he saw the Deacon walking towards them along with a large group of men and women. 

"Cough. As for your questions, your tasks will be decided by the group you are following, so make sure to follow each of their orders. 

And based on your performance during this mission, you will receive rewards from the Sanctum. 

Also, if you manage to do something extraordinary, you might even receive one item from the inheritance. " Bonnie explained after clearing his throat. 

All the attendants except Vritra, felt excited after hearing these words, especially Azhar, who just wanted to run off into the forest immediately.

While Sana didn't really paid much attention to Bonnie.

Even in the same white robe, she looked really pretty, shadowing over the two other girls. 

But being pretty with a status as low as an attendant, that was a curse in this world. All the people looked at her as if she was an easy target. 

Instead of asking her out, whoever approached her just ordered her to be with them. Some even asked her to spend a night with them in return for some money. 

That is probably why Vritra's approach felt different towards her. He only gazed at her from a distance and even seemed a little shy to hurt. 

'Sigh. I am going crazy. Why do I just keep searching for his gaze? He isn't even my type.

He is younger, and I didn't even know him a couple of weeks before. Heck, I only got to know his name recently. 

It's all the fault of my heart. It just starts thumping like a drum whenever I see him. ' 

Sana thought. Still, she couldn't keep him out of her sight. She was experiencing love for the first time. 

Vritra felt a burning gaze poking a hole in his back. He glanced back, and his gaze met with Sana, the prettiest girl of the group. 

' H- He looked at me!! Oh, our gaze met again! Waaaah! ' The sixteen-year-old girl shrank under his indifferent gaze. Her heart skipped a beat while she felt tingling in her belly. 

Vritra didn't pay much attention to her, her reaction seemed just as he had expected. 

He was quite curious about the scene he saw through Omen Weaver where she pushed him away.

Turning his gaze back towards Bonnie, Vritra raised his hand.