Sorry for the delay, this chapter is longer than the rest, almost near the length of 2 chaps

______________________________________________________

(So warm … father)

Cerberos love enjoying a nap while cuddling with his father, he often lick Cerberos’s fur while sleep which filled Cerberos with joy.

(Wait a minute … Father?)

Cerberos open his eye in a hurry, hoping to find the familiar figure he always see everytime he woke up. However, instead of it, he found a petite young girl sleeping while hugging his body. Their body were so close that he can smell the mint-like fragrance from her breathing.

It takes a while for the memories to catch up with the bizarre scent before his eyes.

Last night, after the old elf had passed away, Cerberos had her bandage his wound ,help her buried her grandmother, then they set out to his cave together. The little girl was strong, there is sadness in her eye but she never cried.

Ever since he brought her in, he keep asking himself the same question, “why?”

Surely, let her stay with him is no safer than with the enemies outside. His life is in danger everyday, he doesn’t even know if he can survive after this, or what’d he do in the future. All the act he had done was just for his selfish vengeance.

The best course of action for this situation, is to help her join with the Wood elves on the North side. They have blocked the pass, but with his speed, he believe he can by pass them. But why, why am I so reluctant to do that?

Is it because the old elf asked me to take care of her? Nonsense. Keeping her in danger is not “taking care of”, in the slightest meaning.

Cerberos doesn’t want to admit it himself, but inside the deepest part of his soul, he doesn’t want to let her go. Cerberos was lonely. After his father’s gone, everytime he woke up, he just found himself surrounded by empty walls, all by himself. He’s vying for someone, someone that he can talk to, someone that he can feel the warm from their body or just for break the eerie silence everytime he woke up.

When the old elf die, Cerberos saw part of himself in her. They both live in this forest, have their only family stolen by the same group and they are all alone now. Cerberos feel like, there is a special bond connecting them together, like a family.

“U… uuu”

The girl’s body slightly tremble, interrupted him from his thoughts.

“Grandma…”

Tears flow from her eye to her pretty face, while her facial twisted in fear.

(Poor girl! She tried to be brave yesterday, but when she sleep…)

Cerberos silently sigh while gently lick off the tears in her face. The bodies of the two, who lost everything they have, continue to curl up together, didn’t know about the storm waiting for them outside.

 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Outside, at the adventurer’s main camp, it was already the twilight of the day. Chico is recalling about his plan this morning.

(Chico, are you insane?)

(Please enlighten me, what part of this is insane?)

(Every part of this. You know this is the elves’s sacred forest right? If we burn this down, it will be war)

(Does it make any differences? If we let the other elf escape to the elves’s city, it will be war nonetheless. The only difference here is, we will be sitting duck here, not knowing anything while the elves claiming our lives.)

(But…)

(Spare me your pathetic excuse. We are already criminals ever since we sent off those bandits yesterday. Besides, if we do as I say, not only we won’t take responsibilities of war, but also can get the rewards for this dog)

(How?)

(Simple. We kill the dog, bring his body back to the Emperor before he catch wind of anything happen here, then we escape to other countries with this money.)

(How can we bring the dog before the Emperor was informed all about this? The watch tower is right at the border of the forest)

(By a simple trick. It’s been a long time since the Empire wage war with these elves. There are only 2 guards at that watch tower. When something happen, one goes back to the capital to report, while the other remain at watch tower, no matter what happen next.)

(You mean…)

(Yes. We just need to tell them there is something happen in the forest before we burn it down, like a horde of monster is getting out. It will take them at least 3 days to go to the capital, return here and go to the capital again. It means we have at least 3 days to kill the dog, grab the rewards and go away, never return to the Empire again)

(What about our family?)

(You have 3 days, for God’s sake. Do whatever the hell you want with them. Bring them to run with you, hide them, get a new family. I doubt the Emperor have time dealing with them if there is war anyways.)

After a long pause, the leaders finally come to agreement.

(Okay, we will follow you on this, Chico)

(Good. We finally make some progress. Now listen carefully, you guys need to cut down the trees at here and here, block the fire. We don’t want to invite those elves to join this party, and then…)

……………….

“Sir, preparation at North side has been completed”

A voice echoed in the tent, interrupted Chico’s thinking.

“Very well, what about the messenger we sent to the watch tower?”

“There are report that one of the guard has left”

“Good. Now, Chika, if you’d like”

“As you wish, brother.”

Chika skillfully use his flame spell to burn the wall of trees that we just make.

“Everything’s done. Let’s head to the East side”

“Um,Chico, why didn’t we burn the East side too? Why do we only burn North, South and West?”(Chiki)

“Well, that’s to lure the dog to the west side. I want to meet him at least one and make sure he die. Besides, the East side connect directly to the capital, it will save us times to get the rewards”

(It finally between you and me now, dog. Today, we will settle this once and for all)

Chico’s looking forward to his encounter with this opponent, the one he never met before but has clashed with each other many times.

 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

At Cerberos’s cave, the little girl has finally woke up, but she still doesn’t let go of him. It … was not a bad feeling, so Cerberos just let her be.

“Say, little girl. What’s your name?”

“I’m … Anna … Big Brother”

(Big brother? Did she mistake me with that form? Also, what’s with her roughly talking? Is it because she doesn’t get used to talk with strangers)

“Anna, what do you want to do from here on out?”

“Follow” she pointed at herself.

“Big brother” she pointed at me

(She want to follow me? Well, I can’t deny that I’m a bit happy about this. But what am I going to do now? Or, what should I do?)

It’s the first time Cerberos set aside his revenge for other’s sake. This girl’s life can’t end up with him in this forest. If it’s only him, he is willingly to risk his life, but he can’t risk the life of this innocent being before him.

Still bewilder about his future ahead, he pick up a strange smell in the air, the smell of burning.

(I got a bad feeling about this)

“Anna, hop onto me”

“Yes… Big Brother”

When we got out of the cave, the whole surrounding was covered by smoke, wild animals running around in panic. The fire hasn’t spread to here, but I can feel the heat in the air, and under my foot. The forest is dying.

(Bastards)

I run to a direction that wasn’t burning. I can sense many presence ahead of me, I know it’s a trap, but that’s the only way for the girl riding onto me to survive. As for me, I have no future.

When I run to the end of the forest, greet me is an unfamiliar voice that sound happy

“We meet at last, White Wolf”

 ______________________________________________________________________________________________

At the Easter side of Wood elves’s sacred ground,The forest of Sleeping Tree, is a valley between 2 mountains. The path through the valley connect directly to the Empire’s land. But that’s a desolated land which no one living around. In the past, it was an old battle field between humans and elves that resulted in heavy casualties in both side. People have reported they still hear the battle scream in that area.

Right now, the valley has been blocked by a wooden tower. Chico has positioned himself and other ranged fighter and mages on the tower, while the rest laying in ambush outside.

“Will he really come?”

“I don’t know. Lots of animals got out but no sight of a white wolf”

“Man, all of this anticipation is killing me. I still can’t believe we burn the whole forest for just a dog”

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Shht. Quiet down. Leader is still here.”

Chico is sitting quietly in a corner with a closed eye, leaving all the unwanted noise outside of his head. The hand has been shown, the cards has been revealed, all he can do now is waiting for the outcome to play itself. In fact, he is thinking about what to do after this event, which country should he hide himself and his brothers in.

“Ahhhh, beautiful.

The crimson flame

Born from tiny spark

Feared by all, humans and beast

Devour everything, hatred and sorrow

Leave nothing unturned”

(Sigh)

(I have to take my brother’s condition into account too, when finding a place to hide. Now that I think about it, I have neglected him for a long time. He was such a cute kid back then. Maybe this is a chance to fix our relationship)

A voice interrupted Chico’s thinking

“I saw it, the white wolf”

Chico open his eye and hurriedly look under the tower.

There it is, a white wolf, have the same size of a fully matured wolf with an 8-years old elf girl riding him. This has lifted a weight from his mind. The only wild card in this table is that girl, he can’t confirm if that girl is with the wolf or not, nor has she already out of the forest and already reporting this event to the elves. Seeing her here reassured all his needless worries.

“We meet at last, White Wolf” (Chico)

The wolf doesn’t seem to notice my welcome, or the tower I prepared to block him. He continue charging full speed ahead, headbutting into the tower. It made a cracking sound, and the tower tremble like crazy, but it still standing. The collision force has pushed the wolf away, he can hardly stand up with a red mark on his fore head, where blood is flowing out.

(What is this?)

Chico is confused, he doesn’t understand the wolf’s action. Even if he break the tower, he can’t run far with that injury and we can follow the blood to track him.

(It’s like, he doesn’t value his life anymore. And I has thought he is an intelligent beast, what a disappointing)

“Give the signal for the ambush. Let’s finish the wolf while we provide cover fire”

“What about the girl?”

That’s girl, is a trouble. Personally, Chico is again killing woman and children. But he can’t leave that girl alive to report this incident to the elves, before he hide himself.

“Aim for the legs, don’t shoot the girl. Tell that to the ambush too”

(Sigh, I’m still too soft-heart.With this, I have to take care of the girl for sometimes)

 The beast’s speed has reduce significantly, due to the injury and limited space to run. Despite of that, he still last quite a long time, till the moonlight shine upon this scene.

(Useless brutes. Must I do everything by myself)

Chico shoot a careful-planned shot, aiming for the moment Cerberos has to turn around, where his speed is the slowest. The arrow pierced his left leg and pinned to the ground. Cannot withstand anymore, Cerberos fall to the ground on his knees.

“Muhawaa, did you see that? Did you see that shot? I’m the one who finished the beast”

Chico laugh hysterically while proclaiming his achievement, with this, not only the damnable hunt is over but he also secure half the rewards.

“For thousands of years I lay dormant. Who dare to disturb my slumber” (???)

(Sigh, not again)

“Chika, your dear brother is savoring his moment. Be a good boy and go play elsewhere”

“But… it wasn’t me”

“Ha ha, who else talk like …”

(Oh shit. It’s not him. That voice came from the forest, while my brother standing beside me)

“I asked again. Who dare to burn this forest and wake me up from slumbers?”

This time, that voice come closer. You can see some big figures heading to the tower from forest.

(NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!)

Not for long, the big figures come into view. It was 5 trees, or something that look like tree, as big as a mountain, have hands and legs like humans but no face.

(WHY? WHY IS EVERYTHING JUST KEEP GETTING IN MY WAY?)

Adventurer’s rule number one: A monster is as deadly as its size.

Adventurer’s rule number two: Monsters grow stronger with its age.

Adventurer’s rule number three: When monsters attack in group, get the hell out of there.

When the adventurer saw 5 figures, as big as a dragon and claimed they have slept for thousands of years, one thing is clear: THEY ARE IN DEEP SHIT.

(No, we can still savage this situation)

Chico is the first to get out from confusion state, he pointed his finger at the wolf’s location

“Quickly, catch the wolf before…”

There is nothing.

The wolf already standing on the shoulder in the biggest humanoid-tree.

(When? How? With that leg?)

Many questions filled Chico, but he know he is running out of time. The wolf can’t talk, if only he can trick them.

“Oh the Great One, hear me out. We are here to”

“They … bad people … burn … forest”

(GYARGHH!!! And to think I want to keep her alive)

“But we are here on our God, Hades’s order”

“The last time I woke up, there is no Gods nor Hades on this land.Now, I ask again, are you ready”

“SON OF A *BEEP*. WHY THE *BEEP* DOES ALL THIS FUNNY STUFF HAPPEN TO ME”

“Oh no, Big brother snapped” (Chika)

Something inside Chico got out of control. The accumulated stress from 3 days, the disappointing performance of his comrades and most of all, the pleasant surprised from the forest.

(On the Treant’s side)

(Author’s note: Yeah, they are treant, but no one in this world know about them)

“FORGET MY LIFE. ALWAYS SURROUNDED BY MISERABLE FAILING CLOWNS .LIKE THIS WHOLE WORLD JUST LIKES TO BEND ME OVER AND BITE ME IN THE ASS” (Background noise)

“Elder, why don’t we attack now”

“Well, it was in our tradition to wait for opponent finish their speaking. Besides, he look kind of … pitiful”

“Anna, close your ears please” (Cerberos)

“Yes, Big Brother”

(Back to adventurers’s side)

“LIKE IM SOME SORT OF SLUT RECEPTIONIST. WELL AS FAR AS I CARE THESE MISRABLE COWS CAN HAVE A FANCY BARBECUE WITH A GOD DAMN PIG” (Back ground )

“Umm, Boss, do you understand half of what he is saying”

“Nah, not even a damn thing. However, he sounded like my mom whenever I forget to wash my hand” The boss of a party looking far away, reminiscent about his dead mother.

“Guahaha, I gotta say, I like this face better than his usual smurf expression” (Another boss)

(One minute later, on the tower)

*Huff* *Huff*

Chico is out of breath, it’s been a long time since he let out like this. In a meaning, it feel good.

“Brother, are you okay” (Chika)

“Yeah, feeling … better now”

(Think, Chico, think. There is only 5 trees separated you from the rewards. You have 100 adventurers on your side. I have come so far, willing to become a criminal. Be it dragons or Gods, no one can stand in my way now)

A frenzy flame burning in Chico’s eye, he turn toward the adventurers.

“Hear me out, fellow adventurers. We have come so far and lost so many. Now, the only things separate us from the rewards are these 5 rotten-ancient-asshole trees. They want to revenge us, I said “FUCK OFF””

“FUCK OFF” (Adventurer’s scream)

“ARE YOU WITH ME”

“YESSS”

“LET’S KICK SOME ASSES”

“LET’S KICK ASS”

And the battle in the middle of night, between a seas of flame finally commence.