Gah-Hal and Hogel continue walking. Gah-Hal keeps helping Hogel with walking for around 10 minutes now.
"I think I can walk by myself now." Hogel says.
Gah-Hal takes away Hogel's arm from his shoulders and looks at Hogel walking by himself now. He is now back to normal.
"Good to see that you are fine now." Gah-Hal says while moving his belt to a bit more comfortable position. He also hands the sack with silk to Hogel that he was holding.
"So now you will hold this for me." Gah-Hal says while handing him the bag.
Hogel takes it and feels it's not even heavy.
"What even is this? It look heavy although it's not." Hogel asks looking at the bag.
"Silk." Gah-Hal says.
"Silk?" Hogel asks.
"Yes. Silk. That's it." Gah-Hal replies.
"Oh well. Wait. How rich are you?" Hogel asks.
"Very. Like nobility level." Gah-Hal says proudly.
Hogel widens his eyes.
"Then why are you walking alone instead of buying a horse, renting a caravan and guards? Maybe except of guards." Hogel asks curious.
"Because I like showing thugs where their place is once they attack. I also like the nature and what I can see while passing through. I'm also not in hurry and if I was I would be in my destination right now." Gah-Hal replies confidently.
Hogel listens to Gah-Hal's explanation with a mixture of surprise and curiosity. He can't help but feel intrigued by Gah-Hal's unique perspective on life.
"I've never met anyone like you before. Young wealthy, tough guy." Hogel admits, a mixture of awe and amusement in his voice.
"Thank you for this compliment." Gah-Hal says with smile.
As they walk along the road, the landscape continues to unfold before them. The sun casts long shadows, and the gentle breeze carries with it the scents of the forest. It's a peaceful scene, a stark contrast to the events that had unfolded earlier.
"So, Hogel. You are 17 years old. Why you decided to go the criminal path in such age? You had a lot of possible jobs available for people of your age. I managed to hit 15 so I decided not to waste too much time by only helping my parents at home." Gah-Hal asks even though he knows the answer.
Hogel's expression turns somber as he contemplates the question. He walks a few steps before he begins to speak, his voice carrying a hint of regret.
"It's not like I ever wanted to be a criminal, you know. It was more about survival, at first. My family lived on the fringes of society, struggling to make ends meet. My father taught me to hunt, to gather, and I did what I could to help. But it was never enough." Hogel begins, his tone reflecting the complexity of his situation.
"As I got older, I realized that there were quicker ways to make money. My parents suddenly died 4 years ago so I didn't manage to ask them about life in time. I fell in with the wrong crowd and before I knew it, I was taking part in things I never thought I would. It was like... I was doing whatever it took to survive, even if it meant hurting others. I knew it was wrong, but the desperation clouded my judgment." Hogel continues, his gaze fixed on the road ahead.
Gah-Hal listens attentively, understanding the all too familiar tale of how circumstances can lead people down dark paths.
"I get it. How easily can one become influenced by malicious thoughts." Gah-Hal says.
Hogel nods, his expression a mix of relief and vulnerability. It's clear that he appreciates Gah-Hal's understanding and non-judgmental attitude.
"Yeah, exactly. It's like a downward spiral, and before you know it, you're caught up in something you can't escape from without help." Hogel replies, his voice tinged with a hint of bitterness.
Gah-Hal's eyes meet Hogel's, his expression serious but empathetic.
As they walk, the conversation shifts to lighter topics. They talk about their interests, their dreams, and even share a few laughs. The tension of earlier seems to have dissipated, replaced by a sense of camaraderie and mutual understanding.
The journey continues, two travelers with different backgrounds and stories, bound together by a chance encounter that changed the course of their lives. The road ahead may be uncertain, but they walk it together, ready to face whatever come their way.
Gah-Hal and Hogel's conversation continues to flow, punctuated by laughter and shared experiences. The forest around them seems to come alive with the soft sounds of nature, creating a serene backdrop to their journey.
4 Hours Later
The sun is slowly starting to set. While both travelers passed through many villages, forests and plains on their way, it's about time to start preparing a place for a night. It's still light enough with orange sky. Both travelers are still walking on the road passing through a hill and seeing like 6th forest today on the way.
"Alright. We will do a break for today in forest over there. Do you know how to make shelters?" Gah-Hal asks.
"I do. Will you find some food?" Hogel replies and asks.
"I will get a lot of food." Gah-Hal replies.
Gah-Hal and Hogel find a suitable spot at the edge of the forest, where the trees provide some cover from the wind and the fading sunlight. The forest around them exudes a sense of calmness as the day transitions into evening.
Hogel begins to work on constructing a shelter using his knowledge of survival techniques. He gathers branches, leaves, and other materials from the forest floor to create a makeshift structure that will provide them with some protection from the elements.
Meanwhile, Gah-Hal sets off on his task of gathering food. His keen eyesight and familiarity with the wild help him locate edible plants and even catch a few small animals. However he doesn't actually decide to find anything. He instead goes to deep into the forest and summons another bag out of thin air.
The bag is the same size as the one with the silk that he left with Hogel, but it's empty. Here Gah-Hal does another thing which is fully filling the bag with bread, dried meat and 2 jars of honey. He smiles widely to himself while carrying the bag filled with dainty.
Then Gah-Hal goes back to the camp after 10 minutes of leaving Hogel alone building the shelters. Hogel is still building the first shelter. He looks at Gah-Hal who came with filled bag and feels bad that Gahes already finished his thing while he still isn't even on the half of his part.
"Done already? Damn, I didn't even finish the first hut." Hogel says.
"It's alright. Just look what I got for us." Gah-Hal says placing the bag near Hogel.
Hogel stops constructing and looks inside the sack. He is shocked when he sees what's inside.
"How... did you get all that?" Hogel says with shock in his voice.
Gah-Hal places his hands on his waist and smiles confidently.
"Hmhm. Magic." Gah-Hal says.
Hogel's eyes widen in astonishment as he gazes at the contents of the sack. Bread, dried meat, and jars of honey. A feast fit for a king. He looks up at Gah-Hal, his expression a mix of awe and curiosity.
"Magic? You mean, you really turned what you gathered into all this?" Hogel repeats, still processing what he's seeing.
Gah-Hal chuckles at Hogel's reaction, enjoying his surprise.
"No. I just summoned it out of thin air without turning anything into this." Gah-Hal says looking at Hogel with pride.
Hogel blinks in disbelief, struggling to wrap his mind around what Gah-Hal just said.
"Summoned... Really?" Hogel stammers, his eyes still fixed on the miraculous contents of the bag.
"Yes, that's one of the things I can do. Quite handy. I didn't tell you about it earlier, but now you know." Gah-Hal says with his smile widening.
Hogel's expression shifts from astonishment to a mix of wonder and fascination. He reaches into the bag, taking out a piece of bread and examining it as if it might hold some hidden secret.
"This is incredible. Do you even know what you are able to do with all these skills you have? You can-" Hogel says, his voice filled with amazement.
"I know what I can do and this is why I'm going to capital. I could still do a lot in wilderness but I rather having more fun in bigger towns and you will be there to see." Gah-Hal says.
Hogel's eyes light up as he imagines the possibilities that Gah-Hal's abilities open up. He takes a bite of the bread, savoring the taste, and then looks back at Gah-Hal with a mixture of gratitude and excitement.
"I can't believe I'm getting the chance to travel with someone like you. I've never met anyone with skills like yours. It's like... a whole new world is opening up, like... I'm traveling with top class adventurer." Hogel says, his words filled with genuine enthusiasm.
Gah-Hal chuckles warmly, pleased by Hogel's reaction.
"I'm glad to have you as a travel companion, Hogel. We're in this together, and who knows what kind of adventures we'll come across in the days to come." Gah-Hal says.
As the evening settles in, the two travelers sit around a small fire that Hogel managed to create. The crackling flames cast a warm and comforting glow, while the forest around them seems to come alive with the soft sounds of night creatures.
Gah-Hal takes out some of the dried meat and honey from the sack, setting them near the fire to warm up. The delicious aroma of food fills the air, making Hogel's stomach rumble in anticipation.
"Go ahead. Eat. Help yourself." Gah-Hal says to Hogel who looks at food with hungry gaze.
Hogel grins and nods eagerly, taking a piece of the warmed dried meat and savoring the rich flavors. He can't help but feel a sense of gratitude for Gah-Hal's generosity and companionship.
"What about you? You won't eat?" Hogel asks with food in his mouth.
"I doubt you will eat all of it by yourself so. I will manage to eat either way." Gah-Hal says looking at Hogel.
As Hogel eats, their conversation continues to flow naturally. They share stories from their pasts, exchange thoughts on various subjects, and even delve into more lighthearted topics. The atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable, a far cry from the tense encounter they had earlier in the day.
As the night grows darker, Gah-Hal and Hogel finish their shelters with Gah-Hal building it with his magic within 5 seconds. He also helped Hogel finishing his shelter also using his magic to get over it already. Then Hogel gets himself into his hut, surrounded by the sounds of the forest. The fire crackles nearby, casting dancing shadows on the walls of their shelters.
While Hogel is inside his shelter, Gah-Hal still sits outside near the campfire looking at the moving flame. After few minutes he looks into the dark sky with stars shining over.
"I've been walking for 2 days now. So there are around 3 more days of walking left. I could've now shortened the time, but with everything I saw by this time I feel like there will be more to see." Gah-Hal thinks to himself.
"Hm?" Gah-Hal mumbles to himself.
While looking into the dark sky he sees a bat flying around.
"A... bat?" Gah-Hal looks at the animal confused.
"Wait! It's not a bat! HOGEL!" Gah-Hal yells and stands up immediately after realization.
Gah-Hal was about to run to Hogel's shelter, but was stopped by black beam coming from "bat" almost hitting him if not his reflex.
Hogel quickly comes out of his shelter once he heard the sound of beam piercing the soil.
"Hogel! Vampires attacked!" Gah-Hal yelled to warn his companion.
"WHAT?" Hogel screamed with his heart skipping a beat.
Right when Hogel left his shelter, something grabbed his shoulder. He turned around and saw a man with red eyes and black hair looking deep into his eyes. It was a second vampire.
Hogel was then kicked into Gah-Hal, but Gahes dodged while Hogel landed on a tree with his feet and then back on ground. Something that isn't very often has happend. Vampires attacking humans.
The bat that was on the sky changed it's form into a human with red eyes and long black hair and landed on Hogel's shelter destroying it.
"Young blood." Says the vampire who kicked the Hogel while running at him.
Gah-Hal tried to stop that vampire, but was stopped by the bat vampire who grabbed his arm.
"I will be your opponent." Says the bat vampire before throwing Gah-Hal away from the camp deeper into the forest and jumping right after him.
Hogel is now left alone against Vampire A and Gah-Hal is now left alone against Vampire B.
Hogel reacts quickly taking out his bow and arrows and trying to keep his distance from Vampire A by trying to get a direct shot at it's head. Hogel takes a few shots at Vampire A, but it's either dodged or blocked.
Vampire A slowly closes the distance between Hogel while Hogel desperately tries to hit the vampire. Hogel suddenly decided electrifying his arrow with his own magic. He then stopped moving and kneeled in place waiting for the moment until he can give a clean shot.
Vampire runs with zigzag to make it harder for Hogel to shoot, but eventually Hogel takes a shot with elecrtified arrow. Unfortunately vampire dodged the arrow and got even closer to Hogel.
Hogel afraid took another shot with electrified arrow, but this time into the air. After shot, he dropped his bow and took out his sabre.
Hogel is ready to slash the vampire. With vampire close enough, traveler aims his slash at vampire's torso, but it's blocked by monster's hand cutting the hand all the way to wrist.
Before Hogel knew what happend, vampire jumped on him making him fall on ground. Once on ground, vampire shot the black beam from his mouth piercing Hogel's torso making it 2inch wide hole.
Red eyed monster smiling was the last thing Hogel saw before darkness. Vampire seeing that the teen died leaned his head closer to the hole he made in his body, but then suddenly got hit by the electrified arrow that came from the air.
Vampire quickly pulled the arrow out and threw it away. This caused so much internal damage to monster that he fell on the ground next to the Hogel's body. He was still alive, but barely. He decided to lie there for a while to regenerate with his vampiric abilities a little.
Meanwhile Gah-Hal was fighting with Vampire B in place with more treess and less free movements.
With Hogel losing almost immediately to a vampire, Gah-Hal manages to keep up with another vampire. Gah-Hal is using his martial skills and environment to his advantage while vampire focuses on offence only jumping from trees almost not letting Gah-Hal takes a breath.
One time Vampire B gets a very powerful hit from Gahes making him lose balance and falling on ground, but quickly jumps away.
Vampire B really seems to have troubles against this traveler.
"It's incredible how you keep up against me. You deserve my respect." Vampire B says.
"Thanks, I guess. Not like I respect you back." Gah-Hal replies.
Gah-Hal's answer upsets Vampire B which continues it's same attacks. However these attack seem to be less effective as Gah-Hal instead of blocking now easily counters each of these attacks which annoys the monster even more.
Vampire stops attacking and looks at Gah-Hal from the tree 20 feet away from him. They both gaze at eachother waiting for eachother's first move.
Gah-Hal grins and sticks his tongue out at the Vampire B to mock him into attack. Monster isn't falling for it that easily, but it can be seen on his face that this "brat" annoys him very much.
Vamprie B thought about attacking from distance, so he opens his mouth and shoots the black beam at Gah-Hal.
Beam goes through Gahes, but nothing else happens. The beam went through him but left no injury on traveler.
Gah-Hal continues taunting this time doing the akanbe face for a second.
Vampire shocked by what happend shot his beam once again with the same effect.
"What the hell is this crap?" Vampire B yells asking.
"One of my magical elements. With void I can make everything go through me without me feeling it or it affecting me in any way. You picked the wrong opponent. Well, the other vampire would probably also have such problem." Gah-Hal yells to him back with grin.
Vampire hoping it's a bluff, jumps off the tree and continues running around hiding behind a tree each time. His speed is greater this time. This monster is now as quick as arrow.
Gah-Hal chuckles and lits his fists in fire.
"Child's play." Gah-Hal says.
Vampire B then suddenly charges right at Gah-Hal who has his back turned to him. Suddenly Gahes very quickly turns around and sees the vampire almost flying at him with his speed.
Traveler prepares his fist and once Vampire close enough, boy gives a monster a straight punch in the face.
With fists on fire, the hit totally blows the vampire's head making rest of his body still flying crash on the closest tree.
This way the Vampire B dies and is no longer a problem.
Gah-Hal after looking at headless body, turns around and heads back to the camp to see how is the situation there. The sound of his footsteps echoed in the quiet forest as he reached the clearing where the camp had been set up.
As he arrived, he saw the fallen form of the vampire that had attacked Hogel lying beside Hogel's lifeless body.
"Oh well. He wasn't as fortunate." Gah-Hal says.
Gah-Hal approaches Hogel lying in pool of blood and sees vampire still breathing. Once Vampire A sees Gah-Hal he gets startled and tries to move away with energy that he regained so far.
Gah-Hal steps on vampire's leg keeping him from running away. He looks at Hogel and touches pokes his leg with his finger.
"I will speed it up a bit." Gah-Hal says.
After he said it, the hole in Hogel's body disappeared almost immediately by healing completely. Then Hogel takes a deep breath and opens his eyes like he just woke up from a nightmare.
Hogel quickly stands up remembering what he was doing. This time he had no problems with moving and remembering.
"Good evening. You slept well? Probably not because that thing is still alive." Gah-Hal says to Hogel while pointing at vampire.
Vampire who is supposed to be the scary one is actually scared one after witnessing what just happend. He doesn't say anything from the shock.
"Well now, Hogel. I will let you finish your thing." Gah-Hal says to him.
Hogel looks at his savior and then at vampire. Hogel with look of fury picks up the sabre. Gahes stops holding creature's leg and backs away.
Hogel's fury was palpable as he unleashed his anger on the vampire that had attacked him. Each strike of his sabre was filled with raw emotion, a cathartic release of the fear and helplessness he had felt just moments before. The vampire's body twitched and convulsed with each blow, but it didn't stand a chance against Hogel's relentless onslaught.
As the final strike landed, severing the vampire's head from its body, there was a tense moment of silence in the clearing. The forest seemed to hold its breath, as if even the natural world was aware of the significance of the moment.
Hogel stood there, his chest heaving, his grip on the sabre slowly loosening. He stared down at the lifeless body of the vampire, his eyes a mixture of exhaustion and triumph. He had avenged himself, his newfound friend and sent a clear message to the forces that had threatened them.
Gah-Hal watched the scene unfold, his gaze alternating between Hogel and the vampire's body. He could sense the intensity of Hogel's emotions, the rage that had fueled his actions. It was a stark reminder of the darkness that could reside within even the most seemingly ordinary individuals.
After a moment, Gah-Hal approached Hogel, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. He knew that words weren't necessary at a time like this. Instead, he offered a supportive and understanding presence.
Hogel's breathing gradually slowed, his grip on the sabre finally relaxing as he looked up at Gah-Hal. The two travelers exchanged a brief but meaningful glance, a silent acknowledgment of what they had faced together.
"Thank you for saving me again." Hogel finally said, his voice tinged with a mix of gratitude and relief.
Gah-Hal nodded, offering a small, reassuring smile.
"You're welcome, Hogel. We're in this together, after all." Gah-Hal replied.
"Did you kill the second vampire?" Hogel asked.
"Yea. Not a big problem. You in other case had a big problem I see." Gah-Hal replied.
Hogel takes few steps back and sits by the tree looking at the mutilated corpse of vampire.
"I really can't stop feeling amazement from how amazing you are." Hogel says.
"If you call killing a vampire something amazing then you still have a lot to see. I mean, you also almost killed a vampire yourself which means they aren't really a big deal. That's just me though." Gah-Hal says.
Hogel looked at Gah-Hal with a mixture of admiration and curiosity in his eyes. It was clear that Gah-Hal's confidence and abilities had left a deep impression on him.
"I've never seen anyone fight like that before. It's like you were born to handle situations like these." Hogel said, his tone a mix of awe and fascination.
Gah-Hal chuckled softly, his gaze returning to the vampire's lifeless body.
"You said it a lot of times already. I appreciate the compliments though. I enjoy handling such situations. Especially the ones that raise adrenaline." Gah-Hal says.
Hogel nodded in understanding. He had seen firsthand the ruthlessness required to survive in a world filled with dangers like vampires.
"You know. When I first met you, I never would have thought that our journey would turn out like this. It's like... you've shown me a whole different side of life, a side filled with magic and incredible abilities." Hogel said.
"Don't go insane on me just yet. I can see it on your face. Anyways. I will get rid of the corpse and we will go back to sleep." Gah-Hal says and goes to the Vampire's A body and head.
Gah-Hal takes the head and grabs the arm of dead vampire and drags it to the location of the Vampire's B body. After a while once he is there he throws the Vampire A on Vampire B along with head and leaves it be. Maybe some wild animals will eat these if they like vampire's meat.
Gahes then goes back to the camp. He comes closer to destroyed shelter and fixes it in 5 seconds using his magic. He then looks at Hogel still sitting by the tree and with his hand gesture tell hims to get into the hut.
Hogel seemingly understanding, stands up and goes into his shelter. Gah-Hal still waits outside sitting next to the campfire and looking at flame.
In this moment it seems like nothing had happend. Doesn't look like there was a fight here a moment ago.
As Gah-Hal sat by the campfire, the night began to settle in once again. The forest around them was quiet, the only sounds being the crackling of the fire and the gentle rustling of leaves in the wind. The events of the night had left an indelible mark on Hogel, a reminder of the dangers that could lurk in the darkness.
Inside his shelter, Hogel lay on the ground, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. The adrenaline from the fight was still coursing through his veins, and the sight of Gah-Hal's abilities had left him both amazed and somewhat overwhelmed.
As he lies there, Hogel couldn't help but reflect on the journey he had embarked upon. It had started as a desperate escape from a life of crime and now he found himself facing creatures he had only heard of in stories. He had seen the real magic, witnessed incredible feats, and formed an unexpected bond with Gah-Hal. It was a lot to take in, and yet, he couldn't deny the sense of exhilaration that came with the unknown.
Outside, Gah-Hal's gaze remained fixed on the fire. His mind, too, was in a state of contemplation. The events of the night were just another reminder of the unpredictable nature of the world he traversed. So far he enjoys what he goes through and hopes to find more such attractions just for him at least.
After a while, Gah-Hal glanced towards the shelter where Hogel was resting. He could sense the mix of emotions within the young traveler. With a faint smile, he knew that these experiences, as harrowing as they were, were shaping Hogel into someone stronger.
Gah-Hal let out a sigh and stood up, stretching his limbs. The fire had dwindled down, casting a soft glow in the darkness. He walked over to the shelter and peeked inside.
"Hey, Hogel. You alright in there?" Gah-Hal asked, his voice gentle.
Hogel looked up from his position on the ground, a mixture of fatigue and alertness in his eyes.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just... processing everything, I guess." Hogel replied.
Gah-Hal nodded understandingly.
"It's a lot to take in, I know. But remember, you're not alone in this. We're in this journey together and I'll be here to help you every step of the way, until you leave my side of course." Gah-Hal said with a reassuring smile.
Hogel's tired expression softened, and he offered a small, appreciative smile in return.
"Thanks, Gah-Hal. I really do appreciate everything you've done for me." Hogel said.
Gah-Hal's smile widened.
"Well then. Sleep well." Gah-Hal said before stopping peaking through Hogel's shelter.
Gah-Hal then went to his own shelter and also laid on the leaves on the ground. This way the adventurers "survived" another day.