Chapter 6:blood?

Beginning of phase 2

(2 weeks later)

Under the starry night sky, within the heart of an enigmatic forest veiled in inky blackness, a group of figures draped in large black cloaks gathers. Perched on tree logs encircling a campfire, they defy the darkness as moonlight weaves eerie shadows on the gnarled branches.

In a moment of silence, the tranquility shatters with the echo of a cracked stick. Heads turn in unison toward the source and the crowding darkness yields to unveil a tall figure. Adorned in a dark blue full dress army uniform with square-lensed black glasses and brown combed hair, the imposing newcomer commands attention as he settles among the cloaked figures.

The cloaked figures rise like disciplined soldiers, aligning to face the tall male figure whose radiant crimson eyes pierce through the fabric of their cloaks, exuding an unsettling aura of authority.

The tallest among the cloaked figures steps forward, approaching the male figure with a slow, purposeful gait. Bowing deeply, they display absolute submission, acknowledging the mysterious authority that has descended upon them.

Tall cloaked figure: It's a pleasure meeting you again, sir

???: …

The male figure stared at the cloaked man in silence as if they refused to speak. The male figure gives the cloaked figure a large brown sack full of circular coins made of a durable gold alloy, adorned with intricate engravings.

???: I want you to burn down Harmony Grove. Do not leave a single villager alive.

The male figure's voice resonates with a dark, velvety timbre, possessing a captivating depth that sends shivers down the spine. Each word carrying an air of authority.

???: Burn everything, including the women and children, you have 3 days.

The tall cloaked figure straightens their back slightly, almost matching the male figure's height, then places their arm on their chest.

Tall cloaked figure: As you wish, sir

The male figure leaves the scene without uttering a word as their silhouette slowly blends in with the darkness. One of the cloaked men behind the tall cloaked figure speaks up, expressing their distaste towards the attitude of the male figure.

Cloaked figure: What's wrong with him?

Cloaked figure: Talking to us like that 

Cloaked figure: Why don't we just take the money or even better we can just burn the village and take the women and children for ourselves.

The figure rambled

Cloaked figure: We're not assassins we are bandits, why should we-

Mid-sentence, the towering cloaked figure swiftly seizes them by the neck, tightening their grip with a vice-like force. A collective gasp escapes the cloaked figures around the campfire, shock and tension palpable in the air as the unexpected turmoil unfolds.

Cloaked figure: ugh!?

Tall cloaked figure: You fool, if we do that we will incur the wrath of that man and I'll be sure to kill you before that happens!!

Tall cloaked figure: Now watch your tongue and do as your told, understand!!

Relinquishing the grip, the tall cloaked figure allows the other to crumple to their knees, clutching their neck and gasping for air. Amidst the strained breaths, the cloaked figure perceives the tall one's hand vibrating uncontrollably. Once a breath is finally caught, the recovering cloaked figure ventures a question

Cloaked figure: Why…are you so afraid…of that man?

The tall figure maintains a stoic silence for a moment, then shifts their gaze towards the path where the male figure departed.

Tall cloaked figure: Because he is someone you should never disobey even if your life depends on it.

(The next morning)

In the expansive, verdant field, a small brown carriage holds Nico, Rico, Banko, and Elara. Guiding the carriage is an elderly elven man. Nico gazes out from the carriage, marveling at colossal trees in the far distance. Their towering height astonishes him. Amidst this natural spectacle, a lingering question for Elara takes root in Nico's mind, awaiting the opportune moment to be voiced.

Nico: Master, where are we going?

During the past 2 weeks, the boys had come to a unanimous agreement to address Elara as their master, for she had been sparring with the boys multiple times and had  defeated them within seconds as their fights began. The longest the boys had ever lasted in a fight against Elara was 20 seconds, the fights may have been short but it was worth it as they had learnt martial arts and levelled up to level 8. Initially Rejecting it, Elara got used to being addressed as master by the boy's. Elara jolts her eyes at Nico and answers his question.

Elara: We are going to the aqua sanctum underneath the Cerulean Oasis.

Nico raised his right eyebrow as he tilted his head.

Nico: um, why are we going there again?

Frowning with narrowed eyes, Elara's eyebrows furrow in clear irritation. The repetition of the question seems to test her patience, as she had already provided the details to him the previous day.

Elara: Remember when we were testing your new abilities, we found out that Banko has an ability called Guardian Ascension.

Elara: But it requires him to have a guardian hero for him to use it, so we are passing through the ephemeral haven to the Cerulean Oasis to gain the aqua sylph gaurdian hero.

Elara elaborated

Rico slowly raises his arm. Elara instantly bolts in his direction. With a face full of guilt and regret, Rico asks a question.

Rico: W-what's a guardian heroes?

Elara, with a silent growl directed at Rico, proceeds to explain that Guardian Heroes are ancient figures who left an indelible mark on the world of Eldrystria, reincarnating as guardian spirits many years ago. She explains the existence of 10 Guardian Heroes, ranked from weakest to strongest. To become a chosen, one must stand at the centre of the Guardian Heroes' sanctuary and wait for potential selection. Elara emphasizes that the more powerful the Guardian Hero, the lower the likelihood of being chosen. She reveals the rarity of encountering individuals picked by formidable Guardian Heroes.

Banko: So their basically summoning pets to assist you in battles

Elara: That's a unique way to put it but yes

Elara, initially confused by Banko's summary of her exposition, ultimately accepts it.

Rico: How long will it take for us to reach the Cerulean Oasis?

Rico asked curiously 

Elara: approximately a week

Banko,Nico and Rico: What!?

Shocked by Elara's revelation, the boys flinch. Before they can respond, the carriage abruptly halts, slamming them against its walls with an unexpected force, leaving them momentarily stunned.

All three: Ugh!?

Elara turned her head to the old man at the front of the carriage.

Elara:  What's wrong?

The old man, visibly shaken, speaks with a tone revealing their fear of what's in front of them.

Old man: W-we've got company, their bandits and there's 3 of them.

Elara's lips curl into a smirk as she looks at the boys with her narrowed eyes.

Elara: This looks like the perfect time for you boys to test your new abilities on real opponents, don't you agree?

The boy's eyes immediately beam as clearly excitement is shown on their faces, without hesitation Nico jumps out of the carriage brandishing his two daggers but these are not the same half bladed daggers from before, these daggers have a shiny bronze like texture to them, they're called.

Nico: now I can finally test out these new level 8 bronze daggers I used Bankos bag of fish money to buy

Banko was not happy

Rico and Banko jumped out of the carriage behind Nico, The boy's slowly closed their distance with the 3 bandits, 2 who were carrying bronze daggers like Nico and one carrying what appeared to be an iron shortsword.

Old men: A-are you sure about this, aren't those boys just kids?

The old man asks Elara expressing his concern for the boys safety

Elara: Yes they are

Elara:( And those kids will be this worlds saviours)

The old man looks at Elara with an expression showing clear confusion, wondering if she doesn't care about the boy's wellbeing.

Bandit 1: This area's off limits, move aside if you don't want to get hurt

The boys notice the transparent bars on top of the bandits heads and see that they are level 4-6 npcs. The boys chuckle with a tone of arrogance as they confidently walk closer to the bandits.

Bandit 3: Then we'll chase you by force!

Banko brandishes his wooden and raises his arm in front of Rico, signalling him to halt his movement as Nico sprints straight towards the bandits at blinding speed. One of the bandits carrying a bronze dagger charges towards Nico and slashes their daggers, aiming for Nico's neck.

Nico lowers his upper body, imitating the running pose seen in Naruto. Nico takes a stance.

Nico: SKILL 1: SHADOW STEP!!

Almost within a split second Nico appears behind the bandit, slashing them on the hip with his daggers simultaneously.

“47- damage”

Bandit 2: Gack!!

The bandit falls on their knees while holding onto their slashed hip.

Bandit 1 and 3: You little s**t

The two bandits charge at Nico.

Banko: SKILL 2: ELEMENTAL BLAST!!

“Critical: 40+30 damage”

Bandit 1:’ GAAAAAAHHH!!

A radiant green burst of energy manifests as a swirling fusion of earth, wind, and flora, penetrating a massive hole through the 1st bandit abdominal. The bandits' transparent bar above their head instantly turns red with the text “ Dead” appearing next to their name.

Infuriated, the third bandit emits a low growl, spotting Banko pointing his staff in his direction, with Rico standing steadfastly by his side.

Nico: Nice one!!

Nico yells at Banko, his eyes widened, brows raised and mouth slightly agape, reflecting a genuine sense of wonder.

A black ball suddenly appeared in front of Bankos face, as the ball collided with his face it instantly burst into a dense cloud of black smoke.

Banko: *cough* What the?*cough*

Nico: Ba-

In the blink of an eye, the third bandit wielding the iron shortsword materializes behind Nico, akin to an anime character appearing instantly behind their opponent. Nico swiftly turns, catching sight of the bandit preparing to strike. In that crucial moment, Nico glances at the bandit's bar and notices…

Nico: (Shoot,it's the level 6!)

Bandit 3: ULTIMATE MOVE:  WHIRLWIND SLA-

Banko: GO!!

In that critical moment, Banko bellows at the top of his lungs while Rico dashes through the black smoke. Banko conjures a large, sharp-tipped wooden pillar, swinging it through the air to disperse the black smoke.

Nico endeavors to evade the bandit's imminent attack, but the adversary is too close for him to maneuver effectively. The bandit swings the sword towards Nico's neck. Yet, just before the blade reaches its mark, a vibrant yellow light materializes behind them, accompanied by swirling embers dancing in the air.

Rico: SKILL 1: BURNING FIST!!!

Rico's hand ablaze with red-hot flames, he clenches it into a fist and delivers a powerful blow to the bandit's right ribcage. The impact is so intense that a massive burst of fire erupts from Rico's fist, propelling the bandit skyward in a spectacular display of force.

*70 damage*

Bandit 3: GAAAAHHHH!!

The bandits body burst in flames as it landed on the lush surface. The acrid scent of burning flesh fills the air as the bandit's corpse crackles and smoulders. The crackling flames produce a disconcerting symphony, accompanied by the occasional popping of trapped pockets of air within the now lifeless form. The flames dance with an eerie orange glow, casting haunting shadows that flicker across the grassy landscape.

Nico: Thanks but isn't your first skill called elemental strike?

Nico asked after expressing his gratitude to Rico

Rico: I didn't like the name so I changed it

Rico replied bluntly, Rico and Nico converse on the validity of naming it as “burning fist” Nico describes it as cringe which angers Rico prompting the both of them to enter a banter while Banko is seen in the background approaching the first bandit's corpse.

As Banko gets a good glimpse at the bandits corpse he notices something is wrong.

Banko: Nico, Rico you guys got to see this!

Old man: I'm…speechless

The old man's eyes widened, mouth agape, wrinkles decreased in number as he stretched his face. The old man glances at Elara who is quietly seated in the carriage with a small grin on her face.

Old man: Who-Who are you people?

???: AAAAAH!!

A deafening, ear-piercing scream reverberates through Elara and the old man, prompting their long ears to reflexively rise in shock. Elara swiftly exits the carriage, compelled to investigate the source of the scream. As she steps out, she finds the boys clustered around the lifeless form of the first bandit.

Elara: What happened here?

Elara steps between the boys, gripping Banko's shoulder. Their faces freeze in petrified expressions, eyes wide with unspoken terror. Muscles tense, lips silently scream, capturing the profound fear. Nico, though with a plain expression, expresses shock in his eyes at the unfolding scene.

Banko: Blood?

Rico: Why aren't their bodies disappearing like the floating fish's

Rico asked with a hint of terror in his voice.

Elara: it's because they're not monsters, only monsters' bodies fade into crystals when they die.

Elara states with a confused expression wondering if this is the first time the boys have seen a dead body.

The boy's eyes stare intensely at the bandit's corpse upon the grassy surface, the metallic scent of blood lingering heavily, filling the air with an unsettling aroma. The vivid red pool spreads beneath the lifeless form, staining the once vibrant green blades. The vibrant grass transforms into a macabre canvas, absorbing the crimson hue that seeps from the lifeless body's hip.

Banko: Ugh-blurgh!!

Banko's face contorts in a battle against the rising nausea. Beads of sweat form on his forehead as he clenches his jaw, desperately swallowing hard to suppress the urge. His breath quickens and a pale complexion hints at his internal struggle. A hand pressed firmly against his stomach, as if physically holding back the impending upheaval. Elara jumps to aid Banko.

Rico gazes at the gruesome scene before him, but in a sudden, haunting moment, a vivid image overlays the present in his mind – an adult male and female lying on a pavement floor with ominous red-black holes on their heads, blood slowly oozing out.

Rico's face drains of colour, his eyes glaze over with a distant, unfocused stare. A sudden weakness pervades his body, causing a subtle sway or unsteady posture. Beads of sweat appear on his forehead, reflecting the onset of dizziness. His breathing becomes shallow and there's a notable lightheadedness as if reality is slipping away. Rico's movements slow and his limbs feel heavy, indicating an imminent descent into unconsciousness.

Rico's body uncontrollably falls to the ground. 

Nico and Elara:  Rico!! 

Rico's consciousness slips away, his eyes flutter closed, leaving a vacant stare. The surrounding sounds become distant, muffled echoes as Elara and nicos voices succumb to the void.

Rico passes out.

Chapter 6 ends.