"Myra, pass me the cider. I'm going to make something really good with it!" Rastel gestured with his hand as he stirred the contents of a cooking pot.
A lazy looking Amba was sitting beside a large rock in his tiny form while looking out the stream and seemed to be enjoying a break. He occasionally tossed small pebbles into the stream before closing his eyes and laying quietly.
Myra paused her discussion with Lana just long enough to clamber into the cart and come out with a bottle of cider.
A group of giggling children ran in front of her wielding sticks while a woman chased after them chastising them thoroughly and the sound of people talking and laughing with each other echoed in the background.
Myra waited for them to go by before walking over and handing over the bottle with a curious and wary gaze to an over eager Rastel.
The people of the settlement were taking a break after an intense march through the forest. After Rastel had finished carving out golem dolls for the children, he had gone to see the old man to tell him of his intentions.
The old man was more or less happy for the protection but still grumbled in his usual way and instead asked Rastel to hurriedly pack his things.
They were unable to move that day as clearing out the settlement took more time than expected but the old man wasn't worried when he realized that Rastel had a cart.
"The problem is always the old ones and the children. Since we now have a cart, we can just gather them there and the rest would walk.
Rastel had cheekily pointed out that the man was old too but had just received a glare in return and he quickly left while chuckling.
They had followed the stream according to the old man's advice. He had said that it passed through one of the numerous towns surrounding Kurn and they would be able to spend the later half of the year there.
As they had marched throughout from early morning till late afternoon without any pause, the group was now having a much desired rest by the cool stream bank while numerous cooking fires were lit up.
Rastel was more than eager to try out his cooking skills. But having limited ingredients were not working out in his favor.
He had promptly gone into the forest and after about 20 mins, walked out holding the limp forms of two plump rabbits in his hands.
He had then gathered a few pieces of wood, started a fire with a spell, propped up a pot with a few large stones and promptly started cooking what he yelled out would be 'the most delicious cuisine Myra would ever taste in her life!'
He had used the few ingredients he had to spice up the rabbits he had carefully skinned and prepared with the immortal's blade and then roasted them slowly by the side of the fire.
Then using the pot, he started to cook up a sauce of some sorts while tossing in any ingredient he thought would mix well.
"Mhmm…. are these onions? Smells like them. It looks different from what Sing used though. Oh well…."
CHOP CHOP CHOP!
SPLASH!
"What are these? Mhmm…. Doesn't taste bad at all, should do nicely."
SPLASH!
"Ah….. let me just chop up some of these dried meats and add them for texture"
CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP!!!
SPLASH!!
After mixing in a myriad of the food stuff he had gotten from Laron, he still wasn't satisfied with the taste so he promptly went to visit the old man to get more ingredients.
The old man was unwilling at first but after Rastel pestered him for a while telling him he would allow him to taste his meal, he reluctantly agreed just to see the annoying muan off.
After mixing in a myriad of ingredients, the meal was done and he tended to the now well roasted rabbits.
He coated the rabbits in the sauce and allowed them experience the heat for a bit more before finally setting it down.
Using the immortal's blade to swiftly cut them into smaller pieces, he served them in small plates and gave a generous serving of the sauce on each.
'A shame they have no pepper though' he smacked his lips regretfully as he gave it a taste.
Although there were a lot of conflicting aromas gracing the camp, Rastel's meal came out with a distinct fragrance of its own. It easily drew the others attention because.... it actually smelled good!
The only people who had different expressions were Myra and Lana who had viewed the entire cooking process up close.
They looked at the food placed in front of them with wary gazes as they both lifted a spoon. Amba lifted his head to look at them with a pitying gaze before plopping back down.
Rastel also eagerly took a plate to the old man who accepted the plate with a grunt. He was about to put a spoon into his mouth when he noticed Myra and Lana's complicated expressions before slowing down considerably.
Rastel went on and pushed them into eating it with his tail swaying animatedly.
"Taste it! Serious! It's not as bad as it looks!"
"What are you waiting for? Eat a bit first and see!"
"Quickly, shove some down your throat! You'll like it!"
Myra was the first person to take the bold step. As she had been with Rastel the longest, she felt subconsciously inclined to follow him.
She scooped a piece of meat lathered in sauce into her mouth and chewed carefully. Not just Lana and the Old man, everybody carefully watched her reaction as they were interested in how it tasted like.
"Mmmm…. Ummmuu….." Myra's eyes actually opened a bit wide in shock as she swallowed. It actually tasted great!
"See! I told you, didn't I? It's the most delicious cuisine you would ever taste in your life!"
Myra just ignored him as she continued scooping down the food. Although she moved quickly, she still had a trace of elegance in her movements as she went through the plate.
Seeing Myra love it so much, Lana and the Old man also went at it with enthusiasm.
Rastel just smiled as he saw them eat the food happily. A woman came forward to ask him about the sauce and he happily obliged.
As some of the sauce remained, he gave it to her for free as he explained the contents of the meal.
With every new ingredient Rastel called out, the woman's face seemed to grow paler and paler until she just left quickly with the pot telling him to forget it.
Chuckling to himself, he took his own portion and walked to the large rock where Amba was and sat next to him.
Amba opened one eye to look at him before closing it back. Rastel said nothing more and quietly ate his meal while staring out the fast flowing stream.
It was a really peaceful scene. He finished his meal and settled down comfortably to rest while surrounded by the peaceful atmosphere.
Glancing at Amba's still form, he was just about to open his mouth and say something when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye.
That was when he saw it.
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The sky dyed orange by the setting sun matched well the orange hued soil of the Epilus canyons. This place filled with great treasures and hidden dangers was seeing the end of another day. Profitable for some, disastrous for others.
"GHEUK!! I'm sorry! I'm sorry master! I admit my fault! Please spare me! GHAAAAKK!!!"
The pitiful voice echoed throughout a cave as the limp form of a dwarf was thrown out like a disposed piece of rag.
"What a useless fool" a deep baritone voice echoed out.
"Eehee…."
Another dwarf who was crawling out backwards from the cave with a pitiful countenance sniffled as the tears falling from his eerily blood red irises mixed with snort was spread all over his wide bearded face.
"So you stupid midgets are telling me that a group of summoned attacked, and one of them managed to escape with the weapon…...?"
The deep voice echoed out once more and was followed by heavy footsteps.
The dwarf's heart seemed to keep sinking lower and lower as the footsteps leaving the cave approached him.
"Ehhh don't be so harsh on them my dear, they are my babies after all" a silky sweet voice suddenly flowed out from above the dwarf.
He quickly looked up and saw a woman sitting casually on top of one of the numerous rock spires that dotted the canyon with her legs crossed.
The woman was dressed in an elegant black dress with frilly laces all over and long sleeves that covered her slender hands.
The dress hugged her figure tightly and a pair of black leather boots that extended past her ankle was visible from below the slightly wide end of the dress.
Her hands covered in dainty gloves held a black parasol that also ended in frills which she held over her shoulder and twirled happily as she looked down at him with a quiet smile.
Yes, the woman would be said to be outstandingly beautiful. So much so that most people would fall head over heels for her after seeing her just once.
From her wonderful figure and her graceful demeanor to her pale white skin and carefully slicked back hair tied with a flowery ribbon and her extremely beautiful face which held a smile.
Even the dwarf who felt like his life was about to end had to pause for a moment to take in this beauty before his mind snapped back to reality.
Even though this woman was heart wrenchingly beautiful, her pale blond almost white hair and her pure white irises that seemed almost invisible made her out to be one of the most terrifying races to exist in this world.
The sanguine!
The footsteps that echoed out of the cave soon reached outside and a huge hulking figure could be seen.
The figure was covered with clothing that seemed to resemble a Victorian styled wind-breaker with shiny silver buttons lining down the middle.
The polished black leather shoes and the black gloves he wore matched well with his clothes and made him look like what one would consider an English gentleman but the only discrepancy came with what he wore on his head.
If just to compare it with something, it looked like a Japanese straw hat which travelers usually wore except this one was made by what seemed to be an imposing black metal that didn't reflect the sunlight and ended in a serrated sharp edge that looked like blades were attached to it afterwards.
The wide circular hat covered up the man's face but when he tilted his head up to look at the woman, his pale face and gold rimmed glasses which framed his pale white eyes showed he was of the same race.
"These vampires seem to be fairly useless. They couldn't even guard something so important and lost it to a summoned?" the man's scholarly disposition contrasted heavily with his huge frame and deep voice.
The dwarf on the floor seemed to tremble at this and sought to deliver his plea.
"Master I swear to Enki on my life that we tried out best but this swordsman was too fast! No! not fast but we couldn't touch him! He killed off two of my brothers before we could do anything!"
If any player was to view the status of this dwarven vampire, they would see his level was surprisingly level 35!
A player capable of easily taking down level 35's when the player average was just reaching 30 was definitely not someone simple.
"Hah..." the man sighed slowly as he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes before putting them back on.
"You just keep giving me excuses…." he raised his hand towards the dwarf and the dwarf found himself flying into the man's tight grip.
"KUEE!! GUEEEH!!" the dwarf choked on his saliva as his neck was squeezed mercilessly.
"Do you understand just what you lost?" the man's voice was still calm even though he seemed really angry.
"GWEEEUGH! KHAHK! KHAK!" the dwarf kept coughing and choking as his blood red eyes turned upwards and spittle flew from his mouth.
The lady with the parasol just kept looking down with the quiet smile still on her face but she said nothing.
Just as the dwarf seemed to be on his last breath, an elegant almost playful voice echoed out.
"Pity the poor chap, do you really want to see him choke on his spittle that much?"