Hi this is Benji Himura I am starting a new fanfic. I don't own Ragnarok online I also don't own the characters of that story or the plot; taking out the changes that I will make and the characters that I will create. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.
Signed: Benji Himura
"Text" Talked sentences.
'Text' Thoughts.
-Text- Sounds effects.
(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language
: Text: Messages show in an electronic screen or written.
Text: something being recalled, flashbacks, scenes being replayed.
Text: a detail found in a location, scene, person, recording and images that originally wasn't there.
Chapter twenty three: Desert e/scape
Benji rested inside his nest in the sand, while hot it was cooler than being outside, it was a horrible feeling being buried inside a hole in the sand, with little room to move thanks to an arrangement of daggers and cloth, all that he could do is try to get some sleep while waiting.
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Several hours later Benji resumed walking, it was much cooler than in the mid morning and afternoon. But was boring to walk, and walk, and walk on the desert, the same scenario over and over again, it wasn't only boring but dangerous, if he isn't careful he could easily walk in circles without noticing.
Using the sun as compass during the day and a group of stars forming what he called tri force because the rough placement of the group was similar to the Zelda games artifact, during the night to guide him, Benji believes that he is walking east, but he wouldn't be surprised in being proven wrong, when finding civilization.
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Atsuko sighs in relief, the day is over and so is the WoE, and for one month they will have time to look for Benji. They succeeded in defending the castles, everyone was less tired than in the first war, but the morale was lower. Most of the girls have turned in for the night after a quick bath.
But Atsuko had to admit, the emperor thought really big when making the castle, in two turns and using both the women's side and Benji's side of the hot spring every guild member of the allied guilds could comfortably take a good soak and relax, but she had to complain a bit about housing itself, there wasn't enough rooms to house the 'visiting' knights and in the end they stuffed five knights in each vacant room and still had to change the training hall into a dorm for the remaining knights.
Now in Benji's office Atsuko wonders on their fate, without Benji there the whole alliance most likely will crumble, so will the legions. It was his presence that kept them together. She hopes that they will remain united long enough for him to return. However she thinks in what Juliet said to her before the war, Benji got too much attention on himself, he also stepped on many toes and made plenty of enemies, some very influential, it is fear that keeps them at bay, but learning that Benji isn't there might make them attack.
Even thought that didn't stop Lacey from ambushing Benji and trying to get him to kill Juliet and everyone in her castle. 'I wonder who Benji angered to get that kind of reaction.' Atsuko thought seriously, she was sure of one thing; it was before she met Benji that it happened.
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Benji chews on a small chunk of salt, most people would think that is insanity to eat salt in an thirst inducing environment, but Benji knew that the salt was important for several reasons, the first being that it would give to his system minerals and other electrolytes that his body needed to work, second it would help to regulate the water on his system, and the one that he thought that was most important was that would help him to lose less water.
He would drink some juice after eating that small amount of salt; it would quench the thirst and wet his throat. Benji can't help in regretting about killing the creator too fast, he should had taken more time on it.
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Benji curses under his breath while discarding an empty juice bottle, he had too many empty bottles; he was running short supplies, no wonder since he is in that desert for two whole weeks, and he haven't seen a single sign of people in that whole time. He was starting to get despaired at his situation; the desolation of the desert was taking his determination.
But Benji continues to walk, it was night so it was cool enough to lightly revitalize him, the drastic temperature changes between day and night are also gradually eroding his strength, the fact that he haven't taken a bath in three weeks also adds to his weariness, he was smelling bad and he couldn't even change his clothes.
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Layla sighs tired after another day of fruitless search for her leader and lover, she as well several other members scrambled around the kingdom including the new areas searching for Benji, but deep down Layla knew that even mobilizing everyone the chances of finding Benji were slim, after all they have no idea of where look at.
The worse is that in a little more than two weeks they will have another day of WoE, meaning another lost day not searching for Benji, but holding on their home so he would have a place to return from wherever he is.
Haruka is also frustrated with Benji's disappearance, even with Juliet showing them the place where Benji and she invaded; they couldn't get in there because the guarding knights, so she couldn't see the circle that transported Benji to wherever he is. No knowing where Benji is, is making everyone worry, including Maria and Raki.
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At dawn Benji smiled, he spots what he hopes to be salvation, or at the very least a source of water, but he knows better than letting his hopes too high, it might be a mirage. Benji walks straight to what he believes to be an oasis; it was the stereotype oasis, with palm like trees, green grass, unknown bushes and a small lake. Benji could almost smell the water even at distance.
Two hours later Benji arrives in the oasis, content in not running like a madman towards it, he would have used far more energy to get there, but the shade, the shade felt so good; so it did the moist air of the oasis coming from the grass and water. Benji saw fruits in the bushes and trees, he would check them later, but first, first he would drink.
A quick search and scan of the area show to Benji that there weren't any animals there that might pounce on him; there weren't any tracks of men or beast. Benji knells by the edge of the lake and uses one of his empty bottles to collect water. It was deliciously cold; very surprising when considering the temperature of the desert, his first drink of cold water in weeks boosted his morale high.
Using the empty bottles to collect water Benji washes himself by a tree, so he wouldn't soil the water. The bath felt great and refreshing, he also washed his clothes, not exactly easy but that task made him feel good, having clean clothes can really make one happy. One hour later Benji is seeing his clothes hanging on a wire between two trees, they will get dry quickly in the heat. Now with more time Benji checks on the fruits on the bushes, eating something else other than meat, pet food, dried fruits and cereal bars would be wonderful.
But the fruits are totally unknown to Benji, resigning to a taste test Benji tries some of the fruits, they are quite sweet, a bit sour but in a good way, and since his build in poison alarm haven't rang then they are okay to eat, and he does it with gusto. After stuffing himself with the fruits and fresh water Benji lays down under a tree shade next to his gear and let out a pleased sigh, that oasis was a paradise in the middle of that scorching hell.
'I could stay here for a day or two to regain my strength.' Benji thought relaxing for the first time in almost one month. 'I can get plenty of water here, also lots of fruits, enough to make my life expectancy here grow for at least three more weeks.' Benji smiles at the idea of living for three more weeks, maybe enough to walk away from that blazing hell.
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Mana and Shina take large drinks of their large mugs of wine, they are annoyed with the total lack of information regarding Benji, not that they could openly ask people if they saw him, as far others knew Benji was in the castle, he was after all know for not being much of a public figure and constantly being locked inside his castle doing whatever he does there.
Mana is openly frustrated about everything, and she refused to change to assassin cross until finding Benji. Ami watches her sister and her sister's best friend drinking far more than what she thinks that is advisable but doesn't stop them. Everyone was using their contacts, but avoiding leaking out important details, and above everything not telling to the class guilds that Benji is missing, if that is discovered the number of attackers on the Legions' castles will tenfold.
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Haruka rummages on Benji's desk hoping to find anything that might take them to the right direction, she knew from the start that it was a fruitless search but even being, she had to try, after everything that happened and she saw disregarding things just because they are unlikely isn't wise.
Other than the books that she was expecting to find, there wasn't anything else there other than writing goods, but one drawer of the desk was solidly shut and locked, and Haruka couldn't open it as much as she tried, it was temptating to break it open but recklessly doing so might cause more harm than good, specially on her since she is often meeting punishments for bad or troublesome behavior.
Sitting on Benji's chair Haruka ponders on breaking the drawer or not, she was very aware that Benji had quite a load of secrets that no one knew about it, and he never told to anyone, she doesn't know anything between the time that Mana and Shina returned to their guilds until Benji met Alexis and Isis, then rescued her.
Benji never mentioned that gap of his stay on Rune, and he were probed quite intensely, Haruka wondered about it, from what Mana told her in the holiday Benji's fighting style was quite different from what it was before they left.
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Atsuko looks at the circle at her feet. "You are sure that this is it?" Helen asked to her protégé. "It is the only magic circle in the area." Atsuko answered, she had to ask plenty favors to get inside Lacey's mansion. "And the blood splatters leads to this room; this has to be the room that sent Benji away."
"I am not a full fledged wizard but I can tell that this spell went wrong, badly wrong." Helen said while looking at the surroundings. "This is or at least should be a summoning spell." "So Benji got caught in a summoning?" Atsuko asked to her role model, magic isn't her expertise.
"He must have got in the way." Helen commented. "Probably disrupted at the most critical moment, the backlash caused the ritual to go amok and send him and whoever was in the circle with him to some distance place. I don't think that we can locate him, the only way is for him to contact us."
Atsuko sighed, Helen just confirmed her worries, a glean catches Atsuko's eyes, she moves to the place where she saw it. "This is Benji's sunglasses." Atsuko said picking up a broken half of Benji's sunglasses, the lens was broken and the frame was cut in half. "Without this he can't cast anything that requires gems."
"That explains why he couldn't warp back, but teleport doesn't require gems." Helen commented. "Still someone got a pretty good hit to land a hit on him." Atsuko nodded while looking around more carefully, after few minutes she finds the other half of Benji's glasses, the lens are gone and the frame was pretty much shattered to bits, but might be still repairable.
"I still don't understand why someone would try to kill Benji like that." Atsuko said seriously. "Atsuko, dear you have no idea of what kind of things happens behind the WoE." Helen replied gently, but there was a hint of distaste on her words. "Nobles are pretty much a petty class, and they are often bored since they always 'succeed' on their activities. Betting is a common pastime, moves fortunes around and several nobles do everything to ensure their victory."
"You mean that someone was trying to get rid of Benji to win a WoE related bet?" Atsuko asked seriously. "It isn't too much of a stretch to think that." Helen answered. "He became quite famous practically overnight, he has a reputation of invincibility, he even made Dante of all people admit defeat in single combat. You are a smart girl Atsuko, make the math and calculate the odds, how much one could win if betting against him."
Atsuko remained in silence, Helen had a pretty strong and valid point there, Atsuko was aware of the manipulation of battles for profit, the Kingstone guild had plenty of those offers, they refused every single time, but Atsuko was aware that it was the Kingstone guild sheer size, contacts and strength that prevented attacks from the nobles and rich merchants who were refused. And that Benji didn't have that much pull in the world, at least not yet.
Atsuko knows that Benji has some good contacts considering that he is still a 'novice' in the adventuring business, regardless that Benji managed to get one major contact as the emperor of Amatsu, Benji's reputation and fame reached his ears, as well his liking for the city. Atsuko also don't put behind Benji some unknown but very handy contacts spread around that only he knows about.
Benji has too much high grade but dangerous items stored just for himself, and those items had to come from some place. Atsuko loves Benji so normally she doesn't really care about his secrecy about certain things, she had her own share of secrets that she didn't share with him, and so she respected his, but now that he is missing those secret contacts might know something that she doesn't know.
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Benji is happy sited on a shade and drinking some water. Two days had passed since he had left the oasis after staying there for three days, and he found the ruins of what he believes to be a village, he even found some salt dried meat there, sure it was harder than his armor but was still edible food, so Benji happily took everything from the salt filled box and stuffed on his inventory.
He was overall content that since he left the oasis he was with reasonably good luck, of course that old destroyed ruins might also be bad, it could mean that he is in the wrong direction since the place was after all abandoned by the original owners, but he wouldn't think like that since if there was a village there it would have living conditions, that meant water, he is guessing that the water source dried and the people left the village to not die.
Still it was a bit odd, since just two and a half days away to east there is a nice oasis, of course there might be a large time gap between the formation of the oasis and the abandonment of the village. Benji would try to learn more after he rests a little more, after almost one month walking over ninety percent of the time Benji's feet are begging for mercy, or a good massage, whatever happens first.
'Go away.' Benji said even before the doppelganger said anything. 'At least let me start nagging you before you say that.' She replied annoyed, Benji was even more curt and rude than the usual, and since there wasn't one ice cream anywhere in god knows how far she was much more annoying, and she was getting used to the hentai-sensei attacks, and was almost looking forward at them, almost.
'I am the only company that you had for almost one month you could be more friendly to me.' She continued. 'As far as I know you are a hallucination.' Benji said in a flat tone. 'Now shut up or I will go after you with a hammer.' 'You wouldn't hit yourself in the head with a hammer.' She replied teasingly. 'I would.' Benji said in a flat tone. 'If it means getting rid of you.'
Whenever Benji was close of actually enjoying a break she comes to annoy him. Sighing Benji sips some water before stashing it back on his inventory. "Well time to see if I can find something that shows me the way to people." Benji said to himself. 'What you don't count me as people?' the doppelganger asked in a mock hurt tone. 'Speaking to yourself isn't exactly normal.'
"No." Benji answered flatly, he scratches his chin for a moment. 'Hold it! Wait!' She quickly exclaimed while Benji rummages on his memories for something nasty to throw at her, he was getting bored with the tentacle stuff. "Man I need something else other than bondage and tentacle porn in the punishment area." Benji commented idly. "Well I guess that I will have to use tentacle-sensei again and add bondage to it."
'You can't do this to me!' She exclaimed clutching on her clothes, she is quite aware that is a futile effort since every single time they end in shreds on the attacks. 'Come on by now you are pretty much doing it in purpose.' Benji replied. 'I can tell.' 'Noooooo!!' She shouted as the white coated man/monster charges at her. 'After this at least I will have some peace for a day or two.' Benji thought with a smile on his lips.
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"I never thought that I would be so happy in seeing a city!" Benji exclaimed while looking to a desert people city. Benji did noticed that people were staring at him, it wasn't surprising, it isn't everyday that a stranger fully armed covered head to toe in a ragged mantle walks by the city gates.
But Benji didn't care, somehow the city was, much, much cooler than the field outside, for the first time in a long time he felt cool air, not cold air, cool. It doesn't take long to Benji find the man square and water, Benji was pretty much used to track down the minor scent of moisture by now.
Using one of his empty potion bottles Benji scoops and drink water from the well, cold, refreshing and tasty water. Pulling out his improvised turban, Benji proceeds to dump the remaining water of his bottle on his head with a long sigh of pleasure. Needless to say that the water pooling by his feet wasn't clear as the one in the bottle was.
Refreshed and feeling more alive Benji quickly notices that many women dressed in desert garbs are looking at him from a safe distance; Benji also notices the buckets and jars on their hands. Benji moves away from the well so they can draw water from it.
The crowd of curious people open a path as numerous men armed with spears, swords, shields and bows walks towards the square. Benji had to smile under his tall collar, the clothes looks pretty much as the ones of Arabian nights, he even spotted scimitars there, not the ones in Rune, but the real thing, he hoped that they speak English or things might go bad.
"Greetings." Benji said in a friendly tone to the group of men now standing few meters away from him. "I am not a threat to this city or its people; I was lost in the desert for weeks." "You do look and smell like it." One man with a jeweled and feathered turban says to Benji. "But how you got lost in the desert?"
"Magic from an evil sorcerer." Benji answered; at least they also speak English. "I have been wandering for a long time without directions or idea of where I was, guided only by the sun at day and the stars during night, looking for people and hoping to find by way out of that scorching hell."
"You are in the continent of Arunafeltz." The man said looking straight at Benji. "Three months away from Rachel our capital. And you are a man blessed by Freya, few men survive out there in the desert, the few that did either returned insane or severely weakened. You look fit and healthy."
"I was indeed blessed by taking a good road as well having with me a small amount of food and water." Benji replied knowing better than challenging the religion of the only people that he met in six weeks. "I found an oasis weeks east from here that gave me water and fruits that allowed me to remain healthy to find my way to safety."
"Come, Freya's church will gladly offer you housing and clean clothes to a weary soul and body." The man said in a friendly tone. "You must be craving for a good bath, a warm meal and a soft bed to sleep on." "You have absolutely no idea of how much." Benji said in a tone that mixed laughter, expectation and a hint of sarcasm. The man smiled at Benji's honest reply, after all Benji was right, he has no idea of how much Benji would be craving for the comforts that people takes for granted.
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Benji chuckled happily, for the first time in weeks he was thoroughly clean and washed; even his clothes are being washed, including his makeshift cloak and turban. Soaking in the clean warm water Benji relaxes, feeling the strain of the past weeks seeping away from him, his badly hurt feet savoring the break, the use of potions, salves and ointments healed the burst blisters, cuts and other overstress damage on them.
Now finally able to fully relax Benji began to feel how much his muscles ached, a condition that he disregarded while moving and being on 'survival mode' for so long, he had lost weight on the time in the desert too, even eating more than most people in similar conditions, it wasn't close of the normal daily amount.
After the bath Benji dresses clean clothes for the first time in weeks, he chuckles while sniffing the sleeve. "It even smells like soap." Benji commented gleefully, it wasn't important that the size wasn't right; Benji was after all by far taller than everyone in the city, all that was important that he was wearing something other than the set of clothes that he arrived with.
"If just that makes you happy I guess that more people should experience being lost in the desert." A priestess says to Benji with a smile. "Most people wouldn't survive enough to fully understand the small pleasures of life." Benji replied in a serious tone. "Besides this is my second time lost in a desert, it seems that something that involves my bloodline and magic always send me to a desert."
The priestess smiled but understood what he meant, he was stronger than the average. "Now that you are clean you want to eat some thing?" She asked softly. "Oh yes." Benji answered excited.
Five minutes later Benji is sited on a cushion with his right hand strongly pressed over his mouth, his tanned face pale, covered by a thin sheen of cold sweat, his neck muscles tense until he swallows down. "And stay there." Benji muttered tiredly and annoyed, he wouldn't let the first warm meal composed of anything other than dried, salted meat and dry fruits to be wasted.
"You don't have to force yourself to eat." The priestess said to Benji, impressed and a bit sick at Benji swallowing down his sickness along with the food that wanted to see the light again. "I want to eat, and won't be my stomach that will stop me from eating." Benji replied. "I am tired of salted, dried beef and dry fruits."
"Maybe it is the amounts." The priestess commented. "You mentioned that you were rationing your supplies, maybe right now you stomach can't handle larger amount of food so suddenly."
"Well I did survive with minimal amounts of food for weeks." Benji commented with a sigh, there was so much food there; he wanted to eat everything, not every grain of food but from everything. "I guess that it is a bit oily too."
Wanting or not Benji had to admit that his body got somehow used to be underfed, even being hungry Benji couldn't eat more or he would be really sick. With a long sigh Benji resigned to his fate, but not after making himself eat one of the sweets that were reserved for dessert.
"Stop that!" The priestess exclaimed in a mock scolding tone, most mocking because as soon Benji swallowed the sweet morsel he had to clamp his mouth with both hands and force his food down once again. The priestess couldn't blame Benji, she knew that anyone on his condition would want to eat and eat even if made them sick later.
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Atsuko sighed annoyed while tending her bruised side, another WoE came and went, and as the previous ones the Legions held its fame of invincible, at least until the next month. Wanting or not to admit this was harder than the previous time but easier than the first, proof of that is her still healing right side.
Atsuko wasn't the only one with still healing wounds, several others were, including key players as Karen, Leona, Jannine, Layla and Saya got hurt in the previous battle, Layla was still nursing a broken arm and shoulder, by far the worse injuries of the battle.
At least on their side as they dished out more punishment than they took, but Atsuko was aware that on each day of WoE the invading guilds, at least the most seasoned ones, were learning some of the tactics of them and coming again more prepared. Knowing that the first barrage was from magic the guilds started to invest heavily on anti-magic cards and gear, in order to withstand the massive damage of the unstoppable barrage of spells.
As the few more resilient and more protected ones survived that initial barrage they faced another barrage, now of arrows, so there was also an heavy investment on anti-arrow and anti-long range cards, the even fewer survivors of this second barrage if managed to leave the cast area before the next barrage of spells came would face a solid barrage of melee combatants.
But as more guilds prepared themselves to face the Seiryu's legions, more stronger melee invaders survived the initial barrages, and the sheer number of attackers also aided those more experienced attackers to survive, resulting in a melee clash that was steadily becoming more powerful, however no one outside the few allies had ever saw the floor of inner yard of Silver Moon castle.
Even knowing that Atsuko is worried, more they successfully defend their castle, their home, more famous they get as their reputation grows, attracting more and more guilds trying to make a name for themselves.
Thanks to her previous relation with the Kingstone guild Atsuko had plenty of contacts and information about the WoE, with mixed feelings Atsuko got the news that the Seiryu's legions was ranking seventeen in the guild ranking, an amazing feat considering that the guild wasn't even one year old.
Atsuko would normally be happy that her lovers guild was that high in ranking, she was quite aware of the benefits in being among the top twenty, after all she lived most of her late teens and her adulthood in a guild ranked first in the top five and any other top ranking.
But with the fame came fame hunters trying to make a name by defeating a famous and high ranking guild. Atsuko could ask for help in the Kingstone guild, she knew that Helen and everyone else would gladly help in that time of need, Dante took a liking of Benji in their duel, it wasn't everyday that Dante met someone who treated him no different than any other knight, Dante respected that.
Helen was wary of Benji, given his reputation and what she saw by herself she has every reason to, and especially after hearing the tales of his deeds by those who fought with him, but even wary Helen respected Benji in a certain level, mostly because he was the man that Atsuko chose as hers.
And the others are quite neutral about Benji, everyone shared their own gory and exaggerated reputations, Benji was confident enough to not suck them up wanting to get on their good side and becoming allies with them, actually most of them quite expected Benji to declare the Kingstone as an enemy of the Seiryu's legions, given his confrontation with Dante, they kind of wanted that, the Kingstone missed having a good and worthy rival/enemy to fight against.
While aware of being able to call for help of her friends and family, Atsuko was more afraid of the other high ranked guilds; those guilds fought hard for her positions and were very protective and jealous of them, and actively chased down threats to them.
And more than anything Atsuko knew that they are a threat to those guilds, after all in three months of WoE they already ranked seventeen, and given time the Legions will be in the top ten if not higher than that.
Atsuko is taken away from her thoughts by the sound of the bedroom door opening and the light from the hall entering on her dark room. "Anything wrong Maria?" Atsuko asked to the child. Maria was really feeling the brunt of Benji's absence, even being with Raki a lot Maria was attached to Benji and felt more secure with him around, his long absence is making the blonde very nervous and introverted.
Atsuko sees the pillow on the girl's hand, Atsuko could guess that Maria didn't want to sleep alone; Raki was with Layla to help her recovering sister. Atsuko pats on her bed, Maria smiles and moves there after closing the door. Atsuko felt sorry for the girl, other than Benji's lovers she was the one most affected by his disappearance, she even refused to change jobs until Benji returned.
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Benji sighed tiredly, he was tired but he couldn't fall in sleep, so used to walking during the most of the night Benji couldn't sleep even wanting and being in such comfortable and soft bed. Not even dressed on his old outfit Benji could get comfortable enough to sleep.
Benji gives up on sleeping for the moment and walks to the window of his room in the church, maybe a nice fresh breeze would help him to relax, his body was still in 'survival mode'.
The moon was beautiful and full, the air nice and fresh, not as cold as it was in the desert as the buildings stored more heat from the sun that slowly seeped out during the night. But something was odd, Benji's eyes adapted to night and bad light conditions scanned the city, there was something disturbing the peaceful air of the night.
At first glance Benji noticed that the massive wood gates of the city's walls were wide open, not something wise considering that there are monsters in an area of ten kilometers around the city, as well the strong winds that constantly shift the sands from its place.
Benji then looks at the square, a rail that he first thought to be used to tie reins of horses, camels, peco-pecos or whatever other mounting animal that they had, but instead of an animal there was a young woman chained to the sturdy wood rail, clad in torn clothes, sobbing in silence, pretty much resigned that no one will help her.
A dust could at distance catches Benji's eyes and Benji guessed that something was coming to the city and that woman is a kind of sacrifice. Benji rushes to his things and grabs his sword, Benji pauses and then sits on the bed hurriedly putting on his boots. Benji learned his lesson twice after Haruka and Maria's rescue, if he was going to fight he was going to fight with his boots, tearing the skin of the soles of his feet would only make fighting harder.
Benji grabs a holster belt and rushes out of the room only with his boots, his pants, his sword and the belt with a pistol and several magazines. Needless to say that his loud running steps wakes everyone inside the church, which meant the priestess and few more people.
"Benji what you are doing awake so late?" The priestess asked. "A man of good would be sleeping now." "My sleeping hours are messed up sister Seri." Benji answered shortly. "There is a woman chained in the square and a suspicious dust cloud coming here, I won't let whatever is coming just kill her."
"I can understand your desperation but please understand that this is the way of this land." Seri said seriously. "We are too far away from the capital to be protected by the guard and the military, even the guard here is far too small to deal with the demons that approach."
"Then they will meet the devil quite soon." Benji hissed with an evil smile, he was still pretty banged up from the desert trip, but he was more than fit to kill whatever is coming and from the sounds of animals they are getting closer of the wall. Benji runs out of the church still strapping the belt on his waist, as well the sword on his back.
Benji bursts out of the church throwing open the solid wood doors, by the gate Benji saw the dust cloud edging the open gate, still hidden by the wall, he knows that he won't make to the woman in time, by the time that Benji reached the main street a group of dog sized creatures, with long slim limbs leap at Benji.
With a swipe of his sword Benji kills several creatures before changing the swing trajectory and slashing the remaining ones in midair. 'They aren't strong.' Benji thought while seeing another wave charging at his direction. 'They are like those sand raiders from Diablo 2, weak but fast and attacking in bands.'
The critters leap with the claws ready to strike Benji, but Benji strikes with a swipe of his sword, easily slashing the slim bodies. Benji easily dodges the creatures and attack back, each slash easily killing four creatures, excited with the scent of blood as well rage for the attacker they all focus on Benji.
In horror Seri watches from church, Benji was doing exactly what he said that he would do, breaking a harmony that lasted for generations, the worse is that he seems to be enjoying the bloodshed. From the square the woman screams in fright at the scene, never in her life she saw anything like that.
Benji ignores the excited cheering from the doppelganger, as well the feeling that was haunting him for quite a while, the feeling of being on his environment while he is killing, the thrill of the battle, of the uneven odds pilling against him. It was getting easier every time to kill, even worn from the desert killing was so easy.
Noticing that they can't overwhelm Benji the desert critters hiss and taunt Benji from a safe distance. Benji takes that time to reevaluate the battle, hundreds, if not thousands of critters are filling the main street ahead of him, in a pulsing green, black and brown mass with glowing yellow eyes filled with sharp looking claws.
Benji knew better than charge at them, even not even tired, recklessly charging ignoring the overwhelming numbers would be stupidity, still he wonders why those critters attack the city and get sacrifices, there were plenty of edible monsters around the city, and they aren't smart enough to just negotiate the regular sacrifice, there has to be another reason for that.
A loud sound makes all the critters look up, Benji follows the gaze as well the sound, on the top of the main gate there was a cloaked figure blowing some type of horn. 'Now this explains a lot.' Benji thought, with some mysterious controller leading the critters was understandable the sacrifice system, and was time to that come to an end.
"Fire wall!" Benji shouted, three walls appear in the middle of the critters causing severe chaos among them as well damage on the hit one. "Thunder storm!" Benji throws another spell on the chaotic mass, normally he would save his SP for other skills as heal, blessing and increase agility, but at that moment confusing the leader was the priority, so it would lead to more mistakes.
Benji nails his sword on the ground; he makes the assassin's cast gesture while holding his right hand out. "Ice…" Benji started the cast, it was one of his experimental strikes, but it has a better range than any of his spells, a two meters long and five centimeters thick ice spear forms on his hand. "Spear!" Benji shouted throwing the long ice spear at the distant enemy.
Benji isn't surprised for not hitting the cloaked enemy, but it got close of it, as the spear nails itself by its target's feet before breaking down and shattering. Benji is pleased in seeing how shocked the person is; the attack had the desired effect.
Benji draws the sword from its current stone sheath and pulls a second sword from the cloth bundle on his back. Now amidst to chaos of the critters Benji charges at the quivering mass, slashing left and right, clearing a path to his target, the human like controller of the whole mass.
End of the chapter twenty three:
Author explanation corner:
Desert explanation: I hate to say this but the whole thing didn't work out written as well as I imagined, as I wrote down the desert walk I realized how f:king boring it would be to read. So I sliced and diced it to smaller and easier to swallow bits, with scenes of the guild girls in between.
The sand bed was something to deflect most of the heat of the day, and it sounds better than trying to sleep whipped by sand blasts carried by the wind and under the scorching sun.
The tri-force constellation was the first thing that came to my mind in some group of stars for Benji use to guide himself during the night. And since Benji doesn't know constellations and stars of Rune, he would 'make' his own constellations to guide himself when needed.
The salt eating, salt is a important part of our diet, and as everyone know it retains liquid so Benji wouldn't lose as much moisture to the environment, as well keep his blood with a good level of electrolytes, there are few other techniques that Benji used that might be show later.
Oasis, how many men lost in desert wished to find such paradise in the middle of hell. Benji got lucky and found one. I won't name the fruits, at least not now, all that there is to know is that they are edible.
Ruined village and ancient salted meat. I know that it isn't wise but when your food source is running out and you have no idea of how long it will take to find more food you forget about things about over aged meat. Just for the record, in the proper storing conditions as well the overly dry desert environment salted and dried meat could last forever, well and being as hard as boot soles. Anyway it is protein.
Doppelganger-chan (provisory name, I still haven't got a name for her, and I am open to suggestions): Just one scene with her, well two if you consider the ending where she is mentioned cheering on Benji's killing spree. Other than nagging and some minor comedy relief (not much comedy I admit, but I think that was funny send the tentacle sensei after her) I still haven't developed her all that much, yet.
City in the middle of the desert: When I first wrote this fic the extended classes didn't exist, I am slowly adding more elements from the newer episodes, please don't look too much for accuracy here, I don't know much about the episodes and the stories of them. So I am adding Rachel now, I won't show yet the level of contact between the two nations.
Just for the record I want to point out that distances in maps are very, very misleading, what we might think as close is actually very far. In the RO world map Rachel is quite close of Lighthalzen, but in real distances it would be very far, and since the world map isn't all reliable please 'add' more distance between them while you read.
Since Arunafeltz is based in Israel and Turkey I made the clothes look like the ones in Arabian nights and related movies. Here more about the city, it is a frontier city quite isolated from the 'world', I will haven't decided if is small, medium or big, it will depend if I decided to make it having some precious selling stuff or something, anyway it is just a stop for Benji until he heads to a place where he can find a way back to Amatsu.
Guild girls and their time alone: I showed a bit of the main ones, what they are doing and what happened to some extent. I know that they are all doing stuff related to Benji and thinking about him, after all he is their leader and he is missing.
WoE betting: Let's face it, even today that kind of thing happens with different kind of people making other people lose fights, games and other stuff so they can make money with bets, so it can happen in Rune, especially since that world if much more rigid with social classes as nobility and wealthy.
As explained rich and influential people might want to arrange fights in the WoE to make money, betting against a guild know to be inexpugnable in the WoE and having that guild to throw the battle or lose the castle will give a fortune for the person who bet in the invading guild.
And there are people who would use any possible way to make a guild do what he wants. It is a sad thing. Anyway it happens, more WoE politics to be 'made' and revealed in the future.
Ice spear: A variation from Ice bolt. Since it is throw the range is determined by the skill of the user (Benji) in throwing a spear/javelin, accuracy also affected by normal physics laws and other factors (wind, rain, objects, etc). With a low SP cost, fast cast and good damage (MATK + ATK + DEX damage, more added if the caster run before the throw) this spell benefits in the fact that it can be 'used' (throw) when the caster wants not requiring a cast (i.e. it can be cast five minutes before it is actually throw).
Desert critter (provisory name): Loosely based in Sand raiders from Diablo 2, but bigger. They aren't strong and rely in overwhelming numbers and agility to defeat enemies. More details later.
Mysterious cloaked figure: Next chapter for more information.