I watched the adventurer party move, and a genuine smile stretched across my face—a rare sight to see. It wasn't a smile that I would give to business partners or acquaintances. But one that only occurred when I was with my close friends and loved ones. And despite having conditions that apply to the former, Grul was part of the latter, as well as Kael, and the two lovely children beside me, Khovor and Farida.
The four of us were watching the drills performed by 'Fellowship'. They were great. Not just strong, but efficient, moving with synchronicity that was as well-timed and practiced as travelling performers. It spoke volumes about their commitment. Yet their skills weren't rote; they were fluid, and almost innate.
"They're impressive, aren't they?"
I murmured, mostly to myself, though Farida nodded enthusiastically. Kael simply crossed his arms, but even his aloof posture suggested interest. Khovor, naturally, remained silent, but his child-like curiosity and wonder got the better of his attempts at impassivity.
I cleared my throat, addressing the party leader, Tyler, as he paused his fight against the rather loud man, Bundo.
"That's commendable work. If you are preparing to truly teach these children, practice against mere party members will only take you so far. I propose a proper test: I'll call in our new settlement guards, and your group and theirs will spar."
The number of settlement guards that I had hired had more than tripled since the 'incident' and first meeting with Grul. But even then, the quality of the guards did not take a nose dive—I was involved with the screening, discussing with Kael the optimal choice for guards as we scaled between affordability and skills.
These men of strength were by no means rookies; and though they weren't on the same level as Kael or his band of veteran legionnaires, they were definitely still enough to handle elite bandits.
Tyler looked at me, a thoughtful gaze in his eyes that I, as a merchant, appreciated. He was sizing up the risk and the reward; the sign of a good leader. After a moment, he gave a crisp nod.
"We accept the challenge."
I signaled a runner, and soon, a contingent of our best, freshly picked guards arrived—a mix of seasoned mercenaries, local recruits, and a few men specializing in ranged combat. They stood at attention, awaiting orders with professional discipline.
Kael took over the talks at this point—he was in control of the security and martial side. I appointed him as such. He spoke in a flat and authoritative voice.
"The rules are simple. The spar ends when one side is considered too injured to continue, or if they yield. Do you understand?"
Tyler immediately raised his arm as soon as Kael's statement ended.
"We understand, Sir Kael. But are there any other restrictions? A time limit, perhaps? Boundaries?"
Kael was silent for a moment, as if addled by the question.
"No. None at all…Just be careful. We're near the Quietus Forest."
"Understood."
Tyler replied, nodding slowly. He then walked back to his party, the movement almost feeling like an executioner walking to the scaffolds to execute their victims.
"Without further ado, let the spar begin."
The moment he finished, the party, the 'Fellowship' as they called themselves, ran. They didn't assume a stance or wait for a signal. They simply rushed the treeline of the Forest and vanished. The abruptness of the shameless action was breathtaking.
The guards were visibly startled by the sheer impudence of the move. They had expected a charge, a face-to-face engagement. For a moment, they looked bewildered, then their senses kicked in. Their officer began to bark orders.
"Form up! Chase them down! Don't let them split up!"
They plunged in after them, an organized, determined force.
"Well,"
I said, crossing my hands behind my back.
"That was unorthodox."
Kael let out a low, almost contemptuous sound.
"Foolish. They threw away any advantage they might have had by scattering inside the forest."
Farida, sitting on my forearm, whispered her own opinion.
"Maybe they think they have a bigger advantage in the Forest?"
Logically, Kael was right. It was unlikely for them to win, now that they've entered into such a dangerous zone and scattered.
But my intuition was telling me that Farida was right. There was just no way that they'd run away into the Forest of all places without a plan.
The four of us stood there, in silence, listening. At first, we heard the sounds of the guards: organized marches, confident orders, and clanking of steel. It was the sound of professional soldiers executing a known maneuver.
But the sounds began to change.
The orderly shouts of the guards dissolved into frantic yelps. The organized marches were replaced by rapid, cluttered running. Then came panicked gasps, strangled cries, and the unmistakable sound of someone vomiting. A moment later, there was a collective, terrified screech, and then—silence.
Absolute, oppressive silence.
It couldn't have been more than five minutes after they had entered.
"What was that?"
Farida asked, gripping her arm, her eyes wide with fear.
Kael's jaw was tight. Even he seemed momentarily stunned by the speed of how the situation changed.
"They've gone silent…must have been incapacitated…It would have been easier to force them to yield; I made sure to instill into their bodies to endure high levels of pain."
With a sense of disbelief, he voiced his opinion.
We waited in silence for another minute.
Then, figures emerged, walking out of the shadows of the Forest. It was the adventurer party, walking back with confidence; speaking to each other with eased smiles. Behind them, they herded the guards.
The sight was astounding.
All of the guards were bound with Grul rope (A term that was made after our chase with Grul). Some of the guards were unconscious. Others were wide-eyed and conscious, but turned completely mute with terror. And a few more were beaten black and blue, as if they were clubbed in the head. The remaining few had strangely-colored faces—greens, yellows, purples—undoubtedly afflicted by something from the Forest—a poison, a gas, or maybe just psychological warfare. They were all neatly tied up, incapable of continuing the fight. The entire contingent of guards, rendered combat-ineffective in less time than it takes to brew tea.
I let out a low chuckle. That sound; the collapse of a formation into chaotic rumbling and sheer terror, and finally, silence, was intimately familiar.
It took me back to the moment I chased Grul. My preparations, planning, assets bought—all of it vanishing into nothingness as Grul, who I once deemed a meager beast, turned out to be a strong, smart, and utterly merciless foe. I remembered the dread that set in when I realized I was the one being hunted, when every step I took led further into his trap.
And that's when I realized something about this entire situation.
Grul.
So that's why they chose to retreat into the forest.
My chuckle grew into full laughter.
"Brilliant!"
I exclaimed, shaking my head. Now I knew why the beastmaster had advocated for this party so strongly. He didn't endorse them just because; he had trained them in his image. He had taught them to abandon conventional warfare, to think outside the box, to act in ways that no other man or woman could have thought or prepared for.
"My congratulations, Fellowship."
I said, stepping forward as I clapped.
"You passed with flying colors. Kael, you wanted to hear the sound of surrender. Well, I believe the grunts and moans of the guards works well enough."
Kael simply stared at the scene, then at the party, and finally, he gave a slow, curt nod.
"They are good fighters."
He admitted, the reluctant respect clear in his voice. The party exchanged high-fives and loud cheers. Farida and Khovor jumped off from our arms and rushed over to them, full of questions and curiosity.
"Yes, I believe the matter is settled. They are more than qualified to be your teachers, Farida, Khovor. And I will ensure they are compensated appropriately for their time and expertise."
I added, watching the interaction.
"'Compensation'? O-oh! You don't need to do that for us. We—we're doing this because of a favor with Grul."
"This and that are a separate matter. See, I have a deal with Grul that states that I will deal with the financial responsibilities for Farida and Khovor. Therefore, I have to pay you, or else that would be in breach of our contract. Furthermore, as the owner and chairman of this Conglomerate-owned settlement, not paying people working here would be a terrible hit to my reputation. So, please, accept my payment. It is only fair to do so."
Shocked by my almost-preposterous set of consequences if they were to refuse, the party could only nod and accept.
"…A-alright, if you say so."
"Buhahaha! More money, more rum!"
"Bundo, we can't just use all of it for rum, can't you see? There's two kids that we're supposed to teach!"
"Oh, you are right! Buy rum for the kids—"
"NO YOU IDIOT!"
"NO!"
"ARE YOU CRAZY?!"
As the adventurers returned to celebrating their decisive victory and mingling with the kids, my mind was already racing, formulating a plan. They were no ordinary adventurers; they possessed something that felt truly unique that set them apart from the rest.
My intuition as a merchant was screaming at me. This 'Fellowship' party was destined for greatness, and greatness, as I well knew, was always a lucrative investment.
I needed to form connections with this party.