Hurried footsteps got closer and closer to Raka's position, and he was stuck frozen in place, contemplating whether to stay put or give in to his instinct to run away.
But before he could make his decision, it was already too late. The ones running were already so close.
Suddenly, he heard a loud roar from above and saw a giant winged creature descending straight at him.
"The hell-?!" But he jumped back in time just before they hit him, avoiding the attack.
The attack sent dust clouds all around the area, making it difficult to see what had just attacked him.
As the dust cleared, Raka saw what could only be described as a giant fucking eagle. Its wings spread out towards him as an act of aggression.
His heart pounded in his ears as his body instantly went into fight-or-flight mode. But suddenly, the beast's head was pulled back, and he could finally make out the muzzle surrounding its mouth and the person sitting on its back.
The person was wearing a cloak and a mask covering their face. But even with it on, Raka could feel their gaze on him.
I really don't want to fight that thing. Raka thought, but his attention soon disappeared as the other footsteps finally reached him.
"Well, what do we have here?" A man dressed in what Raka could describe as ranger attire said on the back of a horse.
Raka narrowed his eyes on the man. He excluded a presence that was distinct from the rest. Just being near him charged up the air like electricity.
It was then that Raka finally noticed that he was surrounded on all sides. They brandished a wide array of weapons.
Swords, axes, bows, and- Is that a fucking gun?! He suddenly felt a lot more cornered now after seeing that they had firearms.
A quick head count gave him a rough estimate of the amount of people around him.
At Least 30-ish people. He didn't have a good feeling about them. From the looks on their faces and their aggressive body language, he was already preparing for the worst. But still holding out hope that they were friendly.
"Conan!" The man on the horse suddenly shouted, "This one of the slaves?". The man next to him turned his gaze onto Raka, his eyes glowing light blue.
"☠︎□︎ ⬧︎♓︎❒︎📪︎ ✋︎ ♎︎□︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎ ♎︎♏︎⧫︎♏︎♍︎⧫︎ ♋︎■︎⍓︎ ❒︎♏︎❍︎■︎♋︎■︎⧫︎⬧︎ □︎♐︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬧︎●︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ♍︎❒︎♏︎⬧︎⧫︎ □︎■︎ ♒︎♓︎❍︎📬︎" The man suddenly said.
Okay, what the fuck? The man had spoken in a completely different language, which greatly complicates things.
Do the others also speak in this language? How can he understand the man on the horse but not this guy?
His confusion didn't go unnoticed. "Oh? So you don't understand what he's saying, do you?"
"No… I don't."
The man let out a hum, thinking to himself but without moving his gaze from him. Then, suddenly, he raised his hand, and the rest of his group started to lower their weapons.
What? Why was he suddenly telling the others to back off? Not that he was going to complain, but it seemed too sudden.
"I think we may have started on the wrong foot, I am Nikos." He introduced himself, "Me and my… team are searching for a group of escaped criminals. Would you happen to know about their whereabouts?"
Bullshit. Raka already knew the man was lying. How? Just a moment ago, this… Nikos was asking if he was a slave. Calling escaped criminals "Slaves." didn't sit right with him.
"Sorry, but I don't know anything about any escaped criminals." He said, choosing his words carefully. "I was just walking through the forest when I came across this camp. Or what used to be one anyways."
Motioning to their scorched and destroyed surroundings. Nikos didn't say anything, so he took this as a sign to continue.
"I saw a small satchel on the ground and found some orange crystals inside, but after I picked them up, they suddenly exploded."
He must have said something wrong because when he mentioned the orange crystals, he saw Nikos's hand flinch.
He didn't respond but turned his sight towards the man next to him, Conan. Then, the two started speaking in a language Raka didn't understand again.
He can make it, so I can't understand what he's saying. Raka thought grimly. He didn't like this.
When Nikos finished speaking to Conan, he saw Conan's eyes widen before turning sharply to Raka.
Nikos spoke again, "So Mister, uhh."
"Raka"
"Ah yes, Mister Raka. You say that these 'orange crystals' exploded while you were holding them, did you not?"
"Yeah, that's about right."
"Do tell me how you survived an explosion from an Emperor's gem? An explosion that has the power to kill dragons, and yet you stand here, unharmed?"
…
He royally fucked up. Raka had no idea what an "Emperor's Gem" was, but it must have been a big deal.
He also heard the others around him start to hold their weapons in a more aggressive stance.
"Uhh, I'm pretty tough?"
Nikos said nothing, his eyes not leaving Raka's for a second. Conan spoke again, something that earned an approved grunt from Nikos.
He raised his hand again, but this time with his fist clenched. That's when his men entered their stances, archers prepared their arrows, and gun holders brandished their firearms.
Raka panicked, "Hold on just a sec! I don't know what you guys think, but I mean no harm! How about I just leave, and we all pretend that we didn't see eachothe-"
"Get him!"
At Nikos's words, multiple people charged at him, ready to attack. It looks like he couldn't avoid a fight after all.
He really should have stayed on the dirt path.
/ - /
As Nikos's voice echoed through the clearing, several melee fighters rushed forward, weapons poised and ready.
Raka's heart jumped into his throat as he instinctively leaped backward, narrowly evading the swipe of a longsword.
"Shit, shit, shit!" he muttered, breath coming fast as another attacker swung an axe towards his leg.
Raka hopped aside, barely missing the blade's biting edge. His pulse thundered in his ears. What frightened him the most was that these guys weren't just normal thugs. They were coordinated.
Quickly Regroup and surround him before launching another barrage of attacks that flow with one another.
But he noticed something strange.
They weren't aiming for any vital points—no thrusts towards his chest, no swings aimed at his head. Each strike was precise yet restrained, meant to immobilize rather than kill.
Wait, since when was he so good at reading people's movements?
His mind spun briefly, confusion mingling with panic as he continued dodging. His limbs moved with effortless precision he hadn't realized he possessed, sliding past a spear thrust and ducking beneath a sweeping mace. Why did they feel so… slow?
Another blade arced toward his arm, but he sidestepped with shocking ease. Raka's eyes widened, realization striking him.
They weren't slow. He was just fast—unnaturally so. But even with this revelation, his stomach twisted at the thought of striking back.
Memories of the basilisk flooded his mind; its upper body shattered, and flesh splattered gruesomely around him.
Killing a monster was one thing; killing people was another. Even as if they were trying to hurt him, his conscience refused to let him counterattack. He tightened his fists; he needed to get away somehow.
"Can't we just talk this out?! " he yelled in vain, but his words were expectedly met with silence.
He pivoted sharply to dodge another swing when Conan barked out something, irritation clear in the tone. Immediately, the archers raised their bows, drawing back their strings in a deadly unison.
"Oh, hell no!" Raka gasped, panic surging through his veins. The bows released simultaneously, arrows slicing through the air.
His body reacted instinctively, twisting and bending in ways he didn't fully understand. An arrow grazed past his ear, the hiss close enough to make him flinch, another embedding itself into the dirt inches from his foot.
Breathing heavily, Raka prepared to celebrate internally—then came a deafening bang.
A heavy impact slammed into his stomach, knocking the wind clean out of him. "Fughk-!" He staggered backward, bewildered, and another series of bangs followed rapidly.
Pain exploded across his abdomen as multiple projectiles hammered into him, forcing him to his knees.
"Shit, I'm shot!" Raka gasped, panic tightening his throat. He glanced down, expecting blood, but saw strange projectiles scattered on the ground.
It was rubber bullets! Still painful, but at least he didn't actually get shot!
Relief washed over him briefly, replaced instantly by fresh alarm as the gunslinger cocked the weapon again, eyes narrowing with grim intent.
The melee fighters seized the opportunity, charging at him once more. Raka's instincts took over completely. As the gun fired again, his muscles moved on pure reflex, jerking him sideways as the rubber bullets zipped past. The gunman's eyes widened, disbelief and surprise clear on his face.
This is my chance!
Raka surged forward, heart racing as he barreled straight towards the shooter.
The man's face went white with panic, bracing for an attack—but Raka blew past him without a glance, sprinting desperately towards the dense treeline.
"He's getting away!" Nikos's voice echoed furiously behind him, followed immediately by pounding footsteps giving chase.
But their noises quickly faded as Raka pushed himself harder, running at a blistering pace he hadn't thought possible.
Trees flashed in a blur of brown and green, branches whipping past his face as his speed continued to build.
Finally slowing just a fraction, Raka dared to breathe a sigh of relief—then froze mid-step as another monstrous roar split the air.
"You have got to be kidding me…" he groaned, glancing upwards. The massive eagle surged above the canopy, talons outstretched, eyes fixed unerringly on him as it dove in pursuit.
The massive eagle let out a deafening screech overhead, its shadow momentarily blotting out the sun.
Raka's heart hammered violently, adrenaline surging as his feet pounded the forest floor. He barely registered the rider shouting something, a command lost in the rush of blood pulsing through his ears.
Suddenly, the eagle's massive wings flared open, glowing with an intense emerald hue.
One powerful flap sent a violent gust of wind roaring towards him, tearing through the forest canopy and leaving deep gashes in the earth. Raka threw himself sideways, panic tightening his chest.
"That thing is definitely stronger than the basilisk!"
Raka scrambled desperately, weaving sharply through the dense trees, hoping the thick foliage would shield him from the eagle's pursuit.
But no matter how hard he dodged and darted, the eagle's piercing gaze remained locked onto him, unerring and relentless.
"Dammit!" Raka gasped, glancing up to see the enormous creature diving at terrifying speed, claws extending like deadly blades.
Instinct screamed at him to move, and he twisted away as razor-sharp talons crashed into the ground where he'd stood moments ago, sending a shockwave through the dirt.
The eagle quickly recovered, landing with remarkable grace despite its size. Raka didn't have time to form a coherent thought as it lunged again, wings thrusting powerfully forward, claws aiming straight for his face.
Pure reflex guided his hands upward—catching and gripping the eagle's massive talons in a desperate, iron-clad hold.
Shock flashed clearly across the eagle's and rider's faces, matching his own surprise at his sudden strength. Gritting his teeth, Raka shouted and heaved with all his might, muscles burning as he threw the enormous creature aside.
The eagle crashed violently through several trees, splinters, and branches flying wildly as it screeched in pain. The rider tumbled free, landing roughly and rolling to a stop.
Raka's breath came in ragged bursts, eyes locked onto the dazed creature as it shakily rose. But something had changed—the eagle's gaze looked different now, clearer somehow, more aware.
Before Raka could decipher the meaning, the rider staggered upright, one hand glowing an ominous purple as he muttered rapid, harsh incantations. Instantly, the eagle writhed in agony, shrieking as if tortured.
Raka's heart twisted painfully. Realization struck sharply—the rider was controlling the eagle against its will.
A surge of protective anger propelled Raka forward, instantly closing the gap between him and the rider.
The cloaked man had barely lifted his gaze before Raka's fingers clamped mercilessly around his throat, hoisting him effortlessly off the ground.
The spell abruptly ceased, and the eagle's screeching faded. Raka slammed the rider down hard onto the forest floor, exerting every ounce of control to hold back his full strength.
The rider's pained cry cut off abruptly, his body limp and motionless beneath Raka's grip.
Panting heavily, Raka released the unconscious man and turned cautiously towards the eagle. He wanted to ensure he didn't kill the man, but the eagle was now the bigger threat.
The majestic creature stood quietly, watching him with intelligent, wary eyes. Raka carefully raised his hands, stepping back slowly in an attempt to appear non-threatening.
"Easy, big guy," he murmured softly, heart still racing but empathy overriding fear. "We're good now, right?"
The eagle regarded him silently for a tense moment before releasing a resonant screech and spreading its impressive wings, launching skyward in a mighty rush of wind.
Raka exhaled shakily, relief flooding through him, though it was painfully brief. His senses prickled urgently, detecting Nikos's approaching presence.
"Can't rest yet," he muttered bitterly, turning swiftly and sprinting in the opposite direction, his surroundings quickly dissolving into a blur as he put as much distance as possible between himself and the relentless pursuers.
/ - /
"Alright, just a little longer before we settle down to rest."
Nova yelled out to everyone from the front. They had gone a considerable distance from when they saw the explosion.
She was confident now that the chances of them being discovered were close to none. The rest of the group also looked in good spirits after seeing their trap working.
As long as things kept going smoothly, their biggest obstacle would only be distance. The trees had already thinned out, almost out of the forest.
If her memory was correct, they should soon come across a swamp.
"Oh right, the Queen's Swampland." She muttered. The area was primarily safe, except for some low-level monsters. But she could deal with them easily.
The bigger problem was that the swampland only had one good road to Dravareth. If the slavers somehow caught up to them, they would be standing defenseless in a straight line.
Maybe it was possible to go through the swamp in only a day? No, that was unrealistic. If she really rushed it, then maybe she could make it in a day and a half.
Yeah, that I could probably manage that-
RUMBLE
RUMBLE
RUMBLE
What was that? Nova thought as she looked back at the group, who had looks of confusion and were frozen in place.
The rumbling didn't stop.
"Mina! Korin! What's going on?!" She yelled out to the lynx-eared twins at the far back. Their lynx ears were flattened as they carefully searched their surroundings.
"We don't know!" The rumbling sounds continued, and… got louder? Mina's head suddenly snapped towards the forest.
"S-somethings getting closer?!"
Nova had heard enough. A bright blue glow enveloped her palm before a bow suddenly manifested as she jumped over the group, landing beside the twins.
"Everyone else get back!"
Conjuring an ice arrow, her weapon was ready to fire as the twins brought out their daggers.
Whatever it was, or whoever it was. She was ready to protect her people with her life.
"There!"
Corin shouted, and Nova could finally make out a figure barreling in their direction.
Here it comes! Her eyes focused as she aimed her bow, ready to fire-!
Only for them to completely run past them.
She was confused for a split second but quickly adjusted her position just in time to see the figure suddenly yell before suddenly tripping and rolling through the trees and ground.
Nova motioned to the twins to follow her. They nodded, and the trio ran toward the "person," who had finally stopped falling.
As they reached its position, they saw a giant crater on the ground. The man's shirt was almost completely destroyed, and burnt marks were left on the remaining cloth.
Slowly inching closer, they could finally make out the figure of a man in the middle.
The man seemed unmoving for a while, and she almost thought that he was dead. Until she heard groaning.
"Ow, that fucking hurt-"
She pointed an arrow at his head, "Don't move!"
"What the-?! Oh come on, again?!"