Chapter 2
The next day had been a long one for both Orion and Brandon. Whenever Orion tried to ask for help of people actually traveling the road they were on they would laugh. The deceiving tranquil looking tall trees and light wind could do little to hide the fact of the sweltering heat pounded them throughout the day. This was how their life proceeded for the last week after they've been left by the group purposely due to the others ill opinions of them.
“This is getting us nowhere and we are nearly out of food” complained Brandon
once again that day
Orion had tuned him out hours ago the hopes of making a bad situation just a little bit more bearable, it was at this point he gave up finding the town in time and decided the need to hunt for food was a higher priority.
“Brandon” Orion finally called out with sweat coming down his head staining his shirt
I want to yell at him but I will just flatter him and agree that way I save more energy thought Orion
“You're totally right Brandon, we need food now I don't know the level creatures in this new area that where are in but I'm nearly level 17 and your 14 so between the two of us and the distance from our village we can hunt for food”
Brandon was type of person to complain about something without actually doing anything to fix the problem Orion thought
Well that's not totally fair he corrected himself. It was also Orion’s option that Brandon was not always like that and sometimes it’s just nice to complain about something to make yourself feel better.
Brandon nodded his head enthusiastically, apparently his want for a secure food supply rivaled dangers of the unknown. Compared to me Brandon's much better coming out of his comfort zone.
Soon enough the two of them are hunting in the semi open areas in the forest next to the road. It had been less than five minutes before they found a creature to hunt due to the area being relatively devoid of human settlements. The creature looked like a deer from their village except it was more hairy around its torso and had horns that seem to grow like armor top of its head on either side. Orion used his identifying ability he picked up hunting because it was too risky to hunt something neither of them knew about and any information could help.
“Hunter's intuition” Orion quietly called out
Brandon was hunched over with him looking the rock they were hiding behind. Considering that Hunter's intuition needed direct line of sight and would only work up to 40 feet away they needed to be quiet. A small menu started to pop up to the right of his eyesight so the both of them went fully behind the rock once again and looked it over. This was possible due to the basic party skill it also allowed shared experience if they both took part in combat.
Let's see it looks like the only information I have is at level 15 and a common type
Just like skills and board traits creatures can have varying levels of variety allowing for better experience and better goods but also tougher fight.
“It seems like we can do this” Brandon surprised himself by saying as he gripped the acts in his hand tighter pulled the shield closer to him.
Orion smiled its nice when we agreed on something
“Okay then, you start running now and I will start shooting just like I promise we would do it” Orion grinned
Brandon started running and with that the horn deer turned in their direction and that was what Orion was counting on.
“Focused Shot!”
Orion released an arrow at the head of the horn deer using his one bow skill, even with the improved speed the deer able to jerk its head fast enough from where the arrow was intended to strike. Instead it landed right where the neck connected to its main body, it staggered and was a dazed when Brandon came up to it
“Heavy Strike!” yelled Brandon
Swinging his ax the same spot the bowl landed and after a few more hits the armored dear fell and disappeared. What left behind items were bone and meat Orion walked over and leaned up against a tree opposite of Brandon. Skills took up at their level most of their stamina so they had to rest after each time,
“Not bad” Brandon now grinned “I didn't need to help but I guess it was good you are here, maybe.”
“Well you know I was in the area since I was bored I figured why not”
They both laughed, after week of ill luck it seemed the answer to their problem was you can't just wait for the world to give you a favor
“So” Brandon asked “were you able to level up?”
“No” Orion quickly countered “looks like I'm going to need a few more of those dear”
Brandon leaned his head back against his tree as he had no more questions. Actually he had already leveled during the past week before they even got to the deer. Because of his rare blood variant he got more experience than normal from usually low experience things such as endurance rank increases from walking so long and slight resistance to the heat, those things also required less experience to get. The reason he did not tell Brandon was because he did not want to risk him accidentally saying it to the wrong person, Orion’s father taught him that he can never tell anyone because what he was born with was too precious to allow him freedom if the wrong sort of people found out.
Over the next two days they proceeded to hunt the armored deer at a rate that they would have never before done because they need to get stronger, they could not afford to rely on the kindness of strangers. Each day they hunted around the road but still kept walking forward. It started to show the between the two of them how long term how much the each of them accumulated damage. Neither of them had any serious injury due to carefully hunting only one armored deer and the time but they still manage to get hurt even if it was a little. Orion had a number of cuts along his body and too many little ones to count Brandon even being the frontline fighter receive less damage overall due to the passive ability Thick Skin. Basically it was harder to damage or something hurt Orion it would be less for Brandon.
On the third day as they were walking on the road Orion noticed the road split into three ways and was thinking about where to go when he was tapped on the shoulder by Brandon
“Orion there is a woman behind us, I think she wants to talk”
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Orion turned around and looked over Brandon's shoulder to look at the mysterious woman. He figured there is two reasons to look one being curiosity of what she looks like and to depending on one they should start running. Just by
the fact that there is only one person and a woman at that it was safe to say that they were in a unsafe situation, few women traveled alone and if she really was alone, and that's how it looked, they most likely would not win in a fight against her.
She was shorter than Orion was considering he was 6'2 and Brandon was 6'3 that was unsurprising, if he had to guess the woman was 5'8. If he had to guess she was no highborn or she was smart enough not to look like one, she wore a leather vest travel outfit and a small pack. It looked like normally she had black hood covering her head except for conversations like now due to the heat he could guess her passive resistance to it was much higher than either there's if she could wear something like that. As for will ask she Care of herself it seemed like and in return was none unpleasant site with dark brown hair rolling down her shoulders for slight curl.
“It seems you have been trying to get our attention, what is your name” Orion asked
The woman folded her arms and smirked
“My name is Claire and I have been following you for some time now”
Slowly Claire began to walk closer to them
“It’s impressive how little would-be recruits of the Army would not watch what's going on around them” she said as if greeting their performance like an officer
“Or maybe it isn't at all and should be completely expected from people completely unexperienced always being in danger”
“How did you know” Brandon looked at Claire with shocked eyes
Claire looked around and focus on a large rock next to the road. She walked over and sat on it facing them
“There are a few things that caught my eye, how poorly supplied both of you are, nobody chooses to eat like that unless they have no choice”
She points to a small piece of meat in a strip of cloth next to the campfire. Orion and Brandon had met a traveler on the road that was willing to part with some food with foot coin sense he would not buy from them the bone of the horned deer. The trader sadly refused to let them travel with him citing past experiences with government officials he then went on for some time complaining about the government.
Claire started talking once again or rather as Orion was lost in thought he zoned out her voice until he finished renumbering about that past experience.
“…And finally men from all round here along with one army there is around is being gathered to retake the half ruined city of Orion still currently besieged”
Orion was not as idiotic as Claire thought he was and he wanted to prove it.
Who's in those trees over there that you're trying to keep from us? Orion asked in anger and annoyance of how Claire had been talking down to them
“I think the village boy believes to highly in his skills and thinks he knows more than what's actually there”
Claire got up from the rock but this time as she answered she seemed nervous if only slightly. She turned her head at the same direction and Orion tried to follow her eyesight there you did it again who are you hiding he asked again. Orion knew what he was saying was needlessly provoking someone who was most likely much higher level or at least much more dangerous but the way she acted bothered him too much to care.
“You seem very sure of yourself, maybe you should not be making demands the person who outnumbered is not worried”
Even saying that Brandon could tell at that her cool composure up until now was being replaced by worry about what to do next.
“Hey isn't something shining over there?” Brandon remarked so that only Orion could hear
It was true something was getting increasingly bright from the direction that was now part of the discussion. As the both of them focus on the light Claire turned around and looked also
“It’s all right Claire, they know I'm here I'm coming out” Came a voice from the tree line that was also the source of the light
A woman emerged from the trees at the same spot that they were looking as their suspicions were confirmed she looked to be in her late 40s the same type of outfit is Claire's boat looser fitting. It could be said that while the woman's outfit was for traveling Claire's was for combat. The woman also had a pack much larger than the three of them and by the looks of it completely full, her face was soft but lines could be seen
“Will we be able to travel with them?” asked the woman as she stood next to Claire
“Yes” Claire responded without any hesitation
“You did not even ask if you could travel with us” pointed out Brandon
“I am sorry for Claire's rude behavior I thought Clair already talked to you about that my name is Keira, I am a merchant I hired Claire to be my bodyguard”
Keira bowed slightly in apology but soon continued on
“Do you know where you have to go or even the supplies to get where you need to go?”
Neither or Ryan nor Brandon knew what to say in response that would be a good reason to say no. Keira clapped her hands together
“So that settles that they passed my test so let's be off” Keira started to walk slowly pass them with Claire quickly taken the lead
They were slightly confused still at what they seemly agreed to.
“What test, what would've happened if we failed? And finally even if what you're saying is true why should we go with you Orion challenged”
“Well for the last thing I would like more bodyguards then less even if you are not nearly as experienced as Claire, and for the first if you fail you would be just as dead as that deer you all have been so enthusiastically hunting till now” responded Keira grimly.
Neither of them had anything else to say in response quickly followed after them.