A few days came and went. Trillia was forced to attend most of the meetings to act as a translator. Something Alfred and Mort had both overlooked initially.

She didn't mind. Near the end of the second day, she had been rewarded with a general skill for her troubles that she was just now getting around to looking at.

[Translator] Level MAX Obtained!

Translator allows the user to more easily hear multiple conversations at once in different languages and fully understand them. It also allows a perfect recollection of the spoken word for five minutes so long as the user understands the language that was spoken.

'Surprised that one isn't a trait.' Trillia thought as she sat on the back of the wagon, kicking her feet back and forth. A group of orcs were loading crates full of rocks onto the wagon. Alfred told her that it was all ore chunks. Mort mentioned that most of the ore came from the city walls. Minotaurs would spend days going through each section and pulling out impurities in the stone, like ore, that could cause any weak points.

It was all a bit beyond Trillia's understanding or even her desire to learn.

She saw more orcs coming to load the wagon she had taken as her seat. Alfred said they'd be on the road in a couple of hours. She glanced at the three wagons, then at him. "I don't have a lot of experience with Lovax. At least not trying to make them do anything. Who is going to handle the other wagon?" She assumed that Frederick would handle one.

Alfred motioned to one of the orcs that were helping them load. "This lad is joining us. Trillia, you literally translated that conversation two days ago."

Trillia stared blankly at him for a moment before offering a sheepish smile and a shrug. Alfred shook his head with a chuckle. "I know, I know. All that merchant business was a lot of numbers and quite a bore. It's not for everyone."

"I should learn it all, though. I know, at some point, I'll need to have it all figured out. Truth be told, I'm just itchin to get back in the dungeon with a full group. I haven't gained a level in a while." Trillia peaked over his shoulder at the parchment he was scribbling things on. "Can you teach me to read and write the human language?"

Alfred glanced at her and then at Frederick. "The lad can teach you. He's a better penman than I. Or Marg. She hates my scribbling something fierce. She's picked up how to read your language, can't speak it. Not really sure how that works, but it does in her brain. Which is a godsend."

Trillia paused at that. "How did you three come to meet Tormash anyway?"

Alfred checked another box, most of his attention being on his checklist. "The huge orc that was hanging around D'Jamu for a while. Large fellow, really loud. He's a kind chap but fucking scary. I think him and the High Priestess are a thing."

"They are twins, you know. That's Ralrouk."

The quill in his hand paused, and he turned to give her a confused look. "He's also your brother? How the fuck do orcs work? None of you look all that much like your parents."

Trillia shrugged. "I had a really hard time when I first went to D'Jamu. Human families look really similar. Minotaurs usually match one parent or the other. But humans share so many features. It's quite jarring."

Alfred offered a grunt in response and finished going over his checklist. Within the hour, they were all packed up. Alfred took the lead wagon, Frederick took the rear, and their orc friend took the center.

Amelia stood outside the gates and had everyone halted. : "Trillia will act as our scout. She will take point and warn us of incoming danger. Keep the wagons a few seconds sprint away, just in case. Malor and Layla can act as rear guards. I'll stay with the center wagon. I doubt we'll have any trouble. The roads seemed completely empty of hostile creatures when we came through."

Trillia acted as a translator once more.

Alfred raised a brow. "How bad are bandits? Especially once word gets around that we have three wagons heavily laden with minerals and ore."

Everyone except Frederick turned to give the man an odd look. Trillia spoke up. "What are bandits?"

Alfred waited for the punchline or the joke to follow. When none came, he couldn't help but groan. "They are people who steal from others. They wait for merchants to travel between towns and attack, usually at night. Kill everyone with the wagons and sell off all the goods. How have none of you heard of bandits?"

Trillia nodded a bit too sagely. "We call those raiders. I guess it's kind of similar? It was only recently that we really did any trading at all. No one really ever bothered with orcs or minotaur. It's why we don't have those coins that you all use. We just barter for everything, and most folks carry what they can. Wagons and the like are only used when you're moving a whole tribe."

"Huh...damn. I really need to learn more about your culture. It'd help a lot. Well, what do we do if we are attacked by raiders?"

Trillia shrugged, translated, and looked at Amelia. "Defend ourselves? It seems unlikely that anyone would be stupid enough to attack Trillia and I. We're fairly well known."

Alfred glanced at Frederick before speaking. "That's sort of more of a reason to attack. You're both valuable. Why not try to kidnap you and ransom you?"

Trillia burst out laughing at his words. It took her a solid five minutes to stop laughing long enough to translate it. When she did, Amelia burst out laughing next. No one else seemed to get it. Amelia motioned for the wagons to start going. Trillia climbed onto Ialu and rode next to Alfred to start the journey. "Our parents are Generals from the beast war. We consider the other generals aunts and uncles. No one from our people would ever be stupid enough to attack us like that. At least, I certainly hope they wouldn't. Mom wouldn't ransom for me. She'd just slaughter whoever took me and probably their families."

Alfred pondered it for a moment before giving her a begrudging nod. "I s'pose that's fair. Well. If anyone is stupid enough to attack, I will defend the carts. I wasn't sure if you folks had a no-killing policy or something."

Trillia shook her head at that. "It's actually seen as a pretty serious crime to take prisoners in the Shattered Plains. From what I'm told, when tribes feud, they try to wipe each other out. The tribe that is most damaged is often just absorbed into the victorious clan. Some blood feuds need settling, but otherwise, you band together to survive the wilds."

Alfred stared at her for a long while before shaking his head. "It'll be a learning process. Let us know if you see anything ahead, lass."

Trillia gave him an odd look but ultimately shrugged and rode out to scout the road a little ways ahead.

Their pace was considerably slower on the return trip. Three wagons meant more time getting the lovax down for the night and ready in the morning. Three days into the trip and it had become a rather slow and tedious thing. Everyone, except for Alfred, had mostly just begun to zone out. Trillia was in eye shot of the three wagons. She and Ialu had done large semi-circles the first couple of days. But absolutely nothing had happened.

Which is why it was such a shock when a rain of arrows flew from each side of the road and into the forests. Alfred called for defense. Layla put a protective barrier up on the lovax nearest her. Frederick and Alfred both used a similar skill on the remaining Lovax.

Trillia was struck by two arrows, Ialu by one. Amelia had been their primary target. Thankfully the heavy leather armor she wore made sure she wasn't a pin cushion, but she had still taken several arrows.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

A second volley flew through the air, and Trillia began to return fire. Hopping off of Ialu and telling the wolf to kill as many of the attackers as she could. That had been part of their talk before. Ialu could come back, Trillia could not.

"[Cacophany Of The Forge]!" Alfred threw his hands out towards one side. The skill was aptly named. The air filled with the harshest metal sounds that Trillia had heard. Every time a hammer strike went off in the air, it pulsed with sonic mana. The hail of arrows was mostly stopped.

Malor had thrown a line of etched runes along the other side. "[Wind Wall]!" The second set of arrows was stopped.

Layla ran toward Amelia first. "[Healing Surge]! [Nectar Drip]!" Again and again. Finally, she arrived at Trillia's side. "I need two thousand mana. The others will self-heal for a while. I think you, Amelia, and I should break one side."

Trillia nodded and immediately shed the mana into her ally, glancing at the notifications of the spells hitting her.

You're now under the effects of [Healing Surge] for the next 5 minutes.

Healing Surge increases all healing received by an amount equal to 10% of the caster's Wisdom.

You're now under the effects of [Nectar Drip] for the next 3 minutes.

Nectar Drip heals you once every 6 seconds for an amount equal to the caster's Wisdom.

Trillia stood and charged toward the side opposite Ialu. "We are breaking the eastern line! Stand your ground!" "To me, Amelia!"

The princess pulled out a horn and blew hard. The air vibrated around them all.

You're now under the effects of [Sorrow's Edge] for the next 10 minutes.

Sorrow's Edge causes all damage taken to be increased by 30%. All damage taken while under the effects of Sorrow's Edge will be dealt in equal amounts to your attackers as well as you.

Trillia grinned, as did Layla. Both charged quite happily and quite recklessly into enemy lines. Between the two of them, with tenacity, their enemies wouldn't be in a good spot. Amelia didn't follow them. Instead, she kept halfway between the tree line and the wagons so that her buffs reached both sets of party members. Frederick had run to her side and slammed a large metal square into the ground. It was one of the largest shields that Trillia had ever seen.

As Trillia ran into the trees, she was shocked to see a cluster of six minotaurs and humans, all dressed in makeshift leather, all with their faces covered.

A fury burned within her that she hadn't expected.

[Racial Skill Unlocked]!

[Orcish Fury] Level 0 Obtained!

Orcish Fury is a passive skill that is triggered based on your emotional state. When it is active, it will drain 100 Stamina per minute (-8 Per Level) and doubles your highest base stat during that time!

Trillia watched as her Wisdom spiked to nearly a thousand. She sheathed her rapier and flung her hand out in front of her. The mana leapt hungrily from her fingertips, and before she could even utter the chant; She watched as a [Storm of Bolts] tore through trees and enemies alike. She stared at her hand, dumbfounded.

As an arrow came streaking toward her face, she tried to throw herself back and out of the way.

"[Intercept]!" Layla disappeared from her location and appeared directly in front of Trillia. The arrow slammed into the shield the little cleric carried. "Focus, sister! Kill first, question later!"

Trillia nodded and was happy to let her temporary power flow through her. [The Shattered Bolt] seemed to charge almost instantly. Trillia hosed the enemies in little shocks of electricity and mana bolts. She was also surprised to see Layla dodging and weaving between enemies as they tried to take cover, using her mace to smash ankles and knees, never sticking around for a follow-up attack or to be engaged. It was a brutal but effective tactic.

Less than a minute after the two had charged into the forest, the six enemies lay dead with a myriad of broken bones and holes leaking blood. Trillia wanted to stare. Wanted to be in shock at the fact she had just murdered humans and minotaur alike. A scream from the wagons ripped her mind from its spiral. She turned and charged back toward the wagon. As she ran, her right hand quickly strummed on the tiny harp at her hip, and more mana flowed out of her.

Layla and Trillia moved a little faster as Astra's took hold.

One of the wagons had been toppled. There was an adult megapede being ridden by an orc. Frederick lay crumpled up in a pile behind the overturned wagon. Alfred was in his shining armor, going toe-to-toe with the megapede. Malor was holding off two of the other enemies - both looked like humans - and Amelia was being pushed back by four minotaur with heavy hammers.

"To Amelia! I will help Alfred and Malor!" Layla didn't respond; Merely changed direction slightly and kept running. Trillia lifted her left arm and let loose volley after volley of mana bolts toward the humans that Malor was fighting. Raising her other hand and loosing another [Storm of Bolts] towards the rider himself.

The megapede opened its mouth and clamped down on Alfred's torso, spewing acid as it did. The man dropped his hammer and pulled two small daggers from his gauntlets, pounding them repeatedly into the thing's head. The orc hefted a large axe in both hands, aiming towards Alfred's head. As Trillia neared, she leapt towards the strike. The massive boost to her agility brought her up and to the axe. It clipped her right shoulder, tearing into flesh. She let out a scream but kept her wits enough to raise her left arm and loosed a volley of mana bolts into the orc's face.

The recoil damage from [Sorrow's Edge] coupled with the mana bolts was enough to cause him to drop his weapon. But he was an orc. Just like Trillia, he had tenacity.

The troupe quickly settled into a tempo of hammering the orc with attacks and keeping out of reach. Trillia felt the whistle grow warm and knew that Ialu had fought to her last.

It took them nearly thirty minutes to wear out the orc's tenacity and finally bash his skull in.

The orc that had been driving their second wagon staggered out of the forest, missing several fingers and carrying a deep gash on his forehead.

Trillia had collapsed on the ground as her Stamina had been depleted entirely by [Orcish Fury]. She kept letting her mana overflow from its current point to keep Layla topped up as the cleric did her best to heal the worst of the injuries first. Amelia helped, as best she could, with songs and chants.

Alfred was dumping two vials of a murky red substance into Alfred's throat. "Fucking cunts. Can't do an actual job. Gotta try to rob good, hard-working honest folks. Guess that's something all cultures share. Lazy fuckers, I hope you all burn in Infernus!"

As the other orc reached them, he collapsed to his knees. Layla moved over and began using healing on him as well. "Sorry. I tried to save the wolf. She managed to take out another two on that side. I took out the one that took her out. Do we know what tribe they were from?"

Trillia tried to speak but could only gasp for air. She lay there and closed her eyes as tears formed. Amelia plopped on the ground near them now that they had gathered together. "No. We'll rip off flesh to find their tribal markings once Layla makes us whole again. Whatever tribe they were. I'll see them fucking crushed for this. Our people shouldn't be acting like fucking savages."

Trillia wanted to nod in agreeance but couldn't manage that. She felt her skills straining to keep her standing upright. [Remain Standing] seemed to be having a rather vicious battle with tenacity. Tenacity demanded she rest after its activation and her subsequent healing, but [Remain Standing] demanded that she, well, remain upright and ready to fight. It was a nauseating experience.

Just as she felt ready to pass out, a bright green light shone from Layla.

"Divine Mother, grant me strength. Accept our battle as retribution for the wrongs committed today, and restore your warriors! [Divine Prayer: Restoration]!"

Trillia watched as every debuff she had, except for [Scorned Divinity], of course, vanished. She immediately felt the war within subside and no longer felt quite as exhausted.

Layla stood on shakey legs mumbling to herself. "Thank you, Divine Mother." She tried to put her hands together in prayer, but she had lost that battle. Malor caught her as she fell forward. Amelia assured everyone that she was still alive.

Alfred shook his head, having removed the armor. "Fuck's sake. That's one tough fucking acolyte. Saved our asses a dozen times."

Trillia offered a little thumbs up at that.

-=- A Few Hours Later -=-

With some serious effort, they fixed the wagon that had been toppled. Frederick was back on his feet, having intercepted an attack meant for one of the lovax. The boy just narrowly avoided dying for it. They had laid Layla in the back of a wagon after cleaning some of the blood off of her. Amelia, Trillia, and the other Orc had gone around and collected the valuables of the fallen, as well as anything that would give the troupe a clue as to who had attacked them.

Trillia, who was now riding next to Alfred, spoke softly. "I fucked up. I'm sorry. I didn't think anyone would attack us. I got lazy and didn't do my job. I nearly got us all kille-"

She stopped when he put a hand up to her face. "You're a fucking child. I'm not going to flip out and get angry because you haven't been turned to shit by this deity-forsaken fucking realm and wanted to believe in the good of people. We all make mistakes, lass. I was a cheap bastard and didn't pressure Mort to give me guards for the return trip. I didn't armor up the wagons or the lovax, and it nearly cost me my son. We all fucked up today. But we all lived."

Alfred turned to look at her and lowered his hand. "Don't you fucking apologize for keeping your head during the fight and making sure we all got out alive. That's your job. You wiped out the enemy before we ran out of resources. You did damn good. We all got complacent. Let this be a very real first valuable lesson for your group. Never get complacent."

Trillia wiped the tears from her eyes with a nod.

"It'll be ok, lass. You get used to the blood and the chaos." Alfred turned his eyes back to the road ahead as the group carried on, much more exhausted and wary than before.

Trillia took a deep breath, resummoned Ialu, and started doing full loops around the wagons. She wouldn't get complacent again. She promised herself that once they were in the city, she'd have herself a good cry. But right now, it wasn't the time for it.