Me and Shreder found ourselves trapped in a dark and eerie dungeon. Desperate to escape, I turned to Shreder for assistance.
"Shreder,"
"We need to find a way out of this dungeon quickly. Do you have any ideas?"
Shreder, ever the resourceful one, responded with confidence,
"Master, maybe I can help you with that simple thing. I possess powerful magic called teleportation."
My eyes widened with excitement upon hearing this revelation.
"Teleportation? That's incredible! We have a magic like that here!?"
"Please, Shreder, use it to get us out of this dungeon. And, by the way, just call me Ken. It's embarrassing to hear you refer to me as master."
"Of course master i mean Ken. I apologize for the formality. Now, let me cast my teleportation magic."
Shreder began to chant ancient incantations. As he did, a surge of energy filled the air, causing the ground beneath Shreder and me to tremble. Suddenly, a bright white light enveloped the duo, emanating from a magic circle that formed beneath our feet. My eyes were momentarily blinded by the intense light, but as it subsided, I found myself standing in a completely different environment. Before me stretched a picturesque landscape, adorned with lush trees and a breathtakingly beautiful blue sky. Overwhelmed by the sight, I couldn't contain my excitement.
"Woahh! I've never seen nature this beautiful before!"
I exclaimed, my voice echoing through the newfound surroundings. The vibrant colors and serene atmosphere filled me with a sense of wonder and awe. However, amidst my admiration for the scenery, I couldn't help but notice Shreder's imposing figure. Standing beside me,
"Shreder's large size seemed out of place in this idyllic setting..."
Concerned that it might attract unwanted attention or cause trouble, I approached Shreder with a request.
"Shreder,"
"Um, can you perhaps turn into a smaller form? Maybe a small dragon or something?"
"Of course, Ken."
With a swift transformation, Shreder's massive black dragon body morphed into that of a human shape. Grinning mischievously, Shreder exclaimed,
"All done, Ken! Easy as pie! Hahaha!"
I couldn't help but roll my eyes at Shreder's playful demeanor.
"Really, this guy,"
I muttered to myself, a mix of exasperation and fondness evident in my voice. As we walked to the forest, the Orcs surrounded them. Shreder, with a scary face, asked me,
"Master, can I kill them all?"
"No, no, no. Have you seen their bodies? They're shaking because they're scared, and their weapons and armor are all beat up! That one Orc even wet his pants from fear, so that's a big NO!"
Shreder apologized, saying,
"S... sorry, Ken."
One of the Orcs respectfully addressed us,
"Mighty beings, what business might you have here?"
I seemed surprised, saying,
"Mighty one? Huh? Wait... me and Shreder?"
The Orc nodded in agreement. I introduced ourselves, saying,
"Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Ken, and this is Shreder. I'm an Elite DeathBringer."
The Orc explained,
"We sensed the presence of a powerful monster, so we came to scout it out."
I remarked to Shreder,
"Oh, did they sense your presence, Shreder? Your aura is really strong."
Shreder clarified,
"Master... it's not my aura..."
The Orc then requested a favor, and they led me and Shreder to their village to meet the village head. The village was in poor condition, and Shreder could probably blow it away with a snort. I entered a little house to meet the head of the village while Shreder waited outside. The head of the village introduced himself as the head and asked me about the recent increase in monster activity. I replied,
"No..."
The head explained,
"Two days ago, a burst of magic happened in the forest, and as a result, the monsters in the area became wild and started harassing us."
I replied,
"Burst of magic?... Crap, I think it's the Teleportation magic by Shreder."
The head of the village continued,
"We tried to fight back, but we don't have the fighting strength... That's why we wanted you to..."
I replied,
"Lend you my strength, huh?"
The head then knelt before me and begged me to protect them. The head of the village began,
"So, about the favor we wish to ask you for... Yesterday, we were attacked by wolf monsters from the east, the Direwolves, resulting in the tragic death of many of our brave Orcs. In the first place, we needed at least 8 Orcs to have even a slim chance at taking down one direwolf. Among our Orcs, there was a named Orc who served as our guardian. He fought valiantly and fearlessly, but alas, he fell in the face of overwhelming odds. Now, our village is in grave danger, threatened by the presence of approximately 100 Direwolves."
I expressed heartfelt sympathy, saying,
"Oh, I'm truly sorry for the loss of your Orcs... How many Orcs are here?"
The head of the village replied with determination,
"Including the women, there are about 60 of us who can fight and defend our home."
I couldn't help but acknowledge,
"That's indeed a formidable difference in strength... That named Orc, did he know he couldn't win when he faced the Direwolves?"
The head of the village answered,
"No, he didn't enter the battle with the intention of defeat. He bravely sacrificed himself to gather vital information about the Direwolves, hoping it would aid us in our defense. That fallen Orc was my beloved son, and this brave Orc here is his brother, equally committed to protecting our village."
I responded with genuine understanding,
"I see... I apologize for asking... Head of the village, there's one more thing I'd like to know."
The head of the village replied, a mix of trepidation and hope in his voice,
"Y-yes?"
"If I decide to help this village, what will be my reward? What can you offer me?"
The head of the village replied earnestly,
"W-we offer you not only our heartfelt gratitude but also our unwavering loyalty! As the village head, I humbly kneel before you, pleading for your protection, and the other Orc follows suit, swearing to support you as well!"
As the head of the village knelt, I understood the significance of their gesture, and my mind traveled back to memories of my past. I muttered to myself,
"This takes me back to my old life. My friend used to kneel when begging for help... I can't simply turn down their desperate plea."
Suddenly, a haunting howl echoed through the air, the unmistakable sound of the Direwolves drawing near. Panic rippled through the other Orcs as they exclaimed,
"It's the Direwolves!"
"Oh no, oh no!"
"We're done for!"
"Let's run away!"
"They're going to devour us all!"
Without hesitation, the head of the village hurriedly went outside and tried to calm everyone, saying,
"Everyone, please gather your courage and remain composed. We have someone brave enough to face this threat."
I stepped forward, my voice firm and reassuring,
"There's no need to fear. I will confront the Direwolves and protect this village."
In an unexpected display of unity and gratitude, all the Orcs kneeled before me, their eyes filled with hope and trust. They spoke in unison,
"Thank you! Thank you for taking this burden upon yourself."
With determination in my eyes, I accepted their loyalty and responsibility. The weight of my decision was not lost on me, and I knew that the path ahead would be challenging but I couldn't ignore their plea for help.