[]
Aram's eyes shot open, and he sat up on his bedroll while breathing heavily.
I dreamed about that day again, that fateful day that changed everything…
As he rubbed his tired eyes, he could see that the sky above him was a dark blue, for the sun had yet to rise. Even their horses were still asleep in the abandoned corral they were placed in. Their campfire was only barely clinging to life, a few smoldering flames providing a little bit of heat. Near the fire, he could see that Harlen and Tellack were still fast asleep as they lightly snored in their bedrolls. Meanwhile, Tara laid atop her bedroll like a corpse ready to be placed in a coffin, utterly rigid with her arms at her sides. She never snored, ever.
I wonder what she's dreaming about. Does she even dream?
"Aram, you're awake already? There's still some time before dawn." Said a feminine voice behind him.
Turning to his right, Aram took notice of Hildera, his Valkyrie companion. The Warrior of Heaven looked at him with curious blue eyes, her sword and shield not with her.
"I know, but I doubt I'm going to be able to fall back asleep." Aram replied. "How was your watch? Anything out of the ordinary?"
"Nothing at all." Hildera replied. "If those Tazchek riders know we're here, they're staying out of sight."
Aram and his party were currently camping in what was once a large Tazchek encampment, though the Warriors of the Steppe had apparently packed up their yurts and left not too long ago. Now all that remained were the remnants of fire circles, empty horse corrals, and the occasional discarded blade, pot, or frying pan. Wherever the Tazchek had gone, they were going in force.
I just hope the border cities are garrisoned enough to hold them off. Pope Callicstus had told them that the Tazchek Khanate would not present any threat to members of The Order, but clearly something had changed since then. A small raiding party of ten riders had harassed them when they entered the Steppe, but one quick charge by Hildera was enough to send them scurrying. It still left Aram worried, however. What were they going to do if they returned in force?
But Harlen said that Druella's mana had left a trail here in the Steppe, and fighting off a few raids is worth it if we can finally catch up to our quarry.
"Then let's hope that we can find Druella before they find us," Aram said. Hildera only smiled and gave him a light nod.
"If you are not going to fall back asleep, Aram, would you like to train a little before everyone else wakes up?"
Aram stood up from his bedroll and stretched his limbs, his mind fully awakening. "Definitely! Let's get right to it!"
Hildera's smile grew wider as she walked away from their campsite, Aram close behind her with his bow in hand. Through training with the Valkyrie, he already felt more confident about his inevitable face-off with the Conqueror of Lescatie. It was as if the Chief God was walking right by his side, her presence giving him strength, courage, and the will to achieve his goal.
And she is also very pleasant to be around. Dutiful, pious, a true reflection of Heaven's perfect order!
Aram had grown rather close to his assigned valkyrie throughout the duration of their mission. Besides helping him improve his skills as a hero, Hildera was the only one in their group he could really talk to normally. Tellack had become extremely morose ever since they fled from the Disaster at Steylia, the auburn-haired mage keeping most of his thoughts to himself. He did not even appear excited when Aram first told him of their holy mission, only quietly stating that he'll "come along if it makes you happy". Aram initially thought that his old friend was still depressed over their terrible experience during that doomed campaign, but now he wondered if there was something else behind his sullen mood.
As for Harlen, Aram did not get to talk to the man that often as he was frequently going on ahead of them to remain on Druella's mana trail. From what he could learn from him, he had been employed as a monster tracker by The Order for more than 20 years, a veteran well-respected by his peers. He did not, however, seem to respect Aram at all, often responding to his orders with a sarcastic "Whatever you say, Captain!". It annoyed the archer greatly, but he knew that telling the man to show some respect directly would never work out.
You'd think 20 years on the job would teach him to respect the chain of command. I guess I'll prove my worth when I shoot Druella out of the sky- he'll definitely call me Captain then! Prick.
Finally, there was Tara, the supposedly special hieromancer. The golden-eyed woman had not spoken a single word ever since the start of the journey, and any attempts to strike up a conversation would be met with an eerie stare. The only reaction she ever made was a tiny nod whenever they asked her to take watch, her expression unchanging. She ate her food almost mechanically, as if she were some sort of clockwork automaton, and she stood to the side whenever the group socialized a little. Hildera was the last one to give up trying to talk to her, the Valkyrie doing her best to start conversations about how they both served the Chief God in their own way only to receive a glassy-eyed stare. Now, even she could only look on nervously at their mute companion.
Is this some new trend among hieromancers- a vow of silence to prove your devotion to the Chief God? But how can we fight Druella if we don't even know what she's capable of?
But Hildera, at least she would always listen to him. Aram had already told her his entire life story from the moment he first picked up a bow along with the many adventures and quests he and Tellack had performed as Heroes of The Order. The Valkyrie listened on with rapt attention, laughing at his funny stories and frowning at his sad ones. She was also very supportive, always encouraging him to continue striving to be the best possible hero he could be. Aram was grateful for her presence, for she was a welcome break from the depressed mage, the insolent tracker, and the creepy mute.
Oh Chief God, I thank you for blessing me with Hildera. This is the twelfth time I prayed to you about her, but I really want to get the point across.
"Are you ready to train, Aram?" The Valkyrie's voice broke him out of his prayer. "How about we start by brushing up your ability to shoot fast airborne targets? I found some discarded ceramic jars and bowls that would make for excellent if somewhat crude targets."
Aram nodded as he pulled out his bow and arrow. As he pulled the bowstring back, he activated his Hawk Eye enhancement spell. His vision sharpened; his eyes now able to pick up sights hundreds of meters away. The world suddenly appeared far more detailed, every blade of grass standing out within the Steppe.
"Alright, here comes the first one!" Hildera yelled as she threw one of the jars with one arm. The jar soared into the air through the power of the Valkyrie's swing, but then its momentum faltered when an arrow smashed through its hardened clay surface. As the pieces of ceramic fell back down to earth, Aram pictured a certain lilim falling down the same way.
Of course, things would be different if the pot could fight back.
They continued this routine several times, the Valkyrie altering her throw to keep Aram on his toes. So far he managed to hit bullseye every time, for the archer was well-versed in firing at moving targets.
But at the twelfth ceramic, Aram fired a little too early. The arrow soared in front of the clay bowl, which continued flying unimpeded until it shattered on the steppe ground.
"Damn it!" Aram yelled in frustration. "That was unacceptable! Ugh, I can't believe I'm still missing!"
"Aram, you hit eleven out of the twelve targets." Hildera responded with a reassuring voice as she looked over at the irate archer. "There is no need to be upset, few archers could dream about having such an effective hit ratio!"
"If that bowl was Druella, we'd all be dead right now!" Aram exclaimed. "Harlen, Tara, Tellack, you…I cannot afford to miss!"
The Valkyrie turned towards him, her expression one of concern. "Hmm, you really are concerned about the lives of your comrades, are you?"
Aram sighed, trying his best to dispel some of his self-loathing. "I'm the leader here. Any mistake I make can put everyone's life at risk, so I can't afford to make any!"
Hildera walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "You have a noble heart, Aram. But do not stress yourself. We are a team- even if you falter, we'll be there to assist you!"
"It's not just that." Aram replied, his head hanging low. "This mission was bestowed upon me by His Holiness, through the authority of the Chief God! I cannot fail them, or else humanity will be at the mercy of monsters!"
The Valkyrie looked at him up and down, her expression analytical. Then she smiled.
"Yes, the Pope was right to choose you. With that sort of devotion, you are destined to become a great Hero, a true Champion of the Chief God! Perhaps someday the Holy Basilica's final window will depict you!"
Aram looked up, the Valkyries' words cheering him up immensely. "Thank you Hildera, your words are kind. But you're forgetting something. If our deeds do become legendary enough to earn that window spot, it'll include not just me, but all of us! Even that prick Harlen!"
The Valkyrie smiled even wider, her feathery wings fluttering a little. "How considerate of you, Aram. Now, it appears that the sun is starting to rise. Let's return to camp and prepare for the coming day, shall we?"
Aram nodded, and the two walked side-by-side back to the campfire. The sky was now the brilliant orange of daybreak, the sun peeking out from the horizon.
"Say, Hildera. You're from the Heavenly Realms, right? Have you ever had the opportunity to meet the Chief God in person?"
The Valkyrie chuckled. "Unfortunately, no. I cannot tell you her physical appearance, or if the statues in the Holy Capital are accurate. But I've felt her presence. She is powerful, all-knowing, a deity truly worthy of leading the Gods!"
Aram's heart fluttered a little at those words- hearing confirmation of his God's glory always made him feel giddy.
"I've also heard that the Chief God can speak directly to her Valkyries, giving them directions and orders. Has she ever spoken to you?"
The Valkyrie's smile faded, her expression now far more uneasy. "Um, well, she has…It's best if we don't talk about it!"
Aram raised an eyebrow, confused by his companion's sudden reluctance to speak. What, did the Chief God scold her or something? Why the sudden shift in mood?
"It appears that Tellack and Tara are awake." Hildera said quickly, as if trying to change the subject. "Shall we go join them?"
Aram nodded, and the two walked over to the campfire. But Aram was still rather perturbed by his Valkyrie companion's strange behavior at what he thought was an innocent question.
Perhaps she has her own secrets as well? Damn it, why can't anyone ever speak to me straightly!?
[]
Tellack prepared breakfast, the dying campfire having been brought back to life with a few extra pieces of wood. As he unpacked the group's supply of dried meat, he was pleased to see that they still had a single apple remaining. After quickly grabbing a knife and cutting it in half, he suddenly realized it would be rather rude of him to not offer any to the lady sitting across from him.
"Do you want a slice?" Tellack asked Tara. "It's our last piece of fresh fruit. After today we're going to be stuck eating dry rations until we get back to more civilized parts."
The hieromancer's only response was to stare blankly at him before turning away. After a few awkward seconds of silence, Tellack sighed and withdrew his offer.
Just what is up with her? Aram said that she'll play an important role in defeating Druella, but how? She hasn't spoken to us once, and we have no idea of what she's capable of. And if she really can defeat a lilim, what's the point of the rest of us being here?
…What's the point of me being here?
After escaping the Disaster at Steylia, Tellack hoped to return to garrison duty at Ashura and forget all about that grueling nightmare. Instead, Aram had shown up with two strangers, a Valkyrie, and a holy quest from the Pope himself to defeat Druella, the Conqueror of Lescatie.
To be honest, Tellack did not want to join the quest. Fighting a lilim was quite above his capabilities, and was certainly not in the mood to go on yet another supposedly "holy" mission after how the last one ended. But Aram insisted that this was a "once-in-a-millenia opportunity", that they'd become legends told over and over to future generations, and that they'd be doing a grand service for the Chief God. Finally, Aram told him that he couldn't do this quest without him, and Tellack finally decided to cave-in and accept his offer to join.
Now, however, he wondered if he made the right decision.
Aram's purpose is obvious- he's the Pope's chosen leader of the group. Harlen's purpose is to track Druella down. Hildera is a Valkyrie- besides being a powerful fighter, she'll help Aram become a stronger hero and maybe even provide us with some direct contact with the Chief God. Tara…I don't know what she can do, but she is a hieromancer so I'm sure the Chief God's blessing has given her plenty of powerful gifts.
But me, what's a Mage like me supposed to do? I've got a few tricks up my sleeve, but definitely not enough to counter one of the most powerful monsters alive! And besides, Tara is probably a far stronger magic-user than I am, and even Harlen knows how to perform some spells! Am I just the token member for a mission I don't even care for?!
…Or maybe, Aram thinks he's being a good friend by giving me a chance to participate? He is right, it would be a legendary feat to kill Druella herself. But while I can appreciate the gesture, I'm just sick of these supposedly holy missions, sick of this unending war.
The Disaster at Steylia had done more than just demoralize Tellack. Invading a neutral nation, losing thousands in an ultimately pointless trek through the desert, their commander abandoning them the moment the tide of battle turned sharply against them…all of these events had shaken Tellack's faith in The Order, and made him question things he previously accepted as truth.
Tellack looked up- Aram and Hildera were making their way back to the campfire. Tellack hadn't talked to Aram much during their travels, for he thought that the zealous archer wouldn't bother listening to his concerns regarding The Order. But perhaps he would listen to the worries of a friend?
"Good morning Tellack and Tara!" Hildera greeted them with a smile. Tellack returned her greeting, while Tara didn't budge. The Valkyrie then walked a little outside the camp circle and began to clean her massive golden blade. Meanwhile, Aram sat down across from him, his blue eyes looking at him with an inquisitive gaze.
"Where's Harlen gone?" Aram asked.
"He decided to hit the trail early. He mentioned that we're approaching the end of it, but we've yet to see any sign of Druella anywhere!"
Aram nodded, and he reached out his hands to warm them over the fire. After about a minute of silence, Tellack decided he couldn't hold it in any longer- he needed to get his concerns off his chest.
"Hey Aram, can I ask you a few questions?"
Aram looked up, his eyes widened in surprise, but he nodded in assent. "Go ahead."
"Alright, first question… we've fought against monsters in service to The Order since we were sixteen, right? So often we can't even count anymore!"
Aram nodded. "Yeah, that's true."
"But do you want to know something I've noticed? Despite hearing countless stories and rumors of monsters devouring humans, we've never actually seen any bodies. Torn clothing, yes. But no bodies. Not even discarded bones."
Aram raised an eyebrow. "That's easy to explain, Tellack. Monsters eat their prey immediately, and whole. They don't even bother to cook them first."
Tellack narrowed his eyes a little. "Even the bones?"
"Yes, even the bones." Aram replied. "They probably bury the inedible portions to keep us from finding them."
Tellack was unconvinced. "It's been almost a decade. Don't you think we would've disturbed their lunch at least once?"
"They're monsters, Tellack!" Aram retorted, his voice louder. "Who knows what kind of dirty tricks they're capable of! And what does this talk of bones have to do with anything?"
Tellack was slightly taken aback at his friend's loss in temper, but he continued. "Here's another thing I want to ask you. Remember two years ago when we drove off some werewolves attacking that village near Ashura's mountains? The one where our Captain, Barret, got grabbed and taken away by one of them?"
"Yeah, I remember that." Aram replied while grimacing. "Poor Barret, may the Chief God protect his soul."
"Yeah, well here's the thing." Tellack continued. "When we marched out to drive them out of the forest three days later, I saw Barret with them, still alive and looking relatively unscathed!"
Aram's eyes widened, then narrowed. "Then they were saving him for later. A shame you couldn't rescue him."
"But he was completely untied, and he didn't even try to escape. As a matter of fact, he ran away with the other werewolves!"
"Then he probably got hypnotized. Or enslaved through some terrible curse."
…Okay. Now you're just reaching out of your ass. Since when do werewolves hypnotize?!
"Tellack, listen to me." Aram said while leaning closer to him. "Monsters are not to be trifled with. They may put on a veneer of friendliness at times, but they exist for the sole purpose of wiping out humanity. Don't let them confuse you, they want you to let down your guard so you can become an easier target. If it wasn't for us, every kingdom would've already fallen to them."
Tellack realized that this inquiry wasn't going to go anywhere- Aram was not going to answer his questions about monsters, at least not truthfully. "Maybe you're right. But I have one more question for you."
Aram sighed. "Fine, ask away."
Tellack looked right at Aram, his expression serious. "Don't you think there's something off with The Order? That maybe we're going too far in this war against the Mamono Lord?"
Aram's eyes narrowed, and he looked at his friend with suspicion. "What are you trying to imply?"
"Haven't you noticed? Back at Ashura, the townsfolk were all barely clinging on, their wealth and resources all taken away for the war effort! Then, we go on and invade a neutral nation on the off-chance that they might be harboring monsters? Can't you see that The Order Of The Chief God we used to serve under has been replaced by something different, something far colder and more brutal?!"
Tellack had never even wanted to fight for The Order- he believed in the Chief God and all, but his original plan for adulthood was to become an independent hero, one who traveled from village to village helping the locals while slowly building up his strength and prestige. It was Aram who insisted that they sign up for the military arm of the theocracy. According to him, it would allow them to "serve a higher purpose", and that they'd do far more good work as part of a greater whole than they ever could independently.
And for a while, it looked like he was right. Under the banner of The Order, Aram and Tellack had protected monasteries and convents from bandits and thieves, helped villages recover from plagues, storms, and other natural disasters, and they drove off any monsters that came too close to human settlements. The populace always seemed happy to see them arrive, thanking them for providing assistance in their time of need. The Order had its share of overly-devoted zealots and corrupt hypocrites even back then, but there were also plenty of good, pious folk who genuinely wanted to make the world a better place. There were nuns running orphanages, frequent charity drives to help the poor, and there were even occasions when the soldiers replaced their swords with hoes and helped farmers till their fields. Tellack still remembered this time period fondly- it was a little golden era where it truly felt like he was acting like a hero.
But then, not long after the Fall of Lescatie, things began to change. Instead of helping the populace, The Order's focus shifted entirely to fighting monsters wherever they appeared. Taxes were drastically increased, voluntary recruitment was replaced with mandatory conscription, and the common folk were forced to give up any food and resources The Order demanded for the war effort. The happy faces of the populace all disappeared, replaced with looks of hunger, resentment, and despair. Tellack no longer felt welcome at any village they visited.
Meanwhile, the orphanages found their budgets suddenly slashed, and some were even forced to close their doors. The good, pious men and women of The Order were now in short supply, replaced with cold, unrelenting zealots. The poor were left to fend for themselves, and any dissent was met with harsh reprisal. The days where they helped farmers and other workers were long gone; As a matter of fact, it was now more common for the farmers to find themselves dragged off their fields and forced to perform back-breaking labor "in service to the Chief God".
Tellack had observed these changes with increasing disturbance, but whenever he tried to bring it up with Aram, his friend would brush it off as a necessary sacrifice for the sake of defeating the Mamono Lord. And since he did not want to get them in trouble with the higher-ups, Tellack kept his mouth shut and continued following his orders.
But these days, he did not feel like much of a hero anymore.
Telack carefully observed his friend to see his reaction to such a pointed question. For a moment, the archer did appear to legitimately think about Tellack's words. But then his gaze hardened, and he looked towards Tellack with a look of warning in his eyes.
"Watch yourself, Tellack. We don't get to question what we do. We serve The Order, we serve the Chief God, and that's it. Even if we face hardship and defeat, we cannot allow ourselves to waver even for a moment, or else monsters will triumph. Do not ask me about this again. Now, do you have any further questions?"
…Yeah, I've got a few! What happened to the happy-go-lucky kid with the toy bow who wanted to be the village's greatest hero?! And who's this blindly-loyal zealot that replaced my friend?!
…and does this single-minded devotion have anything to do with what happened to your family?
Aram's gaze softened, and he tried to give him a smile. "Don't worry about anything, Tellack. No matter what we have to go through, we'll triumph in the end. Once we defeat Druella and complete our mission, the Mamono Realm will suffer such a devastating defeat that all these current war measures can finally be relaxed. And we will defeat her- His Holiness said it himself- I've been chosen by the Chief God, and the Chief God does not abandon her children."
Tellack tried to cheer himself up with Aram's words, but couldn't. Just then, a new voice broke through their conversation.
"What, you really believe that? That you're some sort of savior? That the Chief God cares about us?"
Harlen the monster tracker strode into the camp circle, his face twisted into a smirk.
"I always thought you were a little naive, kid, but now it's much clearer- you're just an idiot!"
Tellack and Aram both turned towards the black-clad tracker, the archer's face one of anger. Even Hildera interrupted her blade-cleaning to see what was the matter. Only Tara remained unmoved.
"Do you have a problem, Harlen?" Aram replied with barely-hidden anger. "You may be older than me in age and experience, but I have the rank and authority to have you whipped for that!"
"My apologies, Captain". Harlen replied with barely-hidden disdain. "But your head was all inflated with foolish notions of your own importance, so I had to throw in some sharp words before you float away!"
Aram stood up and faced the insolent tracker, who did not even flinch at the sight of the irate archer. Tellack looked at the two with concern, worried that he might have to break up an imminent fight.
"If you have a problem with me or how I'm running this mission, speak up." Aram said with gritted teeth.
All Harlen did was chuckle. "Hehe, I'm just shocked that you really believe what the Pope told you. The Pope could not care less about whether or not you're blessed by the Chief God or if you have some divine mission to fulfill. Like everyone else in The Order, you're just a pawn to him, another piece on the chessboard to be thrown against the opponent. If you do defeat Druella- good job, you'll get a fancy marble statue and maybe people won't forget your name in three generations. If not- oh well, there's plenty more of you to pick from, the world has no shortage of gullible idiots who think they've been chosen for some grand destiny. I've lived long enough to see plenty of them rise and fall."
Aram's blue eyes had a dangerous glint in them, the archer's hands balled into fists. Tellack prepared to intervene; Aram took Pope Callicstus' words that he had the Chief God's favor to heart. To insult that was sure to rile him up.
What is with him? He's had attitude problems a few times before, but he's never been this abrasive! At this rate, Aram is definitely going to knock him cold.
"Harlen!" Hildera yelled as she stood up to face him. "Watch your tongue! I will not allow you to insult Aram or spew such vile lies about His Holiness! Pope Callicstus is the Chief God's representative on earth to whom she whispers her divine guidance!"
Although the angered Valkyrie was a frightening sight with her wings outstretched and her face contorted in fury, Harlen didn't flinch.
"I guess I'll go to my next point then- the Chief God could not care less about you, Captain. She's a god after all! Why should she concern herself with the pleas and whims of insignificant humans?"
Aram's face was now turning a shade of red, and he looked ready to strangle Harlen at any moment. "Th-THAT'S HERESY! HOW DARE YOU-"
"Dare what? Insult the Chief God? Like I said, she has more important things to worry about than one insulting monster-tracker. We're all just pawns in this little game of chess she's playing against the Mamono Lord. And while His Holiness may be the King Piece, he is not the player.
Though, after the Fall of Lescatie and the Disaster at Steylia, I'm starting to think the Chief God is just not very good at chess."
"So quit deluding yourself into thinking you're some paladin on a divine mission- you're just an immature fool blindly following every order that's fed to you."
Aram roared with fury as he attempted to rush down Harlen. Fortunately, both Hildera and Tellack managed to run forward and grab his arms before he could do anything regrettable, and the archer howled with protest as he squirmed in their grip. All Harlen did was continue to smirk.
"Hit a nerve, have I? Don't get too upset, Captain. I'm just trying to help keep you alive."
"You insolent man." Hildera's voice was venomous in tone. "Insulting the Chief God like that! Aram is right, you deserve to be whipped- ARRGH!"
Hildera suddenly growled with pain and clutched her head with both hands, almost stumbling in the process. Aram's anger dissipated as he looked at the Valkyrie's distress with concern, as did Tellack. Even Harlen frowned and raised an eyebrow. The only one who didn't react was Tara, who only continued to stare.
"Hildera, are you all right?" Aram asked. "Do you need medical attention; Tellack knows limited pharmacomancy, he can help!"
"Urggh, I'm alright, Aram." The Valkyrie replied with a pained expression on her face. "It's just… a headache! A headache, that's all!"
Valkyries can get headaches? I never knew that. Tellack thought to himself as he looked on with concern.
As Aram continued to keep an eye on the Valkyrie, Tellack turned towards Harlen. "Hey, if you have such a cynical outlook on The Order and the Chief God, why are you even here? Why are you part of an organization you don't even care for?"
Harlen shrugged. "Eh, it pays well. Monster trackers are always in high demand, and few are as talented as I am. If we do succeed in knocking off Druella, my cut of the reward money will be enough to set me and my son up for life!"
"A son?! You have a kid?" Tellack asked incredulously. I guess some women like the abrasive, cynical types.
"Yep! He's only six, but I already find him engrossed in whatever book I manage to buy for him. At this rate, he's going to be a grand scholar someday! Though he definitely got his smarts from his mother and not me." From the tone of Harlen's voice, he sounded legitimately proud of his child.
"That's nice to hear." said Tellack, who still had trouble believing that the insulting tracker was a family man. "What's your wife like?"
Harlen's shoulders dropped, and he sighed. "She was a kind and generous woman. But a plague spread through our hometown three years ago, and she fell victim to it."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Tellack replied.
"Well, don't be." Harlen replied. "It was my fault for being away on a mission when it happened." Then he straightened himself, and his face became more determined. "That's why the first thing I'm doing after we complete this mission is getting remarried. Children shouldn't grow up without a mother, and I'm not going to let my son live what I had to go through."
So there is some nobility behind the disdainful attitude. "That's one more reason we have to succeed!" Tellack said. "Once we defeat Druella, all the girls will be lining up for your favor!"
Harlen's smirk returned, but this time there was no mocking undertone to it. "Hmm, that'd be a great sight indeed."
"Harlen." Aram spoke up, having finished looking after Hildera. His tone was still angry, but he kept himself under control. "Our earlier conversation is not over! But I'll leave that for later. First, why are you back already? Have you picked up Druella's trail?"
"Quite the opposite, actually." Harlen replied. "The trail's gone cold. This spot was the last place Druella visited before teleporting off to some other location. We won't find her here."
Aram's hands curled into fists, and Tellack was worried that he might start a fight again.
"Are you telling me," the archer spoke through gritted teeth. "That we traversed through half of the Tazchekian Steppe for NOTHING?!"
"She's powerful enough to teleport anywhere she pleases, what did you expect?" Harlen replied rather dismissively. "I suspect that a lot of our mission will involve pointless chases until she finally stays somewhere long enough for us to catch up to her."
The tracker's cruel smirk returned. "Unless, of course, you're fine with running right into Lescatie?"
Aram growled in annoyed anger, but he managed to keep himself together. "Great. Wonderful. We completely wasted our time here."
Hildera put a hand on Aram's shoulders. "Don't worry, Aram. We'll find that infernal lilim eventually. In the meantime, we'll have far more time to train!"
All Aram could do was sigh. "Fine. If Druella is really not here, let's pack our things and get moving again. I want us out of the Steppe before the Tazchek have any chance of-
A loud warhorn suddenly bellowed from the east, causing everyone to freeze in place.
-finding us."
The party looked towards the east, where the rising sun illuminated the Tazchek riders assembled atop a sloped hill. Clearly, they had arrived prepared to face four heroes and a valkyrie; There were about 200 of them in total, all carrying bows and sabers. The Warriors of the Steppe almost appeared elated to have found them, like a pack of wolves encountering a lone deer.
Aram quickly pulled out his bow and notched an arrow. Hildera hoisted up her sword and shield, and the Valkyrie stared at the threat with grim determination. Harlan pulled his gloves up a little higher before a glowing blue light emanated from his palms, for the tracker had other talents besides hunting monsters. Finally, Tellack grabbed his staff and held it up with both hands, and he tried his best to hide his nervousness.
"Well, well, well, so it's true. Five little crossworshippers, all alone in our land!" yelled the lead Warrior riding in front. "Apologies for not giving you a bigger welcome, Order scum, but we're all currently busy visiting your territories!"
So the Tazchek are raiding Order-controlled territory! Tellack thought to himself. By the Chief God, what did we do to piss them off?
"You and your ilk are all going to pay for what you did to our Khan! For what you did to his heir!" The Tazchek leader bellowed. "Come on men, let's give these crossworshippers a taste of Tazchek hospitality!"
The Tazchek Warriors let out a loud warcry before mushing their horses forward. As they accelerated down the slope, dust billowing in the air, the warband split into two separate formations to attack Aram's party from both directions.
Tellack prepared to unleash some defensive spells to protect their comrades, but he didn't like their odds. While Aram, Harlen, and him were talented Heroes, and Hildera was a strong and capable Valkyrie, 200 riders was still a little much for them to handle.
And they don't even need to run us down- they could just pelt arrows at us from a safe distance until we're too exhausted to continue!
But before Aram or anyone else could yell out a plan of battle, someone pushed past Tellack and began walking forward towards the approaching riders. In the panic following the arrival of the Tazchek, Tellack had completely forgotten about Tara.
"Hey, what are you doing!" Tellack yelled as he ran forward to stop the hieromancer. "If you walk off, you'll die! We have to stick toge-"
The hieromancer turned her head sharply towards Tellack when he tried to grab her shoulder. Tellack flinched back in shock, the sight of Tara's visage silencing his warnings. Her eyes, whose golden irises always stood out from her comparatively plain features, were now glowing with a harsh golden light.
"Wha-what the!" Tellack stammered as he backed away from the hieromancer. Satisfied that he would not be impeding her, Tara returned to facing the approaching Tazchek riders. They were getting very close to bow range, with some warriors already notching some arrows.
Tara stopped in place, a golden circle of light emanating from beneath her feet. As Aram's party looked on in utter bewilderment, the hieromancer began to hover just above the ground, arcs of lightning traveling from the center of her body to her arms. Her limbs were outstretched in a rigid, almost painful-looking fashion, but Tara did not make a single sound as her glowing eyes locked onto the approaching enemy and she raised her glowing left arm.
The Tazchek Warriors approaching from the left did not even have a chance to scream before Tara opened her palm and unleashed a glowing yellow orb of mana at them. When it collided with the warriors, it erupted in a loud, brightly shining explosion that left Tellack's ears ringing and temporarily flash-blinded him. When he finally blinked some sight into his eyes, all he could see was a smoldering crater with pieces of charred armor falling down from the sky.
Did- did she do that?!
But Tara was not done, for there was still the other wing of riders to deal with. The hieromancer raised her right arm and pointed it towards the remaining Tazchek. A golden bolt of lightning suddenly shot from fingertips and raced towards the riders, causing the warrior in front to desperately turn his horse to avoid it. But it wasn't enough- the arc of golden lightning curved to meet him before plunging through his chest, knocking him right off of his horse. His lifeless body now had a gaping, smoking hole, his face frozen in its final terror.
But Tara's spell was not yet over- it continued to travel from warrior to warrior, the Tazchek screaming in terror as they were all smited from their mounts, their bodies thrown in the air. Even many of the horses weren't spared, and they neighed with fear as the golden light tore through them. And all of this happened in a matter of seconds.
When the spell finally sputtered and faded away, only one Tazchek warrior remained. He was lucky enough to be in the back of his wing, and he now stared at the smoking remains of his comrades in utter shock. Then, with a look of terror in his eyes, he turned his horse around and desperately galloped away from the carnage.
Tellack could only look on in utter shock, his mouth agape at how their mute companion had just annihilated nearly 200 men in less than a minute. Aram was equally surprised, his bow falling out of his shaking hands. Hildera's eyes were wide open, the Valkyrie staring ahead with a horrified look on her face. Even Harlen was shaken, his mouth twisted into a grimace at the sight of the bloody field in front of them.
How did she…what kind of power…all dead…
It was at this point that Tellack finally understood why Tara would be the one to defeat Druella.
The hieromancer lowered herself onto the ground, the glowing light fading from her body. Even her eyes dimmed and returned to their previous state of perpetual disinterest. She walked past the group, completely unconcerned at their state of shock as she sat down before the fire and began to eat some bread rations in her typical mechanical fashion.
"She really is no ordinary hieromancer." Aram whispered, finally breaking the silence. His face was still pale, however, as he turned towards his companions. "Lets…just pack our things…and um…get moving!"
Hildera and Harlen both managed to weakly nod before heading off to pack their belongings, though both stayed clear of Tara. Tellack, on the other hand, could not help but to continue to gaze at the hieromancer even as he prepared his horse for departure.
I know that hieromancers are given extraordinary powers through the Chief God blessing them with a portion of her own strength, but I've never seen one do something like that! To wipe out so many men that easily…how generous is the Chief God being with her blessings these days?!
Tellack's previous misgivings about their mission and The Order as a whole were now topped with just how disturbed he was at the sight of their hieromancer companion casually destroying the Tazchek. As he mounted his horse and prepared to depart with the rest of his party, he made a silent vow to himself:
After we defeat Druella, I am quitting The Order. I'm sorry Aram, but you're just going to have to continue on without me. I never wanted to be involved in stuff…like this. I'll go independent like I always wanted to, traveling from village to village helping out those in need.
…maybe then, I'll finally feel like a Hero.
[]
Author's Note: Next mini-arc is coming up, well, next. Though, considering how much the chapters keep growing in length, it might not be so mini.
