Geek was in awe of seeing his old friends again, even having a single weed in his mouth that fell off. Geek was excited to see them again as he got off the wagon and quickly approached the group, as Gale, Ralian, and Jin are to praise Geek in open arms.
"Never thought I ever see the trio again. And I see the wind caster had finally joined your little group" Geek bumping his fist a bit onto Jin's shoulder.
"it's good to see you again, Geek. How's your arm"
"Haha it's still kicking like it used to".
Then Geek took a quick glimpse towards Ezrael, and felt a chill down his spine.
"Interesting so a dwarf still lives in a powerful country" hearing his voice gives more chills and a harden sense of fear from his words alone.
"Hey is that guy on your team" he leaned over to the three.
"No, he's only our guide"
"For as you say, the record, I was not asked to be a guide. I was only task to assist you on your way to Livestock"
Suddenly geek was shocked by this news to hear that they had a new task, adventuring to that abandoned settlement. "Your all going to Livestock, I though that place was deserted"
"Well to be franked Geek, there was information that some weird beast once came to Livestock it has been wrecking havoc in the town" suddenly Jin steps into their conversation.
"Wait you mention weird beast, did he had horns that flies and has grey fur"
"How would I know. But that you mentioned it I did see something flying around a lake once, but when I tried to take a closer look it was gone"
"Darn. I was hoping to get more information on that beast so I can track it down and let it have a taste of its own medicine"
"If your going to Livestock then I can offer your guys a free ride. Allow me your take you there it's the least I could do with a kind group such as yours"
"Thank you Geek".
Then the others soon hopped onto Geek's wagon but, Ezrael was hesitant to go on, but when he saw Gale go on, he followed too, but still kept an eye on Geek. As then Geek lets the horse to move along with the wagon and they begin to set off towards the road that will leads them to the village of Livestock.
During the long road ahead and Geek very awake and controlling the wagon Jin and Ralian are resting, while Gale is just sightseeing all they're surrounding. Until they notice something on Ezrael's hilt his sword was broken.
"Ezrael your sword"
"What about, a broken blade doesn't deemed a warrior defenseless. Only a reminder of how to improve on fight. I suppose you took that ideal as well Traveler"
Gale look at Ezrael nervously, until Gale then show Ezrael, their new sword that Ezrael looking towards Gale a bit disappointed.
"Perhaps next time don't use common steel when getting a new weapon"
"But didn't your sword broke"
"Indeed but I didn't use common steel, mine was made with a heavy type of metal as such it doesn't have a name, it is rare as well as powerful. Want to try"
Ezrael then hand Gale his broken longsword, but once Gale got a hold of Ezrael's sword they're hand immediately almost fell to the ground, Gale struggling to raise his sword properly. Even tried to use both of their hand just to barely lift it off the wooden floor before Gale let it fall for Ezrael to grab it before it fell.
"How can you hold this with one hand. No wonder you can break any weapons" Gale out of breathe by just carrying the sword with all their might.
"The way I break weapons isn't that simple as you think. I have invented my own sword style that suited me the best, that took me years to master"
"Never thought to take someone like you to master a technique"
"I had years to learn, since I was a youngling and all I known was to hone in my skills with every weapon and every technique"
Gale can feel a joyful feeling after talking with Ezrael as they are not afraid as they were before Gale had met Ezrael back from Rawardia. Suddenly Geek stops the wagon as there is debris blocking their path.
"Hey guys I may need your assistance once more" as Geek is knocking on the wood to get their attention.
"Geek what happened?" Ralian asked.
"Ah Ralian, there is some rubble blocking our path, can you ask your friends to assist me once more" Ralian nodded while smiling at Geek.
"We'll be gladly to again" as Ralain looks back towards the others.
"Gale, Jin, there's debris in our way, let's go move it away"
"Alright Ralian let's get to work like we did with the bridge"
Ralian soon gets out of the wagon, followed by Gale, and Jin to get the debris away from the path ahead, while Ezrael is staying on the wagon just looking across the horizon. Gale wondered why Ezrael isn't helping, Gale tries to head back to the wagon to ask Ezrael for help, but Ralian grabbed onto Gale's arm and dragged them away from the wagon, feeling a bit annoyed Ralian dragged Gale to the debris to clean before asking. The three then get to work Ralain and Gale forcing to pull out the fallen tree in their way, and Jin moving the rocks away, levitating it and moving it towards a more open area.
Until suddenly Jin shockingly catches an arrow without knowing "huh?"
Confused as to what he caught in this hand, he looks down towards the arrow he caught without knowing. He sees a lit fuse as it explodes in front of his face but quickly he reacts fast enough to make a wind construct of himself to take the majority of the explosion but still feels the full force of the blast and temporarily blinding him as he yelps in pain.
Gale and Ralian heard the blast and quickly ran towards where Jin was placing the boulders, as Jin is trying to cast his wind to protect himself sensing his surroundings quickly enough to sense the enemy nearby by, but he is quickly met with an arrow through his hand along with a kick, felling to his back and someone stepping onto his chest with crossbow in hand aiming at Jin's face.
"Now it's time to put down the tyrant for good" as Jin hears to voice of the stranger who shot him they're voice does sound familiar.
"Wait I know you. You were with the hunters who were pursuing me"
"You thought your little stunt at the bridge, and your whimpering friends defeated my team would think you would get off our list. No matter what we'll complete our task and claim the bounty no matter what" suddenly the air begins to get heavier once again.
"What sounds of determination. But my bounty was done, long gone, and King Zinch proved it and embellish my bounty"
The hunter gritted their teeth in frustration "even if the king himself embellish your bounty. I will still avenge what you did to my bounty!"
"Think again!"
The hunter looked to where they heard the shouting as Ralian is shouting from afar running towards them. While it distract the hunter enough for Jin to summon a burst of wind and launch her towards them and Gale smack her with their shield followed by Ralian summoning vines and wrapping around the hunter ultimately subduing her.
"Hey Jin give me you hand" as Ralian tells Jin for him to follow her voice and he then do so grabbing onto her hand as he is lifted back onto his feet.
"Hey Jin are you okay?"
"Yeah just blinded that's all, was not expecting a bomb arrow. I mean you used it once on me, but no matter this is only temporary"
"Here let me help" Ralian then places two of her hands towards the sides of Jin's face and uses her healing magic to let Jin have his vision again.
"Wait Ralian I though you said you couldn't heal a head injury"
"Gale I don't want this discussion again, so please keep your words to yourself" Ralian giving a mean glare of annoyance at Gale. Feeling threatened instantly walk a few steps back and letting Ralian do her work as they then bump into Ezrael.
"Is something the matter Traveller" Ezrael looking at the aftermath of the fight with the last Hunter.
"I see you guys been busy"
"When did you get here, Ezrael" but Gale then receive a glare from Ezrael as Gale felt a chill down their spine.
"Right bad question, but what should we do with the hunter"
"Let her go no doubt she will cause any more trouble for us along the way, and will not be daring enough to follow us to Livestock"
But Ezrael soon sees a weapon dangling on the hunters belt, it was a chained sickle "in the mattered of facts I do need a new weapon".
Ezrael kneels down to the unconscious hunter observing the chains connected to the handle as the blade was curves appearing from the side of the weapon rather than the top, it interest Ezrael. Grabbing the chain sickle from the hunter's belt, he got towards a distance away from the others, as he begins to test the weapon he borrowed. Swinging the chain relentlessly but calculative, letting the chain move smoothly, as the blade of the sickle is not directly hitting him, and with one pull the handle of the sickle falls back onto Ezrael's palms.
"This will do finely".
Then he puts the chain sickle onto his belt and leaps back towards the others as they are talking to Geek with the unconscious hunter.
"I never thought that we would meet an old enemy again" Geek, surprised to see one of the same people that injured his shoulder a while back.
"Yeah I thought they were all locked up"
"Why does this coincidence always happened to me"
"Pardon?"
"Do you remember when we first met, at the bridge. After it was finish these hunters ambushed us"
"Yeah that's because they were here for Jin"
"Do you think there's a bandit camp nearby"
"Doubtful, I mean why would bandits make a camp in the east side of Devandia, if it's where most of the people are missing"
"Wait but something doesn't add up where are her teammates. Do you think they are near, Jin can you sense them".
Jin nodded and began to summon a huge burst of wind that surrounded the entire area they are in, Jin tries to find the hunters friends but they are nowhere to be seen nor that he can sense them.
"Nothing its but wind and air"
"Geek were there any reports of these hunters escape"
"Indeed there was. The report said they fled to the east, and that all it said" Geek pulled out a scroll that has daily information written on it, he shows it to the others to look at the reports.
"Fleeing to the east of Devandia well if they already know to stay away from Livestock, then it would probably be best to make camp outside of Livestock".
Suddenly they all notice that the light begins to dim "dang we've been here for far too long. Everyone we need to get moving now"
"Now? Why is the night not safe anymore?"
"Indeed, have you all also heard of the reports about that only in the east of Devandia strange monsters appear at night".
Then suddenly everyone felt an uneasy feeling as they all quickly ran towards the wagon, as Gale, Ralian, Jin, and Ezrael hopped onto the back of the wagon however Gale was also carrying the unconscious hunter with them.
"Gale why would you bring someone who tried to kill. Or hunt Jin"
"You've heard what Geek said strange monsters appear at night. And I don't want to be the cause of letting this hunter die"
Ralian looks at Gale with disapproval, but Geek quickly jumped onto the front of the wagon and grabbed the railings and with one tug the horses began to make their move back onto the path, hopping to to get towards a nearby tavern before night fall.
(End of chapter 28)