Thanks for voting guys! Overwhelming magic won but stealth came at a close second. So I will be going towards both routes (He will use them when the situation calls for it).

Get to see Gareth in a bit of action. Longer chapter than usual cause I got a bit carried away.

I want to consider changing the names of spells around to make it flow a bit better but keeping in terms of ranks makes it easier to understand (Plus I don't have to name stuff). If you are voting for the actual names feel free to pass on some names for the spells you want me to use. Cause I suck at naming.

(Fun Fact: Almost every single name including the forest, kingdom, characters were created through a random name generator)

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Gareth's POV

Next morning, I headed out to the nearby inn to meet up with my new found companions. When I walked into the inn they were all rather jubilant to see me. Well almost everyone.

"Ah good. You are here! Let's head out, if we travel fast we can reach Rhieg in three days" Jack came up greeting me.

I simply nodded and let them lead the way. We made our way to large carriage, which shined with various colors, primary with red and gold. It was extremely well made with even the stocks being colored. Right outside the carriage stood two guards wielding spears. This is what we are going to be riding? 

Seeing me staring at the carriage, Jack came up behind me slapping me in the back.

"Haha. It's not what ya think. Our mission is to escort this carriage the person inside it to Rhieg. We will simply be following behind them."

Ah, that made more sense. Come to think of it.

"Who are we escorting?" I asked.

"Dunno. All the contractors said was she was the daughter of a famous merchant and wanted to send his daughter to Rhieg to set up some business" He responded while getting on a wagon nearby "Come on we aint got all day!"

Joan, Walter and Eva were already on the wagon and waiting for me to get on.

After the group and the escorted party was ready we were set off.

Staring at the wagon, I thought what kind of merchant would send his daughter to another Kingdom? Was he trying to set her up as the new head of the family and give her some experience. Growing suspicious I asked.

"Yo, Jack. Have you seen the one we are supposed to be escorting?"

"Don't think so. The guards wouldn't even let us get close to her" He responded.

My suspicion and curiosity grew larger but didn't think too much of it. Turning around, I find Walter glaring at me. 

"What got something on my face?" At that question, I saw large veins popping out of Walter's forhead.

"Oy oy. Cut it out you two. He fixed your face didn't he Walter? He is our companion for now so let you go" Elva jumped in before Walter could lunge at me.

Walter snorted and looked away still refusing to speak. I simply shrugged and took a look around the scenery.

The area we were traveling in was a large open plain and if you squint hard enough you would be able to see a sizeable forest in the distance. The route seemed to lead through the forest so hopefully we do not run into any trouble. The faster I can get to Rhieg the faster I can hold my promise.

As I was examning the wonderful I could feel a sharp glare directed at me. Turning around it was none other than Elva scrutinizing my face as if trying to see through my mask.

In response to that I simply chopped the top of the her leading her to hold the top of her in pain. Though she was a terrible actor and I could see that she that was she just playing.

"Ouch! Geez I was just trying to see if that mask would fall off" She complained returning back to her former self. "Come on we are road buddies now! At least let us see your face" at that response everybody turned their heads towards me expecting an answer. 

I simply leaned back and said "If you wanna see it that bad it's going to cost ya"

"Oh really? How much?" She responded interested in the offer.

"50"

"50 what? Silver I have some right here" she said while pulling out a bag of silver coins.

I put one finger up signaling her to stop and said in a serious tone "Gold"

With that she turned dumbfounded while Jack and Walter fell into laughter.

"Haha. For 50 gold, you better be the dammed king behind that mask!" Jack said slapping my back once more. After he stopped laughing he glared at Elva stating "Come on Elvie let it go. If he aint wanna be seen then let him be or you know you could pay the 50 gold. I can lend ya some silvers" The male trio fell into laughter once more.

"Hmph. Don't call me Elvie! Nothing wrong with being too curious ya know!" She pouted.

"Not exactly. Curiosity did kill the cat" I said to her. While saying that expression everyone looked at me with a befuddled look on their faces.

"What? Why a cat? Why would curiosity kill it?" Walter spoke up this time. Right, forgot that expressions from Earth don't quite work here.

"It's a saying where I come from" I quickly responded.

While saying that Elva perked u and began questioning me "So you are not from the Harth kingdom? Where you are from? Ooh is it somewhere up north? I always wanted to go up there!" with a bright glimmer in eyes she went off in her own delusions.

I eyed the other three guys asking for help but they all turned their eyes away with the atmosphere stating 'She is all yours'

Traitors

Talking amongst ourselves, well mostly Elva asking questions and me ignoring them, we made it to the edge of the forest. The contracters decided to stay at the edge of the forest as they did not want to enter at night time so we set up an encampment.

Setting up our various tents. We all went to sleep. 

I felt a presence in my tent and a hand reaching near my face. I quickly grabbed the hand was preparing to fire a spell at the unexpected intruder only to find it being Elva.

If she really keeps this habit up she will end up dead. 

"The hell are you doing here?" I asked her as I was clearly miffed about her sneaking up to my tent.

"Ahh,.. I just came to ask you something and wanted to see what you looked behind that mask." She responded back in a panicked manner hoping I would not get too mad.

I was about to hit with an with an ice spell by willing mana in my hand.

"I am sorry! Okay! I just need your help with something!" 

"What is it?" I asked stopping the spell.

"I heard some strange growing coming from the forest and I want to go check it out!" I said in a serious tone. What? This girl is getting out of hand with her curiosity.

"Why not ask the others?"

"They wouldn't come up with me even if I asked. Please!" She asked me with a pleading look in her eyes. 

"No." I told her and tried to get back to sleep. She left the tent with an annoyed look on her.

A few minutes later I was debating whether or not to follow her.

I know that she was about to go by herself. I had a very bad feeling about this. Judging that it would be trouble to explain to the party members tomorrow if she were to disappear, I decided to follow her.

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

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Elva's POV

Can't believe Clyde refused me. I knew that the other three men were were going to refuse, I at least thought he would help me out with this. With no one to accompany me I went towards the source of the noise. It was a rather deep growl that I heard that did not sound like the noise normal wolves would. 

Walking into the forest and keeping my ears out for any noise. Looking around in the dark I could barley make out small foot prints on the ground resembling that of direwolves. (Author's Note: Game of Thrones. Imagine a wolf but much bigger).

Following the path, it lead to cave. Slowly creeping up to it I decided to look inside and found it to be empty except from some skeleton of various animals. Disappointed at my findings, I turned around and left the cave only to be met by various growling noises coming from all around me. Shit. I was surrounded.

A direwolf jumped up out from the top of the cave and tried to land on top of me. Quickly reacting I rolled out the way and I saw the wolf red eyes glaring at me. Breathing heavily the wolf getting ready in a pouncing stance right in front me. Various other sized wolves came into view surrounding me but the one in center was the largest. I realized that it was not a normal direwolf. It was a corrupted beast. A manabeast. Gulping loudly, I pulled out my sword ready to parry anything would come to strike me. 

One of the wolves surrounding me lunged straight at me. Moving back I stabbed my sword downward straight into its neck. Thick blood flowling everywhere, I killed it.

Well, one down. Dozen more to go.

Suddenly enraged at the sight of one of its brothers dying two wolves lunged at me. While trying to fend off one, the other scratched straight into my hip letting the blood flow in the ground. A lot of it. Slowly losing focus and grasping the bleeding hole with one and a sword in the other, I stared into the wolves eyes.

The large manabeast lunged into the air trying to come down on top of me.

I was about to die. I shouldn't have came here, but the beast never came on top of me. Opening my eyes, I saw the beast laying on the ground not being able to get up as if a mysterious force was weighing him down. While I was confused a massive fireball came directly in contact with the beast burning it while it howled in pain.

Who was this? Was one of the guards of the merchant's daughter a powerful mage?

I found out my answer. A figure wearing a black cloak and a mask came forward at a speed I could not even see. Clyde. 

Standing directly in front of me unfazed by the various confused and angered wolves. He turned around looking at me "Told you. Curiosity killed the cat" he said while chuckling.

Bastard! How can he laugh at a time like this. 

"Run what are you doing here! There is too many here! Go get help!" I yelled at him. Completely forgetting that he was the one who casted that magic.

He simply ignored me and turned back to the wolves as if challenging them he stated "Come on wolfies. Lets recreate Old Yeller" I was about to say something until I saw something come out of his hand. Mana. But that's not want surprised me. It was the color. It was violet. Violet mana. The level of mana that no mage in the history of this continent has achieved. Yet here a young man was capable of it. I first thought it was only a delusion due to the blood loss. But it was there. It glowed brighter and brighter until I could not help but acknowledge it. Who was this person!?

The violet mana revolve around the wolves who were almost as confused as I was. It was the same scene as the manabeast. They all fell down to their knees. I could hear the cracking of bones and the beasts howling loudly in pain. What was this strange magic?He mumbled something else under his breath and another burst of mana came out. This time it was blue. The air turned very cold. Cold enough for my teeth and wolves to be chattering suddenly all the wolves froze. Just like that. It looked like a wonderful gallery you would see at a high noble's birthday with the various artists coming around to create sculptures made of ice. It was beautiful even though the beats frozen in those sculptures tried to kill me a minute ago.

"It's beautifu--" I wanted to say but the ice sculptures began to crack as he used the violet mana spell once more. They all were destroyed. Ferocious beasts that could easily hunt and ravage a strong adventure team turned into nothing more than a  bunch of ice cubes by a single man.

He turned around seemingly having no reaction to his power and walked towards to me. 

"Who are yo--" I was about to say till he put his finger in front of mask making a 'Shh' sound. He willed more mana into his arm creating a bright white color and let it come around me. It quickly healed the would around my waist. I had so many questions to ask him but as I tried to get up he placed his arm on top of my head. Another set of white light came out of his arm and I felt extremely sleepy. As if I wanted to do nothing but sleep at this moment. Trying to fight it but losing. I fell into slumber.

Panting and sweating I woke up in my tent. Looking around I realized it was nothing more than a dream. A nightmare. I was suddenly attacked by a pack of wolves and the last thing I remember was seeing Clyde, the wolves howling in pain and sculptures made of ice. It made no sense. I felt that were should have been more but as I tried to remember the details, I just felt a sharp pain my head as if it was trying to search for something that was no longer there.

Walking out of my tent I was greeted with Jack, Joan and Walter sitting around a campfire cooking breakfast. Walking up and grabbing a plate I realized that Clyde was not here.

Jack guessing the question I was about to ask "He is still sleeping. Quite a heavy one. Wanna go try and take of his mask?" He said while playfully winking at me while the other two trying to stiffle their laughter.

Suddenly as if just remembering Walter said "You all heard the weird ass howling at night? Did one of the guards go out hunting or something?" that caused my eyes to widen. That wasn't a dream. I was attacked by wolves and Clyde saved me somehow and defeated the wolves. 

Getting up and putting down and wanting to go to the forest to check if it was true I stated "Give me a sec guys. Nature calls" which caused them to put on an understanding look on their face and resume eating.

Walking down to the forest I was met with a bizarre scene. The one just like my dream. Various ice cubes containing the parks of the wolves that attacked me and one pile of ash in the middle but why could I not remember the details? How did Clyde save me? I wanted to go up there and ask him but if he did not tell me then he likely wanted it to be a secret. One thing was for sure. He was strong and he saved me so I could not exactly begin questioning him. 

Walking out the forest and glancing back I repeated the words he said twice to me "Curiosity might just kill the cat". I laughed finally coming to understand what those words meant.