Chapter 10 "Forest Survivors"
4 days have passed since I left the city. I now was treading woods, looking for some sort of a guide that could guide me to the south. And sooner or later I found just the place to look for him.
I spotted some primitive buildings in the further part of the forest. At first, I thought it'd be bandits, but after blinking closer I overheard a sentence that completly stunned me.
"Oh the great Void, please devour your faithful follower's enemies!" Unknown voice, presumalby male, called out to someone. I leaped off the tree I was croutching in, and approached the encampment. I closed up to the camp's entrance, that was guarded by two men wearing poorman's leather armor.
"STOP!" One of the guards yelled out to me "Come closer and you'll face your demise!" He added, threating me. 'I guess they don't like strangers.'
"Do not worry." I replied calmly "I have no hostile intentions." I said, bringing my hands up in a gesture of surrender.
"We can't trust you!" Another one replied "You sure have come here on the behalf of the Three Heroes' Church to end what they have started!" 'And what they have started?' I thought, and decided that I will take more direct approach.
"Let me show you something, alright?" I asked, starting to take my left glove off. "Maybe this will convince you."
"Just stay where you are, and we will have no problems yet!" The first one shouted out to me."But after you're done, get out of my sight!"
I nodded, and then took my left glove off completly. I then raised my hand, Mark side to them. Both have gasped at the sight.
"By the Void..." I heard one of them say it in disbelief. "He bears the Outsider's Mark!"
"Call the High Priest!" The second one commanded, turning face to the camp "It's important!"
'I wonder why do they worship the Void and the Outsider?' I thought, walking up to the guard.
"Can I at least sit down somewhere to wait?" I asked.
"O-Of course!" He replied, eyes sparkling from exitement. "Just follow me."
"Alright." I replied shortly.
I now was sitting in front of an elder man, who I presumed is the High Priest. He was wearing robes in black color. I decided to reak the silence that has engulfed us since he arrived here 5 minutes ago.
"I have a direct question." I started, my voice normal. "Why do you worship the Outsider?"
He quickly replied "Why wouldn't you? He was created long ago, to be our God."
"Hmmm... Is that so?" I said adding "Very well. But what do the Guards' meant by coming here on the behalf of the Three Heroes' Church to end what they have started!" I recalled the words, and asked him yet again "Tell me everything. From start to finish, if you please."
She sighed and cleared his throat "It began not so long ago. First, the thought it was only temporary. But we were wrong."
"What began?" I inquired
"The Killings." He replied shortly and continued "One day, many of the Villages on the frontier were surrounded by an army resembling the Royal Guard. We didn't know why, but soon they have started slaughtering the followers of the Outsider. The worshippers of the Three Heroes' Church were spared. This is when it got me: Pope wants to unite the country in one faith, so we are an obstacle for his plans. After I realised that, I said to my faithful followers "We must hide! We are too weak to do anything about it, so we can only run away." And they have agreed. During our escape to the forested areas, many groups were hunted down by Pope's forces and killed, even children. But some survived, and were able to join us here. We now live in constant fear." He ended the story distressed.
"And now that I am here, you want my help?"
"That's right!" He replied "You could help us defend our home!" And he added the last part cheered up.
"I'm sorry but that's not possible." I replied, shaking my head.
"Why is that?" He asked in a scared tone.
"Because I am the Shield Hero. My death that you've heard of was faked." He then gasped at my words and replied
"I see." Rubbing his forehead, he added "But you too worship the Outsider. At least we will help you... But I have a small request in return."
"I am all ears." I replied shortly
"If you find the Pope... and if the situation allows for it... Kill him. Kill him just like he has ordered the deaths of so many innocents." He said, and the decleration stunned me. He noticed it and added. "I recognise the Garb you're wearing. A young Whaler on his Trial. You may be a Legendary Hero, but now you are an Assassin." He ended the declaration and asked
"Do have need of something while you're here?"
"Actually, yes." I replied after thinking for a second "Can I visit your Outsider Shrine? I assume you have one."
"But of course." He replied "And we shall gift you woth something special. A bone charm to be precise. You cannot find them anymore, and Pope banned them as a sight of have two, but we only value one, so we will give you the other one - Lasting Strike. As we heard, your Devouring Swarm is potent, but you need something to attack directly. Lasting Strike will make your Windblast render enemies unconscious If they are vulnerable or near death." He then got up and gestured me to stand up too.
"Come. I will guide you to the Shrine, take the Rune that's there and be on your way." He then said something to a man that was guarding our tent outside. After a minute he turned to me and handed me a weird construct. It consisted of three bones joined together at one end by a strange metal bracelet.
'So this is a Bone Charm?' I thought. 'I wonder do you make these and from what. Probably bones of powerful monsters and animals.'
"Here's the Bone Charm. Just attach it to your clothing at it should work. I herd that Daud wears them attached to his belt, at the backside." He recommended me, to which I just nodded and attached.
"There." I said after being done with it.
"Good." He replied and added "Now please after me." he said and left the tent where we talked. I followed him outside.
I now was standing in front of a familliar looking shrine, as I found the first one in that Mine with Raphtalia, and I found another one during our travels. All of them were similar- a base of three legs, supporting a tilted desk and 'wings' that were adored in cloth in floral pattern. This one was no diffrent. I reached and grabbed the Rune that was placed there. A man appeared from nothingness as I did that. The Outsider.
"Hello, Naofumi. You've beaten the Spear Hero even though odds were stacked against you. I'm older than the rocks this place is built on, and even I didn't see that coming. You chose to humilitale him, and even that wouldn't change her fate. And now you seek power to defeat the waves, even though you don't want to admit it. I don't decide who wins and whose body gets tossed into the river to rot. But I do enjoy watching.
And now some advice for very near future: Love sometimes burns even brighter than the Hatred, And Hatred needs to be under control or it turns into Brutality. Remember that." And as he ended, he disappeared and left me there, cleanching a rune in my hand.
'Well, I think I know what he meant... Not fully.' I thought, opening my interface to learn a new passive ability called Blood Thirsty. It allows me to build up adrenaline while in combat, which then can be expended to knock ot enemies in one hit. Normally, it'd kill them instead, but I cannot gip a sword, so it's use is limited to a stronger punch.
'Well, I'm ready. Time to thank the Followers of the Outsider and be on my way. Next objective- decaying body of the Dragon.' I thought exiting the small tent where Shrine was located.