I picked the pieces of wood under my feet. This forest is still the same every time I traveled here, it is still dark, shady, and dangerous.
Stygian Forest is unpredictable if I have a choice I don't recommend staying here, but we need to travel 2 days without stopping if we want to exit the forest and 2 nights and 3 days if you decided to rest.
I don't have a choice but to stop here for now as they don't have experience traveling for a long duration. It might worn-out them if we continue. Staying here is also not a good choice, I may protect them but we don't know what will happen and we might encounter unexpected situations.
We need to finish gathering woods and return soon. I can't leave those two alone as I can't guarantee their safety. I don't know why I need to do this. It's not my job to guard these brats, but I don't have a choice because it's my punishment.
I actually don't give a damn about things that didn't enter my eyes but those children are different or should I say that Sam seems different. Every time I look at him, I feel comfortable it's kind of strange feeling this way. It makes me want to protect him and get close to him.
Why would I feel like this? I admit I love my family and my friends, but it's not to the point that I always think for them. They can't fill the void in my heart that I always feel since birth. I don't know why I'm like this, I always feel like I'm not complete that's the reason why I'm always looking for something to fill this emptiness.
I feel like I'm waiting for someone and this feeling seems natural. I feel like I've been doing this for a long time, waiting for his arrival. I'm not sure if it is Samuel, but I can feel that he became important to me since I laid my eyes on him.
My instinct is telling me to protect him and keep him away from danger. I look at the child I was with, I think his name is Noel. Where did he go? I told him earlier not to go too far away from me.
This is the reason why I can't handle this kind of job. Why would I need to be their nanny and look for them? It's dark here and the only source of light is from this mana stone that I have and I gave one to Noel while I left the lamp back at the camp.
I think I gathered enough woods I need to return soon but before that, I need to look for that brat, Noel. I already told him that it's not safe here and he needs to stay close to me. I look around, where did he go? I can feel like a bad omen will come.
My instinct is telling me that there is something wrong and I can feel that the forest is in turmoil. My instinct has never been wrong but I wish that I only misinterpret it. I need to look for Noel and return to the camp, I feel uneasy about this situation.
"Aaahhhhh!."
That's Noel's voice I'm sure it's him. I run towards the direction where the voice came from and I can easily spot his direction because of the mana stone that I gave him earlier. I walk in his direction but I stopped halfway.
I saw Noel's stomach being pierced by the ugly ogre's hand. He looks in my direction as a tear falls from his eye, the fear is visible in those silver eyes, and blood coming out from his mouth while looking in my direction. I used my mana to scan the whole place and I'm not surprised at the number of monsters surrounding us.
It's an ambush, a well-planned one but their plan won't work. I used my mana and dash towards Noel's location at a fast pace. The ogre didn't notice as I dash like a lightning at an unbelievable speed.
I choke the ogre's neck and punch its head exploding while the blood splashing around wetting my clothes and face. I catch Noel before he falls and tightens my grip. He is still breathing but the hole in his stomach is bleeding.
I don't know how long can he keep it until we reached the camp. I left the potion in the carriage and I don't think I can finish this hundred of ogres quickly. I tear my clothes and wrap them around his stomach to lessen the bleeding. I touch his face to face me.
"Don't worry I'm not going to let you die. I'm going to save you, okay?"
I wipe his tears that are continuing to fall.
"He-help me, it's pa-painful."
I can feel how scared he is, but I can see that he wants to live in her eyes.
"Shhhh... Stop crying I promise I will save you. Stay still, I'm going to finish them first so wait for me." He nods his head in agreement as I laid him down on the grass and stand up preparing to kill these ugly ogres.
Channeling my mana from my heart towards my right hand forming a lightning sword. The ogre that was hiding before showed up when I killed their comrade is also preparing for the battle.
I dash towards their direction fast, leaving a spark on the ground every time I step and cut the ogres from left to right.
I need to finish this quickly but I can't unleash my full magic as it can cause a fire in this forest that might result to even more problems.
I cast Chain Lightning as crowd control to freeze them, then slicing them like a cake without mercy. I cast Lightning Prison to the 10 ogres at my right then burn them leaving them into dust. I twist my body as I kick the ogre approaching and was flown away smashing at the nearby tree because of the impact.
I punch, slice and kick left and right, I don't know how many hours have passed but the ogre's number is continuing to increase. I need to finish this faster because I don't think Noel can last long.
It would be easy if I have my sword or I can transform into my dragon form. I glance where I left Noel, I can see that he is fighting I can see the determination in her eyes that he wants to survive. I didn't notice that an ogre is swinging its weapon aiming at me, but an arrow hits the ogre before it hits me.
I look where the arrow comes from and I saw many kids wearing the crest of the Cleon Guild. I breathe out feeling my burden lessen as I can depend on them. I can handle this hundred of ogres alone but it would take time and Noel can't make it.
I print towards them and when I reach I open my right hand towards them. They give me a confused look looking at my open hand.
"Give me the healing potion," I said irritatingly as how slow they are.
"Ahh... Ye-yes the potion. Wait a minute Captain, here." A girl gave me the healing potion if I remember her name is Paige Windsor a talented magician in the Windsor family.
I rushed in Noel's direction after I got the potion. I look at Noel's face and he is so pale because of the blood loss. I'm holding his head so it will be easy for him to drink the potion.
"Drink this is going will help you." I let him drink the potion, while drinking he smiles and looks at me with blurry eyes as the tears are blocking his sight. Then he suddenly closes his eyes. I panic at his losing his breath and I touch his chest.
His heart is beating slowly then it stops pumping.
"Nooooo... I promise to save you." I laid him down and start pumping his heart and doing mouth giving him air. I repeat the process until he grasps and regains consciousness.
I can feel an immense delight seeing him alive like I would regret if he would die. He looks at me but the way he looks at me is different. My heart skips a beat and the emptiness in my heart is filled with the beautiful face of Noel as he smiles at me.
This Noel in front of me is different from the Noel before. I don't know how to explain it, but he seems a different person and the longer I look at his eyes, the more my heart is pumping too fast. Noel raised his hands and touched my cheek.
"I met you sooner than I expect." He looks at me with longing full of love.
"Captain! Help us, the ogre's number is increasing." I look away from Noel as I glance at Cleon Guild's members fighting the increasing number of ogres.
"Wait here I'm going to finish this first." I joined the fighting, I think there are a total of 7 from the Cleon Guild fighting the horde of ogres.
"Where is your Guild Lord?" I ask them when I can't see their Guild Lord.
"He is looking for the Chief Ogre."
Said the blond guy who is good at using his sword. So that guy is not here. I'm kind of excited watching him fighting, I'm a little disappointed.
I continued fighting with them until we killed the last ogre. I walk in Noel's direction and check if he's alright. When I touch him I immediately release as I can feel a spark when I touched him.
Then again those scorching eyes watching me tingles my heart. I won't let you escape again, Noel.