3-18 Onwards

3-18 Onwards

The sun hung on the peak of the sky with its beaconing warmth of light. Not a single piece of dark cloud in sight. A sure sign of a gentle day to come until night descends. It was the perfect weather for anyone to travel in. Along the road to the east, a cart, pulled by a pair of horses, was slowly wheeling through the unpaved yet levelled soil at a humble pace. On the cart sat three women, each who were all beauties in their own right. But it was certainly a sight that would cause disbelief if retold to others; a sight to behold for any passer-by. It was rare to see a Fae mingling with a Beast-kin and a human, let alone sharing the same cart like the best of friends.

“So we’re heading east to find your sister in faith on the orders of your Divine Patron. This faith sister of yours is the holder of a skill that is the embodiment of wrath. She’s currently committing a series of deeds that will eventually lead to her own destruction. We’re going to rescue her from her own makings. Did I get anything wrong?” Lyra asked.

“None,” Erin answered.

“And what do you get out of this?”

“Whatever I wished, or so she says. I can ask for just about anything that doesn’t defy the goddess’ narrative, knowledge for one; specifically knowledge of this world’s circumstances. Something I truly need in this world.”

“What about gold?” Siv asked.

“That’s also an option but that would only invite trouble.”

“That’s true… It will be a weight that would drag us back on our journey, literally.”

Erin drew in her breath, absorbing the rich and fragrant air nature had to offer. A warm and blissful smile formed on her face with the sunlight splashing its gentle warmth on her skin.

“You really enjoy doing that, don’t you,” Lyra remarked in amusement as she stared dazedly at her lover.

“I’m just showing my gratitude towards mother nature,” Erin responded in kind. “In my past life, I spent most of my time in the wilderness. The confines of man-made structures just felt suffocating to me. I realized now that it may have been caused by the unsavoury people that live within the walls.”

“Sounds like the people in your past world are nothing but arses.”

Erin tittered. “There were kind people but they were much too few.”

“Your past life sounded very pitiful, if I may say, mistress,” Siv chimed in the coach seat. She was responsible for holding the reins while Erin and Lyra sat in the cart. Siv was no longer in the dark of Erin’s secret, save for the fact that she had been a man. As Siv was to be their companion in their indefinite journey, Erin saw fit to be honest with Siv and told the Wolf-kin of her past life and how she was reincarnated by a goddess into this world. She had also briefed Siv of their current objective, which was to assist her sister in faith somewhere in the east.

“It does sound pitiful now that I'm retelling it. It didn’t feel that way when I was living through it. Perhaps it’s because the sword was the sole reason for my life then. Everything else was secondary, even friends and...” Erin glanced at Lyra. “Lovers,” she finished her words.

“No other indulgence in your spare time?” Siv asked, her eyes stayed on the road.

“I spend all my time on the sword. If I wasn’t training with the sword, I would be meditating and reflecting on ways I could improve my swordsmanship.”

“You were celibate then?”

A slight frown formed on Erin’s brows. “...Well, I did have desires but due to the fear of hindering the improvement of my swordsmanship, I became afraid to act on these desires.”

“I bet you're a serial heartbreaker,” Lyra said. “With your skills and all, you’re bound to be an eligible lily. How many have asked for your hand?”

Erin looked away. “I didn’t keep count but I can safely say it’s more than a hundred.”

Lyra’s eyes widened. “That many and none of them managed to get you to look their way? By the gods, I applaud your self-restraint.”

“I can smell their underlying intention from a mile away. I didn’t sense any genuinity in their pursuit for my hand. Not to mention, most of them are nobles or involved with power-hungry factions. Though I do feel regret for those who wanted me from the bottom of their hearts.”

Lyra grinned, hiding her giggle behind her hand.

“What is it?”

“Nothing,” she shrugged. “I’m just feeling proud of myself for being the one who managed to steal your first. And I didn’t think it would blossom this beautifully.”

“That makes two of us...”

“So, since we have nothing better to do right now, how about teaching me some magic?” Lyra threw a question that made Erin frown with her eyes widened.

“That was sudden. Where did that come from?”

“It ain’t sudden. I have been doing a lot of thinking about it. There’s only so much I can do with my bow. What if I met some enemy that my arrows cannot pierce through? Magic can help with that.”

“She has a point, mistress,” Siv added.

“I know she has a point but I barely understand magic myself,” Erin replied.

“But I saw the way you wield your Magic Arts. I have only seen that kind of adroitness in adepts.”

“That’s what I’m trying to say. All those came naturally to me. I don’t even know how I did all those. My best explanation would be instincts. That’s not something I can teach.”

“Alright...” Lyra muttered. “Then…, what can you teach me about magic? The surface of it, I mean.”

“Magic Arts are the manifestation of an understanding or an idea. The clearer picture you have of what a spell can do. The easier you would be able to conjure it.”

“Well… I understood nothing. Did you come up with that yourself?”

“Of course, not,” Erin huffed. “Nivia taught me that.”

“And you understand it?”

Erin shrugged. “Most of them. I may be a swordsman but I have seen my shares of magic in my past life. Granted they aren’t as grand as the magic in this world, but at least I have a clear picture of what they’re supposed to be.”

“Maybe your past life isn’t that pitiful after all, considering you are able to witness those kinds of grandeurs.”

“It isn’t all pleasure and sunshine. Those grandeurs come in packages.”

“And those packages are?”

“Conflict,” Erin answered. “The magic I have seen in my past life… they’re often used to exploit what can be exploited until there is nothing left to be exploited. If that isn’t pitiful, I do know what else it can be.”

“Purposeful,” Siv said. “If you hadn’t been through all that, would you still be the person you are today?”

Erin chuckled. “I guess not. You know, you are very wise, Siv. Can’t imagine what you must have gone through.”

“I gleaned my wisdom from dealing with liars and reavers. Prejudice towards my kind too.”

“How did you deal with them?” Lyra asked.

Siv glimpsed over her shoulder. “Hmm? Deal with what?”

“The prejudice. How did you do it? You can’t just reason with these kinds of people.”

“Words have no effect. And I don’t have any gold. But I do have strength. I put them into the rightful place with my strength.”

“Won’t that just make it worse?”

“Worse for me but even worse for them. They could barely move or talk after they challenged me. Of course, they twisted the events when they mouthed it off to town guards. Fortunately, my tenacity and strength made an impression on Lord Hegan who was passing by. I know the letters and I can fight. It was worth a lot. So he hired me and my brother as his personal guard. Compared to before, it was a smooth journey from then on. An insult thrown at me is an insult thrown at Lord Hegan. So no one dares to look at me like I am some feral beast anymore.”

“And now you’re here with us.” Lyra chuckled. “On a path of vengeance. A little bit wasteful if you ask me. After all that hardship, you willingly step down from the stairs to greatness.”

“I have no doubts you would do the same if Erin was beset by the same fate as my brother.”

Lyra went silent. She cast her gaze down. “...I suppose I would,” she admitted in a faint voice.

“Oh, come on. Brighten up, please,” Erin cheered. “I am not drowning in this mood for the rest of the journey. Fine, I’ll teach you some magic, or at least what I know how to teach.”

“You may have to delay that,” Siv said. “We have troubles ahead.”

Immediately, Lyra had her bow drawn and an arrow nocked, ready to pull on the string. As for Erin, she was still sitting calmly with her hand on the hilt of her sheathed sword which was resting on her lap.

“Bandits are lying in wait on the hill to our right after that plump tree,” Siv reported.

Lyra raised an eyebrow. “This close to the town? That’s unexpected.”

“Just the contrary actually,” Erin said. “The number of monsters have dwindled tremendously after the attack of the horde. A thinner number of monsters meant a safer environment for the bandits to lurk. And the town’s manpower will be devoted to its restoration, leaving the roads unguarded. The news must have travelled far and wide by now. Bandits will surely come and take advantage of this opportunity. I expect our journey wouldn’t be without these pesky rodents every once in a while.”

“This is good,” Siv said, cracking her knuckles. “We can ensure our skills will not rust.”

Erin sighed. “I was hoping it would be peaceful but I guess this is unavoidable. Besides, you’re right, Siv. This will keep our skills from rusting.”

“What’s the plan?” Lyra asked.

“We act natural,” Erin said. “Since we’re women, we are worth more to them alive and intact than dead and mangled. They will underestimate us and approach us with the slightest vigilance. We will strike when they are close.”

“Understand,” Lyra said. She used her Eagle Eye to scout the trees ahead of them. “I’ll take the two to the left on the trees.”

“I can handle the fool in our path,” Siv said, readying a dagger in her hand.

“You’re planning to get close to them?” Erin asked.

Siv threw Erin a grin. “I am planning to throw it. I am confident. I’ll show you that I’m not helpless without a polearm or sword.”

Erin grinned back. “I’m looking forward to seeing it.”

“Wanna see who’s faster?” Lyra challenged.

“The prize?” Siv asked back.

“A night with Erin, alone?”

“You have yourself a bet.”

“There will be no bet,” Erin intruded. “This is not a competition and I’m not some sort of prize.”

“I see,” Siv mused. “So you wished to have us both at night. I understand, mistress.”

Lyra giggled. “So that’s how it is...”

Erin rolled her eyes and sighed. “For fuck’s sake...” she muttered.

As the playful bickering on the cart went on, the horses had pulled them into the grasp of the bandits. As Siv had said, there was a fool in their path; the bait in tricking the clueless travellers to unmount their horses, and drown in their scheme.

“P-please… I need help...” pleaded the presumably weary man in ragged clothes.

“Get out of our way or we won’t be so kind,” Erin said, standing up from her seat and flourishing her five tails.

“A F-Fox-kin...” The weary man sighed, dropping his act. “This could have been a lot easier if you Faerie bunch wasn’t so perceptive.” He laughed. “Well then, you should know we have you surrounded. Surrender and we’ll let you live.”

“In your hands, it’s better to be dead than alive,” Lyra retorted.

The man shrugged. “Suit yourself, ladies. Alright, men!” he shouted. “Fire!”

“Thunder Shell,” Erin chanted in her heart. A sphere of lightning encased the three and the arrows that were fired at them all snapped upon hitting the lightning barrier. The barrier rippled in the places it was shot and lightning bolts were fired in return to the archers.

“What in the hell’s name?” the man blurted and gasped. “This is high tier magic. What’s an adept like you doing here in the boonies?!”

“High tier magic?” Erin chuckled. “I’m flattered.” She got down the cart and dashed towards the man.

The man brandished a concealed dagger behind his waist and received the blow from Erin, which battered the dagger off of his grip. Before he could recover from the shock, Erin had plunged her sword through his chest. In his last moments, he saw his remaining men were easily dispatched by the Fae’s companions. As his eyes closed, Erin kicked the man off of her sword. She took out a small patch of cloth and wiped her blade of his blood.

[Experience gained +15% - Level Progression: 65%]

Erin’s eyes stayed on the corpse of the man she had just slain. She gazed at her own hands, which were perfectly still.

“What’s wrong?” Lyra asked.

“Nothing,” Erin answered. “I was just wondering when it started, killing a person without any feeling of remorse.”

“Why would you have any remorse in killing these vermins?”

“They were helpless before me. They could do nothing. They were so insignificant that the chances of losing did not appear in my head.”

“That’s good, isn’t it?”

“This could breed arrogance. Arrogance can lead to a lot of things. It could breed narcissism, which would likely lead to a superiority complex. It could also breed mistakes; mistakes that might cost me my life or the lives of others.”

“You have us, Erin. And we have you.” Lyra wrapped her hands around Erin’s. “We will look out for each other. Remember, you are not alone anymore.”

“And this is the best thing that has ever happened to me so far. Thank you, Lyra.” Erin smiled.

Lyra smiled back. “You’re welcome.”

“What do we do with the corpses, mistress?” Siv asked.

“Leave their pockets be and shove them to the side of the road. This will send a message. Other travellers will be assured of seeing the corpses of bandits while the other bandits will be struck with fear. Also, they will serve well as the foundation of the monsters’ repopulation.”

“Of course, mistress,” Siv said and began dragging the corpses to the side of the road.

“And I was afraid you had gone soft,” Lyra remarked.

“Gone soft...” Erin chuckled inwardly, thinking of the surprise Nyx had lying in wait for her in the future. “Like that would ever happen.”

“Mistress, I think we’re being followed,” Siv said.

Lyra glanced at the distance where they came from. “I don’t see anyone.”

“We are being followed,” Erin affirmed. “I can’t sense them too but it would be weird if no one’s following us. They were extremely fervent in their pursuit for answers from me but they can't get it when I’m in town. I have Iris and Rosemary fending them off. But now we’re outside the walls, I imagine they would only take this opportunity to continue in their endeavours.”

“Or they could be the companions of the Apostle you killed,” Siv suggested.

“...That’s also a huge possibility.” Erin sighed.

“Shall we root them out then?” Siv asked.

“No,” Erin answered. “They are most likely connected to people with power. We don’t have a proper reason to act. They haven’t done anything legally wrong. There’s nothing we can do right now. We can only wait until something happens.”

“But what happens now?”

“We keep vigilant and make sure they won’t catch us by surprise when they decide to act. We’ll play their game, for now.”

Erinthea - Faerie-kin: Five-Tailed Fox-kin

Level: 32 | Status: None

Might: 22 | Arcane: 41 | Finesse: 36

Magic Arts

Spirit Magic Lv. 8 | Arcane Edge Lv. 5 | Arcane Armor Lv. 10 | Lightning Magic Lv. 10 | Arcane Aegis Lv. 7 | Mystic Tail Arts Lv 1

Combat Arts

Sword Art Lv. 8 | Fleet Foot Lv. 5 | Brawler Lv. 5

Innate Skills

Appraisal Lv. Ex | Night Vision Lv. Ex | Sixth Sense Lv. Ex | Toxin Resistance Lv. 7 | Lust Deviant Lv. Ex | Mana Harvest Lv. 1 | Lightning Resistance Lv. 1

Unique Talent

Mystic Blade Lv. Ex | Revenant Lv. Ex

Level Progression: 65%

Remaining Skill Points: 4

Remaining Ability Points: 2