A few minutes back.
[There.]
Laile was pointing at the wreckage of a scene ahead of the road. The giant wolf was easily noticed by them, after all how could you miss the humongous wolf that's three times taller than a human.
[Laile, quick!, throw me there.]
Rei exclaimed seeing that the wolf was about to jump on the four knights in front.
Laile quickly clasped both his hands. With his foot, Rei mounted on the hands of Laile.
With great force, Laile catapulted Rei toward the giant wolf.
Rei flew at an incredible speed towards the wolf.
[Heup.]
He twisted his body mid air and aimed his feet towards the wolf's face.
*BAAM!*
Struck square in its face backed with great force, the wolf tumbled on the ground a few times scattering a few rubles and dust around.
The jaws of the few knights that witnessed the abrupt event fell.
The all so powerful beast that even them seemed so powerless was sent flying with just a kick.
There were four apprentice knights present in the situation yet they were fended off easily by the very giant wolf that was sent flying just now.
Yes, the four of them might not be as powerful as a spellsword, but that doesn't mean that the power they possesses is to be scoffed at.
They had undergone years of training when they where still a trainee, and not just physical training but also training on Aura.
But seeing the ferocious giant wolf being sent flying by aa single kick. Did it need to be that exaggerated?
But on another thought it's good for them because now they have a chance of winning against that beast.
With just the four of them, they know that they wouldn't be able to put up a fight.
[Hoooooo, Are you fine?]
Asked Rei to the knights.
Seeing that they're savior looked so young, they were quite surprised. But they soon reverted to their composure look.
[We are…]
*ROAAAR!*
A huge roar with seething rage took their attention. The giant wolf interfered even before they could exchange a few words towards each other.
[Alright, let's save the talk for later. Dealing with that comes first.]
Rei pointed towards the wolf with bloodshot eyes due to the rage welling up inside it.
The wolf didn't expect these bunch to hurt it so it came as a surprise that someone was able to send it flying from a distance.
It slowly approaches it's target, reducing the distance bit by bit.
Once they are inside it's desired distance it would surely rip them into pieces.
But yet again, just as the wolf was about to pounce on them a blurry figure appeared beside it and punch it in the face.
The punch was so powerful that the wolf didn't even tumbled or spin, but was directly sent flying in the woods breaking a few trees on the way.
With mouths agape, they looked at yet another young looking fellow that punched the wolf unconscious.
Orange hair and sharp eyes.
A clearly distinct feature different from how the other young man look like.
Laile appeared calm on the outside but was actually boiling with rage inside.
Seeing so many dead bodies lying on the bloodied ground snapped him. Yes it is a common for people to die as the world they live in is extremely dangerous.
Be it they encounter demon beasts, end up in burial grounds, or sometimes die by the hands of a fellow human.
True, it is a normal occurrence, as he had encountered similar events in the past albeit not as gruesome and brutal as what had happened to these men.
But still, seeing it personally was heart wrenching for him. It filled him with incredible rage.
Unable to control the overwhelming rage inside him, he threw himself in the wolf and punched the shit out of it as a way to vent his anger, knocking it out on the process.
What the hell was that?
The four knights still wearing shocked faces questioned themselves inwardly.
Who the are these people?
First, you sent it flying with just a kick. Then, you knocked it out with just a punch!
Who and where did these two people come from?
Aren't we supposed to be the apprentice knights?
A force to be reckoned with?
Why does it seem that you two are the apprentice knights?
Well, they knew that the power of these two already exceeded that of an apprentice knight.
Hell! They might even compare to a spellsword!
Of course, this is only an evaluation based on the single kick and the punch demonstrated by these two unknown young men.
But at the end, this is for the better. Even they are not that confident in besting that monstrous wolf with just the four of them.
A total of 7 or 8 apprentice knights would take for that wolf to be defeated!
That's how strong the wolf is.
Rei sighed inside him whilst looking at Laile.
This was the only thing that kept him out of boredom from the long journey they took yet the fun ended before it even began.
He wanted to complain but seeing that his little brother held anger, he didn't bother to and just let it be.
[Nhhhhhhh. Hoooooo]
Laile inhaled deeply and exhaled to calm his mind down.
Seeing the dead bodies scattered around put his mind in a great turmoil causing his anger to rise.
Now the giant wolf lay in the bushes unconscious. Although his punched was really powerful, it was not enough to claim the wolf's life. He looked at the wrecked carriage with furrowed brows and eyes full of pity.
Lifeless bodies lay on the bloody ground. Small puddles of blood converged on the ground.
He closed his eyes pondering for a moment before walking towards the dead men on the ground.
Far from the devastation the two of them caused.
[Hold this for me.]
Gen said to the young lady while bandaging the wound of the old butler.
It was truly fortunate that they came in time, if not, then the old butler wouldn't be able to see another day.
Seeing the attire of the young lady beside them, Gen could already guess that they're probably from a wealthy family or that of a wealthy merchant.
It was obvious that such a person would lack skills related to first aid. Even if there's tons of medical supply it would be useless if no one knows of their use.
If the old butler was conscious, he could've instructed the young lady what to do. After all, to a butler, it was a necessary skill.
Unfortunately he already fainted caused by immense pain from the lacerated wound.
[Hooooooo.]
Gen exhaled after finally tending to the old butler's wound.
He looked at Laile piling the bodies gathering them one by one. Rei also did the same after seeing Laile.
After finishing to gather the bodies. Laile picked up six rocks with varying shapes and similar to the size of his palm. He scribbled something on the rocks before laying them down one by one surrounding the pile of dead bodies.
After which he kneeled with both of his knees. The small rocks on the ground that caused him pain didn't bother him. He continued by placing his hands on his thighs, then he lowered his head and closed his eyes.
These actions puzzled the knights who was watching them.
But before they could say anything, the blaze that suddenly engulfed the pile of bodies left the words they wanted to say hanging in their throat.
The fire that continued to burn fiercely on the pile of bodies. The smell of blood and burning corpses permeated the surroundings.
Soon after, Rei joined besides Laile. He proceeded to kneel in front of the burning corpses.
One by one, the knights also decided to join in, and so does everyone in the surroundings.
Gen wasn't able to join due to him tending to the injured butler.
As everyone kneeled down, silence occurred. Only the rustling of the leaves and the fire blazing are the only things that one could hear.
Giving a brief but peaceful time to send off the deceased.
Everyone got up after a short time and continued on things they need to do.
Rei and the knights helped check the carriages with the young lady. Gen closely observed and tended to the old butler.
Only Laile remained kneeling. He continued to kneel in front of the bodies being cremated.
This got on for 2 ½ hours.
The fire, which is vigorously blazing before lost all it's might. The only thing that remains are ashes and sparks of the previous fire.
[May your ashes return to the Holy Light.]
He slowly muttered to himself.
And finally, he got up. But even after that he still stood up showing no signs of leaving.
Rei, who saw this got up from his seat and approach Laile.
He patted his shoulders from behind.
[Laile i-]
[I know. It happens]
[But if we only arrived a little bit earlier, things wouldn't end up like this.]
Rei grabbed both of Laile's shoulders and faced him.
[LAILE!. There are no ifs.]
[And don't also think that we are at fault.]
[They're just… unlucky.]
With the last sentence said. Laile's face turn grim, and a hint of sadness was spread across his face. Realizing that there's nothing he can do over it.
[For now, just rest.]
Rei said worryingly.
Laile turned away without a word. Slowly walking back towards their carriage.
Rei now is left alone in a gloomy mood. He looked at his little brother's back moving further away from him. Soon, he also left to look for his grandfather.
The sun slowly fell and in turn was replaced by the moon.
Night has fallen.
Rei was walking towards a tent near the fire camp set up earlier. He weaved the cloths aside to open up the tent.
What's inside is his grandfather, with a mortar and pestle in hand grinding medicinal herbs for the injured butler.
[Haaaaaaaa.]
Gen was greeted by Rei with a long heavy sigh. Not a good sign by any means.
[What's with the sigh?]
[Not in a good mood?]
[It's Laile.]
Gen took the grinded leaves and put them inside a wooden bowl. He grabbed a different set of herbal leaves and proceeded to grind them. He glanced at Rei who sat down in front of him.
[What? Having a hard time dealing with your brother?]
[No. It's just… he's too kind.]
[You know him. He's been like that since young.]
[But it's just frustrating.]
[Sometimes, he just doesn't listen.]
[But even so, we have to guide him, teach him, so that he can stand up on his own.]
Rei looked down. Contemplating on his grandfather's words. Both him and Laile are the same in the aspect of having no parents.
His parents died tragically leaving him with only his grandfather to call family. Fortunately his grandfather was a good parent.
Although things were stagnant and peaceful. Living with only a single parent is hard.
His situation allowed him to mature earlier than others, but even so, mistakes are still made as long as you're human. He did a lot of messed up things in his early teenage years that he severely regrets.
In Laile's case, he was abandoned in the middle of the forest with no signs nor clue of his parents . Rei sees himself in Laile and does not wish to see him follow his footsteps or make decisions that he might regret later on.
*Sigh*
[He was mourning the dead earlier.]
[He don't know a thing about them yet he still mourns for them.]
Gen didn't reply any further, he continued to grind the herbs.
Rei sat down seeing as his grandfather gave him the silent treatment.