****(POV)

"G-guys! Look there! Is that …a merchant caravan?!"

Would you look at that…yes, it is! Something is definitely happening here. The third group already. Ah, never mind it's just one lone carriage. One escorted by about 50 mercenaries. Don't tell me the next group to appear will have 60 and it will keep going up?

They all look intimidating, well except a dwarf merchant on the vehicle. I mean he's human but very tiny. Now usually that wouldn't be that noticeable but somehow, he looks extremely mean. Picture a kid with a beard squinting at you in permanence and that's pretty much it.

They get close enough then the little man gives an ultimatum:

"This place now belongs to us the Always Trading Group! You can either scram or scram! Otherwise, we'll use force!"

That's when the mercenary next to him murmurs:

"Boss, I'm really not sure we can do that. One group has mages you know."

He doesn't even bother hiding his lips so I can simply read them. These guys are not the brightest either. Anyway, why is a merchant so prone to violence? That is literally why I never really trade myself and only bother with forcefully taking, so much easier! Well, for one such as I anyway.

"We were here first!"

"We won't give up either!"

"Hehe can't you guys see that I have elite soldiers with me?! These guys are different from you rabble. Now, hurry up and run!"

"No way! Not after all we had to endure to find this place!"

"Same!"

"If you remain stubborn you won't be able to endure anymore haha. Now, let our carriage through or pay the price!"

The first and second group leaders share a look. They are reluctant to give up. Since they are relatively equal in strength negotiations go easily. They seem to settle for a 50/50 share of whatever they are looking for.

Now both groups are huddling together, finding safety in their numbers. Are they forgetting that they were killing each other a short while ago? Then they face this new external enemy.

"You think merging will suffice? Haha, you guys clearly lack the coordination necessary to win! Men! Wipe them all out!"

None whatsoever moves. Hahaha, are these guys for real?

"I'll double your pay! Bonus gold for each kill! Charge!!!!"

Never mind, that gets them in the mood. Then both groups start fighting. This time the death toll actually goes up pretty fast. Motivated by the potential gain the third group's mercenaries are giving their all.

Not long later, about 30% of all the men have died. This is when everyone retreats in panic. They have realized that at the rate they are going there barely will be a survivor at the end. Traveling alone is the easiest way to get kindly taken in by some slave trader or even gently get taken to the afterlife.

Fighting was obviously a very dumb idea here. Now, why they are even fighting here specifically is beyond me. The dwarf is getting impatient, but honestly, this is pretty entertaining.

"*Cough cough* You guys are worthy opponents! I think we should call it a truce. Still, there is only one Dwarf Master, how are we going to approach this issue?"

"What? There is a Dwarf Master here? That's not why we are here anyway. Our sect is chasing a fugitive!"

"You guys too are after the Akresh follower?!"

"What?! There is an Akresh follower here? No, we are following another criminal!"

That's when they all look at each other. Then they all look at the corpses strewn around in a broken manner. This is quite hilarious! So, these three groups are not after the same objective at all but fought and incurred losses trying to monopolize it. They of course awkwardly change the subject.

"How do we destroy this barrier?"

"We just need to keep hitting it till it disappears!"

"Let's do this!"

They'd rather hammer at it than turn around and see the lifeless judging eyes of their brethren. I can already guess what many will do. They'll be using the death toll as an excuse to increase the pay or merit.

They send a barrage of attacks on the blue barrier making it instantly ripple. Well, it's kinda always rippling a bit. Yes, they are not doing anything. I can't help but ask the dwarf.

"How long until they breach it at the rate they are going?"

"About …actually I'm not sure. A few hundred years optimistically."

"Let me guess, their actions are completely useless?"

"It's pretty much the normal usure, yes."

These fools are enthusiastically going. Hoping for instant success. Not realizing that they will run out of lifespan before making a dent in it.

"The next one will breach it for sure!"

"We just need to keep going, in a day at worst we'll be done!"

"Huzzah!"

A villager sighs. "What fools. This barrier is impossible to open both for us and for them."

Wait a minute! "Wait! You mean to say we can't get out?! I'm sure enough acid would…"

"Don't worry. When I was reworking it, I added a passageway. Well, there used to be one too. It just somehow disappeared after too much time had passed. Now, what should we do about these guys?"

"Can't we let them in? They seem harmless. I wonder what exactly they came for. Two are looking for fugitives and one for you directly. Who knows, maybe the small man is looking for someone even smaller. Perhaps he'll even fall in love with you and…"

"Gross."

As he says that he waves his sword toward the barrier and it glows slightly before a square appears in it allowing passage.

"We did it!"

"We are awesome!"

"Wow! Take that, you dumb barrier!"

Self-awareness is hard to have it seems haha. Before long they all proceed inside. They all curiously look at the small houses. I can hear some whisper about how much of a shithole it is, about how big a waste. There is a great and powerful ancient barrier protecting…a village.

The clash is so big that many simply start laughing. One of them suggests they should remain careful. What if the villagers are actually powerful?! Well, he gets laughed at, a lot. Especially when they see them munching on carrots.

That's when one goes.

"This village is now under our control! Please cooperate or else…"

I'm pretty sure the else won't be pretty, at least for them.