Book2 Chapter Three: Village 2

THREE

Roan pushed hard after explaining his plan to Taoya, who had insisted that they spread the word. With his communication stone that hadn’t been as onerous as Roan had feared it would be, but it had still slowed him down. He had four hours to find the other village, abduct the trainer, and retreat back to their own village before night fell and they had to fight to survive the night again.

That two other runners had been sent immediately after him, Roan having seen them rush out of the gates, told him his idea had some merit. He was more surprised that nobody else had followed after him, but Taoya had merely waved cheerfully to him as he ran through the gates and back into the forest.

“Aside from Taoya, who would even go with you to help you? You’re one of the heavy hitters now. At least until the bloodlines start their body tempering or building mana cores.” The thought was enough to make Roan grit his teeth and pick up the pace. That he had caught up to the majority of the elites was one thing, his suicidal fixation and risk taking had paid off. But could he stay ahead of them as they began to organize and aid each other.

“Whole reason I joined the Pact was to get access to the most supplies. And get others to help me clear this place. They’re alive. They’re alive and I can find them,” Roan spoke to himself as he ran, trees blurring by him as he headed toward Village 2. The warhammer on his shoulder created an awkward running gait, but he found his footing easily enough.

Miles passed by as he relished in both his physical and mental growth. He was hardly breathing hard as he ran, trails of sweat just now starting to work from his scalp and shoulders. The quiet voice that always pleaded for one to stop, to rest, to find the comfortable path was muted. Bound in bars of iron determination as Roan focused on his goal.

Here and there he found signs of violence in the idyllic forest. Already rotting corpses lay beneath the thick canopies. It was unnatural how fast the flesh rotted off the goblins, sliding free of their bones to feed the lush grass. More than one stripped down climber corpse was pressed against a tree, bodies free of gear. Roan happened to glance at one as he ran and saw where teeth had gnawed on the woman’s flesh.

“Waste not, want not,” Roan muttered as he kept going. Dying on this level would see one’s corpse used as nutrition for the horde it seemed.

It took less than an hour to find Village 2. The signs of fighting grew thicker the closer he came. Fires had burned and turned trees and grass to ash, baring the ground to the hot sun and tramping feet. Corpses were piled high, goblins filled with crossbow bolts or torn open by a weapon. A few had other injuries on them, wounds that could only come from a bloodline ability.

“Unless someone has started securing mana cores and their related skills,” Roan said aloud as he stared at an ogre that had its chest blown open. From the inside out. Whatever had managed to do that was not something Roan wanted to fight.

“Yo!” A voice called out in a dense east coast accent. Roan looked up from the body to see a small group coming from the village gates holding a motley collection of weapons.

“Yeah?” Roan asked, looking them over. They didn’t look like bloodline holders, none of the stuffy imperious looks on their faces, but it was harder to tell now with nearly everyone wearing tower bought clothes.

“What you doing? This is our turf!” The leader said, puffing his chest out like a peacock.

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“Be cool. This is a new development otherwise Taoya would have told you. They had clean information coming from here just a few hours ago. Fish and find out what’s going on,” Roan thought to himself as he looked over at the group.

“Just traveling through. Not looking to step on any toes,” Roan said, lifting his free hand up in a placating manner.

“Three thousand credits to get in. You obey our rules,” the leader said, his eyes narrowing as he lifted up his spear and shook it at Roan.