The night felt long. All the soldiers were on their edges because they knew this scale of events means that there is something stronger than 2nd stage Magical beast waiting for them out there.
All of them took their rest seriously as they don't know what they will face the next day.
Till now many of their targets were 2nd stage Magical beasts. But, occasionally they trap a 3rd stage Magical beasts and defeat them using tactics and tricks. And that is also the reason their squad did not incur any serious casualty till now. Their will to survive is as strong as their will to serve their home.
Their rest ended at the early time of 5 in the morning. They resumed their journey to Bluestone Valley. The path was devoid of animals excepts critters and birds.
On the way, they prepared all their weapons to be ready for any sort of ambush from the target.
Even this day was eerily quiet. Dark clouds covered the sky ready to shower.
The squad moved in a group this time with only individual scouts moving independently in distance.
Marco decided to camp early in another naturally formed caves as it was obvious there will be a heavy downpour that night. He did not want the squad to sleep under some tree if they are unable to find a proper place.
The night was not silent. Thunders rumbled the whole forest. While bolts of lightning lit few trees. A tree near the cave also got lit up like a torch due to lightning and later rain put it off. Even with all the ruckus caused by the heavy rain, they rested sufficiently for the following day. If there is any unforeseen event.
That night Marco talked with the kids about the forest. And his understanding of many things taught to him by his predecessors or experience.
That night amidst all the thunders and lightning a huge roar vibrated through the forest. Most of the sound is covered up by the thunders but the Sensitive ears of Marco and peter Were able to sense it and the geniuses of the squad also faintly heard it. Slowly Marcus's imagination turned extremely wild he started speculating what sort of being they would clash within the forest.
He even thought of the possibility of it being a dragon or a Griffin. But, he ruled them out since Griffins and don't roar and he read in a journal by an adventurer that a dragon's roar can reach dozen's of miles if not hundreds if it is extremely angry. Normal people can't bear it at all they would either wind up dead if they are near if not they would just faint from the fright it gives.
So something on guardian beast realm is not possible.
In the cave, all the rookie rangers were gossiping about the trivia of the town within the castle.
"you know, that barmaid from the tavern got married to a soldier. She was like an angel man the new one always has a grumpy face". A ranger said.
Another ranger disagreed with him.
"no bro you don't understand women at all. She is playing hard to get but in reality, those are the sweetest women in bed".
The first one retorted. "who told you that shit".
"my father told me. He said he fell for my mother who was the barmaid back then and proposed to her he thought she was an angel just like you said. But, you should have seen him after that. The man who is called the mad spear becomes weaker than a walking stick when my mother argues with him".
All the soldiers suddenly went silent. Because they know who Mad Spear as he was said to have stabbed dozens of beasts to death in a beast horde two decades ago although he dies in the recent beast horde he died a hero.
Even the first one calmed down "Maybe there is some truth in what mad spear said".
"Hmmm, thats right if it is Mad Spear that said those words there is some truth to it but that's only half of it".
Everyone looked at another soldier who was talking.
He spoke "my father saw my mother when she was a waiter in the restaurant she was the grumpy type he thought after he marries and takes her to bed he would be able to conquer her. Hehehe ". a slight laugh escaped his mouth "but who would have thought he would become a drunk after failing to subdue my mother and he even hit us both but my mother killed him off. even the old baron forgave her after our neighbours testified against my father he even gave this soldier job to me for when I grow up".
Everyone was deeply contemplating their future choices after listening to the stories from both ends of the spectrum. All of them were unmarried a good soldier especially a soldier under Marco's command does not marry unless he permits them to. As he was a son of a soldier and an orphan of war he knew quite well how the life of a soldier is a dance on the edge of a knife. That's why he forbade his squad to marry and procreate until they reach the status of the named squad. Only then would they receive sufficient compensation even if they die in the line of duty. And family is also the reason Marco tries his best to keep all the members alive.
Meanwhile, Marcus had an urge to pee. So he pulled back his hood and went outside. The rain was
slow compared to before. He walked some distance before he faced a tree and opened the dam gates. He felt that instant relief after that he tightened his pants and turned around. To leave right then a silhouette caught his eye it was large it was observing the voices from the cave. He first thought he was seeing things. He rubbed his eyes and looked again and this time he noticed the silhouette resembled a standing bear the only thing that did not add up as it was almost ten feet tall. It tilted its face towards Marcus. His heart rate picked up pace his legs froze. He felt fear, his hands involuntarily shook as were his legs. This was the first time he witnessing something like this. Its eyes glistened with a tint of red.
A flash of light crossed the sky.
The whole forest got illuminated for a split second. And that second showed Marcus what he was deeply wishing not to see. His apparent predator standing just a few meters away. It was a black bear if he was correct from the glowing eyes it was a black flame bear.
Marcus's sensitive soul felt its anger and bloodlust. It looked at him like it was seeing some prey.
Even the shadow panther he killed back then did not make him feel like this. His instinct told him this After the lightning passed a few seconds passed
was an enemy far beyond his level.
Bham!
The thunder shook Marcus from his daze.
He felt like this was all a bad dream and he was still sleeping in the cave.
But the droplets of water that fall from the leaves above on his cloak. And the wetness he is feeling from the cloak were showing otherwise and his predator was right in front of him.
Marcus's brain ran like never before. He tried to assess that bear's powers. He has witnessed the powers of humans from stage one to stage 3 before, but this bear was something that transcended all that. This was just off the charts level of intensity he felt from it. Forget the power he was finding it nauseous even to feel the emotions of the bear. He immediately severed his link to the bear.
This was something he learned in the past few years.
His hands reached for his back where he would keep his blades. But they felt nothing. He remembered he left his blades in the cave while he was resting. He felt for any other weapons on him his hands felt that enchanted dagger gifted to him by his mother. His hands grabbed it tightly. His limbs were still shivering but he got used to it slowly. The first thing he did was to get his body under control.
Thank the Loki, the bear was far from him. If not his head would be in its jaws. Bear looked at the cave for one last time.it locked on to Marcus and moved. Its speed was astonishing for its size Marcus's estimate told him it would be in front of him in just a couple of seconds.
His right hand unsheathed his dagger. And he assumed his stance. Waited for the bear to close in. But all of a sudden he leapt sideways. He screamed his lungs out to alert his comrades. The sudden scream woke up the squad from their illusion of safety. All of them picked up their weapons in hurry and rushed outside and the sentries in front of the cave were flabbergasted to see a giant bear hiding right under their noses.
Marco was the first one to respond. But he stopped right on his tracks when he tried to appraise the threat level of the bear.
The bear was enraged to see that Marcus escaped from its plunge and got mad it roared out loud. Unlike before the roar got etched into the hearts of those present. It turned towards Marcus and ran towards him. But it met with a dozen arrows coming at its way instead of dodging or blocking with hands roared at them but this time fire came from the mouth it burnt the arrows to smithereens and the arrowheads glowed red. Once they fell the hissing sound of quenching filled the place.
The bear grabbed Marcus with its hands Marcus tried stabbing it with the knife but it did not help it was the too low grade for doing any real damage to a Magical beast of this calibre. It did not engage in any more combat it directly took off into the forest. Its speed has already crossed the realm of common sense despite its size it was faster than a galloping horse just a shy bit slower than a leopard. Marco did not wait for the others he just shouted orders.
"follow the tracks, follow me, Peter I hand you the authority".
he took off on that rainy night.
The Squad has experienced something they never thought would occur. Beasts stronger than stage 3 always stay in the inner parts of the forest and this is the first time they saw any magical beast approach this close to the Bluestone valley.
And the heir to their barony has just got abducted by some crazy bear.
This was just too much to take in but their professionalism saved them time. They soon packed everything efficiently and took off into the forest themselves. They don't know what price they would have to pay if Marcus died and what kind of price the Barony would pay once other nobles knew the only heir to the Barony has died in a god damned forest like a fu*king nobody.