'To the one I call brother, HEKTOR I HAVE A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU! How could you just leave like that without telling me anything! I thought you were still at the city you know? NOW I HEAR ALL THIS STUFF ABOUT THE WAR AND HOW YOUR CITY IS UNDER ATTACK! WHAT THE HELL? GIVE ME A HEAD'S UP NEXT TIME PLEASE!! I've been worried sick since you left and I haven't been able to sleep.
The news they gave us of the fall is extremely worrying. My fiancé and I are worried about you. Please, please, PLEASE come back soon. I know your letter says that you're on your way but the tides have shifted now. The longer you stay outside the more dangers await you. Refugees are coming to the Lumont Territory from all over the kingdom, the Lumonts have prepared a room for you in the manor.
Please come back, Yours Truly Lina'
Hektor finished reading the letter and managed to send out a reply soon after. The dark clouds that covered Teblez were now behind him. The summons he had moved around him acting as his guards for the long trip.
It's been about five days since Hektor summoned his newest preset, [Medeis Baphomeri]. A goat-headed demon, its body is covered in dark thick fur and it stood at a respectable height. Physically speaking the demon was only slightly stronger than an imp contrary to its physically domineering look. Hektor thought that this was because of the defect but he soon realized the main draw for this minion.
Medeis as Hektor would soon learn is a term used in an ancient language for magic. The new preset was a spellcaster. A decently powerful one that Hektor could easily compare to a graduate at a magic academy.
His mana was locked for the whole five days due to the summoned creature, but the demon was a minion that was worth it. It added an extra layer of attack for his group which currently consists of 1 insect soldier, 2 bulky imps, 4 elemental sprites and 2 birds. The spellcaster was a powerful addition, serving as a backline support that can immobilize foes through the use of its ability to manipulate plants.
His party moved through the forests at a rapid pace, taking down any monster that stood in their way.
Souls: 79
He had a lot of souls, mostly due to the fact that his mana was locked. He decided that no new presets were necessary which is why he's currently waiting for the five day timer to end.
"Master, I suggest stopping here." The low voice coming from the Medeis Baphomeri would send chills down the spine of a commoner. Just listening to a demon speak in human tongue was an alarming thing to experience, One that a lot of soldiers had to get used to.
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"Ohh, care to give me a reason why?" The birds seem to be unalarmed, which was a cause for concern for the usually careful Hektor. 'The birds and the sprites seem to be calm, what's this demon sensing that they can't?'
"Humans my liege, Hidden in the trees."
"I see, how far are they?" Hektor's expression was blank once more, the same one he wears whenever a fight breaks out. "Can you give me a number?"
"50 meters from our current location, I can sense 12 of them Master." The low voice of the demon got even lower. These humans were capable of suppressing their auras but not their mana, it's rare to find those that can manipulate both.
'I'll ask him how he can sense them later, for now I need to think of a plan.' Hektor didn't have a clear gauge on how strong his opponents were. 'But letting them get the drop on me isn't a good idea either. I'm sure they're observing my group right now.'
"Do you think that they pose a threat to us?" Hektor asked the demon.
"Yes, My Liege."
"Point their location out to me." He commanded before raising his left hand. "Tiger Beetle, lead the imps and charge."
The insect soldier disappeared from sight dashing towards the direction of the hiding humans. Behind him were the Bulky Imps ready to tear through opposition. Out from the trees the humans began to jump down, their plan went up in smoke.
[A soul has been added to your collection.]
[A soul has been added to your collection.]
The insect soldier took down two of them in the blink of an eye. "Caster, to the front. Immobilize them."
The goat-faced demon moved forward, the roots of the trees began to spring up from the ground. Immobilizing a few of their foes, though some of the more skilled humans managed to cut through the roots before it got them.
"Firebolt." The bird-shaped flame sprites flew forward, sending balls of fire at the humans.
"Spikes." A barrage of sharp rocks originating from the earth sprites flew towards the nearest rooted target.
Bandits, some of them were defectors from the military though even they were crushed by Hektor himself. They were capable enough to hide their auras but this was a skill that was not too uncommon in the military. It was the reason why Hektor and his peers relied heavily on his birds, sometimes the looming threat of bandits is prioritized over a few monsters.
The ambush was thwarted before it even began, Hektor ordered his troops to only leave one alive. Heavily injured, wrapped in the tendril-like roots the bandit looked frustrated but he knew that taunting the figure who killed his superiors was not a smart move.
Souls: 79 -> 90
Hektor pointed his spear right at the bandit's throat. "Where is the hideout?"
It was Hektor's only question. "South, you'll find our camp near a large tree."
"Fwoooo." A crow flew to Hektor's shoulder. "Confirm this for me, If the crow returns and only squawks once then I'm taking an arm."
It took half an hour before the bird could return. Two squawks made the bandit relieved, but his safety was still not guaranteed.
"At least you're honest." Hektor gave him a swift death before he headed for the camp.
Souls: 90 -> 91
"Come, My mana returns before nightfall. It would be a waste not to collect souls for it."