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Chapter 31: This Is After All Not An Adventure

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It all comes back to the faint hole on its face that was slowly expanding. The cause of it was none other than a gorgeous rapier that went through the specter like an arrow.

Val hates loudness, so he really really felt like he needs to shut the specter up.

'Rudeness is a sin.' He thought to himself as he brought out his rapier and simply threw it at the Banshee's face.

He was certainly not as affected by her scream as the group. He's kind of used to such screams though he tends to avoid them.

The attack stunned the Banshee long enough for the group to respond as Val ordered, "Why the bafflement? Kill it while it is stunned!!"

He had already used the blessed arrow before, and he used the blessed rapier now, so he really have no way to attack the Banshee again, but he saw no need to.

Indeed, the group took the opportunity and ran towards it, ignoring the torturing pain they're feeling in their ear and head.

They rushed to the specter and slashed at it, stabbed it. Each with different attack methods depending on their weapons.

The spam of attacks left the Banshee stun locked despite its strange form as it screamed in agony.

The weapons went through its body like a knife through butter, leaving vacant and corroding wounds with no blood whatsoever.

Despite all of that, it took nearly fifteen hits to kill it and turn the illusionary form into dust. They're quite hard to kill. After all, they're but a soul, a lost eroded soul.

Boarlian fell back on his back, breathing heavily, not out of tiredness but out of fear and nervousness.

Selena did her best to control the trembling of her hands as she put a pair of gloves on and started collecting the leftover dust of the specter, an extremely valuable alchemy material.

Lucas found himself just looking at the rest of the group as they slashed and stabbed the unresponsive specter. To him, it looked like a one-sided massacre. The Specter's scream made the spectacle look even more horrible, so he just stood his ground and did nothing.

Val on the other hand picked up his rapier. He then brought cloth from his backpack and carefully cleaned it up, "I'll go collect my arrows, they're quite valuable after all."

His calmness of tranquility was like the light of the moon in total darkness, total darkness being the rest of the group except for Natalia.

Granted, the people of this world know not of such a thing as the moon.

Lucas remembered something Val said, one of the specter types can't come close to things related to their dead... Such as their bodies.

So how come this one was able to? All he had to do was to turn his head to find his answer.

The black bag covering the body doesn't seem to be covering anymore.

It's still in the same place but it seems as if it's simply laying on the ground as if the body has melted into the ground.

This was all nothing like he imagined it'd be, 'My father also did this? Is this what it means to set them free?'

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"Where is the body??" Lucas couldn't help but question, just to make sure whether his speculations are right or not.

Selena closed the small bag of specter dust in her hand before standing up.

She noticed Val is coming back in the distance, but she chose to answer herself nonetheless, it's her responsibility after all.

"This is how it is. There are other ways if you so choose to follow them but there are consequences to them. You'll get used to it as will I."

Val who has just reached them smiled at her mild explanation and gave one of his own.

"Such is the way of the hunt. Nothing about it is black and white, we stand in the middle or at least we believe we are.

The specter hunters' cap is proof of that, it tells you all you need about what you'll become.

That's at least how I interpreted it. I am after all just as new to this as you are."

None really understood his words for they told the future.

They still took time to contemplate them and only one came close to understanding them completely. She however didn't want her mistress to contemplate them any further.

"We should go back. The night is coming." Natalia stated as she looked at the obvious signs of sunset coming their way.

"We indeed should, even our horses are losing their patience." Added Val, amusement was apparent on his face for some unknown reason.

They picked all of their stuff back and mounted their horses. The coward of them would've escaped by now if not for the group already tying them to a tree.

Such are the dangers of the night. The ban of the weak. It's when the predators truly rise, awakened to feast on lost meat.

They headed back to the village in silence. The depression of their mood was apparent. They expected something different. They heard of the majesty of specter hunters and envisioned more than this.

"H-how did it go??" They were met with Almeir who has been waiting for long. Despite his former calm bearing, he found himself quite nervous.

That's how much the village means for him.

"The specter has been vanquished, so worry not," Selena answered him though there was a bit of shame well hidden in her eyes. She still showed him the bag of obvious specter dust though as proof.

Lucas was even more ashamed and it was apparent on his face as he tried to look elsewhere.

"Thank The Gods..." Almeir said in pure relief, "And thank you all. Come in, and stay here as long as you like."

"Thank you but I am afraid we'll have to set out tomorrow morning," Selena responded in return.

He then guided the group to his house without asking any questions on how it went. What they faced. Why the trace of shame on Lucas' face... Most importantly, where is the body.

He asked about none of that. He just took the horse back to where it belongs before informing the village inhabitants of the group's success.

He knew but... had to do what had to be done. It's simply how the world works. Perhaps a few of the group knew that, and some figured it out after seeing his behavior.

They then dispersed, each to their own tent except for two, Lucas and Boarlian. The latter poured himself a cup of wine he brought himself.

He was seated next to a small table, and Lucas couldn't help but join him.

"Want some?" Asked Boarlian, signaling for a cup of wine.

"No, I don't drink."

Then there was silence, for a while at least until Lucas softly asked, "How do you feel? You know, after all of this."

"I envisioned more I guess. I expected to feel a sense of glory or fulfillment but felt none.

I thought It'd be an adventure, my first real adventure which I can brag about when I go back... It turned out nothing like an adventure."

He said what he thought while taking gulps of wine.

"Are you going to stop? Give up? Are you trying to distract yourself by drinking?" Lucas asked though whether he was questioning himself or the man before him was uncertain.

Boarlian frowned before shaking his head, "No, I am just thinking and this is how I think.

I was taught to never back out of a challenge. While I don't completely agree with that, I still find backing out of this will be detrimental to my future... To my determination."

He was reminiscing about his past. Just like Lucas, he was convincing himself. He was reminding himself of his beliefs, and what it means to give up at the first hurdle he faced after leaving the comfort of his tribe.

"Yes... Determination." Lucas mumbled to himself as he closed his eyes in remembrance of his mother. The last time he saw her was when he was leaving home to become a specter hunter.

'I am sure you'll face a lot of hardships. I am sure you'll question yourself a lot,'

He remembers her letting out a chuckle after that before adding, 'At least, your father did, and whenever that happens, he always comes back to me and asks me who knows nothing of what he does to guide him.

Whatever it is I say brightens his day and lightens his path, no matter what I say. So if you ever find yourself in such a situation, remember that you have a home to come back to. Just make sure to come back.'

A small couldn't help but emerge on Lucas' face, and with it came determination and... and the someone taking a bite of something, in this case, an appel.

It was Val. Who knows what he had heard or how long was he here. He was just seated on a clean cloth on the ground, looking into darkness as he muttered, "Ah, I miss my cat. I should get myself a pet."

"???????"