Bzzzz* Plap*
"Damn it! , These flies are really annoying", Ethan said as he slapped a fly in his face, "Don't you agree little Kurby ", as he turned his attention to the little creature sitting on top of his head.
Pat* Pat*, " So cute!"
Kurby (the furry creature's name).
"Sera, show me the map please", A holographic image popped out of the map that was on the Notebook. ", "Hmmm.. It's been a few hours and there is still no sign of any close Village."
Packing up all of 'his' items, And killing some small creatures that were feeding on the 'Dragon' corpse, He left past the river, heading back to the West side of the forest. Now the sun was already at the top.
Sera also managed to crack some of the language barriers from the Notebook, They could also get what the man was trying to say, mentioning a village that was drawn on the Notebook and a map to get there, and some mayor named Marcus.
Ethan was traveling from east to west in his little journey
"To be honest, the scenery here is much better than Earth", as he brushed his hand on a big tree, It was somewhat black with pinkish leaves. " I agree, the higher oxygen level here of 29% might be a factor to such sceneries and there are no traces of pollution", Replied Sera
"Oh, so that's why I felt like breathing was easier here", " Is that a track? Finally!!", he said with an excited voice as he spotted a dirt path.
"Looks like we've stumbled upon a used path," Sera said, "And Given that it's heading west, the same direction as the village on the map, I believe it would be wise to follow it," Sera suggested. "We might encounter locals who could provide more information about this world."
"Then it's settled, this path it is" Ethan replied.
An Hour Later….
"Damn, how long is this gonna take?!", " Might be hours or even days, As we don't have much data on the map ", Sera replied..... 'A Few days? ', Ethan kicked at a pebble on the path, frustration bubbling up.
Suddenly, "KYAAAH" a scream ripped through the air - a woman's voice, Approximately 300 meters ahead of them, a fancy carriage could be seen, its wheels stuck on a fallen log, with 4 cloaked figures blocking the way, Closer to the carriage was a middle-aged man in a defensive stance, a faint energy signature emanating from him and beside him lay a corpse of a young man in a metal armor surrounding him, though it doesn't look like a normal one, it's as if it is an extension of his body with only his face being visible.
"Sera!" Ethan yelled, clenching his hands.
"I'm detecting a strange energy, similar yet different to that Dragon we fought, Its presence is stronger on the four cloaked figures," Sera reported urgently. "The older man has only a weak energy reading. Extreme caution is advised."
Not waiting any longer, Ethan dashed towards the distressed carriage, Kurby following at his heels. As they closed in, one of the cloaked figures disarmed the middle-aged man, snatching an ornate sword from his grasp.
"Please, I'll give you anything! Don't harm my daughter!" the man pleaded.
A feminine voice cried out from within the carriage, filled with fear and sadness. "Father, no! Please don't hurt him!" Sniff* Sniff*
Despite not understanding their language, Ethan could see the urgency and desperation in the situation. As he got closer, one of the cloaked figures raised a hand, dark energy coalescing around it.
"I'm going to try reasoning with them first," Ethan said through gritted teeth. "If that fails, be ready for a fight."
'Call me naive, but I've got a real problem with jackasses preying on the innocent.'
He stepped into the open, hands raised in a placating gesture. "Hey! I don't know what's going on here, but there's no need for violence!"
The cloaked figures turned towards him, their faces obscured by shadows. The one with the gathered energy paused, seemingly surprised by Ethan's intrusion.
Seizing the opportunity, Ethan continued, "Look, I'm just a traveler passing through. I don't want any trouble. But I can't stand by and watch innocent people get hurt."
The middle-aged man's eyes widened, finally noticing Ethan's presence. He opened his mouth, perhaps to speak, but one of the cloaked figures cut him off with an annoyed tone "I don't know what you're saying stranger, but I'll give you the chance to leave, this is none of your business".
"Sera, did you understand anything he said?", Ethan whispered, Sera's voice sounded in his earpiece, "I'm still having difficulty in translating, but I believe he said this doesn't concern us and we should leave."
Ethan shook his head firmly. "Not an option. Even if I can't understand them, I know right from wrong." He raised his voice, addressing the cloaked figures once more. "I don't want to fight, but I won't stand idle while you menace these travelers."
The middle-aged man looked between Ethan and the cloaked figures, desperation etched on his face. He said something rapidly, his words thick with emotion.
"He seems to be pleading for mercy, perhaps offering some kind of deal," Sera said with a serious tone, "And if you're going to fight, try not to get hit by whatever that energy is, Because if you observe carefully the corpse of the young man, He doesn't seem to be injured but he's dead, His face is also pale with some black spots on his skin, so whatever you do, Don't get H I T!"
The leader of the clocked group seemed to be indifferent to the man's pleas, raising his hand in return with dark energy accumulating into his palm.
"Alright, thanks for the info love!", Ethan replied making Sera blush, He raised his sword ready for a fight. "WE GOT THIS!!"