"Everyone good?" Vincent calls out. I finished everyone I thought needed healing. No one seems to request further care at least. "Can you give a quick run through the farm side, Magius? Lyrie bring Daniel and Ryan for a walk through the woods."
"Understood."
I stand next to Vincent as the two groups head out. "Are you checking for any we missed?"
"Yes. Even if we think we managed everything, there is a chance we didn't."
"Aren't you aware of the area, though?"
"I am, but a jackolope may not register as threat. You saw them. They're bunnies with antlers. I know they're more dangerous than a typical bunny, but it's rare anyone gains any injury with a bunny. Even farmers know how to shoo them away." Vincent pauses glancing to me. "Expect wolves, though. Dire or not, a wolf can be dangerous. Stick to how you handled it before. Bow works well for you. You hit every time even if you don't kill with your shots."
"It's enough."
"Yes." Vincent scans the area. "I'm expecting battle. So should you. Pretending ease is fine, but you should never fully be at ease. Even when sleep. Sleep light in a camp."
"That's why I'm sent back."
"You won't be sent back on our hunt. I can only hope you do not create more problems for us." Vincent is not at ease in any sense.
A rabbit wandering would give a suggestion that a wolf is nearby. Or another predator that smelt the blood we just split. Cleaver's blood would decrease attacks. A jackolopes' blood should draw things in. Why does my magic draw the most dangerous?
I sit on the log watching the fire.
"Do you need anything?" William asks.
"Can I have Father's spell book?" I ask. William doesn't mind offering. "You know about the hunt request already, don't you?"
"I know about it. I am following you for now. If worse comes to worse, you're going back to the castle. There cannot be a true threat on the crown prince's life. I told you, I am pushing for you to become king. Everything I do is for that sake."
I frown at him. "Can't it be friends first?"
William grins. "We are friends, but I am your tracer. My job both as future head and as tracer now depends on you becoming king. So, I am actually putting myself first by pushing you."
The honesty doesn't make me feel better. "If you were me, what spells would you study before going?"
"I don't know your full spell list." William holds up a hand. "So all I would suggest is to figure out teleport self to home."
A spell we both can access. I won't be able to ask William for these answers. The fact I want healing won't help me with this quest either. There's a reason Odin was marked my trainer. He could access many of my spells. And he could explain spells I have access to that he can't use. He's watched my parents often.
But... Odin broke my curse not because I asked him to but to save Mom. He knew I would do it, but I wasn't even given consultation. I need Odin as my magic trainer and I don't trust him. Should I ask someone else? A Periwinkle mage, though is something special. Odin has special magic to read magic. I can't just pretend that doesn't help him as a trainer.
I review my father's book while sitting near the fire. The two groups come back without any concerns, but I can tell those used to battle are readying. Wolves are expected.
"What about that spell Odin used to guard us?" I ask William.
"You can use it too, but... Why? It denies any damage. Even support magic or eating cannot be done under the spell. It's a good lock option for prisoners."
"Sounds like..." A torture method. I shake it off. "Is it a curse?"
"No. Any ally can cross the border of the spell."
"And an enemy?"
"Cannot enter and is pushed out if nearby."
I think that over. The prisoner must be seen as an ally then. At least seen as an ally by the mage. "I wish I knew what spell would suit the situation. He used to to protect us from the strigipsx. I could do the same."
"When we go back, we can ask Odin."
"Is he here?"
"Mirror message or teleport is easy enough for me. I don't mind." William stands up. He's not the only one looking in a specific direction. As I notice the action, the lack of sounds typical of a forest becomes more pronounced.
Wolves... Are expected.
Vincent makes a sign in the air. Minus us white knights, they nod.
William leans closer to me to whisper, "Dire."
Oh. Vincent was giving warning its the more dangerous type of wolf. The monster type.
I gulp standing up. What use am I? I ready my bow waiting. Daniel and Ryan move to my side. They're doing the same. An archer is less likely to gain injury.
A wolf bounds into the camp site going for Vincent who was nearest it. The streaks of red along its black coat is the sign most need to say dire wolf. With Vincent handling the wolf, though, I have no shot. He's too quick.
Another wolf jumps out of the opposite side of camp. Lyrie was over there for a reason, then. She moves right in handling things I cannot imagine handling. Melee battle against a wolf? As I see Lyrie shove a sword into her wolf's neck, I hear the yelp of Vincent's.
That seemed... Too easy? Was it just a pair? Wolves can work solo or as a pair, but most go as teams. Vincent signs something. He doesn't even wipe the blood off his blade while moving silently to a different position. I only get to watch as the team shifts placements. William doesn't explain the sign, so I assume it's not important for us.
Even one wolf would be a tough battle for me. I really need training. These blue knights don't even need my healing after that. They're readying for a fight.
When the next wolf jumps on Vincent's back, I fall backwards. I wasn't expecting that move at all. Wouldn't Vincent be aware? Did he try to trick the wolf into battle? William drags me to standing as Another team member handles pulling the wolf off of Vincent.
I can see blood on Vincent's shoulder. It's his off hand side, but still... I release my heal spell toward him. Can I reach? Distance weakens the magic. I need to improve not just my physical abilities, but my magical ones. I am not strong enough for any of these.
There's a reason I didn't want to join the knighthood until twenty!
I'm just a kid pretending to be an adult here. Daniel sends out an arrow into the woods. I hear the thunk of arrow hitting flesh. None of our team are there, so that must've been a wolf. Or another enemy. Daniel aims again.
I cannot see what the aim is. There's nothing in any of my senses. I'm stuck unable to battle. The only wolves I can see are lying on the ground dead or dying. Ryan nods and shoots an arrow into another section. It doesn't hit whatever he was aiming for. Or maybe he's just trying to scare off the wolves left.
But I cannot even gauge where the wolves are. These two spent the last few months actually training. I was wandering the country asking people to be knights. I was pretending to be weak.
But it's no pretend. I am weak.
How do I get myself to be strong enough to handle anything?
Vincent holds his fist up. A sign to stop everything. I know that one. He scans the areas. "They fled. Finally."
"What should we do with these?" Lyrie kneels before a wolf corpse. Vincent looks to William.
"Got it." William moves in to teleport the monsters away. Not sure where. Anywhere is better than the middle of our camp.