As expected, it's a difficult mission after all.
Brown sighed inwardly to the point of hanging down his head. He who was a mere demoted Knight was now leading an expedition force to subjugate an Ancient Treant without clear information about it. Of course, he readily agreed for he wanted nothing like decapitation in public but he still bore a grudge against Vagni.
"That damn Earl is getting ahead of himself lately... I guess it's about time I pull back from this shady business."
The man gazed to the front. What greeted him were rows of soldiers and Voyagers combined together. The sheer number alone was enough to raid three villages but Brown knew the spears of this force lied in the Outsiders. He clicked his tongue when nobody noticed and he settled down once he scolded himself.
(Don't get carried away. I'm not here only to die but to avenge myself. I'll destroy these Voyagers and prove myself to the Earl.)
The Hoodlum cast down his gaze in order to focus himself for his true mission. After he sent off groups of Voyagers as scouts, he only needed to gain better intelligence about the forest he was in. While it was true that he must hurry but patience was virtue. Only the steady and rational one could win a war and Brown never wanted to be blamed due to false accusations again.
Especially insults like being 'incompetent.' The Knight Captain truly despised that word he could draw out his sword at any moment once it appeared.
After a while, he sensed dissonance in the atmosphere. Not soon enough and there were multiple attacks by hundreds of monsters with each of them coming from entirely different species.
Metal sang, swords and shields clashed against razor claws and fangs as roars inviting chaos echoed. Battles broke out with the subjugation force dissolving into small combined groups to eliminate the threats.
(Hmph... so Voyagers from the Brigade really are competent. However, most of them I borrowed are probably fresh meats with tiny experiences in combat.)
Brown was given the order by Vagni so it was an official mission. The Guild readily accepted his demand and lent him a hundred Voyagers in addition of three hundred Native knights for the mission. Added with his own underlings, there were a total of 500 combatants with a couple dozen of helpers in case of non-combat situations such as blacksmiths and healers.
The man smirked while relaying orders to the soldiers and Voyagers. People thought he was being confident and certain the God of War was at their side yet nobody but the Knight Captain knew his true agenda.
When he was about to send out more orders, he heard a deafening screech coming from the depth of the forest. Following it was many screeches as the ground shook heavily.
Brown could feel cold chill behind his spine as the forest became deathly silent. Not even a grass moved and the subjugation force was surprised by a scream from behind them. However, once the Knight Captain turned his head...
"...well, well. Now this has taken a truly interesting turn," Brown muttered. "This makes it easier though. I can clean up the trashes even faster now~."
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Run.
Alice screamed to herself in her mind. Even though it was difficult to maintain her speed, the girl desperately fled from the horde of monsters behind her.
Even so, to where?
She had no idea about the path ahead of her. She knew nothing about the whole forest labyrinth and she was injured. There was no doubt she would die no matter what.
"I don't want to die...! I don't want to die!!" The girl screamed as she forced her legs to run.
But not even after a few steps and she fell down. Her consciousness dimmed with a her small figure screaming once it hit the ground.
The girl quickly got up, yet even that was nigh impossible as she felt the storm of malice right behind her. The body stopped moving, and her mind froze in terror--
"Yaaah! "
Suddenly, a shadow flew over and struck the smaller Treant with force enough to push it away from reaching Alice. Silver glistened in the darkness, the figure pulled the lance she wielded after damaging the monster.
"[Venom Thrust]!!" --the elven yelled.
Her arms seemingly vanished and the nearest Treant was blown away with its bulky body punched with holes. However, the gleam in the elven's eyes did not vanish as she took a step forward to the horde.
"[Swallow Cut]!!"
*SLASH!!* --the lance arced with an ellipsis orbit while slashing the rows of monsters. Purple blood scattered and the unexpectedly deep wounds caused the Treants letting out agonized screams. Next, the lancer kicked off the ground and arriving right in front of the distraught monsters.
Lowering her body down, Ririan took a deep breath with her left hand holding the lance's pole and her right hand tracing over the sharp blade of the weapon. She pulled the lance to the limits and she sprang into action immediately after.
"[Dragon Blast]!!"
In a blinding speed, the lancer thrust her weapon strongly and blowing away the enemies in front of her like a cannon. A Treant had its body turned into wind hole, the other had their heads pulverized while the rest frantically escaped out of fright as the tremendous shockwave reached their cores.
A roar came out with the elven dancing in the air and reducing the horde into minced meats. It did not even take ten minutes and the horde was nearly wiped out with the survivors scrambling away out of terror or realization that they could not defeat the Voyager. Once she confirmed the situation was safe, Ririan exhaled and turned to Alice.
"Alice, are you okay!?"
"...you... are... wh... Why are you..."
The elven saw Alice's state and her face distorted in pain. She quickly hung her lance behind ber back and carried the wounded girl by her side.
"Let's go...! We need to hurry!" Ririan shouted. "Vane's distraction won't last any longer!!"
True to her words, another maddening screech reverberated as if approaching them. Alice shuddered at the thought of meeting the Ancient Treant again but as if she could do anything other than being a burden.
(...a...gain... I'm saved... again...)
The slave bit her lips. Tears ran down and her heart ached along with some sort of heat boiling down in her stomach. It was painful and it was a truly disgusting sensation for her to feel about.
The two continued to make distance with the Ruler of the Forest. For times they encountered adversaries, and for times Ririan had to exterminate them before they proceeded onward. Dragging her feet, Alice wondered if they were safe or not but the elven who was carrying her uttered.
"I'm sorry... you're involved in our mess."
She glanced at the Voyager. Nothing but sadness and frustration was shown on her face while she apologized as if mocking herself.
"I'm sorry, Alice.... I... it's our fault that you ended up like this..."
"......"
The elven lowered her head. The way she apologized. The way she cursed herself. The way she tried to atone her mistake as if clinging to a thin thread of hope.
Alice furrowed her brows seeing Ririan. Her heart thumped and painful heat arose from her stomach before stopping at her throat which doubled the pain even more. She couldn't understand why she was suffering.
Alice could not know why but she felt it. She felt the elven's frustration and she sympathized with her inner turmoil.
(Why? Why why why? She's my enemy. Everyone is enemy. So why am I like this?)
Alice could have pushed her aside. The girl should have vowed to abandon everything for her freedom. She could have taken the lance and killed Ririan and yet...
"...I... can't...?" Alice uttered in despair.
But as if a rift had opened within her mind, a ruthless line crossed her mind.
"You're a coward."
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
The moment a gasp was let out from her mouth, the two heard a different sound coming from the direction they were going to. They halted their advance, and soon became witness of--
"Battles...?! Wait, why are the knights..."
"........"
Indeed, in front of them was a battlefield without rules and logic. Armors clanging, the scent of rust and sweat mixed together as deafening roars resounded.
A knight with pike pierced through a hound's body, but he was slashed from behind by a Kobold. Following after, a Voyager rushed and finished off the enemy before taking the wounded knight away from the front line.
Hearing distant Arias sung by many mages, an assortment of Elemental magic rained upon the horde of monsters. Yet, even that did not stop the surging waves of chaos appearing from the darkness of the forest.
"...this... this is bad... We can't get drawn in to them. They will just notify the Ancient Treant--"
"KYEYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKKKKKK!!"
Both Alice and Ririan froze upon hearing that screech. Glancing behind, they sensed the trembling land and the shaking scenery. The tremble became stronger and louder each time it appeared, and Alice hyperventilate as the nightmare was outlined by the dim shades of the forest.
"It's coming...!" The girl uttered as everyone finally took notice of the approaching behemoth.
The Voyagers widened their eyes blankly.
The knights were stricken with incredible fear and terror.
The slave and the lancer immediately plunged into the battlefield for the sake of escaping.
Then the Ancient Treant bent down. It trembled, then it rose back up and screeching.
"KYEYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKKKKKK!!!!"
Once again, a lethal shockwave indiscriminately struck anything surrounding it and Alice was blown away. Her consciousness was cut right at that moment.
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".......Uuu.... Uh. Mm...?"
Alice opened her eyes. The ground was parallel to her sight and she felt nothing but pains as she tried to move her body. Painful... what... happened....?
After a little while, she recalled what had happened and rose up but she was unable to move like she wanted. Something.... something was on top of her and it was... warm...
Alice inclined her head slowly, then violet greeted her. Long violet hair, creamy white skin stained with crimson liquid. A ragged and dirty cloak as well as clothes which were full of cuts and bloodstains...
Lastly... a feminine face which Alice remembered.
"Riri...an...?" The girl shook her off. And yet it was strange for her to be so heavy. "Hey, you--"
Alice's words could not finish there. She saw it. She saw it. She saw the field of red. The girl found the elven whose back was drenched with blood as a deep gash wound exposed to open air.
"......!" Alice exasperated.
What is this? What? Why? What's going on!? How come... how come she's wounded? She's dying... she's going to die...?
Various thoughts swirled in her mind. The girl could not understand how and why but as soon as the image of Ancient Treant resurfaced in her mind, Alice trembled.
"....Is it... me....? You... defended... me...?"
The elven did not answer. There was no way she could answer with her being unconscious. As Alice shuddered, a surge of heat permeated in her throat and she was unable to breath properly.
Gasping, her mind was befuddled with pure white. Her heart constantly beating and pounding her consciousness with a pang of pain, and she trembled as if a centipede was crawling on her back.
Wet liquid dripped down her cheek. Alice affixed her gaze at the soon wet ground and grasses as her finger touched her cheek.
"Tea...r...? I... am... crying...?"
Why? Why am I crying? I don't get it. I don't get it. Just why...
"...........see....? You're... human... enough... Alice..."
A familiar voice appeared from behind her. The slave turned around... and there was a warrior with horrible state standing.
Blood ran down his forehead, his armors were dent and in pieces. His left arm was hanging loosely like a thin thread ready to be cut off with a scissor, and his body was full of wounds. Riddled with scrap woods in addition of the holes at his side, his right shoulder and his legs.
Yet Vane moved. He dragged his feet, and he arrived beside Alice.
"Sorry... All I can do is stalling. And looks like this is my limit." The young man said.
"You... your wounds..."
"...fine... I knew it would end like this.... Damn, though the Dungeon is this forest, I should've expected the boss roaming around like in Monster Hunter."
It's all my fault. Vane commented with a dry laugh. However, he was frowning upon seeing Ririan and even though his arms were no longer usable, he still tried to reach her.
But for Alice, she didn't understand. She couldn't understand how Vane scolded himself. How he pinned the blame to himself like how Ririan did, and how he apologized as if he was at fault.
"...Why... Why are you saying all that...?"
The Warrior glanced at Alice. His reasoning was fading and his vision was blurred. Still, he forced a smile and said.
"...because we couldn't... help you."
"......me...? What... what do you..."
Vane stared at the slave. Firmly burning her image into his memory, the young man proceeded to open his mouth even though he knew he was at death's door.
"The world is vast and wide. You can see many bad things. You will see that life isn't as pretty as you think it might be. Even freedom is nothing but an excuse to seclude yourself from opening your eyes."
"........"
"...However. Even if the world is filled with despair... even if the world is nothing but a transient dream... know that everyone has the right to live. Anyone has the right to be happy, and even you have the right to fight for your dream."
Vane chuckled, "well, I doubt a college dropout like me can say that but..."
The young man raised his left arm which was almost completely broken. Yet as if resisting fate, the hand moved and dug into the inventory pouch on his right side.
Blood spurted, but Vane rummaged and pulled out a sword. He handed it to the bewildered Alice.
"Take this and run. Flee from this forest."
"...what... but... you... and, and..."
"Go. I'm here with Ririan so it's okay. At this rate, you too will be killed."
"No... but..."
The young man glared at Alice. His fierce expression provided no chance as he uttered "Go." without mercy. The word shook Alice's heart.
Gasping and tearing up, the girl accepted the sword before taking her leave. She knew what she was going to do and she held back her tears as her mind was overcame with terrible guilt.
Dragging her feet and using the sword as a cane, the girl vanished into the darkness when a distant screech appeared. Vane gazed behind him then he sighed.
"...No wonder why the founder of CYBERION Corps said BWO isn't any ordinary game. So Another World feels like this huh...?"
The presence loomed in. Even when its body was full of wounds in addition of weapons stuck at its bulky body, the monster approached the Voyagers as if attracted by the scent of blood.
"How scary. Next time, maybe I should not role play as a Player, but as a Transported Hero."
Vane exhaled. Then he looked at Ririan, his gaze softened and he felt at peace being near her unlike when he tried to distract the Ruler of the Forest's attentions.
"Well... looks like we're going down together, Yumi. Not like I want to but--I'd feel lonely if you're not by my side."
The Ancient Treant arrived in front of Vane, and the maw of death devoured two Voyagers shortly after.