Fortified Camp
Adventurers Camping Ground
A lanky youth laying on top of wooden boxes stared in the night sky while a female wearing leather armor sat on the ground agitated as she leaned on the wooden crate.
*chik chik chik*
The sound of dirt being moved by the tip of a boot sounded, as the legs of the female kept trembling as she bit her thumb. Shaking her head sporadically, she turned to the lazy youth behind her.
"Oleg, do you think Hatr has fallen?" With a complicated face, the female asked the lanky youth a top the crates.
"Beats me." The lanky youth named Oleg, shrugs uncertainty about how to answer his female companion.
Both he and the female were members of the adventurer guild, a part of those who came to Zalsac in search for wealth.
Turning to his side facing the direction of his female companion, Oleg asked the frustrated adventurer. "Hey, Rhea, you're from there aren't you?"
The female named Rhea hesitated for a moment before answering. Her face complicated as she spoke. "Well… I was born there."
"Really… how is life there?"
"Hmmm, pretty good, other than the occasional monster getting closed to the village, nothing really warrants that much attention. Hatr's wood craft are pretty decent. Here look at this shield, this is made there. Took dozens of of clubs from orcs and beast men, still durable and only slightly scratched."
"Oh! So that's where that shield comes from. That's why I weren't able to find a similar one in Delberg."
"Hehe, yeah, my… father… helped make it for me when I was young. Told me its good to learn to defend myself."
"Any relatives?" Oleg eyes was raised, finding it curious about the sudden shift of attitude of the female adventurer.
Rhea, bit her lips as she answered in a whisper like manner. "Uhh… my old man…"
"Oh?" Oleg's eyes widen, this is the Rhea he knew? This female diva, feared by many of the men in the adventurer's guild in Delberg is now acting like a teen caught doing something embarrassing. Now Oleg's attention was fully taken by Rhea. Waiting for her to further elaborate.
Seeing Oleg's curious eyes, Rhea hesitated for a bit before sighing and answering. "Sigh… my father lives there. He's the village elder of Hatr."
"Huh?" Tilting his head, Oleg, stared at Rhea confused. If her father is a village head doesn't that mean her family should be well off.
'Considering one needs to have enough influence and wealth to garner support of the people to seat on the village elders position. Then doesn't that mean Rhea is a young lady from a slightly wealthy family?' Oleg's eyes blinked, looking at his female companion. Auburn hair and emerald eyes, slightly tanned and not so smooth skin, because of their occupation.
Compared to those fair ladies in Delberg it is indeed quite hard to link her to a lady from a slightly wealthy family. Still why did a daughter of a village elder turn to become an adventurer. How odd…
Curious, Oleg, asked Rhea. "Your family should've doing fine then, so why did you join the guild?"
The corner of Rhea's mouth twitched, she doesn't like talking about this topic, because she knew how stupid it sounds. "I don't have that good of a relationship with my father…"
The moment Oleg heard of Rhea's answer he once again slumped in the wooden crate.
"Ohhh…" Rolling his eyes as he let out an 'oooh'. 'Idiot' a new label was added to one of the best female adventurer of Delberg.
To him leaving the confines of the village just because of having a 'bad relationship' with someone is such a dumb thing to do. How stupid, if his father was a Village head, he would not leave the village where he came from.
After all becoming an adventurer and going on missions which you risk your life for a meagre pay, is something that only people like him who came from the bottom of society will do. Beggar and Orphans alike, only those who truly have nothing will do anything to gain something. Even throwing away their lives.
If he was in Rhea's shoes he would just try to get along with that old man. After all as long they were blood related he doubt the old man would drive him away… and after a decade or two that old man would probably die, all the wealth he poses will be for him to inherit…
'If only I was in her shoes… sigh… what a waste.' Done with his inner drama, he once again returned to his conversation with Rhea. "So you're worried?"
Rhea nodded, she is indeed worried. Although her relationship with her father haven't been the best since her mother's death, he is still her father… the only reason why she ran away is because her father had always been so focused on the village. Forgetting about her and her mother.
At times the village came first before them. Even on her mother's death bed… he still chose the village over staying by their side…
Oleg, peeked at Rhea's face. Seeing her slightly sad and worried face, he tried comforting her. "Well, don't worry too much. I heard that the goblins were still outside the village. That means it aint breached yet."
Rhea nodded, feeling slightly relieved at Oleg's comfort. "Yeah, you're right… thanks…"
*Step step step* Heavy footsteps and clanging of metal disturb the silence of the two.
"Tsk… just when I'm about to sleep" Oleg complained as he rose from his lying position.
"WHIC.." Just as he was about to yell at the culprit who caused the disturbance. "mmmm… mmm!?!"
A fragant smell entered his nose and a hand covered his mouth. Rhea's whisper like voice entered his ears. "Shhhh… lower your voice."
The hand slowly turned his head towards the direction of the noise, as Rhea told him the identity of the source of the movement. "Those are the grim guys from before."
At Rhea's words he caught sight of the black scaled armored troops holding halberds, Oleg's, frustration was doused with a cold basin of water. *gulp*
The hand holding his mouth let go. As he twisted his head and towards the direction the Black Halberds were heading to. "Oh… they're out on a patrol, so many of them?"
Rhea shook her head. A patrol of such a size in the woodlands is illogical especially considering the narrow open spaces in the woods. Rather than going to patrol… they are more likely to do the same thing that the bloodied Black Halberd they encountered before were doing. Eliminating goblins…
Oleg, tilted his head at Rhea's action. Curious of why she responded like that he asked for an explanation. "Huh, if not patrolling, what are they doing out there then?"
'Killing goblins… that direction… huh?' A flash of inspiration appeared in Rhea's mind. After connecting the dots together, she began telling Oleg what she thought their purpose was. "No… their not out there patrolling… the direction they are heading… is Hatr's direction…"
Oleg unable to comprehend Rhea's vague words, asked for clarification. "Meaning?" R
olling her eyes at Oleg, she began clarifying what she said before. "Meaning those guys are out there killing goblins like the one we encountered before, and from the direction they are heading. They'll probably go to Hatr which is surrounded by goblins."
Pausing for a while then finding the right words for it, she summarized her theory in a single sentence. "In simpler words, they'll probably clear the way ahead of army."
"Just them…" Oleg shook his head. Unable to find her words believable. It isn't that he doesn't trust in Rhea's opinion regarding the matter. It's just that their are so few Black Halberds and so many Goblins. They'll probably be overwhelmed by the goblins the moment they took notice of them.
Rhea shook her head at Oleg's unbelieving look. She knew it's hard to find it believable that such a small group could take on a large group of foe. But there are special group of people capable of doing just that.
"I think it's feasible… remember those guys in Delberg's chapel." She mumbled to Oleg as she remembers the group of fully armored warrior, wielding great swords in the church of Delberg.
Oleg's eyes twitched, his cheeks felt pain just at the mention of those guys. "How can I forget those…"
Oleg's eyes widen as he realized what Rhea was implying. "Hey! Rhea… you don't mean that your baron's troops are like them right?"
Rhea ignoring Oleg, kept staring at the back of the Black Halberds. Mumbling as she compared them to those solemn warriors of the church. "They don't have the numbers but they do look like one… order's paladins… an extraordinary legion…"