[ATTENTION: Enemies have lost the will to fight. User is advised to contain the prisoners before will returns.]
"How many remain?" Nix sighed softly as she eyed the sword in her hands. Though it seemed rather crude, the metal was tempered so well that the idea the people of this world relied on such metal without progressing in technology was disappointing.
[ALERT: 37 enemies remain out of the 100 original count. User has killed 48 soldiers while the people of the village killed 15.]
"Hmmm, quite the will to fight. Think these guys would've survived in our world?" Nix asked casually as she stabbed the sword into the ground at her side.
Grabbing her rifle from her back, she instinctively changed the charge to non-lethal and shot the screaming Bear-Kin in the chest. The crackle of electricity could be heard over his shaky grunts before the man finally passed out.
[CALCULATING: Affirmative. This village would be placed within training sequence 3.]
"Fucking hell, a pack of elites. How the hell did they lose then?" Nix asked herself as she eyed the villagers who remained where they were.
It was clear that the fighters were well trained. The main difference between the enemy and them was the quality of their equipment it seemed. Had their sides stood on equal ground...
"I think the enemy would've been slaughtered." Nix sighed as she shook her head, suddenly remembering the Beast-Kin woman at the entrance. "So, what's the count?"
[ALERT: Of the 136 bodies found, only 47 live ones remain. 5 children, 3 teens, 31 adults and 8 elderly. User is advised to seek the leader of the village over the guard.]
"Right." Nix sighed as she slung her rifle over her back.
Reaching up, she pulled her helm off her head and shook her hair free with another sigh. Nix then eyed the line of villagers still on their knees, covered from head to toe in splashes of blood, soot and mud. It reminded her of the orphans from her old world. Oh how these people reminded her of such a tragedy.
"Villagers, the current danger may have passed, but I doubt you have any time to relax. The soldiers are to round up the prisoners while those in the church help with the dead and wounded." Nix tried to order the villagers while slowly eyeing each individual that stared at her.
This was the worst part of these kinds of missions, the aftermath. To them, she probably looked like an alien in a world of swords and magic. Not that it mattered to her though. Priorities must be made, no matter how terrifying or helpless the situation.
After a few moments, the large Beast-Kin Wolf at the back of the line cleared her throat, catching the attention of the village guard.
"The Demon is correct. We must tend to our wounded." She grunted a little as she stood, probably due to the bolt lodged in her thigh. "Chief, I believe we are safe for now, so please take command." She called out as she turned to the church behind her.
The doors suddenly burst open, revealing a young man stumbling through in quite a hurry. After scurrying down the steps, he bolted to Nix while almost tripping over the fallen swords and corpses in his wake.
"Oh Savior, thank you for helping us in such a desperate time. I promise that we will never fo-" As the man shouted in both delight and fear, he fell to his knees before Nix with his head bowed. Though before he could finish, Nix knelt down and placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.
"This isn't the time. This village is surrounded by a forest teeming with monsters with your defenses shattered and dead lying everywhere. I advise you focus on recovery. We can talk pleasantries later." Nix reminded him in a cold tone before standing up and eyeing the Wolf that spoke up first.
"You, come with me to give me your report. As for the rest of you, keep an eye on the prisoners and make sure they don't try anything. I understand your need to take your anger out on them, but I beseech that you not lay a finger on them until I've gotten what I need." She called out to the villagers as she turned around and walked down the burned and bloody street towards the entrance.
The survivors simply watched as the woman walked away, unable to find the strength to move. It wasn't until the Wolf Beast-Kin began following Nix that she reiterated what Nix had said. "You heard the Demon. Tie them up and have the Mages create a Prison around them. The rest of you recover our dead and tend to the wounded. The children are to help put out the fires with some adults assisting them. We can figure out the rest after figuring out what's going on."
With these words, the villagers slowly began to move. Everyone knew full well what life they could live as technical rebels of the world, but actually seeing it for the first time had them quite shaken. If it weren't for the Demon, they would've been killed like the countless others before them that had been brave enough to try and spread their name. At this point, it was about dealing with their mixed emotions.
After sorting everyone out and warning them not to touch the prisoners once more, the Wolf-Kin walked over the countless dead as she followed Nix's path. She stopped before the house Nix had saved a Beast-Kin kin and gave a small sigh while shaking her head.
She finally spotted Nix outside the broken gate, sitting ontop of her helm with a strange, burning stick on her mouth. She couldn't sat it smelled good, but it was definitely enticing.
"What's your name, soldier?" Nix asked as she leaned back against the wooden wall, simply staring out to the forest with stern, sad eyes.
"J-Ju'Shal of the Grey Wolf Tribe. Thank you again for saving us." Ju'Shal stuttered as she bowed to the woman. Though all she recieved was a wave of Nix's hand to make her relax.
"Nix of the Hunting Moon tribe. At least, what's left of it. Come, sit." She patted the place next to her as she breathed out a puff of smoke.
Though she hesitated a bit, Ju'Shal quickly sat next to Nix with a light groan. At first she tried to sit on her ankles, but was quickly told to sit on her butt instead. Just as the Wolf sat, Nix turned to face her and gripped the bolt embedded in her thigh and yanked it out, causing her to grunt through gritted teeth.
"You did well in holding out, Ju'Shal. Most would've simply let themselves get wiped out or surrendered." Nix spoke calmly as she pulled out a knife. In one swift motion, she cut the hem of Ju'Shal's shirt and stripped off a line of cloth before wrapping it around her thigh and tying it tight. "Leave this on until you get treatement. You won't bleed out or lose your leg at least."
Ju'Shal couldn't help but be amazed at Nix's movements. Moreso on how the blood that was leaking from her wound had almost stopped leaking entirely from just a wrap of cloth.
"A-are you not a Demon-Kin then?" Ju'Shal asked hesitantly after swallowing a little.
"No, I'm...ah fuck, what did the Goddess say I was again?" Nix asked as she cocked her brow and looked up to think.
[ATTENTION: User was told they were a Dru'Vel in this world.]
"Ah right, I'm a Dru'Vel. Though I'm sure you can guess that I'm not of this world." Nix sighed as she turned back to face the forest again.
"You mentioned the Goddess...did Mother Moon send you to save us?" Ju'Shal asked with a deep hope.
Nix saw the Wolf-Kin's tail beat quickly against the wall in excitement in the corner of her eye, but chose to ignore it as she took another puff. "Something like that. I'll explain later once I get the chance, but for now, I need to know something."
"Oh, yes of course. What do you wish to know?"
"Why does a village that's built to protect almost 300 people have only 136 within it's walls?" Nix asked as she eyed the woman's face, letting Willow scan for obvious signs of deception.
"Ah, about that. About 2 weeks ago, we sent most of our people to attempt to make contact with another village. As we are technically a frontier village, they were tasked to gain assistance in both personnel and supplies." Ju'Shal explained as if it were common knowledge everyone should know. This somehow irked Nix, but she simply shrugged it off.
"How long until those people are due to arrive?" Nix asked as she leaned back against the wall.
"One week. No matter if they succeeded or not, they should arrive by then if nothing went wrong."
"Right, next question then. Who are the soldiers that attacked you?"
"That, we are not entirely sure of. Though they claim to be soldiers from the Kingdom Ethenel, there are to few to casually make assumptions." Ju'Shal sighed in defeat. She was as confused as Nix was on who they really were, unable to figure out their objectives. "Um, if I may?"
"Go ahead." Nix sighed through a puff of smoke. She already knew what would be asked, hearing it countless times in the past.
"Why have you ordered us not to touch them?" Ju'Shal's ears fell as she asked. How badly she wanted to slaughter them all, but she was to scared to defy Nix's orders after seeing what she could do.
"Simple. For the prisoners, they are surrounded by people who only wish to tear them limb from limb while they sit defenseless, driving a deeper fear into their ranks. For the villagers, their anger will build up until it's finally released. In my world, I used this tactic often to gain both Intel and people willing to fight." She answered nonchalantly.
Sure, it would be best to keep the fact that she was from another world a secret. Yet Nix had read plenty of Old World fantasies about people who tried this. While some were fine once the secret was revealed, most ended up as either sacrifices or labeled as heretics or Demons and were put to the sword.
"And the Goddess you spoke of..."
"Mother Moon. I accepted her offer to come to this world and ended up in the forest about 4 days ago." Nix sighed softly as she slowly stood up with a light groan. She then dropped the stick she was sucking on to the ground and used her foot to drive it to the ground. "I believe it's time."
"I'm sorry?" Ju'Shal jumped a bit, feeling fear building up in Nix's cold words.
"The villagers should be angry enough, so it's time to get information." She sighed as she walked past Ju'Shal and into the village once more.
Ju'Shal nodded and slowly stood up to follow the strange woman. It was confusing on how nonchalantly she opened up about herself. What's more, it seemed like she didn't care whether Ju'Shal believed her or not. Why? Did she matter so little to their savior?
These thoughts weighed heavily on her mind until the two reached the center of town. The shouting finally broke her thoughts and made her look up to see almost everyone pointing a blade at the shaking prisoners.
Upon seeing Nix, the villagers began to beg her to allow them to kill the soldiers. All they recieved was the woman raising her hand up to them, silencing their voices as she knelt down before the shaking leader of the soldiers.
"I believe I've given you enough time." Nix spoke in a cold, emotionless tone as she eyed the Bear-Kin.
After a few moments, the man nodded to Nix and looked down to his lap while the woman spoke. "Why is your unit here?"
"W-we've come...to destroy this village."
The words the Bear-Kin spoke were silent, like a child caught doing something bad by their parents. Though the villagers took his words to heart, they only made Nix sigh as she stood up.
"It seems I've been to kind." Nix spoke as she walked to a nearby house and sat on the staircase. "Villagers, I need that man alive. Do your best to try and keep the rest well enough to speak if you can."
Fear jolted the man to look up and glare at Nix in defiance. "I gave you your answer!"
"Wrong. You answered their question, but not mine." Nix replied as she lit up another cigarette. "Though that's fine. At least they have some closure."
The man was about to ask what she meant, but froze as he realized the people they were meant to kill had slowly drawn closer to them. It was then that he realized what that Demon was after. No matter what, she wasn't going to harm them, but make an example instead.
He looked back to try and tell her to stop them, but froze in a deep fear at the smirk hidden behind the misty smoke of her cigarette. What followed next, was something no one, mortal or god, wanted for themselves.