Three carriages are rushing along the flat plains near the forest of Larob. The said are carriage are laden with golden and exquisite decorations that it was impossible fro a commoner to mistake it for just a carriage. That and the three carriages are guarded by men in shinning silver armors with metallic shields on their backs and swords of cold steel on their hip. They are the visage of strength and honor of the king that they serve, they are the knights.
But the shine of their sword and their armor is nowhere to be seen now, for their blade is covered in blood and their armor similarly is covered with blood and reeks of sweat.
"Damn these traitorous fools!!" The large man wielding two long swords and a buckler shield at his left hand screamed at his enemies. "Oooaaaah!!" he shouted to quell something that is taking root deep within his heart.
50 knights have been assigned to guard the transportation of the princess to the Imperial Capital of Arlenhardth. The princessis suppose to participate in the succesion rights in the capital so they took off from their city, the City of Nelavre. This was suppose to be an easy trip as the road that leads to the capital are well maintained. It was suppose to be.
If only Gerall knew that the shadow of death is looming over them the moment they left the city, he would have gathered more men or perhaps to convice the princess that it wasn't the time to go.
But thinking about it now produced no merits.
Out of the 50 knights that the Duke of Nelavre has dispatched, 38 of them have turned out to be traitors that stabbed them in the back, literally. Receiving such attack could've spelt the end to the 12 remaining knights and the princess if not for the man's quick and decisive commands. Proving that he is worthy of the title that he has been bestowed with, the Thunderstorm Commander, Gerall.
With the loud, proud and strategic commands of Gerall, they managed to defend the princess who jumped out of the carriage with her handmaidens to the central formation of her remaining 12 loyal knights.
But Gerall's dance with the God of Death is just starting. With the sound of a large horn howling across the plains that is their battle field, bandits with red bandanas ran towards them like a beast.
While fending off attacks, they retreated to the unexplored forest of Larod where Disaster and Calamity class monstrosities are iad to roam.
But alas, even with such a powerful commander leading them, they cannot hope to win against the overwhelming numbers of the traitors and bandits.
His forces were now down to five. They have wounds all over and at this point even if they survive this battle, the blood that is gushing from their wounds would take them eventually.
"Damn... It..." said the last standing knight as she protects the princess at his back that has an arrow sticking out of her shoulders.
All of his loyal knights have been stabbed and killed due to the sheer numbers of their sneering enemies, even the handmaidens have been killed with arrows stickcing out of their bodies.
One knight charged at him, he parried his blow but in exchange he got stabbed by a rusted sword at his sides and an arrow pierced his left shoulder followed by a downward swing of a the knight he just paried. However, the knight couldn't finish the downward slash which he pt all his mght into for his head has been cleaned off by the brandish of the sword of Gerall.
I'm sorry princess, this is as far as I go. Gerall said in his heart, hoping that by some chance of miracle that it was conveyed to the princess. For his body won't listen to him anymore, his bones creaked, his muscles ached and the fatigue has caught up to him.
Not missing this moment, the bandits rushed towards Gerall and beheaded him where he stand. The princess that saw the head of Gerall flew from his body cried shriek and drowned in agony as he saw the face of Gerall in his last moments filled with regrets and grief.
Now that the last of her knights are dead, the princess is now defenseless.
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
"Hey boss, can we have a round with her, she's gonna die anyway, atleast grant her the feeling of heaven right guys." said one of the bandits with a face full of vulgarity followed by cheers of his fellow bandits which ade the princess tremble.
"We do not have enough time! Or do you want the duke to eradicate you?!" said the knight while pointing his iron sword at the bandits.
"Jeez you're no fun at all. Alright alright..."
He then walked over to the petrified princess and cut her head off swiftly.
They may have been traitors in this mission that they were given but deep down they are still knights. Because of this mission, their honor and prestige have been damaged but they cannot disobey the commands of their lord for that is their oath.
Not letting her get violated and granting her a swift death was the last mercy that he can give to the princess.
With the heads of the commander and the pincess in the bag hel by one of the knights, the group of knights and bandits dispersed.
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It has been four days since she was summoned to this unknown place. She kept walking but not without direction, for she got the map that all players havewhich keeps her on track of where she have gone and a an item she bougth at the Marketplace, Lost Island Fairy, an item that releases a fairy which guides the player to the nereast exit point of the forest.
The Marketplace is an in-game shop where players can sell items to other players without them ever needing to make a contactwith each other.
The fact that the Marketplace is still working for her surprises her a lot but for some odd reason, she can't register an item to sell, even those iitems that are originally from the game like potions and weapons.
Because again, for some odd reason, she can't seethe chatfunction nor her friends list or her email folder. She can use the internet on tfhe in-game browser but she can't post anything on any site. It's like something is preventing her to contact others. That's why she is thinking of posting an item and rebranding it as a message but that proved to be in vain.
And of course, during the four days the she has travelled, she met creatures of different forms and sizes thatare unlike anything to the monsters in the game.
She met her all time favorite puma again and again, she met a monsters named Great Brahagghi, a vine colored anaconda which spans a whopping 15 meters in lenght. She of course bravely tried to outrun and escape from but that snake's speed is nothing to scoff and it caught up to her a mere moments later. The snake surrounded her and tred to squeeze her but in sheer disgust and desperation, she fired [Aurora Borealis] at the head of the snake which instantly ended it's life.
I mean sure, [Aurora Borealis] is one of my most powerful offensive spells but it felt like that snake should've more vitality... Right?
And these past 4 days, she has been exploring ways on how to fight and memorizing the names and abilities of the monsters that she encounters. And of course she cntnue o figure out which game function is still working.
She had encountered many jungle animals that kind of resembles animals on her original world but has an attribute which is significantly different from her world's conterpart and almost all of them uses strange and powerful magic-like techniques.
Like the telekinetic rock throwing of blue colored ants the size of bulldogs, the poisonous breath of an armadillo-like creature with iron plates and the acid spits of the monkeys form high above the trees, said monkeys looks normal but has a three tail.
And she defeated all of this creatures eaither by instantly casting [Aurora Borealis] or by her normal lightning imbued attacks. Except for the monkeys, cause one, she couldnt hit them and two they were extremely annoying so she just escaped away from them.
During her fourth day, however, her perspective changed. She thought that she can take care of all the enemies that comes after her. For near the border, she saw something that she knows she couldn't defeat. It was a long blue ethereal dragon, the kind that looks like an eastern dragon. Its shinning blue eyes stared right at her, its scales shines an azure glow and it's long ethereal body resembles a majestic looking ghost which exudes a gentle yet mysterious aura.
Her only fighting experience was on the game and with the monsters. She was never a soldier or someone that has a real life fighting experience in her real life but she has an itching feeling, a feeling thatis close to a intuition that is telling her, practically screaming at her, that she cannot defeat the creature in front of her.
Perhaps this is the first time that she has ever felt fear since coming to this world, her body didn't listen to her and she just stood there paralyzed and sweating like a pig.
Chloe and the dragon just stared eachother down for waht seems like a century to her. Finally, the dragon begin to move bt ccontrary to her expectations, it just gave her another glance and went back to where it came from.
"....what? What just happened?
She finally let herself collapse on the floor of the forest.
"What was that thing anyway? And good thing this clothes never get sweaty even though my sweat flows like a river. It absorbs yet doesn't get wet..." said Chloe as she mumbles about her clothes. Seemingly trying a way to distract her mind away from that encounter. While also implanting on her mind that there is always something or someone stronger than her.
With the faint disappearance of the Lost Island Fairy, Chloe knew that she was gonna be out of the forest. And with her first foot out of the forest and into the clearing, what she saw was a tragedy.
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