Sera mouth gaped as wide as she could as she yawn. Her eyes look around and she saw tall trees instead of wooded interior of the inn. She remember, she slept on the forest. She look at the cloak covering her. And she saw forest sitting beside her.
"You're early today" She said as she sat. Rubbing her eyes and yawn again for second time.
"I didn't sleep" he replied.
"Ah yes I forgot. So let's get going" She said.
"You have drool…" Forest said looking at her. Sera face reddened as she immediately wipe it with the cloak that she is holding.
"You just wipe your drool on y cloak!" Forest snatched his cloak immediately. And look at the wet part of it.
"Why so mad? Be thankful because y saliva is on your cloak. Take it as your lucky charm" Sera pay no heed about it and stretched her stiff body.
"AH! Stretching feels great." She moaned.
As they set out. Forest and sera tried to look again at the map. And they thought they are closer to the town however, they are not getting closer. They didn't know that, they are about to enter the territory of the tribe that lives in the heart of the forest.
A flying arrow flew towards sera's shoulder so fast that she didn't even saw it coming. Where it even came from? She remove the Arrow on her shoulder as she wince in pain.
"ARGH! What the" She said as she look around as she raise her staff. Created a barrier.
She look at the top of the trees and man wearing a weird clothes is about to fire an arrow towards them. It flew on them and got stuck on the barrier. The barrier got crack, it seems that the man is stronger than her. Her barrier is ass flimsy as her.
As soon as the arrow strike them, she casted a magic as she ran sideways. She casted a multiple of ice shard, it is smaller version of Icicles. The man immediately evade her magic.
"Forest, it seems that he is not alone. Stay close to me" She said. As she look around being cautious to everyone that might attack them.
Sera cast two fireballs beside her. She let them float in her side as she casted another two.
A man suddenly leap to them and forest block his strike. Their swords made a contacted and the man who attack leap back and jumped attacking Forest. Trying to Pierce forest in his abdomen.
Sera threw the fireball at the upcoming man towards her and he evade her fire ball as he jumped side ward and throwing a ball of unknown thing that release a smoke. The smoke was made sera unable to move. She fell on the ground and forest fall on his knees afterward.
'What the' she said as she losses her consciousness.
She got awakened as she remember as she is taken down by unknown man. She look around and she sat beside forest who was already awake.
Their armory and weapon are not with them but a feast like meal are serve in front of them.
'What the heck is happening?' she asked herself as she look around. Everyone is kneeling in front of them.
She looked at Forest again and his cloak is gone revealing the horns he hide.
"Tell me what is happening" She said to Forest. Forest look at her with displease face.
"As I woke up they began worshipping me. They even made me were this weird fancy clothes and serve me meals and those women dancing. They have been dancing for an hours already." He said as he sighs.
"Why with that face, come on enjoy what they did. Be thankful that we are not set on fire alive and become a sacrifice. Look at the skeletons displayed on those pillars. It is effin creepy. What if those skulls are from the wandering adventurers that lost their way and ended up here? And they become a these meat in front of us" She said as she gasped. Horrified with her own story.
"The leader said those skulls are from their ancestor that led the village successfully. Putting them in the pillars is to feel their presence and etc… Also they asked me to get rid of the Lycanthrope that is currently stealing their Anteleers and their children have been missing one by one."
"I see… So are we going to help them?" she asked.
"Do I have a choice" He replied back
"OH so you want to help them" she grab a large piece of meet and took a large bite. "Let's replenished our tummy and lave this place immediately. We have to go back to the town" she said forest nodded and eat with her.
"But first, I also want to look around the area Place. I never knew that there is a village deep in the forest." Sera said as she stood swallowing the food she was chewing.
"Just wait in here and I'll be back" Sera continued as she walk away. A woman stopped her as she turn her back to Forest.
"Allow me to escort you around the village." She politely said to Sera bowing to her.
"Okay, it's my pleasure to be escort by you" sera said as she excited the room. Sera look around the area. Tall trees welcomed them and the houses are built on the side of the trees. No, the trees are part of their homes. Underneath, there are people planting their crops. Feeding their chickens and others.
"Whoa! This village is kind of cool." She exclaimed in excite.
"It was our great ancestor who thought of this. He built us a great village." The woman said as she stayed behind Sera.
"By the way, I'm Seraphine. How about you? What is your name?" she turned around facing the woman.
"I'm called Ilthea. I am honor to meet a wonderful person like you" she said and bowed again.
"I'm not wonderful. I am just a normal girl lives in the village too." She replied. She went to the stairs that leads downstairs.
"Is their other villages out there too?" She asked like she know nothing about outside world. She became more interested to Sera as she found something new in her life.
"I always wish to leave the village, however the leader said. There are monsters and evil lurking outside the village. It was dangerous" She said with a hint of sadness in her voice.
Sera looked at her looking down on the wooden planks underneath their foot. 'She must've been always been wanting to go outside'
"Your leader was right. It was dangerous however, if you are brave and you got strength you have nothing to worry about." Sera smiled.
Taking a step on the ground, everyone in the village look at Sera. they fled to their homes like they just saw something that is not to be approach.
"What was that?" Sera asked to Ilthea.
"They are scared to the people that is from the outside… they are dirty, unclean and sinners" Ilthea honestly said. "However, I am different to them… because we are no different from the people outside" She continued. As she walk closer to Sera to make sure that only two of them hear what she said
'Why is she saying that is not supposed to be told to me?' She asked herself as.
"Is that so?" She replied as some questions in her head lingers.
"Some people who got lost and found themselves here was brought to the storage hose over there. I'm saying you this because I've seen too much. It was terrible" Her voice crack as she tells sera about it.
"You two should fled and don't ever come back. The leader will kill you after getting what he wants."
Sera fell into silent and continue to walk. Until they found themselves on the front of the store house. The store house that Ilthea was talking about. It was somewhat war away from the houses of the villagers. The store house was big it was 4 meters tall and about 10 meters wide. Everything surrounding it was quiet. It seems that the store house doesn't even have windows on it, only the big door in front is the only way out and way in.
"Is this what you are talking about?" She asked as she took a glance on her. Ilthea nodded while starring at the store house in front of them.
"Now hurry and leave!" Ilthea grab her shoulder trying to persuade her to leave.
"I can't just leave. Isn't there a Lycanthrope around here and killing your folks?"
Ilthea just shakes her head.
"That is up to us. The leader is strong and can protect us all alone. However, making you two deal with that wild Lycanthrope is something, He might be tricking you" she said
"Then explained why is he isn't doing anything to save his people if he is strong? Why is he just sitting around and not fighting the lycanthrope?" Sera looked at her eyes demanding some explanations to what she is saying.
'Is this girl just bluffing to me and had something on her sleeves?' She thought 'but she doesn't seems to be lying?' Ilthea look at her into her eyes with such determination inside.
"That is what he said to us. About not fighting back, it was because those who can kill the Lycanthrope will be the next Leader and…" She stopped and look away. She doesn't want to think of what his father said to her.
She doesn't want to marry anyone in this village. She will not marry anyone until she dies.
"And?" Sera asked crossing her arms in front of her chest. "You know, it what Forest want. He want to save you guys so I'm on it too. Also, I don't want the villagers that has nothing to do with the leader will end up dying in the hands of that Lycanthrope. Besides there are many children out there who wanted to see the world more. Isn't that you want to have adventure? Why not come with us?" Sera look at her back that soon turn and Ilthea face her.
"That is impossible to me to leave this place. It's like this will be my grave soon… you may not have the chance to take down that lycanthrope. You have to give it up and flee before things become worse."
"I told you… it was not my idea it was Forest. So better give up your Idea too." Sera replied. She walk away and Ilthea followed. She clenched her fist into a ball.
She glared at sera from the back.
"I can't just do it." she said to herself as she unclenched her fist and grab the hem of her skirt.
"I'll see you later" Ilthea suddenly said as she took the other way. Sera just sighs she is left alone after that long talk.
They went back into the building where Forest was sitting.
She went immediately to Forest side and sat. The women in the room already left.
"Where are those women that is sitting in every corner earlier?" Sera asked as she sat.
"They left to take a bath they say" He responded
"So… there is something wrong in the village" Sera whispered. She look around after whispering it to Forest.
"We should find it out after we took care of the lycanthrope. I'll look at what is inside that store house." Sera whispered.
"You'll look inside that store house? Why?"
"I smell something weird coming out of it. Like a rotten meat?"
"You must be hungry and craving for a rotten meat" Forest replied. Sera glared at her seriously.
"Seriously? Who will eat a rotten meat that already had maggots in It.?" she asked in disgust.
"It is a delicacy in the demon continent. Wherein the hog meat will be hang in the open air under the sun and let it dried out. The maggots in it taste good. You can eat the meat raw, dipping it to a vinegar or something sour."
"That is kind of gross."
"You talk like you didn't ate something that is not gross. The slug you ate back in that labyrinth was totally out of question" He replied.
"But that slug has and exploding taste after all"
"And you exploded too!" Forest exclaimed and Sera wince from sudden raised of his tone.
"AH that hurts you stupid demon!" She said as she hold her head from sudden pain.
"You farted in front of my face" He said covering his face. He suddenly smiled as he remember the smell that almost killed him that time.
"I-I didn't Fart! It was the smell of the soil! It wasn't me!" She panic and denied his claims. Sera turned her back to hide her embarrassment.
'This stupid demon. If I can only kill him' she said in her mind. And began imagining him being murdered by her.
"I can see your evil thoughts and how you kill me in your mind" he said. He lied down on the wooden floor staring at the ceiling.
"You deserve that"
"You almost killed me back then isn't that enough?"
"Shut it and let sleep." Sera shushed and she lied down beside him.