The human kingdom was much bigger than the maps made it appear. Even Leo, who had travelled with his soldiers, with Aiden and Lynia and by himself, got to know new places on his current journey with Connor. Within a day, they reached a huge city. Upon reaching the gate, a surprise was waiting for them.
"Do you have a permit?"
"Permit?"
" Usually it is not necessary, but looking at you, it seems that you are not normal merchants. So you have one or not?"
"We don't possess one, so where do we go to get one?"
"I'm afraid you won't get one that easily. I mean, you guys must really come from far away not to know this. In the city there are mostly adventurers who get admission with a permit either from guilds or other special members."
"So that means if we don't belong to a guild and are completely new, we're not allowed into the city?"
"That's correct. Actually, this rule has only been established recently and it has proven to be effective so far. Prior to that, all soldiers, warriors and bounty hunters were allowed to enter. As a result, chaos often ensued, but now we have a bit of peace. In case of riots, the adventurers in the city will support us. Things that were barely possible before are now a reality. We have much to thank the king for. The unified rule protects us from possible threats and allows rest much easier."
Leo clearly knew who was responsible for this. It was a wise decision by Aiden, and one that was well received by the citizens.
("So he has already managed something...unity by cooperation. How ironic!")
"If we're not allowed to enter I have a question: are there jobs to kill monsters in this city?"
"Quite a few, actually. Recently more and more have been piling up, never in all my time as a soldier have I seen so many missions like in the past weeks."
"Hmm, okay, I guess we'll have to keep going then. Take care."
Connor dragged Leo with him as they continued their journey.
"Pretty tough rule of theirs. It' probably going to be enforced in my old home town soon, too."
"It will be impossible to impose that rule everywhere. Aiden has thought of something, most likely the city has a great importance in terms of resources as well as key individuals. As a result, he intends to have more protection for them and for his kingdom."
"You know the guy personally?"
"I used to think so until it came to an incident that almost got me killed. It' best we don't meet again or his kingdom will threaten to crumble. As a matter of fact, it's already beginning to do that now."
"If it does then the threat is more from demons than anything else. If everything goes wrong they''ll soon attack and reclaim their land."
("So that's what you told them huh. That they want to take back their land and not take revenge for the massacre you watched...truly a righteous king. Blames others and deceives his people...I suppose it's for the best...everything is always for the best...that bastard!")
"Even if they should attack this is only the beginning. Moreover, the king too is tainted by old misdeeds. He is not as just and fair as everyone thinks. Yet, in these very times, his method serves him best. Had his father not screwed up, none of this would be necessary."
"Now that I think about it, Roy was also a close friend of the old king. So that's why he returned after his death..."
"What's going to happen there? Is he the ruler of the city?"
"Fortunately not, it would be disastrous for many citizens. As far as I know, there are 5 people making collective decisions. Not all of them are as corrupt and pathetic as this bastard. Nevertheless, it was not good enough to make sure that my mother and I were regarded as normal."
"That city isn't even half the size of this one. Given as many establishments and businesses as there probably are, I don't think multiple people will reign. The more I think about it the more curious and restless I get."
" We would have to enter the city to evaluate it for that. First of all, a normal place to sleep would be very comforting. With such a large city and so many merchants, there have to be smaller villages nearby."
We''ll have to find one before night falls."
"And what are you going to do then? Beg them to let you sleep or threaten them?"
"Of course not, there are other methods besides violence."
("Threatening is not an option, begging as a last method, offering help in return, possibly enticing or seducing.")
"Leo, how good are you with women? Do you think you can manage to convince them to let us spend the night."
"Do I look like I can succeed with that? Besides, they'll have a different idea of a sleepover." So get that idea out of your head and don't give in to your desperation."
"Do you have any better suggestions? You're no different, I know it for a fact. You've been jabbering about some rest in your sleep, too!"
"Since when have I been talking in my sleep? You gotta be out of your mind!"
"Oh yeah?! Well, how do you know you don't you dumbass?!"
All of a sudden they heard loud screams from a distance. In a flash they ran towards the sounds and checked what had happened. They discovered a village, however, it was anything but quiet. Several monsters surrounded the houses and attacked the inhabitants. They desperately tried to run away or barricade themselves.
"Don't worry, we've finally arrived!"
Next to Leo and Connor, there was a group of adventurers rushing toward the monsters. They were made up of a swordsmen, an archer, a healer, and an offensive mage. Their strength was impressive and it seemed that they would win. Unfortunately, their teamwork was a nightmare.
Leo and Connor watched the events unfold as they breathed a sigh of disappointment.
"Why do we always meet saviors who end up needing to be saved themselves? Is everyone too incompetent or is it fate that we must fight against stupidity?"
Connor saw that Leo was far more disappointed than he was.
"You look like a disappointed father because of your kids right now."
"Oh yeah? That's an understatement. I wonder why people always take death lightly. You know, we're surrounded by fools."
"You know our next move."
"Yeah yeah, blah blah, we'll help them and look cool about it."
"Not only that, they' re our key to getting into the city."
The two of them hesitated long enough. Connor's fingers were tingling to try out his techniques while Leo still couldn't believe the naivety of these people. Once again they were able to take advantage of the element of surprise and overpower the monsters together with the adventurers. Thus, the village was saved.
"You can come out now, the danger has been cleared."
The residents emerged from their homes and looked around for victims. A man was badly wounded, but otherwise there were no real casualties. Their healer treated the wound and then joined the group.
"Thank you, it looks like we overestimated ourselves a bit haha."
("You don't say...")
"As long as everyone is safe we' re okay. Your skills are impressive however you need to work more as a team. If everyone is dedicated to a different monster, the chances of you killing them are slimmer. Moreover, you take more time than if you killed them together one by one. By yourself you are in great danger, but as a group your courage and self-confidence will grow. Should you fail, there will always be your backup to support you. Always remember: You can only protect others as well as you can protect yourself. And that is best done as a group."
Leo listened to Connor's advice, all that he said was helpful to that group. Connor was on the same wavelength as Leo in terms of reasoning.
"You're right about that, we should have considered that before we got here. After all, it's our first battle as a group."
"You're adventurers from the big city, right? Did your mission state that you should save the village?"
"Not really, there are said to be monsters loose around here. As soon as we heard the screams we rushed here. In fact, the appearance of these monsters matches the drawings."
"Since we did the job together, I have a request. I don't want money, though actually I do ,but me and my sidekick are looking for a way into the city. I am sure you can help us right?"
"Hmm, that will be difficult."
"Why would it be difficult? You've seen what we're capable of. Monster contracts aren't a big deal."
"No, that's not the main issue. We still haven't finished our mission, it was supposed to be wiping out the nearby nest."
"So that was just a teaser...you guys should realize that you won't be able to handle it on your own. So what do you think: we'll help you kill the monsters and in return you'll take us into the city?"
The group briefly discussed among themselves and took a closer look at the two. Unlike normal friendly soldiers, they looked more like bounty hunters. Their coats were stained with blood and their armor had lots of scrapes. Nevertheless, they were their saviors and did them no harm.
"Alright, as long as you help us take down the nest, we'll bring you into the city."
"Deal! You guys get ready, we'll move out in a minute."
"W-what do you mean right away? Don't you think we should rest first? The villagers offered us places to sleep."
"Rest now? You've got to be kidding! They'll all gather in their nests at night, so we can wipe them all out at once.
"This is insane! We don't even know where their nest is."
"I know exactly where it may be. And Connor's right, these creatures are most vulnerable at night."
Leo was very sure of himself. He encountered this kind of monster more than once when he and his troop moved around the kingdom.
"You, mage, we will require fire magic so be prepared. The one with the bow and arrow: stand further back and wait for my signal. All close combatants stay in line with Connor."
Leo was used to leading, so he automatically gave his orders.
"Since when are you our leader?"
"Are you going to take it over? I hope you know the way they' re going to attack, otherwise there will be casualties."
Leo's gaze made sure to put fear into them.
"Okay, you're probably better suited hehe. Just don't put us in too much danger. We really need the rewards."
The group passed through the forest until they stood on top of a hill.
"What is that stench?"
"Look down and see for yourself."
In the depths were innumerable monsters. They resembled the giant crocodiles Leo had encountered before on his first expedition. However, they were different, their territory was not water but land. They were larger and their skin color was different.... Leo knew they must be the same ones who almost ate one of his soldiers back then. Back then there was a decisive disadvantage: none of them had been able to use magic. In those days, they had to fight these creatures with their swords. Using their weapons, it was very difficult for them to strike the monsters. This was not due to thick skin, but to the fluid that their skin produced. Both arrows and swords slipped off and were unable to penetrate the body. As Leo smelled the secretion then, a familiar liquid came to his mind.
"By the goddess, what are these huge creatures?!"
"These are the full grown specimens, the ones in the village were just the babies. Here's where the action is in full swing."
"How are we ever going to defeat them? This mission is suicide after all!"
"Stay calm, Leo does have a plan, you heard him. None of you are going to die here."
"We're going to keep following my plan. That stench you smell is very likely our key to success. To do that, we're going to need fire magic in particular."
"What good will that do? You saw those critters yourself."
("Leo probably wants to set them on fire. But how can he be so sure that this works?")
"The fluid they release is highly flammable, meaning we can set them on fire. Not all of them will die right away so let's stay up here and await their approach. Combat will be a breeze since they will be already half-dead by the time they get here. Remain highly focused. You there, come with me, we'll handle the main part. Connor, you stay here with the others and stand by."
The monsters looked like they were sleeping so it was easier to concentrate.
("Why am I doing this again...this is going to hurt.")
Leo focused in his mind turning his sword into a bow.
"We need to move fast, aim your fire magic directly at the bow. Next, light your comrade's arrow. We will finish them off for the most part."
As ordered, he fused the fire magic with Leos bow and the arrow of the archer.
" Good job, now go to the others and tell them it''s time to get started. As for you, try shooting straight into the center of the cluster."
"What's the point, that's never going to be enough to hit everyone."
"That's what I'm here for. Take accurate aim and fire."
His arms shook and he could barely keep the string taut. But the will to protect his friends was strong enough to overcome that fear. The arrow hurtled towards the ground and struck one of the monsters in the tail. Its skin ignited, but it was barely enough to spread the flame elsewhere. Dominated by fear, the archer looked into Leo's face.
Without expression, he drew his bow, with a black burning arrow forming in front of the string. He let go of the string and the projectile went flying. Like a regular arrow, the projectile rushed downward. His shot managed to hit the same place. Upon contact with the burning wound, a glaring light appeared followed by a huge explosion. The fire spread quickly across a huge area. The shock wave knocked the archer over but Leo wasn't done yet.
("Damn, the pain is getting worse. This is the most I can do.")
A second arrow formed on the bow. The creatures cried out in pain, though they were not yet dead. As they recognized their opponents, they charged toward them. However, after a few steps, the second arrow shot in their direction. This time, an even more powerful explosion ensued with the huge blast wave throwing even Leo backwards. Next to him he saw that his weapon had turned back into a sword. While the nest was completely wiped out, individual creatures still showed a great desire to survive. Before getting to Leo, they ran into Connor's group. Those individual monsters that survived were barely able to hold on and were at the mercy of the group. None of them were injured just as Leo had said. As the flames burned the monsters' bodies, they extinguished in one fell swoop.
"You all are still alive, that' s good. Well, then, the mission has been successfully completed. Now let's inform the residents that they are safe.
"Just how did you know everything was going to happen like this? Who exactly are you?"
"A wanderer, no more, no less."
Everyone was fascinated by Leo's leadership qualities. Everything he had said beforehand came to pass. Even Connor was surprised by his attitude, taking so much responsibility let alone working with others. So they followed his order and went back to the village.
"Now we can stay here, can't we? None of us have the energy to continue the trip. And besides, we can collect the proof tomorrow, since they won't be attacking anymore."
"All right, rest up. In the morning you'll collect a piece of the corpses so we can continue our journey as soon as possible."
Upon arriving in the village, they shared the good news. Finally, the villagers were able to rest in safety. In return, they were given food and drink as well as a bed to sleep in. Lying in bed, Leo felt the pain of the transformation from sword to bow. Despite doing everything he could to recover to use the magic, he found it increasingly difficult to perform it. Leo looked at the white mark in his hand, surely it had something to do with this. He wanted clarity and answers regarding the sign. His hope was to find them in the city.
Early the next morning, everyone thanked the townspeople and left in the direction of yesterday's battle. Once there, almost all the bodies were burnt black. Single body parts were still recognizable. Therefore, they separated a claw from the body and packed it as evidence.
"And something like that is enough evidence?"
" Given the size of the claws, it should be enough. Otherwise, a small squad will be ordered to the battle site to confirm it since it's nearby."
"Hmm, not too shabby. What else is there in the city? Tell us all about it until we arrive."
"Alright, alright. Then again, we don't know that much about the town. Actually, we come from a smaller town way out west. That' s where we were taught, raised and where we got our passports from our teachers. Streets are crowded with markets and small stores, really everything you can imagine. At our first arrival, we couldn't help but be astonished. This city has the greatest community of guilds in the kingdom. All of the folk and races are coming from far and wide to be enlisted there."
"Wait a minute, all races? All the races are allowed?"
"Yes, I didn't believe at first either. There is little dispute between the peoples in the city. The atmosphere is soothing, a harmony exists between every race there. It's hard to believe with all that has happened in the past years and centuries. From what I have learned, it has always been like this, even when wars were going on, the regulations were respected and no one was incited as long as they didn't turn against the city. Apparently, the sovereign is very strict, though she has a big heart. Few have seen her in person, as she usually remains in her small palace."
"Well, this is going to be even more surprising than I expected. It only makes me more inquisitive now. Now, how are we going to get to the city?"
"Don't worry, our adventure seal is more valuable than you think. In addition, we'll confirm your assistance. You might need to be tested first to make sure you're not criminals, though."
"A test for strange people?"
"That's what it said in the regulations. I don't know what exactly will happen. Most likely, you'll have to be surprised."
"Great, just more trouble..."
In front of the city gate, they showed the guards the seal and the proof of their success. Next thex confirmed the support of Leo and Connor. The guards were not convinced by this statement. As they were about to sent them away they heard a voice upon the wall.
"Let those two enter, I have a fairly good sense of them. Don't get too excited yet you two, you're not free men in here until I say so. Show them the way to the fighting ground! Let's see how confidential you guys really are."
So Connor and Leo were permitted to enter, which meant they had to undergo a test. Their overseer was not a guild master or one of the warriors. In fact, it was the right hand of the sovereign of the city herself, who took a liking to the two of them. Moreover, what Leo and Connor did not know at the time was that this person is a legend among the military. Their skill and determination would soon be pushed to its limit.