At the edge of the peninsula underneath the dark starry night. Fireflies roaming around and lighting the place. Over the edge where the waves can be heard crashing and the salty wind brushes against the face a certain hum can be heard.

Jack is sitting at the edge with his feet dangling over it. He is hugging a small post that prevents him from being thrown off by the burst of wind that comes and go. Humming to a melody that seems to come from within. A distant memory.

He slowly touches the coin that serves as his eyes, trying to get a feel from the 5 holes pierced through it. As well as trying to feel the lily flower engraved on it. The hum becomes slower and slower when he looks at his hand, gloved, stuffed in straws. He opens his palm then slowly made a fist, carefully observing it before his eyes drifted at the horizon.

Still humming, he slowly moves his head to the tune like a pendulum. No one in sight, he continues to increase the sound but not loud enough for it to reach the house resting a top the hill.

At first light, Bob is already up. He is right next to his workshop swinging his axe, practicing. After a few more swings he puts it on a stump nearby and picks up the machete and did the same thing. Constantly switching from his left hand to his right after a few repetitions.

Jack walks up to the workshop and grabs the short bow. Bob notices him as he notches an arrow and aims it by the house. He lobs it and directly hit a post by the field, much farther than Bob’s.

“Did you get any better?” Bob asks.

“Yes, my lord.”

“I’ll have you stationed at my room and shoot from the windows.” Bob chuckles

“There are other things that I have noticed after our fight 2 days ago.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“My body feels more reinforced and less heavy.”

Bob looks at Jack from head to toe, squints his eye and said.

“Is that so?” In his mind he thought that nothing is different on the outside so the difference must have come from the core.

Jack grabs another arrow and shot the same distance hitting another post on the field.

Bob then finishes his work out. He grabs his shirt that is hanging from one of the posts on the workshop. Wiping all of his face drenched sweat with a rag right next to his shirt.

“I should get ready. They will come anytime soon.” Bob said while putting his shirt on and grabbing the axe and the machete from the stump.

Jack then handed the bow to Bob. Bob thanked him before whistling, calling for the wolves. Agta emerged from the shadows and gave him a lift to the nearest look out from the farm. Leaving Jack all alone at the workshop.

He then grabs the longbow that is placed on the table. Grabbing one of the longer arrows, he notched it to the bow and draws. Aiming straight at the post that he just hit he lose the arrow and it hit the first one almost on the exact same spot but the difference this time is that the arrow pierced it to its shaft. He walks towards post leaving the bow behind and remove the arrows and placing them back to the workshop. The same river cane arrows and crystal arrowheads obtained from the cave. He looks at them deeply before noticing the arrival of the transporters each carrying a crate of crystals.

At the outpost, Bob checks out the traps, making sure that no animals triggered it overnight. The pit fall is well covered with leaves and some dirt to make it match the rough paved road. He also realigns the ropes from the snare trap to a more studier branch. He did the same thing to all 4 look outs across the peninsula. Then he stations himself at the farthest hill.

He looks up to measure the time with his fingers before looking back at the direction that the adventurers might come.

Mt. Maga stands majestically at the distance. Yet from his look out he still can’t see the point where the continent connects to the peninsula as it is still farther away. The rustling leaves made Bob calm down while waiting for anyone to come. Staring eagerly at the distance.

Noon arrives and nothing is happening yet. But he still didn’t budge from his place atop the tree. He then heard a howl from below. It was Atga. On her mouth is a burlap sack. He then climbs down the tree before jumping off of it. He took the sack from Atga then gave her a small pat on the head. Inside the sack are fruits and a bowl covered with a plate tied down by a small rope.

‘Stew?’ He thought.

The aroma of the succulent stew almost made him forgot that he is the middle of the forest atop a hill on the center of the peninsula. When he came to himself, he covers the bowl and tied it before climbing back atop the tree and eat it there. He gobbles the food up while still looking at the distance. Making sure that nothing is out of the ordinary.

Eventually it is almost sun down. The fireflies are emerging from their hiding place. The birds are retreating to the trees as well the other animals back to their holes and logs. Yet Bob didn’t grow bored. He still has his eyes set on the horizon. Even as the sky grows darker.

It came to a time where he can’t see anything from his place. The moon isn’t in the sky to help either. He climbed down from his place, along with the burlap sack from earlier as well as his axe and machete with the looped over his shoulders.

Down the hill and a short distance towards the continent hidden behind thick bushes are golems resting against each other. They soon became aware of Bob who’s walking towards them.

“Rocky, Stony.” He said softly while his hand brushes against their moss-covered body.

Atop the rock that serves as their head are wools from the sheep dyed in blood. Which has turned to a brownish tint since it was first created.

Then comes Jack, riding Atga heading towards their direction. After getting off he walk towards Bob and with a very worried voice said to him.

“Did something happen?”

“The opposite. No one came.” He replied.

“I see.” Jack sighed in relief.

“I was just telling them to give a signal if they see any humans coming our way.”

After a few more exchanges they went back to the house. The scarecrow holding the ladle prepared handed Bob a bowl of stew while he recounts his day to Jack who is eagerly listening. After supper he went to bed.

Lying there he couldn’t sleep. The thoughts of the adventurers coming and wreaking havoc in the farm keeps coming to him, making him sleepless for the night

The next day he did the same thing before going to the look out. But he was stopped by Jack.

“Sire, I don’t think you should be going out this early”

“Why?” Bob asks while already mounted on Agta.

“You seem tired and the place is secured. Rocky and Stony will give us the signal if anyone comes.” He replied in a gentle manner.

“They will come. It could happen in the next hour.” Bob said before having Agta took off without letting Jack finish his thought.

The hour stretches into a day, the day turns into a week and finally, a month has passed and no one came.