Munich got down as she wiuld observe the skinned animals even further. They were skinned by unskilled hands with most of it seeming done out of cruelty.
She was no hunter but even she could see that these creatures died painfully. Several organs were missing from their ribcages and some of the creatures would still be twitching.
"Dark Magic has been used here. These are the workings to use the Occult System." Sodo would say as he got his knees and placed his hands together. He seemed to be shaken up as he woukd let out a single tear.
"These creaturea have had their souls taken. The use of animal souls in Dark Magic is wasteful as the amount needed rarely ever equals that of a sentient mortal. This is an inexperienced mage." He would say as Munich seemed to be thinking. She needed to get her team going and kill those goblins or god knows what awaited them if they even thought of deviating. Her mind was tugging at her to go back and focus in her task. She knew it was the Queen's spell. Gods, she already had grown tired of the Queen in only tje first day
"We can request for guards to deal with this after we have gone and disposed of all of the goblins. Come on, let's get going before we delay any further and awake the wrath of the queen." Munich would say as she would get up.
"Keep going as I'll catch up with you all in a few minutes." Munich would say as she sighed pulling out the shovel that would be inside the rucksack and quickly getting to work burying all of the carcasses as she could feel her need to get going strengthening with each passing minute. She cursed herself for ending up in this situation but she was an honour bound person and she would stay true to the people that she needed to protect. She would hear the pitter patter of bare feet as she looked up seeing something moving between the trees. She hoped it wasn't a child or another trouble that would need her help. She wanted to help but she was putting her own team at stake by taking her own time to help others.
A pale transparent child would move to look at her as she was burying the last animal. The girl would move to Munich's side and hand her a white rose. Munich raised a brow at this. She knew it was either a ghost or an illusion but it didn't seem like it. She would take the rose as she would watch the girl smile before walking off.
"Well, that was quite odd." She finished up as she woukd quickly pack up the shovel and get to going. This white rose, she didn't know what else to do with it as she simply tucked it into a side pocket as she sprinted after her team.
The ever green forestry was one of the most well known things about the Roma Kingdoms besides its now deceased benevolent ruling class. King Nile and his beautiful and kind hearted wife Queen Vanisha were once a beacon of hope in this land doing their best to male sure their kingdom flourished and helping others where they could.
Munich remembered seeing them before she was sent to jail,after all those were ones who personally judged her case and even they couldn't help. Everything had been planned to the letter and Munich was either to face death or life imprisonment by their own laws.
She cried when she heard of their untimely demise during battle with the foreign powers that weren't quite so forgiving but through the harsh regime brought forth by the new queen, the kingdom has become a akin to a gilded cage, something pretty to see but with many dark truths.
She would see the rest of her team in the distance as she continued to jog after them quickly arriving at Lemonol's side as she took a few moments to catch her breath.
"That was quick. Did you do it?" Miladew would ask he was holding out the wooden carved figure to Sodo who was ecstatic and placing a blessing on the item. Munich still didn't know why Miladew was so quiet. She wanted to know why the little fellow was so quiet. For a supposed Male, his features are deceptively feminine that had no one said anything, Munich wpuld have believed that Miladew was a lady.
She got those thoughts of her head as she instead focused on her other teammates. Alle was dressed for battle as the light seemed to only make her black scales shine radiantly. The sliver armour wasn't helping this as she walked with the weathered stride of a obedient soldier ready to kill and do whatever it took for their kingdom. Those kind of people put Munich on edge. They would do anything to serve their kingdom. Sometimes to their won detriment. Such as was the case of her father. The once most feared warrior this side of the world who died defending Roma against the invading armies of one of their foes.
She finally ended with Lemonol. Carrying the book fcoused Sodo, he radiated an aura of pure masculinity with his body a shining example of peak physical performance. His bulky shield had the symbol of the Winter Warriors, a organisation which server as the land's best bodyguards. It was likely he had no magical powers because it would not seem as if he needed them but even she was an half-Orc and knew a few basic spells.
"So Miladew, where do you come from?" Munich would ask as Miladew would cast her sideways glance before simply pointing North..
"The mountainous region? But those are very heavy human supremacy areas. Most prefer to go South or better yet, The Lilac islands." Munich would say as Miladew simply nodded.
Munich wanted to continue further but knew what being a non-human in those lands was like. Prejudice at every turn, being cheated out of your coin and going hungry many nights. It hurt that this is what this land had become after the fall of the past rulers.
"So Miladew, why are you with us? You seem rather lax and not seeming to care about thus entie situation." Munich would continue to say in an attempt to get him to speak but he still was tight lipped and played with his knives. His auburn hair and cold yellow eyes seemed to show lack of interest in anything around him.
"Ms Munich, its better you give up. He doesn't talk much. But, its better you don't give up. He will warm up to you soon by himself." Sodo would say with Miladew giving her a look that said the opposite.
"Sodo, why are you a martyr? You do know we are basically being used like worker bees to do all the things that asshole of a hero won't. You are better off becoming a librarian, a royal mage or even a alchemist. You could be doing all of this for nothing. She will likely get rid of us once this is all over." She would say as she watched Sodo simply smile.
"Miss Munich, I know the queen maybe a bit of a rough person but she is good if you really give her the benefit of the doubt. No one is truly evil, Miss Munich. We all have a good part inside of us all. And I'd gladly be a martyr if it means my demon kin are given the chance to live in peace wothout fear." He would say as he smiled at her. Munich sighed in defeat. He was the type to rarely ever let go of his morals. She hoped she was wrong. That Sodo was right but this world wasn't some great tale of heroes and villains. It was the survival of those cruel enough to handle the horrors that awaited them.
"How long do you think we are from Travers Village?" Lemonol would ask as Alle would take this moment to speak.
"About half a day's walk. We should be there by nightfall. Best that we keep up our steady pace unless we-
Alle would stop hearing the sounds of something in thr bushes on either side of the road. Several bandits in mismatched clothing would jump out each brandishing a diffrent weapon. The archer had his eyes trained on them ready to fire his arrows into Munich's head.
"Okay adventurers, hand over all the loot or get killed and we take it regardless." The leader of the group of would say as he gave a cocky smile.
Munich was about to grab a weapon when Miladew was already rushing at them having sent his dagger flyig as it would slam into the leader's forehead with a thunk. His body would serve as a jumping platform as Miladew was already in the air having pulled his dagger out and landed onto the shoulders of another sinking his balde deep into the bandit's skull.
Lemonol and Alle would nod to each other as they followed suit. Lemonol would swing out his large shield and charge right at them as Alle had her longsword ready as she would whisper a few words igniting her weapon in flames. Launching into the air, the bandits would watch as she swung her blade sending several arcs of burning death down into them cutting through their bodies like paper.
Sodo was seated atop Lemonol as he would aim his palms at any that got to close sending a blast of energy at them to send them into a sleep like trance. Munich watched quickly they functioned and as one and began to wonder why they even needed her. She focused on the battle as she would unsheathe her battle axes launching into battle as she could feel her blades sink deep into the bodies of her foes some going limp as their heads would tumble across the dirt road. One would try to surprise her as she would have heard his unskilled large stomps and ducked before slamming her elbow into his face as he would stumble back before feeling Munich's axe slam into his ribcage.
To any, it would be a gruesome sight and as they finished off the last of the bandits, Sodo had a sickly tone on his face. He seemed to be trying to decide whether or not to vomit. The former won over as he would get off of the Centaur and hurry to a bush as he empties his lunch.
Miladew wiped his blades clean as he moved to Sodo's side patting the demon on the leg trying to comfort him. Sodo would look back at his companion with a smile before she returned to emptying his stomach. Munich felt sorry for the demon lad but he would have to get used to it. The bloodshed was going to be plenty on this journey and she knew some of it was going to be innocent.
She got to Sodo's side as he had his wings drooping and figure rigid. His cheery attitude had be decreased but she would watch him pull up a smile for Miladew who would hug the demon's leg.
"I'm okay now." He would say as he would pull out his rope and handed it to Munich.
"I'd tie them up but-
"Its fine, I'll do it." Munich would say as she would move between the many dead that lay at their feet. the majority were human with only a single elf among their ranks. The elf was one of the lucky few who hadn't been killed and instead placed under sleep trance. Munich could smell her scented perfume and body. She was fresh, her features unmarred by hard labour. Her hands when Munich would check, were devoid of any calluses. Munich suspected foul play.
Sodo was kneeled down with his robe pulled up ao that it would not get dirty as he began praying for the dead. He seemed to be looking worried about something and Munich would move to his side.
The worry disappeared from his face as he would get up and sigh in relief.
"They have been prayed for. May their souls rest in peace and be reincarnated into a better life." Sodo said as he would head to Lemonol who was moving the bandits to a tree and cuffing their hands.
"Let's get going. Alle, signal for the Capitol Guard to come and collect them. And Sodo make sure your spell lasts long enough for them to get here." Munich would command as Alle would hold out her hand and began painting a symbol onto the tree that all of the bandits were wrapped around.
Sodo would increase the magic used in his spell as they would get up and prepare to get going. Munich was getting more agitated at how all of these troublesome situations were popping one acter the other. Had the world changed that much while she was in prison? She sighed as she would be the one taking that brisk step towards the village.
Sodo was talking about some old tale with Lemonol and Miladew who seemed to listening intently while Alle was busy with her hands cleaning her longsword. Munich didn't like how the fresh blood was mixing with the pristine air. She wanted to check if things were still up to par with what she knew.
"Alle, are the four feudal Leaders still in their positions?" Munich would ask walming beside the dragonborne. They were both quite tall due to their specific races but still Alle had that feeling intimidation she definitely inherited from her farmer.
"No, only two now rule. Duchess Goring Myers rules the Western Deserts and Winter North. The majority of the areas there have bene turned to military training zones and academies due to all the lack anything to actaully damage and since most prefer to live in the warmer climates, few were against leaving their homes to be brought to the cities. If they stayed they were brought in to serve in the mines that were bullt all across the mineral belts that were under the lands. Its quite sad how many die so often there but i guess its the occupational hazard."Alle would explain as Munich was frowning.
"What happened to the other two ruling lords?"
"They were found to be planning on wishing to ovethrow the Queen and were sentenced to death by torture to gain every detail about their allies and such. The people didn't question it." Alle would say as she would be watching Munich. Her brow was furrowed.
"What about the two othe regions Eastern and Southern? We are still in Main Capitol region so I know that the Queen is ruling but what about them?"
"Those are under the rule of the Duch Lord Fernando Galion. He has focused those regions of its two main focuses, agriculture and Trading." Alle finished as Munich was thinking it over. If they controlled those regions who was the one in power. Queen Angelica could easily be overthrown if they grabbed hold of assets in those areas and used it persuade the people. But why haven't they? It mystified her.
Just what had she just walked herself into.