"(huh...where...where am I...)" Yel thought to himself, as he could feel a warmth over him, accompanied by an alluring fragrance
"(this...scent...Polly's flowers...reminds me of...mom...)" his eyelids slowly opened to the sight of familiar wood.
"Aw, I wish you could've slept in a little while longer" said Stella
"huh?" Yel was surprised
"You look so adorable in your sleep" she lets out a patronizing grin
Yel's face turns red once he realized he was resting comfortably on her lap
"Ah-ah I'm sorry! I didn't-" he immediately gets up and looks away, covering his face in embarassment.
"Oh my! was my lap so uncomfortable? Am I not darling enough to satisfy you my dear?"
"emm...no...that's not-" Yel's eyes darted left to right.
He was trying to find the least damaging excuse here.
"Or...perhaps you would've preferred lady Merika's lap instead? she has that radiant look most boys your age drool over after all"
"Stella!" Merika called out to her, getting embarassed herself
"hahaha sorry sorry, it was only a jest; for you see, laughter is good medicine" Stella replied, waving her hands in surrender
"huh...you really are a complex woman aren't you Stella" Yel said
"humph...how insulting! I will have you know I can be very simple, you just have to know me" she smiled
"haha, if you say so" Yel chuckled
"How are you feeling Yel? Any better?" Merika asked softly
Yel nodded. "Much better. What treatment did you give me?" he asked Merika.
"Not me; Stella did"
"While a Siren Priestess is more of a supporting unit, they are also capable of Holy magic. Most of which are potent in the healing arts" said Merika.
Yel turned to Stella
"Stella, thank you for the care" he bowed, showing his appreciation.
Stella smiled
"No problem. Your affliction seemed...dangerous. I thought it wise to be the one responsible for your treatment instead of the Clerics. I'm glad I managed it"
"Your have my gratitude as well Stella, although I still don't appreciate how you went about it" Merika remarked
"huh? wait...how exactly did she-"
"Again with the questions you really don't want answers to" Stella interrupted with a grin.
"Tsk... (what the hell did she do to me?)"
"Well, in any case; you really should return to your friends, they were extremely worried about you. We'll soon be arriving at the Malign forests so it's best you guys catch up now" said Stella.
Yel looked down
"(They're worried about me...and I am to blame for it...but I can't guarantee this won't happen again. Twice now, with the second occurrence leading to my collapse)"
He stared at his hand as his thoughts strayed elsewhere
"(Clearly the situation is getting worse...tsk, I have to hold on, I have to get to Siphrit somehow...before it's too late)" Yel twists his face in frustration
"Yel, what's wrong?" Merika noticed he was conflicted
"N-no...it's nothing" he responded and stood up, about to exit the carriage.
"Thanks again for your help, I owe you one"
He said and jumped out of the carriage to catch up with the others.
"...Is he really going to be alright? He...didn't look it just now" Merika asked Stella
"You worry too much my Lady" Stella chuckled. "He's going to be just fine"
Stella continued, picking up and admiring her staff
"I don't know what caused it, but his spirit bonds were unraveling. I managed to reinforce the bonds still standing with my magic. This gave him the strength to recover"
"I see...but, what do you mean his bonds were unraveling? is that even possible?"
"I can't say to be honest. You see, everyone of us has a core that sustains us humans, called spirit bonds. Our health and ability for growth is reliant on these bonds. Should they become weak, or worse, well...let's just say a nose bleed would be the least of our concerns"
"In Yel's case he..." Merika words trailed
"Collapsed, yes. Clearly his situation is approaching the red" Stella set aside her staff and continued.
"Once we're done with the mission, I'm write him a recommendation to Siphrit. There, he should get full treatment before it's too late"
"Poor Yel..."
Stella stared at Merika for a while, then smiled
"You have nothing to worry about. He'll be fine, we'll get this done, he'll get to Siphrit and be jolly again you'll see" said Stella
Merika nodded. "Yes, perhaps you a right. Though I must say, that was a rather...weak attempt to console me Stella. One would think as a tactician, you'd be good at raising morale" Merika remarked bluntly
"Ack! Shepherds, you really have a critical tongue on you don't you my lady. Makes me wonder how Leon copes so well in your company"
"Well, Leon is a very interesting man" said Merika.
"ohoo! is that love I hear? would you prefer his company over mine my lady?" Stella asked with a sly smile
"As a matter of fact, Yes" Merika stood impervious to her tease.
"ack! again with another dagger through the heart" Stella said laughing softly.
It got to Merika as well who couldn't help laughing herself as they shared this short moment free of any danger or worry.
Meanwhile, at a mountain not so far from the Malign forest
2 figures stood at the top watching from the distance in the sunset, as the carriages were almost making it to the forebording forest entrance
One of them was humungous - bare muscle chest, thorn shorts, ruffled hair with a large spike club tied to his back.
He looked every bit like a menacing barbarian with his a naturally intimidating face.
His name was Jugo.
"The carriages are incoming, master Maghull" Jugo said
"I see they press on. It seems the redclaw was useless to us after all" said Maghull, in a cold and calm voice
He had the peculiar characteristics of a Deilon:
A split body complexion of dark on the left side and grey on the right side
Dressed in a full dark cloak, with contrasting colored eyeballs on each side, and an obsidian gem on his forehead, his eyes narrowed down to the Merika's carriage.
"It'll be trickier to handle them while they're being surrounded by those vermin from the beastkin"
"Heh! So we stop them before they get into the forest?" Jugo asked
"That was plan. Perfectly timed too, thanks to his signal. However, it seems it wasn't enough" Maghull replied
"They must've got some real strong guys there eh?" Jugo commented
"Tough, or underestimated. Regardless, we've wasted enough time already." Maghull said, then turns to his partner
"Jugo, why don't you put an end to this elaborate ruse"
"HAHAHA, Finally! Time for some action!" Jugo rejoiced and fueled by his adrenaline rush, he jumped down from the mountain top to what seems like a very long fall; yet he took the leap fearlessly
"hmph always charging ahead that one. Although, considering the circumstances, he's the best pawn for this task"
"The true scriptures must be reclaimed at all costs, we're so close and if we must risk leaving the shadows to achieve our goals, then so be it"
The deilon lets out an evil smile
"All for our one true lord"
With that, a dark sphere covered him and vanished out of sight, a high teleportation craft.
Back on the road
In Yel's team carriage, he was having a conversation with his friends
"Maaan, we're halfway there! If all goes to plan, on the other side of the forests we should be well placed to meet our objective" Klein said refreshingly
"Indeed. So far so good, and with Grimstone Banner's master tactician with us, I really can't see any other outcome" Luche echoed Klein's positive mood
"What about you Yel, think we can do without them scary nosebleeds for a while longer hahaha" Klein said and immediately received a punch on the shoulder from Luche
"Garhhk"
"Honestly, only you can see a funny side to that situation" Luche said then turns to Yel, still concerned. "Are you sure you're fine now Yel? you really scared me back there you know, collapsing all of a sudden like that"
"Haha, I appreciate your concern Luche, but I assure you i'm good. Stella's magic was quite effective" Yel said confidently, Luche smiled in response
"I'm glad. If you were to fall here I..." her words trailed as Klein and Yel stared at her in surprise
"(I wouldn't know what to say to Ema...)" she thought
Yel and Klein could see where she was coming from, and were silently building their own resolve, to not cause their partners grief.
"(Luche...I have to be strong, I am a knight! my fight is for them, no one else)" Klein thought to himself
"(she cares...just like Ema, just like Klein...I have to pull myself together, for my friends I can't afford to show any more weakness going forward)" thought Yel as he clenches his hand into a fist.
There was awkward silence for a moment, then
"WE'RE SOON UPON THE FORESTS!"
Yelled an onlooker from the carriage in front, as the party was approaching the Malign forest
As they approached, a large flock of black blue-eyed crows flew away from the trees and outwards into the horizon
Yel caught sight of the crows
"Blue eyed crows..." he muttered
"Well that was a rare sight eh my friend" Klein said tapping Yel on a shoulder
"hm!? Yel? what's wrong?" Luche asked as they saw Yel deep in thought.
"blue-eyed crows...their eyes turn blue for 2 reasons only; when the moon is out"
"...it's still sunset" Klein said. "you sure your info is spot on Yel?"
"he said two reasons silly. Yel, what's the other reason"
"...no...it shouldn't be possible...I am sure I didn't pick up any presence in the forest"
"Yel, what is it? what are you thinking? what is the other reason?" Luche asked again forcefully
"The other reason...is when they're terrified, of something sinister, even for them" Yel replied
Luche and Klein's eyes were shocked by the revelation
Then, as if on cue, an unidentified force, seemingly out of nowhere descended and completely destroyed the carriage that was infront of Yel's and Merika's.
The team heard loud but extremely brief cries from the members of the crushed carriage on impact
The force of the impact created a tremor that startled the horses of the other carriages as they came to an abrupt stop
Luche covered her mouth in fright as Klein and Yel immediately got off the carriage alongside the rest of the party members
"AAAAAHHHHHH" one of the clerics screamed from behind
The dust was settled, and everyone that belonged to the carriage in front were flattened on the ground, dead.
The impact had just wiped out the C-ranked party soldier and the B-ranked party.
It was a grim sight as the clerics were bawling their eyes out in tears
Yel and Klein could not believe their eyes
"No...no way..." Klein said
"(This...this could easily have been us...)" Yel considered the terrifing prospect. Then,
Stella and Al joined the rest of the group
"Yel! are you guys alright" said Stella as she rushed to their side. "What happened here?"
"I-I...I don't know, the force came out of no where and all of a sudden it-"
Yel was still shook, as he couldn't consistently string his sentence together
"Shepherds...what a foul sight...hm!?"
Stella walked in front of the team and strengthens her grip on her staff.
"Stay alert, something...or rather, someone dangerous approaches"
The remaining members of the team did their best to remain in focus; keeping their composure after what they've just seen was a challenge they weren't exactly passing with flying colors
But they tried to
"huuuuhhh...Was really hoping that was the right one" said a deep peculiar voice from the distance
Then came into view - Jugo, the barbarian, holding his large spiked club behind his neck.
"Well, no matter; if there's one thing I'm good at, it's the process of elimination" he said with a wide intimidating grin, as he approached the team
"two carriages left to crush, and I shall find my prey" he concluded
Thus,
Jugo revealed himself with a first move that wiped out almost half the party.
His well executed introduction brought extreme fear into the hearts of his targets, just as he planned
Even Stella had loose the smiles; replaced with a stern gaze that was both out of character, and very intimidating
The pressure was getting to everyone, as Yel and his friends were already sweating and shaking in their boots.
It was clear the threat that stood in front of them, was no ordinary foe.