Blake woke up to the scent of food being cooked but struggled to get up, looking down and following the arms that are keeping him down, he finds Hilda resting her head on his left shoulder and Phanna on his right.

Then he sees Jackie come over and give him a smile as she sat down next to him. “Sorry, can you hold out a few minutes until the rest of the food is done? they apparently watched your whole fight with the bandits, and they have a question.” She asked as she lowered a slice of lightly toasted bread.

“Sure, I don't mind as long as they are ready to be dropped for an emergency.” Blake said before taking a bite from the offered food. Munching on it and cocking his eyebrow at her, seeing forming questions on Jackie’s face.

“What is a paladin exactly?” She asked as he finished devouring, “I don't understand what exactly you are.”

Blake stared skyward, thinking over an answer before locking eyes on Jackie, “A paladin is like a knight, however where a knight is sworn to fight for the nobility and their power, I am sworn to the gods and fight for the people of this world. Because of that relationship, they give me powers to overcome evil, like the barriers and protections I use on you guys when those bandits showed up, or the power to erase evildoers with the wrath of the gods or heal those who are injured.” Blake smiled a bit wider, “My job in this world right now is to undo the corruption that has taken root in this land.”

Jackie thought over what he said, giving him a second piece of toast, “Corruption…” She paused as she stared into the distance horizon, “Slavery…, is that what you are talking about right?”

Blake gave her a nod as much as he could. “Yeah, slavery goes against the will of Jaud, Geie, and Jal. so, they have charged me with undoing it.”

Jackie looked a bit confused as he spoke the names, like his reason or the gods’ will be misplaced or wrong.

“Jaud is the god of justice, he is the one that judges that which is fair and equal, when will a slave ever be equal to anyone else but a slave, it is an unfair seizure of that person's freedoms. They can’t choose their ways in life and forfeit rights that all living things deserve.” Blake shifted a bit, his back growing a bit uncomfortable in his current position “Then you have Jal, goddess of battle and mistress of honorable combat, say if a man orders a slave army to fight a suicidal fight is that honorable, more over if someone is forced to fight even if they don’t want to, and they would rather be making peace is that honorable. Jal, I think, has an issue with this nation because the people that have been enslaved are dying in her name against their will, tainting her domain with people meant for different heavens.” Blake let out a bit of a yawn and his body started to settle back down as he was held there. “Then you have the most important one of all, Geie, the goddess of life,” he said then gave Jackie a hard glare to let her know the next words are important “And the mother of all who walk Idralmain, she is not a goddess of lovers, but the goddess of life for all living beings, if I have to guess her followers had been corrupted by greed in the past, and rewrote her will to sell the narrative that humans are the favored beings of the world as the hero king was one. This in turn has left her distressed as the bountiful forms of life she had made are being oppressed or killed for nothing other than not being human, much like the Dark lord likely did during his war with the hero king. As a Paladin of theirs, I will undo that corruption so that this nation is set right, and if I must, I will fight this whole nation for that, but even if I did, my powers will still only be used on those who are corrupt, so you and your village have nothing to fear.”

“So that's why you freed us and cut down those adventurers.” Jackie said after thinking over his rescue of their current party, “To think you would show up now, with a rumored return of the dark lord around the corner, let’s wake those two, looks like their food is ready.” she reached over and shook each one of the women on him by the shoulder.

Blake felt them press down on him as they rose and looked around, sleep still plaguing their faces as Granite came over with two bowls, which they took before shifting into a seating position freeing Blake to do the same, taking a bowl offered by Jackie.

The three eat a bit before Hilda looks over, “Hey, why did you spare the sorceress of the bandits?” she asked making the group look at him with different expressions, some with curiosity while others looked on with confusion.

Blake swallowed his mouthful, “She hasn’t sinned, and she swore truthfully not to commit the sin I am charged with destroying, so I have no reason to kill her.” he said before eating the last of his food, and setting the bowl down, “of the ten that night only four had yet to commit that sin, and only one understood that there is very much now a punisher of those who break it.”

The groups sat silently for a second before Granite spoke up. “I am really thankful you found us before we reached the capital now, I don’t think I would ever return home if you didn’t” her voice soft and timid but loud enough for everyone to hear. With each thanking him in some way after her words.

Blake gave them a wide smile, “I am just glad you are all ok now. But please take care of yourselves.” he said before he stood up. “Now let us see if those bandits had anything you ladies can use.” He started to walk in the direction of the battlefield, but turned to look at them as he heard them shuffle but not follow.

They had gathered up in a line and bowed to him, speaking in unison, “Please take care of us.”

Blake scratched his cheek, “Of course, I did say I would get you home, and I still plan to do so.” He said with a reassuring smile.

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After a bit of time, they had gotten ready to enter the forest and hopefully reach Yari’s Yard by sunset, Hilda, Jade, and Miann had taken and piecemealed some leather armor for each of them, Jackie had gotten her hands on a second blade and was ready to support the front line if needed, Granite and Phanna had taken some daggers along with the short bows and quivers of arrows, Blake taking a bow and some arrows too. He glanced at them at the edge of the forest.

“Ok, I’ll take the lead, I would like Hilda and Jade behind me, then Granite and Phanna in the middle with Jackie and Miann in the back as a rearguard.” He said as he looked at them “Also if you see something say something, my focus will be forward so it's best if each one takes to keeping watch over a different side.” He watched as they reorganized and gave him a nod as they were ready.

To Blake’s surprise, their walk was uneventful, his ears did pick up whisper talks out of some of the bushes, but they were all passive chatter about letting them pass as they were too strong, he assumed it was likely goblins that were scouting the road.

Finally, as they came round the path, he could see a small village surrounded by cleared land around it, and he heard the women gasp with excitement at the sight of their homes.

But the atmosphere died as the sounds of a heavily armored entity came out of the forest behind them, Blake quickly rushed past the women to meet a massive creature about the size of a small house loomed out of the wood, its form covered in crude but form fit armor of plates, a massive club in hand, his head sporting two arm-length horns that pointed skyward, it’s face partly covered by a simple iron mask that covered its forehead and upper skull down to the bottom of its nose. Its eyes were partly hidden under the opening of its face mask, but Blake could see a pair of red eyes watching the group.

Blake gritted his teeth, and readied his Halberd, his hands shaking a bit as the monster in front of him loomed. “Run, all of you, get to your village and warn them, I’ll hold this thing off.”

“Are you enemy of master?” the monster spoke.

Blake didn’t hear the women leave and risked a glance back, they were frozen in fear at the giant before them. “RUN NOW!” Blake roared, forcing the women’s minds to act, as they broke into a run toward the village.

The creature turned its head and started raising its club, but stopped as Blake slammed his halberd into its leg, successfully biting into its flesh.

“I am your opponent” Blake bellowed at the creature before hopping back to make room.

“Are you the master’s enemy, he sent me to kill hero.” The monster said again, then looked down at its leg and back up to Blake. “I do as master asked, you will die now.” it raised its massive club.

“Holy Shield, Holy Ward, Holy Blessing.” Blake said in rapid succession, and he readied his halberd to deflect the blow. Swinging at the club, “Power strike” he said, giving his counter more force and knocking the club away forcing the monster off balance. However, he felt the impact reverberate through his hands, the power of that blow would kill anyone that meets it even with a block.

As Blake got ready to attack back, he was sent flying as the monster swung its hand at him. Tumbling a bit at the landing, he struggled to his feet and watched as the monster started to walk toward him, its club being raised again to crush him.

“Quick recovery.” Blake said as he got ready to counter the next strike.

“You are a hero, you still live, only tiny one do after I slap,” The monster said as it brought the club down again.

This time Blake wouldn’t make the same mistake countering the monster's swing “Power strike” he roared but knocking the blow to his right, forcing the monster to be unable to retaliate, then rushing in and swung as hard as he could at the wrist of the monster, “Smite” he bellowed as the blade connected, the blinding flash lighting the evening sky, Blake quickly hopped back out, as the monster roared at the attack.

The monster looked at the stump where its hand had once been the power of the attack, destroying everything from the middle of the forearm up, but the wound started to bubble, and a new arm and hand burst out after a second. And the monster looked at him and gave a vile smile before taking up the now handleless club.

[so, regeneration, that is a problem, I guess I’ll have to use Burning Smite.] Blake thought as he watched the monster slowly crush the bottom of his club into a new handle and gave it a few test swings.

The monster looked at him again, “You are strong, I not know attack you made, but it hurt, so good.” it said as it readied to swing, and Blake took a readied stance to counter again.

However, this time the monster swung across the ground, and Blake had no way of escaping, he chose to try and redirect the attack skyward, and counter swung, “Power Strike” he roared as the blade of the halberd got under the club but had to lean back as the massive weapon of the creature rushed past his face, the air around it is dragging him a bit along.

Blake quickly righted himself and closed the gap, raising his halberd to cut into the monster's leg, “Burning Smite” he yelled as the weapon connected with the armored shin guard. The impact made the air around him burn for a second as the magic-infused blade cut through the creature, allowing Blake to move past.

But he was knocked forward as the monster hit him back with a fist, tumbling back to his feet, he felt like he was just run over by a car, but readied his weapon. The monster went to take a step but fell as its foot had not moved with it, the line of the cut clearly burned shut.

The monster reached down and forcefully tore its own shin off just past the burned stump, and waited a second before the leg regrew, and it stood up again, and smiled at Blake again, “I no see tiny one like you, you really strong, I am stronger” it said as it moved forward and raised it club again.

Blake looked and decided to try something different. This time as the monster brought its club down, “power strike” Blake again deflected it to his right but as soon as it impacted the ground. “Hallow Binding” He shouted, making the chains come and bind the monster, Blake taking the chance, rushed up the club and arm of the monster, ready to swing at its head.

However, the chains broke off the free arm of the monster and punched him again, making him soar ten feet away, the impact with a tree stump taking a fourth charge from his shield, but Blake got to his feet again, breathing heavily as he stood, resting on his halberd, the holy shield did stop damage but that didn’t mean he didn’t feel all those hits. He readied his halberd and rushed to the approaching monster, he can’t be on the defense, this monster is too powerful to be left alive.

The monster saw him approach and swung a wide arch to stop his approach, Blake stopped short of the monster's reach, his feet finding some force guiding his actions as he spun and brought his halberd to counter-strike the club, “Smite” Blake roared, destroying more of the monster’s weapon, and pressed on as the path opened he saw the monster's fist of the coming down on him, the guidance that he felt brought him into a crouch with the piked point ready to impale the hand of the beast. “Power strike” he yelled as the fist connected with the weapon dug into the monster’s hand.

The momentum of the attack still slams into the shield but bounces the hand back taking Blake up as the hand flew upwards and above the creature his halberd slipping free, the shield is gone, as the air rushed around him his feet kicking just right to order himself to bring the halberd down on the monster, the creature looking up just in time for the blow to come into its forehead. “Burning Smite!” Blake bellowed, as his weapon drugged through the whole of the creature, his legs crushed at the fall, and his body fell to its knees as the monster was cut into two clean halves, each falling away from him, his mind racked at the pain he felt, his halberd resting on his shoulder, and head down, blood pooling out of his mouth, his eyes watering at the pain he felt throughout his body. That last attack had him falling nearly twice the monster’s height and his attack didn’t slow him enough to avoid damage.

He heard approaching footsteps, and he looked over to see a cluster of people approaching led by Jackie, a mixture of spears and axes, a few with torches and he gave her a smile of bloodied teeth. “Told you I would get you home.” He said before passing out from shock.