Episode 33: Good night sweet prince

The sun rose again over the exhausted, terrorized, and wounded convoys, though they regrouped, the relentless attacks had taken a toll on their adventurers and priests, who were not enough to properly treat all the wounded. Taro noticed the secretary about to fall over and managed to catch him.

guild secretary: woah, did I just fall asleep while standing? I'm truly an old geezer aren't I?

Taro: mazter, you ok?

guild secretary: yeah, just a little tired, I haven’t slept ever since we left the town. but this is nothing, I’ve been through worse, this is just another day for me ha-ha!

Ari: what are you saying old man?, you must sleep at least a bit, it’s in the protocols

guild secretary: heh you’re right, as responsible as your father, he wouldn’t let me skip a nap either. alright then, let me rest my wooden leg for a bit, wake me up if anything happens

Ari: Nagye, you should sleep too, we need you to prevent ambushes, come lie down here

Taro, Ari, and Sidra guarded the man and Nagye while they slept, vigilant of their surroundings, ready to risk their life, but also tired and increasingly hopeless

Ari: I could really use one of Shizuka’s poor tasted jokes right now

Sidra: Indeed, may the goddess give her the strength to awaken soon and well, may we be allowed to survive. oh goddess, I beg you heed my prayers

Taro: (I was never religious in my world, but being in this situation, where the possibility of death coming for me and my loved ones is so real… goddess, if you’re listening, please protect us, or give us strength, or something!)

While people ran around, cried, prayed for the fallen, and repaired broken carts, an old man and a young lady slept on the ground, and their 3 guardians prayed. Everything was interrupted when the bells rang once again by the trio of professionals, all sitting over the shoulders of each other like a totem of men, standing on a tree branch. Panic ensued, weapons were lifted once again

shield guy: they’re coming, the horde is coming!! I see them from up here!

guild secretary: huh? already?! can’t they give us a breather?. everyone, to your positions!!

The Horde emerged from the wilderness, this time confident, as if they knew their prey was too weak this time. they had brought a new unit, an even taller, bulkier monster with four arms, who opened its mouth to emit sounds that started to resemble human speech

horde monster: throw your weapons, submit now, spare us the need to kill you. you will be slaves now

guild secretary: the monster can speak?!. you offer us a “peaceful” solution huh?, I’ll tell you what, we got a deal, here’s my weapons, I don’t wanna fight, don’t hurt me, I give up

The guild secretary threw all his maces in front of the monster, and with hands raised walked towards it. Those who didn’t know were disturbed, but the adventurers knew exactly what was going to happen. The monsters were surprised at how easily they submitted the leader, and just let him get close, enough for him to summon not 1, but 3 mana arms to pick up his maces, two to instantly split in half some lesser henchmen, and the other one to smash a big dent in the bulky one’s side

horde monster: you… shall die!

The battle was unleashed, the number of monsters was higher than the previous attack, and though the caravans had regrouped, they were still recovering from endless fights with no rest. the situation was dire, the monsters were breaching the defense lines, Ari and Sidra had to engage face to face with them, Nagye supported them with a bird each

a monster jumped in front of Taro while the others were tangled in their own battle. For a moment, he wondered if he would die there, but he saw Sidra clubbing the monsters with her mana enhanced tree monster root, reminding him of his own. He released it from his belt, soaked it to the core with his mana, adopted a batter’s position, and when the monster was within range, he swung to the armor gap. the stick passed through like a knife on butter, a feat both the monster and Taro did not expect

Taro: (I can do this!, I’m not powerless like before, all my training was worth it!)

Ari and Sidra bested their opponents thanks to Nagye’s twin slashing birds, and started turning the tides of battle. Taro provided support fire, sending out the hottest and most compressed rocks he had ever made, surprised at how the situation was making him surpass his limits.

meanwhile, the bulky monster was tangled in a wrestling match with the secretary, who was holding all 4 of the monster’s arms with 4 mana arms, 2 more swinging at other monsters, and all that while he continued to chop at its sides with his short mace

guild secretary: you think you can enslave us yet you fall for such a basic trick? ha-ha! you Horde fools are nothing!

horde monster: strong man, you are dangerous, too bad I could not eat you to obtain your power. I cannot let you live

The monster’s strength was waning, but suddenly, the crystal on its helmet lit up in a red flash, and a beam of light penetrated the secretary’s chest, leaving a gaping hole before the monster collapsed dead. The monsters saw their leader fall and realized they could not win the battle, so they fled. Many had fallen from both sides, but there were more monster corpses than fallen townspeople. Another battle was won somehow

short guy: the secretary!!, help!!, bring a priest, the secretary is down!! blow the horn, bring the guild master!!

shield guy blew a horn, and shortly after, a horn not too far away echoed in response, and then another further away. Meanwhile, everyone scrambled to tend to the injured and dead, Sidra and the others rushed to the secretary’s side. Various priests had fallen during the battle, healing suddenly became scarce

Sidra: The Healing Grace is a mighty spell, it can snatch someone from the claws of death!, I won’t let you die, you won’t die!

She casted her healing on the agonizing secretary, slowly healing the disastrous hole, but it was not enough, though flesh and bones were regenerating, a hole was still there. Sidra’s vision blurred and she felt dizzy, she realized her nose was dripping blood, and her Healing Grace was losing power

Sidra: the Healing Grace… almighty power, can cure anything!... goddess, I’m not enough, we need more healers, I won’t let you… goddess please!, give me your strength!

guild secretary: its fine—-that’s enough—- I was already dead —--since a long time ago….

Ari: What are you saying?!, don’t give up, my father is on the way, hold the line!!

Taro: mazter! no give up!!

guild secretary: I lost — so much in that battle—-my hand, my eye—but what I regret the most—- is losing my beloved— she was pregnant— we were gonna have—so many kids…

Sidra tried to reactivate her healing, but it would flicker and dissipate, she collapsed into tears at her inability to save the man, to ease his pain, to uphold her duty as a priestess

guild secretary: they would have— your ages by now… sometimes I— feel like—- my kids are alive— when I see you all— my sweet—- princes and princesses…. my champs….

Taro: (one of the first people who showed me kindness in this world, the man that always gave me courage, always so gentle, he can't go like this!) mazter! mazter!!

Ari: old man!!, uncle!! don't go!!

guild secretary: Ari… my little princess… you never liked—-when I called you that— back then heheh…

Those words unlocked memories Ari had long forgotten, of the secretary calling her a princess when she was a kid and she demanded to be treated like an adventurer despite her short age. Those memories tugged at her heart and she was unable to speak, only cry

guild secretary: tell the guild master—-tell Barti— I love him— my dear friend…. I'm tired now—- I want to sleep—- I want to go—with Alyn… my best foragers— live a long life….

He slowly closed his eyes, and the darkness enveloping him turned to white when he saw his long-lost wife, waiting for him. He extended his hand, and after smiling, he sighed in relief for the last time.

Taro and Ari had just lost someone dear to them, Sidra’s identity as a priest died with the man, and Nagye could only cry and hug them powerless. A while after, the guild master arrived, he seemed winded from running at maximum speed there, only to find the battle over, monster corpses, people helping each other, and his best friend lying on the floor surrounded by not just Taro and the girls, but also the trio of professionals, all crying

guild master: Chone!! Chone my friend, what are you doing on the floor? get up!! Chone, prince of my heart, don't leave me, Chone!!

The guild master hugged his friend and cried inconsolable, nobody had ever seen such profound sadness, they did not know the stoic guild master could scream in pain at a hole that was not on his own chest.