"Sweety, can you run some errands for me?" a tall woman called out to her.
"Yes, Mom, what do you need me to do?" the 10-year-old shouted,
"Umm, can you get me some fresh Frostleaf, a starbloom fruit, and some Thunderpepper pods," the mom told her child.
"Okay, mom". The child said as she took the money and ran outside.
As she was bustling through the busy marketplace, she found the man her mom usually buys stuff from.
"Excuse me, Mister, do you have some frostleaf and a starbloom fruit?" the child asked the vendor.
"Look at you, did mom ask you to run errands?" the vendor asked the kid.
"Yes, I am an adult now." the kid said smiling.
"Of course you are; here's your stuff," the vendor said as he handed her the items she had asked for.
As the kid was giving him money, the vendor simply declined and said,
"No, I cannot take money from you, sweety, Emine has done so much for this village that whatever we give her would pale in comparison."
"Is Mom a superhero?" she asked, her face genuine and puzzled, which the vendor thought was adorable.
"The best there is only next to The Hero." the vendor had a sense of smugness in him as he said that, he clearly felt proud to be in the same vicinity as Emine,
"When I grow up, I will be like mom." She said
"You must," the vendor said as he shrugged her hair "Do you need anything else, sweetheart?" he asked her.
"One, Frostleaf, two, a starbloom, three???" she was counting on her fingers "Ahhh I can't remember the third oneee…"
"Could it be Thunderpepper pods?"The vendor had a finger on his chin as he was thinking.
"Yes, yes, yes…." she got excited and jumped.
"Oh, so she's making the starbloom straught? Unfortunately, I don't have the thunderpepper pods."
The girl got sad, "But I guess you can find it near the forest. Wait here," he said as he turned around. "Chris, Come here!!!!!" he shouted. A boy around the age of 13 came outside, "Chris, I want you to take her near the forest and gather some Thunderpepper, give her 4 peppers, and bring the rest to the shop we're out of them."
Chris looked at the girl for a second and said "Who is she?",
The vendor looked at Chris and said, "She's Emine's daughter."
Chris looked once again at the girl and said, "Okay."
"Thank you, Mister." The girl gave a wide smile to the vendor.
"You're welcome, and tell your mother, Mr. Greyson said hello." the vendor said and got back to his shop.
In the morning, the camp smelled of food, not something Allan would come up with but actual food.
Sam was the first to wake up since her nose got the whiff of the food, "Allan, I swear to god, if it's anything like the other day when you made the stew, which smelled good but tasted like sweat, I'll turn into a wolf and tear you apart." She said while still yawning as she woke up. She opened her eyes and saw Allan was still mumbling in bed.
She got up to see Saket cooking. The sight was extraordinary, to say the least. Steam from a pot was covering him up a bit as he was cutting the fish with a precision she hadn't seen, with one slash, he cut the fish and then chopped onion to the point where they just caramelized in the oil. By this time, everyone in the camp had woken up,
"Why does it smell so good?" Allan commented.
"I guess the legendary chef finally decided to show his skills today," Sam said with a bit of sarcasm,
"I didn't know something cold smell this good,' Harrison said on the verge of tears,
"Saket, if I found out that you're trying to poison our food and then steal from us, I'm personally gonna kill you." Eliz said, although she kinda knew Saket had good intentions.
Saket, for someone who loved to chatter a lot, was awfully quiet today and was too focused on cooking.
He took some plates and then plated the food with a dedication that only he could understand, everyone else was like it's just food.
But for Saket, it felt like it wasn't just food, it was something very personal to him.
"Guys, food's ready," Saket shouted, oblivious to the fact that everyone was just there watching him.
"Oh good, everyone's just here, haha. It's kinda embarrassing," Saket sort of went shy for a second there, "anyway food's ready, grab the plate."
Everyone jumped on the plate, almost like a feral animal. Sam was the first to get to the plate. She took the first bite and froze up. Everyone thought that the food was bad, but they still took a bite because they didn't wanna hurt Saket's feelings.
Everyone went into a state of shock, to the point where no one was moving.
Saket was the only one who was eating the food like it was nothing. Then, a drop of tear fell down the face of Sam, and she slowly took the second bite. Everyone else started taking the second bite, and they got emotional, everyone was just crying and eating the food.
They finished all the food, kept the dishes in the sink, and said nothing; no thank you, no sarcastic comment from Allan, who got awfully quiet. Sam and Eliz were sobbing, and Harrison, in typical Harrison fashion, said nothing, although it was unusual for even him to be this quiet.
"Umm, guys? Was it that bad?" Saket said in desperation as he saw everyone just going back to their room.
No one even tried to reply to Saket except Harrison, who turned around, walked up to Saket, and said, "Mr. Saket, from now on, if you need anything for cooking or anything in general, you come to me,"
"Umm, the First thing I'd want from you is to stop calling me like that, I know I haven't gained your trust yet, but still, I want you to call me casually," Saket said after thinking for two seconds.
"Alright, Saket, as you wish, and from what I can see," he said while looking around and saw everyone sobbing, "I think you will make a pretty good addition to the team."
Saket smiled at Harrison, and he smiled back and nodded to him.
After breakfast, Eliz called everyone for the general meeting to discuss further plans.
"Alright, first things first, who wants Saket to be the official member of the group?" Eliz posed the question to the group. At first, there was no one; the first one to raise a hand was Harrison, Sam followed, and then Allan and Eliz raised their hands. "With four out of six votes, you're officially a member of our group, Welcome to DRG."
"I have a few questions, though?" Saket exclaimed. "We can go through them later," Eliz Said.
"Now, with more important matters in hand, the Zombie King has to have known the resistance from our side by now, Why are his troops not going further north? Is the question he must be having, So he will send more forces for us, maybe someone stronger,"
"His name is Zarkhul." A voice suddenly echoed through the room which was not Eliz's. Everyone looked behind as it was Saket who said those words,
"Care to explain how do you know this, Mr. Hero?" Allan asked him,
"I once served one of his generals," Saket told the group, as he said this, Sam turned into a stone golem, Allan readied his fire, and Harrison pointed a pistol at Saket. In between this, with angry eyes, walking through the middle of the room comes Eliz, with an unsheathed sword in her hand and rage in her eyes. She pointed her sword at the neck of Saket,
"Tell me everything, NOW?" She said, threatening Saket.
Saket was almost terrified at the scene, as everyone was ready to off him in a second just by mentioning the general.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, guys, chill, I said I served him as in I was called in the general's court to cook for him, I do not have any connections with Zarkhul or the General Charynos. Although I can give you some information that I gathered from there." Saket said to save his life,
Eliz, by the show of hands, asked everyone to lower their guard except Allan, she was still unsure about the situation,
"How do we trust you?" Said Eliz, her sword still on the verge of piercing Saket's throat
"Why would I hurt you guys, I have no reason to, do you think Charynos would send a chef, with no power to defend himself on a battlefield, and you just mentioned that the Zombie king must have noticed now, as in recent times right?"
"I guess?" Eliz said, looking down, "But you have to share all the information about him right now."
"Okay, I was called to make food for Charynos. I resisted, but they forced me to, so I had to from there, I gathered the information that there are three main Generals of Zarkhul,
1. Thanion
2. Makharios
3. Charynos
Each one is a monster in its own way. I do not know their powers, except Charynos uses void magic." Saket said in one breath.
"Doesn't Harrison Also use some kind of void magic?" Sam asked the group.
"Not really, I use a derivation of void; I use magic, which is a typical mixture of elemental and seal magic, I cast a seal for the void and use elemental magic to solidify my creations," Harrison explained his superpowers, " which means Charnyos uses perfect magic?".
"Perfect magic? What's that?" Allan asked the group, confused.
"Seriously, Allan? You don't even know what type of magic are there?" Sam whined for a bit,
"So basically, perfect magic is something you are born with, and imperfect magic is something you acquire basically by either going through a lot of trauma or getting it passed on to you. You and I are both perfect magic users," Sam explained to Allan.
"Don't categorize me with you, with your low mana; you are barely a magic user, let alone a perfect one." Allan teased Sam, trying to relieve the tension.
Sam didn't hesitate for a second and pulled Allan's leg with her dragon tail that she freshly made.
"See Allan, that's magic. And a perfect one at that," Sam said while smiling smugly.
Suddenly, Sam growled at the door,
"Allan, shoot," Eliz shouted. Allan made glass crystals and shot just beside Saket toward the door.
"So the score is now 18-0, isn't it, Allan?' A deep voice Appeared out of nowhere behind Allan.
As Allan turns around, he sees a tall figure behind him,
"Pulkiittt," he shouts.
"Oh, come on, don't hog all the attention you!!" said a short figure, who came through the door.
Sam who usually carries a 24x7 angry face, was now smiling ear to ear and shouted "Ellaa.."
"Well, well, well, if it isn't everyone's favorite" Eliz says as she goes in for a hug.
After catching up with everyone, Ella says, "Why does this camp suddenly smell good, I could smell it from a mile away."
"Oh, that would be because of Mr. Freeloader over here," Sam says as she points to now zoned-out Saket, who appears to be thinking about something.
The whole group turns around towards Saket, and now he notices first Pulkit, who appears to be an inescapable figure with his stature.
Ella tilts her head, looking towards Saket, and says, "Who might this character be?"
As Saket sees Ella, Saket, caught mid-yawn, immediately straightened up as their gazes met.
"And who's this?" Ella asked, her voice gentle but firm.
Before anyone could explain, Saket stepped forward, brushing imaginary dust off his tunic. "Ah, the rumors are true—an angel does walk among us," he said with an exaggerated bow.
Ella blinked, taken aback. "I'm sorry, what?"
"Saket's the name," he said, flashing a charming grin. "Master chef, wandering soul, and newly humbled admirer of stunning beauty. It's an honor to be in your presence."
The room collectively groaned.
Sam folded her arms, shaking her head. "Really, Saket? She just walked in, and you're already pulling this?"
Allan smirked, leaning casually against the wall. "If you're looking for someone to flirt with, she's not the one, buddy."
Ella raised an eyebrow, looking at Saket with an amused smile. "Bold words for someone new here. Do you talk like this to everyone?"
"Not at all," Saket replied smoothly. "Only to those who deserve it. And you, my dear, deserve a feast of compliments. Speaking of feasts, let me cook you something worthy of your greatness."
Ella chuckled softly, clearly unimpressed but entertained. "I'll pass, but I'll keep the offer in mind. And why exactly are you here?"
Harrison, standing nearby, crossed his arms. "We caught him sneaking around near the camp. He's... under evaluation."
Saket raised his hands in mock surrender. "I was foraging. You know, for food? Ingredients for the masterpiece you all devoured this morning, by the way."
Ella's expression softened slightly, but her tone stayed firm. "So, you're a cook?"
"A cook, a culinary artist, and now, apparently, a misunderstood guest," Saket said, placing a hand over his heart. "But I assure you, my intentions are as pure as your radiant smile."
Ella's lips twitched as if suppressing a laugh. "You're quite the charmer, aren't you?"
"Only when I mean it," Saket replied.
Ella turned to the group, shaking her head in amusement. "Alright, so what's his story? And why are you all keeping him around?"
"Oh god, Ella, you don't even know, so we were fighting this horde of zombies, right?" Sam was excited to tell this story to Ella, but Allan interjected, "And then I made this personal record of zombie kills, but that's beside the point, and then we were resource hunting, and you know how Harrison is with his 'Guys keep everything in the circle or else it would be trouble' yeah he was doing that bit,"
"Bit?" Harrison cut off Allan in between "Dumass, that's how magic works, of course, you don't even know what type of magic there is, so it's not a shocker that you don't know this, so anyway, then we were doing the resource hunt and suddenly Sam smells something we thought it was zombies but turns out it was something much much worse."
"I was ready to run him through with my sword," Eliz stated bluntly. "But then he started rambling about how he was just a wandering chef, and something about the way he spoke made me pause. Either he's the best liar I've ever met, or he's genuinely harmless."
"I prefer the term charmingly harmless," Saket quipped.
Sam crossed her arms, glaring at Saket. "Well, I wanted to throw him in a cage and be done with it. He was way too suspicious, acting all clueless and innocent. But then he cooked that stew, and I guess he's not completely useless. And he dissed Allan's awful cooking so I didn't peck his eyes out."
"Thanks, I think?" Saket said with a small laugh.
"But I was the one who actually found out that he was harmless during my intense interrogation," Allan said.
"Oh yeah, the intense interrogation where you were telling him random shit about movies that you like," Sam was quick to point it out.
"Yes, Sam, that interrogation, have some humor in your life, anyway, yeah, so during our TALK about the films, I asked him what his favorite film is, and he said it's Desert Spice. Anyone who says their favorite movie is Desert Spice cannot be evil." Allan said in a certain way, which felt like he believed in it.
"That's your criteria for trust?" Sam said, rolling her eyes.
"It's a classic for a reason!" Saket was quick with his response, and Allan gave a nod of approval.
"Long story short, he is in our group now," Eliz announced," Although he was almost again getting his head chopped off minutes before you came," she said.
"Ah, no worries, I'd have joined it again," Ella responded as she was dying of laughter a few seconds before.
As the group recounted their tales, Ella's laughter rang out, her skepticism fading. "Sounds like you've had quite the adventure, Saket," she said, finally sitting down.
Pulkit remained quiet for a moment before speaking. "You've got a lot to prove, chef. But if Ella's okay with you being here, I'll stay quiet for now."
Saket turned to Ella, putting his hands together in a mock bow. "Well, then, it seems your approval is the key to my survival. I'll make sure to earn it."
Ella smiled but didn't reply, a hint of amusement still lingering on her face.
The tension fully dissolved as the group started to settle down, laughing and teasing each other again.
"Enough chatter, cuties, what would you guys like to eat?" Saket shouted.
"Ugh! Don't act like just because you've made good food, you'll continue your streak," Sam groaned.
"Okay, so you admit the food was good, and second, watch and learn, kiddo, you might just be surprised to know how many arsenals I have." Saket shot back.
As he said it, he got to cooking, and suddenly, the smell of the food put everyone in a happier mood than they had seen in recent times. And everyone was watching the spectacle that was Saket's cooking.
As he finished cooking, he could see everyone salivating, so he readied six plates and gave them to them.
Everyone was just in awe of the food, yet no one complemented Saket. It was okay for him, so he got to eat. For him, this was just regular food, but for six misfits, it was heaven.
"I must say, you didn't lie when you boasted about your cooking," Ella said in a soft voice,
"Well, I didn't lie about anything, even you being an angel was the truth,"
Ella gave out a small laugh and said, "It is genuinely good and seemed to have put the group in a good mood. And now let me introduce myself formally, I'm Ella, and I'm someone you come to when you get your limbs chopped." as she reached her hand out for a handshake.
"Aaahh, a powerful healer, I suppose, and what the deal with that guy?" Saket said while continuously aggressively shaking Ella's hand and pointing at Pulkit.
"Oh him, He's Pulkit, and he is the sort of tactician of the group, and his powers are well hard to explain," Ella said while she wasn't paying attention to Saket still shaking her hand aggressively.
" And by the way, welcome To DRG," Ella said to Saket with a smile.
"What's DRG? I have been wondering about it since Eliz said it earlier." Saket questioned.
"Oh, It's Denmark Road Group," Ella said.
"What a lame name, and Allan approved of this name? What a letdown." Saket was almost disappointed.
"The name has its significance, and for what it's worth, Allan himself came up with the name," Ella explained to Saket, and she freed her hand from Saket, who was still shaking her hand. And started walking towards the camp.
Pulkit stood at the edge of the camp, his tall figure silhouetted against the fiery hues of the setting sun. He scanned the horizon, his sharp gaze lingering on the faint tracks left by their earlier skirmish. Unlike the others, who had settled back into the warmth of the campfire, Pulkit remained on guard. His black coat flared in the desert wind, the shimmering embers from Allan's conjured firelight dancing on its edges.
"You're brooding again, Pulkit," Ella teased as she approached him with her hands folded behind her back. Her soft steps barely made a sound on the sand, but Pulkit's head tilted slightly, acknowledging her presence without turning around.
"Someone has to," he replied, his voice measured. "You know how it is. We get comfortable, and that's when the blade strikes."
Ella chuckled, standing beside him. "You trust them, don't you?"
Pulkit's lips pressed into a thin line. "I trust them, but the new guy—what's his name? Saket? He's... unpredictable."
"He made us dinner," Ella pointed out with a soft smile.
Pulkit finally turned to look at her, one eyebrow raised. "Dinner won't stop a dagger in the back. And we don't know why he was 'conveniently' wandering alone in Charynos' territory."
Ella frowned. "You think he's a spy?"
"I think he's something," Pulkit said, his voice tinged with suspicion. "Doesn't add up. And then there's that little slip about the generals..."
"He explained himself," Ella said gently, her tone firm but kind.
"For now," Pulkit muttered. He paused, then glanced back toward the campfire, where Saket's laughter rang out as he joked with Sam and Allan. "I'll admit, though, he has a way of lowering defenses. That's what worries me the most."
Ella tilted her head, studying Pulkit's expression. "Not everyone's out to get you, you know. Maybe he's just... trying to find a place."
Pulkit sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Maybe. But until I know for sure, I'm keeping my eyes open. Someone has to."
Ella reached out "Don't let your guard down. But don't close yourself off, either. You've been hurt before, Pulkit, but you're not alone anymore."
Pulkit glanced at her, the faintest trace of a smile tugging at his lips.
"Why are we still stuck there, Makharios? You better have answers," A shadowy skeletal figure shouted at Makharios.
"My lord, there is resistance from this new and coming rebellion," Makharios said with a shaky voice.
"Get me the information about them now," The shadowy figure shouted angrily.