Arc 6. A seemingly endless loss
Road to a Hero:
Three chances in another world
Chapter 3. GET OUTTA HERE!
Gray, Rosemary, and Soku walk into their house, and Edward begins walking to his own house, a small two-bedroom home down the street from Gray’s house, where Peter and Edward live together.
While Gray and Rosemary pack up their clothes, Gray stares longingly at the clothes he was first Isekai’d in, thinking if he should take them.
Gray: “What was the diary by the way.”
Rosemary stops packing to groan.
Rosemary: “I’ve had it since I was nine. I write in it once a month, it’s pretty simple.”
Gray: “I’ve never seen you writing in it before.”
Rosemary: “I do it when I’m alone, now we gotta keep packing. Soku’s probably done by now anyway.”
Gray: “We still gotta wait for Peter and Edward though, it’ll take them a few minutes longer.”
About a fifteen-minute walk away, Edward and Peter rummage through the things they will bring to Valatrositice. The contrast between both houses is pretty visible, with it being a bit barren and intensely clean, but the difference between Edward's and Peter’s rooms is even bigger.
Edward's minimalist room matches Peter’s messy, dirty room and highly contrasts Gray’s homey and well-kept room, and Soku’s smaller barren room. Peter opens every box in his room, all filled with finished or unfinished prototypes of various gadgets and tools.
With everyone else grabbing clothes, Armor, and maybe a small trinket, like a diary, a few books, pens, paper, and a couple of board games, Peter packs not only a yellow backpack riddled with pockets but a large green messenger bag as well. With two bags filled to the brim, a utility belt, another belt going across the body, and two gloves with the ability to be attached to more gadgets.
Edward walks out of his room, with only armor, a sword, and a bag of clothes to his name. He then gives Peter a strange look.
Edward: “I’ll never understand why somebody would need so much. Do you need to bring all of it?”
Peter: “YEAH I NEED ALL OF IT! Poppers, tools, instructions just in case I forget, I don’t know how you have so little.”
Edward: “All I need is a sword and a holster for it.”
Peter scoffs at Edward's words, being able to see the privilege behind his honest eyes.
Peter: “You get back to me when you gotta make ends meet to get food on the table, Unlike you I don’t have all that muscle, and Dark Elves are born with it. I’m not that lucky, and weak guys like me need all we can get.”
Edward: “Well you need to work for it, put the effort in, get the mindset, and push through.”
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Peter: “Yeah sure. That might work for the Helsing you are, or the blessed Gray, with all the mana in the world. This whole team is filled with blessed gods, even Soku has a mark of providence on top of an absolute affinity.”
Edward lets Peter pass, taking the time to think about Peter’s words and feel a bit bad for the kid.
Edward goes back into his room, goes into a box in his closet, and takes a small drawing of a butterfly his mother had made for him. He tucks it into his bag and walks outside his house.
In Soku’s room, she rummaged through her things, trying to make sure she didn't forget anything she needed. Extra clothes, shoes, toothbrushes, hair brushes, thinking to herself “I look like such a loser”. She forces herself to leave her room, feeling like she’s wasting time.
Before she goes down the stairs she looks to her right, watching as Rosemary does the same thing she forced herself to stop doing. She grabs extra everything. Towels, bandages, socks, shoes, boots, shirts, underwear, pants, a few hats, books, and just about everything were all neatly folded and packed into three bags.
Outside, Gray looks at the Silver chariot.
Gray: “Yeah, this thing’s not ready right? And we’re packing for a big trip, these things for war, not travel. Damn, and I hyped it up so much.”
Lincoln walks up to him, spooking Gray.
Gray: “OH! Hey, what you doin’?”
Lincoln: “I assume you realized that you couldn’t get there in this thing?”
Gray: “Well, we could get there if it was just two people…but yeah we can’t since we’re all going.”
Lincoln: “Well since Dema can’t go I’ll get you a dire wolf.”
Gray: “A DIRE WOLF!? Like Giant fantasy wolf?”
Lincoln: “I wouldn't say giant, but yeah, they’re about the size of a horse. I can hook this thing up to a wagon on the back of the carriage though.”
Gray: “Can the wolf pull it?”
Lincoln: “If it couldn’t I wouldn’t have gotten one ready. Though since this trip is so out of the blue I couldn’t get one of the good ones. This one’s new, struggles to respond to its name, and doesn't like following orders, but it’s all you got.”
Gray shrugs his shoulders, sighs, and gets into the car, though it won’t turn on, making him bang his head against the steering wheel.
Lincoln: “Need help?”
Gray: “Yeah…please.”
Lincoln pulls the car right to the exit of GreenVail, propping it up on a wagon meant for carrying cattle, which is just big enough to fit inside. Gray then shuts the door of the wagon, locking it right after.
Gray: “Nice and secure. Nice call on this type of wagon.”
The wagon is connected to a big, pristine travel carriage, though it’s a bit old. The Walgonian crest on the sides, blue gems, and a design fitting of Walgonian nobles to ride on. Which is being pulled by a sleeping dire wolf.
When everyone gets to the exit, they’re in awe of the carriage.
Soku: “I used to see things all the time when I was snatching stuff in the west side.”
Edward: “I used to ride in them, though this one looks like an older design than the ones I’m used to.”
Peter gets down and crawls around it, touching every bit of the immaculate carriage.
The old armorsmith dwarf known as Rick walks up to them. His stained brown bandana on the top of his head blows in the cold wind, as well as his long white beard. And just like dwarves in fantasy novels Gray is used to, he uses his immense physical strength to hold a chest of armor.
Lincoln: “Oh hey Rick, thanks for keeping this thing in nice condition.”
Rick: “Nice!? This thing’s perfect! Damn near god-like, my brother could never! Now, I give all of your armor, I made some better ones since I’ve had a few months to work on them’!”
Gray: “Oh, did you make the armor I designed!?”
Rick: “I tried, never made armor like this before. It’s more like tactical gear than anything else.”
Everyone takes their armor out of their bags and hands it to Rick while he gets their armor out.
All of their armor looks the same other than just being better. The biggest change comes to Soku's new chainmail, Rosemary’s new golden armor sporting a Walagonian crest instead of a Golden Knight crest, Gray’s choice to wear a lighter and intricate look, and Edward’s want for a slightly heavier sword to fit his growth in strength.
Though Peter feels down for a brief second, due to him not needing any armor since he’ll not be fighting, he’s brought right back up once Rick hands his navy blue overalls, ones that look exactly similar to his.
Rick: “Admittedly, I’m not as good of a Weaponsmith as my brother, I can make some good damn armor, and I’m glad to have taught you a thing or two about both! You earned this, You might not be a warrior, but a warrior is nothing without a sword to wield, am I right”
Peter: “Yeah, thanks!”
Peter goes to hug Rick, but Rick bops him on the nose to stop him.
Rick: “YOU GUYS GOTTA GET GOING'! NO STOPPING AT INNS! YOU GOTTA GO, GO, GO!”
They all rush into the carriage, putting their bags on a shelf above the benches. Once they’re inside, Edward rushes outside to the front to direct the wolf.
Edward: “What’s its name?”
Lincoln: “Her name's Luna, good luck and GET OUT OF HERE!”
Lincoln smacks the butt of the wolf, causing it to wake up and blast down the mountain, not listening to a single demand from Edward.
End of Chapter Three