The forest was quite bright, with small wildlife flying and walking around. It was the complete opposite of the abandoned town. After we were out of earshot of the bickering pixies, I heard Elba talk.

"Ah. That's too bad." I turned to Elba, who seemed to be upset by something.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, I told the carriage guy to come back at dusk."

"So?"

"He charges extra for 3 people, and I already paid him. But you're not coming, so that's 20 Gold down the drain."

"Who said I'm not coming?" Her face morphed into a wolfish grin.

" I thought you were staying the night with Bremicir?" I sighed.

"Come on. That was a joke." She chuckled but was interrupted by her horse stopping mid-stride, which sent her flying. I would have laughed if the same thing didn't have happened to me a moment later.

Oww. It didn't hurt that much, so I got up and dusted myself off. Ov and Elba were already up. I turned towards what had stopped the horses. It was a singular... wolf?

I would've said it was a wolf if not for the fact what was supposed to be a mat of fur were light brown feathers. An eagle wolf? It had the body shape of a wolf with feathers and wings twice the size of its body. It was growling at it but didn't seem inclined to attack.

"Well, we better get back mov-" Before I could attempt to get back on my horse, the wolf's wing was pierced by a javelin. I turned to see Ov tossed Elba a longsword from his back before pulling out another javelin.

"Wait, what are you guys doing?" Elba turned towards me, puzzled.

"Uh, we're killing the monster." Ov threw another javelin, but the pinned wolf was still able to dodge.

"But it's not trying to attack us!" Elba looked even more confused.

"That doesn't mean it won't. Besides, we're adventurers, killing monsters is what we do."

"Bu-We do-"

"Got it!" I turned to Ov, who was holding... the... wolf by its ear, I was able to see it was missing one of its wings. Its eyes lifeless yet it faces betraying its last emotion... fear.

I rushed toward it, I pushed Ov aside and caught the limp wolf. I laid it on the floor and cast a spell I'd never been able to use. Why? Because the spell was Spare the Dying. I knew it wasn't going to work. The wolf was already dead, and spare the dying could only bring someone back on the brink of death. But I had to try. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't.

After I finished casting it, I laid my hand inches over his chest. My hands glowed white temporarily, but the wolf didn't stir. Why? I had heard Elba and Ov bickering behind me when I was attempting to heal him. I felt someone's hand touch my shoulder. I slapped it away, facing my companions.

"H-How could you?" Elba looked dumbfounded.

"What do you mea-Wait, are you crying?" I wiped away the tears I'd barely noticed, though they didn't stop streaming down my face. Mercedes, get a hold of yourself. You're a grown woman, not a child. Isn't that what mom would say right now? I guess she was right...

How deluded was I to believe adventures don't kill monsters? I'd deluded myself so much I...

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Sorry. It's not your fault. You guys can..." I hesitated. Should I go back home?

"You guys can continue looking for the giant, I-I need to do something first." Elba looked at Ov, she was about to reply, but Ov shook his head. She sighed and got on her horse with help from Ov.

"See you around Mercedes. I..." She was out a loss for words as her horse galloped away.

I set him aside and began digging. The dirt was coarse and rough, so my bloodstained hands had trouble sifting through it.

"Hey, Ov, What do you think is up with Mercedes?" He sighed.

"Not everyone can kill monster. Not nice."

"Why did she even want to become an adventurer if that's the case?" I'd become an adventurer knowing full well I would kill some barely aggressive monsters but I looked past it because they're monsters.

"When I start, I also want to fight monsters that were... evil."

"That's news to me. How come?"

"I was... sheltered as child, maybe same for Mercedes?" I thought for a second, and a few things clicked into place.

"Thinking about it, Mercedes seemed to be quite reserved about saying her last name. Maybe she's actually a-"

"Noble."

"Hey, I was going to say that!"

"Yeah, definitely. Mercedes could be noble."

"But how come she's barely wearing any armor? I bet a noble could shell a few thousand for some full plate."

" Mercedes not have money if she ran away." Huh?

"Aren't you jumping to conclusions?"

"No, I think she did. I did the same thing, so I know." Wait, What!

I lowered the wolf's body into the grave then covered it with a layer of dirt.

"From the shadows of chaos, two sisters are born,

One the bright Selune, the other the dark Shar.

A harmonious balance soon to be torn,

May you find that balance and not be at war..." I felt a warmth on my shoulder. I turned to see a familiar white flame.

'You did all you could, Mercedes. I will grant him a home in my domain if he seeks it. For now, you should find your friends. They seem to be in danger.' I nodded and wiped away my tears.

Looks like I'm going to have to go help them. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about them. They did kill the wolf, but it's my fault for being ill-informed.

I wasn't sure I would be able to help them in time. Why? I need to get back on the horse.

"Selune, could you help me get on the horse?" I looked at my shoulder and found she was no longer there. Great, I guess I'm on my own.

"Hey, Ov! I thought dragons were extinct!" Elba attempted to block a swipe of its green claws with her longsword, but it shattered on impact, a large gash appeared across her chest, revealing... everything...

"T-They are!"

"Then, what the hell is this thing?!"

"I'm Ieseon." Its words were like venom as if he had a hatred for us. Elba was currently bleeding out against a tree, so I was now clashing against it with my Javelins.

"Why you kill us?" Dragons were like humans, they could speak, so why kill us? He laughed as green gas oozed from his mouth that made me feel relaxed, which was oddly familiar though I couldn't remember where I'd felt it. He stabbed my leg.

"Did you not kill that wolf without a second thought? Why should I do something different for you? We're all monsters, after all." I see he wants revenge...

I collapsed on the floor. The dragon had removed a fair chunk of my leg, which stopped me from getting up. I held unto my shattered javelin as I looked at Elba slumped on the tree.

I waited for him to deliver the killing blow, he never did. I heard scales moving away from me, towards Elba. What kind of sick punishment is this?

"I wonder... Does a monster feel when a comrade dies? The thought must've crossed your mind as your friend killed that wolf." It's scaled foot covered Elba.

I was about to say something, but I didn't know what to say. This is what I deserve, what we deserve…

"If you were to kill them. Would you not be the same as them?" Whoever had said that stopped the dragon before it crushed Elba. It sounded like... Mercedes.

"Hmmm, I guess you're correct. Yet they should pay for what they did." He continued pressing on Elba.

"Is it not up to deities to decide when someone should die?" Deities... I was awfully familiar with the idea, I believed in them though I didn't pray to them every day.

"That's correct, but what if I am that divine intervention? Sent to end their life by a deity?"

"And what if I was sent by a goddess to stop your 'divine intervention'?" I saw her mutter something under her breath.

"And which god-." There was a blinding light. When I regained my sight, I saw someone appear.

She was giant, 7 foot 3 inches. But she was floating, so she was around 8 feet tall. She had long curly black and glowing black eyes. She had an elvish beauty matched barely by Bremicir.

"Hello, Are you satisfied, or must I wipe you off this plane of existence?" The dragon bowed, grumbling.

"My mistake..." That was... anticlimactic.