Chapter 29: Hunting Friends

I’m off. I didn’t get to see Ricardo, Anna, or Celia, but my dumbass friend and the Princess are addicted to kidnappings.

I run towards town and find a secluded place to put my light refraction magic up before ascending to the skies. I’ve explored a little less than half of the eastern forests and mountains in a semicircle starting at the academy. If they were taken through the northernmost areas towards the city states, it’d be completely foreign territory.

My best bet is to get a lead on where their carriage was attacked.

I fly past the capital and start walking the road that leads to Marquis Duren’s territory. I release my magic to scan the largest area I can, and start hopping along the road in increments of my maximum range. It can differ depending on the terrain and density of objects around me, but it's quite large in this area.

Roughly halfway to Marquis’ Duren’s territory, I sense a carriage, dead horses, and numerous bodies in a small patch of trees far from the road. Found it.

Most of the knights have stab wounds to their necks and faces, and the horse met a similar fate. The inside of the carriage is in perfect condition, with travel bags and rations still in place.

They’re traveling light, and whoever attacked them had phenomenal stealth or speed to kill so many knights before they could defend themselves. I’m getting excited, stealth assassins from an enemy nation kidnapping a Princess? Maybe keeping her around isn’t so bad..

I follow the footprints from the hidden carriage to the south and onto a small hill. The earth is turned up, and all the grass is destroyed – earth magic? The footprints stop here, but the hill has a clear view of the road, the river just past it, and the forest/mountains beyond them.

I’ve never seen or heard of earth magic users being able to move people several hundred meters, but I’m a freak, so I can’t discount the possibility of there being others.

I fly to the edge of the forest and find a small crater before the trees. There’s another freak. I have to take this seriously. I put my old man outfit on and retrieve my sword as I follow the footsteps leading from the crater into the forest. They turn north just past the tree line – heading for territory I haven’t scouted.

Inside the forest, my magical detection range is smaller. It’s at its largest in open flat areas; any surface area will reduce how far I can push my range. And I’m two weeks behind the kidnappers, but if they’re taking the forest and mountains the entire way, then I can catch up.

I start running along their trail while maintaining my detection range. Sunset nears, and I haven’t sensed any people, but I’m still on the trail. I take out a tomato to snack on before leaping into the skies.

They should be making camp by this time every night, argh, unless they’re like me.

I see smoke a few kilometers ahead. I’ve been running fast, but it’s hard to judge in the forest – could I have caught up already?

I run along the trail but start creating magic footholds to move silently as I approach. The fire is coming from a camp, and there are six tents, but they’re built into the forest around them. This isn’t a temporary travel camp; it’s a repeat-use hunting camp. But I only sense two people.

The trail led to this camp. Did Alaria hire people with experience in this region? I didn’t think many people traverse the forests and mountains in the east – maybe the north is safer?

SHING

A throwing knife flies towards me and buries itself in the tree I’m standing behind.

“I know you’re back there, no point hiding when you’re putting out so much magic,” a young woman with short platinum hair yells from next to one of the tents.

Magic blew my cover? Can she see it too? Or feel it?

I drop my light refraction and lower myself to the ground.

“HOHO, keen senses you have, young lady,” I reply, then walk out from the trees to face the woman, and hunch my back slightly. I am playing a character here.

I only detect one other person in the camp, a girl is sleeping in the tent next to this woman.

“What do you want?” she growls at me, a throwing knife in her left hand and a small blade in her right.

“Oh, young lady, you’re misunderstanding me, I have no ill intentions – I am simply looking for some friends of mine. A young man and a young lady were taken through here – would you know anything about that?” I ask, watching her posture closely for a shift in position.

“We don’t know anything, we’re just hunters..” she says and glares at me like she wants to unleash her next throwing knife.

“Ah, I see, so it’s a coincidence that the trail I’ve followed from where my friends were taken leads directly to this camp?” I ask with squinted eyes. I smell bullshit.

“HMPH, this is a hunting camp. Anyone passing through could stop and use it,” the woman answers.

“Hmm, I don’t disagree. I prefer more secluded hunting camps myself. If I may, young miss, what are you hunting? I don’t typically travel this far north,” I ask, and her scowl softens slightly.

“Deer mostly, but migratory birds sometimes sleep in these trees before crossing the sea north,” she says.

“OHO, the information about those birds is useful. Thank you, Miss. And for my own peace of mind – the names Sylvie and Eric wouldn’t ring a bell, would they?” I ask.

She shrugs at me, but I stay silent without breaking eye contact.

“I already told you, old man, I don’t know an Eric or a Prin-“ her eyes go wide at the mistake, and she draws her left arm back to toss her throwing knife.

If there’s a freak who took them, it isn’t her. I close the distance in a flash, nearly putting the fire out with the wind pressure alone. I knock the knives from her hands, grab her neck, and pin her to the forest floor.

“HOHO, I didn’t mention the young lady is a Princess, did I?” I ask.

“HRGH! Let go!” she yells.

“I shan’t! But I can be much rougher!” I yell back.

I’ve been working on something for just this type of situation. I manipulate condensed magic to cup incoming sound into her ears, then manipulate the air coming out of my mouth to function like a microphone before I scream.

“WHERE ARE THEY!?”

My scream is bass boosted and funneled into her ears, it’ll definitely cause hearing damage.

“EEK! I don’t know! Th-they just stayed here two nights ago!” she yelps.

“Let go of her!” the other camper shouts from the edge of her tent. My yell must’ve woken them, I look up and see a girl with blue silver hair screaming at me.

“Wha- fake grandpa? Get off of Kara, what are you doing!?” the girl asks.

The kid I gave some paddle horn meat to? What’s she doing so far north?

“Selena, run! He’s a monster!” Kara screams, but my gaze has shifted to the girl I know.

“Selena, is it? Do you know anything about a noble child and a Princess that were kidnapped and brought through here?” I ask, and lighten my grip on Kara’s throat.

“Uh- I..” Selena freezes.

“Hmm, so this is where our amicable relationship ends, is it?” I keep my glare focused on her.

“No! Let Kara go, I’ll help you find them. They’ll be following the northern trails, and I’m familiar with those,” Selena cries.

“Selena! Stop, he’ll kill us regardless of what we say. Do you sense his magic? He’s as strong as the beast that came through here!” Kara yells and piques my curiosity.

“OHO, a beast you say?” I can’t hide this smile, oh man, I get to fight a beast? Is it like half person, half dragon, and full of magic??

“ARGH! Let Selena go, and I’ll help you!” Kara yells up at me.

Hmm, I would like to have a guide, but Kara would probably try to kill me and maybe the others once they’re retrieved.

“I see.. if Selena will guide me, you both can live” I propose.

“I’ll do it!” Selena yells.

“WHA-NO! She’s young, I have more experience in this region!” Kara protests.

“You’ve tried to attack me twice, there would be a third time if I took you,” I reply.

I stand and release my grip from Kara’s throat.

“Selena, you’ll be guiding me – how far from here do you think they are?” I ask.

“Right, it’s been two days – they should be just past the next mountain!” Selena says.

“I see, we’ll be going. If you have any weapons, leave them here,” I command Selena before looking back to Kara, who is sitting on the ground, “I don’t think you need an explanation of what happens if you follow us.”

 Kara gulps, “Ah.. the men you’re chasing, aren’t normal.. they’re strong, maybe stronger than you..” she says with a crumpling face, “Please just take me, I won’t cause you any trouble! Selena isn’t involved in this!” Kara pleads again.

“I refuse,” I say, and look down at Kara with disgust, “when I bring Selena back, I’m expecting an explanation from you.”

“..” Kara is silent, but her face is filled with shame.

“Selena, I’ll be carrying you. You need to hold on tight so you don’t fall,” I say, then walk over to her and pick her up with one hand at her back and one behind her knees.

“eep!” she squeaks.

“Wrap your arms around me and hold on tight, we’ll be moving quickly,” I command.

“Ri-right ok..” she says and complies.

I kick off the ground and land on a magic foothold atop the closest tree. I jump a few more trees before putting light refraction up and taking to the skies towards the next mountain to the east.

“Selena, it’s the mountain straight ahead?” I ask, but she doesn't respond. I look down and see that Selena’s jaw is open as her eyes scan the treetops.

“Selena?” I ask again.

“Huh, oh right, yes, that’s the mountain.. but we’re floating..?” she asks, looking up at me.

“It’s a type of magic,” I say as casually as I can manage.

“Right.. and the bubble around us?” she asks and holds her arm out toward the light refraction circle.

“You can see it? I don’t know anyone else who can see things like that..” I reply.

Kara said she noticed my magic too..

“Um.. I can’t really say..” she says awkwardly.

Are they both reborn people? Have they been hiding out in the forests? Maybe they’re from a different world than I was from..

“That’s fine, so long as I get the kids back, I won’t bother you furthe,r” I say.

“Kids.." Selena mumbles, "But you’re not much older..”

“When we’re around them, pretend I’m an old man, I’ll play the part too,” I say seriously.

“But why..?” Selena asks with a confused expression.

“Tell me your secret, and I’ll tell you mine,” I reply with a grin.

“Ugh, fine. Keep your secret, old man,” she says with a snicker.

We arrive at the top of the mountain and touch down.

“What direction is the trail?” I ask, and turn to Selena.

“It’s a bit north, but the mountain descent is long and steep in spots. We might not see them from up here..”

North, I turn my gaze and sharpen my senses as much as I can. There they are, one man in front, Eric and Princess Sylvie bound with ropes behind him, and two men in back. They’re approaching the edge of the next forest. I pull my focus back and look at Selena.

“Kara said one of the men is a beast. Do you remember what he looked like?” I ask.

“Kara wouldn’t let me get too close to them, but the biggest guy had a lot of magic around him like you,” Selena answers.

“Can they see magic?” I ask.

“I don’t know for sure.. but it’s possible..” she responds quietly.

It’s hard to tell how much magic they have at this distance, and it’s out of my detection range. I’m going to gamble that the beast is at the front.

“Stay here, Selena. If I’m not back soon, return to your camp – what supplies would you need to survive?” I ask.

“I um, it’s not that dangerous here, and I have water. A little food would help, I haven’t eaten much today..” she says shyly.

Eh, she’s seen me fly, can’t think I’m more of a freak.

I open spatial storage and take out a bag of paddle horn jerky and a tomato.

“Take these, the fruit is sweet, and the meat is fatty,” I say while holding out the food.

“You have rare magic too!? Can you teach me?” she pleads, forgetting her situation.

“I don’t think so, your friends kidnap people,” I answer bluntly.

“Oh.. right.. sorry for asking,” she says meekly and turns away.

I take off into the air and stop my magic from pouring out. The furthest it’s getting is my light refraction bubble. I settle far above the first kidnapper and ready my sword.

I spin upside down and kick off a magic foothold in the sky. I manipulate condensed magic at my back to accelerate down further and aim for the first guy's head. I swing my sword down and slice him in half from head to crotch. The two sides of his body part and fall in opposite directions.

“HOHO, a young man and lady in binds? My nose for bandits is quite good!” I yell in my best geezer voice.

Neither of the guys in back have impressive amounts of magic. My gamble worked.

“EEEK!” Princess Sylvie screeches and falls over.

“OLD MAN! YOU CAME!!” Eric screams even louder.

“BOSS! Who the hell! You’re dead!” one of the kidnappers at the rear yells and kicks off the ground, shattering it.

He’s holding his sword forward to stab me in the chest, and he’s fast. The amount of magic he pushed out of his feet should use up almost all he has.

I sidestep, letting him blow past me.

“GET DOWN!” I scream, and Eric listens. Both hostages are on the ground - it’s easier to fight this way.

The second kidnapper is unsheathing his sword, but I accelerate to end him before he can. His head flies.

I turn to face the first attacker, but he’s not out of magic? The amount of magic I see from him hasn’t changed at all – does he hold it in?

He kicks off again, this time aiming to retake Princess Sylvie. His left hand picks the Princess up by the back of her dress while his right is bringing a sword to her neck.

I kick off and swing my sword down vertically, cleaving the man’s sword arm at the elbow, and spraying the Princess with blood.

“AHHHHG,” the man screams.

As he stumbles backward, I grab his throat and pin him to the ground.

“HOHO, that’s a nasty wound, young fellow. But you’re talented for a bandit, aren’t you?” I ask with a chuckle.

“FUCK YOU!” he screams before spitting at me.

Our heads are so close I nearly have to break the sound barrier to dodge it, but I’ve lost my will to interrogate.

“OHO, well, let’s see how well you fly!” I throw the man into the air and create a gust of wind under him to prevent his bleeding arm from raining down on us.

I turn to face Princess Sylvie and Eric. The Princess looks horrified, and Eric looks like he’s meeting Superman.

“OHO, young lady, my deepest apologies for sullying your dress,” I say with a polite bow.

The proper address brings the Princess back to reality.

“Th- no, apologies for my unsightly appearance. Thank you for coming to save us. Could I please have the name of my savior?” she asks with a smile and curtsy.

From terrified to relationship building, this is why I don’t like her.

“Young lady, there’s no reason to remember someone so close to the grave, ahah,” I reply with a chuckle.

“Old man, you saved us twice, please accept my thanks as well,” Eric chimes in with a deep bow.

“OHO, young man, I don’t need such formalities.. though we do need to discuss one matter..” I say with a hum.

“You’ll be handsomely rewarded for this, even if you don’t wish to give us your name, sir,” Princess Sylvie says with determination.

“Oh, young lady, you’re very kind, but that’s not what I wish to discuss. Your trail comes from Sante, which is quite far.. however there’s a camp not far from here that we could go to before it gets any darker,” I say.

“Oh.. we stayed in a camp a few nights ago,” Eric says.

“Indeed, the very same one, the young ladies there helped me find you,” I reply.

“They did?” the Princess responds with a confused expression.

“Yes, I don’t know their circumstances, but I don’t suspect they wanted to aid those bandits,” I say, trying to measure their involvement based on the Princess’s expression. In moments, she seems accepting of the arrangement.

“I understand, sir, we’ll be in your care,” she says with a quick bow.

“My my, you’re a polite young lady. My back feels quite good today, so I’ll carry you two and the young lady who aided me in trips,” I explain.

“You’ll carry us?” Eric asks with a cocked head.

“OHO, if you live long enough, you’ll learn a few tricks, and I’ll show you one of them,” I say.

I could fly them back tonight, but I don’t have much practice flying with baggage, and it’s going to be dark. I’ll have to add that to my training.

“Now, young lady, if you’ll allow it, I’ll pick you up. And young man, you’ll have to hold onto my back,” I say.

“That’s fine.. thank you again,” the Princess says.

“O-Ok,” Eric says.

I step forward and lift the Princess into my arms before crouching so Eric can climb on my back.

“OHO, hold on tight, please,” I request, causing the Princess to nod and Eric to rub his stubble against the back of my neck.

Gross dude.

I kick off the ground and float gently toward Selena at the top of the mountain before landing.

“Old man!” she yells, “you actually got them..”

“Aha us elderly have our tricks, my dear,” I say with a chuckle. Selena looks embarrassed enough for both of us at my act.

“Selena, I’m going to take these two back to camp quickly, then I’ll retrieve you. It shouldn’t take long,” I say.

“That’s fine, I can always go back on own..” she offers quietly.

“Nonsense, I made a promise to bring you back safely, and I shall. But my old bones have a limit of two people per flight,” I say with a small smile, then turn to the twice-kidnapped.

“Young lady and gent, we’ll be heading for that plume of smoke you see. It won’t take long, so please bear with being carried a little longer,” I say.

“We don’t mind, sir, we’re thankful to be in your hands,” Princess Sylvie says before I feel Eric prickle my neck again with a nod.

I kick off and fly to the camp with Princess Sylvie and Eric clinging to me. The balance of two people is difficult to get right. I have to push myself along with a smaller contact area of condensed magic, mostly under my feet. Maybe wind would be easier with people in tow?

Eric and the Princess are silent while we’re in the air, which I’m thankful for. This takes a lot of concentration.

We touch down just before the camp, and I lead them to Kara and the tents.

“You got them already?” Kara says with a stunned expression, “wait where’s Selena!? You promised to keep her safe!” She yells and marches towards me.

“Miss Kara, Selena’s perfectly safe, and I will be retrieving her next – why don’t you come with me so these two have a moment to relax without strangers around?” I ask.

“Right, show me she’s safe..” Kara says while glaring at me.

“OHO perfect,” I say before turning to address the Princess and Eric, “we’ll be back shortly, please get comfortable around the fire.”

“I understand, please hurry back, sir,” the Princess says.

“Alright, I’ll protect the Princess until you're back,” Eric says with a determined look.

Brother, you’ve failed twice already. A third time won’t go any better, but I don’t sense anyone in the area.