the walk was more relaxing than I'd be willing to admit, being able to calmly stroll alongside beautiful landscapes before reaching sparse of odd metal structures was good, of course it was only fun for me.
everyone else, including Raya, was on guard, nervously watching the sides of the road as we moved.
I would have reached the same way, at level 35, but now I'm just chilling.
but then again there was a saying on earth that pride comes before the fall and I'd prefer not to fall today so underneath my calm demeanor I was ready to react at a moments notice, my muscles straining tightly as they were like the hammer of a revolver, ready to release with explosive force at a moment.
everyone in the group besides myself were all armed, somehow I'd missed the daggers in Rayas clothes, which wasn't hard to do figuring what I had to deal with the entire time she was near me, except for now after breaking the item.
"so....."(Raya)
"yes?"(syn)
"that happened."(Raya)
"it did, yes."(syn)
"I'm so sorry!"(Raya)
"I accept your apology and would really prefer if we never talked about this, ever."(syn)
yeah sure we've fucked and all but violently masturbating while chasing a person over miles of forest without putting clothes back on while calling out their name crosses several lines.
"so, your mom still around?"(syn)
she gave me a shocked look.
"yeah, why?"(Raya) asked, dropping back and walking next to me.
"alot changes in a thousand years, ya never know what did."(syn)
"how do you?...oh! you're 7-"(Raya)
I slapped my hand over her mouth before she said anything else.
"7 what? and a thousand years you haven't been alive that long!"(tank?)
"it's an expression, it just means I haven't seen her in a while."(syn) I lied, hoping Raya would back it up, strangers don't need to know I'm almost 8 thousand years old.
the head adventurer dude, who's name I still haven't heard, stopped in his tracks suddenly.
"what is it?"(tank?)
"there have been no creature attacks."(head adventurer)
"now that you mention it on this road were attacked at least 13 times."(archer)
"the creatures around here only avoid apex predators that are stronger than them, it's instinct."(crystal staff girl)
I'm literally the definition of apex predator, well unless you count me getting abducted to study as me being prey but usually prey is killed so I'm gonna go ahead and say I'm not prey, why am I thinking about this?
oh right, right, are avoiding our group and I know exactly why.
nothing with strong and savage survival instincts wants to get within 100 feet of me.
should I tell them or do I let them puzzle themselves until we get away from them, and by we I mean until Raya gets home and until I leave on my own, for some reason Raya getting home is important to me, more than my own leaving, I haven't felt anything similiar to that in a long while.
its fine for now, the feeling wasn't negative but strange, carrying a nostalgia with it.
on the topic of nostalgia I remembered when Raya had dark hair that one time, why did I never question why it was white the second time I saw her? did I question it? I don't think so, man remembering something that insignificant that happened a while ago isn't easy.
I turned my attention back to the trees, something not feeling quite right, trusting that feeling I sent a weak energy blast in the direction, once it impacted and exploded debris was sent flying our way.
people debris, armed men and women in shitty armor and somewhat off looking clothes.
for the most part clothes hadn't changed much, besides whatever the hell they were wearing, I couldn't think of anything it could be other than a shirt and pants.
I could almost swear it was made of metal, are they wearing high tech chainmail? is that even a thing?
"hey Raya, what are they wearing?"(syn)
"hm? oh that's shift mail, chainmail that shifts to the impact point of any attack, it gives you more protection."(Raya)
I thought on that for a moment while the adventurers moved to intercept the armed group.
I felt that for now I'd done enough, expsosing them and stopping am ambush so my job was done, until they were almost dead or someone they couldn't handle came along.
the fight was boring, they attacked in formations as not to be overwhelmed, the numbers of what I could only call Sci fi bandits were high and they kept coming from the treeline, did I find their entire force?
probably.
an enraged and hulking man came rushing from the treeline, barreling through his own men, aiming straight at the adventurers.
"YOU KILLED MY WIFE!"(hulking man)
oh fuck, that was me, I screwed up.
he charged toward the guy who looked in charge, besides me the only guy in our group, he wouldn't be able to block anything, I guess I have to save someone.
moving faster than anyone could see I was in front of the head adventurer, calmly blocking the man's swing with his weapon, the metal colliding with my arm as a blast of force erupted and dust was sent flying into the air, once it settled the girls in the group I was traveling with, except for Raya, were shocked, the man's large two handed axe was stopped in place, my one arm perfectly fine as I stood there looking relaxed while he looked strained.
"guess I have to fight after all, do try not to die quickly."(syn) I told the man, my aura growing wild and hungry.