Author's Note:

Hello again, everyone! How are you all? I hope you're all doing great! Listen, I added perspectives in this to story as you might see later when you read it. I thought it might be nice to show what the others are thinking about certain events/situations they're in. Also, thanks for the review ayannamichaelie! I hope you all continue to read my story. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Tip: If you don't see a change in perspectives, it means that it still hasn't changed. ^_^

Chapter 8: Wonderful Traveling Experience

Now beyond the place he called home,

The young warrior begins to roam.

Setting afoot in a whole new realm,

His knowledge of things is like an empty helm.

Joking a lot and telling some stories,

His adventurer friend whose been to many territories.

While in the back a curious princess listens to it all,

Chatting and laughing are what she did overall.

The warrior just sighed, listened and remarked,

As a new friendship began to spark.

Honestly speaking the last line may sound cheesy,

But it's the truth, I'm not joking seriously!

Narrator's Perspective:

As the party of three now embark on their journey, one of them couldn't help but wonder what will transpire during their travels. The rather chubby individual who has no such experience what's so ever during trips like this, sits awkwardly silent next to his companion, Chrome. He wonders what he should do during long trips like this.

Xander then peers over the back of the carriage, to only see an empty trail they passed over and green vegetation growing on the side of the road. There was no sign of his home town anymore, not even the wall could be seen. He then returns his attention to the front, again. He sighs, "We have been on the road for over 30 minutes now. Why did I bother even looking back?" he thought, sadly.

Chrome notices his chubby companions' blank expression, suggesting that he is either bored or feeling homesick. He smiles and strikes up a friendly conversation, "First time traveling, Xander?" he asked. " Too far off places? Yes." Xander answered. "I only ever left town when I visit my uncle." he added.

"Your uncle? Ain't he an S-Class adventurer?" Chrome asked. "Yeah, he is. Quite the laid back kind of one too." Xander explained. The thinner one of them chuckled, "Seems like your stuck with another one." he said. Xander looked at him, "What do you mean?" he asked. "What I mean is that I'm like your uncle. I don't worry much about things and I don't hassle myself as much as others would do." Chrome explained.

Hearing this, Xander couldn't help but smile. "That sounds more like a carefree person to me." he retorted. "Really? They seem the same to me." Chrome indicated. Xander paused to think before giving his companion a reply. "I guess you're right. They seem pretty similar." he said. Chrome smirked, "See? What'd I tell you?" he said.

"How about you?" Chrome asked. The chubby one tilted his head, "What do you mean?" he asked. "I'm asking if your the same as well." Chrome said. "Well... I'm a bit different, I guess." Xander replied. His companion raised an eyebrow, "Oh? How so?" he asked. "Unlike my uncle, I don't drink or like getting drunk. Second, I'm almost never late for appointments or meetings. Third, I'm socially awkward. And last, I'm not cool or attractive." the chubby one enumerated.

Chrome whistled, "Wow! Talk about low self-esteem." he thought. "This the first time I've heard someone put themselves down like that." he said. "Aren't you being hard on yourself?" he asked. Xander shook his head, "Nah, I'm just speaking the truth here. I've come to accept it anyway." he explained. "Give yourself a little more credit, pal." Chrome suggested.

"What's there to give?" Xander asked. The thinner one sighed, "He's definitely got some issues regarding himself..." he thought. "Why don't we set aside the edgy stuff for now, okay?" he said. "Anything else, edgelord?" he asked. Xander paused to think again, "There are only two things that I got from uncle..." he said. "Do tell..." Chrome said.

"Well, I was influenced by his laziness so despite being an early bird, I also tend to be a sloth at times. And the other one is me being a heavy drinker." Xander said. "I thought you said you're not an alcoholic?!" Chrome asked. "I'm not!" the chubby one replied. "Then why did you say you're a heavy drinker then?" Chrome asked. "You're contradicting yourself for crying out loud!" he exclaimed.

"What I meant was that I tend to drink a lot of liquid. I do drink the same dosage of liquid as he does to alcohol." Xander explained. Upon hearing the explanation, Chrome sighed. "You could have described that differently earlier. It would have saved us the time, you know?" he said. "Sorry for my terrible choice of words." Xander apologized. "It's fine. Just don't do it again. You might cause a misunderstanding next time." Chrome said.

Xander smiled, "Thanks. I'll keep that mind." he said. Then he leaned on the carriage behind him, "You know. You may seem intimidating at first but I guess everyone has a good side to them." he added. Chrome chuckled, "A lot of people say that about me. You ain't the first one." he said. "Let's get along, shall we?" Xander asked, extending out his hand. Chrome smirked, "I would be glad to..." he replied, shaking his hand.

And so they both shook hands as a sign of their companionship. Although Chrome suddenly let go of Xander's hand. "Why'd you let go so suddenly?" Xander asked, looking confused. Chrome shuddered, "Didn't know you have sweaty hands..." he said. "I gotta wash my hands soon." he added. "C'mon it wasn't that bad." Xander retorted.

"You don't think it is but I think it is. Who knows what kind of viruses are wriggling around on your sweaty palm." Chrome declared. "Aren't you going a bit too far?" the chubby one asked. "Too far? Pal, I'm right next to you. There isn't something as too far between us." Chrome joked. This response got a slight giggle from the inside of the carriage. "Looks someone found that funny..." he added.

"Seriously, I washed my hands." Xander told his companion. "Like 30 minutes ago." Chrome said. "I don't know even know if you're infected by the Coronavirus." he added. "The what virus?" Xander asked. "Remember this, readers! Always wash your hands for at least 20 seconds after going out or touching something. It's best that we avoid physical contact as much as possible for now. Let's help each other out to prevent spreading the virus, shall we?" Chrome announced into thin air.

Xander gave him a confused look, "What are you talking about? Are you okay?" he asked. "I'm perfectly fine. I just wanted to recite something I heard. Don't mind it." Chrome replied. "I'll do just that." the chubby said. "To sum things up, you're hands are sweaty." Chrome stated. Xander sighed after hearing his companions' full-on rant about his sweaty hands and just couldn't believe it. "I guess I shouldn't bring up that topic or shake his hand from now on." Xander thought.

"But don't worry, Xander. Your entirety is fine with me, honestly, I couldn't care less about it. It's only just your sweaty hands I dislike." Chrome explained. "Thanks for reassuring me..." the chubby one replied. "No problem!" Chrome said. "Oh! Since we're already on the topic..." he added. "Care to say anything you dislike about me?" he asked.

"Do you want me to?" Xander asked. "Go ahead. I don't mind." Chrome replied. "Are you sure you won't get mad?" Xander asked again. Chrome sighed, "If you ask me again, I WILL get mad." he said. "Okay then..." the chubby one replied. Although it took a solid minute for him to think more than the one thing could think of. " It seems like you're really thinking long and hard about it. You must have a lot to say." Chrome said.

Xander shook his head, "Nah. I can't really think of any other reason to dislike you, besides one." he said. This made Chrome curious, "Oh? You only have one reason." he said. Xander nodded, "Yeah, I can't think of anything else. But I don't think I should say it. I may sound rather...rude." he said. "Just spit it out already. Let me hear it." Chrome declared. "You're annoying." the chubby one said.

Chrome blinked twice upon hearing it, "Excuse me? What did you say? he asked. "I said that you're annoying. That's honestly the only thing I dislike about you. I guess you're mad, right?" Xander asked. "But that doesn't mean you're a bad person. You're just annoying...at times." he added, to make up for what he said earlier. There was a moment of silence before Chrome cracked up. Xander was once again confused at his companions' response.

"Did I say something funny?" Xander asked, looking quite confused. "You sure did! You're the first one to actually say it straight to my face." Chrome explained. "So what's so funny about that?" the cubby one asked. "Listen well, Xander. I only ever hear that from other people when they talk behind my back. When I ask them about it they don't confess despite knowing that I know about what they know." Chrome said.

Xander looked even more confused, "Okay?" he replied. Chrome smiled, "You aren't really the brightest tool in the shed huh. What I'm trying to say is that you're honest with your opinion of me. Others don't do that." he said. "Well, you did ask me. It would be bad if I made up something which wasn't true." Xander explained. "You're quite the honest person, aren't you?" Chrome asked. "I guess?" Xander replied.

Chrome took a deep breath and sighed, "It's finally over!" Chrome suddenly announced. "What is? I'm still confused about why you wanted me to tell you those things." Xander said. "Let's just say it's something I do every time I'm paired with someone." Chrome explained. With even more confusion shoved into his head, Xander gave up and decided to not think about it anymore. Chrome, on the other hand, focused his attention on the road once more.

(People of the Land: Chrome Donovan is a Rank 1, A-Class adventurer well-known all throughout the land. He's called "Undead Ashes" or "Undead Ash" due to his undead-like body and his weapon's enchantment that allows him to burn things. He also has a canine familiar that aids him in battle in case things get disastrous. The young adventurer is known for being some sort of a trickster and a tease to people. Other adventurers tend to avoid him due to his personality but many come to him because he's a meticulous worker that always gets the job done. Nevertheless, he's still a trustworthy and kind person who helps people in his own way. He's a good-looking teen with brown skin, a slightly muscular body, black hair, and eyes. He typically was black-framed glasses, a gray long coat over a black tank top, it is paired with some jeans and rubber shoes.)

Chrome's Perspective:

"At least I know I can trust him. I'm glad I do this every time I'm paired with someone. It really helps me judge how much I can trust a person." I thought.

You see, trusting someone ain't so easy because you never know when they'll turn their backs on you. So I've developed a way for me to judge someone's credibility.

Whenever I'm paired with someone, I would talk to them and ask questions, kinda like an interview of some sort. But this interview helps me determine whether what they're saying is true or not and if their hiding something. After talking to them for a while, I begin to assess them with the information I have gathered from them, in my mind of course.

And then I decide if I should trust them fully, partially, or ignore them. This method I have used for so long has helped me in several situations. One example was during a quest I accepted in the capital. It was quite similar to this one although at that time I was hired as a bodyguard to deliver some things.

One of the escorts seemed sketchy to me so I did what I had to do. I kept an eye on him, talked to him, read his body language, and beat the sh*t out of him and his friends when they ambushed us. Though it was no longer an ambush to me. In short, I was right all along. How do I accomplish this gimmick of mine? Let's just say I have a certain skill that helps me a lot.

Anyway, after finishing my monologue a certain someone inside the carriage called out to us guys upfront. The princess opened up the window next to us, "Mind if I say something?" Cupa asked. Both of us nodded, "Sure thing, princess. Go ahead." I said. "Call me Cupa, okay? Also, it seems that we're being chased by a couple of people." she said.

I gave the lead to Xander, "Hold this for me." I told him. I then peered over the side of the carriage and as I did an arrow flew right by me. I then saw several horseback riders armed with bows and arrows running after us. They were shooting our carriage with a lot of arrows, it's was literally raining arrows. One even landed near my crotch, "Do those f*ckers have Infinity bows on them or what?!" I exclaimed, rather annoyed.

"Xander kindly speed up!" I told him. He willingly did as he was told and the horses began galloping faster. I peered over the side again to check and another arrow flew by me, grazing the face my mother gave. "That's it! I'm teaching these hooligans a lesson." I declared, jumping onto the roof of the carriage. I quickly called forth my weapon as it flew into my hands.

"Woah! How did you do that?" Xander asked me, looking amazed. "I'll explain later! For now, focus on the road and keep the carriage steady and balanced as possible. My chubby companion nodded in agreement. "What about me? What do I do?" Cupa asked from the open window. "Stay inside the carriage! We don't want you getting hurt." Xander replied as he closed the window.

I could tell Cupa was pouting but this was no time for a childish tantrum. I have several horseback riding mofos shooting arrows at me that I have to deal with. As quickly as I could, I threw my pole-axe at one of the riders. It didn't hit the guy but it did hit the horse, "One down!" I thought. I quickly recalled my weapon from the fallen horse and this time the handle hit the back of another rider which made him faint

The guy fell off his horse as it collided with another rider causing both of them to crash. "Ooh! A two in one, I like it!" I thought. There were still a bunch of riders after us so I angled myself properly, "Hit em' hard, Oxymoron!" I shouted, hurling my weapon at them. It struck the guy to the left with much force that it knocked him off his horse, it then ricochets of his armor and pierced through the arm of a nearby rider, and grazed the neck of the horse next to it.

It caused the pierced rider to let go of his horses' lead as he screamed in agony. Without a steady grip, the guy lost his balance and fell off his horse. While the horse that got grazed panicked stopped in its tracks and threw off its rider. I whistled in response to what I saw, "Oh baby a triple!" I announced, recalling my weapon once more.

With six riders down, thanks to yours truly, only a few remained. "That was amazing, Chrome!" Xander cheered. "There's more where that came from!" I stated, preparing for another throw my weapon again at some unfortunate fools. Then I noticed that the remaining riders stopped shooting at us. "I've seen this before. Those f*ckers are plotting something, aren't they?!" I thought.

"They're up to something, Xander. I suggest you speed up, again." I told him. "Roger that." he replied. I then pulled out some binoculars from my inventory to see what they're up to. And when I did see what they were up to, I wished I wasn't a part of it. "Yup, that's definitely dynamite strapped to an arrow." I said. "What did you say just say?!" Xander asked. And as he did, the riders launched there next wave of arrows.

"EVASIVE MANEUVERS!" I yelled. Xander understood it and began driving the carriage like a madman. He made the horses go from left to right and right to left which shook the carriage a lot. I was struggling to hold onto the roof for dear life. "I do NOT want to die like this!" I thought. Then again, Xander's crazy driving manages to keep us safe, not a single arrow hit us.

From afar I noticed an intersection on the road and signboards. I grabbed my binoculars and tried to read what was on the sign. The left sign pointed towards the closest village while the other one to the right pointed towards an abandoned mine. "Xander! Go left at the intersection!" I told him. "Why?!" he asked. "Because it's what the sign said! So don't argue with me at a time like this." I exclaimed. "Okay, okay..." he said as we turned left.

As we turned left, the riders stopped shooting us and shot straight up. I wondered what it was until it exploded and lit up the sky for a while. "Was that a flare signal? Are they calling for back-up?!" I thought. "Was that a flare?!" Xander exclaimed. I nodded, "Indeed it is. We better find a way to shake them off." I suggested. "How though?" Xander asked. "Maybe if you stop talking and start thinking, you might think of something." I told him.

I began racking my brain for something as much as I could until I could think of something. Then I remembered something or someone that could help our situation. So I got off the roof, went back to the driver's seat, and opened the window next to it.

"Cupa we need your help!" I said which piqued the interests of the princess. "Ooh! Finally, I get to do something!" she announced, excitedly.

"So? What do I do?" Cupa asked, excitedly. "The plan is simple. I want you to block the path behind us." I said. She tilted her head, "How?" she asked. "Just use your explosion magic on some trees." I explained. She then understood what I meant, "Okay, I got it! Just leave it to me!" she declared. "We're counting on you." I said before closing the window.

From the window, I could see Cupa opening up the window on the rear and placing her hands outside. I couldn't hear what she was saying but she let loose two explosive blasts with both hands that knocked several trees down, blocking the rider's path. She then closed the window and looked at me with a smile. I gave her a thumbs up for a good job she did. Then I turned to face the road again.

"Are we in the clear now?" Xander asked. I nodded, "Yup! Thanks to Cupa, those riders won't be able to follow us now." I replied. Xander sighed, "Thank goodness." he said. I also took a deep breath and wiped off some sweat. That encounter was a wild ride, literally. "At least I can relax and take it easy now." or so I thought.

After the encounter with the riders, things were peaceful for a short while until we reached the end of the path, which I would like to say that there shouldn't be one! We came to a halt when the path stopped in front of an abandoned mine. Xander and I stared at what was before us. "I thought you said this path led to the nearby village?" Xander asked. "Well, that's what I thought until I saw this..." I replied, processing why this happened.

Then I recalled the riders' strange motives. "Hold on a second! First, the riders kept firing arrows at us that missed. Second, they made us speed up by launching explosive shots at us. Third, we arrived at an abandoned mine when the sign pointed towards a village. Sugar honey iced tea!" I thought.

"It's a trap!" I exclaimed. And right on cue, bandits and pillagers emerged from the mines and the brush around us. Even the riders from before caught up and joined the grand entrance. "Be ready for a fight, Xander." I told him. He nodded in agreement, "I know. You think we can handle them?" he asked. "If we add Cupa to our numbers then we can handle them easily." I said.

"I'd be best if we prevent her from fighting." Xander suggested. I sighed, "If so then it should take a while." I said. As if on cue, again, a ravager strolled out of the woods. "Just great..." I thought. "With the ravager around, it'd be pretty difficult." I said. "Guess we just have to do it." Xander said.

The whole while we were talking, the one's who cornered us didn't even move an inch to attack us. Both of us were still sitting in front of the carriage and didn't even do anything. "I'm guessing that they're waiting for their boss to show up." I thought. Once again, I was right, their leader came walking out of the mines with a smug look on his face.

"Welcome, travelers! We were expecting you to arrive." their leader announced. "Stay in the carriage, okay?" Xander whispered to Cupa. Both of us then got off, "What is it that you want?" I asked. "Quite the straight forward person, you are. I like it!" he said. "Just say it already so we can get this over with." I said. "If you insist, then we'll be taking everything you have including the little boy inside the carriage." he said.

From inside the carriage, I could hear someone getting angry. "Oh boy... There goes my plan." Xander said. "Look at the bright side. We at least have more firepower now, right?" I said. Cupa then stormed out of the carriage, "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A LITTLE BOY?!" she exclaimed, fiercely. Seeing her rage, several goons stepped back a little. "Ooh, feisty... Let me rephrase. We'll be taking the little girl as well." he said.

"That's gotta be the cherry on top." I thought. "Sorry but we won't be handing you anything." Xander said. "Prepare yourselves for an ass whopping if you get any closer!" I exclaimed. Their leader looked at his goons, signaling them to attack. They came at us from all directions, "So it begins..." I muttered, cracking my knuckles.

Xander's Perspective:

So let me get this straight, we were chased by a bunch of hooligan riders for several minutes, dodge a lot of explosive arrows, destroyed/blocked the only path we had, only for us to be surrounded by the enemy in the end. Talk about my lucky day...

With those thoughts floating around in my head, the leader of the criminal group ordered his lackeys to attack us. They came running at us from all directions while some stayed behind to provide support. As they came closer, I heard Chrome cracked his knuckles with a smug grin on his face. "So it begins..." he said.

With his weapon in hand, Chrome waited for the lackeys to get close enough, only for him to sweep them all in one go before dashing into the backline. Cupa, on the other, didn't wait for them to get close. The moment they charged towards her, she went in with an explosive blast as she punched the gut of the person in front of her. Sending him and those behind him flying into a tree.

While the other two attacked aggressively, I decided to take a moment to think with my 'Guardian's Bubble' active. I also put one over the carriage to protect from further damage. As I stood unharmed in my bubble, my attackers kept poking the bubble with their weapons but we're doing no such damage. "Okay! Xander this is your first fight outside of town. There is no back-up and you are outnumbered. Chrome and Cupa are both beating up a lot of enemies as of now but they won't last too long." I thought.

I then scanned the perimeter as quickly as I could. The exit was blocked by a huge ravaged that hasn't attacked yet, the leader is located by the front entrance of the mine and has yet to move, mele fighters are everywhere, and the archers are somewhere in the trees or the nearby brush. I sighed after looking around.

As I finished, all the nearby melee fighters jumped at once onto my bubble which caused it to explode. It sent several compressed water spikes flying around the vicinity which either killed or paralyzed some enemies. I then activated my 'Keen Sense' and paired it with 'Rapid Flow' to maximize the number of enemies I strike.

Using my newly forged sword, I cut through all my enemies like it was nothing. "Wow! This sword cuts amazingly even without sharpness!" I thought, delightfully. My attack took out at least seven at once. Chrome and Cupa were holding their ground pretty well.

As I continued to hack and slash those around me, I could see Chrome dashing through the forest while throwing his weapon. As he did, I could see enemies falling off the trees. "Did someone call an exterminator? Because this place is crawling with pests!" he announced. Cupa was doing great too. She kept pummeling her enemies to the ground, sending them flying, and just simply annihilating them. All of that with a little bit explosions mixed in every now and then.

In the midst of battle, I realized something, "Why do I have a bag of gold in my inventory?" I wondered. I quickly cast another 'Guardian's Bubble' around me to take a closer look. Looking into my inventory, there really was a bag of coin in there with five gold coins and seven silver coins. The bag had a label attached to it that said 'Spoils of War'. "Hold on! Spoils of War?! Does that mean I got this during a fight?" I thought.

Looking around, I was in the middle of a battle. "Is this the work of my enchantment?" I wondered. The bubble then popped, "I guess I'll have the find it out." I said. As we fought, the number of enemies begin to dwindle quite quickly. But I can clearly see both my companion's stamina diminishing, the same goes for me. So I cast my protective spell, "Chrome! Cupa! Get in here, quick!" I called out to them.

Both of them heard me and headed straight for the bubble. They dove right into it, both landing next to me. Now within the safety of the bubble, we all caught our breath. "Those were a lot of enemies!" Cupa mentioned. Chrome nodded in agreement, "There sure are..." he muttered. "At least we managed to bring their numbers down by a landslide..." I said. Both of them nodded and sat on the floor.

"How long 'till this thing pops?" Chrome asked. "In a minute it will..." I replied. "I guess that's enough time..." he said. "What about you, Cupa?" I asked. "Think you can make another one?" she asked, gasping for air. "Yeah, I could. I'll create another on after this pops. It should give you two more minutes to rest." I explained. She smiled, "Thanks! I didn't expect this fight to last long." she muttered.

"Well we never expected to have this much enemies in the first place." I said. Chrome then stood up and took a deep breath, "I've rested plenty. I'm now ready." he said. I nodded, "It should pop with this next barrage of attacks." I said. The criminals pierced the bubble and exploded like I said it would.

Chrome and I both head into front lines, beating up the remaining enemies. Cupa, on the other hand, continued to rest inside the bubble. "It was her first time fighting this long..." I thought as I looked at her. Soon enough, the number of foes left could now be counted with your fingers and toes. Looking at their boss, he seemed really irritated.

My companion noticed this and proceeded to taunt him. "Don't like what you're seeing? Guess you shouldn't have messed with us, Mr. Boss Guy!" Chrome provoked him. Their boss's irritated face then turned into a smug one instead, "Ha! Think again! I still have a ravager left-" he paused as the ravager began approaching us. He then pulled out his weapon, a longsword, and pointed at us, "And of course, there's me you have to deal with." he announced.

"You may have bested my men. But you won't outdo me in a fight!l he declared, charging at along with his lackeys. Both of us took a stead stance and waited for them to strike. Their leader came at us at full force and took a heavy swing at us. We dodged his first attack which caused the ground beneath us to shatter from the blow. "What the?!" I exclaimed in shock.

Their leader grinned and swung right at me. I managed to block it but the blow was strong enough to send me flying into my bubble. As I was sent flying, I could see Chrome single-handedly fighting at least 15 people at once. Five goons attacked him at the same time but he managed to block it with his weapon. After blocking, he quickly put distance between him and his attackers.

Cupa then caught me in mid-flight, "Gotcha, Xander!" she said. "Thanks! You fully recovered yet?" I asked. She nodded, "Ready to pummel some baddies!" she stated. Then a shadow appeared behind us, both of us looked back and saw the ravager ready to attack. It then charged right at us, so we both got out of its way. The bubble busted right onto its face, wounding it a lot but the things didn't seem fazed at all.

"That's going to be a problem..." I muttered, looking at the behemoth sized monster. "Hey fatso! Don't forget about me?" the leader declared as he swung at me again. I quickly turned around and blocked it, but this time it pushed away. "Xander!" Cupa shouted. "I'm fine! You should worry about yourself a little more!" I said while resisting the force my enemy is pushing against me.

Cupa then realized what I said and turned to face her opponent, the Ravager. "Hey there, big guy!" she said. The ravager grunted then charged towards her, as it ran straight for her she performed an explosive jump over the beast and landed on it's back. She then left my field of vision along with the ravager while holding onto it's big, brawny head.

"Looks like it's just you and me now." I said. Their leader smirked, "I believe so. Let's say we end this quickly, shall we?" he suggested. I nodded, "I couldn't agree more with you." I replied. After exchanging words, both of us distanced ourselves from each other before clashing once more. This time around, I cast 'Rapid Flow' which allowed me to compete with my enemy's power. "He took me by surprise with his raw strength but it won't happen again." I thought.

We continued to clash with one another, exchanging blow after blow. You could say it was a stalemate at this point, or so I thought. My enemy might be not taking much damage, the same goes for me, but I'm running out of stamina and mana. Continuously casting and using 'Rapid Flow' is draining me of my mana and stamina at the same time.

I couldn't even use my defensive spell to take a breather. Every time I would try to cast it, he would stop me either by charging towards me or breaking the ground beneath me. "Damn it! He's not giving me time to recover." I thought. He then charged at me again, the sound of metal clashing could clearly be heard. "Are you getting tired perhaps? Your attacks are getting sloppy, you know." he mocked me before kicking me in the guts.

I then crashed into the wall of the mine, the impact from the kick, and the wall slam made me spit out some blood. "Just what is this strength? He even has enough power to send me flying with a kick!" I thought while leaning on the wall behind me. My vision was starting to blur but I could still see him approaching me, menacingly.

I don't know if his kick or the wall slam got me but I was slowly losing consciousness. Soon enough, he was in front of me with his blade in hand. He chuckled first before using the tip of his sword to lift my chin up. I made eye contact with him and so did he. He seemed amused, "Good job struggling this long!" he said while clapping. "You did well to entertain me. Sadly, it looks like this the end for you. After I kill you, your companions will be next. And your loot will be ours." he said.

He then lifted his sword above his head, "Any last words?" he asked. I couldn't muster to say anything, all I could do at this point is cough out blood. So to annoy him, I spat on his shoe as a response to his question. He glared at me, "I see... Don't worry, I'll make this quick for you." he said.

I closed my eyes before his blade could hit me and just when I thought I was a goner, I heard the sword strike something metallic. I opened my eyes and saw that it was Chrome's weapon that blocked the blade. The pole-axe was pierced into the wall, blocking the blade's path entirely.

The goon boss looked towards his right side where the weapon came from and saw Chrome waving at him. Twenty of his men were piled up like a bunch of garbage, they were either dead or unconscious. For a short while, the enemy was distracted which gave an opening for someone to strike. Behind the goon boss, Cupa rushed towards him and kicked his head the other way around which sent him flying toward the right and into a tree.

"Xander! Are you okay?" Cupa asked with a worried look on her face. I felt so relieved that I wasn't dead yet that I flashed her a genuine smile. "Looks like luck is on my side..." I thought. Seeing this, she calmed down a little. Chrome then came next, "You look terrible!" he exclaimed, looking at me from head to toe. "What a helpful thing you just said, my friend." I sarcastically thought.

"Hey! Tell me how many fingers am I holding up?" Chrome asked while making a peace sign. I raised my finger and copied the same thing he did. He sighed, "Looks like he'll be okay." he said. "Really? He looks pretty bad." Cupa said. "Didn't he always look like that?" he joked. "Seriously?! Is this the time for jokes?" I thought. "Chrome! Now is not the time for jokes. Xander looks pretty beat up compared to us." she said.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop. Here, throw this onto the ground." Chrome said, pulling out a bottle from his inventory and giving it to Cupa. "What is it?" she asked while inspecting the bottle. "It's a splash potion of healing. It'll help us recover. Do it quickly while the boss guy is still unconscious." he told her. She nodded and threw the potion onto the ground. Immediately, I began feeling better and so did the other two. The wounds we're healing, our bruises are disappearing, and my stamina is returning.

"Feel any better, Xander?" Chrome asked. I nodded, "Much better than a while ago." I replied. Cupa then gave me a hug, "Oh thank Notch you're better! I thought you were gonna die!" she said. I chuckled, "Well, I almost did. But thanks to both of you, I'm still alive." I said. Upon hearing this, she hugged me even tighter.

Chrome then coughed, "I hate to break the moment and all but we still have to deal with him and that..." he said, pointing at the now conscious leader and the grunting ravager. I tapped Cupa to let go so I can stand up. She understood it and let go, facing her attention towards the enemy. "So what's the plan?" She asked.

"I'm not entirely sure but I think we need to deal with that ravager first. Anyone got an idea on how to beat that?" I asked. "I think I know how..." Chrome said. "Really? Mind explaining it to us?" I asked. "I need you to cast your protective spell on me first. Then I need you to distract both our enemies as well." he explained. "What are you going to do while inside the bubble?" I asked.

Chrome sighed, "Just do it! We don't have much time." he said. I said, "Okay then..." as I cast 'Guardian's Bubble' on him. Right on cue, the goon boss was back on his feet and charged with at us along with the ravager. Cupa quickly took the beast's attention by firing an explosive shot at it. Meanwhile, I was dealing with the boss, again.

"Looks like you're back on your feet." he said. "I could say the same to you." I replied. "This time I'll finish you off quickly!" he declared. "We'll see about that!" I retorted. While Cupa and I clashed with our respective opponents, Chrome was doing his part inside the bubble.

"I call forth the power of the pack that braves the harsh and desolate tundra of the north. Come to me, my trusty familiar!" Chrome chanted as a summoning circle appeared beneath him. He then bit his finger, enough for blood to frizzle down his hand and onto the circle. "Spirit Beast, unleash!" he announced as the circle glimmered brightly.

As soon as he said those words, the circle emitted a blinding light that sent weak shockwaves all around. The light caught the attention of both enemies and allies as well. The bubble then popped as something emerged from the circle beneath him. And when the light faded, standing next to Chrome on all fours was a canine-like creature, the size of a ravager, with white fur all around.

It's white, furry head turned to face its master who just stroked it gently. "Good to see you, Zoey!" Chrome said to the beast. It barked in response to his greeting and wagged its tailed delightfully. As the canine wagged its tail, it produced a strong gust of wind behind it. The wind was strong enough to knock a few trees down and send some unconscious bodies/corpses flying.

It then nuzzled against Chrome but he pushed his canine companion's head away. It whimpered as he did so, "Not now, Zoey! I need you to first take out the ravager for me, then we can play." he said, pointing at the enemy. Zoey, Chrome's canine familiar, stopped whimpering and turned to face her opponent.

Zoey glared at the beast then growled at it, revealing a full row of razor-sharp teeth. Her expression turned fierce and she lunged at her target. The ravager charged towards its canine opponent in response to her attack. As the ravager came close, she landed on top and jumped behind it. Using the beast as a springboard, she sent it flying into a tree with much force and less effort. "Great work, Zoey!" Chrome praised her.

"Finish it off, Zoey!" Chrome ordered her. Zoey barked, acknowledging his command, and lunged again towards her enemy. The quivering ravager tried it's best to get up and counter-attack but alas it couldn't. It dropped down on its side as the massive canine bit its neck, crushing it in the process. The beast has been subjugated by the powerful canine as it sat proudly next to its dead victim.

After seeing what Chrome's familiar could do, I turn to face my opponent as well. "Looks like your little ravager won't be much of a problem now." I said. The goon boss glared at me and attacked without saying a thing. With the ravager preoccupied, the three of us can now focus our attack on a particular person.

Narrator's Perspective:

The final battle is now approaching a conclusion, with the ravager killed by Chrome's familiar, our three protagonists corner the enemy boss. "Sh*t!" the boss exclaimed in the situation he's in. "Give up now! We've got you surrounded and your trump card is dead. There's nothing left for you to do." Xander told him.

The boss slowly backed away from the three people who managed to overpower his entire faction. He then bumped into a wall, with nowhere left to go, he reached for something inside his coat. "Don't try anything funny if you still want to live." Chrome said, pointing his weapon at him.

Suddenly, their enemy started laughing hysterically as he slams his sword to the ground with all his might. His attack sent the three flying a few meters away, giving him enough time to pull out a potion and drink it. Zoey caught her Master and his companions with her side. "Stop!" Xander ordered but it was too late. Their enemy had finished drinking the potion and stood motionless for a while.

The three got off the massive canine and slowly approached the motionless enemy. Before they got close, he disappeared which shocked them. "Where did he go?" Cupa asked while looking around. "I don't know..." Xander replied. "Be careful! He's still here somewhere. Be on your guard!" Chrome warned. The three of them formed a circle to watch each other's back.

But just as Chrome warned them, the missing enemy appeared behind them and impaled Chrome with his blade. Chrome screamed in agonizing pain as the blade pierced through his chest. Xander and Cupa turned to face their companion in terror as the enemy laughed in delight.

"Chrome!" Xander and Cupa screamed. "Wow! I never knew this potion could do this to me! Seems like it could do wonders for everyone if she were to produce more of these..." he said. "She? Produce more? What are you talking about?!" Xander exclaimed furiously. He turned to face him, "Nothing important for you to know! Even if I did tell you about the 'Effect Amplifier' you wouldn't understand it. So to do you a favor, I'll finish all of you off." he said.

With a grin on his face, he raised Chrome even higher causing him to scream even more. "I guess I'll start off with this one!" he declared, slamming Chrome into the ground. "Chrome!" Xander yelled as he ran towards him. "You'll have your turn soon. So just wait." he said. A gust of wind he produced by swinging his other arm sent Xander flying backward. "Xander!" Cupa shouted as she ran after him.

With a delighted look on his face, he announced, "Such power! I have to report this to her! The experiment was a success!" all the while he stood on Chrome's dead body...or so he thought. For a split second, he was distracted by his delight, giving Chrome an opening to thrust his weapon into his foe's chest. Blood drizzled down on Chrome as he lifted his enemy upwards.

"How...are you...alive?!" his opponent asked while coughing up blood. "I thought...you were...dead?!" he added. "Technically speaking, I'm undead." Chrome replied as he took out the sword from his chest. "That's going to leave a mark." he added. Both of his companions saw this and couldn't believe what they're seeing. "He's alive!" Both of them shouted.

"I got you good didn't I?" Chrome said, looking at his shocked companions. "How was my acting?" he asked. "Mind explaining to us what just happened?" Xander asked. "Later! I need to get rid of this guy first." he said, raising his opponent high. Chrome smiled, "How does it feel being skewered?" he asked. His enemy could only glare at him while Chrome mocked him. "Karma really does come back!" He added.

With his enemy raised in the air, his weapon glowed a faint red and suddenly he was set ablaze. For a very short while he quivered in pain before becoming motionless, this time for good. The fire immediately faded after he died. "Anyone care for a fool on a stick? It costs only a copper coin." Chrome asked his companions. Cupa chuckled at his statement but Xander could only sigh and fall on his knees.

Now that all their attackers have been defeated, the three of them can finally take a break. Chrome pulled out the burnt boss from his weapon and yeeted it onto the pile of corpses. All of them sat on the ground and rested for a while as the forest wind cooled them off. Zoey curled up next to her master as they all relaxed for the time being. "It's finally over..." Xander thought.

Author's Note:

As usual, thanks for reading my story. If you liked this chapter, do leave a review for me to read. Your reviews help motivate me a lot to continue writing. It can be anything from jokes, opinions, suggestions, or straight up criticism. I appreciate it all so don't be shy to leave some reviews. With that said, I hope you have a wonderful day/night! Thank you as always! Take care and God bless! :)