"Drink to your youth until time takes you away. Make life everlasting until you meet your grave. We'll drive out the undead, and sing songs of praise, hail Gaia, hail Gaia! She is our life's way! Hail Gaia! Hail Gaia! She will not be slain! Hail Gaia! Hail Gaia! Our chivalrous maid!"
Thomas sang songs of the old and the ancient. Songs of praise to the Creator God, Gaia, all while resting on Hermfry's shoulder.
Songs that represented humanity's desire for freedom, and the desire to slay the undead that invaded their home, alongside the fiends as well.
Those of the Gaia realm were strong and rebellious towards those who opposed their way of life. That's how it's been for centuries, and it'll continue for many generations to come unless this maddening curse that was placed on Gaia ends.
"You know quite the song for a nonbeliever." Muttered Hermfry.
"Nonbeliever? What makes you think I don't believe in Gaia, old geezer?!"
"Isn't that obvious? Calling out to the Gods of the other Realms in times of danger is enough proof that you don't have faith in Gaia, boy."
"And not having faith makes me a nonbeliever? Since when?!"
"Since the age of time." Said Hermfry.
"Pfft. Yeah right."
"Can you two stop bickering so loudly." Brunhilda was walking in front of them, visibly annoyed by their antics.
"Yeah, shut up you old geezer!" Said Thomas, taunting the Paladin.
"Hmph." All of a sudden, Hermfry dropped Thomas to the ground, proceeding onwards.
"Guh! Ow... hey, what the hell?!" Thomas looked at the two of them leaving him behind. "Hey, alchehead, help!! You just can't leave me out here!"
"Oh, I think I can." Brunhilda stopped in her tracks, turning around to grin at the bandit. "You wanted to be free, right? Then carry on, little Thomas. Go back to where you came from."
"Wait a second! I can't move in chains! Cut it out you two! Elders my ass, you're more childish than me!!"
Brunhilda and Hermfry laughed in unison, leaving Thomas alone on the dirt road.
"Hey, this isn't funny! What if it becomes night?! Cmon, please! Don't leave me out here!!"
The Paladin chuckled at his pleading before glancing at Brunhilda, asking, "So, when are those chains gonna break?"
"Six hours from now."
"Ah, I see, just before nightfall."
She giggled. "Indeed. No need to worry about him, he'll find his way back to us sooner or later. Besides, there's a town not too far away from here, we'll be sleeping there tonight."
"About time. It'll be nice to sleep in a bed for once."
Brunhilda lifted her brows, curiously asking, "Have you always lived outside?"
Hermfry widened his eyes from her sudden question, stuttering in his voice.
"I-I have, yes... it's a long story. I'm afraid of sleeping in towns, and villages."
"When we met, I mentioned something about me being a mercenary as a joke." They continued walking as Brunhilda was now side-eyeing him. "When I said that, you had this look of regret in your eye, not to mention, you're afraid of sleeping in towns for too long."
As soon as she said that, the Paladin had that same look return to his face.
"What are you hiding from me?" Asked the mage.
"It's... nothing."
The mage closed her eyes, slightly disappointed by his response.
"If we're gonna work together as a team, it'll be wise to tell me your secret. I wish to know what I'm getting myself into, so I can prepare for the future."
"I didn't ask you to be part of my team... Brunhilda."
The mage frowned.
"So, you were just gonna let the people being attacked by the undead die? Is that what you're saying?"
Hermfry was baffled at her words, unable to utter a single thing.
"You know just as well as I, that the undead in this quest are attacking nearby towns and villages, and they'll eventually reach Dalvan."
"...I know that."
"Hermfry... why are there mercenaries chasing after you?"
"I'm afraid I can't answer that, Brunhilda."
BONK!
"Ow-!"
The mage smacked his bald head with her staff, leaving a bruise on the back of his scalp.
"Fine. When the time is right, I'm certain you'll tell me."
"Hitting me to release frustration? You really are immature." Said Hermfry, teasingly.
"I'll continue to wait."
"You say that like we're gonna be a team from now on."
"Maybe we are, who knows."
The Paladin laughed at her response.
"Pwa Ha Ha! I guess you're right."
***
An hour had passed.
Brunhilda and Hermfry made it to a nearby town, surrounded by a wall, with guards at the top. It was fairly large, with a lumber mill, tavern, blacksmith, multiple general goods stores, and log houses. There were also a dozen huts with small vegetable gardens. The town was largely self-sufficient, growing its own vegetables as well as hunting and fishing for meat.
"Looks like we made it." Muttered the Paladin.
"Jiordel Town." Announced Brunhilda.
"Yeah, but I'm wondering; just what the hell is going on here?"
"So you noticed it as well?" Asked Brunhilda.
"I did."
The two adventurers stopped at the entrance of the town, looking up at two guards who readied their bows.
"Halt! What business do you have here?"
Hermfry stepped forward, scowling at the men above.
"Before we answer your question, where the hell is the magic barrier that's supposed to surround the town?"
The guards above went quiet for a few seconds until they lowered their weapons.
"Are you the Adept Adventurers who came here to repair the town?"
"Adept Adventurers?" Hermfry twisted his expression into confusion. "I'm afraid not, we're just stopping by for any kind of Inn we can sleep in."
"The Inn's are closed, this town is in a state of emergency." Said one of the guards.
"Hermfry, look." Brunhilda was staring straight ahead, which caught the Paladin's attention.
"By Gaia... what the hell?"
Upon closer inspection, there were body bags all over the town, and blood staining the ground, and houses. It looked like a massacre.
"As you can see, those fiends managed to wipe out half of our people..." Said the guard, disheartened in his voice.
"What happened to your Anti-fiend barrier?" Asked Brunhilda.
"...There was, a man."
Hermfry lifted his brows in question.
"What do you mean?"
"During nightfall, a man approached the anti-fiend barrier. He carried a staff and was covered in a robe from head to toe. He also wore a hoodie, so we couldn't see what he looked like, but the fiends didn't attack him as he broke the barrier with some spell. I'm afraid I have no clue to what spell was used, but… he didn't even perform the Incantation Ritual when using it."
"The fiends... didn't attack a human? And he's incantationless?" Asked Hermfry.
"Aye. It was as if... they were tamed by him."
Hermfry widened his eyes, and so did Brunhilda.
"Taming the fiends? That's impossible... how can you tame something so abstract in nature?"
"It isn't impossible." Implied Brunhilda. "I managed to tame the Hounds of Tindalos, so taming the fiends isn't out of the realm of possibilities... but doing so would require immense knowledge of magic."
"Are you saying..."
"Yes, this is magic that even surpasses mine."
"That's impossible. You're a user of all wheels of magic, aren't you, Brunhilda? You can even use spells without the incantation ritual. Just what the hell are we dealing with, here?"
"You can use... all wheels of magic?" Asked one of the guards.
"No. My friend here is delusional." Said the mage.
"...Brunhilda?!" Hermfry glanced at her, shocked in his expression.
("Keep your mouth shut.")
The Paladin looked around him, hearing a voice somewhere... but couldn't find where it was coming from.
("Hermfry, it's me. I'm speaking to you through Rezeck.")
("Correlation magic?")
("Yes. Rezeck connects people's consciousness, allowing them to speak to each other telepathically. Anyways, I want you to keep quiet on my capabilities, even if you want to use it for good.")
("…Why should I do that? You see that these people are in need of help, and you won't bother repairing their anti-fiend barrier.")
("Look in my shoes. If I repair something that requires an entire village of people and their mana, in a matter of minutes, they would start spreading lore about me across Gaia, and others will seek me for both good and bad.")
("I understand that… but isn't that worth the risk for people and their lives!?")
("Somewhat. However, after learning of this new information with another mage possessing knowledge of Magic superior to my own, I'm not taking any chances of them finding me.")
("…I see. Very well then.")
Hermfry nodded his head towards Brunhilda with a stern look, before facing the guards once more.
"We will protect your town during nightfall, however, this will only be a one-time thing. After that, it's up to the other adept adventurers to arrive and repair the barrier. We cannot do it with our capabilities, I'm sorry." The Paladin bowed.
"You'll, honest to Gaia, protect our town?" Asked the guards.
"Yes. Me and my friend, Brunhilda here, possess extraordinary magic and skill. I'm certain we're capable enough to defend this town with our heart and soul."
The guards looked at each other, sighing in relief.
"We cannot thank you enough. This means a lot to us! We appreciate your help!"