"Orcs!"
Jeff and Levi immediately got up to their feet.
"Aren't you tired of hunting? It was just yesterday when we killed those two elves. I clearly remembered their cry for somebody to help but no one came. Their faces, just those face begging for mercy was the best expression I like! Bwahaha!" said the orc expressing a grim yet happy face, then he laughed maniacally.
"You!" said Jeff. When he heard those words, it immediately changed his expression from fear to extreme anger.
All of a sudden, Jeff picked an arrow from his back then he pulled the strings as fast as he could, targeting the orc that laughed maniacally.
Whoosh!
The arrow came close rapidly to the orc but unexpectedly, it was slow for his target. Just before the arrow reaches for the orc's head, it was interrupted by a hand. The target orc got a hold of the arrow, he focused his attention at the dwarf, "Weakling! Is this it?" provokingly said by the orc. Then, he gripped the arrow hard until it broke apart.
"What?! How?" asked Jeff in a state of shock.
"Don't ask me, ask your self! Bwahaha! It looks like this is it for you." said the orc with a sinister face.
"Run!" said Levi in panic.
"Run? Why would I run? It is our time to avenge those two elves! Even if I don't personally know them, we here at Natura are all family. These orcs must be killed right here, right now!" said the determined dwarf.
"Avenge? Right here right now? More likely, we will just add up to their numbers! We don't stand a chance against them! It's clear as the day!" Levi said. Convincing the dwarf to run for their lives.
"You two are having a great conversation. Here is my ax. He's asking if he can join in the discussion." said the orc. Then, he raised his big ax in an attempt to attack Jeff.
Bang!
After the sound of a gunshot was the sound of two metals that abruptly hit each other. Levi shot the gun and it hit the ax's metal blade.
Then, Levi holds Jeff's arm, helped him up then they ran.
As the orc saw his targets running for their lives, he looked at another orc beside him and said, "After them!" Then, they chased the man and the dwarf.
----
In the mines on the southern part of Natura,
The materials specified by Levi are coming in and out, carried by the elves and dwarves that work in the area,
Meanwhile, in Garde's workshop. After sleeping for a few hours, Garde's apprentices were back to their work but Garde was still fast asleep.
This time, they were not focused on making a single project. The workload was divided. There were stations for sword making, gun making, and also there are more people stationed at making the new project, Levi's mechanical arm.
----
It's been three hours since Levi and Jeff fled for their lives from those orcs,
They stopped for a moment and heavily catch their breath. Fatigue has consumed their bodies.
They were in the middle of the deep forest, this area was almost covered with tall bushes. It was silent here and the wind is fresh as it blows the leaves and branches of trees.
"I think we've lost them, they shouldn't be able to catch up to us in a while, let's rest for now," said Levi as he was slouching and breathing heavily.
They sat down. Jeff picked his bow and examined it for any repairs. He also gets his arrows and counted them, he was left with eight arrows which for him is not enough for this dangerous situation.
Levi did the same, he examined his gun for any repairs. He looked at his magazine, one on his pocket and another is loaded to the gun. The magazine loaded to his gun has been left with three bullets. He shot the one on Garde's workshop and another one at the orc. His other magazine was not used yet, in total he has eight bullets left the same with Jeff.
"Thanks," said Jeff out of nowhere.
"For what?" asked Levi while doing his thing on his gun.
"For that, you know, t-the... for saving my life."
"Oh, I didn't do anything!"
"No, if you were not there, I would've been corpse by now, a dead little dwarf mercilessly killed by an orc. As you said, I would just add to the numbers of people they've killed." humbly said by Jeff.
"You're welcome, I didn't know dwarfs were cute while apologizing, hahaha!" Levi laughed at the embarrassed dwarf.
Being called 'cute', the dwarf was embarrassed yet angry. He's old enough, he is little but he's not a child.
Levi's laughter rang throughout the place, he's really happy to see this part of dwarves he can't help but tease him. Usually, their wrinkles and moles gives them a serious and strict personality.
In response to Levi's laughter, Jeff picked up his belongings and said, "I'll go for a while and get us some wood, it looks like we will be staying here for the night. I will also make some arrows."
"Okay, just don't get too far away. If something happened just go back here immediately." Levi replied.
Then Jeff goes out to gather woods. While Jeff is out, Levi busied himself with observing his magic. He panicked earlier and his mind went blank so it doesn't come to his mind that he can use magic. Yet, even if he can use magic at the time he will still decide not to do so, he didn't know yet the implications of magic, it's more dangerous for them if his magic has retaliated to them. Besides, he doesn't master any spells yet, just releasing magic, that is.
A few moments later, a very loud voice rang throughout the area, it was coming from where Jeff has gone to get woods
"Help!"
Levi immediately knew whose voice that came from. It was from Jeff!
"Jeff!" said Levi.
He immediately picked his rifle and ran towards the voice's location.