Chapter 6
Zarracen's words come true of course. For each step of their journey, the mercenaries are forced into combat. Cognifiends that aren't even native to the area would journey their way to obstruct them. The call of the flesh of the dragon too much. And by the time it was time to camp for the night so the weary mercenaries could rest they had gone through half their supplies of stamina potions meant to keep their energies high.
The sorceress Prawm doesn't even bother to light the fire with her magic. Instead, she does it by hand. She's too tired to even use her Videle for it. The coachman joins them by the fire as they slowly begin to prepare the rations they brought into a reasonable meal.
Zarracen watches all this from afar having stationed herself atop the carriage. Her eyes seeing clearly even in the dark. It was like a film had covered them. If she could see them, she would realize her red eyes held an eerie glow to them. As she could not, she would cast her eyes around scanning the surroundings without thinking of the oddity it is.
She sat there without much of a word to the others opting for actions to speak more than words. The Sulkan mercenaries under Prawm's direction had let down their guards if only slightly. Malia the girl cast some protection magic over the surroundings since casting it over the dragon itself would be a waste.
Soon enough the wafting smell of food invades Zarracen's nose. She glances towards the food and smirks as she sees the smell causing the weary travelers to relax some more and enjoy the other's company more.
The presence of a cognifiend appears. A Glazed Serpens.
Zarracen has it decapitated moments before the creature could even get close enough to touch the protection field created by Malia to make the others aware of its presence. She makes her way to the top of the carriage again and sits up there eating her personal rations.
"Ehem!" a throat clears.
Zarracen looks to Prawm who is standing below her. The sorceress jumps atop the carriage.
"You plan on eating with us," Prawm asks.
Zarracen simply lifts up her sandwich that she created with her rations. Prawm looks at in disbelief.
"Actual food."
"This will last me fine. Go back to ya fellows." She waves her hand.
"Considering your position one would think you'd be more friendly."
Zarracen snorts.
"Friendly? I have no need to be friends with people I'm paying."
"Making friends though is good. It could be useful for you later."
"And it could lead me to a dagger in the back." Zarracen sighs. "Go back to your friends Prawm. Let em know I'll take first watch."
Prawm looks surprised. Assuming that Prawm knew Zarracen would take first watch seems to have been a bad one. She smiles though and departs speaking quietly with her group. When the group falls asleep it's then that Zarracen can relax.
Now, then her eyes gaze across the surrounding wilderness.
It doesn't take long with the fire going put out and the others slumbering. Her ears pick up the slithering of several snakes. Her eyes view the towering forms of Fen appearing. Wolf and snakes working together.
"Looks like they've decided to share you lizard," Zarracen murmurs.
Waiting until they hit the protection spell is a no go so Zarracen leaves it. Outside of it she knows the best way to deal with such enemies. She gathers are Videle and spreads the aura to her sword. She swings the blade in a quick arc. A red aura lights the darkened sky as a blade of crimson flies towards the Fen.
A quick on its feet it dodges the attack. It's not the only thing light on their feet. For, Zarracen followed her attack and once it dodged she was right in front of it delivering a blow that bisected it. Not even a mournful howl could be given. They chose this when they ignored their instincts to not attack one as powerful as she.
The snakes dart up. Glazed Serpens and what appear to be a smaller variety of snake cognifiends that she is not aware of. It was completely white with a headpiece like that of gem embedded into its skin. But, she slices through them like butter. The blood splatters the ground as she moves to the next opponent.
A massacre. The cognifiends were simply experiments to test her new abilities. She leaps in the air descending down on another Fen like an Accursed out for blood. Aura firing has become a lot easier.
Out of thirty that attacked there were at least ten left. She turns her now chipped blade over. Well, she has a few more blades she can run through at least one. A few creeping closer to the protection line. She could reach them with ease but she decides to cast a physical enhancement spell.
"Nettero ego." Wind gusts around her as white gold with a tinge of red Videle engulfs her. She runs to the protection line creating a miniature shockwave with her movement. This physical enhancement spell for speed has always given her trouble with output.
But, now she's able to properly adjust the amount of magic she can use. Or perhaps, she just has a larger pool to work with. Regardless, she grins she's moving faster than she could with just her body. She slices through the ones that near the line. She tosses the sword into the body of one lurking in the back.
Without her weapon now the last few attempts to attack her leg arms and chest. The Fen strikes at her with a claw she dips down uppercutting it while striking out with a kick towards the Glazed Serpens. The punch stuns the Fen long enough for Zarracen to strike the final Glazed Serpens that she grabs out the air and rips in half with pure strength.
The Fen backs off only for Zarracen to get behind it and grab it by its tail. She lifts it buy its tail and swings into the forest. It flies far and Zarracen admires the distance as she hears a distant crash.
She feels the Glazed Serpens she kicked away skittering off far away from the bodies of its brethren. Zarracen picks up a rock and envelopes it in her aura before firing at it. It crashes through its skull killing. Zarracen returns to the protective aura and settles on the carriage counting the time until the sun rises.
Overnight a few more cognifiends appear. Most of them see the pile of corpses and decide it's not worth it. The braver ones still try to chance a piece of dragon's flesh. They cause her to leave her perch three more times to handle them before the sun goes up.
The sun slowly comes up in the southern sky and Zarracen wakes the mercenaries who slept through the night. They're startled and look at the rising sun in surprise. The Sulkan mercenaries then look pale at the sight of the numerous cognifiends some of which gave them trouble the day before.
"Breakfast then we leave," Zarracen informs.
Prawm stares at her and then looks at the corpses.
"Malia. Jack."
"On it." The two are out of the protection spell and begin to cut up the cognifiends. Eyes shining with happiness.
"I get their parts are used in a lot of stuff but ya could make it less of." Zarracen points out.
"What's the point, we're all broke here." Prawm waves her hand at the ones around them.
"True. But they're my kills."
"We didn't get the chance to collect the useful materials of the ones we killed earlier thanks to you rushing us."
"Boss! There's some Pearlmeanders over here," Jack shouts.
"Must be the white ones with the gems."
"You killed them and you didn't know what they were?"
"They attacked me that's all I need to know."
"The gems on their heads are expensive. They're used in a lot of enhancement magic and since the gems are beautiful nobles like the buy them!"
"Huh. Save me three."
"Right." Prawm murmurs a smirk on her face.
With that Zarracen goes to assist the coachmen in preparing the carriage while Aias starts up breakfast.
It takes a good amount of time of them to finish collecting the items they could. Zarracen of course got her own spoils from the bunch. Once they eat the troop is off again.
Zarracen lounges inside the carriage and rests a bit. Jack goes through the motions of scouting and returning to the carriage on a few occasions.
Hours into the trip the Sulkan group were looking weary but if they learned anything from yesterday, they knew not to stop for long despite the tiredness gained from leaving a trail of cognifiend corpses.
Thwunk!
"Bandits!" Prawm exclaims as arrows are fired onto the carriage. Once more the mercenaries were sent into battle but this time not alone.
Zarracen opens the door and swings her extra blade in a wide arc sending it at the volley of arrows being shot at them. She perches herself atop the carriage and looks around. She didn't feel any of them. It was as if they appeared out of thin air.
"Jack you didn't find these guys while scouting ahead!?" Prawm demands to know.
"No! I didn't detect em!"
"Not his fault Prawm they bypassed my detection spell!" Malia lets them know.
"They likely have an item that conceals their presence. Something a bit expensive for a regular group of bandits!" Aias advises.
"On that I agree," Zarracen joins them to their surprise. The shock on their faces was clear.
"Your helping."
"Ye. One of em couldn't hide his bloodlust let me know he's too strong to be amongst em. Tier 1 or Tier 2 sword or martial master I'd guess."
"What's the plan?"
"Malia cast an earth dome spell that covers ya and the coachman. Prawm, you cast spell offensive spells while Aias and I do the close work. Jack ya good with that bow take pot shots when we got their attention. I'll try to herd em."
"Any stragglers. Malia can handle em."
"Right."
"Rejuvier Cere." Prawm casts. An orange wave rushes across both Aias and Zarracen. It felt like their minds sharpened and calmed.
Aias hefts his mace up and the two warriors get to work. Zarracen sends a few aura blade slashes at the bandits trying to surround them. It stops them from converging, forcing them back. Aias uses this opportunity to bludgeon one of the bigger bandits into the other.
Zarracen glances at him. He's good. He's likely a Tier 4 warrior which makes him better than most. A wonder why no knight order has attempted to recruit him. Zarracen glances to see a sorcerer casting a spell and getting arrow through their neck in response. Jack has good eyes and battle sense for taking them out before they completed the spell.
Fighting with them Zarracen can tell how well-oiled they are as a team. Malia casting defensive spells when necessary. How she sees over that mudwall Zarracen didn't know but when Prawm was casting rays of fire on the enemy shield spells would appear around her or Aias when he was too invested in one opponent.
Zarracen wishes she has a team she could trust to work with like this.
The fight soon becomes a dogfight as Zarracen progresses forward through the bandits herding in one direction when an aura slice comes from the right of her. Her sword is enveloped in her own aura immediately to counteract the attack. She blocks it skidding back slightly as she tilts the flying sword strike upward.
The attack itself sliced through several of the bandits to hit her. Her instinct saved her from a grievous wound. Zarracen turns towards the opponent eyeing them warily. He has the same power that she recently had been coveting. The power of a Tier 1 martial master or in this swordmaster.
He's very clearly a swordmaster from the way his aura envelopes his body to the amount of aura he has stacked in his aura heart. Zarracen turns her attention to him fully she can no longer assist Aisa in battle.
She inhales and forces her voice to boom out "Aisa! There's a Tier 1 Swordmaster. Prawm and Jack cover him!"
The order is given, and the two first Tiered masters of their arts meet in a clash of blades. A shockwave explodes from their aura's clashing. It's a violent flurry of strikes that to the outside seemed almost too quick for those nearby. None could come close without dying.
"I thought you were a Tier 2!" The man grunts in frustration. Zarracen's eyes narrow.
"You attacked this caravan knowing I was here?" Zarracen questions mind whirring with the possibility. Her focus waning.
"What stupid band of thieves would attack a group transporting a Dragon!" He grunts and puts more power into himself to push Zarracen back.
That means either they thought they could handle it or someone leaked her coming this way. Her path was no secret. It's the quickest way to Illuvia from Arthwa. But, still bandits, at least normal ones, wouldn't approach a dragon slayer unless...
"You're not bandits are ya?"
"Took you long enough to realize upstart."
Zarracen grimaces before sending an aura strike his way. Her blade becomes chipped at this. The enemy brings his large greatsword down on her. She braces for the blow. She slides her sword and delivers a kick to his chest pushing him backwards.
His feet stay planted as he skids back. He looks downwards at Zarracen's weapon and smirks.
"Looks like you're two strikes from dying." Zarracen glances at the sword.
He's right about that. Her bladed weapon wasn't meant to take such punishment. Not to mention there was no way for her to continue blocking weapons with this sword. She tosses it away.
"Giving up!?"
Zarracen ignores his mockery and pushes her aura through her body at full force. It scatters around her in a torrent of energy. Her heart pumping out more than she thought she'd ever be able to handle. And then she launches herself at him.
"Huh?"
She went straight him and delivers a solid uppercut to his chest. Crushing the metal plate there to it. Spittle flies from his mouth.
"Sword? When did I ever say I started with a sword. My first ever fight I won was with me teeth and nails."
She slashes down sending claw like aura at him. He blocks it with his blade. Only to find her feet kicking him in the face. She hooks her legs around him and mounts his head. She takes her head between her hands and slices her hands.
"Agh!" He cries out in pain as Zarracen leaps away from his wildly swung sword. "Savage! Slumrat!"
"Heh!" She barks out in laughter. He glares at her, his mauled blood splattered face making the wild bloodthirsty look in his eyes even more apparent.
The man takes a familiar stance. And it's then she knows who sent him. It was the stance of a sword school within the lands of the Praer family. A family with the nobility title of Graver, the only title equal to that of Duke without having any ties to royalty. The man was using the same stance and same technique as Ulruk Evacus Praer. The man who sought out Zarracen to get her to join the Grand Knights of Valor.
Pain. From the betrayal floods her at this. She knew not to trust any of the nobles, but she saw it on his face. The hatred at being passed over for this honor by someone like her. Zarracen had thought him better but she's clearly wrong.
The attack comes at her taking the form of a eagle in aura. It hits her. It was as if she was being clawed at by hundred talons at once. The blow was powerful. Her life liquid spills as she falls onto her back. She lays there for a second.
She hears the man approaching. She didn't weaken from the blow. No, she's just as strong as she was when the fight started. But, she lost something when it started as well. Hope that she will one day be respected for her skills. Hope that she would achieve the monetary freedom she's always wanted.
Now, she knows she has no hope in freedom. And if so. Her eyes narrow. She kicks off the ground standing just as he was descending upon her.
"I'm not gonna ask who sent you or your name. I'm just going to kill ya."
"You can barely stan-"
Fwoosh!
Before he could finish speaking Zarracen had ripped into his neck with her teeth. The taste of iron filling her mouth as blood gushes from his grievous wound. She spits out his flesh and walks towards him calmly.
"You mistake my shock for weakness. Idiot." She rips his skull off with her bare hands signaling his defeat to some of the bandits who had stopped and watched. Zarracen wipes her lips and speaks one word.
"Leave."
Though she didn't yell, the words carried across the battlefield. What was left of the bandits ran off. Zarracen takes stock of her mercenaries. They were injured badly in Aias case. It appears he had several stab wounds. Jack had what looked like a burn mark on his armor. Prawm looked haggard bruised.
"Is everyone okay?" Zarracen questions as she walks towards them.
Malia takes down the wall and begins to conduct first aid on Aias. Prawm tosses Zarracen a stamina potion.
"You Tier 1's can self heal right that should pick you up?"
"Correct." Zarracen nods and downs the liquid in two gulps. The potion goes down smoothly.
"You're the first person I've seen fight like that barehanded. It looked kind of scary."
"And?" Zarracen retorts with a raised eyebrow. She starts circulating the Videle in her battle to self heal.
"Nothing."
"Tell me when everyone's ready I'm going to check the dead's equipment."
Zarracen finds nothing to show who sent them. She should've kept one alive but if they were sent by the Praer family it would be difficult to do anything with them. It's best to keep moving to the capital.
It doesn't take long for the others to be ready and when they are she's off again.