The Demon's Princess: The assault on Dunkrick.
THE ASSAULT ON DUNKRICK.
DAY 33.
THURSDAY.
GOLD: 326,104
BLOODOATH GOLD: 4,183,653.
Tyler woke the morning of the assault with a strange bolt of excitement tearing through him. He looked beside him and saw Seria asleep beside him in his bedroll and smiled as he kissed her awake. she woke with a proud smile.
"I love you too."
"I WILL see you again."
"I WILL be waiting. Now go send them to hell."
"For you, my Princess wife."
He kissed her and she faded out. The Berserker walked out and found the camp already torn down and the forces ready to move out. He chuckled and tapped his tent. The thing dropped into a pile to be folded and they chuckled at that proof. Tyler then climbed up onto a wagon where they could see him.
"Well. We got a biggee ahead of us this time."
The leaders of the Bloodoath were standing in frot with Asuna head of them. Mina, Strand, Akeno, Rias, and Victoria behind the redheaded second in command with their respective squads of 26 fighters behind them. The force had grim yet excited expression son their faces and Tyler sighed.
"We all lost someone we know in Dunkrick. Maybe a friend or two. Well. Now we're gonna go hurt them MORE. You're heard the plan. Slept on it. And now we're doing it. If this goes sideways, we're all gonna die in HORRIFIC ways. So, let's get this done. The only way the KNIGHTS OF THE BLOODOATH CAN! Those bastards think they know what hell is? HELL IS WHEN YOU PISS US OFF! WE WILL NOT FAIL! WE WILL NOT LET OUR FRIENDS FALL! WE WILL MAKE THEM PAY!"
A shiver of feeling went through the force at that POWER Tyler packed into the words and he looked at them.
"We are all from different worlds. We all have friends and family we left behind to come here. Can you look in the eye as a WARRIOR again if we fail here?"
A mass of grimaces was seen and Tyler smiled wryly.
"I guess we better not fail then. Today. we PROVE to those people back where we came from that THEIR FAITH IN US WASN'T FOR NOTHING! WE WILL PROVE THEM RIGHT! We are NOT worthless! we are NOT rookies anymore! We are HEROES! So let's go fuckin prove it."
They roared at that and the Berserker leapt off the wagon and mounted Shadow. The black morbol reared with flailing hooves.
"LET'S GO TO HELL TOGETHER! KNIGHTS OF THE BLOODOATH, MOVE OUT!"
The camp mounted their steeds with a roar and they thundered up the trail for the higher elevation for the gliders and Asuna smiled with exileration in her eyes as she rode beside the Berserker.
"YOU are a better Inspirier, then SHIRO and it'a her JOB!"
He smiled at that as they tore through the bandit village.
"Add to the fact I BULLSHIT my way through that?"
"Ha. Damn dude. YOU missed your calling."
"Ha."
The warriors tore along the road at a breakneck pace until they were back in the snowy landscape at the fork. There they hid their horses in a grove of trees by Strand with their wagons. Tyler strapped into his glider that had the grapples attached to a set of trees for a quadraplegic lunge designed to catapult rhem into flight speed. The gliders were exactly like your usual hang glider but with better lift generating wing and more precise controls. Tyler smiled as he gripped the bar.
"Status."
Kirito and Bell smiled from their harnesses.
"Set."
"This si WEIRD but set."
Yoshkia nodded as she buckled her belt.
"ready to launch."
"Alright. Asuna, we'll head off first. Once we're in the air make your descent."
"Sir. we are ready to move out."
"Got your crystals?"
"Fuck YEAH."
Tyler nodded and let out a sigh as he banished all other thoughts and feelings from his mind save for an image of Seria that made him grip the bar with all his strength.
"For my Princess. KNIGHTS OF THE BLOODOATH. LAUNCH!"
He hit the button on the bar that set the grapples of and he was flung like a slingshot into the sky. Kirito, Bell, and Yoshkia launched behind him and the grapples retracted into their gliders successfully as they were flung through the low hanging clouds into a clear blue pen sky. Then they dove into the clouds to find themselves MILES above the ground yet far below the peaks they drifted through. Yoshkia had a wide smile on her face as they glided towards Dunkrick mountain.
"I missed flying."
Tyler chuckled as he plied the bar through the updrafts and thermals of the altitude.
"Steady you three."
Bell had taken to hang gliding like he did it on the daily and had a wild smile on his face as he looked at the sea of green below them.
"The Goddess is never going to believe this, Tyler!"
"Why do ya think I had you put a crystal on?"
Kirito had a smile as he drifted his black glider beside Tyler's.
"You're insane but I love this."
"Ha."
Metalica was sitting on Tyler's shoulder as they wove around the mountains.
"Hang left and hold. Dunkrick is on the other side of this peak."
They nodded and held formation as they soared over the forests and landscape below. Tyler sniffed the breeze and sighed.
"The city burned. I can smell it already."
A scent of burning wood, piss, burning flesh and blood was HANGING in the air even at 15,000 feet. They made it around the mountain and got their first look at the aftermath of the city. They were far too high to see any details, but the various caves of the once impregnable city were belching thick plumes of smoke while swarms of grey creatures swathed the city in moving scales while the bridge was stained red even from that height. Tyler nodded as he spotted the tip and the fact it was ALSO painted red that they could see at a distance.
"Nothing we can do for em side from the mission. Target marked."
He used a magical beam in his bar to mark a target for landing above the Tip by several thousand yards. The heads nodded and they drifted silently towards the spot. The operatives found the spot to be decorated in smaller caves and tiny ledges. PERFECT for landing a hang glider. They landed in the same tunnel and Tyler was first detached.
"Alright. Metalica, how long do you need?"
"I need fifteen minutes."
"Get to it. Ready for immediate bail!"
The gliders were turned around with Yoshkia's first and Tyler's at the rear. As he was the highest level in the party he would launch last. Metalica had merged with the mountain and Tyler smiled as he went to the edge with a spyglass to scout the bridge.
"The orcs haven't even mounted a wall guard. They're STILL in sack mode. Alright. Give it ten minutes and we'll have them go in."
Kirito nodded.
"And us?"
"Rig demo charges on any wall that looks important."
"On it."
Yoshkia had a satchel loaded with the thumb sized bombs that could take out a 2 story apartment and they were scattered throughout the honeycombed rock face as Tyler used the recording spyglass to scout the bridge.
"They have a pair of hobgoblins guarding the far end of the bridge. Alright. The time is ripe."
He blew his whistle and there was a near INSTANT barrage of poweful spells from the line that was the road. Tyler chuckled as the hobgoblins were killed instantly as a streak of blood redhair was seen gliding to the middle pylon.
"Don't do anything stupid Rias."
A horde of orcs eager for more blood poured out of the burning city gates to dash across the blood painted bridge towards the PULTRY 123 warrior hero force that had REFUSED to access the bridge. The natural bottleneck provided a funnel for easy kills and Tyler chuckled at the ice walls and thunderfields.
"They'll hold for a few minutes. Then drop back fifty feet and HOLD again."
Kirito nodded without taking his eyes off the battle.
"A classic. Hey they got fliers."
A mass of flying creatures was seen and Tyler pulled his bow with a chuckle.
"Target practice anyone?"
They fitted arrows and Tyler smiled.
"Shattershot, penetrate."
He fired and the shaft turned into thirty. The passing mass of flying monsters took every shaft in the face and they all turned en mass to assault the snipers as Yoshkia channeled her mana.
"DIVINE WALL!"
Her signiture shield spell exploded into being. The circular shield spanning an easy 200 meters and was visible from the bridge where Mina smiled while carving through orcs with ease.
"Yoshkia Myafuji. Her rally is intense as well."
Tyler, Bell, and Kirito were picking off fliers by the dozen as they just could not get through Yoshkia's powerful shield. The berserker chuckled as he dropped a large bird he thought was a roc.
"Yoshkia may only be the second best healer I ever heard of, but she is without a doubt the single BEST DEFENSE mage I have EVER seen. In ANY medium."
Kirito chuckled as he dropped an undead vulture.
"How you holdin Yosh?"
"Still strong. These things are easy compared to a Neroui beam."
Bell's voice was heard then.
"we got spiders coming up the mountain Tyler! Thousand of em!"
The Berserker looked and sure enough, a black mass of THOUSANDS of truck sized spiders were surging up the near vertical walls.
"Metalica! Time!"
The walls were heard in her voice.
"I need five more minutes! the mountain's fighting me!"
"Alright. Bell, Yoshkia, in the cave. You three keep the fliers off my ass."
"On it!"
"Yes Sir!"
"I got em."
Tyler leapt to a low ledge that jutted out over the immense chasm below and smirked as he saw corpses riding he spiders.
"Undead spider jockeys. That's new. Alright. HALLOWED GROUND."
His powerful antiundead spell flared to life and a fair few undead riders panicked and fell off their spider mounts. Tyler chuckled as he saw this.
"Idiots. BLIZZARD."
This spell conjured a hail of razor sharp snow flakes to fly at a mass and he did so now with a smile. The white pierced the closing black mass of spiders and their riders like a knife as they surged over the ledge....only to find he'd backed into the cave.
"Divine Slicer."
He used his holy spell to SLICE the ledge clean off the mountain and the resulting rockslide took out a mass of spiders and their riders from the chainreaction.
"THREE MNUTES!"
Tyler nodded as he was faced with a cave full of spiders all clamoring to get at him.
"How's the sky?"
Kirito's voice was heard.
"Empty! They flew off during the rockslide!"
"Bail! Regroup with the ground force!"
"Got it! You?"
"I'll set the caves off."
The gliders took off and the spiders' riders turned to look curiously at the odd sound and Tyler used the moment,
"RUSHING SLASH."
To bulldoze a path through the many legged bloackage to the outside where he leapt up to the glider cave. He took the plunger of the bombs as a DEEP rumble was heard in the mountain behind him. Metalica appeared in his shoulder.
"The mountains' goin! Do it!"
He strapped into his glider and threw the lever. The explosions sent him HURTLING into the air while the caves all collapsed on themselves from the bombs. Tyler smiled as he saw the Bridge collapse and it take hundreds of thousands of monsters with it while his forces were gathered higherf up the road fighting a retreating battle.
"Drop the mountain."
Asuna was smiling as she saw the bridge go down and the caves explode.
"Brace! This is gonna be big!"
"Asuna!"
Kirito, Bell, and Yoshkia landed their gliders in the Knights and the rapier user was quick to ask.
"Where's Tyler?"
"Still up there. He shoulda launched by now."
Rias looked up.
"Oh my hell. LOOK!"
They did.
Metalica's efforts to cause a massive landslide bore fruit. Roughly a mile above the city, an immense crack was heard that hit everyone present in the chest as a line appeared around an entire face of the mountain. A section roughly the size of Manhatten island detached from the wall with a sound like grinding rock and stone but a BILLION times deeper. The groun d was shaking violently as the heroes dropped to a knee to watch as the slab of mountain hit other sections of the same mountain in a collassal chain reaction. The resulting pile of dirt, rock, and debris hurtled down the sheer fall with all the fury of a god while a series of explosions lower on the mountain merely ADDED to it's force. The helpless monster city of Dunkrick watched in forzen horror was the mass slamemd into it. a dull bang was heard on the first impact before the many caves and openings that made up the city were utterly filled in by the devestating collapse. A dust cloud twice as thick as the fog from up the mountain flooded the entire valley while the bridge was destroyed entirely. Asuna watched all this in utter awe as the cloud didn't reach them due to their height. The mountainside was utterly obscured by the cloud and Rias blinked.
"Um, Tyler's still not back yet."
The force blinked at this revelation and they looked around nervousy before Kirito looked up.
"Oh. There he is."
They looked uo just in time to see the Berserker himself pull out of his dive and land like iron man before them. His glider had numerous holes blown into it by the explosion and he had a few cuts but was otherwise unharmed.
Tyler chuckled as he unstrapped from the glider and faced his force.
"Sorry I'm late. The blast kinda flung me a little higher an I thought."
They chuckled at that as the cloud started to settle and they got a look at the result. The Berserker whistled as he saw it.
"Wow."
A an entirely new slab of mountain had been revealed from the slide while Dunkrick was nowhere to be seen. In it's place was rubble, trees, and an entire new mountain face. It was almost like the mountain had extended a pice of itself to cover the holes in it's frame before settling into the new position. Tyler looked down the road where the surviving orcs were gaping at the event in horror. The things were merely grey chimpanzies the size of the average man with grey fur and larger fangs. They wielded battered weapons and Tyler smiled as he hefted his greatsword.
"Let;s clean em up."
The monkey things were routed with ease and the Berserker smiled.
"Status!"
Metalica appeared from his chest utterly exhausted.
"I'll be dormant for a few days. Kinda blew all my strength on that."
"Thanks Metalica. You okay?"
She smiled tiredly.
"Yeah. I'm fine. Just SPENT. I'll take the gliders too."
She returned to his soul with the gliders and Asuna smiled.
"A few injuries and a few levels. Nothing life threatening and all in all, an easy detail. You?"
Kirito smiled.
"I hit level 8. Them bird things were GREAT target practice."
Bell chuckled.
"7. That was fun."
Yoshkia shrugged.
"my shield leveled up. Bout it though."
Tyler chuckled.
"Let;s get outta here. NOW we disappear. Cover tracks and flood the trail after."
Strand appeared with a smile.
"I'll use MY Ranger ability of Ghost to do so."
The friends left the redecorated valley behind as the dust cloud rose into the sky with a distinct mushroom shape.
They found their horses and wagons untouched in the snow and the friends mounted up. Tyler smiled as they headed down the road towards their predetermined destination.
"Don't relax just yet. Times like this are when-"
An arrow cam flying out of nowhere to impact him in the chest. He grunted and fell off his horse the next instant. He did not get back up.
The entire heroes force looked at him in utter shock at this and Asuna blinked a few times at the suddenness of it all....then a dark red puddle started pouring from the spot around the Berserker's chest to pool on the ground. As the fact he was dead was starting to sink in, the 126 man force was surrounded by another force of 300 bandits led by another Draken and Olric the dwarven traitor. The dark elf chuckled as he looked at the dead Berserker.
"THAT was the legendary Lord Berserker we've been hearing so much about?"
Olric shrugged. A VERY confused look on his face.
"I...did not expect that to work, milord. Like it was so FREAKIN obvious we'd go for him in the lead FIRST you'd THINK he'd have an arrow ward. Huh. Cocky idiot."
The heroes force looked at each other, then to the bandit army around them, and a DARK LIGHT appeared in their eyes that made them ALL take a step back. the Draken smirked.
"I wouldn't. Perhaps we can BARGAIN. Or you'll die here."
Rias had a dark smile on her face as she started glowing.
"You pooor, pitiful fool. You have no idea who I am. Do you?"
Olric licked his lips.
"YOU are MY prize lassie."
"I am the EMPRESS OF RUIN YOU SONVAUBITCH! How DARE YOU TAKE WHAT IS MINE?!"
Olric laughed at this....when a greatsword suddenly grew from his chest and a grapple pierce the Draken's shoulder.
EVERYTHING stopped.
The traitor dwarf looked down and saw the bright blue greatsword piercing his torso and looked up to see the Berserker smiling cockily at him from his spot on the ground.
"HOW?"
"I'm the Berserker bitch."
Olric died and the screaminf Draken taken off his horse to be pinned under the boot of the alive and well Tyler the Berserker. The dark elf looked at the still present arrow and blood pouring from the wound and went white.
"No. An UNKILLABLE? No!"
"Welcome to my world, asshole. You're about to get FUCKED. TAKE EM DOWN!"
The heroes force went to battle with a VENGANCE. Tyler kept the Draken pinned under boot as the 300 man strong bandit army was routed to the last by the nearly of their minds with rage heroes as Tyler smiled at the captive still bleeding from his heart with an arrow impaling him. Once the last bandit fell, Tyler tore the arrow from his breast with flecks of flesh still attached and tossed it aside without even a flinch.
"Now then. YOU are going to answer so many questions."
The draken merely smiled.
"Loyalty till death. I welcome thee."
He burst into fire from invoking the loyalty spell...
"MAgical rebuff."
ONly for Tyler's antimagic field to negate the flames and them go out. The draken whimpered now as ALL his loyalty and suicide spells were destroyed.
"Mercy!"
Tyler chuckled at this.
"Idiot. HOW many people have asked you for that same thing? And you have no idea who you're dealing with."
He jabbed a thumb at Rias. The redhead was still wearing her glow from her rage mode.
"She is the Princess of DEMONS you jackass. if she gets a little too pissed, ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE. literally."
He then jabbed a tumb at Bell.
"HE is the VASSAL and CHERISHED familia member of the PRINCESS OF THE GODS. GODS. okay? And he shares blood with her. As a DESCENDENT. If HE goes apeshit, SHE GOES APESHIT."
Then Tyler nodded at Belfast.
"SHE is a WARSHIP ina maid's frame. I KNOW she still has her cannons. ONE barrage from HER, and the capital burns. There are FIVE MORE LIKE HER in my force."
Tyler smiled wickedly now at the Dark Elf.
"And then there's THAT GUY."
HE nodded at Sora.
"A former king and godfighting badass. HE has command of battleangels. and SHE is a GODKILLER."
He nodded at a silver haired lady by Rias.
"A valkery. Raswesia. A WAR ANGEL. That's literally what her name means. and then there's me. THEIR COMMANDER. I wonder why that is?"
Tyler smiled his dark smile at the gibbering in terror Dark Elf as his eyes started to redden.
"I have former kings, queens, DEMONIC PRINCESSES, an angry cat, and a FORMER DRAGONSLAYER RAISED BY DRAGONS TO KILL THEM, in my force. And yet? I AM THEIR LEADER. Did you seriously never stp to consider why that is? I'll tell you."
Tyler leaned in the terrified elf's ear.
"I come from a world of war. I have looked gods in the eye as I CUT THEM DOWN. I have led legions of HORRORS into battle against entire planets...and won. I am, was, and alwasy will be the most FEARED, ABHORRED, AND REVILED MONSTER IN ALL OF CREATION. To you. To them? I am the BERSERKER. And I WIN!"
The man fainted from his terror and Tyler chuckled as he closed the sight sharing eyes of the unconscious elf.
"Worked like a charm."
He got poked an d looked to see asuna with her rapier up.
"Explain."
He took his meat and skin packed flask he'd packed with blood taken from a dead monster and tossed it to her. There was a small hole where the arrow had punched into it.
"I've seen this trick in enough movies to wanna try it myself."
The redhead just looked at the flask like she wasn't sure how to react. Sora looked at shiro.
"It me, or is this reminding you of that game with Izuru?"
The silver haired girl nodded wide eyed.
"Only without Steph getting the shot. Wow."
Tyler chuckled as he cleaned his coat.
"Checkmate."
Rias walked over to him and looked DIRECTLY INTO HIS EYES.
"And WHY did you not tell us this?"
He smiled.
"Shock value. If YOU didn't see it coming, MY closest friends, there is NO WAY they would."
Belfast smiled.
"Seria knew."
"Course she did. I don't keep secrets from my wife."
Rias slugged him at that with a smile on her face.
"Suicidally GENIUS jackass! I love you and I want to hit you and I want to FUCK YOU!"
He chuckled at that pile of information.
"I'll reset it and see if they go for it again."
They laughed and Tyler took the flask.
"Alright. Loot em we'll take this idiot with us. He's gotta lotta explaining to do."
The force smiled and went to ther tasks with a will. Shadow nudged him with his head and Tyler patted the morbol.
"Thanks for playin along Shadow. and NOT bumrushing them."
The horse nickered and Tyler hopped up onto his back with the now hogtied Draken on the back.
"Let;s move out."
They left the pile of corpses for the scavangers and headed down the mountain.
"Oh yeah. Snake purge."
The force groaned in pain as Tyler purged a poison from his veins. Belfast sighed to the girl beside her.
"That boy was a GENIUS until that EXACT MOMENT! Oh I need a drink."
The force returned to the abandoned bandit village where Tyler tossed the orb onto the center of the chieftain's floor. Mylissia appeared and Tyler tossed her the trembling in fear Draken.
"One Draken, served on a plate."
The queen blinked at this and Seria appeared beside her. Tyler smiled.
"It worked like a charm."
She smiled proudly.
"I will tell her after. And try NOT to let me see that again?"
"Sorry. I KINDA forgot you were watching."
"forgiven. The recording is amazing."
Mylissia smiled.
"You have earned a perk from me Tyler the Berserker. You and ALL OF YOUR FORCES. we saw that dust cloud from the PALACE."
"Dunkrick is lost. And UTTERLY sealed."
"The dwarves will retake it. Seems this is not the first time the city has been buried."
"Explains the number of caves. And WHY Metalica's anvil was so freakin huge."
They chuckled at that one and Tyler nudged the shaking captive on the floor.
"What about him?"
Mylissia smiled.
"We will enjoy his company in the capital. Place the carcass in the orb."
Tyler lifted the weeping silenty elf with a smile.
"See ya later jackass!"
The elf was thrown into the orb and the queen smiled as he was dragged away by Wraiths.
"We will have MANY answers from him. Now. Your perk. Tyler. You're first."
Tyler smiled.
"Sooo how's this work?"
"You may select from a number of perks I am able to bestow and they will be added to your Status Plate. The greater the feat you preform in my eyes, the greater the power of the perk."
Tyler placed his hand through the beam and an interface opened to reveal a selection of ten perks. He smiled as he saw one with an emblem of a wall being cut in half.
"wallshatter. Increases strength by 75 when entering battle and lasts for 60 seconds."
He then saw one that made him smirk. An emblem of a charging bull.
"Charging Bull. Increases speed of movement by 50% in battle. Stack THAT on my TEMPEST."
There were a few whistles and Kirito smiled.
"I want that for Starburst stream."
Tyler picked Charging Bull and the queen kissed the top of his head.
"You are named MY Champion, Tyler the Berserker. As proof of your new appointment, you are granted one perk from my power. And a free level."
"I love you too, Seria."
The princess smiled at the shoutout and she kissed him.
"You already are my husband, Tyler the Berserk Champion, but now I name you MY Champion. Sadly I do not have the power to grant perks. But I'm sure we can figure something out."
"We'll put a pin in that until I return to the captial."
"Yay!"
Tyler smiled at that as he stepped to the side as the rest of the force got their own perk. The Berserker looked at his Status Plate and smiled as he saw his level.
"Level ten. with one hundred points to place. Alright."
Kirito smirked as he walked over.
"Level 9."
"I'll be sure to get serious again."
"Ha. I'll catch ya soon enough."
The force got their perks and Mylissia smiled warmly at them once she finished.
"I look forward to what you crazy bastards do next."
The orb went out and Tyler smiled as he looked at his force.
"Well done. We took out a lotta creatures today and made it look easy. we've been marked now. But hey. Not like we're not used to it."
They nodded and Tyler smiled.
"Alright. It SHOULD be quiet for the next five minutes. Sad to say the party has to wait till we're back in the capital. So, let's do go do more stuff worth celebrating."
They banged fists on armor and the Berserker smiled fondly.
"Knights of the Bloodoath, take five."
They laughed and went to ready the village for the night's rest. Tyler took the orb and the leaders to the back of the longhut for the next leg. Asuna smiled as he placed the bait flask back in his pocket in his coat.
"Classic hollywood scheme."
Tyler chuckled as he unrolled the map.
"It works cause it's a classic. Alright, next gimmick."
Strand nodded.
"We can assume the border between Macedona and Hangilt is not stable enough for us tom go near now. And we're to return to the capital."
Victoria traced a path from the base of the mountain to the coast.
"Here. The Road Lest. It's far enough away from the border we'll not really need to worry about Draken armies. But we'll be able to complete our circuit as intended."
Tyler nodded as he looked at the route.
"That was the route we were going to take with the captives."
They nodded and Strand smiled.
"It'll add five days to our schedule. But that's all."
"Maybe we'll encounter another forest giant."
They chuckled at that one and the Berserker smiled.
"Alright. we'll head out in the morning. For now we rest and recover."
Asuna smiled.
"Thst looked BADASS from my angle."
"Ha."
The meeting ended and the Berserker headed to his room in the longhut where he pulled his Status Plate.
"Alright. I have one hundred points to place. I had 125 Strength, 238 Defense, 250 Stamina, 300 Vitality, 210 MAgic, 60 Agility, 210 Magical defense, 60 Dexterity, 500 intelligence, 210 Mana. I have 100 points. I'll slap forty into Agility, and Dexterity. Those are 100 even now. The remaining twenty I'll put into strength. 145 Strength, 238 defense, 250 Stamina, 300 Vitality, 210 Magic, 100 Agility, 210 Magical Defense, 100 Dexterity, 500 Intelligence, 210 Mana. Alright. Level 10."
He smiled as he looked at the floor
"Night's Longing."
Seria rose from the floor all smiles.
"YOU are a BADASS!"
He kissed her lovingly as she pounced on him.
"I love you too, Seria."
She giggled as he planted her on the bed and kissed her again.
"You were so cool! and the glide was amazing!"
He chuckled as they laid together on the bed and she rested her head on his chest.
"I love you, Tyler."
"I love you too, Seria."
"I haven't seen Rias anywhere."
He chuckled at that.
"She's doing her own thing."
"Kay. So long as she keeps it."
"She don't she dies."
"Yup!"
The pair snuggled under the blanket and Tyler smiled as he held her tightly.
"I love you, Seria. Good night."
"I love you too, Tyler. Good night."
WE TOOK OUT A CITY YESTERDAY. NOW WE'RE ROAMING AGAIN.
DAY 34.
FRIDAY.
GOLD: 326,104.
BLOODOATH GOLD: 4,183,653
Tyler woke to see seria asleep beside him in the bed and she had her legs wrapped around him along with her arms. He smiled at this as he kissed her awake.
"I love you Seria."
"I love you too, Tyler."
Her sapphire blue eyes were shining with joy as they got into an intense makeout session before she smiled.
"Mercy."
He let her go and the princess smiled.
"I want to. But you know."
"Yeah I know."
She smiled and they got up. Tyler stretched and the princess giggled as she traced his spine with a finger.
"You're getting stronger!"
He chuckled around the shiver her delicate finger got from the stroke.
"You're even more beautiful then before, Seria"
She smiled smugly.
"Yup! I'm HOT!"
He laughed at that truth as he kissed her lovingly and she went back to the palace. The Berserker walked out to see Asuna and the rest at the table. Mina smiled as he walked over.
"Morning Tyler. we're set to move out."
"Alrighty. Anything from the watch?"
Asuna shook her head.
"Not a peep."
"Move out."
The force mounted up and rode out of the village heading for the coast. Tyler was in the lead as they trotted along the now familar road with Strand pointing the way. The force was in fine spirits as they decended the mountain passed the spot they routed the bandits from and Tyler looked at Asuna as they did.
"What'd the loot give us?"
She shrugged.
"Just some gold. About 500k all told. we added it to the Bloodoath funds."
"Alright."
They made good progress that day when the made camp in an overhang by the road with a rather impressive view of the Dunkrick valley. Only without the city to see as there was now a pile of rubble in it's place. Tyler chuckled as hre took a photo.
"Nice to get a before and after."
They laughed at that one before they made camp. Tyler had his tent near the road with the back pressed against the stone and Rias was walking by o her way to the fire,
"Hey Rias."
She looked at him curiously and he slid the chessboard into view. She smiled at the silent offer and sat beside him.
"Seria?"
"Kinda."
"Ha."
The pair hit the buttons and Seria was still Tyler's queen with Rias his right hand bishop. That made her smile as her king was till Tyler and she was the queen.
"I can live with this."
He smiled at this as the war started. The deathmatch lasting 45 minutes before Tyler won with a rook in the right place. Rias sighed at this defeat.
"Dammit. I'll snuggle you on a lost bet."
"ha. See ya later Rias."
She smiled and headed out. The berserker laid on his back by his own fire with a yawn and Asia appeared with a smile.
"Hiya!"
He chuckled as she laid against him.
"Adorable."
"Yup! I'll barge in too!"
"Ugh FINE."
"Teehee!"
He just patted the ray of sunshine that was Asia, well aware she won. Rias returned and smiled as she saw Asia snuggled up with the berserker.
"Typical."
"It's Asia. Just go with it."
"Yup."
Rias settled beside them and Asia smiled as she got a pat from the busty redhead.
"That's nice Rias!"
The friends chuckled at Asia's cute before they hd dinner of roasted bear meat and some strawberry juice to wash it down. Tyler smiled as he and Rias played a few more round son the chessboard and they dragged Asia into the tent with them. Much to her amusement. Tyler smiled as he snuggled with the blonde on his chest and the redhead on his left.
"Night Rias, night Asia."
"Night!"
"Night Tyler."
ON THE ROAD AGAIN. AGAIN.
DAY 35.
SATURDAY.
GOLD: 326,104.
BLOODOATH GOLD: 4,183,653.
Tyler woke to see Asia's sleeping face over his own. That made him blink before he realized the snuggly blonde had moved in her sleep to DRAP herself across him and Rias like a blanket of cute. Her long golden hair mixed with Rias' blood red lockes to create a rather beautiful fire like kaleadascope of color. He smiled and patted the sleeping blonde and she woke with a squeak.
"Morning! Oh."
She blinked as she saw her bed and Rias smirked as the blonde's slit was over her face.
"Asia. I love you. I really do. But COME ON."
"Sorry! You're comfy!"
They chuckled at that as the naked blonde got off them and Rias sighed.
"So that explains the Asia themed dream i had last night."
Asia blushed as she realized the facial she'd subjected Rias to.
"Sorry!"
"You're cute, Asia."
"yay!"
"Asia. Camp Glowball."
"Hey!"
They chuckled at her irritation before getting dressed and out of the tent. Tyler relit their fire and Rias stretched in a way her massive melons bunced under her tunic. Asia having already bopped off to jump Shiro for a hug. Tyler smiled as he passed Rias a coffee.
"Thanks."
"Sure. This morning never happened."
"Yup."
"So a DREAM huh?"
"Shut up. And...thanks."
"You are not forgotten."
She smiled at that and hugged him for a moment.
"Thanks. For a lot."
"I count on you more then you know."
"I....okay."
She smiled warmly and they headed to the table. The morning had a thin layer of mist about it that Tyler found kinda cool as they walked up to the rest. Asuna smiled as he joined them.
"Nothing to report from the Night's Watch. Aside from it's YOUR TURN on first watch."
"Ha. Sure thing Asuna. Alright. We set?"
They nodded.
"Let;s ride."
The friends mounted up and headed out. Mina was beside him on her stallion with a smile on her face as they navigated the mountain road.
"So we'll be back in the forest, Tyler."
"We'll still hunt bandits. I still feel like there's somethin there worth lookin into."
Asuna frowned as she joined the conversation.
"You think there's a loose end?"
"Always. But for this? Think about it. That Draken had 300 men. ALL BANDITS. Counting the idiots at the Village, we're looking at a force of 600. Forces like that don't grow on trees."
They frowned at that and Mina looked at the road.
"Agreed. Plus the logisitics too. Food, water, shelter, transport, MORALE, pay. It takes a lot for an army like that on the march. It's been two days. See if the prisoner broke."
He pulled the orb and Mylissia appeared.
"YOU have a SCARY time sense."
"The prisoner break?"
"He did. what do you need to know first?"
"Where did he come up with 600 idiots?"
"Ah. It'll worry you he only came up[ with 300. He had NO IDEA of the village's existence until we asked him. Seems he came from the north and the village is on the EASTERN road."
Tyler frowned.
"Okay. Same question."
"Eh. The north be prime bandit country. Last count there were a thousand known bands of between ten 500. They have become FAR m ore common during the recent century."
"Makes sense. So how many of the threads intersect?"
She sighed.
"Oddly enough? None of em. A Deep Hand squad was disowned by the country. The Forest Giant, Luster and her idiot, THIS GUY, were all disowned for failure to produce results in a timely manner. Fangorn is HUGE on productive worth. If you fail to meet their demands, you're cut off. And then it's up to you to EARN your way back in."
"Hmm. Soooo they just stuck around in the same area of about a hundred miles?"
"Pretty much. He's still be interogated but for the time being that's the truth."
"Anything of Issei?"
She blinked.
"Yes. There is. He was picked up by the Drakens and sent back to their country for training. How'd you guess?"
"eh fit the trope. Have THEY made a summon?"
"It appears so. A summon took place at the same time as we summoned you. They've been intensely trained as you have. Though, from this one idiot, it seems YOU, Tyler, LORD BERSERKER, are the strongest of BOTH CAMPS. HOW, I am not sure. But the entire country of Fangorn has your FACE on a wall with a BOUNTY of 500,000,000 gold coins. DEAD. Yeah they hate you."
The Berserker chuckled at this news.
"Half a billion gold coins for MAH head on a plate. Ha. I appreciate the complement. Who's the hero leader on their end?"
"Well. They just call him Po."
Tyler smirked at this news.
"Po as in P O. Or po as in P OH?"
"P O H? You know him."
"He's from kirito's world. and was a FEARED manslayer."
Asuna sighed.
"The leader of Laughing Coffin. Prince of Hell."
"BULLSHIT."
Rias' offended voice made them chuckle and Tyler looked at her.
"It's his gamertag. POH. Prince Of Hell. He thinks he's a demon of death and death incarnate. He ran a murder guild in SAO."
Kirito sighed.
"Tyler."
"I got em."
"Thanks bro."
"Ha. PoH will meet the Berserker. Piss me off enough, and I'll introduce him to the DEMON."
even RIAS shuddered from the darkness in his eyes and voice.
"Damn dude."
"Ha."
Mylissia smiled at this as he looked to her again.
"Well. I'll leave the dealing of PoH to you, Tyler. If you find anymore Draken, try to take them alive it possible."
"Will do. Seria?"
"was last seen in her temple with the Mistress. Seems she likes it there."
"Sexy. Tell her not to wear herself out."
"I will you dirty bastard."
She left and the orb was put up. Tyler nodded as he looked at Mina.
"PoH is a soldier too. American Black Ops. Liberia in your world."
"So he has the attitude and the training."
"Yup. Plus an absolutely TWISTED mindset. And a raging racist too. Guy's a monster."
Kirito nodded with a grim expression in his eyes.
"His favorite sport is killing people. He's nearly gotten us a couple a times."
"I got em."
"You know him inside and out."
"Weird image but okay."
"err."
They chuckled at the shudder and Tyler looked ahead as they dropped below 2,500 feet in elevation for the first time in nearly three weeks.
"Okay. So the village."
Asuna nodded.
"A bandit leader?"
"I'm thinking so. Which makes sense since we're in a time of war in a RATHER isolated region. Bandits always multiply in a time of war. Okay. Strand."
The Ranger smiled.
"what do you need?"
"Where's the nearest Ranger Station in that forest?"
"It's not that far from the hunter village. I'll check in."
"Please do. They'll have an idea of what's going on in the forest. Or at the very least point us in a direction."
Rias perked up now.
"So Issei DID defect?"
Tyler sighed.
"I figured he would. And if he's in the same group as POH, he'll be FORCED to grow up. That guy's a monster. But he DOES how to train a squad. whether they want to or not."
"We'll have to fight him."
"I know. I'll drop him."
"Thanks Tyler."
He nodded with a smile before they continued on their ride. The group rode on in silence safe for the thudding of the hooves and Tyler chuckled as they stepped off the inclined road at the base of the mountain onto level ground for the first time in nearly three weeks.
"So THIS what level ground feels like? I'd quite forgotten."
They chuckled at that odd feeling and he looked at Belfast as they waited for the Bloodoath to level out.
"How are we for supplies Belfast?"
The silver haired Quartermaster smiled.
"We are well supplied with four of the five wagons untouched."
"Good. Make sure nothing in the untouched goes bad."
"I will do so."
The landscape on that side of the Black Mountains they were in was like the Wilder forest but with more gigancit trees close to forty yards across and thousands of feet tall. Tyler smiled as they moved at a steady clip through the oddly soothing oak trees and pines.
"MUCH better. Mountainnering is not for me."
They chuckled at that one and Strand smiled as she looked around at the various squrriels and chipmunks going about their day.
"This is a healthy forest indeed."
Tyler chuckled at that....when he frowned as he felt something on his mind.
"Strand, focus."
The Ranger blinked and did so....only to grit her teeth.
"A Spirit."
Tyler nodded as he looked around now.
"What KIND though? The forest feels light yet inviting."
The Ranger let out a long, slow breath as she concentrated on the feeling while the rest of the Knights also focused to fight off the mental influence. Strand's ears twitched after a few minutes.
"A Woodland Sprite."
"Like Metalica?"
"Yes. But the evil type. And nowhere NEAR as powerful. They share a kinship by blood, but a Woodland Sprite is a monster through and through."
"What am I looking for?"
"A tree. A tree with a fairy craving in it."
He chuckled at THAT impossible task.
"Okay. CAaaaan you narrow it down?"
The Ranger chuckled.
"YThe strongest woodland sprite ever discovered could only effect 30 yards."
"Oh. Okay."
The force dismounted to hunt the creature down and Tyler went with Strand.
"So what ARE Woodland Sprites?"
"They're an evil race of Sprite that inhabit woodlands like this. they feed o the lifeforce of those around them and store their catches like squirrels inside of trees that keep them alive for decades. And you fully conscious the entire time until you litteraly ROT to death. Nothing can be done for them either as the Sprite ties their souls to the tree. The only thing you CAN do is grant them release."
"Any particular prey?"
"The strong."
"So me. MAkes sense."
They walked around a tree and were faced by an Elder oak tree with a ten foot fairy carving embedded in the wood and Strand smiled as she pulled a woodaxe.
"There it is. Just topple the tree."
"Set it on fire?"
"That works too. But the wood is valuable."
"Ah."
He took his own woodaxe and blew the whistle. Strand walked over to the unmoving tree and hefted her axe.
"It won't fight back. They hunt with illusions."
"And of the trees here catches?"
"Most likely. If we kill the sprite, they'll die instantly and be absorbed into the tree as nourishment."
"Alright. Might Blow. Ghost cut. Triple force."
Strand imbued her own axe with the same and they slammed their axes into the tree. The thing was cut clean in half by the high powered impact and dropped with a crash of timbers. Strand smiled as she put her axe down.
"This method is ONLY ALLOWED FOR MONSTERS. Are we clear?"
"Perfectly."
"Good."
The rest of the force arrived and chuckled as they saw the 76 meter tall tree the pair had taken down. Asuna sighed with a smile as the oddly cheery feeling enveloping them vanished.
"Alright. Load up people."
The sprite tree was collected and loaded into the half empty fifth wagon before they got moving again. Strand smiled as she examined a branch.
"This sprite had JUST arrived Tyler. So will have had ONE capture. Since we got here so soon, they'll have been set free."
Asuna smiled.
"we were walking by a tree when this woman was shit out of a tree. we felt really weird. But she's okay and with Asia and Unicorn."
"She say anything?"
"She's a roaming hermit. Wants NOTHING TO DO with people and will take off once she regains her strength."
"Alright."
The friends road along the far more welcoming forest now until Tyler spotted a river cutting a path across the road.
"We'll camp by the river everyone."
Strand nodded with a light in her brown eyes.
"There's a nive spot not too far downstream."
They followed her direction to a large circle of stone that seemed to have been cut smooth beside the river. The thing was perfectly cicular and Tyler looked at the Ranger and she chuckled at his quizzical expression.
"It's an ancient impact site for a dragon's breath."
"Ah."
The site was 300 meters across with soft moss growing on 75% of it. The part closest the river even had a semicircle of stone walls raised to create a rather cozy little alcove. Tyler miled as they pitched camp in the hole.
"Alright. we'll be able to do some fishing and clean up a bit."
They chuckled at that one as the ladies smirked with Asuna pawing her rapier.
"Tyler."
"What? You're not helpless are you?"
"Okay."
She sighed at that solid point and they went to set a more PRIVATE bathing area up for the women. Tyler had the men of the camp collecting firewood and readying fishing poles. Kirito came over with an armful of logs.
"Found a good sized poplar Tyler. We got Hiro collecting the herbs."
"Good find Kirito. Anything we need worry bout in them trees?"
"Kyba found a set of wolf tracks the size of coffee cans, but that's about it. Probably Direwolves."
"Most likely. we'll keep an eye out for em tonight."
"We'll also refill canteens from the river. water's clear."
"Alright. Looks like the ladies figured it out."
A wall of ice had risen from a section further down and Tyler chuckled as he pointed out a tree.
"They didn't notice, but that tree overhangs a small, crystal clear pond."
"Ha. Classic."
Tyler chuckled as he built their camp bonfire as Bell returned with a tall blonde haired boy carrying a massive wolf between them. The blonde haired boy was Tyler's height with short cut golden hair and bright blue eyes. her frame was well muscled yet slender from their rigorous lifestyle and his attire was a tanktop and jeans. His armor was scalemail with a chainmail vest underneath and a longsword on his hip. He spoke in a soft yet polite voice.
"we found the direwolf, Lord Berserker. No injuries and easy experience points."
"Thanks Kyba."
Tyler set the nearly 15 foot long wolf on the stone as Bell got his knife out.
"I get this one, Tyler? Kinda love the fur."
"Sure Bell."
"Thanks."
The men skinned the immense predator before Tyler took the carcass outside their camp to a open clearing and left it. He returned to find the MUCH refreshed women aiding in the camp activites. Strand was inspecting the direwolf's fur and she looked up as Tyler approached.
"Anything interesting?"
"This wolf is out of place."
"How so?"
"They live up in the mountains. Up by Dunkrick."
"Ah. That avalanche."
She nodded.
"Has mostly driven a few species into the lowlands. There are going to be a few Ranger PRETTY pissed at you, Tyler."
"Ooookay. Are YOU okay?"
"I already made my appeasement to the forest with an offering. I HIGHLY suggest you do so as well."
"OOokay. I will do so....ONCE I got something to offer."
She chuckled at that as he went to the river with his pole. The Berserker smiled as he baited his hook and cast the line into the gently bubbling river. Shiro appeared like magic and he chuckled.
"Don;t get comfy. I might catch somethin big."
She shrugged and he noted she was bare foot and in a thin T-shirt and shorts.
"Cute yet sexy too. I like it."
The silver haired cutie smiled with a slight blush.
"Thanks. I usually looked like this when not showing off."
"Nice flex."
She giggled at that as she settled on her back with her head on his lap. Tyler patted her and she smiled before looking at the turning orange sky through the trees.
"I don't want to go back to disboard."
"Makes sense. Here you can do literally ANYTHING."
"And there's no games to play to get there. It's harsh, yet fair. And sides. YOU do everything."
He sighed at that solid point. His rod dipped and he pulled a good sized greyling from the river.
"Oh nice."
Strand smirked from her spot by the fire.
"15 fish per person in this river, TYLER."
"Yes Strand."
"Good boy."
Shiro chuckled as he set the fish on his chain of hooks for later transport. Tyler smiled as he flicked the rod back into the water.
"This is nice."
Shiro nodded with closed eyes.
"Yeah. it is."
"You okay?"
"I'm fine. Sucks not being the queen anymore."
"I can ask a favor. Maaake you a Princess."
"Ha. i'll think about it."
He patted her and she smiled before watching the sky go by while he fished. Tyler pulled three more greylings from the river and set them onto his chain before Shiro stretched langoriously and got up brushing her long hair.
"You're REALLY relaxing to be around Tyler. Like you're just THERE. And it feels nice."
He smiled as she hugged him.
"I gotchyer back Shiro."
"I'll TRY to get yours."
She walked off to the fire and Tyler was left alone by the river enjoying the change of pace. All we been doing the last few weeks is fight, travel to fight, prepare to fight, or recover from fighting. That's not good. He looked at the Knights and noted their relaxed smiles and easy chatter and smiled as he looked back to his line. Looks like it hasn't gotten to them yet. That's a relief. I'll need to cooridinate with Asuna to prevent burnout in the troops. I need to prevent in myself. Belfast is where....? He looked around for the burnout specialist and spotted her relaxing with Javelin by the fire. The fishing Berserker caught his friend's eye and she smiled as she joined him. Tyler smiled as he pulled a 5 foot pike from the river as Belfast sat down in shorts and a tanktop while bare foot as well.
"Did you need something, dear?"
"Just had a thought."
He sat down once the pike was on the chain and set the line back in the water.
"I just realized we've done nothing but fight, prepare to fight, TRAVEL TO FIGHT, and recover from fighting for close to three weeks now."
Belfast blinked at this.
"You fear burnout."
"Exactly. Hell, I'm startin to do it myself."
"Your symptoms?"
"You people are startin to irritate me. Like with the bath thing as an example."
"I see. I am RELIEVED you picked up on it THIS SOON. when did you first start noticing your irritation?"
"About two days ago? Yeah that sounds right. I JUST laid down and relaxed....annnd Asuna came up with a report. I was smiling outside, inside I was like get the fuck away from me. I just chalked it to me JUST getting comfy. Pet peeve of mine you see."
Belfast smiled as she looked at the gently flowng river.
"And the Lady Seria?"
"Helps a LOT. I don't THINK she's noticed anything but that could just be my eyes."
"We need to take a day to relax then."
"We do. Problem is, we're OUTSIDE the capital. I'm worried we won't really be ABLE to relax like that until we're back in the capital."
"A valid worry. yet the burnout."
"I'm more worried about the WARRIORS then myself here. I can go for a VERY long time as I'm kinda used to heavy workloads. But we have some VERY volitile personalities here. When i dropped I saw it."
Belfast nodded.
"A VERY wily ploy. And you scared the hell outta me."
"Sorry."
"Again. A VERY impressive gambit. You sneaky sonuvabitch."
"WOW. Never thought I'd hear THOSE words outta your mouth, Belfast."
"Do not forget. I too, am a soldier."
"Ha. Fair enough."
Belfast smiled as she looked at him.
"So we need to rest the Warriors. And YOU need a rest as well."
"And since YOU'RE the best when it comes to burnout, figured I'd turn to you."
"I apprecieate the faith. and I'd say we take a day here at the riverbank. No orders, no GRINDING, and just....re-fucking-lax."
"Okay. Purify."
She chuckled as he hit her with an anticurse spell.
"I too am learning."
"SHit I really am a bad influence."
"Oh the worst."
He chuckled at that and looked over to where Asuna was looking at the map.
"Hey yo asuna."
"Comin."
The redhead walked over with a smile and she crouched by the pair.
"We're takin an extra day here. We need to break up the fighting and prepping for the fighting with SOMETHING before we wind up killing each other."
Asuna smiled at this idea.
"I completely agree. And THANK GOD you picked up on it FIRST. I'll give the word."
"Thanks Asuna."
The capable second went to give the word and Tyler tore a water moccasin from the river.
"Oh hello. Hey Strand, I got a viper here."
The Ranger chuckled as he removed the hook from the snake.
"What do ya got in mind?"
"We can milk the venom for our own uses."
"OOOH. A Ranger trick. I know mt method, let's see yours."
Tyler pulled a mason jar over and used some twine to secure a section of thin paper over the rim. He then exposed the snake's fangs and pierced the material. Instantly the snake started dripping venom. Strand blinked at this and sat beside him now to pay EXACTING attention.
"Your method doesn't kill them. I will learn this as MINE does."
"sure Strand. And it works on ALL speicies of viper."
"Does it?"
"Yup. I'd need a second as this guy's dry."
"repeated milkings from the same snake. This is a new technique, Tyler."
"I'll be more an happy to teach ya Strand. Something else I need?"
"Just to record this method in the Ranger Annuals as the First Teacher. And teach three more Ranger MAsters so it is not lost."
"Sure. It's kinda fun milking snakes."
He returned the snake to the water and it slithered off downstream and Strand nodded.
"I will return with more Vipers."
"How do you catch em?"
"I use a branch to pin them in place."
"Ah the same one I use."
"I will ask to see this."
"Sure."
He pulled the fishing line in and Belfast smiled.
"I see you have a creature."
"Yeah I've always been into reptiles....oh. The method works with anything that has a fang OR A STINGER. we find a scorpion I can show you how to milk THAT too."
The elven ranger smiled as she led him into the forest.
"A most VERSITILE method indeed. How well versed are you in it?"
"Snakes are straight forward. SPIDERS I'm have never done it myself."
"I see. We shall learn it well together then."
"The best way. Oh!"
He grabbed her arm as she was about to step on a 6 foot lone Gaboon viper and she looked at him.
"Danger?"
He pointed the snake out and she blinked.
"HOW are you able to see a Forest VIPER SO EASILY?"
"Ha. That;s nothing. In my world, we got people the size of BJORN that can be RIGHT NEXT TO YOU in a forest like this....and you not know a damn thing."
"My EAR."
"Yeah my world's not nice. I got em."
Tyler traced the length of the snake's head with his eyes before he moved to a spot by it's unmoving head and poised over it's head bare handed...and lunged. He had the snake by the back of the neck and it hissed as it lifted it from the dirt.
"Gotchya."
Strand smiled.
"You know serpents. Not even i would DARE to attempt a bare handed capture."
"Snakes react to motion and can sense heat. if you're CALM, it's calm."
"Interesting."
He produced another milking jar and made the snake open it's lethal jaws to extend the two inch fangs.
"This thing is STILL damn intimidating."
He pierced the paper with the snake's fangs and it poured the venom into the thing with Strand watching with a crystal recording the entire procedure. Once the snake was empty Tyler gripped the tail and straighten the reptile out as he set if on the ground. he let the tail go first before the head. The snake bunched up and took aim...but he was already out of reach by the time it had aimed properly. Strand nodded as she closed the crystal.
"Another."
"Sure. Not ENTIRELY sure what we'll do with this much venom, but we'll do something."
She chuckled as they moved through the forest. Tyler looking around at the trees and ground with the Ranger beside him when he smiled.
"I got a python up on that branch."
She looked and just saw a vine.
"Explain."
"Snakes blend in well. But, the pattern is often off by a SLIGHT degree. See?"
He ran a finger along the scales of a reticulated pyton and the Ranger smiled as she saw the rest of the snake.
"So that's how it works. See the PATTERN, NOT the animal."
"Yup. some animals like tigers for example, break up their outline to make them harder to see. Look for the pattern of their fur, and you're fine."
"I have a milksnake here, Tyler."
"Nonvemonus"
"Are they really?"
"Yup. YOU are thinking of the Coral Snake. See how that one has Red band on black?"
"I do."
"Red on Black, friend of Jack. The red bands touch the black. Red on yellow, kill a fellow. Red touches yellow."
"Ah. I see. I will pass this new knowledge at the Station. I see you had a fascination."
He chuckled as he snagged another viper from the forest.
"GOTCHYA. Reptiles were cool to me for a while. Like for example, that BRIGHT purple frog there."
"I see it."
"It's EXTREMELY toxic. A SINGLE dart dipped in the poison it secrets, will PARALYZE a fully grown bison. 3 doses are lethal."
He milked the snake and the jar was halfway full as he released it.
"Nature has her warning system. more brightly colored it is, rule is the more toxic it is."
"We have long known of the toxins of the forest, but due to their nature have been unable to TRULY test them. And yet YOU are teaching ME, a near 4,000 year old elven RANGER how to harness the most LETHAL of nature's weapons. Truly humbling."
"My world is more scientific. And you have to roast the frog of a fire wedged in a stick to get the poison."
"ah. Hellish fate for hellish intent."
"It's used as hunting aid."
"NOW it is fair."
Tyler milked four more gaboon vipers to fill their 36 ounce mason before they returned to the camp. Asuna smiled as they approached.
"we got a rest day. You have luck?"
"Yup. Spread the word to be careful with these. They're PURE snake venom. Gaboon viper and a few other snakes."
"I will give that warning myself. What's the bigt plan for em?"
"Hmm. THAT I DON'T know yet."
Strand nodded as she took the jars.
"I will tend to them Tyler. I have special jars for such things."
"Sure thing Strand. Maybe I ca convince some Draken idiot its the elixer of life."
They laughed at that as he went to the river and cleaned his hands off in the water. strand looked at him in horror and he chuckled.
"Venom's neutrilized in water."
"Oh thank the ear."
He chuckled at that before he returned to te river bank without his iconic jacket to lay on a pad of tiger fur in some sun. He was shirtless for once and he relaxed in the warm light.
"Oh my."
"SOMEONE'S been making gains."
"Ha. So THAT'S him when he shows off."
"Annnd there's the next set of issues. PEEEERfect."
Tyler chuckled to himself as a few girls' voices were heard from the camp as he rested his head on his hands. Hilarious ladies. The warrior dozed for a while by the riverbank when he felt a presence beside him and heard the sultry breathing of Akeno beside him as the tall beauty got comfy.
"Wha's up Akeno?"
She chuckled as he didn't open his eyes.
"Oh just relaxing."
He opened an eye and chucked as she was in a stringy bikini of white and blue.
"Ha. OOOOf course."
"We ALL have one."
"Of COURSE."
"Oh my! NOT interested?"
"Ugh."
She giggled at that exasperation before she smiled.
"I'm just comfy."
"Alright. Watch the sparkiness."
"I'll zap the dickness out of you."
He chuckled at that as the lightning mage beside him dozed herself now. Tyler grew antsy a little later and sat up with a stretch to see Akeno had fallen full asleep beside him on his tiger fur pelt. She having rolled on her belly with her head on her arms and a small hole zapped into the stone for her massive breasts. Tyler smiled at how pretty she was before he looked around at the force. Most were laid flat out on pelts in bikinis or trunks while some were working on some side project. A few were missing but their tent flaps were closed. Tyler walked over to his own tent and smiled as he found Asia and Shiro snuggled up with his coat inside.
"cute."
They smiled in their sleep as he took his sword out. he hefted the bright blue weapon and noted the amount of scratches on it's length. So he used an ice spell to make a brick of ice to sharpen the magical metal. When it was back to gleaming he set it aside. The camp bonfire was crackling happily and his own was too. The berserker roasted himself some deer jerky before walking around the camp munching. Though he smiled as he passed Asuna's tent and her muffled moaning with Kirito's grunts inside. Nice to see SOMEONE'S getting action. Asuna was heard moaning a little EXTRA loudly as Tyler walked away and he chuckled at the sure to be an orgasmic sound. Atta boy. Though he smirked as he heard the same sound coming from BELFAST'S tent and saw no sign of intruder on the outside material. The wandering man found himself by the table they kept their maps on and looked at the thing while munching.
"I know that feeling."
Mina came over in a tanktop and pants with a flushed smile. Tyler chuckled as he saw her.
"Lookin at the road ahead."
"restless or bored?"
"Bored. YOU look like you're having fun."
She smirked knowingly.
"I was."
"Sakamoto?"
"Yup. How far did the show go?"
"Remember that one time she got tanked off wine?"
"I do."
"other then the hints, that was the most on the nose."
"GOOD. Keep it that way."
He chuckled.
"I HAVE always suspected the Strike Witches had a unit perkiness."
MIna smirked knowingly as they looked at the map.
"we had our fun never you worry. It WAS a VERY exclusive fighter wing."
"explains gthe ulterior motive for the fratnerization rule."
"I am a VERY selfish commander."
"Clearly. Must be nice to have had Yoshkia all to yourself."
"I WISH. She was claimed by Perrine. DAY ONE."
"Perrine here?"
"She's snuggling with Unicorn. She is a VERY potent lightning mage here."
"Torneir!"
"Ha."
Tyler chuckled at the inside conversation before he looked at the map for the route ahead.
"Least it's flatland this time."
"That's nice. We'll be well rested the morning of day three."
"As much as I hate the loss of time, we NEEDED THIS."
"We did indeed. I was worried about it to be honest. when were YOU going to reach the end of your rope? I am GLAD you reached out before you found it."
He smiled as he looked up from te map.
"I'll be sure to keep it in sight this time."
Mina chuckled at that as he wandered off. Tyler looked at the sky and noted the sun was going down so he smiled and went to summon Seria. Asia and Shiro were still snuggled up with his coat as he looked at the floor.
"Night's Longing."
Seria rose from the floor with a smile.
"I missed you too."
"we're takin a day tomorrow."
"Me too! I work hard too!"
He hugged her.
"I love you to, Seria."
She smiled happily and he turned her around.
"And boo."
She gasped at the adorable sight of Asia and Shiro with his coat.
"Aww! That's soooo CUTE! where's my crystal?"
She got a photo and Tyler passed her some fried raptor burgers and they fed well looking at the river.
"I love you, Tyler."
"I love you too, Seria. We'll be able to take a day soon enough."
"I know. I'm waiting."
She laid in his tent as he took first watch. he did his statue of armor impression by the river and kirito fistbumped him on the switch. Seria was securely snuggled with Shiro and Asia either side of her and the blue haired beauty chuckled sheepishly as her fiance walked in.
"Sorry, love. They're cute."
"Ha."
He laid beside Shiro and she smiled in her sleep...only to squeak as he lifted her up and deposited her on his chest as he laid beside Seria.
"Mean."
"You're in my spot."
"Asshole. Oh. Comfy."
Seria giggled as Shiro curled up like a cat and fell back asleep on his chest. Tyler kissed his fiance and she smiled.
"Good night, Tyler. I love you."
"Good night, Seria. I love you too."